Software dispositivo medico: Analisi del rischio e integrazione nelle reti-it

In questa tesi faremo prima una panoramica sui dispositivi medici e, in particolare, andremo ad approfondire l’aspetto del software come dispositivo medico; successivamente andremo ad analizzare il sistema, definito “nuovo approccio”, che regolamenta l’immissione in commercio dei dispositivi medici all’interno del mercato europeo per andare poi ad analizzare la parte sulla gestione del rischio che è fondamentale per raggiungere la conformità soprattutto quando si tratta di dispositivi medici. Nel secondo capitolo, andremo poi ad analizzare il report tecnico IEC 80002-1 del 2009 che fornisce una guida, destinata al software, per l’applicazione dei requisiti contenuti nella normativa CEI UNI EN ISO 14971:2007. Nel terzo capitolo, visto il sempre maggior numero di dispositivi medici dotati di interfaccia di rete andremo ad analizzare il report tecnico IEC 80001 del 2009 per la gestione dei rischi delle reti IT medicali che incorporano tali dispositivi rivolto alle aziende ospedaliere.

Sviluppo e test di una rete di sensori indossabili per il monitoraggio e la riabilitazione di pazienti affetti da morbo di parkinson

Il recente sviluppo commerciale di smartphone, tablet e simili dispositivi, ha portato alla ricerca di soluzioni hardware e software dotate di un alto livello di integrazione, in grado di supportare una potenza di calcolo e una versatilità di utilizzo sempre più crescenti, pur mantenendo bassi i consumi e le dimensioni dei dispositivi. Questo sviluppo ha consentito parallelamente a simili tecnologie di trovare applicazione in tanti altri settori, tra i quali quello biomedicale. Il lavoro esposto in questa tesi si inserisce nel contesto appena descritto e, in particolare, consiste nello sviluppo di un sistema WBAN ideato per garantire maggiore flessibilità, controllo e personalizzazione nella terapia riabilitativa dei pazienti affetti da Morbo di Parkinson. In questo campo è stata dimostrata l'efficacia, in termini di miglioramento delle condizioni di vita dell'individuo, dell'esercizio fisico e in particolare di una serie di fisioterapie riabilitative specifiche. Tuttavia manca ancora uno strumento in grado di garantire più indipendenza, continuità e controllo,per le persone affette da MP, durante l'esecuzione di questi esercizi; senza che sia strettamente necessario l'intervento di personale specializzato per ogni seduta fisioterapeutica. Inoltre manca un sistema che possa essere comodamente trasportato dal paziente nelle attività di tutti i giorni e che consenta di registrare e trasmettere eventi particolari legati alla patologia, come blocchi motori e cadute accidentali. Il presente lavoro di tesi tratta della realizzazione di un Firmware per la gestione di un Nodo Centrale che funge da master in una rete WBAN a tre nodi. L'obbiettivo è quello di integrare in tale firmware le funzioni di acquisizione dati dai sensori on-board, comunicazione tra i nodi della rete e gestione delle periferiche hardware secondarie; in particolare per lo sviluppo è stato usato un Sistema Operativo Real-Time (RTOS) del quale sono esposti vantaggi e svantaggi dell’utilizzo.

Proposta metodologica per acquisizione e verificabilita di dati in rete trasmessi in maniera cifrata

Lo sviluppo di tecnologie informatiche e telematiche comporta di pari passo l’aumento di dispositivi informatici e di conseguenza la commissione di illeciti che richiedono l’uso di tecniche dell’informatica forense. Infatti, l'evoluzione della tecnologia ha permesso la diffusione di sistemi informatici connessi alla rete Internet sia negli uffici che nelle case di molte famiglie: il miglioramento notevole della velocità di connessione e della potenza dei dispositivi comporta l’uso di un numero sempre maggiore di applicazioni basate sul web 2.0, modificando lo schema classico d’uso del mezzo e passando da utente “lettore” a utente “produttore”: si potrebbe quasi porre la domanda “Chi non ha mai scritto un commento su un social network? Chi non ha mai caricato un video su una piattaforma di video sharing? Chi non ha mai condiviso un file su un sito?”. Il presente lavoro si propone di illustrare le problematiche dell’acquisizione del traffico di rete con particolare focus sui dati che transitano attraverso protocolli cifrati: infatti, l’acquisizione di traffico di rete si rende necessaria al fine di verificare il contenuto della comunicazione, con la conseguenza che diventa impossibile leggere il contenuto transitato in rete in caso di traffico cifrato e in assenza della chiave di decifratura. Per cui, operazioni banali nei casi di traffico in chiaro (come la ricostruzione di pagine html o fotografie) possono diventare estremamente impegnative, se non addirittura impossibile, quando non si sono previsti appositi accorgimenti e in assenza di idonei strumenti. Alla luce di tali osservazioni, il presente lavoro intende proporre una metodologia completa di acquisizione e uno strumento software che agevoli il lavoro di ricostruzione, e quindi verifica, dei dati contenuti nel traffico catturato, anche cifrato. Infine, verranno mostrati dei casi esemplificativi nei quali tale metodologia si rende opportuna (o meglio, necessaria) con test di ricostruzione dei dati eseguiti con il tool SSLTrafficReader.

Analisi della rete di teleriscaldamento di Corticella in presenza di utenze attive

Oggetto di questa tesi è lo studio di una rete di teleriscaldamento (TLR) preesistente, la rete di Corticella (Bo) ipotizzando la presenza di sottostazioni di scambio termico attive. Inizialmente sono state presentate le sottostazioni di scambio termico sia tradizionali che attive. Nelle tradizionali ci si è soffermato sul tipo di regolazione che può avvenire. Per quanto riguarda le sottostazioni di scambio termico attive son stati esaminati i 4 layout che permettono uno scambio termico bidirezionale di energia termica. E’ stato presentato il software IHENA (intelligent Heat Energy Network Analysis) creato dal dipartimento di ingegneria industriale, che ha permesso di effettuare le simulazioni sulla rete analizzata. Viene mostrato l’algoritmo di Todini-Pilati generalizzato dall’utilizzo delle equazioni di Darcy-Weisbach su cui si basa il motore di calcolo. Inoltre vengono presentati i vari input che è necessario inserire per ottenere il calcolo della rete. Dopo nozioni di base relative al teleriscaldamento attivo e la presentazione del software utilizzato si è passati alla vera e propria analisi della rete di teleriscaldamento. Sono state effettuate varie simulazioni per vedere l’andamento della rete di Corticella sia considerandola passiva (come nella realtà) che ipotizzandola attiva tramite l’inserimento di sottostazioni di scambio termico ative. Le analisi condotte riguardano i seguenti punti. a) E’ stata presentata la rete di Corticella cosi come è andando a studiare quindi il caso base. b) Sono state svolte delle analisi per vedere come si comportava la rete nel caso in cui venivano variati dei parametri operativi come i carichi termici richiesti dalle utenze. c) Sono stati valutati i percorsi più critici. d) Si è condotta un analisi sulla regolazione al variare delle temperature esterne. Dopo l'analisi del caso base sono state introdotte delle sottostazioni di scambio termico attive, prima solo una, e poi varie lungo determinati percorsi. Le valutazioni effettuate mettevano in primo piano gli andamenti della temperatura nei percorsi, la potenza termica generata dalla sorgente, la temperatura di ritorno in centrale e se si verificano delle problematiche sugli scambiatori di calore. In queste simulazioni sono stati valutati tutti e quattro gli schemi utilizzabili. Infine è stata effettuata un analisi comparativa tra le varie soluzioni studiate per poter mettere a confronto i casi. In particolare anche qui si sono voluti confrontare i valori di potenza spesa per il pompaggio, temperatura di ritorno in centrale e potenza termica offerta dalla sorgente.

Breathing adapted radiotherapy: a 4D gating software for lung cancer

Purpose Physiological respiratory motion of tumors growing in the lung can be corrected with respiratory gating when treated with radiotherapy (RT). The optimal respiratory phase for beam-on may be assessed with a respiratory phase optimizer (RPO), a 4D image processing software developed with this purpose. Methods and Materials Fourteen patients with lung cancer were included in the study. Every patient underwent a 4D-CT providing ten datasets of ten phases of the respiratory cycle (0-100% of the cycle). We defined two morphological parameters for comparison of 4D-CT images in different respiratory phases: tumor-volume to lung-volume ratio and tumor-to-spinal cord distance. The RPO automatized the calculations (200 per patient) of these parameters for each phase of the respiratory cycle allowing to determine the optimal interval for RT. Results Lower lobe lung tumors not attached to the diaphragm presented with the largest motion with breathing. Maximum inspiration was considered the optimal phase for treatment in 4 patients (28.6%). In 7 patients (50%), however, the RPO showed a most favorable volumetric and spatial configuration in phases other than maximum inspiration. In 2 cases (14.4%) the RPO showed no benefit from gating. This tool was not conclusive in only one case. Conclusions The RPO software presented in this study can help to determine the optimal respiratory phase for gated RT based on a few simple morphological parameters. Easy to apply in daily routine, it may be a useful tool for selecting patients who might benefit from breathing adapted RT.

An Active Learning Module for an Introduction to Software Engineering Course

Many schools do not begin to introduce college students to software engineering until they have had at least one semester of programming. Since software engineering is a large, complex, and abstract subject it is difficult to construct active learning exercises that build on the students’ elementary knowledge of programming and still teach basic software engineering principles. It is also the case that beginning students typically know how to construct small programs, but they have little experience with the techniques necessary to produce reliable and long-term maintainable modules. I have addressed these two concerns by defining a local standard (Montana Tech Method (MTM) Software Development Standard for Small Modules Template) that step-by-step directs students toward the construction of highly reliable small modules using well known, best-practices software engineering techniques. “Small module” is here defined as a coherent development task that can be unit tested, and can be car ried out by a single (or a pair of) software engineer(s) in at most a few weeks. The standard describes the process to be used and also provides a template for the top-level documentation. The instructional module’s sequence of mini-lectures and exercises associated with the use of this (and other) local standards are used throughout the course, which perforce covers more abstract software engineering material using traditional reading and writing assignments. The sequence of mini-lectures and hands-on assignments (many of which are done in small groups) constitutes an instructional module that can be used in any similar software engineering course.

New Trends in Networking, Computing, E-learning, Systems Sciences, and Engineering

This book provides the latest in a series of books growing out of the International Joint Conferences on Computer, Information and Systems Sciences and Engineering. It includes chapters in the most advanced areas of Computing, Informatics, Systems Sciences and Engineering. It has accessible to a wide range of readership, including professors, researchers, practitioners and students. This book includes a set of rigorously reviewed world-class manuscripts addressing and detailing state-of-the-art research projects in the areas of Computer Science, Informatics, and Systems Sciences, and Engineering. It includes selected papers form the conference proceedings of the Ninth International Joint Conferences on Computer, Information, and Systems Sciences, and Engineering (CISSE 2013). Coverage includes topics in: Industrial Electronics, Technology & Automation, Telecommunications and Networking, Systems, Computing Sciences and Software Engineering, Engineering Education, Instructional Technology, Assessment, and E-learning.

A Case for CDN-as-a-Service in the Cloud: A Mobile Cloud Networking Argument

Content Distribution Networks are mandatory components of modern web architectures, with plenty of vendors offering their services. Despite its maturity, new paradigms and architecture models are still being developed in this area. Cloud Computing, on the other hand, is a more recent concept which has expanded extremely quickly, with new services being regularly added to cloud management software suites such as OpenStack. The main contribution of this paper is the architecture and the development of an open source CDN that can be provisioned in an on-demand, pay-as-you-go model thereby enabling the CDN as a Service paradigm. We describe our experience with integration of CDNaaS framework in a cloud environment, as a service for enterprise users. We emphasize the flexibility and elasticity of such a model, with each CDN instance being delivered on-demand and associated to personalized caching policies as well as an optimized choice of Points of Presence based on exact requirements of an enterprise customer. Our development is based on the framework developed in the Mobile Cloud Networking EU FP7 project, which offers its enterprise users a common framework to instantiate and control services. CDNaaS is one of the core support components in this project as is tasked to deliver different type of multimedia content to several thousands of users geographically distributed. It integrates seamlessly in the MCN service life-cycle and as such enjoys all benefits of a common design environment, allowing for an improved interoperability with the rest of the services within the MCN ecosystem.

Dicto: Keeping Software Architecture Under Control

Dicto is a declarative language for specifying architectural rules using a single uniform notation. Once defined, rules can automatically be validated using adapted off-the-shelf tools.

Network Store: Exploring Slicing in Future 5G Networks

In this paper, we present a revolutionary vision of 5G networks, in which SDN programs wireless network functions, and where Mobile Network Operators (MNO), Enterprises, and Over-The-Top (OTT) third parties are provided with NFV-ready Network Store. The proposed Network Store serves as a digital distribution platform of programmable Virtualized Network Functions (VNFs) that enable 5G application use-cases. Currently existing application stores, such as Apple's App Store for iOS applications, Google's Play Store for Android, or Ubuntu's Software Center, deliver applications to user specific software platforms. Our vision is to provide a digital marketplace, gathering 5G enabling Network Applications and Network Functions, written to run on top of commodity cloud infrastructures, connected to remote radio heads (RRH). The 5G Network Store will be the same to the cloud as the application store is currently to a software platform.

Three-State Single-Molecule Naphthalenediimide Switch: Integration of a Pendant Redox Unit for Conductance Tuning

We studied charge transport through core-substituted naphthalenediimide (NDI) single-molecule junctions using the electrochemical STM-based break-junction technique in combination with DFT calculations. Conductance switching among three well-defined states was demonstrated by electrochemically controlling the redox state of the pendent diimide unit of the molecule in an ionic liquid. The electrical conductances of the dianion and neutral states differ by more than one order of magnitude. The potential-dependence of the charge-transport characteristics of the NDI molecules was confirmed by DFT calculations, which account for electrochemical double-layer effects on the conductance of the NDI junctions. This study suggests that integration of a pendant redox unit with strong coupling to a molecular backbone enables the tuning of charge transport through single-molecule devices by controlling their redox states.

PaleoTools - extended software package for quantitative paleoenvironmental reconstructions

The Imbrie and Kipp transfer function method (IKM) and the modern analog technique (MAT) are accepted tools for quantitative paleoenvironmental reconstructions. However, no uncomplicated, flexible software has been available to apply these methods on modern computer devices. For this reason the software packages PaleoToolBox, MacTransfer, WinTransfer, MacMAT, and PanPlot have been developed. The PaleoToolBox package provides a flexible tool for the preprocessing of microfossil reference and downcore data as well as hydrographic reference parameters. It includes procedures to randomize the raw databases; to switch specific species in or out of the total species list; to establish individual ranking systems and their application on the reference and downcore databasessemi; and to convert the prepared databases into the file formats of IKM and MAT software for estimation of paleohydrographic parameters.

Teaching digital control of switch mode power supplier

This paper explains the methodology followed to teach the subject `Digital control of power converters'. This subject belongs to the research master on `Industrial Electronics' of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. The subject is composed of several theoretical lessons plus the development of an actual digital control. For that purpose an ad hoc dc-dc converter has been designed and built. The use of this board together with some software tools seems a very powerful way for the students to learn the concepts from the design to the real world

Estudio de redes WSN y su aplicación a la ingeniería civil

Las redes inalámbricas están experimentando un gran crecimiento en el campo de la instrumentación electrónica. En concreto las redes de sensores inalámbricas (WSN de Wireless Sensor Network) suponen la opción más ventajosa para su empleo en la instrumentación electrónica ya que sus principales características se acoplan perfectamente a las necesidades. Las WSN permiten la utilización de un número relativamente alto de nodos, están orientadas a sistemas de bajo consumo y funcionamiento con baterías y poseen un ancho de banda adecuado para las necesidades de la instrumentación electrónica. En este proyecto fin de carrera se ha realizado un estudio de las tecnologías inalámbricas disponibles, se han comparado y se ha elegido la tecnología ZigBeeTM por considerarse la más adecuada y la que más se ajusta a las necesidades descritas. En el desarrollo de mi vida profesional se han conectado dos campos teóricamente distantes como son la instrumentación electrónica y la ingeniería civil. En este proyecto se hace una descripción de la instrumentación que se utiliza para controlar estructuras como presas, túneles y puentes y se proponen casos prácticos en los que las redes WSN aportan valor añadido a instrumentación actual y a los sistemas de comunicaciones utilizados. Se definen tanto los sistemas de comunicaciones utilizados actualmente como una serie de sensores utilizados para medir los principales parámetros a controlar en una obra civil. Por último se ha desarrollado una aplicación de prueba de una red ZigBeeTM basada en equipos comerciales del fabricante Digi. consiste en una aplicación desarrollada en entorno web que maneja de forma remota, a través de Internet, las entradas y salidas digitales y analógicas de los nodos que forman la red. Se forma una red ZigBeeTM con un coordinador, un router y un dispositivo final. El Coordinador está integrado en un Gateway que permite acceder a la red ZigBeeTM a través de internet y conocer el estado de los nodos que forman la red. Con los comandos adecuados se puede leer el estado de las entradas y salidas analógicas y digitales y cambiar el estado de una salida digital. ABSTRACT. Wireless networks are experiencing tremendous growth in the field of electronic instrumentation. In particular wireless sensor networks represent the most advantageous for use in electronic instrumentation since its main characteristics fit perfectly to the needs. The WSN allow the use of a relatively large number of nodes, are aimed at low-power systems and battery operation and have an adequate bandwidth for the needs of electronic instrumentation. In this project has made a study of available wireless technologies have been compared and chosen ZigBeeTM technology was considered the most appropriate to the needs described. In the course of my professional life have connected two fields are theoretically distant as electronic instrumentation and civil engineering. In this project, there is a description of the instrumentation used to control structures such as dams, tunnels and bridges and proposes practical cases in which WSN networks add value to current instrumentation and communications systems used. There are defined as communications systems now being used as a set of sensors used to measure the main parameters to be controlled in a civil structure. Finally, I have developed a test application based ZigBeeTM networking equipment maker Digi trading. It consists of a Web-based application developed to manage remotely, via the Internet, the digital and analog inputs and outputs nodes forming the network. ZigBeeTM It forms a network with a coordinator, router and end device. The Coordinator is built into a gateway that allows access to the ZigBeeTM network through internet and know the status of the nodes forming the network. With the appropriate command can read the status of the digital inputs and outputs and change the state of a digital output.

A framework for building distributed social network websites

Las redes son la esencia de comunidades y sociedades humanas; constituyen el entramado en el que nos relacionamos y determinan cómo lo hacemos, cómo se disemina la información o incluso cómo las cosas se llevan a cabo. Pero el protagonismo de las redes va más allá del que adquiere en las redes sociales. Se encuentran en el seno de múltiples estructuras que conocemos, desde las interaciones entre las proteínas dentro de una célula hasta la interconexión de los routers de internet. Las redes sociales están presentes en internet desde sus principios, en el correo electrónico por tomar un ejemplo. Dentro de cada cliente de correo se manejan listas contactos que agregadas constituyen una red social. Sin embargo, ha sido con la aparición de los sitios web de redes sociales cuando este tipo de aplicaciones web han llegado a la conciencia general. Las redes sociales se han situado entre los sitios más populares y con más tráfico de la web. Páginas como Facebook o Twitter manejan cifras asombrosas en cuanto a número de usuarios activos, de tráfico o de tiempo invertido en el sitio. Pero las funcionalidades de red social no están restringidas a las redes sociales orientadas a contactos, aquellas enfocadas a construir tu lista de contactos e interactuar con ellos. Existen otros ejemplos de sitios que aprovechan las redes sociales para aumentar la actividad de los usuarios y su involucración alrededor de algún tipo de contenido. Estos ejemplos van desde una de las redes sociales más antiguas, Flickr, orientada al intercambio de fotografías, hasta Github, la red social de código libre más popular hoy en día. No es una casualidad que la popularidad de estos sitios web venga de la mano de sus funcionalidades de red social. El escenario es más rico aún, ya que los sitios de redes sociales interaccionan entre ellos, compartiendo y exportando listas de contactos, servicios de autenticación y proporcionando un valioso canal para publicitar la actividad de los usuarios en otros sitios web. Esta funcionalidad es reciente y aún les queda un paso hasta que las redes sociales superen su condición de bunkers y lleguen a un estado de verdadera interoperabilidad entre ellas, tal como funcionan hoy en día el correo electrónico o la mensajería instantánea. Este trabajo muestra una tecnología que permite construir sitios web con características de red social distribuída. En primer lugar, se presenta una tecnología para la construcción de un componente intermedio que permite proporcionar cualquier característica de gestión de contenidos al popular marco de desarrollo web modelo-vista-controlador (MVC) Ruby on Rails. Esta técnica constituye una herramienta para desarrolladores que les permita abstraerse de las complejidades de la gestión de contenidos y enfocarse en las particularidades de los propios contenidos. Esta técnica se usará también para proporcionar las características de red social. Se describe una nueva métrica de reusabilidad de código para demostrar la validez del componente intermedio en marcos MVC. En segundo lugar, se analizan las características de los sitios web de redes sociales más populares, con el objetivo de encontrar los patrones comunes que aparecen en ellos. Este análisis servirá como base para definir los requisitos que debe cumplir un marco para construir redes sociales. A continuación se propone una arquitectura de referencia que proporcione este tipo de características. Dicha arquitectura ha sido implementada en un componente, Social Stream, y probada en varias redes sociales, tanto orientadas a contactos como a contenido, en el contexto de una asociación vecinal tanto como en proyectos de investigación financiados por la UE. Ha sido la base de varios proyectos fin de carrera. Además, ha sido publicado como código libre, obteniendo una comunidad creciente y está siendo usado más allá del ámbito de este trabajo. Dicha arquitectura ha permitido la definición de un nuevo modelo de control de acceso social que supera varias limitaciones presentes en los modelos de control de acceso para redes sociales. Más aún, se han analizado casos de estudio de sitios de red social distribuídos, reuniendo un conjunto de caraterísticas que debe cumplir un marco para construir redes sociales distribuídas. Por último, se ha extendido la arquitectura del marco para dar cabida a las características de redes sociales distribuídas. Su implementación ha sido validada en proyectos de investigación financiados por la UE. Abstract Networks are the substance of human communities and societies; they constitute the structural framework on which we relate to each other and determine the way we do it, the way information is diseminated or even the way people get things done. But network prominence goes beyond the importance it acquires in social networks. Networks are found within numerous known structures, from protein interactions inside a cell to router connections on the internet. Social networks are present on the internet since its beginnings, in emails for example. Inside every email client, there are contact lists that added together constitute a social network. However, it has been with the emergence of social network sites (SNS) when these kinds of web applications have reached general awareness. SNS are now among the most popular sites in the web and with the higher traffic. Sites such as Facebook and Twitter hold astonishing figures of active users, traffic and time invested into the sites. Nevertheless, SNS functionalities are not restricted to contact-oriented social networks, those that are focused on building your own list of contacts and interacting with them. There are other examples of sites that leverage social networking to foster user activity and engagement around other types of content. Examples go from early SNS such as Flickr, the photography related networking site, to Github, the most popular social network repository nowadays. It is not an accident that the popularity of these websites comes hand-in-hand with their social network capabilities The scenario is even richer, due to the fact that SNS interact with each other, sharing and exporting contact lists and authentication as well as providing a valuable channel to publize user activity in other sites. These interactions are very recent and they are still finding their way to the point where SNS overcome their condition of data silos to a stage of full interoperability between sites, in the same way email and instant messaging networks work today. This work introduces a technology that allows to rapidly build any kind of distributed social network website. It first introduces a new technique to create middleware that can provide any kind of content management feature to a popular model-view-controller (MVC) web development framework, Ruby on Rails. It provides developers with tools that allow them to abstract from the complexities related with content management and focus on the development of specific content. This same technique is also used to provide the framework with social network features. Additionally, it describes a new metric of code reuse to assert the validity of the kind of middleware that is emerging in MVC frameworks. Secondly, the characteristics of top popular SNS are analysed in order to find the common patterns shown in them. This analysis is the ground for defining the requirements of a framework for building social network websites. Next, a reference architecture for supporting the features found in the analysis is proposed. This architecture has been implemented in a software component, called Social Stream, and tested in several social networks, both contact- and content-oriented, in local neighbourhood associations and EU-founded research projects. It has also been the ground for several Master’s theses. It has been released as a free and open source software that has obtained a growing community and that is now being used beyond the scope of this work. The social architecture has enabled the definition of a new social-based access control model that overcomes some of the limitations currenly present in access control models for social networks. Furthermore, paradigms and case studies in distributed SNS have been analysed, gathering a set of features for distributed social networking. Finally the architecture of the framework has been extended to support distributed SNS capabilities. Its implementation has also been validated in EU-founded research projects.