Security through Obscurity: Layout Obfuscation of Digital Integrated Circuits using Don't Care Conditions

Contemporary integrated circuits are designed and manufactured in a globalized environment leading to concerns of piracy, overproduction and counterfeiting. One class of techniques to combat these threats is circuit obfuscation which seeks to modify the gate-level (or structural) description of a circuit without affecting its functionality in order to increase the complexity and cost of reverse engineering. Most of the existing circuit obfuscation methods are based on the insertion of additional logic (called “key gates”) or camouflaging existing gates in order to make it difficult for a malicious user to get the complete layout information without extensive computations to determine key-gate values. However, when the netlist or the circuit layout, although camouflaged, is available to the attacker, he/she can use advanced logic analysis and circuit simulation tools and Boolean SAT solvers to reveal the unknown gate-level information without exhaustively trying all the input vectors, thus bringing down the complexity of reverse engineering. To counter this problem, some ‘provably secure’ logic encryption algorithms that emphasize methodical selection of camouflaged gates have been proposed previously in literature [1,2,3]. The contribution of this paper is the creation and simulation of a new layout obfuscation method that uses don't care conditions. We also present proof-of-concept of a new functional or logic obfuscation technique that not only conceals, but modifies the circuit functionality in addition to the gate-level description, and can be implemented automatically during the design process. Our layout obfuscation technique utilizes don’t care conditions (namely, Observability and Satisfiability Don’t Cares) inherent in the circuit to camouflage selected gates and modify sub-circuit functionality while meeting the overall circuit specification. Here, camouflaging or obfuscating a gate means replacing the candidate gate by a 4X1 Multiplexer which can be configured to perform all possible 2-input/ 1-output functions as proposed by Bao et al. [4]. It is important to emphasize that our approach not only obfuscates but alters sub-circuit level functionality in an attempt to make IP piracy difficult. The choice of gates to obfuscate determines the effort required to reverse engineer or brute force the design. As such, we propose a method of camouflaged gate selection based on the intersection of output logic cones. By choosing these candidate gates methodically, the complexity of reverse engineering can be made exponential, thus making it computationally very expensive to determine the true circuit functionality. We propose several heuristic algorithms to maximize the RE complexity based on don’t care based obfuscation and methodical gate selection. Thus, the goal of protecting the design IP from malicious end-users is achieved. It also makes it significantly harder for rogue elements in the supply chain to use, copy or replicate the same design with a different logic. We analyze the reverse engineering complexity by applying our obfuscation algorithm on ISCAS-85 benchmarks. Our experimental results indicate that significant reverse engineering complexity can be achieved at minimal design overhead (average area overhead for the proposed layout obfuscation methods is 5.51% and average delay overhead is about 7.732%). We discuss the strengths and limitations of our approach and suggest directions that may lead to improved logic encryption algorithms in the future. References: [1] R. Chakraborty and S. Bhunia, “HARPOON: An Obfuscation-Based SoC Design Methodology for Hardware Protection,” IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems, vol. 28, no. 10, pp. 1493–1502, 2009. [2] J. A. Roy, F. Koushanfar, and I. L. Markov, “EPIC: Ending Piracy of Integrated Circuits,” in 2008 Design, Automation and Test in Europe, 2008, pp. 1069–1074. [3] J. Rajendran, M. Sam, O. Sinanoglu, and R. Karri, “Security Analysis of Integrated Circuit Camouflaging,” ACM Conference on Computer Communications and Security, 2013. [4] Bao Liu, Wang, B., "Embedded reconfigurable logic for ASIC design obfuscation against supply chain attacks,"Design, Automation and Test in Europe Conference and Exhibition (DATE), 2014 , vol., no., pp.1,6, 24-28 March 2014.

Monitoramento por microcontrolador do cultivo de spirulina em fotobiorreator raceway

A oportunidade de produção de biomassa microalgal tem despertado interesse pelos diversos destinos que a mesma pode ter, seja na produção de bioenergia, como fonte de alimento ou servindo como produto da biofixação de dióxido de carbono. Em geral, a produção em larga escala de cianobactérias e microalgas é feita com acompanhamento através de análises físicoquímicas offline. Neste contexto, o objetivo deste trabalho foi monitorar a concentração celular em fotobiorreator raceway para produção de biomassa microalgal usando técnicas de aquisição digital de dados e controle de processos, pela aquisição de dados inline de iluminância, concentração de biomassa, temperatura e pH. Para tal fim foi necessário construir sensor baseado em software capaz de determinar a concentração de biomassa microalgal a partir de medidas ópticas de intensidade de radiação monocromática espalhada e desenvolver modelo matemático para a produção da biomassa microalgal no microcontrolador, utilizando algoritmo de computação natural no ajuste do modelo. Foi projetado, construído e testado durante cultivos de Spirulina sp. LEB 18, em escala piloto outdoor, um sistema autônomo de registro de informações advindas do cultivo. Foi testado um sensor de concentração de biomassa baseado na medição da radiação passante. Em uma segunda etapa foi concebido, construído e testado um sensor óptico de concentração de biomassa de Spirulina sp. LEB 18 baseado na medição da intensidade da radiação que sofre espalhamento pela suspensão da cianobactéria, em experimento no laboratório, sob condições controladas de luminosidade, temperatura e fluxo de suspensão de biomassa. A partir das medidas de espalhamento da radiação luminosa, foi construído um sistema de inferência neurofuzzy, que serve como um sensor por software da concentração de biomassa em cultivo. Por fim, a partir das concentrações de biomassa de cultivo, ao longo do tempo, foi prospectado o uso da plataforma Arduino na modelagem empírica da cinética de crescimento, usando a Equação de Verhulst. As medidas realizadas no sensor óptico baseado na medida da intensidade da radiação monocromática passante através da suspensão, usado em condições outdoor, apresentaram baixa correlação entre a concentração de biomassa e a radiação, mesmo para concentrações abaixo de 0,6 g/L. Quando da investigação do espalhamento óptico pela suspensão do cultivo, para os ângulos de 45º e 90º a radiação monocromática em 530 nm apresentou um comportamento linear crescente com a concentração, apresentando coeficiente de determinação, nos dois casos, 0,95. Foi possível construir um sensor de concentração de biomassa baseado em software, usando as informações combinadas de intensidade de radiação espalhada nos ângulos de 45º e 135º com coeficiente de determinação de 0,99. É factível realizar simultaneamente a determinação inline de variáveis do processo de cultivo de Spirulina e a modelagem cinética empírica do crescimento do micro-organismo através da equação de Verhulst, em microcontrolador Arduino.

Herramientas automáticas de diagnóstico y corrección para aerofotogrametría

En Aerofotogrametría, el proceso de restitución (paso de imagen a formato electrónico vectorizado) es realizado por un operador humano, con asistencia de hardware y Software especializado -- Dicho proceso implica la traducción de accidentes geográficos, detalles topográficos, etc., la cual conlleva errores tanto geométricos (precisión) como topológicos (conectividad) de los datos digitales vectorizados -- Adicionalmente, aun si la vectorizacion es perfecta, los editores en etapas subsecuentes deben realizar tareas repetitivas: formateo, marcado, ajuste de convenciones, etc., que por el tamaño de los archivos de datos se hacen prolongadas y propensas al error -- Tanto los procesos de corrección como de formateo y marcado requieren además la ejecución de entradas / salidas con el usuario en el computador, proceso que es particularmente lento -- Esta investigación presenta el desarrollo de herramientas automáticas de (i) detección y corrección de errores comunes en los planos restituidos, (ii) partición y re-agrupación inteligentes de planos grandes, y (iii) formateo y marcado automático -- El desarrollo de software se hace usando el standard AIS (Application Interface Specification), lo que lo hace portable a los modeladores cuya interface AIS haya sido implementada -- El proyecto se desarrolla para la firma AeroEstudios LTDA de Colombia, la cual lo ha incorporado a sus herramientas de procesamiento de información digital

Study Of The Homogeneity Of Drug Loaded In Polymeric Films Using Near-infrared Chemical Imaging And Split-plot Design.

Split-plot design (SPD) and near-infrared chemical imaging were used to study the homogeneity of the drug paracetamol loaded in films and prepared from mixtures of the biocompatible polymers hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and polyethyleneglycol. The study was split into two parts: a partial least-squares (PLS) model was developed for a pixel-to-pixel quantification of the drug loaded into films. Afterwards, a SPD was developed to study the influence of the polymeric composition of films and the two process conditions related to their preparation (percentage of the drug in the formulations and curing temperature) on the homogeneity of the drug dispersed in the polymeric matrix. Chemical images of each formulation of the SPD were obtained by pixel-to-pixel predictions of the drug using the PLS model of the first part, and macropixel analyses were performed for each image to obtain the y-responses (homogeneity parameter). The design was modeled using PLS regression, allowing only the most relevant factors to remain in the final model. The interpretation of the SPD was enhanced by utilizing the orthogonal PLS algorithm, where the y-orthogonal variations in the design were separated from the y-correlated variation.

Implications of missed opportunities for learning and assessment in design and technology education

Supporting student learning can be difficult, especially within open-ended or loosely structured activities, often seen as valuable for promoting student autonomy in many curriculum areas and contexts. This paper reports an investigation into the experiences of three teachers who implemented design and technology education ideas in their primary school classrooms for the first time. The teachers did not capitalise upon many of the opportunities for scaffolding their students' learning within the open-ended activities they implemented. Limitations of the teachers' conceptual and procedural knowledge of design and technology were elements that influenced their early experiences. The study has implications for professional developers planning programs in newly introduced areas of the curriculum to support teachers in supporting learning within open-ended and loosely structured problem solving activities. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Desenvolvimento e implanta????o do sistema Sancad

Recentemente, a expans??o do n??mero de munic??pios conveniados com a FNS fez aumentar a demanda por novos projetos de melhoria dos sistemas de ??gua e esgotos. Ao mesmo tempo, a FNS enfrentava car??ncia de pessoal t??cnico especializado, dificuldades de admiss??o de novos profissionais e limita????o de recursos para a contrata????o de projetos atrav??s de empresas privadas, inviabilizando o atendimento das demandas pela forma tradicional. Diante disso, servidores da FNS desenvolveram um software para projetos de redes de esgotos sanit??rios, utilizando os recursos modernos da computa????o gr??fica (CAD ??? Computer Aided Design). Acoplado ao CAD, prop??s-se a cria????o de um m??dulo de dimensionamento, resultando numa ferramenta completa de elabora????o de projetos, em ambiente computacional Windows, contemplando as v??rias etapas t??picas de um trabalho na ??rea, desde a digitaliza????o do levantamento topogr??fico, lan??amento da rede, c??lculos, planilhas, desenho e montagem final das pranchas geradas. Este sistema foi denominado Sancad. A utiliza????o do Sancad permitiu uma redu????o m??dia de 60 a 70% no tempo de elabora????o de projetos, significando uma forma de atender a um n??mero maior de demandas e de suprir a car??ncia de profissionais na FNS. Al??m disso, a utiliza????o do Sancad tem mostrado ganhos em termos de qualidade, corre????o e confiabilidade do produto final obtido. As previs??es iniciais quanto ?? abrang??ncia de utiliza????o do Sancad foram amplamente superadas, tendo o mesmo se tornado um padr??o para a ??rea de projetos de saneamento da FNS, estando instalado em 12 unidades da Funda????o em todo o Brasil e em processo de instala????o em outras. O Sancad tornou-se objeto de interesse de t??cnicos de saneamento e de estudantes de engenharia e arquitetura de institui????es p??blicas e privadas, que receberam treinamento a fim de conhec??-lo e utiliz??-lo. Finalmente, o sucesso da experi??ncia tem contribu??do para a dissemina????o da cultura de computa????o gr??fica e a ades??o dos profissionais da FNS e das autarquias municipais conveniadas ?? nova tecnologia. Neste mesmo sentido, ressalta-se a utiliza????o de teodolitos eletr??nicos ??? conhecidos como Esta????o Total ??? para a gera????o de plantas topogr??ficas j?? em formato digital, para serem usadas pelo Sancad, com novos ganhos de qualidade e produtividade na elabora????o dos projetos de saneamento

Child-care attendance and common morbidity: evidence of association in the literature and questions of design

Papers on child-care attendance as a risk factor for acute respiratory infections and diarrhea were reviewed. There was great variety among the studies with regard to the design, definition of exposure and definition of outcomes. All the traditional epidemiological study designs have been used. The studies varied in terms of how child-care attendance in general was defined, and for different settings. These definitions differed especially in relation to the minimum time of attendance required. The outcomes were also defined and measured in several different ways. The analyses performed were not always appropriate, leading to sets of results of uneven quality, and composed of different measures of association relating different exposures and outcomes, that made summarizing difficult. Despite that, the results reported were remarkably consistent. Only two of the papers reviewed failed to show some association between child-care attendance and increased acute respiratory infections, or diarrhea. On the other hand, the magnitude of the associations reported varied widely, especially for lower respiratory infections. Taken together, the studies so far published provide evidence that children attending child-care centers, especially those under three years of age, are at a higher risk of upper respiratory infections, lower respiratory infections, and diarrhea. The studies were not consistent, however, in relation to attendance at child-care homes. Children in such settings were sometimes similar to those in child-care centers, sometimes similar to those cared for at home, and sometimes presented an intermediate risk.

Improving discovery in the life sciences using semantic Web technologies and linked data: design principles for life sciences knowledge organization systems

Dissertation presented to obtain the Ph.D degree in Bioinformatics

Desenvolvimento de uma plataforma de informação para orçamentação de produtos únicos: aplicação na industria de cablagens

O desenvolvimento da tecnologia informática e de melhor hardware, proporcionou ao mercado de aplicações informáticas, um grande crescimento nas últimas décadas. Paralelamente, o aprofundamento e investigação das disciplinas de engenharia industrial, de novas filosofias e tipologias de produção, proporcionam ao mercado de sistemas de informação, uma panóplia de soluções abrangentes a todos os sectores e departamentos das organizações. Apesar da grande oferta, nem sempre existe viabilidade financeira das organizações para adquirirem e/ ou implementarem uma solução eficaz que responda às suas necessidades específicas. A presente dissertação, incide na melhoria do sistema de orçamentação do produto numa indústria de produtos únicos, através de uma plataforma de informação que permita reduzir o tempo de elaboração, melhorando a estimação do tempo de produção. As exigências do mercado em causa, influenciadas pela concorrência de países com mão-de-obra mais barata, prazos de resposta a orçamentos muito curtos e pequenas margens de negociação e lucro, implicam a necessidade de que sejam minimizadas ao máximo as atividades sem valor acrescentado, como o caso da orçamentação. Foi elaborada uma análise à empresa, ao produto - cablagem, às operações e seus recursos em estudo de caso. Após o levantamento das operações de produção executadas na empresa, reuniram-se os tempos referentes aos tempos de elaboração de cada operação, tendo sido estes utilizados para melhorar a estimativa do tempo de produção. A plataforma de informação foi desenvolvida seguindo o processo produtivo de cablagens, princípios de orçamentação e algumas funcionalidades referentes a ferramentas de apoio à produção, tais como, Product Data Management, Computer Aided Design, Bill-of-Material e Visual Aid’s. Estruturada consoante as necessidades da empresa e respeitando a vasta gama de Matérias- Primas intervenientes na produção, a ferramenta desenvolvida proporcionou a redução do tempo de orçamentação e melhoria na estimativa dos tempos de produção. Esta ferramenta é no entanto transversal e com pequenas alterações, poderá ser implementada em qualquer outra indústria de produtos únicos.

Genomewide association study using a high-density single nucleotide polymorphism array and case-control design identifies a novel essential hypertension susceptibility locus in the promoter region of endothelial NO synthase.

Essential hypertension is a multifactorial disorder and is the main risk factor for renal and cardiovascular complications. The research on the genetics of hypertension has been frustrated by the small predictive value of the discovered genetic variants. The HYPERGENES Project investigated associations between genetic variants and essential hypertension pursuing a 2-stage study by recruiting cases and controls from extensively characterized cohorts recruited over many years in different European regions. The discovery phase consisted of 1865 cases and 1750 controls genotyped with 1M Illumina array. Best hits were followed up in a validation panel of 1385 cases and 1246 controls that were genotyped with a custom array of 14 055 markers. We identified a new hypertension susceptibility locus (rs3918226) in the promoter region of the endothelial NO synthase gene (odds ratio: 1.54 [95% CI: 1.37-1.73]; combined P=2.58 · 10(-13)). A meta-analysis, using other in silico/de novo genotyping data for a total of 21 714 subjects, resulted in an overall odds ratio of 1.34 (95% CI: 1.25-1.44; P=1.032 · 10(-14)). The quantitative analysis on a population-based sample revealed an effect size of 1.91 (95% CI: 0.16-3.66) for systolic and 1.40 (95% CI: 0.25-2.55) for diastolic blood pressure. We identified in silico a potential binding site for ETS transcription factors directly next to rs3918226, suggesting a potential modulation of endothelial NO synthase expression. Biological evidence links endothelial NO synthase with hypertension, because it is a critical mediator of cardiovascular homeostasis and blood pressure control via vascular tone regulation. This finding supports the hypothesis that there may be a causal genetic variation at this locus.

Development of Preliminary Load and Resistance Factor Design of Drilled Shafts in Iowa, RB03-012, 2014

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) mandated utilizing the Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) approach for all new bridges initiated in the United States after October 1, 2007. To achieve part of this goal, a database for Drilled Shaft Foundation Testing (DSHAFT) was developed and reported on by Garder, Ng, Sritharan, and Roling in 2012. DSHAFT is aimed at assimilating high-quality drilled shaft test data from Iowa and the surrounding regions. DSHAFT is currently housed on a project website (http://srg.cce.iastate.edu/dshaft) and contains data for 41 drilled shaft tests. The objective of this research was to utilize the DSHAFT database and develop a regional LRFD procedure for drilled shafts in Iowa with preliminary resistance factors using a probability-based reliability theory. This was done by examining current design and construction practices used by the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) as well as recommendations given in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) LRFD Bridge Design Specifications and the FHWA drilled shaft guidelines. Various analytical methods were used to estimate side resistance and end bearing of drilled shafts in clay, sand, intermediate geomaterial (IGM), and rock. Since most of the load test results obtained from O-cell do not pass the 1-in. top displacement criterion used by the Iowa DOT and the 5% of shaft diameter for top displacement criterion recommended by AASHTO, three improved procedures are proposed to generate and extend equivalent top load-displacement curves that enable the quantification of measured resistances corresponding to the displacement criteria. Using the estimated and measured resistances, regional resistance factors were calibrated following the AASHTO LRFD framework and adjusted to resolve any anomalies observed among the factors. To illustrate the potential and successful use of drilled shafts in Iowa, the design procedures of drilled shaft foundations were demonstrated and the advantages of drilled shafts over driven piles were addressed in two case studies.

The Influence of the Media on Shaping Perceptions of Leadership in Sport: A Within and Between Groups Design

An experimental design that included both between-group and within-group designs was used to assess media influence on perceptions of sport leadership. Participants were recruited and randomly assigned to three groups, where each group completed two separate survey sessions regarding leader personality traits and behaviours. During the second survey session, experimental Groups 1 and 2 watched a video on a separate, respective sport leader prior to filling out the survey. There were a total of 104 participants (N = 104) for the first session, and 99 (N = 99) participants completed the second session. One-way ANOVA, factorial repeated measures ANOVA, and ANCOVA were used for data analysis. Results indicate a significant change in Group 2’s results after watching the video clip, thus rejecting the null hypotheses. Results and implications are discussed, highlighting their relationships to sport and media related theories and sport management practice.