Engineering PROFIBUS networks with heterogeneous transmission media

A significant number of process control and factory automation systems use PROFIBUS as the underlying fieldbus communication network. The process of properly setting up a PROFIBUS network is not a straightforward task. In fact, a number of network parameters must be set for guaranteeing the required levels of timeliness and dependability. Engineering PROFIBUS networks is even more subtle when the network includes various physical segments exhibiting heterogeneous specifications, such as bus speed or frame formats, just to mention a few. In this paper we provide underlying theory and a methodology to guarantee the proper operation of such type of heterogeneous PROFIBUS networks. We additionally show how the methodology can be applied to the practical case of PROFIBUS networks containing simultaneously DP (Decentralised Periphery) and PA (Process Automation) segments, two of the most used commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) PROFIBUS solutions. The importance of the findings is however not limited to this case. The proposed methodology can be generalised to cover other heterogeneous infrastructures. Hybrid wired/wireless solutions are just an example for which an enormous eagerness exists.

Seeing and hearing speech, sounds, and signs: functional magnetic resonance studies on fluent and dyslexic readers

Speech has both auditory and visual components (heard speech sounds and seen articulatory gestures). During all perception, selective attention facilitates efficient information processing and enables concentration on high-priority stimuli. Auditory and visual sensory systems interact at multiple processing levels during speech perception and, further, the classical motor speech regions seem also to participate in speech perception. Auditory, visual, and motor-articulatory processes may thus work in parallel during speech perception, their use possibly depending on the information available and the individual characteristics of the observer. Because of their subtle speech perception difficulties possibly stemming from disturbances at elemental levels of sensory processing, dyslexic readers may rely more on motor-articulatory speech perception strategies than do fluent readers. This thesis aimed to investigate the neural mechanisms of speech perception and selective attention in fluent and dyslexic readers. We conducted four functional magnetic resonance imaging experiments, during which subjects perceived articulatory gestures, speech sounds, and other auditory and visual stimuli. Gradient echo-planar images depicting blood oxygenation level-dependent contrast were acquired during stimulus presentation to indirectly measure brain hemodynamic activation. Lip-reading activated the primary auditory cortex, and selective attention to visual speech gestures enhanced activity within the left secondary auditory cortex. Attention to non-speech sounds enhanced auditory cortex activity bilaterally; this effect showed modulation by sound presentation rate. A comparison between fluent and dyslexic readers' brain hemodynamic activity during audiovisual speech perception revealed stronger activation of predominantly motor speech areas in dyslexic readers during a contrast test that allowed exploration of the processing of phonetic features extracted from auditory and visual speech. The results show that visual speech perception modulates hemodynamic activity within auditory cortex areas once considered unimodal, and suggest that the left secondary auditory cortex specifically participates in extracting the linguistic content of seen articulatory gestures. They are strong evidence for the importance of attention as a modulator of auditory cortex function during both sound processing and visual speech perception, and point out the nature of attention as an interactive process (influenced by stimulus-driven effects). Further, they suggest heightened reliance on motor-articulatory and visual speech perception strategies among dyslexic readers, possibly compensating for their auditory speech perception difficulties.

Optimisation of Smart Grid performance using centralised and distributed control techniques

A massive change is currently taking place in the manner in which power networks are operated. Traditionally, power networks consisted of large power stations which were controlled from centralised locations. The trend in modern power networks is for generated power to be produced by a diverse array of energy sources which are spread over a large geographical area. As a result, controlling these systems from a centralised controller is impractical. Thus, future power networks will be controlled by a large number of intelligent distributed controllers which must work together to coordinate their actions. The term Smart Grid is the umbrella term used to denote this combination of power systems, artificial intelligence, and communications engineering. This thesis focuses on the application of optimal control techniques to Smart Grids with a focus in particular on iterative distributed MPC. A novel convergence and stability proof for iterative distributed MPC based on the Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers is derived. Distributed and centralised MPC, and an optimised PID controllers' performance are then compared when applied to a highly interconnected, nonlinear, MIMO testbed based on a part of the Nordic power grid. Finally, a novel tuning algorithm is proposed for iterative distributed MPC which simultaneously optimises both the closed loop performance and the communication overhead associated with the desired control.

Content Based Image Retrieval of Brain MR Images across Different Classes

Magnetic Resonance Imaging play a vital role in the decision-diagnosis process of brain MR images. For an accurate diagnosis of brain related problems, the experts mostly compares both T1 and T2 weighted images as the information presented in these two images are complementary. In this paper, rotational and translational invariant form of Local binary Pattern (LBP) with additional gray scale information is used to retrieve similar slices of T1 weighted images from T2 weighted images or vice versa. The incorporation of additional gray scale information on LBP can extract more local texture information. The accuracy of retrieval can be improved by extracting moment features of LBP and reweighting the features based on users’ feedback. Here retrieval is done in a single subject scenario where similar images of a particular subject at a particular level are retrieved, and multiple subjects scenario where relevant images at a particular level across the subjects are retrieved

Prevalencia de los síntomas otorrinolaringológicos y factores asociados en los trabajadores de una central de llamadas en la ciudad de Bogotá Colombia

La industria de las centrales de llamadas es uno de los sectores de más rápido crecimiento en el mundo desarrollado, gracias a los avances tecnológicos han permitido su uso cada vez más generalizado desarrollando servicios integrales que son accesibles las 24 horas del día. Los operadores telefónicos o tele-operadores de esta industria se ven enfrentados a jornadas laborales en las que se exponen al uso constante de la voz, utilización permanente de auriculares de comunicación, confinamiento en estaciones de trabajo delimitadas pero no aisladas; aumentando así la prevalencia de síntomas como los otorrinolaringológicos. Este estudio tiene como objeto identificar la prevalencia de síntomas otorrinolaringológicos dados por alteraciones de la voz, compromiso auditivo y síntomas de la vía respiratoria superior durante la jornada laboral de los trabajadores de una central de llamadas de una prestigiosa empresa aseguradora de la ciudad de Bogotá Colombia, así como también identificar la asociación de factores demográficos organizacionales y biológicos con los síntomas otorrinolaringológicos y analizar el medio ambiente laboral de dicha empresa y la relación de los síntomas otorrinolaringológicos con mediciones de ruido, temperatura y humedad. La población estudiada fue de 81 tele operadores de los cuales 61 (75.3%) fueron mujeres, se evidencio que las enfermedades respiratorias altas tienen una prevalencia del 36%, también se reporto una prevalencia del 85% (69) tele operadores reportaron por lo menos un síntoma de voz y solo 12 tele operadores 15% no reportaron ningún síntoma. En cuanto a la hipoacusia solo 5 (6.2%) reportaron disminución de la agudeza auditiva

Design, implementation and evaluation of broadband low noise amplifier (LNA) for radiometer

The two major applications of microwave remote sensors are radiometer and radar. Because of its importance and the nature of the application, much research has been made on the various aspects of the radar. This paper will focus on the various aspects of the radiometer from a design point of view and the Low Noise Amplifier will be designed and implemented. The paper is based on a study in radio Frequency Communications engineering and understanding of electronic and RF circuits. Some research study about the radiometer and practical implementation of Low Noise Amplifier for Radiometer will be the main focus of this paper. Basically the paper is divided into two parts. In the first part some background study about the radiometer will be carried out and commonly used types of radiometer will be discussed. In the second part LNA for the radiometer will be designed.

Vidibus: a low-cost, modular bus system for real-time video processing

The advantages of standard bus systems have been appreciated for many years. The ability to connect only those modules required to perform a given task has both technical and commercial advantages over a system with a fixed architecture which cannot be easily expanded or updated. Although such bus standards have proliferated in the microprocessor field, a general purpose low-cost standard for digital video processing has yet to gain acceptance. The paper describes the likely requirements of such a system, and discusses three currently available commercial systems. A new bus specification known as Vidibus, developed to fulfil these requirements, is presented. Results from applications already implemented using this real-time bus system are also given.

Televisão digital nos espaços públicos: promoção da hospitalidade social

Pós-graduação em Televisão Digital: Informação e Conhecimento - FAAC

Shaping a Bright Future for Montana Tech: Developing State, National and Global Leaders in Resource Sectors

Presentation by Leigh W. Freeman. Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring published in 1962 marked the birth of concepts leading to the development of mineral resources with a balance of economic, environmental and social imperatives. Montana plays a special role in this story. It is 'the last best place.' As such it can serve as a bell-weather state for Carson's revelations. Consider: Butte as a poster child for legacy problems resulting from resource development under solely economic imperatives; and Montana as a first-adapter in 1971 of state environmental laws based on imperatives heralded with Silent Spring. What better place is there to educate and develop leaders and incubate the future of resource development in global sustainability?

Comunicología e ingeniería comunicológica del cuerpo y del deporte. Configurando una nueva intersubjetividad de la vida social

El texto está configurado en cuatro partes. Primera. Subjetividad y cuerpo. Proyecto social y vida del cuerpo. Historia conceptual cultural del cuerpo y del deporte. Se presentan elementos históricos culturales sobre los proyectos subjetivos sociales del cuerpo. Segunda. La Educación Física y el cuerpo. El proyecto social gremial institucional del cuerpo y del deporte. Se presentan algunos elementos de la historia del proyecto subjetivo social de la Educación Física. Tercera. La Comunicología, la Ingeniería Comunicológica, el cuerpo y el deporte. El movimiento hacia una nueva intersubjetividad de la vida social. Se presenta una lectura sobre la Educación Física, el deporte y el cuerpo, desde la Comunicología. Se propone un programa de trabajo sobre la Ecuación Física, el deporte y el cuerpo, como caso ejemplar, desde la Ingeniería Comunicológica, poniendo énfasis en la figura de la intersubjetividad sobre la de la subjetividad del cuerpo. Cuarta. Bibliografía seleccionada para complementar la información

Comunicología e ingeniería comunicológica del cuerpo y del deporte. Configurando una nueva intersubjetividad de la vida social

El texto está configurado en cuatro partes. Primera. Subjetividad y cuerpo. Proyecto social y vida del cuerpo. Historia conceptual cultural del cuerpo y del deporte. Se presentan elementos históricos culturales sobre los proyectos subjetivos sociales del cuerpo. Segunda. La Educación Física y el cuerpo. El proyecto social gremial institucional del cuerpo y del deporte. Se presentan algunos elementos de la historia del proyecto subjetivo social de la Educación Física. Tercera. La Comunicología, la Ingeniería Comunicológica, el cuerpo y el deporte. El movimiento hacia una nueva intersubjetividad de la vida social. Se presenta una lectura sobre la Educación Física, el deporte y el cuerpo, desde la Comunicología. Se propone un programa de trabajo sobre la Ecuación Física, el deporte y el cuerpo, como caso ejemplar, desde la Ingeniería Comunicológica, poniendo énfasis en la figura de la intersubjetividad sobre la de la subjetividad del cuerpo. Cuarta. Bibliografía seleccionada para complementar la información

Comunicología e ingeniería comunicológica del cuerpo y del deporte. Configurando una nueva intersubjetividad de la vida social

El texto está configurado en cuatro partes. Primera. Subjetividad y cuerpo. Proyecto social y vida del cuerpo. Historia conceptual cultural del cuerpo y del deporte. Se presentan elementos históricos culturales sobre los proyectos subjetivos sociales del cuerpo. Segunda. La Educación Física y el cuerpo. El proyecto social gremial institucional del cuerpo y del deporte. Se presentan algunos elementos de la historia del proyecto subjetivo social de la Educación Física. Tercera. La Comunicología, la Ingeniería Comunicológica, el cuerpo y el deporte. El movimiento hacia una nueva intersubjetividad de la vida social. Se presenta una lectura sobre la Educación Física, el deporte y el cuerpo, desde la Comunicología. Se propone un programa de trabajo sobre la Ecuación Física, el deporte y el cuerpo, como caso ejemplar, desde la Ingeniería Comunicológica, poniendo énfasis en la figura de la intersubjetividad sobre la de la subjetividad del cuerpo. Cuarta. Bibliografía seleccionada para complementar la información

Proceedings of the Institution of Electrical Engineers.

Vols.1-87,1872-1940 also called no.1-258.