Contemporary eden: the transmigration of paradise tales, into edenic architectures today

This document proceeds from the research for my doctoral thesis titled This thesis is about the subject of Eden or paradise in architecture, to understand its concepts and be able to generate a general model to generate architecture that places us in a virtual way in paradisiacal places, in holidays as well as in daily life. It also seeks to build a system of measure to be used to turn into Eden the previously non “Edenic”. A comparative measuring system to know where we are in relation to how much Eden is present in places to intervene, or project. Eden; Tale, Image and Project. The zones of the thesis that are related to this congress are those related to the use of this tale, idea and image of the collective unconscious, when it comes to projecting a place that locates us physically, mentally and in our mood in paradise.

Contribution to the improvement of communication services in nanosatellite constellations using delay and disruption tolerant networking based architectures

Esta tesis se desarrolla dentro del marco de las comunicaciones satelitales en el innovador campo de los pequeños satélites también llamados nanosatélites o cubesats, llamados así por su forma cubica. Estos nanosatélites se caracterizan por su bajo costo debido a que usan componentes comerciales llamados COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) y su pequeño tamaño como los Cubesats 1U (10cm*10 cm*10 cm) con masa aproximada a 1 kg. Este trabajo de tesis tiene como base una iniciativa propuesta por el autor de la tesis para poner en órbita el primer satélite peruano en mi país llamado chasqui I, actualmente puesto en órbita desde la Estación Espacial Internacional. La experiencia de este trabajo de investigación me llevo a proponer una constelación de pequeños satélites llamada Waposat para dar servicio de monitoreo de sensores de calidad de agua a nivel global, escenario que es usado en esta tesis. Es ente entorno y dadas las características limitadas de los pequeños satélites, tanto en potencia como en velocidad de datos, es que propongo investigar una nueva arquitectura de comunicaciones que permita resolver en forma óptima la problemática planteada por los nanosatélites en órbita LEO debido a su carácter disruptivo en sus comunicaciones poniendo énfasis en las capas de enlace y aplicación. Esta tesis presenta y evalúa una nueva arquitectura de comunicaciones para proveer servicio a una red de sensores terrestres usando una solución basada en DTN (Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking) para comunicaciones espaciales. Adicionalmente, propongo un nuevo protocolo de acceso múltiple que usa una extensión del protocolo ALOHA no ranurado, el cual toma en cuenta la prioridad del trafico del Gateway (ALOHAGP) con un mecanismo de contienda adaptativo. Utiliza la realimentación del satélite para implementar el control de la congestión y adapta dinámicamente el rendimiento efectivo del canal de una manera óptima. Asumimos un modelo de población de sensores finito y una condición de tráfico saturado en el que cada sensor tiene siempre tramas que transmitir. El desempeño de la red se evaluó en términos de rendimiento efectivo, retardo y la equidad del sistema. Además, se ha definido una capa de convergencia DTN (ALOHAGP-CL) como un subconjunto del estándar TCP-CL (Transmission Control Protocol-Convergency Layer). Esta tesis muestra que ALOHAGP/CL soporta adecuadamente el escenario DTN propuesto, sobre todo cuando se utiliza la fragmentación reactiva. Finalmente, esta tesis investiga una transferencia óptima de mensajes DTN (Bundles) utilizando estrategias de fragmentación proactivas para dar servicio a una red de sensores terrestres utilizando un enlace de comunicaciones satelitales que utiliza el mecanismo de acceso múltiple con prioridad en el tráfico de enlace descendente (ALOHAGP). El rendimiento efectivo ha sido optimizado mediante la adaptación de los parámetros del protocolo como una función del número actual de los sensores activos recibidos desde el satélite. También, actualmente no existe un método para advertir o negociar el tamaño máximo de un “bundle” que puede ser aceptado por un agente DTN “bundle” en las comunicaciones por satélite tanto para el almacenamiento y la entrega, por lo que los “bundles” que son demasiado grandes son eliminados o demasiado pequeños son ineficientes. He caracterizado este tipo de escenario obteniendo una distribución de probabilidad de la llegada de tramas al nanosatélite así como una distribución de probabilidad del tiempo de visibilidad del nanosatélite, los cuales proveen una fragmentación proactiva óptima de los DTN “bundles”. He encontrado que el rendimiento efectivo (goodput) de la fragmentación proactiva alcanza un valor ligeramente inferior al de la fragmentación reactiva. Esta contribución permite utilizar la fragmentación activa de forma óptima con todas sus ventajas tales como permitir implantar el modelo de seguridad de DTN y la simplicidad al implementarlo en equipos con muchas limitaciones de CPU y memoria. La implementación de estas contribuciones se han contemplado inicialmente como parte de la carga útil del nanosatélite QBito, que forma parte de la constelación de 50 nanosatélites que se está llevando a cabo dentro del proyecto QB50. ABSTRACT This thesis is developed within the framework of satellite communications in the innovative field of small satellites also known as nanosatellites (<10 kg) or CubeSats, so called from their cubic form. These nanosatellites are characterized by their low cost because they use commercial components called COTS (commercial off-the-shelf), and their small size and mass, such as 1U Cubesats (10cm * 10cm * 10cm) with approximately 1 kg mass. This thesis is based on a proposal made by the author of the thesis to put into orbit the first Peruvian satellite in his country called Chasqui I, which was successfully launched into orbit from the International Space Station in 2014. The experience of this research work led me to propose a constellation of small satellites named Waposat to provide water quality monitoring sensors worldwide, scenario that is used in this thesis. In this scenario and given the limited features of nanosatellites, both power and data rate, I propose to investigate a new communications architecture that allows solving in an optimal manner the problems of nanosatellites in orbit LEO due to the disruptive nature of their communications by putting emphasis on the link and application layers. This thesis presents and evaluates a new communications architecture to provide services to terrestrial sensor networks using a space Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN) based solution. In addition, I propose a new multiple access mechanism protocol based on extended unslotted ALOHA that takes into account the priority of gateway traffic, which we call ALOHA multiple access with gateway priority (ALOHAGP) with an adaptive contention mechanism. It uses satellite feedback to implement the congestion control, and to dynamically adapt the channel effective throughput in an optimal way. We assume a finite sensor population model and a saturated traffic condition where every sensor always has frames to transmit. The performance was evaluated in terms of effective throughput, delay and system fairness. In addition, a DTN convergence layer (ALOHAGP-CL) has been defined as a subset of the standard TCP-CL (Transmission Control Protocol-Convergence Layer). This thesis reveals that ALOHAGP/CL adequately supports the proposed DTN scenario, mainly when reactive fragmentation is used. Finally, this thesis investigates an optimal DTN message (bundles) transfer using proactive fragmentation strategies to give service to a ground sensor network using a nanosatellite communications link which uses a multi-access mechanism with priority in downlink traffic (ALOHAGP). The effective throughput has been optimized by adapting the protocol parameters as a function of the current number of active sensors received from satellite. Also, there is currently no method for advertising or negotiating the maximum size of a bundle which can be accepted by a bundle agent in satellite communications for storage and delivery, so that bundles which are too large can be dropped or which are too small are inefficient. We have characterized this kind of scenario obtaining a probability distribution for frame arrivals to nanosatellite and visibility time distribution that provide an optimal proactive fragmentation of DTN bundles. We have found that the proactive effective throughput (goodput) reaches a value slightly lower than reactive fragmentation approach. This contribution allows to use the proactive fragmentation optimally with all its advantages such as the incorporation of the security model of DTN and simplicity in protocol implementation for computers with many CPU and memory limitations. The implementation of these contributions was initially contemplated as part of the payload of the nanosatellite QBito, which is part of the constellation of 50 nanosatellites envisaged under the QB50 project.

Multi-agent system for control of robots inspired on the distributed activity and hormonal regulation of humans

Robotics is an emerging field with great activity. Robotics is a field that presents several problems because it depends on a large number of disciplines, technologies, devices and tasks. Its expansion from perfectly controlled industrial environments toward open and dynamic environment presents a many new challenges. New uses are, for example, household robots or professional robots. To facilitate the low cost, rapid development of robotic systems, reusability of code, its medium and long term maintainability and robustness are required novel approaches to provide generic models and software systems who develop paradigms capable of solving these problems. For this purpose, in this paper we propose a model based on multi-agent systems inspired by the human nervous system able to transfer the control characteristics of the biological system and able to take advantage of the best properties of distributed software systems. Specifically, we model the decentralized activity and hormonal variation.

A Kinetic Vlasov Model for Plasma Simulation Using Discontinuous Galerkin Method on Many-Core Architectures

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-03

A real-time asymmetric multiprocessor-reconfigurable system-on-chip architecture

We propose an asymmetric multi-processor SoC architecture, featuring a master CPU running uClinux, and multiple loosely-coupled slave CPUs running real-time threads assigned by the master CPU. Real-time SoC architectures often demand a compromise between a generic platform for different applications, and application-specific customizations to achieve performance requirements. Our proposed architecture offers a generic platform running a conventional embedded operating system providing a traditional software-oriented development approach, while multiple slave CPUs act as a dedicated independent real-time threads execution unit running in parallel of master CPU to achieve performance requirements. In this paper, the architecture is described, including the application / threading development environment. The performance of the architecture with several standard benchmark routines is also analysed.

Novel hardwired distributive tactile sensing system for medical applications

This thesis described the research carried out on the development of a novel hardwired tactile sensing system tailored for the application of a next generation of surgical robotic and clinical devices, namely a steerable endoscope with tactile feedback, and a surface plate for patient posture and balance. Two case studies are examined. The first is a one-dimensional sensor for the steerable endoscope retrieving shape and ‘touch’ information. The second is a two-dimensional surface which interprets the three-dimensional motion of a contacting moving load. This research can be used to retrieve information from a distributive tactile sensing surface of a different configuration, and can interpret dynamic and static disturbances. This novel approach to sensing has the potential to discriminate contact and palpation in minimal invasive surgery (MIS) tools, and posture and balance in patients. The hardwired technology uses an embedded system based on Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) as the platform to perform the sensory signal processing part in real time. High speed robust operation is an advantage from this system leading to versatile application involving dynamic real time interpretation as described in this research. In this research the sensory signal processing uses neural networks to derive information from input pattern from the contacting surface. Three neural network architectures namely single, multiple and cascaded were introduced in an attempt to find the optimum solution for discrimination of the contacting outputs. These architectures were modelled and implemented into the FPGA. With the recent introduction of modern digital design flows and synthesis tools that essentially take a high-level sensory processing behaviour specification for a design, fast prototyping of the neural network function can be achieved easily. This thesis outlines the challenge of the implementations and verifications of the performances.

The design and implementation of a portable operating system for microcomputers

Communication and portability are the two main problems facing the user. An operating system, called PORTOS, was developed to solve these problems for users on dedicated microcomputer systems. Firstly, an interface language was defined, according to the anticipated requirements and behaviour of its potential users. Secondly, the PORTOS operating system was developed as a processor for this language. The system is currently running on two minicomputers of highly different architectures. PORTOS achieves its portability through its high-level design, and implementation in CORAL66. The interface language consists of a set of user cotnmands and system responses. Although only a subset has been implemented, owing to time and manpower constraints, promising results were achieved regarding the usability of the language, and its portability.

A framework for specification and analysis of software architectures

Software architecture is the abstract design of a software system. It plays a key role as a bridge between requirements and implementation, and is a blueprint for development. The architecture represents a set of early design decisions that are crucial to a system. Mistakes in those decisions are very costly if they remain undetected until the system is implemented and deployed. This is where formal specification and analysis fits in. Formal specification makes sure that an architecture design is represented in a rigorous and unambiguous way. Furthermore, a formally specified model allows the use of different analysis techniques for verifying the correctness of those crucial design decisions. ^ This dissertation presented a framework, called SAM, for formal specification and analysis of software architectures. In terms of specification, formalisms and mechanisms were identified and chosen to specify software architecture based on different analysis needs. Formalisms for specifying properties were also explored, especially in the case of non-functional properties. In terms of analysis, the dissertation explored both the verification of functional properties and the evaluation of non-functional properties of software architecture. For the verification of functional property, methodologies were presented on how to apply existing model checking techniques on a SAM model. For the evaluation of non-functional properties, the dissertation first showed how to incorporate stochastic information into a SAM model, and then explained how to translate the model to existing tools and conducts the analysis using those tools. ^ To alleviate the analysis work, we also provided a tool to automatically translate a SAM model for model checking. All the techniques and methods described in the dissertation were illustrated by examples or case studies, which also served a purpose of advocating the use of formal methods in practice. ^

Low resistivity Pt interconnects developed by electron beam assisted deposition using novel gas injector system

Electron beam-induced deposition (EBID) is a direct write process where an electron beam locally decomposes a precursor gas leaving behind non-volatile deposits. It is a fast and relatively in-expensive method designed to develop conductive (metal) or isolating (oxide) nanostructures. Unfortunately the EBID process results in deposition of metal nanostructures with relatively high resistivity because the gas precursors employed are hydrocarbon based. We have developed deposition protocols using novel gas-injector system (GIS) with a carbon free Pt precursor. Interconnect type structures were deposited on preformed metal architectures. The obtained structures were analysed by cross-sectional TEM and their electrical properties were analysed ex-situ using four point probe electrical tests. The results suggest that both the structural and electrical characteristics differ significantly from those of Pt interconnects deposited by conventional hydrocarbon based precursors, and show great promise for the development of low resistivity electrical contacts.