Estudos de algumas ferramentas de coleta e visualização de dados e desempenho de aplicações paralelas no ambiente MPI

The last years have presented an increase in the acceptance and adoption of the parallel processing, as much for scientific computation of high performance as for applications of general intention. This acceptance has been favored mainly for the development of environments with massive parallel processing (MPP - Massively Parallel Processing) and of the distributed computation. A common point between distributed systems and MPPs architectures is the notion of message exchange, that allows the communication between processes. An environment of message exchange consists basically of a communication library that, acting as an extension of the programming languages that allow to the elaboration of applications parallel, such as C, C++ and Fortran. In the development of applications parallel, a basic aspect is on to the analysis of performance of the same ones. Several can be the metric ones used in this analysis: time of execution, efficiency in the use of the processing elements, scalability of the application with respect to the increase in the number of processors or to the increase of the instance of the treat problem. The establishment of models or mechanisms that allow this analysis can be a task sufficiently complicated considering parameters and involved degrees of freedom in the implementation of the parallel application. An joined alternative has been the use of collection tools and visualization of performance data, that allow the user to identify to points of strangulation and sources of inefficiency in an application. For an efficient visualization one becomes necessary to identify and to collect given relative to the execution of the application, stage this called instrumentation. In this work it is presented, initially, a study of the main techniques used in the collection of the performance data, and after that a detailed analysis of the main available tools is made that can be used in architectures parallel of the type to cluster Beowulf with Linux on X86 platform being used libraries of communication based in applications MPI - Message Passing Interface, such as LAM and MPICH. This analysis is validated on applications parallel bars that deal with the problems of the training of neural nets of the type perceptrons using retro-propagation. The gotten conclusions show to the potentiality and easinesses of the analyzed tools.

Estratégias baseadas em aprendizado para coordenação de uma frota de robôs em tarefas cooperativas

In multi-robot systems, both control architecture and work strategy represent a challenge for researchers. It is important to have a robust architecture that can be easily adapted to requirement changes. It is also important that work strategy allows robots to complete tasks efficiently, considering that robots interact directly in environments with humans. In this context, this work explores two approaches for robot soccer team coordination for cooperative tasks development. Both approaches are based on a combination of imitation learning and reinforcement learning. Thus, in the first approach was developed a control architecture, a fuzzy inference engine for recognizing situations in robot soccer games, a software for narration of robot soccer games based on the inference engine and the implementation of learning by imitation from observation and analysis of others robotic teams. Moreover, state abstraction was efficiently implemented in reinforcement learning applied to the robot soccer standard problem. Finally, reinforcement learning was implemented in a form where actions are explored only in some states (for example, states where an specialist robot system used them) differently to the traditional form, where actions have to be tested in all states. In the second approach reinforcement learning was implemented with function approximation, for which an algorithm called RBF-Sarsa($lambda$) was created. In both approaches batch reinforcement learning algorithms were implemented and imitation learning was used as a seed for reinforcement learning. Moreover, learning from robotic teams controlled by humans was explored. The proposal in this work had revealed efficient in the robot soccer standard problem and, when implemented in other robotics systems, they will allow that these robotics systems can efficiently and effectively develop assigned tasks. These approaches will give high adaptation capabilities to requirements and environment changes.

e-Pontos: Uma solução embarcada de automação comercial aplicada a clubes de fidelidade baseado em tecnologia RFID e esmart card

In practically all vertical markets and in every region of the planet, loyalty marketers have adopted the tactic of recognition and reward to identify, maintain and increase the yield of their customers. Several strategies have been adopted by companies, and the most popular among them is the loyalty program, which displays a loyalty club to manage these rewards. But the problem with loyalty programs is that customer identification and transfer of loyalty points are made in a semiautomatic. Aiming at this, this paper presents a master's embedded business automation solution called e-Points. The goal of e-Points is munir clubs allegiances with fully automated tooling technology to identify customers directly at the point of sales, ensuring greater control over the loyalty of associate members. For this, we developed a hardware platform with embedded system and RFID technology to be used in PCs tenant, a smart card to accumulate points with every purchase and a web server, which will provide services of interest to retailers and customers membership to the club

Uma arquitetura para sistemas supervisórios industriais e sua aplicação em processos de elevação artificial de petróleo

The using of supervision systems has become more and more essential in accessing, managing and obtaining data of industrial processes, because of constant and frequent developments in industrial automation. These supervisory systems (SCADA) have been widely used in many industrial environments to store process data and to control the processes in accordance with some adopted strategy. The SCADA s control hardware is the set of equipments that execute this work. The SCADA s supervision software accesses process data through the control hardware and shows them to the users. Currently, many industrial systems adopt supervision softwares developed by the same manufacturer of the control hardware. Usually, these softwares cannot be used with other equipments made by distinct manufacturers. This work proposes an approach for developing supervisory systems able to access process information through different control hardwares. An architecture for supervisory systems is first defined, in order to guarantee efficiency in communication and data exchange. Then, the architecture is applied in a supervisory system to monitor oil wells that use distinct control hardwares. The implementation was modeled and verified by using the formal method of the Petri networks. Finally, experimental results are presented to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed solution

Avaliação de desempenho da codificação wavelet em canais seletivos em frequência

Wavelet coding has emerged as an alternative coding technique to minimize the fading effects of wireless channels. This work evaluates the performance of wavelet coding, in terms of bit error probability, over time-varying, frequency-selective multipath Rayleigh fading channels. The adopted propagation model follows the COST207 norm, main international standards reference for GSM, UMTS, and EDGE applications. The results show the wavelet coding s efficiency against the inter symbolic interference which characterizes these communication scenarios. This robustness of the presented technique enables its usage in different environments, bringing it one step closer to be applied in practical wireless communication systems

Arquiteturas eficientes para sensoriamento espectral e classificação automática de modulações usando características cicloestacionárias

The increasing demand for high performance wireless communication systems has shown the inefficiency of the current model of fixed allocation of the radio spectrum. In this context, cognitive radio appears as a more efficient alternative, by providing opportunistic spectrum access, with the maximum bandwidth possible. To ensure these requirements, it is necessary that the transmitter identify opportunities for transmission and the receiver recognizes the parameters defined for the communication signal. The techniques that use cyclostationary analysis can be applied to problems in either spectrum sensing and modulation classification, even in low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) environments. However, despite the robustness, one of the main disadvantages of cyclostationarity is the high computational cost for calculating its functions. This work proposes efficient architectures for obtaining cyclostationary features to be employed in either spectrum sensing and automatic modulation classification (AMC). In the context of spectrum sensing, a parallelized algorithm for extracting cyclostationary features of communication signals is presented. The performance of this features extractor parallelization is evaluated by speedup and parallel eficiency metrics. The architecture for spectrum sensing is analyzed for several configuration of false alarm probability, SNR levels and observation time for BPSK and QPSK modulations. In the context of AMC, the reduced alpha-profile is proposed as as a cyclostationary signature calculated for a reduced cyclic frequencies set. This signature is validated by a modulation classification architecture based on pattern matching. The architecture for AMC is investigated for correct classification rates of AM, BPSK, QPSK, MSK and FSK modulations, considering several scenarios of observation length and SNR levels. The numerical results of performance obtained in this work show the eficiency of the proposed architectures

Arquitetura de Software para Barcos Robóticos

We propose in this work a software architecture for robotic boats intended to act in diverse aquatic environments, fully autonomously, performing telemetry to a base station and getting this mission to be accomplished. This proposal aims to apply within the project N-Boat Lab NatalNet DCA, which aims to empower a sailboat navigating autonomously. The constituent components of this architecture are the memory modules, strategy, communication, sensing, actuation, energy, security and surveillance, making these systems the boat and base station. To validate the simulator was developed in C language and implemented using the graphics API OpenGL resources, whose main results were obtained in the implementation of memory, performance and strategy modules, more specifically data sharing, control of sails and rudder and planning short routes based on an algorithm for navigation, respectively. The experimental results, shown in this study indicate the feasibility of the actual use of the software architecture developed and their application in the area of autonomous mobile robotics

Br-IndustrialExpert: um framework para análise de dependabilidade de processos industriais

There is a growing need to develop new tools to help end users in tasks related to the design, monitoring, maintenance and commissioning of critical infrastructures. The complexity of the industrial environment, for example, requires that these tools have flexible features in order to provide valuable data for the designers at the design phases. Furthermore, it is known that industrial processes have stringent requirements for dependability, since failures can cause economic losses, environmental damages and danger to people. The lack of tools that enable the evaluation of faults in critical infrastructures could mitigate these problems. Accordingly, the said work presents developing a framework for analyzing of dependability for critical infrastructures. The proposal allows the modeling of critical infrastructure, mapping its components to a Fault Tree. Then the mathematical model generated is used for dependability analysis of infrastructure, relying on the equipment and its interconnections failures. Finally, typical scenarios of industrial environments are used to validate the proposal

Estudo e especificação de um sistema de instrumentação para unidades de elevação de petróleo utilizando tecnologia sem fio

Wireless sensor networks are reality nowadays. The growing necessity of connectivity between existing industrial plant equipments pushes the research and development of several technologies. The IEEE 802.15.4 LR-WPAN comes as a low-cost and powersaving viable solution, which are important concerns while making decisions on remote sensoring projects. This study intends to propose a wireless communication system which makes possible the monitoring of analogic and/or digital variables (i. e., the pressure studied) involved on the artificial methods for oil and gas lifting. The main issues are: To develop a software based on SMAC Standard in order to create a wireless network to monitoring analogic and/or digital variables; To evaluate the communication link based on the number of lost packets tested in different environments (indoor and outdoor) and To propose an instrumentation system consisting of wireless devices

Longevidade de sementes de camu-camu submetidas a diferentes ambientes e formas de conservação

O camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia (H.B.K.) McVaugh) produz fruto com grande potencial para extração de ácido ascórbico, que apresenta relevante importância econômica e social, com inúmeras aplicações industriais. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de diferentes formas de conservação e ambientes de armazenamento, sobre a manutenção da viabilidade das sementes. O delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado, utilizando parcelas subsubdivididas, onde os fatores foram: ambiente de armazenamento (ao ar livre, em água, em câmara a 5 e a 10 ºC), forma de conservação (sementes com polpa - CP, sementes sem polpa - SP e sementes lavadas e tratadas - LT) e período de armazenamento (0; 2; 4 e 6 meses). O critério de avaliação adotado foi a protrusão da raiz primária. As sementes armazenadas em água, nas formas SP e LT, apresentaram germinação maior que 90%. As sementes nas formas CP e LT, armazenadas a 5 e a 10 ºC, tiveram germinação acima de 89%. O armazenamento em água e ao ar livre não afetou a germinação, podendo as sementes serem armazenadas durante o período de seis e quatro meses, respectivamente. As sementes CP, armazenadas em água, tiveram menor tempo médio para germinação. O índice de velocidade de germinação aumentou com o período de armazenamento e foi maior nas sementes armazenadas na água em todos os períodos. As sementes com polpa apresentaram menor índice de velocidade de germinação em todo o período de armazenamento avaliado.

Automação de um sistema rotatório para secagem do rejeito de maracujá

The rotary dryer is one of the most used equipments in processing industries. Its automatic control mode of operation is important specially to keep the moisture content of the final product in the desired value. The classical control strategies, like PID (proportional integral derivative) control, are largely used in the industrial sector because of its robustness and because they are easy to be implemented. In this work, a data acquisition system was implemented for monitoring the most relevant process variables, like: both inlet and outlet drying air temperature, dryer rotation, outlet air speed and humidity, and mass of the final product. Openloop tests were realized to identify a mathematical model able to represent the drying process for the rotary system. From this model, a PID controller was tuned using a direct synthesis method, assuming a first order trajectory. The PID controller was implemented in the system in order to control the inlet drying air temperature. By the end, closedloop tests (operating in automatic mode) were realized to observe the controller performance, and, after setting the best tune, experiments were realized using passion fruit seeds as raw material. The experiments realized in closedloop showed a satisfactory performance by the implemented control strategy for the drying air temperature of the rotary system

Macroalgas de ambientes lóticos da região centro-oeste do Paraná, região sul do Brasil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Percepção ambiental de crianças em ambientes naturais protegidos

This study aimed at exploring and describing children s perceptions in threatened natural settings, specifically, the Rain Forest in Brazil. Several studies point to the significance of perceptions for people s pro-environmental attitudes and actions. We try to understand the person-environment interaction from an ecological perspective, and we present theoretical references for the understanding of how crucial nature is for psychological development and well-being. The children s drawings, individual interviews, discussion groups, photographies and informal and indirect sources, as teachers, brought material for the analysis. Participated in our study, carried on through a multi-method strategy, 209 children from six to eleven years old, living in the neighborhood of the Biological Reserve of Una, State of Bahia, created to protect Rain Forest fragments. The Rain Forest landscape is well portrayed in children s drawings, the vegetal elements prevailing over artificial and human elements. The figured plants and trees, however, are pointed with no precision as to their species. Most of the defined species are eatable. The children seem to be aware of the environment degradation, and of the importance of its conservation, but they describe episodes of hunting and feeding wild threatened animals. Our results indicate a utilitarian trend in the perception of living beings, in terms of their immediate usefulness for people. The multimethod approach seems to be appropriate to the complexity of the theme; the methodological strategies were well accepted by the children, offering them opportunities to express themselves. We observed how children, in different life phases, organize natural elements and processes in their drawings, and how these images relate to the local landscape. We discuss the results in the light of theoretical references of personenvironment studies and from previous investigations about children s perceptions of natural environment

A eliminação do mosquito do dengue em ambientes residenciais: uma questão de cuidado ambiental?

Dengue is currently considered one of the most relevant public health problems worldwide. Studies indicate the surroundings of the houses as the preferred sites for the proliferation of Aedes aegypti. The residential areas are privileged environments for human development and contribute to the formation of the individual s identity and for the establishment of affective, social and cultural bonds. The purpose of this study was to investigate possible links between psychological indicators of pro-environmentalism and conservation status of residential backyards. Data collection was performed in 147 homes and methodological strategy involved the use of interview, the Scale of Ecocentric and Anthropocentric Environmentalism, Scale of Consideration of Future Consequences and a tool for environmental evaluation. It was found that the participants expressed as environmental practices the garbage recycling, besides they had the knowledge of how the transmission of dengue occurs. These residents showed ecofriendly motivated commitment: pro-environmentalist ecocentric and anthropocentric. In evaluating the backyard it was verified that the conservation conditions, in almost half of the homes, appeared as carelessness on the part of residents and those conditions are conducive to the proliferation of Aedes aegypti. The pro-environmentalists and guidance for the future identified by the scales were not associated with the conservation status of the backyards. However, it was found that the trends of reduction and stability of infestation levels are associated with self-reported environmental care. These results can contribute to the discussion and design of new mosquito control actions and practices of education and health information among the population

Ensino e orientação para projeto de conversores CC-CC através de aplicativos em java

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)