Pure random search for ambient sensor distribution optimisation in a smart home environment.

PubMed

Poland, Michael P; Nugent, Chris D; Wang, Hui; Chen, Liming

2011-01-01

Smart homes are living spaces facilitated with technology to allow individuals to remain in their own homes for longer, rather than be institutionalised. Sensors are the fundamental physical layer with any smart home, as the data they generate is used to inform decision support systems, facilitating appropriate actuator actions. Positioning of sensors is therefore a fundamental characteristic of a smart home. Contemporary smart home sensor distribution is aligned to either a) a total coverage approach; b) a human assessment approach. These methods for sensor arrangement are not data driven strategies, are unempirical and frequently irrational. This Study hypothesised that sensor deployment directed by an optimisation method that utilises inhabitants' spatial frequency data as the search space, would produce more optimal sensor distributions vs. the current method of sensor deployment by engineers. Seven human engineers were tasked to create sensor distributions based on perceived utility for 9 deployment scenarios. A Pure Random Search (PRS) algorithm was then tasked to create matched sensor distributions. The PRS method produced superior distributions in 98.4% of test cases (n=64) against human engineer instructed deployments when the engineers had no access to the spatial frequency data, and in 92.0% of test cases (n=64) when engineers had full access to these data. These results thus confirmed the hypothesis.

Shuttle Repair Tools Automate Vehicle Maintenance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2013-01-01

Successfully building, flying, and maintaining the space shuttles was an immensely complex job that required a high level of detailed, precise engineering. After each shuttle landed, it entered a maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) phase. Each system was thoroughly checked and tested, and worn or damaged parts replaced, before the shuttle was rolled out for its next mission. During the MRO period, workers needed to record exactly what needed replacing and why, as well as follow precise guidelines and procedures in making their repairs. That meant traceability, and with it lots of paperwork. In 2007, the number of reports generated during electrical system repairs was getting out of hand-placing among the top three systems in terms of paperwork volume. Repair specialists at Kennedy Space Center were unhappy spending so much time at a desk and so little time actually working on the shuttle. "Engineers weren't spending their time doing technical work," says Joseph Schuh, an electrical engineer at Kennedy. "Instead, they were busy with repetitive, time-consuming processes that, while important in their own right, provided a low return on time invested." The strain of such inefficiency was bad enough that slow electrical repairs jeopardized rollout on several occasions. Knowing there had to be a way to streamline operations, Kennedy asked Martin Belson, a project manager with 30 years experience as an aerospace contractor, to co-lead a team in developing software that would reduce the effort required to document shuttle repairs. The result was System Maintenance Automated Repair Tasks (SMART) software. SMART is a tool for aggregating and applying information on every aspect of repairs, from procedures and instructions to a vehicle s troubleshooting history. Drawing on that data, SMART largely automates the processes of generating repair instructions and post-repair paperwork. In the case of the space shuttle, this meant that SMART had 30 years worth of operations that it could apply to ongoing maintenance work. According to Schuh, "SMART standardized and streamlined many shuttle repair processes, saving time and money while increasing safety and the quality of repairs." Maintenance technicians and engineers now had a tool that kept them in the field, and because SMART is capable of continually evolving, each time an engineer put it to use, it would enrich the Agency-wide knowledge base. "If an engineer sees something in the work environment that they could improve, a repair process or a procedure, SMART can incorporate that data for use in future operations," says Belson.

Geometric modeling for computer aided design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwing, James L.; Olariu, Stephen

1995-01-01

The primary goal of this grant has been the design and implementation of software to be used in the conceptual design of aerospace vehicles particularly focused on the elements of geometric design, graphical user interfaces, and the interaction of the multitude of software typically used in this engineering environment. This has resulted in the development of several analysis packages and design studies. These include two major software systems currently used in the conceptual level design of aerospace vehicles. These tools are SMART, the Solid Modeling Aerospace Research Tool, and EASIE, the Environment for Software Integration and Execution. Additional software tools were designed and implemented to address the needs of the engineer working in the conceptual design environment. SMART provides conceptual designers with a rapid prototyping capability and several engineering analysis capabilities. In addition, SMART has a carefully engineered user interface that makes it easy to learn and use. Finally, a number of specialty characteristics have been built into SMART which allow it to be used efficiently as a front end geometry processor for other analysis packages. EASIE provides a set of interactive utilities that simplify the task of building and executing computer aided design systems consisting of diverse, stand-alone, analysis codes. Resulting in a streamlining of the exchange of data between programs reducing errors and improving the efficiency. EASIE provides both a methodology and a collection of software tools to ease the task of coordinating engineering design and analysis codes.

Integrity Verification for SCADA Devices Using Bloom Filters and Deep Packet Inspection

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-27

prevent intrusions in smart grids [PK12]. Parthasarathy proposed an anomaly detection based IDS that takes into account system state. In his implementation...Security, 25(7):498–506, 10 2006. [LMV12] O. Linda, M. Manic, and T. Vollmer. Improving cyber-security of smart grid systems via anomaly detection and...6 2012. 114 [PK12] S. Parthasarathy and D. Kundur. Bloom filter based intrusion detection for smart grid SCADA. In Electrical & Computer Engineering

Novel Tactile Sensor Technology and Smart Tactile Sensing Systems: A Review

PubMed Central

Ge, Chang; Wang, Z. Jane; Cretu, Edmond; Li, Xiaoou

2017-01-01

During the last decades, smart tactile sensing systems based on different sensing techniques have been developed due to their high potential in industry and biomedical engineering. However, smart tactile sensing technologies and systems are still in their infancy, as many technological and system issues remain unresolved and require strong interdisciplinary efforts to address them. This paper provides an overview of smart tactile sensing systems, with a focus on signal processing technologies used to interpret the measured information from tactile sensors and/or sensors for other sensory modalities. The tactile sensing transduction and principles, fabrication and structures are also discussed with their merits and demerits. Finally, the challenges that tactile sensing technology needs to overcome are highlighted. PMID:29149080

The performance of a piezoelectric-sensor-based SHM system under a combined cryogenic temperature and vibration environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qing, Xinlin P.; Beard, Shawn J.; Kumar, Amrita; Sullivan, Kevin; Aguilar, Robert; Merchant, Munir; Taniguchi, Mike

2008-10-01

A series of tests have been conducted to determine the survivability and functionality of a piezoelectric-sensor-based active structural health monitoring (SHM) SMART Tape system under the operating conditions of typical liquid rocket engines such as cryogenic temperature and vibration loads. The performance of different piezoelectric sensors and a low temperature adhesive under cryogenic temperature was first investigated. The active SHM system for liquid rocket engines was exposed to flight vibration and shock environments on a simulated large booster LOX-H2 engine propellant duct conditioned to cryogenic temperatures to evaluate the physical robustness of the built-in sensor network as well as operational survivability and functionality. Test results demonstrated that the developed SMART Tape system can withstand operational levels of vibration and shock energy on a representative rocket engine duct assembly, and is functional under the combined cryogenic temperature and vibration environment.

Smart procurement of naturally generated energy (SPONGE) for PHEVs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Yingqi; Häusler, Florian; Griggs, Wynita; Crisostomi, Emanuele; Shorten, Robert

2016-07-01

In this paper, we propose a new engine management system for hybrid vehicles to enable energy providers and car manufacturers to provide new services. Energy forecasts are used to collaboratively orchestrate the behaviour of engine management systems of a fleet of plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEVs) to absorb oncoming energy in a smart manner. Cooperative algorithms are suggested to manage the energy absorption in an optimal manner for a fleet of vehicles, and the mobility simulator SUMO (Simulation of Urban MObility) is used to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed idea.

Design of Distributed Engine Control Systems for Stability Under Communication Packet Dropouts

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-08-01

remarks. II. Distributed Engine Control Systems A. FADEC based on Distributed Engine Control Architecture (DEC) In Distributed Engine...Control, the functions of Full Authority Digital Engine Control ( FADEC ) are distributed at the component level. Each sensor/actuator is to be replaced...diagnostics and health management functionality. Dual channel digital serial communication network is used to connect these smart modules with FADEC . Fig

Smart sensor technology for advanced launch vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schoess, Jeff

1989-07-01

Next-generation advanced launch vehicles will require improved use of sensor data and the management of multisensor resources to achieve automated preflight checkout, prelaunch readiness assessment and vehicle inflight condition monitoring. Smart sensor technology is a key component in meeting these needs. This paper describes the development of a smart sensor-based condition monitoring system concept referred to as the Distributed Sensor Architecture. A significant event and anomaly detection scheme that provides real-time condition assessment and fault diagnosis of advanced launch system rocket engines is described. The design and flight test of a smart autonomous sensor for Space Shuttle structural integrity health monitoring is presented.

Research Directory for Manpower, Personnel, Training, and Human Factors.

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-01

Enhance Automatic Recognition of Speech in Noisy, Highly Stressful Environments Cofod R* Lica Systems Inc 703-359-0996 Smart Contract Preparation...Lab 301-278-2946 Smart Contract Preparation Expediter Frezell T LTCOL Human Engineering Lab 301-278-5998 Impulse Noise Hazard Information Processing R&D

General Motors and the University of Michigan smart materials and structures collaborative research laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brei, Diann; Luntz, Jonathan; Shaw, John; Johnson, Nancy L.; Browne, Alan L.; Alexander, Paul W.; Mankame, Nilesh D.

2007-04-01

The field of Smart Materials and Structures is evolving from high-end, one-of-a-kind products for medical, military and aerospace applications to the point of viability for mainstream affordable high volume products for automotive applications. For the automotive industry, there are significant potential benefits to be realized including reduction in vehicle mass, added functionality and design flexibility and decrease in component size and cost. To further accelerate the path from basic research and development to launched competitive products, General Motors (GM) has teamed with the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan (UM) to establish a $2.9 Million Collaborative Research Laboratory (CRL) in Smart Materials and Structures. Researchers at both GM and UM are working closely together to create leap-frog technologies which start at conceptualization and proceed all the way through demonstration and handoff to product teams, thereby bridging the traditional technology gap between industry and academia. In addition to Smart Device Technology Innovation, other thrust areas in the CRL include Smart Material Maturity with a basic research focus on overcoming material issues that form roadblocks to commercialism and Mechamatronic System Design Methodology with an applied focus on development tools (synthesis and analysis) to aid the engineer in application of smart materials to system engineering. This CRL is a global effort with partners across the nation and world from GM's Global Research Network such as HRL Laboratories in California and GM's India Science Lab in Bangalore, India. This paper provides an overview of this new CRL and gives examples of several of the projects underway.

The Aircraft Morphing Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wlezien, R. W.; Horner, G. C.; McGowan, A. R.; Padula, S. L.; Scott, M. A.; Silcox, R. J.; Simpson, J. O.

1998-01-01

In the last decade smart technologies have become enablers that cut across traditional boundaries in materials science and engineering. Here we define smart to mean embedded actuation, sensing, and control logic in a tightly coupled feedback loop. While multiple successes have been achieved in the laboratory, we have yet to see the general applicability of smart devices to real aircraft systems. The NASA Aircraft Morphing program is an attempt to couple research across a wide range of disciplines to integrate smart technologies into high payoff aircraft applications. The program bridges research in seven individual disciplines and combines the effort into activities in three primary program thrusts. System studies are used to assess the highest- payoff program objectives, and specific research activities are defined to address the technologies required for development of smart aircraft systems. In this paper we address the overall program goals and programmatic structure, and discuss the challenges associated with bringing the technologies to fruition.

Standardized Fault-Tolerant Sensing Nodes for an Intelligent Turbine Engine Control System (Preprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-01

representation of a centralized control system on a turbine engine. All actuators and sensors are point-to-point cabled to the controller ( FADEC ) which...electronics themselves. Figure 1: Centralized Control System Each function resides within the FADEC and uses Unique Point-to-Point Analog...distributed control system on the same turbine engine. The actuators and sensors interface to Smart Nodes which, in turn communicate to the FADEC via

Smart and Intelligent Sensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lansaw, John; Schmalzel, John; Figueroa, Jorge

2009-01-01

John C. Stennis Space Center (SSC) provides rocket engine propulsion testing for NASA's space programs. Since the development of the Space Shuttle, every Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) has undergone acceptance testing at SSC before going to Kennedy Space Center (KSC) for integration into the Space Shuttle. The SSME is a large cryogenic rocket engine that uses Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) as the fuel. As NASA moves to the new ARES V launch system, the main engines on the new vehicle, as well as the upper stage engine, are currently base lined to be cryogenic rocket engines that will also use LH2. The main rocket engines for the ARES V will be larger than the SSME, while the upper stage engine will be approximately half that size. As a result, significant quantities of hydrogen will be required during the development, testing, and operation of these rocket engines.Better approaches are needed to simplify sensor integration and help reduce life-cycle costs. 1.Smarter sensors. Sensor integration should be a matter of "plug-and-play" making sensors easier to add to a system. Sensors that implement new standards can help address this problem; for example, IEEE STD 1451.4 defines transducer electronic data sheet (TEDS) templates for commonly used sensors such as bridge elements and thermocouples. When a 1451.4 compliant smart sensor is connected to a system that can read the TEDS memory, all information needed to configure the data acquisition system can be uploaded. This reduces the amount of labor required and helps minimize configuration errors. 2.Intelligent sensors. Data received from a sensor be scaled, linearized; and converted to engineering units. Methods to reduce sensor processing overhead at the application node are needed. Smart sensors using low-cost microprocessors with integral data acquisition and communication support offer the means to add these capabilities. Once a processor is embedded, other features can be added; for example, intelligent sensors can make a health assessment to inform the data acquisition client when sensor performance is suspect. 3.Distributed sample synchronization. Networks of sensors require new ways for synchronizing samples. Standards that address the distributed timing problem (for example, IEEE STD 1588) provide the means to aggregate samples from many distributed smart sensors with sub-microsecond accuracy. 4. Reduction in interconnect. Alternative means are needed to reduce the frequent problems associated with cabling and connectors. Wireless technologies offer the promise of reducing interconnects and simultaneously making it easy to quickly add a sensor to a system.

Calculation Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

MathSoft Plus 5.0 is a calculation software package for electrical engineers and computer scientists who need advanced math functionality. It incorporates SmartMath, an expert system that determines a strategy for solving difficult mathematical problems. SmartMath was the result of the integration into Mathcad of CLIPS, a NASA-developed shell for creating expert systems. By using CLIPS, MathSoft, Inc. was able to save the time and money involved in writing the original program.

SLAE–CPS: Smart Lean Automation Engine Enabled by Cyber-Physical Systems Technologies

PubMed Central

Ma, Jing; Wang, Qiang; Zhao, Zhibiao

2017-01-01

In the context of Industry 4.0, the demand for the mass production of highly customized products will lead to complex products and an increasing demand for production system flexibility. Simply implementing lean production-based human-centered production or high automation to improve system flexibility is insufficient. Currently, lean automation (Jidoka) that utilizes cyber-physical systems (CPS) is considered a cost-efficient and effective approach for improving system flexibility under shrinking global economic conditions. Therefore, a smart lean automation engine enabled by CPS technologies (SLAE–CPS), which is based on an analysis of Jidoka functions and the smart capacity of CPS technologies, is proposed in this study to provide an integrated and standardized approach to design and implement a CPS-based smart Jidoka system. A set of comprehensive architecture and standardized key technologies should be presented to achieve the above-mentioned goal. Therefore, a distributed architecture that joins service-oriented architecture, agent, function block (FB), cloud, and Internet of things is proposed to support the flexible configuration, deployment, and performance of SLAE–CPS. Then, several standardized key techniques are proposed under this architecture. The first one is for converting heterogeneous physical data into uniform services for subsequent abnormality analysis and detection. The second one is a set of Jidoka scene rules, which is abstracted based on the analysis of the operator, machine, material, quality, and other factors in different time dimensions. These Jidoka rules can support executive FBs in performing different Jidoka functions. Finally, supported by the integrated and standardized approach of our proposed engine, a case study is conducted to verify the current research results. The proposed SLAE–CPS can serve as an important reference value for combining the benefits of innovative technology and proper methodology. PMID:28657577

SLAE-CPS: Smart Lean Automation Engine Enabled by Cyber-Physical Systems Technologies.

PubMed

Ma, Jing; Wang, Qiang; Zhao, Zhibiao

2017-06-28

In the context of Industry 4.0, the demand for the mass production of highly customized products will lead to complex products and an increasing demand for production system flexibility. Simply implementing lean production-based human-centered production or high automation to improve system flexibility is insufficient. Currently, lean automation (Jidoka) that utilizes cyber-physical systems (CPS) is considered a cost-efficient and effective approach for improving system flexibility under shrinking global economic conditions. Therefore, a smart lean automation engine enabled by CPS technologies (SLAE-CPS), which is based on an analysis of Jidoka functions and the smart capacity of CPS technologies, is proposed in this study to provide an integrated and standardized approach to design and implement a CPS-based smart Jidoka system. A set of comprehensive architecture and standardized key technologies should be presented to achieve the above-mentioned goal. Therefore, a distributed architecture that joins service-oriented architecture, agent, function block (FB), cloud, and Internet of things is proposed to support the flexible configuration, deployment, and performance of SLAE-CPS. Then, several standardized key techniques are proposed under this architecture. The first one is for converting heterogeneous physical data into uniform services for subsequent abnormality analysis and detection. The second one is a set of Jidoka scene rules, which is abstracted based on the analysis of the operator, machine, material, quality, and other factors in different time dimensions. These Jidoka rules can support executive FBs in performing different Jidoka functions. Finally, supported by the integrated and standardized approach of our proposed engine, a case study is conducted to verify the current research results. The proposed SLAE-CPS can serve as an important reference value for combining the benefits of innovative technology and proper methodology.

EDITORIAL: Adaptive and active materials: Selected papers from the ASME 2010 Conference on Smart Materials, Adaptive Structures and Intelligent Systems (SMASIS 10) (Philadelphia, PA, USA, 28 September-1 October 2010) Adaptive and active materials: Selected papers from the ASME 2010 Conference on Smart Materials, Adaptive Structures and Intelligent Systems (SMASIS 10) (Philadelphia, PA, USA, 28 September-1 October 2010)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brei, Diann

2011-09-01

The third annual meeting of the AMSE/AIAA Smart Materials, Adaptive Structures and Intelligent Systems Conference (SMASIS) took place in the heart of historic Philadelphia's cultural district, and included a pioneer banquet in the National Constitutional Center. The applications emphasis of the 2010 conference was reflected in keynote talks by Dr Alan Taub, vice president of General Motors global research and development, 'Smart materials in the automotive industry'; Dr Charles R Farrar, engineering institute leader at Los Alamos National Laboratory, 'Future directions for structural health monitoring of civil engineering infrastructure'; and Professor Christopher S Lynch of the University of California Los Angeles, 'Ferroelectric materials and their applications'. The SMASIS conference was divided into six technical symposia each of which included basic research, applied technological design and development, and industrial and governmental integrated system and application demonstrations. The six symposia were: SYMP 1 Multifunctional Materials; SYMP 2 Active Materials, Mechanics and Behavior; SYMP 3 Modeling, Simulation and Control; SYMP 4 Enabling Technologies and Integrated System Design; SYMP 5 Structural Health Monitoring/NDE; and SYMP 6 Bio-inspired Smart Materials and Structures. In addition, the conference introduced a new student and young professional development symposium. Authors of papers in the materials areas (symposia 1, 2 and 6) were invited to write a full journal article on their presentation topic for publication in this special issue of Smart Materials and Structures. This set of papers demonstrates the exceptional quality and originality of the conference presentations. We are appreciative of their efforts in producing this collection of highly relevant articles on smart materials.

Advances in polymeric systems for tissue engineering and biomedical applications.

PubMed

Ravichandran, Rajeswari; Sundarrajan, Subramanian; Venugopal, Jayarama Reddy; Mukherjee, Shayanti; Ramakrishna, Seeram

2012-03-01

The characteristics of tissue engineered scaffolds are major concerns in the quest to fabricate ideal scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. The polymer scaffolds employed for tissue engineering applications should possess multifunctional properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability and favorable mechanical properties as it comes in direct contact with the body fluids in vivo. Additionally, the polymer system should also possess biomimetic architecture and should support stem cell adhesion, proliferation and differentiation. As the progress in polymer technology continues, polymeric biomaterials have taken characteristics more closely related to that desired for tissue engineering and clinical needs. Stimuli responsive polymers also termed as smart biomaterials respond to stimuli such as pH, temperature, enzyme, antigen, glucose and electrical stimuli that are inherently present in living systems. This review highlights the exciting advancements in these polymeric systems that relate to biological and tissue engineering applications. Additionally, several aspects of technology namely scaffold fabrication methods and surface modifications to confer biological functionality to the polymers have also been discussed. The ultimate objective is to emphasize on these underutilized adaptive behaviors of the polymers so that novel applications and new generations of smart polymeric materials can be realized for biomedical and tissue engineering applications. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

System requirements specification for SMART structures mode

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

Specified here are the functional and informational requirements for software modules which address the geometric and data modeling needs of the aerospace structural engineer. The modules are to be included as part of the Solid Modeling Aerospace Research Tool (SMART) package developed for the Vehicle Analysis Branch (VAB) at the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC). The purpose is to precisely state what the SMART Structures modules will do, without consideration of how it will be done. Each requirement is numbered for reference in development and testing.

Comparison and Validation of Operational Cost in Smart Houses with the Introduction of a Heat Pump or a Gas Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimoji, Tsubasa; Tahara, Hayato; Matayoshi, Hidehito; Yona, Atsushi; Senjyu, Tomonobu

2015-02-01

Due to the concerns of global warming and the depletion of energy resources, renewable energies such as wind generation (WG) and photovoltaic generation (PV) are gaining attention in distribution systems. Efficient electric equipment such as heat pumps (HP) not only contribute low levels of carbon to society, but are also beneficial for consumers. In addition, gas instruments such as the gas engine (GE) and fuel cells (FC) are expected to reduce electricity cost by exhaust heat. Thus, it is important to clarify which systems (HP or GE) are more beneficial for consumers throughout the year. This paper compares the operational cost for the smart house between using the HP and the GE. Current electricity and gas prices are used to calculate the cost of the smart house. The system considered in this research comprises a PV, battery, solar collector (SC), uncontrolled load and either an HP or a GE. In order to verify the effectiveness of the proposed system, MATLAB is used for simulations.

Smart Payload Development for High Data Rate Instrument Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pingree, Paula J.; Norton, Charles D.

2007-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the development of smart payloads instruments systems with high data rates. On-board computation has become a bottleneck for advanced science instrument and engineering capabilities. In order to improve the computation capability on board, smart payloads have been proposed. A smart payload is a Localized instrument, that can offload the flight processor of extensive computing cycles, simplify the interfaces, and minimize the dependency of the instrument on the flight system. This has been proposed for the Mars mission, Mars Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (MATMOS). The design of this system is discussed; the features of the Virtex-4, are discussed, and the technical approach is reviewed. The proposed Hybrid Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technology has been shown to deliver breakthrough performance by tightly coupling hardware and software. Smart Payload designs for instruments such as MATMOS can meet science data return requirements with more competitive use of available on-board resources and can provide algorithm acceleration in hardware leading to implementation of better (more advanced) algorithms in on-board systems for improved science data return

Engineering Knowledge for Assistive Living

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Liming; Nugent, Chris

This paper introduces a knowledge based approach to assistive living in smart homes. It proposes a system architecture that makes use of knowledge in the lifecycle of assistive living. The paper describes ontology based knowledge engineering practices and discusses mechanisms for exploiting knowledge for activity recognition and assistance. It presents system implementation and experiments, and discusses initial results.

SMART-1 celebrates its first year in space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2004-09-01

The ion engine went into action three days after launch and slowly placed SMART-1 safely above the radiation belts that surround the Earth. From there, SMART-1 started spiralling around our planet to eventually come closer, through ever wider orbits, to the so-called ‘Moon capture’ point. During this transfer phase, the ion engine fired its thrusters for periods of several days to progressively raise its apogee (the maximum altitude of its orbit) to the orbit of the Moon. So far, the SMART-1 ion engine has operated for about 3300 hours and covered a distance of some 78 million kilometres, with only 52 kilograms of propellant. With this successful demonstration, SMART-1 is paving the way for future deep-space missions, using a solar- electric engine as primary propulsion. It will be applied to long, energy-demanding interplanetary missions in the Solar System, reducing the size and cost of propulsion systems, while increasing manoeuvrability and the mass available for scientific instrumentation. ESA plans to use primary solar-electric propulsion for its future BepiColombo and Solar Orbiter missions. During its first year in space, SMART-1 has also successfully tested new space communication techniques. For the first time, SMART-1 has used very short radio waves (called Ka band at 32 Gigahertz, with the KaTE instrument) to communicate with Earth. These enable far more information to be transmitted over deep space than the commonly used frequencies and in a shorter period of time. Another SMART-1 achievement is the successful testing of a laser communication link experiment with ESA’s optical ground station in Tenerife, Canary Islands in February of this year. This laser technology, in which Europe is a leader, has already been applied to telecommunications satellites, but this was the first time a laser link had been used to communicate with a distant, rapidly moving spacecraft. Both techniques will be crucial for future science missions where huge amounts of scientific data have to be transferred back to Earth over large distances in space. During its cruise, SMART-1’s miniaturised payload, consisting of seven instruments weighing only 19 kilograms in total, has been tested. All instruments onboard SMART-1 were operated and performed successfully in a number of science experiments. This was excellent preparation for the next phase of the SMART-1 mission: an unprecedented scientific study of the Moon, exploring in-depth the mysteries of our Earth’s natural satellite. With all these achievements to celebrate after its first year in space, SMART-1 is now preparing for the next big milestone, the lunar capture which is expected to take place less than two months from now. Note for editors: SMART-1 was launched on 27 September 2003 from Kourou, Europe’s spaceport in French Guiana, onboard an Ariane-5 rocket. It is the first in a series of ‘Small Missions for Advanced Research in Technology’, designed to demonstrate innovative and key technologies for future deep-space science missions. In addition to its technological objectives, SMART-1 is Europe’s first lunar mission and will perform a detailed scientific study of the Moon.

Stability of Fiber Optic Networked Decentralized Distributed Engine Control Under Time Delays

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-08-01

Nomenclature FADEC = Full Authority Digital Engine Control D2FADEC = Decentralized Distributed Full Authority Digital Engine Control DEC...Corporation (IFOS), bm@ifos.com. I American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics 2 II. Distributed Engine Control Systems FADEC Based on...of Full Authority Digital Engine Control ( FADEC ) are distributed at the component level. Each sensor/actuator is to be replaced by a smart sensor

Development and Application of a Structural Health Monitoring System Based on Wireless Smart Aggregates

PubMed Central

Ma, Haoyan; Li, Peng; Song, Gangbing; Wu, Jianxin

2017-01-01

Structural health monitoring (SHM) systems can improve the safety and reliability of structures, reduce maintenance costs, and extend service life. Research on concrete SHMs using piezoelectric-based smart aggregates have reached great achievements. However, the newly developed techniques have not been widely applied in practical engineering, largely due to the wiring problems associated with large-scale structural health monitoring. The cumbersome wiring requires much material and labor work, and more importantly, the associated maintenance work is also very heavy. Targeting a practical large scale concrete crack detection (CCD) application, a smart aggregates-based wireless sensor network system is proposed for the CCD application. The developed CCD system uses Zigbee 802.15.4 protocols, and is able to perform dynamic stress monitoring, structural impact capturing, and internal crack detection. The system has been experimentally validated, and the experimental results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed system. This work provides important support for practical CCD applications using wireless smart aggregates. PMID:28714927

Development and Application of a Structural Health Monitoring System Based on Wireless Smart Aggregates.

PubMed

Yan, Shi; Ma, Haoyan; Li, Peng; Song, Gangbing; Wu, Jianxin

2017-07-17

Structural health monitoring (SHM) systems can improve the safety and reliability of structures, reduce maintenance costs, and extend service life. Research on concrete SHMs using piezoelectric-based smart aggregates have reached great achievements. However, the newly developed techniques have not been widely applied in practical engineering, largely due to the wiring problems associated with large-scale structural health monitoring. The cumbersome wiring requires much material and labor work, and more importantly, the associated maintenance work is also very heavy. Targeting a practical large scale concrete crack detection (CCD) application, a smart aggregates-based wireless sensor network system is proposed for the CCD application. The developed CCD system uses Zigbee 802.15.4 protocols, and is able to perform dynamic stress monitoring, structural impact capturing, and internal crack detection. The system has been experimentally validated, and the experimental results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed system. This work provides important support for practical CCD applications using wireless smart aggregates.

Health management and controls for Earth-to-orbit propulsion systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bickford, R. L.

1995-03-01

Avionics and health management technologies increase the safety and reliability while decreasing the overall cost for Earth-to-orbit (ETO) propulsion systems. New ETO propulsion systems will depend on highly reliable fault tolerant flight avionics, advanced sensing systems and artificial intelligence aided software to ensure critical control, safety and maintenance requirements are met in a cost effective manner. Propulsion avionics consist of the engine controller, actuators, sensors, software and ground support elements. In addition to control and safety functions, these elements perform system monitoring for health management. Health management is enhanced by advanced sensing systems and algorithms which provide automated fault detection and enable adaptive control and/or maintenance approaches. Aerojet is developing advanced fault tolerant rocket engine controllers which provide very high levels of reliability. Smart sensors and software systems which significantly enhance fault coverage and enable automated operations are also under development. Smart sensing systems, such as flight capable plume spectrometers, have reached maturity in ground-based applications and are suitable for bridging to flight. Software to detect failed sensors has reached similar maturity. This paper will discuss fault detection and isolation for advanced rocket engine controllers as well as examples of advanced sensing systems and software which significantly improve component failure detection for engine system safety and health management.

SMART-1: the first spacecraft of the future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2003-09-01

This is the first of a series of missions designed to test key technologies for future spacecraft —SMART stands for 'Small Missions for Advanced Research and Technology'. In the case of SMART-1, the two main new technologies to be tested are a new 'solar-electric propulsion' system and miniaturised spacecraft and instrumentation. Together, these technologies make up a spacecraft with revolutionary qualities: smaller, lighter, capable of carrying more scientific instruments, greater fuel efficiency. All of which also considerably reduces the cost of the mission. So, the idea behind SMART-1 is to pioneer a futuristic philosophy, the motto of which could be: 'more science for less money'. Even though it is the first of a kind, SMART-1 has been developed in less than four years, and at about a fifth of the cost of a major science mission for ESA: only 110 million euros. That includes the launch, the operations and a dozen scientific experiments. This was achieved partly by using new management methods — such as working with smaller teams both within ESA and in the industry — and partly because of some of the new features inherent in SMART-1, such as the miniaturisation and novel design. Giuseppe Racca, SMART-1 Project Manager, explains: "What has been our trick? First, a short development period in itself means less money. But also, with its small size — which was a requirement of the mission because we are testing miniaturised hardware — the spacecraft is able to 'share' a commercial Ariane flight with two other passengers. Besides, since we were not constrained by any existing design or heritage, we could be more innovative and elegant in our architecture. For example, the new SMART-1 electrical architecture has enabled us to simplify the system tests considerably." SMART-1 could almost be a toy spacecraft — it weighs only 367 kilograms and fits into a cube just one metre across (the solar panel wings extend about 14 metres) — although one able to gather high-value scientific and technological data. Another innovation lies in the industrial policy applied to this mission. SMART-1 is a good example of an ESA mission in which a comparatively small company such as the Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) has been selected as prime contractor. “The experience of SSC in highly successful projects at national level was a key factor in the decision, as was ESA's goal of fostering a balanced industrial landscape in Europe,” says Niels Jensen of ESA’s Directorate of Industrial Matters and Technology Programmes. The magic of ion engines Solar-electric propulsion, one of the main technologies to be tested by SMART-1, is a new technique that uses 'ion engines'. These work by expelling a continuous beam of charged particles --ions-- at the back of the engine, which produces a thrust in the opposite direction and therefore pushes the spacecraft forward. The energy to feed the engine comes from the solar panels, hence the name 'solar-electric propulsion'. Engineers have been working on ion engines for decades, but only recently have obstacles such as the lack of power availability from a spacecraft’s solar panels been overcome. Recent missions have been using ion thrusters mainly for attitude control and orbit station keeping. In the recent case of ESA’s telecommunication satellite Artemis, the onboard availability of ion thrusters was actually what allowed the mission to be rescued. Having been left by the launcher on an unplanned orbit, Artemis was slowly - but safely - brought up to its final working orbit by the power of its ion engines, initially designed for orbit maintenance only. Starting with SMART-1, the first European spacecraft to use an ion engine as its main propulsion system, the amazing advantages of this method can now be fully exploited. Ion engines are very efficient: they deliver about ten times as much impulse per kilogram of propellant used. This gives a substantial reduction in the mass of the fuel carried on the spacecraft, which in turn leaves more room — more weight — for scientific instrumentation. Also, ion engines allow scope for designing trajectories to travel very long distances in less time, thereby opening the door to deeper space exploration. Another advantage is that these engines make for very accurate spacecraft control, which is essential for missions that require highly precise target pointing. Such qualities stem from the fact that ion engines generate a very gentle thrust. SMART-1 will be accelerated just 0.2 millimetres per second per second, with a push equivalent to the weight of a postcard. This is why solar-electric propulsion cannot be used for taking off from Earth, for example; it only works in the vacuum of space. For very distant destinations, this is not a problem. Compared to conventional chemical rockets, which burn for a few minutes, ion engines work for years, or for as long as the solar panels keep providing electricity. So the ion ‘tortoise’ will eventually overtake the chemical ‘hare’. Long, energy-demanding interplanetary missions will benefit most from solar-electric primary propulsion. In such cases, spacecraft need an enormous amount of chemical fuel on board, leaving very little capacity for scientific instruments. Moreover, to make the most economical use of this fuel, they need to take maximum advantage of gravity-assist manoeuvres, making space journeys longer and more complex. With solar-electric propulsion, in contrast, much less fuel is needed on board, with the advantages of more room for instruments and the ability to avoid complex gravity-assist manoeuvres. But these advantages do not come into play on short distances, such as from the Earth to the Moon. So why is SMART-1 testing its ion engine on a trip to the Moon? The answer is threefold. First, the Moon is a very interesting scientific target. Secondly, SMART-1 has the opportunity to share the cost of an Ariane-5 launch with other passengers heading for the geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), from which the Moon can be reached. Last but not least, the spiral orbit which SMART-1 has to take to reach the Moon from GTO is a long and complex trajectory, so that the ion engine will be fully tested in conditions representative of a deep-space mission. Good news for the whole space sector The technology to be tested on SMART-1 is a strategic investment for ESA. In particular, development of the solar-electric propulsion technology was followed by ESA directly. The experience gained with SMART-1 will be useful to many aspects of space technology, providing thorough groundwork for future ESA programmes. As ESA engineer Denis Estublier explains, "SMART-1 will provide answers to technological questions that affect the whole sector. It will demonstrate the use and the lifetime in space of electric thrusters; the ground control of a quasi-continuously thrusting satellite, the performance of the solar panels in the radiation belts; the interactions of the ion beam with the spacecraft surface and instruments." Many kinds of spacecraft, including commercial telecommunication satellites, will benefit from such technology. Ion engines will find an immediate application in future ESA scientific missions to distant destinations that could not be reached otherwise, as conventional chemical-propulsion spacecraft could not carry the required payload mass. Other scientific missions will have to rely completely on the accurate spacecraft control provided by the very gentle thrust of the ion engines. SMART-1’s journey starts on Saturday 27 September at 08.02 p.m. local time in Kourou (Sunday 28 September at 01:02 a.m. CEST) with a launch an Ariane 5 rocket from the European launch base in Kourou, French Guiana. The trip itself will be part of the adventure, with the engineers checking on the performance of the new technology. But for the scientifically curious the real thrill will begin in December 2004, when SMART-1 reaches the Moon. Then it will be the turn of the scientific instruments, which will help to solve such questions as the origin of the Moon, the existence of water on the Moon, and the possibility of building a permanent human base on the lunar surface. Note to editors SMART-1 was developed for ESA by the Swedish Space Corporation, as prime contractor, with contributions from almost 30 contractors from 11 European countries and the United States. The spacecraft carries 19 kilograms of science payload consisting of experiments led by Principal Investigators from Finland, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Active and passive interaction mechanism of smart materials for health monitoring of engineering structures: a review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Annamdas, Venu Gopal Madhav; Annamdas, Kiran Kumar

2009-03-01

Smart materials when interact with engineering structures, should have the capability to sense, measure, process, and detect any change in the selected variables (stress, damage) at critical locations. These smart materials can be classified into active and passive depending on the type of the structure, variables to be monitored, and interaction mechanism due to surface bonding or embedment. Some of the prominent smart materials are piezoelectric materials, micro fiber composite, polymers, shape memory alloys, electrostrictive and magnetostrictive materials, electrorheological and magnetorheological fluids and fiber optics. In addition, host structures do have the properties to support or repel the usage of smart materials inside or on it. This paper presents some of the most widely used smart materials and their interaction mechanism for structural health monitoring of engineering structures.

Last ion engine thrust puts ESA's SMART-1 on the right track for its Moon encounter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2004-10-01

SMART-1, on its way to the Moon, has now covered more than 80 million kilometres. Its journey started on 27 September 2003, when the spacecraft was launched on board an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Since then, it has been spiralling in progressively larger orbits around Earth, to eventually be captured by the lunar gravity and enter into orbit around the Moon in November this year. The SMART-1 mission was designed to pursue two main objectives. The first is purely technological: to demonstrate and test a number of space techniques to be applied to future interplanetary exploration missions. The second goal is scientific, mainly dedicated to lunar science. It is the technology demonstration goal, in particular the first European flight test of a solar-powered ion engine as a spacecraft’s main propulsion system, that gave shape to the peculiar route and duration (13 months) of the SMART-1 journey to the Moon. The long spiralling orbit around Earth, which is bringing the spacecraft closer and closer to the Moon, is needed for the ion engine to function and be tested over a distance comparable to that a spacecraft would travel during a possible interplanetary trip. The SMART-1 mission is also testing the response of a spacecraft propelled by such an engine during gravity-assisted manoeuvres. These are techniques currently used on interplanetary journeys, which make use of the gravitational pull of celestial objects (e.g. planets) for the spacecraft to gain acceleration and reach its final target while saving fuel. In SMART-1’s case, the Moon’s gravitational pull has been exploited in three “lunar resonance” manoeuvres. The first two successfully took place in August and September 2004. The last resonance manoeuvre was on 12 October, during the last major ion engine thrust, which lasted nearly five days, from 10 to 14 October. Thanks to this final thrust, SMART-1 will make two more orbits around Earth without any further need to switch on the engine, apart from minor trajectory correction if needed. The same thrust will allow the spacecraft to progressively fall into the natural sphere of attraction of the Moon and start orbiting around it from 13 November, when it is 60 000 kilometres from the lunar surface. SMART-1 will reach its first perilune (initial closest distance from the lunar surface) on 15 November, while the ion engine is performing its first and major thrust in orbit around the Moon. After that it will continue orbiting around the Moon in smaller loops until it reaches its final operational orbit (spanning between 3000 and 300 kilometres over the Moon’s poles) in mid-January 2005. From then, for six months Smart-1 will start the first comprehensive survey of key chemical elements on the lunar surface and will investigate the theory of how the Moon was formed.

An Overview of the Development of High Temperature Wireless Smart Sensor Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunter, Gary W.

2014-01-01

The harsh environment inherent in propulsion systems is especially challenging for Smart Sensor Systems; this paper addresses technology development for such applications. A basic sensing system for high temperature wireless pressure monitoring composed of a sensor, electronics, and wireless communication with scavenged power developed for health monitoring of aircraft engines and other high temperature applications has been demonstrated at 475 C. Other efforts will be discussed including a brief overview of the status of high temperature electronics and sensors, as well as their use and applications.

iss047e066248

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-04-19

ISS047e066248 (04/19/2016) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 47 Flight Engineer Jeff Williams works with the Wet Lab RNA SmartCycler on-board the International Space Station. Wetlab RNA SmartCycler is a research platform for conducting real-time quantitative gene expression analysis aboard the ISS. The system enables spaceflight genomic studies involving a wide variety of biospecimen types in the unique microgravity environment of space.

Development of a standardized, citywide process for managing smart-pump drug libraries.

PubMed

Walroth, Todd A; Smallwood, Shannon; Arthur, Karen; Vance, Betsy; Washington, Alana; Staublin, Therese; Haslar, Tammy; Reddan, Jennifer G; Fuller, James

2018-06-15

Development and implementation of an interprofessional consensus-driven process for review and optimization of smart-pump drug libraries and dosing limits are described. The Indianapolis Coalition for Patient Safety (ICPS), which represents 6 Indianapolis-area health systems, identified an opportunity to reduce clinically insignificant alerts that smart infusion pumps present to end users. Through a consensus-driven process, ICPS aimed to identify best practices to implement at individual hospitals in order to establish specific action items for smart-pump drug library optimization. A work group of pharmacists, nurses, and industrial engineers met to evaluate variability within and lack of scrutiny of smart-pump drug libraries. The work group used Lean Six Sigma methodologies to generate a list of key needs and barriers to be addressed in process standardization. The group reviewed targets for smart-pump drug library optimization, including dosing limits, types of alerts reviewed, policies, and safety best practices. The work group also analyzed existing processes at each site to develop a final consensus statement outlining a model process for reviewing alerts and managing smart-pump data. Analysis of the total number of alerts per device across ICPS-affiliated health systems over a 4-year period indicated a 50% decrease (from 7.2 to 3.6 alerts per device per month) after implementation of the model by ICPS member organizations. Through implementation of a standardized, consensus-driven process for smart-pump drug library optimization, ICPS member health systems reduced clinically insignificant smart-pump alerts. Copyright © 2018 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

Systems Maintenance Automated Repair Tasks (SMART)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schuh, Joseph; Mitchell, Brent; Locklear, Louis; Belson, Martin A.; Al-Shihabi, Mary Jo Y.; King, Nadean; Norena, Elkin; Hardin, Derek

2010-01-01

SMART is a uniform automated discrepancy analysis and repair-authoring platform that improves technical accuracy and timely delivery of repair procedures for a given discrepancy (see figure a). SMART will minimize data errors, create uniform repair processes, and enhance the existing knowledge base of engineering repair processes. This innovation is the first tool developed that links the hardware specification requirements with the actual repair methods, sequences, and required equipment. SMART is flexibly designed to be useable by multiple engineering groups requiring decision analysis, and by any work authorization and disposition platform (see figure b). The organizational logic creates the link between specification requirements of the hardware, and specific procedures required to repair discrepancies. The first segment in the SMART process uses a decision analysis tree to define all the permutations between component/ subcomponent/discrepancy/repair on the hardware. The second segment uses a repair matrix to define what the steps and sequences are for any repair defined in the decision tree. This segment also allows for the selection of specific steps from multivariable steps. SMART will also be able to interface with outside databases and to store information from them to be inserted into the repair-procedure document. Some of the steps will be identified as optional, and would only be used based on the location and the current configuration of the hardware. The output from this analysis would be sent to a work authoring system in the form of a predefined sequence of steps containing required actions, tools, parts, materials, certifications, and specific requirements controlling quality, functional requirements, and limitations.

A System Engineering Study and Concept Development for a Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief Operations Management Platform

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

and network. The computing and network hardware are identified and include routers, servers, firewalls, laptops , backup hard drives, smart phones...deployable hardware units will be necessary. This includes the use of ruggedized laptops and desktop computers , a projector system, communications system...ENGINEERING STUDY AND CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT FOR A HUMANITARIAN AID AND DISASTER RELIEF OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT PLATFORM by Julie A. Reed September

ePave: A Self-Powered Wireless Sensor for Smart and Autonomous Pavement.

PubMed

Xiao, Jian; Zou, Xiang; Xu, Wenyao

2017-09-26

"Smart Pavement" is an emerging infrastructure for various on-road applications in transportation and road engineering. However, existing road monitoring solutions demand a certain periodic maintenance effort due to battery life limits in the sensor systems. To this end, we present an end-to-end self-powered wireless sensor-ePave-to facilitate smart and autonomous pavements. The ePave system includes a self-power module, an ultra-low-power sensor system, a wireless transmission module and a built-in power management module. First, we performed an empirical study to characterize the piezoelectric module in order to optimize energy-harvesting efficiency. Second, we developed an integrated sensor system with the optimized energy harvester. An adaptive power knob is designated to adjust the power consumption according to energy budgeting. Finally, we intensively evaluated the ePave system in real-world applications to examine the system's performance and explore the trade-off.

A Simple Method for Amplifying RNA Targets (SMART)

PubMed Central

McCalla, Stephanie E.; Ong, Carmichael; Sarma, Aartik; Opal, Steven M.; Artenstein, Andrew W.; Tripathi, Anubhav

2012-01-01

We present a novel and simple method for amplifying RNA targets (named by its acronym, SMART), and for detection, using engineered amplification probes that overcome existing limitations of current RNA-based technologies. This system amplifies and detects optimal engineered ssDNA probes that hybridize to target RNA. The amplifiable probe-target RNA complex is captured on magnetic beads using a sequence-specific capture probe and is separated from unbound probe using a novel microfluidic technique. Hybridization sequences are not constrained as they are in conventional target-amplification reactions such as nucleic acid sequence amplification (NASBA). Our engineered ssDNA probe was amplified both off-chip and in a microchip reservoir at the end of the separation microchannel using isothermal NASBA. Optimal solution conditions for ssDNA amplification were investigated. Although KCl and MgCl2 are typically found in NASBA reactions, replacing 70 mmol/L of the 82 mmol/L total chloride ions with acetate resulted in optimal reaction conditions, particularly for low but clinically relevant probe concentrations (≤100 fmol/L). With the optimal probe design and solution conditions, we also successfully removed the initial heating step of NASBA, thus achieving a true isothermal reaction. The SMART assay using a synthetic model influenza DNA target sequence served as a fundamental demonstration of the efficacy of the capture and microfluidic separation system, thus bridging our system to a clinically relevant detection problem. PMID:22691910

"Smart" Sensor Module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mahajan, Ajay

2007-01-01

An assembly that contains a sensor, sensor-signal-conditioning circuitry, a sensor-readout analog-to-digital converter (ADC), data-storage circuitry, and a microprocessor that runs special-purpose software and communicates with one or more external computer(s) has been developed as a prototype of "smart" sensor modules for monitoring the integrity and functionality (the "health") of engineering systems. Although these modules are now being designed specifically for use on rocket-engine test stands, it is anticipated that they could also readily be designed to be incorporated into health-monitoring subsystems of such diverse engineering systems as spacecraft, aircraft, land vehicles, bridges, buildings, power plants, oilrigs, and defense installations. The figure is a simplified block diagram of the "smart" sensor module. The analog sensor readout signal is processed by the ADC, the digital output of which is fed to the microprocessor. By means of a standard RS-232 cable, the microprocessor is connected to a local personal computer (PC), from which software is downloaded into a randomaccess memory in the microprocessor. The local PC is also used to debug the software. Once the software is running, the local PC is disconnected and the module is controlled by, and all output data from the module are collected by, a remote PC via an Ethernet bus. Several smart sensor modules like this one could be connected to the same Ethernet bus and controlled by the single remote PC. The software running in the microprocessor includes driver programs for operation of the sensor, programs that implement self-assessment algorithms, programs that implement protocols for communication with the external computer( s), and programs that implement evolutionary methodologies to enable the module to improve its performance over time. The design of the module and of the health-monitoring system of which it is a part reflects the understanding that the main purpose of a health-monitoring system is to detect damage and, therefore, the health-monitoring system must be able to function effectively in the presence of damage and should be capable of distinguishing between damage to itself and damage to the system being monitored. A major benefit afforded by the self-assessment algorithms is that in the output of the module, the sensor data indicative of the health of the engineering system being monitored are coupled with a confidence factor that quantifies the degree of reliability of the data. Hence, the output includes information on the health of the sensor module itself in addition to information on the health of the engineering system being monitored.

ePave: A Self-Powered Wireless Sensor for Smart and Autonomous Pavement

PubMed Central

Xiao, Jian; Zou, Xiang

2017-01-01

“Smart Pavement” is an emerging infrastructure for various on-road applications in transportation and road engineering. However, existing road monitoring solutions demand a certain periodic maintenance effort due to battery life limits in the sensor systems. To this end, we present an end-to-end self-powered wireless sensor—ePave—to facilitate smart and autonomous pavements. The ePave system includes a self-power module, an ultra-low-power sensor system, a wireless transmission module and a built-in power management module. First, we performed an empirical study to characterize the piezoelectric module in order to optimize energy-harvesting efficiency. Second, we developed an integrated sensor system with the optimized energy harvester. An adaptive power knob is designated to adjust the power consumption according to energy budgeting. Finally, we intensively evaluated the ePave system in real-world applications to examine the system’s performance and explore the trade-off. PMID:28954430

Hadoop Oriented Smart Cities Architecture.

PubMed

Diaconita, Vlad; Bologa, Ana-Ramona; Bologa, Razvan

2018-04-12

A smart city implies a consistent use of technology for the benefit of the community. As the city develops over time, components and subsystems such as smart grids, smart water management, smart traffic and transportation systems, smart waste management systems, smart security systems, or e-governance are added. These components ingest and generate a multitude of structured, semi-structured or unstructured data that may be processed using a variety of algorithms in batches, micro batches or in real-time. The ICT architecture must be able to handle the increased storage and processing needs. When vertical scaling is no longer a viable solution, Hadoop can offer efficient linear horizontal scaling, solving storage, processing, and data analyses problems in many ways. This enables architects and developers to choose a stack according to their needs and skill-levels. In this paper, we propose a Hadoop-based architectural stack that can provide the ICT backbone for efficiently managing a smart city. On the one hand, Hadoop, together with Spark and the plethora of NoSQL databases and accompanying Apache projects, is a mature ecosystem. This is one of the reasons why it is an attractive option for a Smart City architecture. On the other hand, it is also very dynamic; things can change very quickly, and many new frameworks, products and options continue to emerge as others decline. To construct an optimized, modern architecture, we discuss and compare various products and engines based on a process that takes into consideration how the products perform and scale, as well as the reusability of the code, innovations, features, and support and interest in online communities.

Hadoop Oriented Smart Cities Architecture

PubMed Central

Bologa, Ana-Ramona; Bologa, Razvan

2018-01-01

A smart city implies a consistent use of technology for the benefit of the community. As the city develops over time, components and subsystems such as smart grids, smart water management, smart traffic and transportation systems, smart waste management systems, smart security systems, or e-governance are added. These components ingest and generate a multitude of structured, semi-structured or unstructured data that may be processed using a variety of algorithms in batches, micro batches or in real-time. The ICT architecture must be able to handle the increased storage and processing needs. When vertical scaling is no longer a viable solution, Hadoop can offer efficient linear horizontal scaling, solving storage, processing, and data analyses problems in many ways. This enables architects and developers to choose a stack according to their needs and skill-levels. In this paper, we propose a Hadoop-based architectural stack that can provide the ICT backbone for efficiently managing a smart city. On the one hand, Hadoop, together with Spark and the plethora of NoSQL databases and accompanying Apache projects, is a mature ecosystem. This is one of the reasons why it is an attractive option for a Smart City architecture. On the other hand, it is also very dynamic; things can change very quickly, and many new frameworks, products and options continue to emerge as others decline. To construct an optimized, modern architecture, we discuss and compare various products and engines based on a process that takes into consideration how the products perform and scale, as well as the reusability of the code, innovations, features, and support and interest in online communities. PMID:29649172

Engineering responsive supramolecular biomaterials: Toward smart therapeutics.

PubMed

Webber, Matthew J

2016-09-01

Engineering materials using supramolecular principles enables generalizable and modular platforms that have tunable chemical, mechanical, and biological properties. Applying this bottom-up, molecular engineering-based approach to therapeutic design affords unmatched control of emergent properties and functionalities. In preparing responsive materials for biomedical applications, the dynamic character of typical supramolecular interactions facilitates systems that can more rapidly sense and respond to specific stimuli through a fundamental change in material properties or characteristics, as compared to cases where covalent bonds must be overcome. Several supramolecular motifs have been evaluated toward the preparation of "smart" materials capable of sensing and responding to stimuli. Triggers of interest in designing materials for therapeutic use include applied external fields, environmental changes, biological actuators, applied mechanical loading, and modulation of relative binding affinities. In addition, multistimuli-responsive routes can be realized that capture combinations of triggers for increased functionality. In sum, supramolecular engineering offers a highly functional strategy to prepare responsive materials. Future development and refinement of these approaches will improve precision in material formation and responsiveness, seek dynamic reciprocity in interactions with living biological systems, and improve spatiotemporal sensing of disease for better therapeutic deployment.

Applications of smart materials in structural engineering.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-10-01

With the development of materials and technology, many new materials find their applications in civil engineering to deal with the deteriorating infrastructure. Smart material is a promising example that deserves a wide focus, from research to applic...

[SmartCare: automatizing clinical guidelines].

PubMed

Mersmann, Stefan

2009-10-01

In critical care environments, important medical and economic challenges are presented by the enhancement of therapeutic quality and the reduction of therapeutic costs. For this purpose, several clinical studies have demonstrated a positive impact of the adoption of so-called clinical guidelines. Clinical guidelines represent well documented best practices in healthcare and are fundamental aspects of evidence-based medicine. However, at the bedside, such clinical guidelines remain difficult to use by clinical staff. The knowledge-based technology SmartCare allows incorporation of arbitrary computerized clinical guidelines into various medical target systems. SmartCare constitutes a clinical guideline engine because it executes one or more clinical guidelines on a specific medical device. SmartCare was initially applied for the automated control of a mechanical ventilator to assist the process of weaning from a medical device. The methodology allows further applications to be implemented effectively with other medical devices and/or with other appropriate guidelines. In this paper, we report on the methodology and the resulting versatility of such a system, as well as the clinical evaluation of SmartCare/PS and its perspectives.

A Review of Decision Support Systems for Smart Homes in the Health Care System.

PubMed

Baumgärtel, Diana; Mielke, Corinna; Haux, Reinhold

2018-01-01

The use of decision support systems for smart homes can provide attractive solutions for challenges that have arisen in the Health Care System due to ageing of society. In order to provide an overview of current research projects in this field, a systematic literature review was performed according to the PRISMA approach. The aims of this work are to provide an overview of current research projects and to update a similar study from 2012. The literature search engines IEEE Xplore and PubMed were used. 23 papers were included. Most of the systems presented are developed for monitoring the patient regardless of their illness. For decision support, mainly rule-based approaches are used.

Semantically optiMize the dAta seRvice operaTion (SMART) system for better data discovery and access

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, C.; Huang, T.; Armstrong, E. M.; Moroni, D. F.; Liu, K.; Gui, Z.

2013-12-01

Abstract: We present a Semantically optiMize the dAta seRvice operaTion (SMART) system for better data discovery and access across the NASA data systems, Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) Clearinghouse and Data.gov to facilitate scientists to select Earth observation data that fit better their needs in four aspects: 1. Integrating and interfacing the SMART system to include the functionality of a) semantic reasoning based on Jena, an open source semantic reasoning engine, b) semantic similarity calculation, c) recommendation based on spatiotemporal, semantic, and user workflow patterns, and d) ranking results based on similarity between search terms and data ontology. 2. Collaborating with data user communities to a) capture science data ontology and record relevant ontology triple stores, b) analyze and mine user search and download patterns, c) integrate SMART into metadata-centric discovery system for community-wide usage and feedback, and d) customizing data discovery, search and access user interface to include the ranked results, recommendation components, and semantic based navigations. 3. Laying the groundwork to interface the SMART system with other data search and discovery systems as an open source data search and discovery solution. The SMART systems leverages NASA, GEO, FGDC data discovery, search and access for the Earth science community by enabling scientists to readily discover and access data appropriate to their endeavors, increasing the efficiency of data exploration and decreasing the time that scientists must spend on searching, downloading, and processing the datasets most applicable to their research. By incorporating the SMART system, it is a likely aim that the time being devoted to discovering the most applicable dataset will be substantially reduced, thereby reducing the number of user inquiries and likewise reducing the time and resources expended by a data center in addressing user inquiries. Keywords: EarthCube; ECHO, DAACs, GeoPlatform; Geospatial Cyberinfrastructure References: 1. Yang, P., Evans, J., Cole, M., Alameh, N., Marley, S., & Bambacus, M., (2007). The Emerging Concepts and Applications of the Spatial Web Portal. Photogrammetry Engineering &Remote Sensing,73(6):691-698. 2. Zhang, C, Zhao, T. and W. Li. (2010). The Framework of a Geospatial Semantic Web based Spatial Decision Support System for Digital Earth. International Journal of Digital Earth. 3(2):111-134. 3. Yang C., Raskin R., Goodchild M.F., Gahegan M., 2010, Geospatial Cyberinfrastructure: Past, Present and Future,Computers, Environment, and Urban Systems, 34(4):264-277. 4. Liu K., Yang C., Li W., Gui Z., Xu C., Xia J., 2013. Using ontology and similarity calculations to rank Earth science data searching results, International Journal of Geospatial Information Applications. (in press)

Influential Aspects of the Smart City

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marinovici, Maria C.; Kirkham, Harold; Widergren, Steven E.

2016-01-05

Using millions of sensors in everyday objects, smart cities will generate petabytes of data, and it will be delivered to multiple users via networks. Multi-disciplinary inter-operability is essential. We propose system engineering management, with multidisciplinary teams as an effective way to deliver real change. Their goal is to develop intelligent and integrated services through the use of digital technologies and open collaboration. We also caution that the process cannot be entirely planned ahead of time, it must be allowed to evolve. New technology will change the game (where does a 3-D printer fit into a smart city?). Municipal planning meansmore » central planning – not known for its sensitivity to reality. A successful smart city will include lots of feedback mechanisms for the citizenry.« less

Exhaust Composition in a Small Internal Combustion Engine Using FTIR Spectroscopy

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-18

ects of broadband sooting on IRF transmittance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 xi...IndiSmart combustion analyzer. This system conducted data acquisition on various high speed sensors including in- cylinder pressure, intake pressure...Crankshaft position was measured once per revolution by a hall-e↵ect sensor connected to the ignition 56 control unit. The engines were air cooled with

Distributed Engine Control Empirical/Analytical Verification Tools

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeCastro, Jonathan; Hettler, Eric; Yedavalli, Rama; Mitra, Sayan

2013-01-01

NASA's vision for an intelligent engine will be realized with the development of a truly distributed control system featuring highly reliable, modular, and dependable components capable of both surviving the harsh engine operating environment and decentralized functionality. A set of control system verification tools was developed and applied to a C-MAPSS40K engine model, and metrics were established to assess the stability and performance of these control systems on the same platform. A software tool was developed that allows designers to assemble easily a distributed control system in software and immediately assess the overall impacts of the system on the target (simulated) platform, allowing control system designers to converge rapidly on acceptable architectures with consideration to all required hardware elements. The software developed in this program will be installed on a distributed hardware-in-the-loop (DHIL) simulation tool to assist NASA and the Distributed Engine Control Working Group (DECWG) in integrating DCS (distributed engine control systems) components onto existing and next-generation engines.The distributed engine control simulator blockset for MATLAB/Simulink and hardware simulator provides the capability to simulate virtual subcomponents, as well as swap actual subcomponents for hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) analysis. Subcomponents can be the communication network, smart sensor or actuator nodes, or a centralized control system. The distributed engine control blockset for MATLAB/Simulink is a software development tool. The software includes an engine simulation, a communication network simulation, control algorithms, and analysis algorithms set up in a modular environment for rapid simulation of different network architectures; the hardware consists of an embedded device running parts of the CMAPSS engine simulator and controlled through Simulink. The distributed engine control simulation, evaluation, and analysis technology provides unique capabilities to study the effects of a given change to the control system in the context of the distributed paradigm. The simulation tool can support treatment of all components within the control system, both virtual and real; these include communication data network, smart sensor and actuator nodes, centralized control system (FADEC full authority digital engine control), and the aircraft engine itself. The DECsim tool can allow simulation-based prototyping of control laws, control architectures, and decentralization strategies before hardware is integrated into the system. With the configuration specified, the simulator allows a variety of key factors to be systematically assessed. Such factors include control system performance, reliability, weight, and bandwidth utilization.

Payload Isolation System for Launch Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-03-01

Payload Isolation System for Launch Vehicles Paul S. Wilke, Conor D. Johnson CSA Engineering Palo Alto, CA Eugene R. Fosness Air Force Phillips ... Laboratory , PL/VTVD Kirkland AFB, NM Spie Smart Structures and Materials San Diego, CA March 1997 Copyright 1997 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation

Smart fiber-reinforced polymer anchorage system with optical fiber Bragg grating sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Minghua; Zhou, Zhi; He, Jianping; Chen, Genda; Ou, Jinping

2010-03-01

Civil Engineers have used fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) with high axial strength as an effective and economical alternative to steel in harsh corrosion environments. However, the practical applications of FRP are limited by the tendency of FRP materials to fail suddenly under lateral pressure and surface injury. For example, shear stresses result from the bonding effect between the FRP material and the structure of the anchorage system due to the lower shear strength of FRP. This paper proposes a novel smart FRP anchorage system with embedded optical fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors to monitor the axial strain state and accordingly the interfacial shear stress, as well as the interfacial damage characteristics of FRP anchorage. One FBG sensor was embedded in an FRP rod outside the anchorage region to evaluate the properties of the material, and seven FBG sensors were distributed along the rod in the anchor to monitor the axial strain variations and study the interfacial mechanical behaviors of the smart FRP anchorage under a static pulling load. The experimental results agreed well with theoretical predictions. The smart FRP anchorage system with optical FBG sensors proves effective and practical for monitoring the long-term mechanical behavior of FRP anchorage systems.

Advanced active health monitoring system of liquid rocket engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qing, Xinlin P.; Wu, Zhanjun; Beard, Shawn; Chang, Fu-Kuo

2008-11-01

An advanced SMART TAPE system has been developed for real-time in-situ monitoring and long term tracking of structural integrity of pressure vessels in liquid rocket engines. The practical implementation of the structural health monitoring (SHM) system including distributed sensor network, portable diagnostic hardware and dedicated data analysis software is addressed based on the harsh operating environment. Extensive tests were conducted on a simulated large booster LOX-H2 engine propellant duct to evaluate the survivability and functionality of the system under the operating conditions of typical liquid rocket engines such as cryogenic temperature, vibration loads. The test results demonstrated that the developed SHM system could survive the combined cryogenic temperature and vibration environments and effectively detect cracks as small as 2 mm.

Smart FBG-based FRP anchor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Zhi; Zhang, Zhichun; Wang, Chuan; Ou, Jinping

2006-03-01

FRP ( Fiber Reinforced Polymer ) has become the popular material to alternate steel in civil engineering under harsh corrosion environment. But due to its low shear strength ability, the anchor for FRP is most important for its practical application. However, the strain state of the surface between FRP and anchor is not fully understood due to that there is no proper sensor to monitor the inner strain in the anchor by traditional method. In this paper, a new smart FBG-based FRP anchor is brought forward, and the inner strain distribution of FRP anchor has been monitored using FRP-OFBG sensors, a smart FBG-embedded FRP rebar, which is pre-embedded in the FRP rod and cast in the anchor. Based on the strain distribution information the bonding shear stress on the surface of FRP rod along the anchor can also be obtained. This method can supply important information for FRP anchor design and can also monitor the anchorage system, which is useful for the application of FRP in civil engineering. The experimental results also show that the smart FBG-based FRP anchor can give direct information of the load and damage of the FRP anchor.

Smart Networked Elements in Support of ISHM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oostdyk, Rebecca; Mata, Carlos; Perotti, Jose M.

2008-01-01

At the core of ISHM is the ability to extract information and knowledge from raw data. Conventional data acquisition systems sample and convert physical measurements to engineering units, which higher-level systems use to derive health and information about processes and systems. Although health management is essential at the top level, there are considerable advantages to implementing health-related functions at the sensor level. The distribution of processing to lower levels reduces bandwidth requirements, enhances data fusion, and improves the resolution for detection and isolation of failures in a system, subsystem, component, or process. The Smart Networked Element (SNE) has been developed to implement intelligent functions and algorithms at the sensor level in support of ISHM.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hansen, Timothy M.; Kadavil, Rahul; Palmintier, Bryan

The 21st century electric power grid is transforming with an unprecedented increase in demand and increase in new technologies. In the United States Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, Title XIII sets the tenets for modernizing the electricity grid through what is known as the 'Smart Grid Initiative.' This initiative calls for increased design, deployment, and integration of distributed energy resources, smart technologies and appliances, and advanced storage devices. The deployment of these new technologies requires rethinking and re-engineering the traditional boundaries between different electric power system domains.

Integrated System Health Management: Pilot Operational Implementation in a Rocket Engine Test Stand

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Figueroa, Fernando; Schmalzel, John L.; Morris, Jonathan A.; Turowski, Mark P.; Franzl, Richard

2010-01-01

This paper describes a credible implementation of integrated system health management (ISHM) capability, as a pilot operational system. Important core elements that make possible fielding and evolution of ISHM capability have been validated in a rocket engine test stand, encompassing all phases of operation: stand-by, pre-test, test, and post-test. The core elements include an architecture (hardware/software) for ISHM, gateways for streaming real-time data from the data acquisition system into the ISHM system, automated configuration management employing transducer electronic data sheets (TEDS?s) adhering to the IEEE 1451.4 Standard for Smart Sensors and Actuators, broadcasting and capture of sensor measurements and health information adhering to the IEEE 1451.1 Standard for Smart Sensors and Actuators, user interfaces for management of redlines/bluelines, and establishment of a health assessment database system (HADS) and browser for extensive post-test analysis. The ISHM system was installed in the Test Control Room, where test operators were exposed to the capability. All functionalities of the pilot implementation were validated during testing and in post-test data streaming through the ISHM system. The implementation enabled significant improvements in awareness about the status of the test stand, and events and their causes/consequences. The architecture and software elements embody a systems engineering, knowledge-based approach; in conjunction with object-oriented environments. These qualities are permitting systematic augmentation of the capability and scaling to encompass other subsystems.

Control and prediction for blackouts caused by frequency collapse in smart grids.

PubMed

Wang, Chengwei; Grebogi, Celso; Baptista, Murilo S

2016-09-01

The electric power system is one of the cornerstones of modern society. One of its most serious malfunctions is the blackout, a catastrophic event that may disrupt a substantial portion of the system, playing havoc to human life and causing great economic losses. Thus, understanding the mechanisms leading to blackouts and creating a reliable and resilient power grid has been a major issue, attracting the attention of scientists, engineers, and stakeholders. In this paper, we study the blackout problem in power grids by considering a practical phase-oscillator model. This model allows one to simultaneously consider different types of power sources (e.g., traditional AC power plants and renewable power sources connected by DC/AC inverters) and different types of loads (e.g., consumers connected to distribution networks and consumers directly connected to power plants). We propose two new control strategies based on our model, one for traditional power grids and another one for smart grids. The control strategies show the efficient function of the fast-response energy storage systems in preventing and predicting blackouts in smart grids. This work provides innovative ideas which help us to build up a robuster and more economic smart power system.

Control and prediction for blackouts caused by frequency collapse in smart grids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Chengwei; Grebogi, Celso; Baptista, Murilo S.

2016-09-01

The electric power system is one of the cornerstones of modern society. One of its most serious malfunctions is the blackout, a catastrophic event that may disrupt a substantial portion of the system, playing havoc to human life and causing great economic losses. Thus, understanding the mechanisms leading to blackouts and creating a reliable and resilient power grid has been a major issue, attracting the attention of scientists, engineers, and stakeholders. In this paper, we study the blackout problem in power grids by considering a practical phase-oscillator model. This model allows one to simultaneously consider different types of power sources (e.g., traditional AC power plants and renewable power sources connected by DC/AC inverters) and different types of loads (e.g., consumers connected to distribution networks and consumers directly connected to power plants). We propose two new control strategies based on our model, one for traditional power grids and another one for smart grids. The control strategies show the efficient function of the fast-response energy storage systems in preventing and predicting blackouts in smart grids. This work provides innovative ideas which help us to build up a robuster and more economic smart power system.

Modules to enhance smart lighting education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bunch, Robert M.; Joenathan, Charles; Connor, Kenneth; Chouikha, Mohamed

2012-10-01

Over the past several years there has been a rapid advancement in solid state lighting applications brought on by the development of high efficiency light emitting diodes. Development of lighting devices, systems and products that meet the demands of the future lighting marketplace requires workers from many disciplines including engineers, scientists, designers and architects. The National Science Foundation has recognized this fact and established the Smart Lighting Engineering Research Center that promotes research leading to smart lighting systems, partners with industry to enhance innovation and educates a diverse, world-class workforce. The lead institution is Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with core partners Boston University and The University of New Mexico. Outreach partners include Howard University, Morgan State University, and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Because of the multidisciplinary nature of advanced smart lighting systems workers often have little or no formal education in basic optics, lighting and illumination. This paper describes the initial stages of the development of self-contained and universally applicable educational modules that target essential optics topics needed for lighting applications. The modules are intended to be easily incorporated into new and existing courses by a variety of educators and/or to be used in a series of stand-alone, asynchronous training exercises by new graduate students. The ultimate goal of this effort is to produce resources such as video lectures, video presentations of students-teaching-students, classroom activities, assessment tools, student research projects and laboratories integrated into learning modules. Sample modules and resources will be highlighted. Other outreach activities such as plans for coursework, undergraduate research, design projects, and high school enrichment programs will be discussed.

Smart Fluid Systems: The Advent of Autonomous Liquid Robotics.

PubMed

Chiolerio, A; Quadrelli, Marco B

2017-07-01

Organic, inorganic or hybrid devices in the liquid state, kept in a fixed volume by surface tension or by a confining membrane that protects them from a harsh environment, could be used as biologically inspired autonomous robotic systems with unique capabilities. They could change shape according to a specific exogenous command or by means of a fully integrated adaptive system, and provide an innovative solution for many future applications, such as space exploration in extreme or otherwise challenging environments, post-disaster search and rescue in ground applications, compliant wearable devices, and even in the medical field for in vivo applications. This perspective provides an initial assessment of existing capabilities that could be leveraged to pursue the topic of "Smart Fluid Systems" or "Liquid Engineered Systems".

Engineering Amorphous Systems, Using Global-to-Local Compilation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagpal, Radhika

Emerging technologies are making it possible to assemble systems that incorporate myriad of information-processing units at almost no cost: smart materials, selfassembling structures, vast sensor networks, pervasive computing. How does one engineer robust and prespecified global behavior from the local interactions of immense numbers of unreliable parts? We discuss organizing principles and programming methodologies that have emerged from Amorphous Computing research, that allow us to compile a specification of global behavior into a robust program for local behavior.

Engineered Polymers for Advanced Drug Delivery

PubMed Central

Kim, Sungwon; Kim, Jong-Ho; Jeon, Oju; Kwon, Ick Chan; Park, Kinam

2009-01-01

Engineered polymers have been utilized for developing advanced drug delivery systems. The development of such polymers has caused advances in polymer chemistry, which, in turn, has resulted in smart polymers that can respond to changes in environmental condition, such as temperature, pH, and biomolecules. The responses vary widely from swelling/deswelling to degradation. Drug-polymer conjugates and drug-containing nano/micro-particles have been used for drug targeting. Engineered polymers and polymeric systems have also been used in new areas, such as molecular imaging as well as in nanotechnology. This review examines the engineered polymers that have been used as traditional drug delivery and as more recent applications in nanotechnology. PMID:18977434

The Possibilities of Production Engineering in the Development of Smart Specialisations Illustrated with the Example of the Silesian Voivodeship

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biały, Witold

2016-12-01

Smart specialisations, a new area of economy/science which constitutes a new, growing economic specialisation based on utilising the unique natural resources of a region, connecting various branches of the industry, applying innovative technological solutions. Each Polish voivodeship has a specific list of smart specialisations aimed at creating new markets for economic activity, modernisation and increasing the region's competitiveness. Using as an example the technical universities in the Silesian Voivodeship, the author considers the possibility of teaching future experts for Smart Specialisation implementation as part of the Production Engineering course. He signalises the potential and omissions.

SMART materials: Surfaces, transforms and interfaces. The commensurate engineering dimension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDonach, Alaster; Gardiner, Peter T.; McEwen, Ron S.; Culshaw, Brian

1994-11-01

The future of molecularly based smart materials hinges on the development of integrated technologies addressing synthesis, assembly, shaping, etc. and some of these are now becoming clear. Even in the bolt on era new technologies will allow issues of commensurate engineering to be addressed.

Encapsulated Optically Responsive Cell Systems: Toward Smart Implants in Biomedicine.

PubMed

Boss, Christophe; Bouche, Nicolas; De Marchi, Umberto

2018-04-01

Managing increasingly prevalent chronic diseases will require close continuous monitoring of patients. Cell-based biosensors may be used for implantable diagnostic systems to monitor health status. Cells are indeed natural sensors in the body. Functional cellular systems can be maintained in the body for long-term implantation using cell encapsulation technology. By taking advantage of recent progress in miniaturized optoelectronic systems, the genetic engineering of optically responsive cells may be combined with cell encapsulation to generate smart implantable cell-based sensing systems. In biomedical research, cell-based biosensors may be used to study cell signaling, therapeutic effects, and dosing of bioactive molecules in preclinical models. Today, a wide variety of genetically encoded fluorescent sensors have been developed for real-time imaging of living cells. Here, recent developments in genetically encoded sensors, cell encapsulation, and ultrasmall optical systems are highlighted. The integration of these components in a new generation of biosensors is creating innovative smart in vivo cell-based systems, bringing novel perspectives for biomedical research and ultimately allowing unique health monitoring applications. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Smart-actuated continuous moldline technology (CMT) mini wind tunnel test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pitt, Dale M.; Dunne, James P.; Kilian, Kevin J.

1999-07-01

The Smart Aircraft and Marine Propulsion System Demonstration (SAMPSON) Program will culminate in two separate demonstrations of the application of Smart Materials and Structures technology. One demonstration will be for an aircraft application and the other for marine vehicles. The aircraft portion of the program will examine the application of smart materials to aircraft engine inlets which will deform the inlet in-flight in order to regulate the airflow rate into the engine. Continuous Moldline Technology (CMT), a load-bearing reinforced elastomer, will enable the use of smart materials in this application. The capabilities of CMT to withstand high-pressure subsonic and supersonic flows were tested in a sub-scale mini wind- tunnel. The fixture, used as the wind-tunnel test section, was designed to withstand pressure up to 100 psi. The top and bottom walls were 1-inch thick aluminum and the side walls were 1-inch thick LEXAN. High-pressure flow was introduced from the Boeing St. Louis poly-sonic wind tunnel supply line. CMT walls, mounted conformal to the upper and lower surfaces, were deflected inward to obtain a converging-diverging nozzle. The CMT walls were instrumented for vibration and deflection response. Schlieren photography was used to establish shock wave motion. Static pressure taps, embedded within one of the LEXAN walls, monitored pressure variation in the mini-wind tunnel. High mass flow in the exit region. This test documented the response of CMT technology in the presence of high subsonic flow and provided data to be used in the design of the SAMPSON Smart Inlet.

Rate-programming of nano-particulate delivery systems for smart bioactive scaffolds in tissue engineering.

PubMed

Izadifar, Mohammad; Haddadi, Azita; Chen, Xiongbiao; Kelly, Michael E

2015-01-09

Development of smart bioactive scaffolds is of importance in tissue engineering, where cell proliferation, differentiation and migration within scaffolds can be regulated by the interactions between cells and scaffold through the use of growth factors (GFs) and extra cellular matrix peptides. One challenge in this area is to spatiotemporally control the dose, sequence and profile of release of GFs so as to regulate cellular fates during tissue regeneration. This challenge would be addressed by rate-programming of nano-particulate delivery systems, where the release of GFs via polymeric nanoparticles is controlled by means of the methods of, such as externally-controlled and physicochemically/architecturally-modulated so as to mimic the profile of physiological GFs. Identifying and understanding such factors as the desired release profiles, mechanisms of release, physicochemical characteristics of polymeric nanoparticles, and externally-triggering stimuli are essential for designing and optimizing such delivery systems. This review surveys the recent studies on the desired release profiles of GFs in various tissue engineering applications, elucidates the major release mechanisms and critical factors affecting release profiles, and overviews the role played by the mathematical models for optimizing nano-particulate delivery systems. Potentials of stimuli responsive nanoparticles for spatiotemporal control of GF release are also presented, along with the recent advances in strategies for spatiotemporal control of GF delivery within tissue engineered scaffolds. The recommendation for the future studies to overcome challenges for developing sophisticated particulate delivery systems in tissue engineering is discussed prior to the presentation of conclusions drawn from this paper.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kok, Koen; Widergren, Steve

Secure, Clean and Efficient Energy is one of the great societal challenges of our time. Electricity as a sustainable energy carrier plays a central role in the most effective transition scenarios towards sustainability. To harness this potential, the current electricity infrastructure needs to be rigorously re-engineered into an integrated and intelligent electricity system: the smart grid. Key elements of the smart grid vision are the coordination mechanisms. In such a system, vast numbers of devices, currently just passively connected to the grid, will become actively involved in system-wide and local coordination tasks. In this light, transactive energy (TE) is emergingmore » as a strong contender for orchestrating the coordinated operation of so many devices.« less

Smart homes, private homes? An empirical study of technology researchers' perceptions of ethical issues in developing smart-home health technologies.

PubMed

Birchley, Giles; Huxtable, Richard; Murtagh, Madeleine; Ter Meulen, Ruud; Flach, Peter; Gooberman-Hill, Rachael

2017-04-04

Smart-home technologies, comprising environmental sensors, wearables and video are attracting interest in home healthcare delivery. Development of such technology is usually justified on the basis of the technology's potential to increase the autonomy of people living with long-term conditions. Studies of the ethics of smart-homes raise concerns about privacy, consent, social isolation and equity of access. Few studies have investigated the ethical perspectives of smart-home engineers themselves. By exploring the views of engineering researchers in a large smart-home project, we sought to contribute to dialogue between ethics and the engineering community. Either face-to-face or using Skype, we conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with 20 early- and mid-career smart-home researchers from a multi-centre smart-home project, who were asked to describe their own experience and to reflect more broadly about ethical considerations that relate to smart-home design. With participants' consent, interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using a thematic approach. Two overarching themes emerged: in 'Privacy', researchers indicated that they paid close attention to negative consequences of potential unauthorised information sharing in their current work. However, when discussing broader issues in smart-home design beyond the confines of their immediate project, researchers considered physical privacy to a lesser extent, even though physical privacy may manifest in emotive concerns about being watched or monitored. In 'Choice', researchers indicated they often saw provision of choice to end-users as a solution to ethical dilemmas. While researchers indicated that choices of end-users may need to be restricted for technological reasons, ethical standpoints that restrict choice were usually assumed and embedded in design. The tractability of informational privacy may explain the greater attention that is paid to it. However, concerns about physical privacy may reduce acceptability of smart-home technologies to future end-users. While attention to choice suggests links with privacy, this may misidentify the sources of privacy and risk unjustly burdening end-users with problems that they cannot resolve. Separating considerations of choice and privacy may result in more satisfactory treatment of both. Finally, through our engagement with researchers as participants this study demonstrates the relevance of (bio)ethics as a critical partner to smart-home engineering.

Human-factors engineering for smart transport: design support for car drivers and train traffic controllers.

PubMed

Lenior, Dick; Janssen, Wiel; Neerincx, Mark; Schreibers, Kirsten

2006-07-01

The theme Smart Transport can be described as adequate human-system symbiosis to realize effective, efficient and human-friendly transport of goods and information. This paper addresses how to attune automation to human (cognitive) capacities (e.g. to take care of information uncertainty, operator trust and mutual man-machine adaptations). An introduction to smart transport is presented, including examples of best practice for engineering human factors in the vehicle ergonomics and train traffic control domain. The examples are representative of an ongoing trend in automation and they show how the human role changes from controller to supervisor. Section 2 focuses on the car driver and systems that support, or sometimes even take over, critical parts of the driving task. Due to the diversity of driver ability, driving context and dependence between driver and context factors, there is a need for personalised, adaptive and integrated support. Systematic research is needed to establish sound systems. Section 3 focuses on the train dispatcher support systems that predict train movements, detect potential conflicts and show the dispatcher the possibilities available to solve the detected problems. Via thorough analysis of both the process to be controlled and the dispatcher's tasks and cognitive needs, support functions were developed as part of an already very complex supervision and control system. The two examples, although from a different field, both show the need for further development in cognitive modelling as well as for the value of sound ergonomics task analysis in design practice.

Biorefineries - New Green Strategy For Development Of Smart And Innovative Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Płaza, Grażyna A.; Wandzich, Dorota

2016-09-01

Ecological engineering or ecotechnology is defined as the design of sustainable production that integrate human society with the natural environment for the benefit of both. In order to reach the goal of sustainability therefore important that bioproduct production systems are converted from to natural cycle oriented. In natural cycles there are not waste, but products are generated at different stages of the cycle. The ecotechnology creates a sustainable bioeconomy using biomass in a smart and efficient way. The biorefining sector, which uses smart, innovative and efficient technologies to convert biomass feedstocks into a range of bio-based products including fuels, chemicals, power, food, and renewable oils, currently presents the innovative and efficient bio-based production can revitalize existing industries. The paper presents the concept of biorefinery as the ecotechnological approach for creating a sustainable bioeconomy using biomass in a smart and efficient way.

Review on developments in fiber optical sensors and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Annamdas, Kiran Kishore Kumar; Annamdas, Venu Gopal Madhav

2010-04-01

The last couple of decades had witnessed a rise in the research of optoelectronic and fiber optical communication fields, which resulted in applications focused initially in military and aerospace equipments, and later in health monitoring for medicine, heritage culture and various engineering fields. The monitoring of existing or /and new engineering, biomedical structures has become a regular feature throughout the world. Monitoring is fast emerging as a pioneering field with high precision and quality equipments. This field is very vast, consisting of both traditional as well as smart materials based methods. The fiber optics belong to the finest class of smart materials, there are many types and classifications based on the necessity, manufacturer and the end user. In this paper, a complete over view of fiber sensing systems and their usefulness is briefly presented.

Application of smart optical fiber sensors for structural load monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davies, Heddwyn; Everall, Lorna A.; Gallon, Andrew M.

2001-06-01

This paper describes a smart monitoring system, incorporating optical fiber sensing techniques, capable of providing important structural information to designers and users alike. This technology has wide industrial and commercial application in areas including aerospace, civil, maritime and automotive engineering. In order to demonstrate the capability of the sensing system it has been installed in a 35m free-standing carbon fiber yacht mast, where a complete optical network of strain and temperature sensors were embedded into a composite mast and boom during lay-up. The system was able to monitor the behavior of the composite rig through a range of handling conditions. The resulting strain information can be used by engineers to improve the structural design process. Embedded fiber optic sensors have wide ranging application for structural load monitoring. Due to their small size, optical fiber sensors can be readily embedded into composite materials. Other advantages include their immediate multiplexing capability and immunity to electro-magnetic interference. The capability of this system has been demonstrated within the maritime and industrial environment, but can be adapted for any application.

Smart active pilot-in-the-loop systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Segun

1995-04-01

Representation of on-orbit microgravity environment in a 1-g environment is a continuing problem in space engineering analysis, procedures development and crew training. A way of adequately depicting weightlessness in the performance of on-orbit tasks is by a realistic (or real-time) computer based representation that provides the look, touch, and feel of on-orbit operation. This paper describes how a facility, the Systems Engineering Simulator at the Johnson Space Center, is utilizing recent advances in computer processing power and multi- processing capability to intelligently represent all systems, sub-systems and environmental elements associated with space flight operations. It first describes the computer hardware and interconnection between processors; the computer software responsible for task scheduling, health monitoring, sub-system and environment representation; control room and crew station. It then describes, the mathematical models that represent the dynamics of contact between the Mir and the Space Shuttle during the upcoming US and Russian Shuttle/Mir space mission. Results are presented comparing the response of the smart, active pilot-in-the-loop system to non-time critical CRAY model. A final example of how these systems are utilized is given in the development that supported the highly successful Hubble Space Telescope repair mission.

[Smart therapeutics based on synthetic gene circuits].

PubMed

Peng, Shuguang; Xie, Zhen

2017-03-25

Synthetic biology has an important impact on biology research since its birth. Applying the thought and methods that reference from electrical engineering, synthetic biology uncovers many regulatory mechanisms of life systems, transforms and expands a series of biological components. Therefore, it brings a wide range of biomedical applications, including providing new ideas for disease diagnosis and treatment. This review describes the latest advances in the field of disease diagnosis and therapy based on mammalian cell or bacterial synthetic gene circuits, and provides new ideas for future smart therapy design.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Knirsch, Fabian; Engel, Dominik; Neureiter, Christian

In a smart grid, data and information are transported, transmitted, stored, and processed with various stakeholders having to cooperate effectively. Furthermore, personal data is the key to many smart grid applications and therefore privacy impacts have to be taken into account. For an effective smart grid, well integrated solutions are crucial and for achieving a high degree of customer acceptance, privacy should already be considered at design time of the system. To assist system engineers in early design phase, frameworks for the automated privacy evaluation of use cases are important. For evaluation, use cases for services and software architectures needmore » to be formally captured in a standardized and commonly understood manner. In order to ensure this common understanding for all kinds of stakeholders, reference models have recently been developed. In this paper we present a model-driven approach for the automated assessment of such services and software architectures in the smart grid that builds on the standardized reference models. The focus of qualitative and quantitative evaluation is on privacy. For evaluation, the framework draws on use cases from the University of Southern California microgrid.« less

Design of external sensors board based on Bluetooth interface of smart phones for structural health monitoring system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Yan; Zhou, Yaping; Zhao, Xuefeng; Li, Dongsheng; Ou, Jinping

2016-04-01

As an important part of new information technology, the Internet of Things(IoT) is based on intelligent perception, recognition technology, ubiquitous computing, ubiquitous network integration, and it is known as the third wave of the development of information industry in the world after the computer and the Internet. And Smart Phones are the general term for a class of mobile phones with a separate operating system and operational memory, in which the third-party service programs including software, games, navigation, et.al, can be installed. Smart Phones, with not only sensors but also actuators, are widely used in the IoT world. As the current hot issues in the engineering area, Structural health monitoring (SHM) is also facing new problems about design ideas in the IoT environment. The development of IoT, wireless sensor network and mobile communication technology, provides a good technical platform for SHM. Based on these facts, this paper introduces a kind of new idea for Structural Health Monitoring using Smart Phones Technique. The system is described in detail, and the external sensor board based on Bluetooth interface is designed, the test based on Smart Phones is finished to validate the implementation and feasibility. The research is preliminary and more tests need to be carried out before it can be of practical use.

Smart blood cell and microvesicle-based Trojan horse drug delivery: Merging expertise in blood transfusion and biomedical engineering in the field of nanomedicine.

PubMed

Wu, Yu-Wen; Goubran, Hadi; Seghatchian, Jerard; Burnouf, Thierry

2016-04-01

Therapeutic and diagnostic applications of nanomedicine are playing increasingly important roles in human health. Various types of synthetic nanoparticles, including liposomes, micelles, and other nanotherapeutic platforms and conjugates, are being engineered to encapsulate or carry drugs for treating diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disorders, neurodegeneration, and inflammations. Nanocarriers are designed to increase the half-life of drugs, decrease their toxicity and, ideally, target pathological sites. Developing smart carriers with the capacity to deliver drugs specifically to the microenvironment of diseased cells with minimum systemic toxicity is the goal. Blood cells, and potentially also the liposome-like micro- and nano-vesicles they generate, may be regarded as ideally suited to perform such specific targeting with minimum immunogenic risks. Blood cell membranes are "decorated" with complex physiological receptors capable of targeting and communicating with other cells and tissues and delivering their content to the surrounding pathological microenvironment. Blood cells, such as erythrocytes, have been developed as permeable carriers to release drugs to diseased tissues or act as biofactory allowing enzymatic degradation of a pathological substrate. Interestingly, attempts are also being made to improve the targeting capacity of synthetic nanoparticles by "decorating" their surface with blood cell membrane receptor-like biochemical structures. Research is needed to further explore the benefits that blood cell-derived microvesicles, as a Trojan horse delivery systems, can bring to the arsenal of therapeutic micro- and nanotechnologies. This short review focuses on the therapeutic roles that red blood cells and platelets can play as smart drug-delivery systems, and highlights the benefits that blood transfusion expertise can bring to this exciting and novel biomedical engineering field. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Priming the Innovation Pump: America Needs More Scientists, Engineers, and Basic Research

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

students through its Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transforma- tion ( SMART ) program. SMART funds U.S. S&E students’ education costs in exchange...slide 5). Through its Engineers in the Classroom program, LM is building school partnerships to create a pipeline of future S&E employees. From high... Classroom need to expand in size and numbers, because it can take 22–25 years to grow an experienced engineer from entry-level talent. Meanwhile, the

Development of an Aeromedical Scientific Information System for Aviation Safety

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

math- ematics, engineering, computer hardware, software , and networking, was assembled to glean the most knowledge from the complicated aeromedical...9, SPlus Enterprise Developer 8, and Insightful Miner version 7. Process flow charts were done with SmartDraw Suite Edition version 7. Static and

Smartphone based scalable reverse engineering by digital image correlation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vidvans, Amey; Basu, Saurabh

2018-03-01

There is a need for scalable open source 3D reconstruction systems for reverse engineering. This is because most commercially available reconstruction systems are capital and resource intensive. To address this, a novel reconstruction technique is proposed. The technique involves digital image correlation based characterization of surface speeds followed by normalization with respect to angular speed during rigid body rotational motion of the specimen. Proof of concept of the same is demonstrated and validated using simulation and empirical characterization. Towards this, smart-phone imaging and inexpensive off the shelf components along with those fabricated additively using poly-lactic acid polymer with a standard 3D printer are used. Some sources of error in this reconstruction methodology are discussed. It is seen that high curvatures on the surface suppress accuracy of reconstruction. Reasons behind this are delineated in the nature of the correlation function. Theoretically achievable resolution during smart-phone based 3D reconstruction by digital image correlation is derived.

Energy Systems Integration News | Energy Systems Integration Facility |

Science.gov Websites

us at the ESIF. NREL Releases High-Pen PV Handbook for Distribution Engineers As solar photovoltaic PV for Ancillary Services NREL, AES, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, First Solar, and the technologies, such as solar, demand response, and smart consumer appliances Advances in grid design and

Ground Penetrating Radar for SMART CITIES

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soldovieri, Francesco; Catapano, Ilaria; Gennarelli, Gianluca

2016-04-01

The use of monitoring and surveillance technologies is now recognized as a reliable option of the overall smart cities management cycle, for the advantages that they offer in terms of: economically sustainable planning of the ordinary and extraordinary maintenance interventions; situational awareness of possible risks factors in view of a reliable early warning; improvement of the security of the communities especially in public environments. In this frame, the abstract will deal with the recent advances in the development and deployment of radar systems for the urban surveillance, exploitation of the subsurface resources and civil engineering structures. In particular, we will present the recent scientific developments and several examples of use of these systems in operational conditions.

Knowledge Reasoning with Semantic Data for Real-Time Data Processing in Smart Factory

PubMed Central

Wang, Shiyong; Li, Di; Liu, Chengliang

2018-01-01

The application of high-bandwidth networks and cloud computing in manufacturing systems will be followed by mass data. Industrial data analysis plays important roles in condition monitoring, performance optimization, flexibility, and transparency of the manufacturing system. However, the currently existing architectures are mainly for offline data analysis, not suitable for real-time data processing. In this paper, we first define the smart factory as a cloud-assisted and self-organized manufacturing system in which physical entities such as machines, conveyors, and products organize production through intelligent negotiation and the cloud supervises this self-organized process for fault detection and troubleshooting based on data analysis. Then, we propose a scheme to integrate knowledge reasoning and semantic data where the reasoning engine processes the ontology model with real time semantic data coming from the production process. Based on these ideas, we build a benchmarking system for smart candy packing application that supports direct consumer customization and flexible hybrid production, and the data are collected and processed in real time for fault diagnosis and statistical analysis. PMID:29415444

Buckets: Smart Objects for Digital Libraries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nelson, Michael L.

2001-01-01

Current discussion of digital libraries (DLs) is often dominated by the merits of the respective storage, search and retrieval functionality of archives, repositories, search engines, search interfaces and database systems. While these technologies are necessary for information management, the information content is more important than the systems used for its storage and retrieval. Digital information should have the same long-term survivability prospects as traditional hardcopy information and should be protected to the extent possible from evolving search engine technologies and vendor vagaries in database management systems. Information content and information retrieval systems should progress on independent paths and make limited assumptions about the status or capabilities of the other. Digital information can achieve independence from archives and DL systems through the use of buckets. Buckets are an aggregative, intelligent construct for publishing in DLs. Buckets allow the decoupling of information content from information storage and retrieval. Buckets exist within the Smart Objects and Dumb Archives model for DLs in that many of the functionalities and responsibilities traditionally associated with archives are pushed down (making the archives dumber) into the buckets (making them smarter). Some of the responsibilities imbued to buckets are the enforcement of their terms and conditions, and maintenance and display of their contents.

Developing upconversion nanoparticle-based smart substrates for remote temperature sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coker, Zachary; Marble, Kassie; Alkahtani, Masfer; Hemmer, Philip; Yakovlev, Vladislav V.

2018-02-01

Recent developments in understanding of nanomaterial behaviors and synthesis have led to their application across a wide range of commercial and scientific applications. Recent investigations span from applications in nanomedicine and the development of novel drug delivery systems to nanoelectronics and biosensors. In this study, we propose the application of a newly engineered temperature sensitive water-based bio-compatible core/shell up-conversion nanoparticle (UCNP) in the development of a smart substrate for remote temperature sensing. We developed this smart substrate by dispersing functionalized nanoparticles into a polymer solution and then spin-coating the solution onto one side of a microscope slide to form a thin film substrate layer of evenly dispersed nanoparticles. By using spin-coating to deposit the particle solution we both create a uniform surface for the substrate while simultaneously avoid undesired particle agglomeration. Through this investigation, we have determined the sensitivity and capabilities of this smart substrate and conclude that further development can lead to a greater range of applications for this type smart substrate and use in remote temperature sensing in conjunction with other microscopy and spectroscopy investigations.

Adaptive and active materials: selected papers from the ASME 2013 Conference on Smart Materials, Adaptive Structures and Intelligent Systems (SMASIS 13) (Snowbird, UT, USA, 16-18 September 2013)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Nancy; Naguib, Hani; Turner, Travis; Anderson, Iain; Bassiri-Gharb, Nazanin; Daqaq, Mohammed; Baba Sundaresan, Vishnu; Sarles, Andy

2014-10-01

The sixth annual meeting of the ASME Smart Materials, Adaptive Structures and Intelligent Systems Conference (SMASIS) was held in the beautiful mountain encircled Snowbird Resort and Conference Center in Little Cottonwood Canyon near Salt Lake City, Utah. It is the conference's objective to provide an up-to-date overview of research trends in the entire field of smart materials systems in a friendly casual forum conducive to the exchange of ideas and latest results. As each year we strive to grow and offer new experiences, this year we included special focused topic tracks on nanoscale multiferroic materials and origami engineering. The cross-disciplinary emphasis was reflected in keynote speeches by Professor Kaushik Bhattacharya (California Institute of Technology) on 'Cyclic Deformation and the Interplay between Phase Transformation and Plasticity in Shape Memory Alloys', by Professor Alison Flatau (University of Maryland at College Park) on 'Structural Magnetostrictive Alloys: The Other Smart Material', and by Dr Leslie Momoda (Director of the Sensors and Materials Laboratories, HRL Laboratories, LLC, Malibu, CA) on 'Architecturing New Functional Materials: An Industrial Perspective'. SMASIS 2013 was divided into seven symposia which span basic research, applied technological design and development, and industrial and governmental integrated system and application demonstrations. SYMP 1. Development and Characterization of Multifunctional Materials. SYMP 2. Mechanics and Behavior of Active Materials. SYMP 3. Modeling, Simulation and Control of Adaptive Systems. SYMP 4. Integrated System Design and Implementation. SYMP 5. Structural Health Monitoring. SYMP 6. Bioinspired Smart Materials and Systems. SYMP 7. Energy Harvesting. Authors of selected papers in the materials areas (symposia 1, 2, and 6) as well as energy harvesting (symposium 7) were invited to write a full journal article on their presentation topic for publication in this special issue of Smart Materials and Structures. This collection of papers demonstrates the exceptional quality and originality of the conference presentations. We are very appreciative of their efforts to produce this collection of highly relevant articles on smart materials.

Advanced Computing Technologies for Rocket Engine Propulsion Systems: Object-Oriented Design with C++

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bekele, Gete

2002-01-01

This document explores the use of advanced computer technologies with an emphasis on object-oriented design to be applied in the development of software for a rocket engine to improve vehicle safety and reliability. The primary focus is on phase one of this project, the smart start sequence module. The objectives are: 1) To use current sound software engineering practices, object-orientation; 2) To improve on software development time, maintenance, execution and management; 3) To provide an alternate design choice for control, implementation, and performance.

A Dynamic Security Framework for Ambient Intelligent Systems: A Smart-Home Based eHealth Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Compagna, Luca; El Khoury, Paul; Massacci, Fabio; Saidane, Ayda

Providing context-dependent security services is an important challenge for ambient intelligent systems. The complexity and the unbounded nature of such systems make it difficult even for the most experienced and knowledgeable security engineers, to foresee all possible situations and interactions when developing the system. In order to solve this problem context based self- diagnosis and reconfiguration at runtime should be provided.

Master of Engineering Energy Systems Engineering Program: Smart Campus Energy Systems Demonstration DE-SC0005523

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dodge, Martha; Coulter, John

2014-09-25

Program Purpose and Position: The mission of the Master of Engineering in Energy Systems Engineering program is to invigorate the pipeline of new engineering graduates interested in energy oriented careers and thus produce a new generation of technical leaders for the energy and power industries. Over the next decade, nearly 50% of the skilled workers and technical leaders in the gas and electric utility industries will retire -- a much larger void than the current available and qualified professionals could fill [CEWD, 2012 survey]. The Masters of Engineering in Energy System Engineering program provides an opportunity for cross-discipline education formore » graduates interested in a career in the energy industry. It focuses on electric power and the challenges and opportunities to develop a sustainable, reliable and resilient system that meets human needs in an increasingly sustainable manner through the use of environmentally sound energy resources and delivery. Both graduates and employers benefit from a well-trained professional workforce that is ready to hit the road running and be immediately productive in meeting these challenges, through this innovative and unique program.« less

Encyclopedia of Smart Materials, 2 Volume Set

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwartz, Mel

2002-03-01

Smart materials--materials and structures that can impart information about their environment to an observer or monitoring device--are revolutionizing fields as diverse as engineering, optics, and medical technology. Advances in smart materials are impacting disciplines across the scientific and technological landscape. Now, practictioners and researchers have an authoritative source to go to for answers about this emerging new area. Encyclopedia of Smart Materials provides A-to-Z coverage of the entire field of intelligent materials. Discussions of theory, fabrication, processing, applications, and uses of these unique materials are presented here in a collection of concise entries from the world's foremost experts in the field--including scientists, educators and engineers. This encyclopedia is as broad in scope as the technology itself, addressing daily, commercial applications as well as sophisticated units designed to operate in space, underwater, underground, and within the human body. Extensively cross-referenced and generously supplemented with bibliographies and indexes, this book's treatment also broaches the specialized properties and coatings that are required for the use of materials in extreme conditions. Illustrated with photographs, tables, line drawings, and equations, Encyclopedia of Smart Materials is the premier reference for material scientists, chemists, chemical engineers, process engineers, consultants, patent attorneys and students in these areas. An essential resource on the shelves of laboratories, government facilities, and academic libraries. Editor-in-Chief, Mel Schwartz has over forty years of experience with metals, ceramics, and composites, with special expertise in brazing. The holder of five patents, he has authored thirteen books and more than one hundred technical papers and articles. Reach the information you need rapidly and easily with the ONLINE edition of the Encyclopedia of Smart Materials. The online edition delivers all the rich content of the print edition with the added benefits of an advanced search engine and the desktop convenience of web access. For more information or to license the online edition (beginning July 2002) please visit: www.interscience.wiley.com/reference/esm

Smart Fluid Systems: The Advent of Autonomous Liquid Robotics

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Organic, inorganic or hybrid devices in the liquid state, kept in a fixed volume by surface tension or by a confining membrane that protects them from a harsh environment, could be used as biologically inspired autonomous robotic systems with unique capabilities. They could change shape according to a specific exogenous command or by means of a fully integrated adaptive system, and provide an innovative solution for many future applications, such as space exploration in extreme or otherwise challenging environments, post‐disaster search and rescue in ground applications, compliant wearable devices, and even in the medical field for in vivo applications. This perspective provides an initial assessment of existing capabilities that could be leveraged to pursue the topic of “Smart Fluid Systems” or “Liquid Engineered Systems”. PMID:28725530

Communications and Intelligent Systems Division Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Emerson, Dawn

2017-01-01

Provides expertise, and plans, conducts and directs research and engineering development in the competency fields of advanced communications and intelligent systems technologies for applications in current and future aeronautics and space systems.Advances communication systems engineering, development and analysis needed for Glenn Research Center's leadership in communications and intelligent systems technology. Focus areas include advanced high frequency devices, components, and antennas; optical communications, health monitoring and instrumentation; digital signal processing for communications and navigation, and cognitive radios; network architectures, protocols, standards and network-based applications; intelligent controls, dynamics and diagnostics; and smart micro- and nano-sensors and harsh environment electronics. Research and discipline engineering allow for the creation of innovative concepts and designs for aerospace communication systems with reduced size and weight, increased functionality and intelligence. Performs proof-of-concept studies and analyses to assess the impact of the new technologies.

SMART-1 - the lunar adventure begins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2003-08-01

On the one hand, SMART-1 will test new state-of-the art instruments and techniques essential to ambitious future interplanetary missions, such as a solar-electric primary propulsion system. On the other, SMART-1 will answer pending scientific questions, addressing key issues such as the Moon's formation, its precise mineralogical composition, and the presence and quantity of water. These data will help scientists to understand the Earth-Moon system and Earth-like planets, and will also provide invaluable information when considering a long-lasting human presence on the Moon. On 15 July 2003, SMART 1 was shipped to the European launch base in Kourou, French Guiana, where it is being prepared for its launch, due to take place on an Ariane-5 rocket on 29 August 2003 (Central European Summer Time). For the first time, SMART-1 will combine the power obtained by solar-electric propulsion - never used before by Europe as a main propulsion system - with lunar gravity. It will not follow a direct path to cross the 400 000 kilometres distance between the Earth and the Moon. Instead, from an elliptical orbit around the Earth where it is placed by the rocket, SMART-1 will gradually expand the orbit in a spiral pathway that will bring it closer to the Moon every month. Finally, the Moon’s gravitational field will capture the spacecraft. SMART-1 will not land on the Moon, but will make its observations from orbit, obtaining a global view. When it reaches its destination, in December 2004, it will enter orbit around the Moon and make measurements for a period of six months possibly extended to one year. Why the Moon? Water, minerals, and a violent origin “Our knowledge of the Moon is still surprisingly incomplete,” says Bernard Foing, ESA’s SMART-1 Project Scientist. “We still want to know how the Earth-Moon system formed and evolved, as well as the role of geophysical processes such as volcanism, tectonics, cratering, or erosion in shaping the Moon. And, of course, in preparation for future lunar and planetary exploration, we need to find resources and landing sites.” So, there are many unsolved questions about the Moon, even though six NASA Apollo missions and three unmanned Soviet spacecraft have landed on it and brought back rock samples. The far side of the Moon --the one that never faces Earth-- and the polar regions remain fairly unexplored. The existence of water on the Moon has also never been confirmed, although two orbiters in the 1990s found indirect evidence. We are not even sure how the Moon was formed. According to the most accepted theory, 4500 million years ago an asteroid the size of Mars collided with our planet, and the vapourised debris that went into space condensed to form the Moon. SMART-1 will map the Moon's topography, as well as the surface distribution of minerals such as pyroxenes, olivines, and feldspars. Also, an X-ray detector will identify key chemical elements in the lunar surface. These data will allow scientists to reconstruct the geological evolution of the Moon, and to search for traces of the impact with the giant asteroid. If the collision theory is right, the Moon should contain less iron than the Earth, in proportion to lighter elements such as magnesium and aluminium. By gauging the relative amounts of chemical elements comprehensively for the very first time, SMART-1 can make a significant contribution in resolving this issue. As for water, if it exists, it must be in the form of ice in places always hidden from the Sun. In such places, the temperature will never rise above -170ºC. Dark places like that could exist in the bottoms of small craters in the polar regions. Peering into these craters is maybe the trickiest task that the SMART-1 scientists have set themselves. They will look for the infrared signature of water- ice. It will be difficult because no direct light falls in those areas, but rays from nearby crater rims, catching the sunshine, may light the ice sufficiently for SMART-1 instruments to see it. New technologies to prepare for future interplanetary missions Future scientific missions will greatly profit from the technologies being tested on SMART-1. Solar-electric primary propulsion is a new propulsion technique based on so-called 'ion engines' that feed on electricity derived from solar panels. It is a technique that has only ever been used once before. These engines provide a very gentle thrust, but they work for years while conventional, more powerful chemical rockets burn for only a few minutes. Ion engines offer key advantages. They need considerably less propellant than chemical propulsion, which means less weight at launch and more mass available for scientific instruments and payload. Ion engines open the door to truly deep space exploration. They slash the time for interplanetary flight: although they provide less thrust they can last for years. The ion tortoise will therefore eventually overtake the chemical hare. Moreover, another application of the gentle thrust provided by electric propulsion allows very accurate spacecraft attitude control, a skill that will be useful for scientific missions that require highly precise and undisturbed pointing. Future ESA science missions will rely on ion engines. SMART-1 will also test new miniaturisation techniques that save space and economise on mass: in space, less mass per instrument enables scientists to have more instruments on board, so more science. The SMART-1 payload consists of a dozen technological and scientific investigations performed by seven instruments weighing only 19 kilograms in total. For example, the X-ray telescope D-CIXS, consists of a cube just 15 centimetres wide and weighing less than 5 kilograms. The ultra-compact electronic camera, AMIE, weighs no more than an amateur’s camera. New navigation and space-communication techniques will also be tested. An experiment called OBAN, based on images from the miniature camera AMIE and the star trackers, is the first step towards future 'autonomous' spacecraft. In a not-too-distant future, scientific satellites will be able to 'find their way' with a minimum of ground control, just by using stars and other celestial objects to guide themselves along predefined paths. As for communications, engineers need to develop new and efficient ways to communicate with Earth from deep space, for interplanetary missions that are long or go far. SMART-1 will test both very short radio waves (called Ka band, with the instrument KaTE) and a laser experiment to try to communicate with the Earth using a laser beam, instead of traditional radio frequencies. ESA already has laser links with telecommunications satellites from an optical ground station on Tenerife, in Spain’s Canary Islands. Aiming the beam becomes much more difficult if, like SMART-1, the spacecraft is far away and moving rapidly. Scientists hope that the on-board camera AMIE will see Tenerife aglow with laser light.

Implementation Cryptography Data Encryption Standard (DES) and Triple Data Encryption Standard (3DES) Method in Communication System Based Near Field Communication (NFC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ratnadewi; Pramono Adhie, Roy; Hutama, Yonatan; Saleh Ahmar, A.; Setiawan, M. I.

2018-01-01

Cryptography is a method used to create secure communication by manipulating sent messages during the communication occurred so only intended party that can know the content of that messages. Some of the most commonly used cryptography methods to protect sent messages, especially in the form of text, are DES and 3DES cryptography method. This research will explain the DES and 3DES cryptography method and its use for stored data security in smart cards that working in the NFC-based communication system. Several things that will be explained in this research is the ways of working of DES and 3DES cryptography method in doing the protection process of a data and software engineering through the creation of application using C++ programming language to realize and test the performance of DES and 3DES cryptography method in encrypted data writing process to smart cards and decrypted data reading process from smart cards. The execution time of the entering and the reading process data using a smart card DES cryptography method is faster than using 3DES cryptography.

Smart signal processing for an evolving electric grid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, Leandro Rodrigues Manso; Duque, Calos Augusto; Ribeiro, Paulo F.

2015-12-01

Electric grids are interconnected complex systems consisting of generation, transmission, distribution, and active loads, recently called prosumers as they produce and consume electric energy. Additionally, these encompass a vast array of equipment such as machines, power transformers, capacitor banks, power electronic devices, motors, etc. that are continuously evolving in their demand characteristics. Given these conditions, signal processing is becoming an essential assessment tool to enable the engineer and researcher to understand, plan, design, and operate the complex and smart electronic grid of the future. This paper focuses on recent developments associated with signal processing applied to power system analysis in terms of characterization and diagnostics. The following techniques are reviewed and their characteristics and applications discussed: active power system monitoring, sparse representation of power system signal, real-time resampling, and time-frequency (i.e., wavelets) applied to power fluctuations.

Security Enhancement of Littoral Combat Ship Class Utilizing an Autonomous Mustering and Pier Monitoring System

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

allows the programmer to use the English language in an expressive manor while still maintaining the logical structure of a programming language ( Pressman ...and Choudhury Tanzeem. 2000. Face Recognition for Smart Environments, IEEE Computer, pp. 50–55. Pressman , Roger. 2010. Software Engineering A

Changes in Structural Health Monitoring System Capability Due to Aircraft Environmental Factors

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

and R. Ikegami . “Hot-Spot Fatigue Crack Monitoring of Inaccessible Structural Regions in Air- craft Subsystems Using Structural Health Monitoring...national Society for Optical Engineering, volume 4702 of Smart Structures and Materials 2002, 29–40. Newport Beach, CA: SPIE, 2002. 54. Ikegami , R

Application of Smart Infrastructure Systems approach to precision medicine.

PubMed

Govindaraju, Diddahally R; Annaswamy, Anuradha M

2015-12-01

All biological variation is hierarchically organized dynamic network system of genomic components, organelles, cells, tissues, organs, individuals, families, populations and metapopulations. Individuals are axial in this hierarchy, as they represent antecedent, attendant and anticipated aspects of health, disease, evolution and medical care. Humans show individual specific genetic and clinical features such as complexity, cooperation, resilience, robustness, vulnerability, self-organization, latent and emergent behavior during their development, growth and senescence. Accurate collection, measurement, organization and analyses of individual specific data, embedded at all stratified levels of biological, demographic and cultural diversity - the big data - is necessary to make informed decisions on health, disease and longevity; which is a central theme of precision medicine initiative (PMI). This initiative also calls for the development of novel analytical approaches to handle complex multidimensional data. Here we suggest the application of Smart Infrastructure Systems (SIS) approach to accomplish some of the goals set forth by the PMI on the premise that biological systems and the SIS share many common features. The latter has been successfully employed in managing complex networks of non-linear adaptive controls, commonly encountered in smart engineering systems. We highlight their concordance and discuss the utility of the SIS approach in precision medicine programs.

Assure Access to the Maritime Battlespace

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-22

Energy Section ( PEM Fuel Cells & Stirling Engines) Smart Battery High Pressure Gas Smart Li-Ion Battery BAA Technologies Energy Section... Fuel Cells and Advanced Reactant Storage 30 Days Endurance Ref Mission LDUUV INP Energy Plan 14 At Sea Test and Analysis At Sea Test and...undersea vehicles capable of operating near shore BAA Contracts awarded BAA Open for Competition Stirling Engine Demo UUV Fuel Cell 500hr

Recent progress in OLED and flexible displays and their potential for application to aerospace and military display systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarma, Kalluri

2015-05-01

Organic light emitting diode (OLED) display technology has advanced significantly in recent years and it is increasingly being adapted in consumer electronics products with premium performance, such as high resolution smart phones, Tablet PCs and TVs. Even flexible OLED displays are beginning to be commercialized in consumer electronic devices such as smart phones and smart watches. In addition to the advances in OLED emitters, successful development and adoption of OLED displays for premium performance applications relies on the advances in several enabling technologies including TFT backplanes, pixel drive electronics, pixel patterning technologies, encapsulation technologies and system level engineering. In this paper we will discuss the impact of the recent advances in LTPS and AOS TFTs, R, G, B and White OLED with color filter pixel architectures, and encapsulation, on the success of the OLEDs in consumer electronic devices. We will then discuss potential of these advances in addressing the requirements of OLED and flexible displays for the military and avionics applications.

Design, fabrication and control of origami robots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rus, Daniela; Tolley, Michael T.

2018-06-01

Origami robots are created using folding processes, which provide a simple approach to fabricating a wide range of robot morphologies. Inspired by biological systems, engineers have started to explore origami folding in combination with smart material actuators to enable intrinsic actuation as a means to decouple design from fabrication complexity. The built-in crease structure of origami bodies has the potential to yield compliance and exhibit many soft body properties. Conventional fabrication of robots is generally a bottom-up assembly process with multiple low-level steps for creating subsystems that include manual operations and often multiple iterations. By contrast, natural systems achieve elegant designs and complex functionalities using top-down parallel transformation approaches such as folding. Folding in nature creates a wide spectrum of complex morpho-functional structures such as proteins and intestines and enables the development of structures such as flowers, leaves and insect wings. Inspired by nature, engineers have started to explore folding powered by embedded smart material actuators to create origami robots. The design and fabrication of origami robots exploits top-down, parallel transformation approaches to achieve elegant designs and complex functionalities. In this Review, we first introduce the concept of origami robotics and then highlight advances in design principles, fabrication methods, actuation, smart materials and control algorithms. Applications of origami robots for a variety of devices are investigated, and future directions of the field are discussed, examining both challenges and opportunities.

Live video monitoring robot controlled by web over internet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lokanath, M.; Akhil Sai, Guruju

2017-11-01

Future is all about robots, robot can perform tasks where humans cannot, Robots have huge applications in military and industrial area for lifting heavy weights, for accurate placements, for repeating the same task number of times, where human are not efficient. Generally robot is a mix of electronic, electrical and mechanical engineering and can do the tasks automatically on its own or under the supervision of humans. The camera is the eye for robot, call as robovision helps in monitoring security system and also can reach into the places where the human eye cannot reach. This paper presents about developing a live video streaming robot controlled from the website. We designed the web, controlling for the robot to move left, right, front and back while streaming video. As we move to the smart environment or IoT (Internet of Things) by smart devices the system we developed here connects over the internet and can be operated with smart mobile phone using a web browser. The Raspberry Pi model B chip acts as heart for this system robot, the sufficient motors, surveillance camera R pi 2 are connected to Raspberry pi.

An IEEE 1451.1 Architecture for ISHM Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morris, Jon A.; Turowski, Mark; Schmalzel, John L.; Figueroa, Jorge F.

2007-01-01

The IEEE 1451.1 Standard for a Smart Transducer Interface defines a common network information model for connecting and managing smart elements in control and data acquisition networks using network-capable application processors (NCAPs). The Standard is a network-neutral design model that is easily ported across operating systems and physical networks for implementing complex acquisition and control applications by simply plugging in the appropriate network level drivers. To simplify configuration and tracking of transducer and actuator details, the family of 1451 standards defines a Transducer Electronic Data Sheet (TEDS) that is associated with each physical element. The TEDS contains all of the pertinent information about the physical operations of a transducer (such as operating regions, calibration tables, and manufacturer information), which the NCAP uses to configure the system to support a specific transducer. The Integrated Systems Health Management (ISHM) group at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center (SSC) has been developing an ISHM architecture that utilizes IEEE 1451.1 as the primary configuration and data acquisition mechanism for managing and collecting information from a network of distributed intelligent sensing elements. This work has involved collaboration with other NASA centers, universities and aerospace industries to develop IEEE 1451.1 compliant sensors and interfaces tailored to support health assessment of complex systems. This paper and presentation describe the development and implementation of an interface for the configuration, management and communication of data, information and knowledge generated by a distributed system of IEEE 1451.1 intelligent elements monitoring a rocket engine test system. In this context, an intelligent element is defined as one incorporating support for the IEEE 1451.x standards and additional ISHM functions. Our implementation supports real-time collection of both measurement data (raw ADC counts and converted engineering units) and health statistics produced by each intelligent element. The handling of configuration, calibration and health information is automated by using the TEDS in combination with other electronic data sheets extensions to convey health parameters. By integrating the IEEE 1451.1 Standard for a Smart Transducer Interface with ISHM technologies, each element within a complex system becomes a highly flexible computation engine capable of self-validation and performing other measures of the quality of information it is producing.

Describing and recognizing patterns of events in smart environments with description logic.

PubMed

Scalmato, Antonello; Sgorbissa, Antonio; Zaccaria, Renato

2013-12-01

This paper describes a system for context awareness in smart environments, which is based on an ontology expressed in description logic and implemented in OWL 2 EL, which is a subset of the Web Ontology Language that allows for reasoning in polynomial time. The approach is different from all other works in the literature since the proposed system requires only the basic reasoning mechanisms of description logic, i.e., subsumption and instance checking, without any additional external reasoning engine. Experiments performed with data collected in three different scenarios are described, i.e., the CASAS Project at Washington State University, the assisted living facility Villa Basilea in Genoa, and the Merry Porter mobile robot at the Polyclinic of Modena.

An innovative and multi-functional smart vibration platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olmi, C.; Song, G.; Mo, Y. L.

2007-08-01

Recently, there has been increasing efforts to incorporate vibration damping or energy dissipation mechanisms into civil structures, particularly by using smart materials technologies. Although papers about structural vibration control using smart materials have been published for more than two decades, there has been little research in developing teaching equipment to introduce smart materials to students via in-classroom demonstration or hands-on experiments. In this paper, an innovative and multi-functional smart vibration platform (SVP) has been developed by the Smart Materials and Structures Laboratory at the University of Houston to demonstrate vibration control techniques using multiple smart materials for educational and research purposes. The vibration is generated by a motor with a mass imbalance mounted on top of the frame. Shape memory alloys (SMA) and magneto-rheological (MR) fluid are used to increase the stiffness and damping ratio, respectively, while a piezoceramic sensor (lead zirconate titanate, or PZT) is used as a vibration sensing device. An electrical circuit has been designed to control the platform in computer-control or manual mode through the use of knobs. The former mode allows for an automated demonstration, while the latter requires the user to manually adjust the stiffness and damping ratio of the frame. In addition, the system accepts network connections and can be used in a remote experiment via the internet. This platform has great potential to become an effective tool for teaching vibration control and smart materials technologies to students in civil, mechanical and electrical engineering for both education and research purposes.

Emerging interdisciplinary fields in the coming intelligence/convergence era

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noor, Ahmed K.

2012-09-01

Dramatic advances are in the horizon resulting from rapid pace of development of several technologies, including, computing, communication, mobile, robotic, and interactive technologies. These advances, along with the trend towards convergence of traditional engineering disciplines with physical, life and other science disciplines will result in the development of new interdisciplinary fields, as well as in new paradigms for engineering practice in the coming intelligence/convergence era (post-information age). The interdisciplinary fields include Cyber Engineering, Living Systems Engineering, Biomechatronics/Robotics Engineering, Knowledge Engineering, Emergent/Complexity Engineering, and Multiscale Systems engineering. The paper identifies some of the characteristics of the intelligence/convergence era, gives broad definition of convergence, describes some of the emerging interdisciplinary fields, and lists some of the academic and other organizations working in these disciplines. The need is described for establishing a Hierarchical Cyber-Physical Ecosystem for facilitating interdisciplinary collaborations, and accelerating development of skilled workforce in the new fields. The major components of the ecosystem are listed. The new interdisciplinary fields will yield critical advances in engineering practice, and help in addressing future challenges in broad array of sectors, from manufacturing to energy, transportation, climate, and healthcare. They will also enable building large future complex adaptive systems-of-systems, such as intelligent multimodal transportation systems, optimized multi-energy systems, intelligent disaster prevention systems, and smart cities.

Smart internet search engine through 6W

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goehler, Stephen; Cader, Masud; Szu, Harold

2006-04-01

Current Internet search engine technology is limited in its ability to display necessary relevant information to the user. Yahoo, Google and Microsoft use lookup tables or indexes which limits the ability of users to find their desired information. While these companies have improved their results over the years by enhancing their existing technology and algorithms with specialized heuristics such as PageRank, there is a need for a next generation smart search engine that can effectively interpret the relevance of user searches and provide the actual information requested. This paper explores whether a smarter Internet search engine can effectively fulfill a user's needs through the use of 6W representations.

Prototype Morphing Fan Nozzle Demonstrated

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Ho-Jun; Song, Gang-Bing

2004-01-01

Ongoing research in NASA Glenn Research Center's Structural Mechanics and Dynamics Branch to develop smart materials technologies for aeropropulsion structural components has resulted in the design of the prototype morphing fan nozzle shown in the photograph. This prototype exploits the potential of smart materials to significantly improve the performance of existing aircraft engines by introducing new inherent capabilities for shape control, vibration damping, noise reduction, health monitoring, and flow manipulation. The novel design employs two different smart materials, a shape-memory alloy and magnetorheological fluids, to reduce the nozzle area by up to 30 percent. The prototype of the variable-area fan nozzle implements an overlapping spring leaf assembly to simplify the initial design and to provide ease of structural control. A single bundle of shape memory alloy wire actuators is used to reduce the nozzle geometry. The nozzle is subsequently held in the reduced-area configuration by using magnetorheological fluid brakes. This prototype uses the inherent advantages of shape memory alloys in providing large induced strains and of magnetorheological fluids in generating large resistive forces. In addition, the spring leaf design also functions as a return spring, once the magnetorheological fluid brakes are released, to help force the shape memory alloy wires to return to their original position. A computerized real-time control system uses the derivative-gain and proportional-gain algorithms to operate the system. This design represents a novel approach to the active control of high-bypass-ratio turbofan engines. Researchers have estimated that such engines will reduce thrust specific fuel consumption by 9 percent over that of fixed-geometry fan nozzles. This research was conducted under a cooperative agreement (NCC3-839) at the University of Akron.

Electric Field-Mediated Processing of Biomaterials: Toward Nanostructured Biomimetic Systems. Appendix 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowlin, Gary L.; Simpson, David G.; Lam, Philippe; Wnek, Gary E.

2001-01-01

Significant opportunities exist for the processing of synthetic and biological polymers using electric fields ('electroprocessing'). We review casting of multi-component films and the spinning of fibers in electric fields, and indicate opportunities for the creation of smart polymer systems using these approaches. Applications include 2-D substrates for cell growth and diagnostics, scaffolds for tissue engineering and repair, and electromechanically active biosystems.

Smart Sectors Program: Best Practices in Permitting Profile

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Smart Sectors profile about a streamlined permitting success story between South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, US Army Corps of Engineers, EPA, non-governmental organizations, and a major aircraft manufacturer in Charleston, SC.

Smart Sensor Demonstration Payload

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmalzel, John; Bracey, Andrew; Rawls, Stephen; Morris, Jon; Turowski, Mark; Franzl, Richard; Figueroa, Fernando

2010-01-01

Sensors are a critical element to any monitoring, control, and evaluation processes such as those needed to support ground based testing for rocket engine test. Sensor applications involve tens to thousands of sensors; their reliable performance is critical to achieving overall system goals. Many figures of merit are used to describe and evaluate sensor characteristics; for example, sensitivity and linearity. In addition, sensor selection must satisfy many trade-offs among system engineering (SE) requirements to best integrate sensors into complex systems [1]. These SE trades include the familiar constraints of power, signal conditioning, cabling, reliability, and mass, and now include considerations such as spectrum allocation and interference for wireless sensors. Our group at NASA s John C. Stennis Space Center (SSC) works in the broad area of integrated systems health management (ISHM). Core ISHM technologies include smart and intelligent sensors, anomaly detection, root cause analysis, prognosis, and interfaces to operators and other system elements [2]. Sensor technologies are the base fabric that feed data and health information to higher layers. Cost-effective operation of the complement of test stands benefits from technologies and methodologies that contribute to reductions in labor costs, improvements in efficiency, reductions in turn-around times, improved reliability, and other measures. ISHM is an active area of development at SSC because it offers the potential to achieve many of those operational goals [3-5].

Structural health monitoring using smart optical fiber sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davies, Heddwyn; Everall, Lorna A.; Gallon, Andrew M.

2001-04-01

This paper describes the potential of a smart monitoring system, incorporating optical fiber sensing techniques, to provide important structural information to designers and users alike. This technology has application in all areas including aerospace, civil, maritime and automotive engineering. In order to demonstrate the capability of the sensing system it has been installed in a 35 m free-standing carbon fiber yacht mast, where a complete optical network of strain and temperature sensors were embedded into a composite mast and boom during lay-up. The system was able to monitor the behavior of the composite rig through a range of handling conditions and the resulting strain information could be used by engineers to improve the structural design process. The optical strain sensor system comprises of three main components: the sensor network, the opto-electronic data acquisition unit (OFSSS) and the external PC which acts as a data log and display. Embedded fiber optic sensors have wide ranging application for structural load monitoring. Due to their small size, optical fiber sensors can be readily embedded into composite materials. Other advantages include their immediate multiplexing capability and immunity to electromagnetic interference. The capability of this system has been demonstrated within the maritime environment, but can be adapted for any application.

Tribology.

PubMed

Spencer, Nicholas D

2012-01-01

The 156th Faraday Discussion covered the field of tribology, focussing on the subtopics of biotribology, predictive modelling, smart surfaces, and future lubricated systems. The papers themselves covered topics that drew on the fields of biology, medicine, chemistry, physics, materials science and mechanical engineering, providing a challenging and fascinating insight into the current state of the field of tribology.

Silicon Carbide Integrated Circuit Chip

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-02-17

A multilevel interconnect silicon carbide integrated circuit chip with co-fired ceramic package and circuit board recently developed at the NASA GRC Smart Sensors and Electronics Systems Branch for high temperature applications. High temperature silicon carbide electronics and compatible packaging technologies are elements of instrumentation for aerospace engine control and long term inner-solar planet explorations.

New Technologies for Smart Grid Operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mak, Sioe T.

2015-02-01

This book is a handbook for advanced applications design and integration of new and future technologies into Smart Grids for researchers and engineers in academia and industry, looking to pull together disparate technologies and apply them for greater gains. The book covers Smart Grids as the midpoint in the generation, storage, transmission and distribution process through to database management, communication technologies, intelligent devices and synchronisation.

Open data models for smart health interconnected applications: the example of openEHR.

PubMed

Demski, Hans; Garde, Sebastian; Hildebrand, Claudia

2016-10-22

Smart Health is known as a concept that enhances networking, intelligent data processing and combining patient data with other parameters. Open data models can play an important role in creating a framework for providing interoperable data services that support the development of innovative Smart Health applications profiting from data fusion and sharing. This article describes a model-driven engineering approach based on standardized clinical information models and explores its application for the development of interoperable electronic health record systems. The following possible model-driven procedures were considered: provision of data schemes for data exchange, automated generation of artefacts for application development and native platforms that directly execute the models. The applicability of the approach in practice was examined using the openEHR framework as an example. A comprehensive infrastructure for model-driven engineering of electronic health records is presented using the example of the openEHR framework. It is shown that data schema definitions to be used in common practice software development processes can be derived from domain models. The capabilities for automatic creation of implementation artefacts (e.g., data entry forms) are demonstrated. Complementary programming libraries and frameworks that foster the use of open data models are introduced. Several compatible health data platforms are listed. They provide standard based interfaces for interconnecting with further applications. Open data models help build a framework for interoperable data services that support the development of innovative Smart Health applications. Related tools for model-driven application development foster semantic interoperability and interconnected innovative applications.

Home care decision support using an Arden engine--merging smart home and vital signs data.

PubMed

Marschollek, Michael; Bott, Oliver J; Wolf, Klaus-H; Gietzelt, Matthias; Plischke, Maik; Madiesh, Moaaz; Song, Bianying; Haux, Reinhold

2009-01-01

The demographic change with a rising proportion of very old people and diminishing resources leads to an intensification of the use of telemedicine and home care concepts. To provide individualized decision support, data from different sources, e.g. vital signs sensors and home environmental sensors, need to be combined and analyzed together. Furthermore, a standardized decision support approach is necessary. The aim of our research work is to present a laboratory prototype home care architecture that integrates data from different sources and uses a decision support system based on the HL7 standard Arden Syntax for Medical Logical Modules. Data from environmental sensors connected to a home bus system are stored in a data base along with data from wireless medical sensors. All data are analyzed using an Arden engine with the medical knowledge represented in Medical Logic Modules. Multi-modal data from four different sensors in the home environment are stored in a single data base and are analyzed using an HL7 standard conformant decision support system. Individualized home care decision support must be based on all data available, including context data from smart home systems and medical data from electronic health records. Our prototype implementation shows the feasibility of using an Arden engine for decision support in a home setting. Our future work will include the utilization of medical background knowledge for individualized decision support, as there is no one-size-fits-all knowledge base in medicine.

Intelligent Elements for ISHM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmalzel, John L.; Morris, Jon; Turowski, Mark; Figueroa, Fernando; Oostdyk, Rebecca

2008-01-01

There are a number of architecture models for implementing Integrated Systems Health Management (ISHM) capabilities. For example, approaches based on the OSA-CBM and OSA-EAI models, or specific architectures developed in response to local needs. NASA s John C. Stennis Space Center (SSC) has developed one such version of an extensible architecture in support of rocket engine testing that integrates a palette of functions in order to achieve an ISHM capability. Among the functional capabilities that are supported by the framework are: prognostic models, anomaly detection, a data base of supporting health information, root cause analysis, intelligent elements, and integrated awareness. This paper focuses on the role that intelligent elements can play in ISHM architectures. We define an intelligent element as a smart element with sufficient computing capacity to support anomaly detection or other algorithms in support of ISHM functions. A smart element has the capabilities of supporting networked implementations of IEEE 1451.x smart sensor and actuator protocols. The ISHM group at SSC has been actively developing intelligent elements in conjunction with several partners at other Centers, universities, and companies as part of our ISHM approach for better supporting rocket engine testing. We have developed several implementations. Among the key features for these intelligent sensors is support for IEEE 1451.1 and incorporation of a suite of algorithms for determination of sensor health. Regardless of the potential advantages that can be achieved using intelligent sensors, existing large-scale systems are still based on conventional sensors and data acquisition systems. In order to bring the benefits of intelligent sensors to these environments, we have also developed virtual implementations of intelligent sensors.

Improving building performance using smart building concept: Benefit cost ratio comparison

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berawi, Mohammed Ali; Miraj, Perdana; Sayuti, Mustika Sari; Berawi, Abdur Rohim Boy

2017-11-01

Smart building concept is an implementation of technology developed in the construction industry throughout the world. However, the implementation of this concept is still below expectations due to various obstacles such as higher initial cost than a conventional concept and existing regulation siding with the lowest cost in the tender process. This research aims to develop intelligent building concept using value engineering approach to obtain added value regarding quality, efficiency, and innovation. The research combined quantitative and qualitative approach using questionnaire survey and value engineering method to achieve the research objectives. The research output will show additional functions regarding technology innovation that may increase the value of a building. This study shows that smart building concept requires higher initial cost, but produces lower operational and maintenance costs. Furthermore, it also confirms that benefit-cost ratio on the smart building was much higher than a conventional building, that is 1.99 to 0.88.

SMART Platforms: Building the App Store for Biosurveillance

PubMed Central

Mandl, Kenneth D.

2013-01-01

Objective To enable public health departments to develop “apps” to run on electronic health records (EHRs) for (1) biosurveillance and case reporting and (2) delivering alerts to the point of care. We describe a novel health information technology platform with substitutable apps constructed around core services enabling EHRs to function as iPhone-like platforms. Introduction Health care information is a fundamental source of data for biosurveillance, yet configuring EHRs to report relevant data to health departments is technically challenging, labor intensive, and often requires custom solutions for each installation. Public health agencies wishing to deliver alerts to clinicians also must engage in an endless array of one-off systems integrations. Despite a $48B investment in HIT, and meaningful use criteria requiring reporting to biosurveillance systems, most vendor electronic health records are architected monolithically, making modification difficult for hospitals and physician practices. An alternative approach is to reimagine EHRs as iPhone-like platforms supporting substitutable apps-based functionality. Substitutability is the capability inherent in a system of replacing one application with another of similar functionality. Methods Substitutability requires that the purchaser of an app can replace one application with another without being technically expert, without requiring re-engineering other applications that they are using, and without having to consult or require assistance of any of the vendors of previously installed or currently installed applications. Apps necessarily compete with each other promoting progress and adaptability. The Substitutable Medical Applications, Reusable Technologies (SMART) Platforms project is funded by a $15M grant from Office of the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology’s Strategic Health IT Advanced Research Projects (SHARP) Program. All SMART standards are open and the core software is open source. The SMART project promotes substitutability through an application programming interface (API) that can be adopted as part of a “container” built around by a wide variety of HIT, providing readonly access to the underlying data model and a software development toolkit to readily create apps. SMART containers are HIT systems, that have implemented the SMART API or a portion of it. Containers marshal data sources and present them consistently across the SMART API. SMART applications consume the API and are substitutable. Results SMART provides a common platform supporting an “app store for biosurveillance” as an approach to enabling one stop shopping for public health departments—to create an app once, and distribute it everywhere. Further, such apps can be readily updated or created—for example, in the case of an emerging infection, an app may be designed to collect additional data at emergency department triage. Or a public health department may widely distribute an app, interoperable with any SMART-enabled EMR, that delivers contextualized alerts when patient electronic records are opened, or through background processes. SMART has sparked an ecosystem of apps developers and attracted existing health information technology platforms to adopt the SMART API—including, traditional, open source, and next generation EHRs, patient-facing platforms and health information exchanges. SMART-enabled platforms to date include the Cerner EMR, the WorldVista EHR, the OpenMRS EHR, the i2b2 analytic platform, and the Indivo X personal health record. The SMART team is working with the Mirth Corporation, to SMART-enable the HealthBridge and Redwood MedNet Health Information Exchanges. We have demonstrated that a single SMART app can run, unmodified, in all of these environments, as long as the underlying platform collects the required data types. Major EHR vendors are currently adapting the SMART API for their products. Conclusions The SMART system enables nimble customization of any electronic health record system to create either a reporting function (outgoing communication) or an alerting function (incoming communication) establishing a technology for a robust linkage between public health and clinical environments.

Tissue modification with feedback: the smart scalpel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sebern, Elizabeth L.; Brenan, Colin J. H.; Anderson, R. Rox; Hunter, Ian W.

1998-10-01

While feedback control is widespread throughout many engineering fields, there are almost no examples of surgical instruments that utilize a real-time detection and intervention strategy. This concept of closed loop feedback can be applied to the development of autonomous or semi- autonomous minimally invasive robotic surgical systems for efficient excision or modification of diseased tissue. Spatially localized regions of the tissue are first probed to distinguish pathological from healthy tissue based on differences in histochemical and morphological properties. Energy is directed to only the diseased tissue, minimizing collateral damage by leaving the adjacent healthy tissue intact. Continuous monitoring determines treatment effectiveness and, if needed, enables real-time treatment modifications to produce optimal therapeutic outcomes. The present embodiment of this general concept is a microsurgical instrument we call the Smart Scalpel, designed to treat skin angiodysplasias such as port wine stains. Other potential Smart Scalpel applications include psoriasis treatment and early skin cancer detection and intervention.

Performance of Integrated Fiber Optic, Piezoelectric, and Shape Memory Alloy Actuators/Sensors in Thermoset Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trottier, C. Michael

1996-01-01

Recently, scientists and engineers have investigated the advantages of smart materials and structures by including actuators in material systems for controlling and altering the response of structural environments. Applications of these materials systems include vibration suppression/isolation, precision positioning, damage detection and tunable devices. Some of the embedded materials being investigated for accomplishing these tasks include piezoelectric ceramics, shape memory alloys, and fiber optics. These materials have some benefits and some shortcomings; each is being studied for use in active material design in the SPICES (Synthesis and Processing of Intelligent Cost Effective Structures) Consortium. The focus of this paper concerns the manufacturing aspects of smart structures by incorporating piezoelectric ceramics, shape memory alloys and fiber optics in a reinforced thermoset matrix via resin transfer molding (RTM).

iSMART: Ontology-based Semantic Query of CDA Documents

PubMed Central

Liu, Shengping; Ni, Yuan; Mei, Jing; Li, Hanyu; Xie, Guotong; Hu, Gang; Liu, Haifeng; Hou, Xueqiao; Pan, Yue

2009-01-01

The Health Level 7 Clinical Document Architecture (CDA) is widely accepted as the format for electronic clinical document. With the rich ontological references in CDA documents, the ontology-based semantic query could be performed to retrieve CDA documents. In this paper, we present iSMART (interactive Semantic MedicAl Record reTrieval), a prototype system designed for ontology-based semantic query of CDA documents. The clinical information in CDA documents will be extracted into RDF triples by a declarative XML to RDF transformer. An ontology reasoner is developed to infer additional information by combining the background knowledge from SNOMED CT ontology. Then an RDF query engine is leveraged to enable the semantic queries. This system has been evaluated using the real clinical documents collected from a large hospital in southern China. PMID:20351883

Engineered Living Materials: Prospects and Challenges for Using Biological Systems to Direct the Assembly of Smart Materials.

PubMed

Nguyen, Peter Q; Courchesne, Noémie-Manuelle Dorval; Duraj-Thatte, Anna; Praveschotinunt, Pichet; Joshi, Neel S

2018-05-01

Vast potential exists for the development of novel, engineered platforms that manipulate biology for the production of programmed advanced materials. Such systems would possess the autonomous, adaptive, and self-healing characteristics of living organisms, but would be engineered with the goal of assembling bulk materials with designer physicochemical or mechanical properties, across multiple length scales. Early efforts toward such engineered living materials (ELMs) are reviewed here, with an emphasis on engineered bacterial systems, living composite materials which integrate inorganic components, successful examples of large-scale implementation, and production methods. In addition, a conceptual exploration of the fundamental criteria of ELM technology and its future challenges is presented. Cradled within the rich intersection of synthetic biology and self-assembling materials, the development of ELM technologies allows the power of biology to be leveraged to grow complex structures and objects using a palette of bio-nanomaterials. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Smart Building. Volume 2: System Description

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-05-01

demonstrated.this technology at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. The system was installed on a building known as Social Hall Plaza...select the detailed engineering contractors. 3.1.3.8 Sealing the Protective Envelope Due to the type of roof construction on the building there was ...in time to support the Olympics . Prototype testing was completed following the Olympics and additional testing may be performed to better

Two examples of intelligent systems based on smart materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Unsworth, J.

1994-12-31

Two intelligent systems are described which are based on smart materials. The operation of the systems also rely on conventional well known technologies such as electronics, signal conditioning, signal processing, microprocessors and engineering design. However without the smart materials the development and integration into the intelligent systems would not have been possible. System 1 is a partial discharge monitor for on-line continuous checking of the condition of electrical power transformers. The ultrasonic and radio frequency detectors in this system rely on special piezoelectric composite integrated with a compact annular metal ring. Partial discharges set up ultrasonic and radio frequency signalsmore » which are received by the integrated detectors. The signals are amplified, conditioned, signal processed, the time interval between the two signals measured and the level of partial discharge activity averaged and assessed for numerous pairs and alarms triggered on remote control panels if the level is dangerous. The system has the capability of initiating automatic shutdown of the transformer once it is linked into the control computers of the electrical power authority. System 2 is called a Security Cradle and is an intelligent 3D shield designed to use the properties of electro active polymers to prevent hardware hackers from stealing valuable of sensitive information from memory devices (e.g., EPROMS) housed in computer or microprocessor installations.« less

Adjustment method for embedded metrology engine in an EM773 series microcontroller.

PubMed

Blazinšek, Iztok; Kotnik, Bojan; Chowdhury, Amor; Kačič, Zdravko

2015-09-01

This paper presents the problems of implementation and adjustment (calibration) of a metrology engine embedded in NXP's EM773 series microcontroller. The metrology engine is used in a smart metering application to collect data about energy utilization and is controlled with the use of metrology engine adjustment (calibration) parameters. The aim of this research is to develop a method which would enable the operators to find and verify the optimum parameters which would ensure the best possible accuracy. Properly adjusted (calibrated) metrology engines can then be used as a base for variety of products used in smart and intelligent environments. This paper focuses on the problems encountered in the development, partial automatisation, implementation and verification of this method. Copyright © 2015 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Computational smart polymer design based on elastin protein mutability.

PubMed

Tarakanova, Anna; Huang, Wenwen; Weiss, Anthony S; Kaplan, David L; Buehler, Markus J

2017-05-01

Soluble elastin-like peptides (ELPs) can be engineered into a range of physical forms, from hydrogels and scaffolds to fibers and artificial tissues, finding numerous applications in medicine and engineering as "smart polymers". Elastin-like peptides are attractive candidates as a platform for novel biomaterial design because they exhibit a highly tunable response spectrum, with reversible phase transition capabilities. Here, we report the design of the first virtual library of elastin-like protein models using methods for enhanced sampling to study the effect of peptide chemistry, chain length, and salt concentration on the structural transitions of ELPs, exposing associated molecular mechanisms. We describe the behavior of the local molecular structure under increasing temperatures and the effect of peptide interactions with nearest hydration shell water molecules on peptide mobility and propensity to exhibit structural transitions. Shifts in the magnitude of structural transitions at the single-molecule scale are explained from the perspective of peptide-ion-water interactions in a library of four unique elastin-like peptide systems. Predictions of structural transitions are subsequently validated in experiment. This library is a valuable resource for recombinant protein design and synthesis as it elucidates mechanisms at the single-molecule level, paving a feedback path between simulation and experiment for smart material designs, with applications in biomedicine and diagnostic devices. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

US Army remotely piloted vehicle supporting technology program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gossett, T. D.

1981-01-01

Essential technology programs that lead to the full scale engineering development of the Aquila Remotely Piloted Vehicle system for U.S. Army are described. The Aquila system uses a small recoverable and reusable RPV to provide target acquisition, designation, and aerial reconnaissance mission support for artillery and smart munitions. Developments that will provide growth capabilities to the Aquila RPV system, as well as future RPV mission concepts being considered by the U.S. Army are presented.

Power system voltage stability and agent based distribution automation in smart grid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Cuong Phuc

2011-12-01

Our interconnected electric power system is presently facing many challenges that it was not originally designed and engineered to handle. The increased inter-area power transfers, aging infrastructure, and old technologies, have caused many problems including voltage instability, widespread blackouts, slow control response, among others. These problems have created an urgent need to transform the present electric power system to a highly stable, reliable, efficient, and self-healing electric power system of the future, which has been termed "smart grid". This dissertation begins with an investigation of voltage stability in bulk transmission networks. A new continuation power flow tool for studying the impacts of generator merit order based dispatch on inter-area transfer capability and static voltage stability is presented. The load demands are represented by lumped load models on the transmission system. While this representation is acceptable in traditional power system analysis, it may not be valid in the future smart grid where the distribution system will be integrated with intelligent and quick control capabilities to mitigate voltage problems before they propagate into the entire system. Therefore, before analyzing the operation of the whole smart grid, it is important to understand the distribution system first. The second part of this dissertation presents a new platform for studying and testing emerging technologies in advanced Distribution Automation (DA) within smart grids. Due to the key benefits over the traditional centralized approach, namely flexible deployment, scalability, and avoidance of single-point-of-failure, a new distributed approach is employed to design and develop all elements of the platform. A multi-agent system (MAS), which has the three key characteristics of autonomy, local view, and decentralization, is selected to implement the advanced DA functions. The intelligent agents utilize a communication network for cooperation and negotiation. Communication latency is modeled using a user-defined probability density function. Failure-tolerant communication strategies are developed for agent communications. Major elements of advanced DA are developed in a completely distributed way and successfully tested for several IEEE standard systems, including: Fault Detection, Location, Isolation, and Service Restoration (FLISR); Coordination of Distributed Energy Storage Systems (DES); Distributed Power Flow (DPF); Volt-VAR Control (VVC); and Loss Reduction (LR).

Design of Smart Educational Robot as a Tool For Teaching Media Based on Contextual Teaching and Learning to Improve the Skill of Electrical Engineering Student

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuhrie, M. S.; Basuki, I.; Asto, B. I. G. P.; Anifah, L.

2018-04-01

The development of robotics in Indonesia has been very encouraging. The barometer is the success of the Indonesian Robot Contest. The focus of research is a teaching module manufacturing, planning mechanical design, control system through microprocessor technology and maneuverability of the robot. Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) strategy is the concept of learning where the teacher brings the real world into the classroom and encourage students to make connections between knowledge possessed by its application in everyday life. This research the development model used is the 4-D model. This Model consists of four stages: Define Stage, Design Stage, Develop Stage, and Disseminate Stage. This research was conducted by applying the research design development with the aim to produce a tool of learning in the form of smart educational robot modules and kit based on Contextual Teaching and Learning at the Department of Electrical Engineering to improve the skills of the Electrical Engineering student. Socialization questionnaires showed that levels of the student majoring in electrical engineering competencies image currently only limited to conventional machines. The average assessment is 3.34 validator included in either category. Modules developed can give hope to the future are able to produce Intelligent Robot Tool for Teaching.

Novel Multidisciplinary Models Assess the Capabilities of Smart Structures to Manage Vibration, Sound, and Thermal Distortion in Aeropropulsion Components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saravanos, Dimitris A.

1997-01-01

The development of aeropropulsion components that incorporate "smart" composite laminates with embedded piezoelectric actuators and sensors is expected to ameliorate critical problems in advanced aircraft engines related to vibration, noise emission, and thermal stability. To facilitate the analytical needs of this effort, the NASA Lewis Research Center has developed mechanics and multidisciplinary computational models to analyze the complicated electromechanical behavior of realistic smart-structure configurations operating in combined mechanical, thermal, and acoustic environments. The models have been developed to accommodate the particular geometries, environments, and technical challenges encountered in advanced aircraft engines, yet their unique analytical features are expected to facilitate application of this new technology in a variety of commercial applications.

Prototype of smart office system using based security system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasetyo, T. F.; Zaliluddin, D.; Iqbal, M.

2018-05-01

Creating a new technology in the modern era gives a positive impact on business and industry. Internet of Things (IoT) as a new communication technology is very useful in realizing smart systems such as: smart home, smart office, smart parking and smart city. This study presents a prototype of the smart office system which was designed as a security system based on IoT. Smart office system development method used waterfall model. IoT-based smart office system used platform (project builder) cayenne so that. The data can be accessed and controlled through internet network from long distance. Smart office system used arduino mega 2560 microcontroller as a controller component. In this study, Smart office system is able to detect threats of dangerous objects made from metals, earthquakes, fires, intruders or theft and perform security monitoring outside the building by using raspberry pi cameras on autonomous robots in real time to the security guard.

Thermal Effects Modeling Developed for Smart Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Ho-Jun

1998-01-01

Applying smart materials in aeropropulsion systems may improve the performance of aircraft engines through a variety of vibration, noise, and shape-control applications. To facilitate the experimental characterization of these smart structures, researchers have been focusing on developing analytical models to account for the coupled mechanical, electrical, and thermal response of these materials. One focus of current research efforts has been directed toward incorporating a comprehensive thermal analysis modeling capability. Typically, temperature affects the behavior of smart materials by three distinct mechanisms: Induction of thermal strains because of coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch 1. Pyroelectric effects on the piezoelectric elements; 2. Temperature-dependent changes in material properties; and 3. Previous analytical models only investigated the first two thermal effects mechanisms. However, since the material properties of piezoelectric materials generally vary greatly with temperature (see the graph), incorporating temperature-dependent material properties will significantly affect the structural deflections, sensory voltages, and stresses. Thus, the current analytical model captures thermal effects arising from all three mechanisms through thermopiezoelectric constitutive equations. These constitutive equations were incorporated into a layerwise laminate theory with the inherent capability to model both the active and sensory response of smart structures in thermal environments. Corresponding finite element equations were formulated and implemented for both the beam and plate elements to provide a comprehensive thermal effects modeling capability.

Nanostructure characteristics of ferroics and bio-ferroics in relation to the design consideration of nano-sensing elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pal, Madhuparna

The shift of the epicenter in the field of science and technology to the nano-world has become evident over the past couple of decades with the emergence of areas likes nanoscience, nanotechnology, nano-biotechnology, etc. Though the size of the devices has decreased, the capability of devices has increased rendering it as 'multifunctional/smart' devices. However the design of smart devices using a single phase material has reached to its limit, hence to make further progress "smart materials" are required. Sensors/actuators are mostly fabricated with popular ferroic materials (ferroelectric/ ferromagnetic/ ferroelastic) or multiferroics (having more than one ferroic property). Multifunctionality can be the outcome of heterogeneous systems with cross-coupled properties, intrinsic as well as extrinsic, and hence modeling of smart materials with high figure of merit is also needed. Most ideas in smart sensing and actuation have been borrowed from the biological systems thus a step further is indeed to combine the engineering with the fundamental biological activities. Not only can we use multiferroic materials in artificial transplants, but we should also investigate ferroic activities in the biological samples. These fundamental issues, their possible solutions and their wide impact underlie the motivation of the current work in this thesis report. To achieve the ultimate goal, the steps outlined were followed: i. understanding the properties of sensing elements of inorganic and biomaterials at nanoscale level, ii. investigation of the multiferroicity, iii. modeling engineered material with better sensing capabilities iv. Finally exploiting the new concepts for device and biomedical applications. The findings of this thesis reports multiferroic behavior in a selected class of single crystals, thin films and bulk materials. Human nails and hair samples have been investigated for ferroelectricity and a comprehensive study concludes the presence of bio-ferroelectricity. Bio-ceramic for potential bone replacement has been characterized for its electrical properties and evidence has been given for its suitability. Initiation of modeling of material with high figure of merit for pyroelectric applications has been done which provides a platform to tailor its boundary conditions, interplay of interfaces to obtain meta-property. A broader impact of this thesis was to come forth with ideas to medical diagnostics and health monitoring combining and enhancing the understanding of multiferroics at macro to nano level, modeling of efficient heterogeneous material system, science of bio-materials and applications of bio-ceramics.

Planning low-carbon electricity systems under uncertainty considering operational flexibility and smart grid technologies.

PubMed

Moreno, Rodrigo; Street, Alexandre; Arroyo, José M; Mancarella, Pierluigi

2017-08-13

Electricity grid operators and planners need to deal with both the rapidly increasing integration of renewables and an unprecedented level of uncertainty that originates from unknown generation outputs, changing commercial and regulatory frameworks aimed to foster low-carbon technologies, the evolving availability of market information on feasibility and costs of various technologies, etc. In this context, there is a significant risk of locking-in to inefficient investment planning solutions determined by current deterministic engineering practices that neither capture uncertainty nor represent the actual operation of the planned infrastructure under high penetration of renewables. We therefore present an alternative optimization framework to plan electricity grids that deals with uncertain scenarios and represents increased operational details. The presented framework is able to model the effects of an array of flexible, smart grid technologies that can efficiently displace the need for conventional solutions. We then argue, and demonstrate via the proposed framework and an illustrative example, that proper modelling of uncertainty and operational constraints in planning is key to valuing operationally flexible solutions leading to optimal investment in a smart grid context. Finally, we review the most used practices in power system planning under uncertainty, highlight the challenges of incorporating operational aspects and advocate the need for new and computationally effective optimization tools to properly value the benefits of flexible, smart grid solutions in planning. Such tools are essential to accelerate the development of a low-carbon energy system and investment in the most appropriate portfolio of renewable energy sources and complementary enabling smart technologies.This article is part of the themed issue 'Energy management: flexibility, risk and optimization'. © 2017 The Author(s).

A Modular Framework for Modeling Hardware Elements in Distributed Engine Control Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zinnecker, Alicia M.; Culley, Dennis E.; Aretskin-Hariton, Eliot D.

2014-01-01

Progress toward the implementation of distributed engine control in an aerospace application may be accelerated through the development of a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) system for testing new control architectures and hardware outside of a physical test cell environment. One component required in an HIL simulation system is a high-fidelity model of the control platform: sensors, actuators, and the control law. The control system developed for the Commercial Modular Aero-Propulsion System Simulation 40k (C-MAPSS40k) provides a verifiable baseline for development of a model for simulating a distributed control architecture. This distributed controller model will contain enhanced hardware models, capturing the dynamics of the transducer and the effects of data processing, and a model of the controller network. A multilevel framework is presented that establishes three sets of interfaces in the control platform: communication with the engine (through sensors and actuators), communication between hardware and controller (over a network), and the physical connections within individual pieces of hardware. This introduces modularity at each level of the model, encouraging collaboration in the development and testing of various control schemes or hardware designs. At the hardware level, this modularity is leveraged through the creation of a Simulink(R) library containing blocks for constructing smart transducer models complying with the IEEE 1451 specification. These hardware models were incorporated in a distributed version of the baseline C-MAPSS40k controller and simulations were run to compare the performance of the two models. The overall tracking ability differed only due to quantization effects in the feedback measurements in the distributed controller. Additionally, it was also found that the added complexity of the smart transducer models did not prevent real-time operation of the distributed controller model, a requirement of an HIL system.

A Modular Framework for Modeling Hardware Elements in Distributed Engine Control Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zinnecker, Alicia M.; Culley, Dennis E.; Aretskin-Hariton, Eliot D.

2015-01-01

Progress toward the implementation of distributed engine control in an aerospace application may be accelerated through the development of a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) system for testing new control architectures and hardware outside of a physical test cell environment. One component required in an HIL simulation system is a high-fidelity model of the control platform: sensors, actuators, and the control law. The control system developed for the Commercial Modular Aero-Propulsion System Simulation 40k (C-MAPSS40k) provides a verifiable baseline for development of a model for simulating a distributed control architecture. This distributed controller model will contain enhanced hardware models, capturing the dynamics of the transducer and the effects of data processing, and a model of the controller network. A multilevel framework is presented that establishes three sets of interfaces in the control platform: communication with the engine (through sensors and actuators), communication between hardware and controller (over a network), and the physical connections within individual pieces of hardware. This introduces modularity at each level of the model, encouraging collaboration in the development and testing of various control schemes or hardware designs. At the hardware level, this modularity is leveraged through the creation of a SimulinkR library containing blocks for constructing smart transducer models complying with the IEEE 1451 specification. These hardware models were incorporated in a distributed version of the baseline C-MAPSS40k controller and simulations were run to compare the performance of the two models. The overall tracking ability differed only due to quantization effects in the feedback measurements in the distributed controller. Additionally, it was also found that the added complexity of the smart transducer models did not prevent real-time operation of the distributed controller model, a requirement of an HIL system.

A Modular Framework for Modeling Hardware Elements in Distributed Engine Control Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zinnecker, Alicia Mae; Culley, Dennis E.; Aretskin-Hariton, Eliot D.

2014-01-01

Progress toward the implementation of distributed engine control in an aerospace application may be accelerated through the development of a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) system for testing new control architectures and hardware outside of a physical test cell environment. One component required in an HIL simulation system is a high-fidelity model of the control platform: sensors, actuators, and the control law. The control system developed for the Commercial Modular Aero-Propulsion System Simulation 40k (40,000 pound force thrust) (C-MAPSS40k) provides a verifiable baseline for development of a model for simulating a distributed control architecture. This distributed controller model will contain enhanced hardware models, capturing the dynamics of the transducer and the effects of data processing, and a model of the controller network. A multilevel framework is presented that establishes three sets of interfaces in the control platform: communication with the engine (through sensors and actuators), communication between hardware and controller (over a network), and the physical connections within individual pieces of hardware. This introduces modularity at each level of the model, encouraging collaboration in the development and testing of various control schemes or hardware designs. At the hardware level, this modularity is leveraged through the creation of a Simulink (R) library containing blocks for constructing smart transducer models complying with the IEEE 1451 specification. These hardware models were incorporated in a distributed version of the baseline C-MAPSS40k controller and simulations were run to compare the performance of the two models. The overall tracking ability differed only due to quantization effects in the feedback measurements in the distributed controller. Additionally, it was also found that the added complexity of the smart transducer models did not prevent real-time operation of the distributed controller model, a requirement of an HIL system.

A Systems Engineering Survey of Artificial Intelligence and Smart Sensor Networks in a Network-Centric Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

problems, to better model the problem solving of computer systems. This research brought about the intertwining of AI and cognitive psychology . Much of...where symbol sequences are sequential intelligent states of the network, and must be classified as normal, abnormal , or unknown. These symbols...is associated with abnormal behavior; and abcbc is associated with unknown behavior, as it fits no known behavior. Predicted outcomes from

The SmartHand transradial prosthesis

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Prosthetic components and control interfaces for upper limb amputees have barely changed in the past 40 years. Many transradial prostheses have been developed in the past, nonetheless most of them would be inappropriate if/when a large bandwidth human-machine interface for control and perception would be available, due to either their limited (or inexistent) sensorization or limited dexterity. SmartHand tackles this issue as is meant to be clinically experimented in amputees employing different neuro-interfaces, in order to investigate their effectiveness. This paper presents the design and on bench evaluation of the SmartHand. Methods SmartHand design was bio-inspired in terms of its physical appearance, kinematics, sensorization, and its multilevel control system. Underactuated fingers and differential mechanisms were designed and exploited in order to fit all mechatronic components in the size and weight of a natural human hand. Its sensory system was designed with the aim of delivering significant afferent information to the user through adequate interfaces. Results SmartHand is a five fingered self-contained robotic hand, with 16 degrees of freedom, actuated by 4 motors. It integrates a bio-inspired sensory system composed of 40 proprioceptive and exteroceptive sensors and a customized embedded controller both employed for implementing automatic grasp control and for potentially delivering sensory feedback to the amputee. It is able to perform everyday grasps, count and independently point the index. The weight (530 g) and speed (closing time: 1.5 seconds) are comparable to actual commercial prostheses. It is able to lift a 10 kg suitcase; slippage tests showed that within particular friction and geometric conditions the hand is able to stably grasp up to 3.6 kg cylindrical objects. Conclusions Due to its unique embedded features and human-size, the SmartHand holds the promise to be experimentally fitted on transradial amputees and employed as a bi-directional instrument for investigating -during realistic experiments- different interfaces, control and feedback strategies in neuro-engineering studies. PMID:21600048

A study using a Monte Carlo method of the optimal configuration of a distribution network in terms of power loss sensing.

PubMed

Moon, Hyun Ho; Lee, Jong Joo; Choi, Sang Yule; Cha, Jae Sang; Kang, Jang Mook; Kim, Jong Tae; Shin, Myong Chul

2011-01-01

Recently there have been many studies of power systems with a focus on "New and Renewable Energy" as part of "New Growth Engine Industry" promoted by the Korean government. "New And Renewable Energy"-especially focused on wind energy, solar energy and fuel cells that will replace conventional fossil fuels-is a part of the Power-IT Sector which is the basis of the SmartGrid. A SmartGrid is a form of highly-efficient intelligent electricity network that allows interactivity (two-way communications) between suppliers and consumers by utilizing information technology in electricity production, transmission, distribution and consumption. The New and Renewable Energy Program has been driven with a goal to develop and spread through intensive studies, by public or private institutions, new and renewable energy which, unlike conventional systems, have been operated through connections with various kinds of distributed power generation systems. Considerable research on smart grids has been pursued in the United States and Europe. In the United States, a variety of research activities on the smart power grid have been conducted within EPRI's IntelliGrid research program. The European Union (EU), which represents Europe's Smart Grid policy, has focused on an expansion of distributed generation (decentralized generation) and power trade between countries with improved environmental protection. Thus, there is current emphasis on a need for studies that assesses the economic efficiency of such distributed generation systems. In this paper, based on the cost of distributed power generation capacity, calculations of the best profits obtainable were made by a Monte Carlo simulation. Monte Carlo simulations that rely on repeated random sampling to compute their results take into account the cost of electricity production, daily loads and the cost of sales and generate a result faster than mathematical computations. In addition, we have suggested the optimal design, which considers the distribution loss associated with power distribution systems focus on sensing aspect and distributed power generation.

Smart Cancer Cell Targeting Imaging and Drug Delivery System by Systematically Engineering Periodic Mesoporous Organosilica Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Lu, Nan; Tian, Ying; Tian, Wei; Huang, Peng; Liu, Ying; Tang, Yuxia; Wang, Chunyan; Wang, Shouju; Su, Yunyan; Zhang, Yunlei; Pan, Jing; Teng, Zhaogang; Lu, Guangming

2016-02-10

The integration of diagnosis and therapy into one nanoplatform, known as theranostics, has attracted increasing attention in the biomedical areas. Herein, we first present a cancer cell targeting imaging and drug delivery system based on engineered thioether-bridged periodic mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles (PMOs). The PMOs are stably and selectively conjugated with near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) dye Cyanine 5.5 (Cy5.5) and anti-Her2 affibody on the outer surfaces to endow them with excellent NIRF imaging and cancer targeting properties. Also, taking the advantage of the thioether-group-incorporated mesopores, the release of chemotherapy drug doxorubicin (DOX) loaded in the PMOs is responsive to the tumor-related molecule glutathione (GSH). The drug release percentage reaches 84.8% in 10 mM of GSH solution within 24 h, which is more than 2-fold higher than that without GSH. In addition, the drug release also exhibits pH-responsive, which reaches 53.6% at pH 5 and 31.7% at pH 7.4 within 24 h. Confocal laser scanning microscopy and flow cytometry analysis demonstrate that the PMOs-based theranostic platforms can efficiently target to and enter Her2 positive tumor cells. Thus, the smart imaging and drug delivery nanoplatforms induce high tumor cell growth inhibition. Meanwhile, the Cy5.5 conjugated PMOs perform great NIRF imaging ability, which could monitor the intracellular distribution, delivery and release of the chemotherapy drug. In addition, cell viability and histological assessments show the engineered PMOs have good biocompatibility, further encouraging the following biomedical applications. Over all, the systemically engineered PMOs can serve as a novel cancer cell targeting imaging and drug delivery platform with NIRF imaging, GSH and pH dual-responsive drug release, and high tumor cell targeting ability.

Space station definition and preliminary design, WP-01. Volume 1: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lenda, J. A.

1987-01-01

System activities are summarized and an overview of the system level engineering tasks performed are provided. Areas discussed include requirements, system test and verification, the advanced development plan, customer accommodations, software, growth, productivity, operations, product assurance and metrication. The hardware element study results are summarized. Overviews of recommended configurations are provided for the core module, the USL, the logistics elements, the propulsion subsystems, reboost, vehicle accommodations, and the smart front end. A brief overview is provided for costing activities.

1998 IEEE Aerospace Conference. Proceedings.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

The following topics were covered: science frontiers and aerospace; flight systems technologies; spacecraft attitude determination and control; space power systems; smart structures and dynamics; military avionics; electronic packaging; MEMS; hyperspectral remote sensing for GVP; space laser technology; pointing, control, tracking and stabilization technologies; payload support technologies; protection technologies; 21st century space mission management and design; aircraft flight testing; aerospace test and evaluation; small satellites and enabling technologies; systems design optimisation; advanced launch vehicles; GPS applications and technologies; antennas and radar; software and systems engineering; scalable systems; communications; target tracking applications; remote sensing; advanced sensors; and optoelectronics.

Hydrogen as a fuel for today and tomorrow: expectations for advanced hydrogen storage materials/systems research.

PubMed

Hirose, Katsuhiko

2011-01-01

History shows that the evolution of vehicles is promoted by several environmental restraints very similar to the evolution of life. The latest environmental strain is sustainability. Transport vehicles are now facing again the need to advance to use sustainable fuels such as hydrogen. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are being prepared for commercialization in 2015. Despite intensive research by the world's scientists and engineers and recent advances in our understanding of hydrogen behavior in materials, the only engineering phase technology which will be available for 2015 is high pressure storage. Thus industry has decided to implement the high pressure tank storage system. However the necessity of smart hydrogen storage is not decreasing but rather increasing because high market penetration of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles is expected from around 2025 onward. In order to bring more vehicles onto the market, cheaper and more compact hydrogen storage is inevitable. The year 2025 seems a long way away but considering the field tests and large scale preparation required, there is little time available for research. Finding smart materials within the next 5 years is very important to the success of fuel cells towards a low carbon sustainable world.

Design and implementation of digital controllers for smart structures using field-programmable gate arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelly, Jamie S.; Bowman, Hiroshi C.; Rao, Vittal S.; Pottinger, Hardy J.

1997-06-01

Implementation issues represent an unfamiliar challenge to most control engineers, and many techniques for controller design ignore these issues outright. Consequently, the design of controllers for smart structural systems usually proceeds without regard for their eventual implementation, thus resulting either in serious performance degradation or in hardware requirements that squander power, complicate integration, and drive up cost. The level of integration assumed by the Smart Patch further exacerbates these difficulties, and any design inefficiency may render the realization of a single-package sensor-controller-actuator system infeasible. The goal of this research is to automate the controller implementation process and to relieve the design engineer of implementation concerns like quantization, computational efficiency, and device selection. We specifically target Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) as our hardware platform because these devices are highly flexible, power efficient, and reprogrammable. The current study develops an automated implementation sequence that minimizes hardware requirements while maintaining controller performance. Beginning with a state space representation of the controller, the sequence automatically generates a configuration bitstream for a suitable FPGA implementation. MATLAB functions optimize and simulate the control algorithm before translating it into the VHSIC hardware description language. These functions improve power efficiency and simplify integration in the final implementation by performing a linear transformation that renders the controller computationally friendly. The transformation favors sparse matrices in order to reduce multiply operations and the hardware necessary to support them; simultaneously, the remaining matrix elements take on values that minimize limit cycles and parameter sensitivity. The proposed controller design methodology is implemented on a simple cantilever beam test structure using FPGA hardware. The experimental closed loop response is compared with that of an automated FPGA controller implementation. Finally, we explore the integration of FPGA based controllers into a multi-chip module, which we believe represents the next step towards the realization of the Smart Patch.

The Systems Engineering Design of a Smart Forward Operating Base Surveillance System for Forward Operating Base Protection

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-01

fixed sensors located along the perimeter of the FOB. The video is analyzed for facial recognition to alert the Network Operations Center (NOC...the UAV is processed on board for facial recognition and video for behavior analysis is sent directly to the Network Operations Center (NOC). Video...captured by the fixed sensors are sent directly to the NOC for facial recognition and behavior analysis processing. The multi- directional signal

Magnetically engineered smart thin films: toward lab-on-chip ultra-sensitive molecular imaging.

PubMed

Hassan, Muhammad A; Saqib, Mudassara; Shaikh, Haseeb; Ahmad, Nasir M; Elaissari, Abdelhamid

2013-03-01

Magnetically responsive engineered smart thin films of nanoferrites as contrast agent are employed to develop surface based magnetic resonance imaging to acquire simple yet fast molecular imaging. The work presented here can be of significant potential for future lab-on-chip point-of-care diagnostics from the whole blood pool on almost any substrates to reduce or even prevent clinical studies involve a living organism to enhance the non-invasive imaging to advance the '3Rs' of work in animals-replacement, refinement and reduction.

Methods for Determining the Level of Autonomy to Design into a Human Spaceflight Vehicle: A Function Specific Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Proud, Ryan W.; Hart, Jeremy J.; Mrozinski, Richard B.

2003-01-01

The next-generation human spaceflight vehicle is in a unique position to realize the benefits of more than thirty years of technological advancements since the Space Shuttle was designed. Computer enhancements, the emergence of highly reliable decision-making algorithms, and an emphasis on efficiency make an increased use of autonomous systems highly likely. NASA is in a position to take advantage of these advances and apply them to the human spaceflight environment. One of the key paradigm shifts will be the shift, where appropriate, of monitoring, option development, decision-making, and execution responsibility from humans to an Autonomous Flight Management (AFM) system. As an effort to reduce risk for development of an AFM system, NASA engineers are developing a prototype to prove the utility of previously untested autonomy concepts. This prototype, called SMART (Spacecraft Mission Assessment and Replanning Tool), is a functionally decomposed flight management system with an appropriate level of autonomy for each of its functions. As the development of SMART began, the most important and most often asked question was, How autonomous should an AFM system be? A thorough study of the literature through 2002 surrounding autonomous systems has not yielded a standard method for designing a level of autonomy into either a crewed vehicle or an uncrewed vehicle. The current focus in the literature on defining autonomy is centered on developing IQ tests for built systems. The literature that was analyzed assumes that the goal of all systems is to strive for complete autonomy from human intervention, rather than identifying how autonomous each function within the system should have been. In contrast, the SMART team developed a method for determining the appropriate level of autonomy to be designed into each function within a system. This paper summarizes the development of the Level of Autonomy Assessment Tool and its application to the SMART project.

A Cloud-Based Car Parking Middleware for IoT-Based Smart Cities: Design and Implementation

PubMed Central

Ji, Zhanlin; Ganchev, Ivan; O'Droma, Máirtín; Zhao, Li; Zhang, Xueji

2014-01-01

This paper presents the generic concept of using cloud-based intelligent car parking services in smart cities as an important application of the Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm. This type of services will become an integral part of a generic IoT operational platform for smart cities due to its pure business-oriented features. A high-level view of the proposed middleware is outlined and the corresponding operational platform is illustrated. To demonstrate the provision of car parking services, based on the proposed middleware, a cloud-based intelligent car parking system for use within a university campus is described along with details of its design, implementation, and operation. A number of software solutions, including Kafka/Storm/Hbase clusters, OSGi web applications with distributed NoSQL, a rule engine, and mobile applications, are proposed to provide ‘best’ car parking service experience to mobile users, following the Always Best Connected and best Served (ABC&S) paradigm. PMID:25429416

A cloud-based car parking middleware for IoT-based smart cities: design and implementation.

PubMed

Ji, Zhanlin; Ganchev, Ivan; O'Droma, Máirtín; Zhao, Li; Zhang, Xueji

2014-11-25

This paper presents the generic concept of using cloud-based intelligent car parking services in smart cities as an important application of the Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm. This type of services will become an integral part of a generic IoT operational platform for smart cities due to its pure business-oriented features. A high-level view of the proposed middleware is outlined and the corresponding operational platform is illustrated. To demonstrate the provision of car parking services, based on the proposed middleware, a cloud-based intelligent car parking system for use within a university campus is described along with details of its design, implementation, and operation. A number of software solutions, including Kafka/Storm/Hbase clusters, OSGi web applications with distributed NoSQL, a rule engine, and mobile applications, are proposed to provide 'best' car parking service experience to mobile users, following the Always Best Connected and best Served (ABC&S) paradigm.

BIOMedical Search Engine Framework: Lightweight and customized implementation of domain-specific biomedical search engines.

PubMed

Jácome, Alberto G; Fdez-Riverola, Florentino; Lourenço, Anália

2016-07-01

Text mining and semantic analysis approaches can be applied to the construction of biomedical domain-specific search engines and provide an attractive alternative to create personalized and enhanced search experiences. Therefore, this work introduces the new open-source BIOMedical Search Engine Framework for the fast and lightweight development of domain-specific search engines. The rationale behind this framework is to incorporate core features typically available in search engine frameworks with flexible and extensible technologies to retrieve biomedical documents, annotate meaningful domain concepts, and develop highly customized Web search interfaces. The BIOMedical Search Engine Framework integrates taggers for major biomedical concepts, such as diseases, drugs, genes, proteins, compounds and organisms, and enables the use of domain-specific controlled vocabulary. Technologies from the Typesafe Reactive Platform, the AngularJS JavaScript framework and the Bootstrap HTML/CSS framework support the customization of the domain-oriented search application. Moreover, the RESTful API of the BIOMedical Search Engine Framework allows the integration of the search engine into existing systems or a complete web interface personalization. The construction of the Smart Drug Search is described as proof-of-concept of the BIOMedical Search Engine Framework. This public search engine catalogs scientific literature about antimicrobial resistance, microbial virulence and topics alike. The keyword-based queries of the users are transformed into concepts and search results are presented and ranked accordingly. The semantic graph view portraits all the concepts found in the results, and the researcher may look into the relevance of different concepts, the strength of direct relations, and non-trivial, indirect relations. The number of occurrences of the concept shows its importance to the query, and the frequency of concept co-occurrence is indicative of biological relations meaningful to that particular scope of research. Conversely, indirect concept associations, i.e. concepts related by other intermediary concepts, can be useful to integrate information from different studies and look into non-trivial relations. The BIOMedical Search Engine Framework supports the development of domain-specific search engines. The key strengths of the framework are modularity and extensibilityin terms of software design, the use of open-source consolidated Web technologies, and the ability to integrate any number of biomedical text mining tools and information resources. Currently, the Smart Drug Search keeps over 1,186,000 documents, containing more than 11,854,000 annotations for 77,200 different concepts. The Smart Drug Search is publicly accessible at http://sing.ei.uvigo.es/sds/. The BIOMedical Search Engine Framework is freely available for non-commercial use at https://github.com/agjacome/biomsef. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nanotechnology: MEMS and NEMS and their applications to smart systems and devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varadan, Vijay K.

2003-10-01

The microelectronics industry has seen explosive growth during the last thirty years. Extremely large markets for logic and memory devices have driven the development of new materials, and technologies for the fabrication of even more complex devices with features sizes now down at the sub micron and nanometer level. Recent interest has arisen in employing these materials, tools and technologies for the fabrication of miniature sensors and actuators and their integration with electronic circuits to produce smart devices and systems. This effort offers the promise of: (1) increasing the performance and manufacturability of both sensors and actuators by exploiting new batch fabrication processes developed including micro stereo lithographic and micro molding techniques; (2) developing novel classes of materials and mechanical structures not possible previously, such as diamond like carbon, silicon carbide and carbon nanotubes, micro-turbines and micro-engines; (3) development of technologies for the system level and wafer level integration of micro components at the nanometer precision, such as self-assembly techniques and robotic manipulation; (4) development of control and communication systems for MEMS devices, such as optical and RF wireless, and power delivery systems, etc. A novel composite structure can be tailored by functionalizing carbon nano tubes and chemically bonding them with the polymer matrix e.g. block or graft copolymer, or even cross-linked copolymer, to impart exceptional structural, electronic and surface properties. Bio- and Mechanical-MEMS devices derived from this hybrid composite provide a new avenue for future smart systems. The integration of NEMS (NanoElectroMechanical Systems), MEMS, IDTs (Interdigital Transducers) and required microelectronics and conformal antenna in the multifunctional smart materials and composites results in a smart system suitable for sending and control of a variety functions in automobile, aerospace, marine and civil strutures and food and medical industries. This unique combination of technologies also results in novel conformal sensors that can be remotely sensed by an antenna system with the advantage of no power requirements at the sensor site. This paper provides a brief review of MEMS and NEMS based smart systems for various applications mentioned above. Carbon Nano Tubes (CNT) with their unique structure, have already proven to be valuable in their application as tips for scanning probe microscopy, field emission devices, nanoelectronics, H2-storage, electromagnetic absorbers, ESD, EMI films and coatings and structural composites. For many of these applications, highly purified and functionalized CNT which are compatible with many host polymers are needed. A novel microwave CVD processing technique to meet these requirements has been developed at Penn State Center for the Engineering of Electronic and Acoustic Materials and Devices (CEEAMD). This method enables the production of highly purified carbon nano tubes with variable size (from 5 - 40 nm) at low cost (per gram) and high yield. Whereas, carbon nano tubes synthesized using the laser ablation or arc discharge evaporation method always include impurity due to catalyst or catalyst support. The Penn State research is based on the use of zeolites over other metal/metal oxides in the microwave field for a high production and uniformity of the product. An extended coventional purification method has been employed to purify our products in order to remove left over impurity. A novel composite structure can be tailored by functionalizing carbon nano tubes and chemically bonding them with the polymer matrix e.g. block or graft copolymer, or even cross-linked copolymer, to impart exceptional structural, electronic and surface properties. Bio- and Mechanical-MEMS devices derived from this hybrid composites will be presented.

MEMS- and NEMS-based smart devices and systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varadan, Vijay K.

2001-11-01

The microelectronics industry has seen explosive growth during the last thirty years. Extremely large markets for logic and memory devices have driven the development of new materials, and technologies for the fabrication of even more complex devices with features sized now don at the sub micron and nanometer level. Recent interest has arisen in employing these materials, tools and technologies for the fabrication of miniature sensors and actuators and their integration with electronic circuits to produce smart devices and systems. This effort offers the promise of: 1) increasing the performance and manufacturability of both sensors and actuators by exploiting new batch fabrication processes developed including micro stereo lithographic an micro molding techniques; 2) developing novel classes of materials and mechanical structures not possible previously, such as diamond like carbon, silicon carbide and carbon nanotubes, micro-turbines and micro-engines; 3) development of technologies for the system level and wafer level integration of micro components at the nanometer precision, such as self-assembly techniques and robotic manipulation; 4) development of control and communication systems for MEMS devices, such as optical and RF wireless, and power delivery systems, etc. A novel composite structure can be tailored by functionalizing carbon nano tubes and chemically bonding them with the polymer matrix e.g. block or graft copolymer, or even cross-linked copolymer, to impart exceptional structural, electronic and surface properties. Bio- and Mechanical-MEMS devices derived from this hybrid composite provide a new avenue for future smart systems. The integration of NEMS (NanoElectroMechanical Systems), MEMS, IDTs (Interdigital Transducers) and required microelectronics and conformal antenna in the multifunctional smart materials and composites results in a smart system suitable for sensing and control of a variety functions in automobile, aerospace, marine and civil structures and food and medical industries. This unique combination of technologies also results in novel conformal sensors that can be remotely sensed by an antenna system with the advantage of no power requirements at the sensor site. This paper provides a brief review of MEMS and NEMS based smart systems for various applications mentioned above. Carbon Nano Tubes (CNT) with their unique structure, have already proven to be valuable in their application as tips for scanning probe microscopy, field emission devices, nanoelectronics, H2-storage, electromagnetic absorbers, ESD, EMI films and coatings and structural composites. For many of these applications, highly purified and functionalized CNT which are compatible with many host polymers are needed. A novel microwave CVD processing technique to meet these requirements has been developed at Penn State Center for the engineering of Electronic and Acoustic Materials and Devices (CEEAMD). This method enables the production of highly purified carbon nano tubes with variable size (from 5-40 nm) at low cost (per gram) and high yield. Whereas, carbon nano tubes synthesized using the laser ablation or arc discharge evaporation method always include impurity due to catalyst or catalyst support. The Penn State research is based on the use of zeolites over other metal/metal oxides in the microwave field for a high production and uniformity of the product. An extended conventional purification method has been employed to purify our products in order to remove left over impurity. A novel composite structure can be tailored by functionalizing carbon nano tubes and chemically bonding them with the polymer matrix e.g. block or graft copolymer, or even cross- linked copolymer, to impart exceptional structural, electronic and surface properties. Bio- and Mechanical-MEMS devices derived from this hybrid composites will be presented.

EDITORIAL: Greetings from the new Editor-in-Chief

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia, Ephrahim

2008-02-01

I am Professor Ephrahim Garcia, an Associate Professor at Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. I have been at Cornell University since 2002, spent four years as a Program Manager at the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency from 1998-2002, and before that seven years at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. I have served on the Editorial Advisory Board of Smart Materials and Structures (SMS) for the last six years. It is a humbling thing to be asked to take up the post of Editor-in-Chief in a field with so many talented researchers. I would like to say a heartfelt thanks to the members of the Editorial Board and IOP Publishing for their confidence in me. Most importantly, I would like to thank Professor Vijay Varadan of the University of Arkansas and Professor Richard Claus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University for their efforts in launching the journal 16 years ago. They have been stewards, promoters and, especially Vijay, key to the operation and function of SMS for all these years, and our research community is indebted to them. Professors Varadan and Claus have dedicated their careers to the area of smart materials and structures and we are very grateful for their leadership, mentoring and contribution. SMS is a thriving journal offering papers on all technical areas concerned with smart materials, systems and structures from the micro- and nanoscale to the macroscale. The journal is undergoing some major changes, including the recent transferal of papers to IOP Publishing's peer-review management system. With this new system authors can expect fast publication times of around 4 or 5 months from submission, and excellent author service. In this world of ever changing technology, the Editorial Board and I aim to reduce the time to publication for researchers in this exciting area of science and engineering. I am in the process of developing a team of Associate Editors to promote the journal in the number of critical sub-areas of smart materials and structures, and to play a key, integral role in the review process. Associate Editors will be chosen to serve in a number of sub-areas to ensure expertise and continuation of the rigorous review process. Under my leadership as the new Editor-in-Chief of SMS, I aim to ensure that SMS maintains and grows in quality to best serve our diverse community of researchers.

Development of a custom-made "smart-sphere" to assess incipient entrainment by rolling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valyrakis, Manousos; Kitsikoudis, Vasileios; Alexakis, Athanasios; Trinder, Jon

2017-04-01

The most widely applied criterion for sediment incipient motion in engineering applications is the time- and space-averaged approach of critical Shields shear stress. Nonetheless, in the recent years published research has highlighted the importance of turbulence fluctuations in sediment incipient motion and its stochastic character. The present experimental study investigates statistically the link of the response of a "smart-pebble" to hydrodynamics in near-critical flow conditions and discusses how such a device can be utilized in engineering design. A set of specifically designed fluvial experiments monitoring the entrainment conditions for a "smart-pebble", were carried out in a tilting, recirculating flume in turbulent flow conditions while three-dimensional flow measurements were obtained with an acoustic Doppler velocimeter. The "smart-pebble" employed herein is a custom-made instrumented sphere with 7 cm diameter, which has a number of sensors embedded within its waterproof 3D-printed plastic shell. Specifically, the "smart-pebble" is equipped with miniaturized, off the shelf, low-cost, three-dimensional acceleration, orientation and angular displacement sensors. A 3D-printed local micro topography of known geometry was installed in the flume's test section and the "smart-pebble" was placed there in order to facilitate the analysis. Every time the "smart-sphere" is displaced by the flow a downstream located pin blocks its full entrainment. This allows for continuous recording of the entrainment events due to the passage of energetic events, after which the "smart-pebble" returns to its resting pocket. The "smart-pebble" device under such a configuration allows the recording of normally indiscernible (with the naked eye) vibrations, twitching motions, and full entrainments for the studied particle, allowing its analysis from a Langrangian framework. During the incipient motion experiments the retrieved data are stored in an internal memory unit or transferred online with short-range Wi-Fi antennas. In addition, two high-speed commercial cameras are used to monitor the process and provide additional information. The hydrodynamic force that the "smart-pebble" is subject to is expressed with the recently proposed impulse and energy criteria, which imply that a sufficient energetic turbulent flow structure requires not only a hydrodynamic force above a certain threshold but this force has to be exerted for sufficient time for momentum transfer to occur efficiently. It is found that the probability of entrainment for the "smart-pebble" is linked to the number of energetic flow events above a threshold level. The findings of this experimental study aim to shed more light in coarse sediment incipient motion and pave the way for the utilization of such devices in the field in actual engineering applications.

Augmenting white cane reliability using smart glove for visually impaired people.

PubMed

Bernieri, Giuseppe; Faramondi, Luca; Pascucci, Federica

2015-08-01

The independent mobility problem of visually impaired people has been an active research topic in biomedical engineering: although many smart tools have been proposed, traditional tools (e.g., the white cane) continue to play a prominent role. In this paper a low cost smart glove is presented: the key idea is to minimize the impact in using it by combining the traditional tools with a technological device able to improve the movement performance of the visually impaired people.

Smart nanosystems: Bio-inspired technologies that interact with the host environment.

PubMed

Kwon, Ester J; Lo, Justin H; Bhatia, Sangeeta N

2015-11-24

Nanoparticle technologies intended for human administration must be designed to interact with, and ideally leverage, a living host environment. Here, we describe smart nanosystems classified in two categories: (i) those that sense the host environment and respond and (ii) those that first prime the host environment to interact with engineered nanoparticles. Smart nanosystems have the potential to produce personalized diagnostic and therapeutic schema by using the local environment to drive material behavior and ultimately improve human health.

Applying systems engineering methodologies to the micro- and nanoscale realm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garrison Darrin, M. Ann

2012-06-01

Micro scale and nano scale technology developments have the potential to revolutionize smart and small systems. The application of systems engineering methodologies that integrate standalone, small-scale technologies and interface them with macro technologies to build useful systems is critical to realizing the potential of these technologies. This paper covers the expanding knowledge base on systems engineering principles for micro and nano technology integration starting with a discussion of the drivers for applying a systems approach. Technology development on the micro and nano scale has transition from laboratory curiosity to the realization of products in the health, automotive, aerospace, communication, and numerous other arenas. This paper focuses on the maturity (or lack thereof) of the field of nanosystems which is emerging in a third generation having transitioned from completing active structures to creating systems. The emphasis of applying a systems approach focuses on successful technology development based on the lack of maturity of current nano scale systems. Therefore the discussion includes details relating to enabling roles such as product systems engineering and technology development. Classical roles such as acquisition systems engineering are not covered. The results are also targeted towards small-scale technology developers who need to take into account systems engineering processes such as requirements definition, verification, and validation interface management and risk management in the concept phase of technology development to maximize the likelihood of success, cost effective micro and nano technology to increase the capability of emerging deployed systems and long-term growth and profits.

Calcium-energized motor protein forisome controls damage in phloem: potential applications as biomimetic "smart" material.

PubMed

Srivastava, Vineet Kumar; Tuteja, Renu; Tuteja, Narendra

2015-06-01

Forisomes are ATP independent, mechanically active proteins from the Fabaceae family (also called Leguminosae). These proteins are located in sieve tubes of phloem and function to prevent loss of nutrient-rich photoassimilates, upon mechanical injury/wounding. Forisomes are SEO (sieve element occlusion) gene family proteins that have recently been shown to be involved in wound sealing mechanism. Recent findings suggest that forisomes could act as an ideal model to study self assembly mechanism for the development of nanotechnological devices like microinstruments, the microfluidic system frequently used in space exploration missions. Technology enabling improvement in micro instruments has been identified as a key technology by NASA in future space exploration missions. Forisomes are designated as biomimetic smart materials which are calcium-energized motor proteins. Since forisomes are biomolecules from plant systems it can be doctored through genetic engineering. In contrast, "smart" materials which are not derived from plants are difficult to modify in their properties. Current levels of understanding about forisomes conformational shifts with respect to calcium ions and pH changes requires supplement of future advances with relation to its 3D structure to understand self assembly processes. In plant systems it forms blood clots in the form of occlusions to prevent nutrient fluid leakage and thus proves to be a unique damage control system of phloem tissue.

All-printed smart structures: a viable option?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Donnell, John; Ahmadkhanlou, Farzad; Yoon, Hwan-Sik; Washington, Gregory

2014-03-01

The last two decades have seen evolution of smart materials and structures technologies from theoretical concepts to physical realization in many engineering fields. These include smart sensors and actuators, active damping and vibration control, biomimetics, and structural health monitoring. Recently, additive manufacturing technologies such as 3D printing and printed electronics have received attention as methods to produce 3D objects or electronic components for prototyping or distributed manufacturing purposes. In this paper, the viability of manufacturing all-printed smart structures, with embedded sensors and actuators, will be investigated. To this end, the current 3D printing and printed electronics technologies will be reviewed first. Then, the plausibility of combining these two different additive manufacturing technologies to create all-printed smart structures will be discussed. Potential applications for this type of all-printed smart structures include most of the traditional smart structures where sensors and actuators are embedded or bonded to the structures to measure structural response and cause desired static and dynamic changes in the structure.

Smart manufacturing systems for Industry 4.0: Conceptual framework, scenarios, and future perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Pai; wang, Honghui; Sang, Zhiqian; Zhong, Ray Y.; Liu, Yongkui; Liu, Chao; Mubarok, Khamdi; Yu, Shiqiang; Xu, Xun

2018-06-01

Information and communication technology is undergoing rapid development, and many disruptive technologies, such as cloud computing, Internet of Things, big data, and artificial intelligence, have emerged. These technologies are permeating the manufacturing industry and enable the fusion of physical and virtual worlds through cyber-physical systems (CPS), which mark the advent of the fourth stage of industrial production (i.e., Industry 4.0). The widespread application of CPS in manufacturing environments renders manufacturing systems increasingly smart. To advance research on the implementation of Industry 4.0, this study examines smart manufacturing systems for Industry 4.0. First, a conceptual framework of smart manufacturing systems for Industry 4.0 is presented. Second, demonstrative scenarios that pertain to smart design, smart machining, smart control, smart monitoring, and smart scheduling, are presented. Key technologies and their possible applications to Industry 4.0 smart manufacturing systems are reviewed based on these demonstrative scenarios. Finally, challenges and future perspectives are identified and discussed.

Energy Management of Smart Distribution Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ansari, Bananeh

Electric power distribution systems interface the end-users of electricity with the power grid. Traditional distribution systems are operated in a centralized fashion with the distribution system owner or operator being the only decision maker. The management and control architecture of distribution systems needs to gradually transform to accommodate the emerging smart grid technologies, distributed energy resources, and active electricity end-users or prosumers. The content of this document concerns with developing multi-task multi-objective energy management schemes for: 1) commercial/large residential prosumers, and 2) distribution system operator of a smart distribution system. The first part of this document describes a method of distributed energy management of multiple commercial/ large residential prosumers. These prosumers not only consume electricity, but also generate electricity using their roof-top solar photovoltaics systems. When photovoltaics generation is larger than local consumption, excess electricity will be fed into the distribution system, creating a voltage rise along the feeder. Distribution system operator cannot tolerate a significant voltage rise. ES can help the prosumers manage their electricity exchanges with the distribution system such that minimal voltage fluctuation occurs. The proposed distributed energy management scheme sizes and schedules each prosumer's ES to reduce the electricity bill and mitigate voltage rise along the feeder. The second part of this document focuses on emergency energy management and resilience assessment of a distribution system. The developed emergency energy management system uses available resources and redundancy to restore the distribution system's functionality fully or partially. The success of the restoration maneuver depends on how resilient the distribution system is. Engineering resilience terminology is used to evaluate the resilience of distribution system. The proposed emergency energy management scheme together with resilience assessment increases the distribution system operator's preparedness for emergency events.

Get Beyond Limits: From Colloidal Tectonics Concept to the Engineering of Eco-friendly Catalytic Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leclercq, Loïc

2018-05-01

The interactions between two or more molecules or colloidal particles can be used to obtain a variety of self-assembled systems called supramolecules or supracolloids. There is a clear, but neglected, convergence between these two fields. Indeed, the packing of molecules into colloidal or supracolloidal particles emerges as a smart solution to build an infinite variety of reversible systems with predictable properties. In this respect, the molecular building blocks are called “tectons” whereas “colloidal tectonics” describes the spontaneous formation of (supra)colloidal structures using tectonic subunits. As a consequence, a bottom-up edification is allowed from tectons into (supra)colloidal particles with higher degrees of organization. These (supra)colloidal systems can be very useful to obtain catalysts with tunable amphiphilic properties. In this perspective, an overview of colloidal tectonics concept is presented as well as its use for the design of new, smart and flexible catalytic systems. Finally, the advantages of these catalytic devices are discussed and the perspective of future developments is addressed especially in the context of “green chemistry”.

Get Beyond Limits: From Colloidal Tectonics Concept to the Engineering of Eco-Friendly Catalytic Systems

PubMed Central

Leclercq, Loïc

2018-01-01

The interactions between two or more molecules or colloidal particles can be used to obtain a variety of self-assembled systems called supramolecules or supracolloids. There is a clear, but neglected, convergence between these two fields. Indeed, the packing of molecules into colloidal or supracolloidal particles emerges as a smart solution to build an infinite variety of reversible systems with predictable properties. In this respect, the molecular building blocks are called “tectons” whereas “colloidal tectonics” describes the spontaneous formation of (supra)colloidal structures using tectonic subunits. As a consequence, a bottom-up edification is allowed from tectons into (supra)colloidal particles with higher degrees of organization (Graphical Abstract). These (supra)colloidal systems can be very useful to obtain catalysts with tunable amphiphilic properties. In this perspective, an overview of colloidal tectonics concept is presented as well as its use for the design of new, smart, and flexible catalytic systems. Finally, the advantages of these catalytic devices are discussed and the perspective of future developments is addressed especially in the context of “green chemistry.”

Exploring the critical quality attributes and models of smart homes.

PubMed

Ted Luor, Tainyi; Lu, Hsi-Peng; Yu, Hueiju; Lu, Yinshiu

2015-12-01

Research on smart homes has significantly increased in recent years owing to their considerably improved affordability and simplicity. However, the challenge is that people have different needs (or attitudes toward smart homes), and provision should be tailored to individuals. A few studies have classified the functions of smart homes. Therefore, the Kano model is first adopted as a theoretical base to explore whether the functional classifications of smart homes are attractive or necessary, or both. Second, three models and test user attitudes toward three function types of smart homes are proposed. Based on the Kano model, the principal results, namely, two "Attractive Quality" and nine "Indifferent Quality" items, are found. Verification of the hypotheses also indicates that the entertainment, security, and automation functions are significantly correlated with the variables "perceive useful" and "attitude." Cost consideration is negatively correlated with attitudes toward entertainment and automation. Results suggest that smart home providers should survey user needs for their product instead of merely producing smart homes based on the design of the builder or engineer. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mobility Data Analytics Center.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-01-01

Mobility Data Analytics Center aims at building a centralized data engine to efficiently manipulate : large-scale data for smart decision making. Integrating and learning the massive data are the key to : the data engine. The ultimate goal of underst...

Geographic Visualization of Power-Grid Dynamics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sukumar, Sreenivas R.

2015-06-18

The visualization enables the simulation analyst to see changes in the frequency through time and space. With this technology, the analyst has a bird's eye view of the frequency at loads and generators as the simulated power system responds to the loss of a generator, spikes in load, and other contingencies. The significance of a contingency to the operation of an electrical power system depends critically on how the resulting tansients evolve in time and space. Consequently, these dynamic events can only be understood when seen in their proper geographic context. this understanding is indispensable to engineers working on themore » next generation of distributed sensing and control systems for the smart grid. By making possible a natural and intuitive presentation of dynamic behavior, our new visualization technology is a situational-awareness tool for power-system engineers.« less

Schodack Smart Roadside Inspection System.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-02-01

Under an earlier NYSERDA Agreement (17420) Intelligent Imaging Systems (IIS) supplied and installed Smart Roadside network software and integrated new connected vehicle roadside devices into the Schodack Smart Roadside system. The Smart Roadsid...

Design and implementation of a smart card based healthcare information system.

PubMed

Kardas, Geylani; Tunali, E Turhan

2006-01-01

Smart cards are used in information technologies as portable integrated devices with data storage and data processing capabilities. As in other fields, smart card use in health systems became popular due to their increased capacity and performance. Their efficient use with easy and fast data access facilities leads to implementation particularly widespread in security systems. In this paper, a smart card based healthcare information system is developed. The system uses smart card for personal identification and transfer of health data and provides data communication via a distributed protocol which is particularly developed for this study. Two smart card software modules are implemented that run on patient and healthcare professional smart cards, respectively. In addition to personal information, general health information about the patient is also loaded to patient smart card. Health care providers use their own smart cards to be authenticated on the system and to access data on patient cards. Encryption keys and digital signature keys stored on smart cards of the system are used for secure and authenticated data communication between clients and database servers over distributed object protocol. System is developed on Java platform by using object oriented architecture and design patterns.

Compressor Stability and Control: Review and Practical Implications

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-06-01

and control technology is being built. 1. INTRODUCTION The concept of a ’smart engine ’, which utilizes augmented sensing, actuation, and computational...research mix. Concentration has been primarily on combustion control, and on stability and control of compressors and compression systems. The latter...at least a functional description of the processes at work during stall inception can effective control Paper presented at the RTO A VT Symposium on

Smart and intelligent sensor payload project

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-04-01

Engineers working on the smart and intelligent sensor payload project include (l to r): Ed Conley (NASA), Mark Mitchell (Jacobs Technology), Luke Richards (NASA), Robert Drackett (Jacobs Technology), Mark Turowski (Jacobs Technology) , Richard Franzl (seated, Jacobs Technology), Greg McVay (Jacobs Technology), Brianne Guillot (Jacobs Technology), Jon Morris (Jacobs Technology), Stephen Rawls (NASA), John Schmalzel (NASA) and Andrew Bracey (NASA).

75 FR 42678 - Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Logan Northern Canal Reconstruction...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-22

... be sent to Mr. Bronson Smart, State Conservation Engineer, Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building, 125 South State Street, Room 4402, Salt Lake City, Utah 84138-1100, or via e-mail at bronson.smart@ut.usda... City, Utah. Representatives of Native American tribal governments and of federal, State, regional and...

Targeting active cancer cells with smart bullets.

PubMed

Martel, Sylvain

2017-03-01

Paul Ehrlich's 'magic bullet' concept has stimulated research for therapeutic agents with the capability to go straight to their intended targets. The 'magic bullet' concept is still considered the ultimate approach to maximize the therapeutic effects of a given therapeutic agent without affecting nontargeted tissues. But so far, there has never been a therapeutic agent or a delivery system that goes straight to the target in the body, and no approach has provided anything better than just a few percents of the total administered dose reaching the intended target sites. But engineering principles can transform systematically circulating vectors that so far were based primarily on physical characteristics and biochemical principles alone, as smart therapeutic agents with the required propulsion-navigation-homing capabilities to enable them to go straight to their intended targets.

Smart photonic coating for civil engineering field: for a future inspection technology on concrete bridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fudouzi, Hiroshi; Tsuchiya, Koichi; Todoroki, Shin-ichi; Hyakutake, Tsuyoshi; Nitta, Hiroyuki; Nishizaki, Itaru; Tanaka, Yoshikazu; Ohya, Takao

2017-04-01

Here we will propose the conceptual new idea of the inspection of concrete bridge using smart materials and mobile IoT system. We apply opal photonic crystal film to detect cracks on concrete infrastructures. High quality opal photonic crystal films were coated on black color PET sheet over 1000 cm2 area. The opal film sheet was cut and adhered to concrete or mortar test pieces by epoxy resin. In the tensile test, the structural color of the opal sheet was changed when the crack was formed. As a demonstration, we have installated the opal film sheet on the wall of the concrete bridge. Our final purpose is the color change will be recorded by portable CCD devices, and send to expert via IoT network.

A Study Using a Monte Carlo Method of the Optimal Configuration of a Distribution Network in Terms of Power Loss Sensing

PubMed Central

Moon, Hyun Ho; Lee, Jong Joo; Choi, Sang Yule; Cha, Jae Sang; Kang, Jang Mook; Kim, Jong Tae; Shin, Myong Chul

2011-01-01

Recently there have been many studies of power systems with a focus on “New and Renewable Energy” as part of “New Growth Engine Industry” promoted by the Korean government. “New And Renewable Energy”—especially focused on wind energy, solar energy and fuel cells that will replace conventional fossil fuels—is a part of the Power-IT Sector which is the basis of the SmartGrid. A SmartGrid is a form of highly-efficient intelligent electricity network that allows interactivity (two-way communications) between suppliers and consumers by utilizing information technology in electricity production, transmission, distribution and consumption. The New and Renewable Energy Program has been driven with a goal to develop and spread through intensive studies, by public or private institutions, new and renewable energy which, unlike conventional systems, have been operated through connections with various kinds of distributed power generation systems. Considerable research on smart grids has been pursued in the United States and Europe. In the United States, a variety of research activities on the smart power grid have been conducted within EPRI’s IntelliGrid research program. The European Union (EU), which represents Europe’s Smart Grid policy, has focused on an expansion of distributed generation (decentralized generation) and power trade between countries with improved environmental protection. Thus, there is current emphasis on a need for studies that assesses the economic efficiency of such distributed generation systems. In this paper, based on the cost of distributed power generation capacity, calculations of the best profits obtainable were made by a Monte Carlo simulation. Monte Carlo simulations that rely on repeated random sampling to compute their results take into account the cost of electricity production, daily loads and the cost of sales and generate a result faster than mathematical computations. In addition, we have suggested the optimal design, which considers the distribution loss associated with power distribution systems focus on sensing aspect and distributed power generation. PMID:22164047

Smart campus transit laboratory for research and education.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-12-31

A joint effort by the Ohio State University (OSU) Transportation and Parking Services, OSU College of Engineering, OSU Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Geodetic Science, and Clever Devices has recently succeeded in equipping the ...

Physics and Process Modeling (PPM) and Other Propulsion R and T. Volume 1; Materials Processing, Characterization, and Modeling; Lifting Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

This CP contains the extended abstracts and presentation figures of 36 papers presented at the PPM and Other Propulsion R&T Conference. The focus of the research described in these presentations is on materials and structures technologies that are parts of the various projects within the NASA Aeronautics Propulsion Systems Research and Technology Base Program. These projects include Physics and Process Modeling; Smart, Green Engine; Fast, Quiet Engine; High Temperature Engine Materials Program; and Hybrid Hyperspeed Propulsion. Also presented were research results from the Rotorcraft Systems Program and work supported by the NASA Lewis Director's Discretionary Fund. Authors from NASA Lewis Research Center, industry, and universities conducted research in the following areas: material processing, material characterization, modeling, life, applied life models, design techniques, vibration control, mechanical components, and tribology. Key issues, research accomplishments, and future directions are summarized in this publication.

SMART (Sandia's Modular Architecture for Robotics and Teleoperation) Ver. 1.0

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anderson, Robert

"SMART Ver. 0.8 Beta" provides a system developer with software tools to create a telerobotic control system, i.e., a system whereby an end-user can interact with mechatronic equipment. It consists of three main components: the SMART Editor (tsmed), the SMART Real-time kernel (rtos), and the SMART Supervisor (gui). The SMART Editor is a graphical icon-based code generation tool for creating end-user systems, given descriptions of SMART modules. The SMART real-time kernel implements behaviors that combine modules representing input devices, sensors, constraints, filters, and robotic devices. Included with this software release is a number of core modules, which can be combinedmore » with additional project and device specific modules to create a telerobotic controller. The SMART Supervisor is a graphical front-end for running a SMART system. It is an optional component of the SMART Environment and utilizes the TeVTk windowing and scripting environment. Although the code contained within this release is complete, and can be utilized for defining, running, and interfacing to a sample end-user SMART system, most systems will include additional project and hardware specific modules developed either by the system developer or obtained independently from a SMART module developer. SMART is a software system designed to integrate the different robots, input devices, sensors and dynamic elements required for advanced modes of telerobotic control. "SMART Ver. 0.8 Beta" defines and implements a telerobotic controller. A telerobotic system consists of combinations of modules that implement behaviors. Each real-time module represents an input device, robot device, sensor, constraint, connection or filter. The underlying theory utilizes non-linear discretized multidimensional network elements to model each individual module, and guarantees that upon a valid connection, the resulting system will perform in a stable fashion. Different combinations of modules implement different behaviors. Each module must have at a minimum an initialization routine, a parameter adjustment routine, and an update routine. The SMART runtime kernel runs continuously within a real-time embedded system. Each module is first set-up by the kernel, initialized, and then updated at a fixed rate whenever it is in context. The kernel responds to operator directed commands by changing the state of the system, changing parameters on individual modules, and switching behavioral modes. The SMART Editor is a tool used to define, verify, configure and generate source code for a SMART control system. It uses icon representations of the modules, code patches from valid configurations of the modules, and configuration files describing how a module can be connected into a system to lead the end-user in through the steps needed to create a final system. The SMART Supervisor serves as an interface to a SMART run-time system. It provides an interface on a host computer that connects to the embedded system via TCPIIP ASCII commands. It utilizes a scripting language (Tel) and a graphics windowing environment (Tk). This system can either be customized to fit an end-user's needs or completely replaced as needed.« less

Reliability analysis in interdependent smart grid systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Hao; Kan, Zhe; Zhao, Dandan; Han, Jianmin; Lu, Jianfeng; Hu, Zhaolong

2018-06-01

Complex network theory is a useful way to study many real complex systems. In this paper, a reliability analysis model based on complex network theory is introduced in interdependent smart grid systems. In this paper, we focus on understanding the structure of smart grid systems and studying the underlying network model, their interactions, and relationships and how cascading failures occur in the interdependent smart grid systems. We propose a practical model for interdependent smart grid systems using complex theory. Besides, based on percolation theory, we also study the effect of cascading failures effect and reveal detailed mathematical analysis of failure propagation in such systems. We analyze the reliability of our proposed model caused by random attacks or failures by calculating the size of giant functioning components in interdependent smart grid systems. Our simulation results also show that there exists a threshold for the proportion of faulty nodes, beyond which the smart grid systems collapse. Also we determine the critical values for different system parameters. In this way, the reliability analysis model based on complex network theory can be effectively utilized for anti-attack and protection purposes in interdependent smart grid systems.

Design and implementation of smart sensor nodes for wireless disaster monitoring systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yih-Fan; Wu, Wen-Jong; Chen, Chun-Kuang; Wen, Chih-Min; Jin, Ming-Hui; Gau, Chung-Yun; Chang, Chih-Chie; Lee, Chih-Kung

2004-07-01

A newly developed smart sensor node that can monitor the safety of temporary structures such as scaffolds at construction sites is detailed in this paper. The design methodology and its trade-offs, as well as its influence on the optimization of sensor networks, is examined. The potential impact on civil engineering construction sites, environmental and natural disaster pre-warning issues, etc., all of which are foundations of smart sensor nodes and corresponding smart sensor networks, is also presented. To minimize the power requirements in order to achieve a true wireless system both in terms of signal and power, a sensor node was designed by adopting an 8051-based micro-controller, an ISM band RF transceiver, and an auto-balanced strain gage signal conditioner. With the built-in RF transceiver, all measurement data can be transmitted to a local control center for data integrity, security, central monitoring, and full-scale analysis. As a battery is the only well-established power source and there is a strong desire to eliminate the need to install bulky power lines, this system designed includes a battery-powered core with optimal power efficiency. To further extend the service life of the built-in power source, a power control algorithm has been embedded in the microcontroller of each sensor node. The entire system has been verified by experimental tests on full-scale scaffold monitoring. The results show that this system provides a practical method to monitor the structure safety in real time and possesses the potential of reducing maintenance costs significantly. The design of the sensor node, central control station, and the integration of several kinds of wireless communication protocol, all of which are successfully integrated to demonstrate the capabilities of this newly developed system, are detailed. Potential impact to the network topology is briefly examined as well.

Smart Grid Communications Security Project, U.S. Department of Energy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barnes, Frank

There were four groups that worked on this project in different areas related to Smart Girds and Security. They included faculty and students from electric computer and energy engineering, law, business and sociology. The results of the work are summarized in a verity of reports, papers and thesis. A major report to the Governor of Colorado’s energy office with contributions from all the groups working on this project is given bellow. Smart Grid Deployment in Colorado: Challenges and Opportunities, Report to Colorado Governor’s Energy Office and Colorado Smart Grid Task Force(2010) (Kevin Doran, Frank Barnes, and Puneet Pasrich, eds.) Thismore » report includes information on the state of the grid cyber security, privacy, energy storage and grid stability, workforce development, consumer behavior with respect to the smart grid and safety issues.« less

Innovative smart micro sensors for Army weaponry applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruffin, Paul B.; Brantley, Christina; Edwards, Eugene

2008-03-01

Micro sensors offer the potential solution to cost, size, and weight issues associated with smart networked sensor systems designed for environmental/missile health monitoring and rocket out-gassing/fuel leak detection, as well as situational awareness on the battlefield. In collaboration with the University of Arkansas (Fayetteville), University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa and Birmingham), Alabama A&M University (Normal), and Streamline Automation (Huntsville, AL), scientists and engineers at the Army Aviation & Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) are investigating several nano-based technologies to solve the problem of sensing extremely small levels of toxic gases associated with both chemical warfare agents (in air and liquids) and potential rocket motor leaks. Innovative techniques are being devised to adapt voltammetry, which is a well established technique for the detection and quantification of substances dissolved in liquids, to low-cost micro sensors for detecting airborne chemical agents and potential missile propellant leakages. In addition, a surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technique, which enhances Raman scattered light by excitation of surface plasmons on nanoporous metal surfaces (nanospheres), is being investigated to develop novel smart sensors for the detection of chemical agents (including rocket motor out-gassing) and potential detection of home-made explosive devices. In this paper, results are delineated that are associated with experimental studies, which are conducted for the aforementioned cases and for several other nano-based technology approaches. The design challenges of each micro sensor technology approach are discussed. Finally, a comparative analysis of the various innovative micro-sensor techniques is provided.

An Integrated Design approach to Power Systems: from Power Flows to Electricity Markets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bose, Subhonmesh

Power system is at the brink of change. Engineering needs, economic forces and environmental factors are the main drivers of this change. The vision is to build a smart electrical grid and a smarter market mechanism around it to fulfill mandates on clean energy. Looking at engineering and economic issues in isolation is no longer an option today; it needs an integrated design approach. In this thesis, I shall revisit some of the classical questions on the engineering operation of power systems that deals with the nonconvexity of power flow equations. Then I shall explore some issues of the interaction of these power flow equations on the electricity markets to address the fundamental issue of market power in a deregulated market environment. Finally, motivated by the emergence of new storage technologies, I present an interesting result on the investment decision problem of placing storage over a power network. The goal of this study is to demonstrate that modern optimization and game theory can provide unique insights into this complex system. Some of the ideas carry over to applications beyond power systems.

Intelligent Propulsion System Foundation Technology: Summary of Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, James C.

2004-01-01

The purpose of this cooperative agreement was to develop a foundation of intelligent propulsion technologies for NASA and industry that will have an impact on safety, noise, emissions and cost. These intelligent engine technologies included sensors, electronics, communications, control logic, actuators, and smart materials and structures. Furthermore this cooperative agreement helped prepare future graduates to develop the revolutionary intelligent propulsion technologies that will be needed to ensure pre-eminence of the U.S. aerospace industry. The program consisted of three primary research areas (and associated work elements at Ohio universities): 1.0 Turbine Engine Prognostics, 2.0 Active Controls for Emissions and Noise Reduction, and 3.0 Active Structural Controls.

Deep Space Habitat Wireless Smart Plug

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morgan, Joseph A.; Porter, Jay; Rojdev, Kristina; Carrejo, Daniel B.; Colozza, Anthony J.

2014-01-01

NASA has been interested in technology development for deep space exploration, and one avenue of developing these technologies is via the eXploration Habitat (X-Hab) Academic Innovation Challenge. In 2013, NASA's Deep Space Habitat (DSH) project was in need of sensors that could monitor the power consumption of various devices in the habitat with added capability to control the power to these devices for load shedding in emergency situations. Texas A&M University's Electronic Systems Engineering Technology Program (ESET) in conjunction with their Mobile Integrated Solutions Laboratory (MISL) accepted this challenge, and over the course of 2013, several undergraduate students in a Capstone design course developed five wireless DC Smart Plugs for NASA. The wireless DC Smart Plugs developed by Texas A&M in conjunction with NASA's Deep Space Habitat team is a first step in developing wireless instrumentation for future flight hardware. This paper will further discuss the X-Hab challenge and requirements set out by NASA, the detailed design and testing performed by Texas A&M, challenges faced by the team and lessons learned, and potential future work on this design.

NREL Helps Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver Build Earth-Smart House

Science.gov Websites

Laboratory's (NREL) Exemplary Buildings team helped Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver design a low energy April 26 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Individuals interested in energy smart home design are encouraged to -tempered design, low-emissivity windows, engineered overhangs which shade the house during the summer but

Argonne National Laboratory Smart Grid Technology Interactive Model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ted Bohn

2009-10-13

As our attention turns to new cars that run partially or completely on electricity, how can we redesign our electric grid to not only handle the new load, but make electricity cheap and efficient for everyone? Argonne engineer Ted Bohn explains a model of a "smart grid" that gives consumers the power to choose their own prices and sources of electricity.

Argonne National Laboratory Smart Grid Technology Interactive Model

ScienceCinema

Ted Bohn

2017-12-09

As our attention turns to new cars that run partially or completely on electricity, how can we redesign our electric grid to not only handle the new load, but make electricity cheap and efficient for everyone? Argonne engineer Ted Bohn explains a model of a "smart grid" that gives consumers the power to choose their own prices and sources of electricity.

Long-term real-time structural health monitoring using wireless smart sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Shinae; Mensah-Bonsu, Priscilla O.; Li, Jingcheng; Dahal, Sushil

2013-04-01

Improving the safety and security of civil infrastructure has become a critical issue for decades since it plays a central role in the economics and politics of a modern society. Structural health monitoring of civil infrastructure using wireless smart sensor network has emerged as a promising solution recently to increase structural reliability, enhance inspection quality, and reduce maintenance costs. Though hardware and software framework are well prepared for wireless smart sensors, the long-term real-time health monitoring strategy are still not available due to the lack of systematic interface. In this paper, the Imote2 smart sensor platform is employed, and a graphical user interface for the long-term real-time structural health monitoring has been developed based on Matlab for the Imote2 platform. This computer-aided engineering platform enables the control, visualization of measured data as well as safety alarm feature based on modal property fluctuation. A new decision making strategy to check the safety is also developed and integrated in this software. Laboratory validation of the computer aided engineering platform for the Imote2 on a truss bridge and a building structure has shown the potential of the interface for long-term real-time structural health monitoring.

Intelligent Propulsion System Foundation Technology: Summary of Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

The purpose of this cooperative agreement was to develop a foundation of intelligent propulsion technologies for NASA and industry that will have an impact on safety, noise, emissions, and cost. These intelligent engine technologies included sensors, electronics, communications, control logic, actuators, smart materials and structures, and system studies. Furthermore, this cooperative agreement helped prepare future graduates to develop the revolutionary intelligent propulsion technologies that will be needed to ensure pre-eminence of the U.S. aerospace industry. This Propulsion 21 - Phase 11 program consisted of four primary research areas and associated work elements at Ohio universities: 1.0 Turbine Engine Prognostics, 2.0 Active Controls for Emissions and Noise Reduction, 3.0 Active Structural Controls and Performance, and 4.0 System Studies and Integration. Phase l, which was conducted during the period August 1, 2003, through September 30, 2004, has been reported separately.

Europe rediscovers the Moon with SMART-1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2006-08-01

The whole story began in September 2003, when an Ariane 5 launcher blasted off from Kourou, French Guiana, to deliver the European Space Agency’s lunar spacecraft SMART-1 into Earth orbit. SMART-1 is a small unmanned satellite weighing 366 kilograms and roughly fitting into a cube just 1 metre across, excluding its 14-metre solar panels (which were folded during launch). After launch and injection into an elliptical orbit around the Earth, the gentle but steady push provided by the spacecraft’s highly innovative electric propulsion engine forcefully expelling xenon gas ions caused SMART-1 to spiral around the Earth, increasing its distance from our planet until, after a long journey of about 14 months, it was “captured” by the Moon’s gravity. To cover the 385,000 km distance that separates the Earth from the Moon if one travelled in a straight line, this remarkably efficient engine brought the spacecraft on a 100 million km long spiralling journey on only 60 litres of fuel! The spacecraft was captured by the Moon in November 2004 and started its scientific mission in March 2005 in an elliptical orbit around its poles. ESA’s SMART-1 is currently the only spacecraft around the Moon, paving the way for the fleet of international lunar orbiters that will be launched from 2007 onwards. The story is now close to ending. On the night of Saturday 2 to Sunday 3 September, looking at the Moon with a powerful telescope, one may be able to see something special happening. Like most of its lunar predecessors, SMART-1 will end its journey and exploration of the Moon by landing in a relatively abrupt way. It will impact the lunar surface in an area called the “Lake of Excellence”, situated in the mid-southern region of the Moon’s visible disc at 07:41 CEST (05:41 UTC), or five hours before if it finds an unknown peak on the way. The story is close to ending After 16 months harvesting scientific results in an elliptical orbit around the Moon’s poles (at distances of between 300 and 3.000 km), the mission is almost over. The spacecraft perilune has now dropped below an altitude of 300 km from the lunar surface and will get a closer look at specific targets on the Moon before landing in a controlled manner on the moon surface (controlled, that is, in terms of where and when). It will then “die” there. “With a relative low speed at impact (2 km/sec or 7200 km/h), SMART-1 will create a small crater of 3 to 10m in diameter’s” says Bernard Foing, SMART-1 Project scientist, “a crater no larger than that created by a 1kg meteorite on a surface already heavily affected by natural impacts”. Mission controllers at the European Space Agency’s Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, near Frankfurt, Germany will monitor the final moments before impact step by step. Final milestones of SMART-1 flight operations In June, SMART-1 mission controllers at ESOC completed a series of complex thruster firings aimed at optimising the time and location of the spacecraft’s impact on the Moon's surface. They had to be done with the thrusters of the attitude control system since all the Xenon of the Ion engine had been consumed in 2005. The manoeuvres have shifted the time and location of impact, which would otherwise occurred in mid-August on the far side of the Moon; impact is now set to occur on the near side and current best estimates show the impact time to be around 07:41 CEST (05:41 UTC) on Sunday 3 September. "Mission controllers and flight dynamics engineers have analysed the results of the manoeuvre campaign to confirm and refine this estimate," says Octavio Camino-Ramos, SMART-1 spacecraft operations manager at ESA/ESOC. "The final adjustment manoeuvres are planned for 25th of August, which may still have a consequence on the final impact time", he added. Large ground telescopes will be involved before and during impact to make observations of the event, with several objectives: - To study the physics of the impact (ejected material, mass, dynamics and energy involved). - To analyse the chemistry of the surface by collecting the specific radiation emitted by the ejected material (‘spectra’) - To help technological assessment: understand what happens to the impacting spacecraft to know better how to prepare for future impactor experiments (for instance on satellites to intercept meteorites menacing our planet). Media briefing on 3 September, major press conference on 4 September Media representatives wishing to witness the impact event at ESOC and share the excitement of it with specialists and scientists available for interviews as of early morning on Sunday 3 September, or wishing to attend the press conference on Monday 4 September to highlight the first results of the impact, are required to fill in the attached registration form and return it by fax to the ESOC Communication Office by Thursday 31 August. Note for Editors Why so SMART? SMART-1 is packed with high-tech devices and state-of-the-art scientific instruments. Its ion engine, for instance, works by expelling a continuous beam of charged particles, or ions, which produces a thrust that drives the spacecraft forward. The energy to power the engine comes from the solar panels, hence the term 'solar electric propulsion'. The engine generates a very gentle continuous thrust which causes the spacecraft to move relatively slowly: SMART-1 accelerates at just 0.2 millimetres per square second, a thrust equivalent to the weight of a postcard. By necessity, SMART-1’s journey to the Moon has been neither quick nor direct. This was because, for the first time, ESA wanted to test electric propulsion on a trip similar to an interplanetary journey. After launch, SMART-1 went into an elliptical orbit around the Earth. Then the spacecraft fired its ion engine, gradually expanding its elliptical orbit and spiralling out in the direction of the Moon’s orbital plane. Month after month this brought SMART-1 closer to the Moon. This spiralling journey accounted for more than 100 million kilometres, while the Moon - if you wanted to go there in a straight line - is only between 350,000 and 400,000 kilometres away from the Earth. As SMART-1 neared its destination, it began using the gravity of the Moon to bring it into a position where it was captured by the Moon’s gravitational field. This occurred in November 2004. After being captured by the Moon, in January 2005, SMART-1 started to spiral down to its final operational polar elliptical orbit with a perilune (closest point to the lunar surface) altitude of 300 km and apolune (farthest point) altitude of 3000 km. to conduct its scientific exploration mission. What was there to know that we didn’t know already? Despite the number of spacecraft that have visited the Moon, many scientific questions concerning our natural satellite remained unanswered, notably to do with the origin and evolution of the Moon, and the processes that shape rocky planetary bodies (such as tectonics, volcanism, impacts and erosion). Thanks to SMART-1, scientists all over Europe and around the world now have the best resolution surface images ever from lunar orbit, as well as a better knowledge of the Moon’s minerals. For the first time from orbit, they have detected calcium and magnesium using an X-ray instrument. They have measured compositional changes from the central peaks of craters, volcanic plains and giant impact basins. SMART-1 has also studied impact craters, volcanic features and lava tubes, and monitored the polar regions. In addition, it found an area near the north pole where the Sun always shines, even in winter. SMART-1 has roamed over the lunar poles, enabling it to map the whole Moon, including its lesser known far side. The poles are particularly interesting to scientists because they are relatively unexplored. Moreover, some features in the polar regions have a geological history which is distinct from the more closely studied equatorial regions where all previous lunar landers have touched down so far. With SMART-1, Europe has played an active role in the international lunar exploration programme of the future and, with the data thus gathered, is able to make a substantial contribution to that effort. SMART-1 experience and data are also assisting in preparations for future lunar missions, such as India’s Chandrayaan-1, which will reuse SMART-1’s infrared and X-ray spectrometers. SMART-1 is equipped with completely new instruments, never used close to the Moon before. These include a miniature camera, and X-ray and infrared spectrometers, which are all helping to observe and study the Moon. Its solar panels use advanced gallium-arsenide solar cells, chosen in preference to traditional silicon cells. One of the experimental instruments onboard SMART-1 is OBAN, which has been testing a new navigation system that will allow future spacecraft to navigate on their own, without the need for control from the ground. Instruments and techniques tested in examining the Moon from SMART-1 will later help ESA's BepiColombo spacecraft to investigate the planet Mercury. For further information: ESA Media Relations Office Phone: + 33 1 5369 7155 Fax: + 33 1 5369 7296 Queries: media@esa.int Further information on the event at ESOC Jocelyne Landeau-Constantin Head of Corporate Communication Office ESA/ESOC Darmstadt, Germany : Tel. + 49 6151 90 26 96 / email: jlc@esa.int ACCREDITATION REQUEST FORM SMART-1 Moon impact - ESA/ESOC Darmstadt - Robert Bosch Strasse 5, Darmstadt, Germany a) Sunday 3 September b) Monday 4 September 2006 First name:___________________ Surname:_____________________ Media:______________________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ Tel:_______________________ Fax: ___________________________ Mobile:___________________ E-mail: _________________________ I will be attending the following events (NB:_times may be subject to change after major manoeuvre of SMART-1 on 25 August. Please check updates on: www.esa.int/smart1): [ ] Sunday 3 September: Monitoring of SMART-1 Moon impact Opening times for media: 06:00 to 10:00 06:30 - 09:00 Press will be briefed on the latest flight operations and can follow live SMART-1 telemetry, right before estimated impact at 07:41 CEST in ESOC Main Control Room, together with leading European mission operations and science experts and in relation with ground based observers. [ ] Monday 4 September: Summary Press Conference on SMART-1 mission Opening times for media: 10:00 - 13:00 / Press-conference from 11:00 to 12:00 11:00 - Welcome to ESA/ESOC by Gaele Winters, ESA Director of Operations - Introduction, by ESA’s Director of Science, David Southwood 11:05 - Flight operations, ground operations concepts and lunar impact, by Octavio Camino, ESA 11:15 - Spacecraft technology achievements with emphasis on solar-electric propulsion , by Giorgio Saccoccia, ESA 11:20 - Lunar science: - scientific mission overview by Bernard Foing, ESA - lunar imaging, by Jean-Luc Josset (principal investigator for AMIE) - the Moon in X-rays - mineralogy, by Manuel Grande (principal investigator for D-CIXS) - ground observations campaign, by Prof. Pascale Ehrenfreund, Leiden Observatory 11:50 - Conclusions: Heritage for future lunar missions, International cooperation with India and China, by Gerhard Schwehm, ESA 11:55 - Q&A moderated by Jocelyne Constantin-Landeau, ESA (Individual interviews afterwards)

Study of Smart Campus Development Using Internet of Things Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widya Sari, Marti; Wahyu Ciptadi, Prahenusa; Hafid Hardyanto, R.

2017-04-01

This paper describes the development of smart campus using Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Through smart campus, it is possible that a campus is connected via online by the outside entity, so that the teaching approach based on technology can be conducted in real time. This research was conducted in smart education, smart parking and smart room. Observation and literature studies were applied as the research method with the related theme for the sake of system design of smart campus. The result of this research is the design of smart campus system that includes smart education development, smart parking and smart room with the sake of Universitas PGRI Yogyakarta as the case study.

Development of a mini-mobile digital radiography system by using wireless smart devices.

PubMed

Jeong, Chang-Won; Joo, Su-Chong; Ryu, Jong-Hyun; Lee, Jinseok; Kim, Kyong-Woo; Yoon, Kwon-Ha

2014-08-01

The current technologies that trend in digital radiology (DR) are toward systems using portable smart mobile as patient-centered care. We aimed to develop a mini-mobile DR system by using smart devices for wireless connection into medical information systems. We developed a mini-mobile DR system consisting of an X-ray source and a Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) sensor based on a flat panel detector for small-field diagnostics in patients. It is used instead of the systems that are difficult to perform with a fixed traditional device. We also designed a method for embedded systems in the development of portable DR systems. The external interface used the fast and stable IEEE 802.11n wireless protocol, and we adapted the device for connections with Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) and smart devices. The smart device could display images on an external monitor other than the monitor in the DR system. The communication modules, main control board, and external interface supporting smart devices were implemented. Further, a smart viewer based on the external interface was developed to display image files on various smart devices. In addition, the advantage of operators is to reduce radiation dose when using remote smart devices. It is integrated with smart devices that can provide X-ray imaging services anywhere. With this technology, it can permit image observation on a smart device from a remote location by connecting to the external interface. We evaluated the response time of the mini-mobile DR system to compare to mobile PACS. The experimental results show that our system outperforms conventional mobile PACS in this regard.

Mobile robotics research at Sandia National Laboratories

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morse, W.D.

Sandia is a National Security Laboratory providing scientific and engineering solutions to meet national needs for both government and industry. As part of this mission, the Intelligent Systems and Robotics Center conducts research and development in robotics and intelligent machine technologies. An overview of Sandia`s mobile robotics research is provided. Recent achievements and future directions in the areas of coordinated mobile manipulation, small smart machines, world modeling, and special application robots are presented.

A Smart Home Test Bed for Undergraduate Education to Bridge the Curriculum Gap from Traditional Power Systems to Modernized Smart Grids

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hu, Qinran; Li, Fangxing; Chen, Chien-fei

2015-01-01

There is a worldwide trend to modernize old power grid infrastructures to form future smart grids, which will achieve efficient, flexible energy consumption by using the latest technologies in communication, computing, and control. Smart grid initiatives are moving power systems curricula toward smart grids. Although the components of smart grids…

SMART-1 leaves Earth on a long journey to the Moon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2003-09-01

The European Space Agency’s SMART-1 was one of three payloads on Ariane Flight 162. The generic Ariane-5 lifted off from the Guiana Space Centre, Europe’s spaceport at Kourou, French Guiana, at 2014 hrs local time (2314 hrs GMT) on 27 September (01:14 Central European Summer time on 28 September). 42 minutes after launch, SMART-1 as last of the three satellites had been successfully released into a geostationary transfer orbit (654 x 35 885 km, inclined at 7 degrees to the Equator). While the other two satellites are due to manoeuvre towards geostationary orbit, the 367 kg SMART-1 will begin a much longer journey to a target ten times more distant than the geostationary orbit: the Moon. “Europe can be proud”, said ESA Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain, after witnessing the launch from ESA’s ESOC space operations centre in Darmstadt, Germany, “we have set course for the Moon again. And this is only the beginning: we are preparing to reach much further”. The spacecraft has deployed its solar arrays and is currently undergoing initial checkout of its systems under control from ESA/ESOC. This checkout will continue until 4 October and will include with the initial firing of SMART-1’s innovative ion engine. By ion drive to the Moon “Science and technology go hand in hand in this exciting mission to the Moon. The Earth and Moon have over 4 thousand million years of shared history, so knowing the Moon better will help scientists in Europe and all over the world to better understand our planet and will give them valuable new hints on how to better safeguard it” said ESA Director of Science David Southwood, following the launch from Kourou. As the first mission in the new series of Small Missions for Advanced Research in Technology, SMART-1 is mainly designed to demonstrate innovative and key technologies for future deep space science missions. The first technology to be demonstrated on SMART-1 will be Solar Electric Primary Propulsion (SEPP), a highly efficient and lightweight propulsion system that is ideal for long-duration deep space missions in and beyond our solar system. SMART-1’s propulsion system consists in a single ion engine fuelled by 82 kg of xenon gas and pure solar energy. This plasma thruster relies on the “Hall effect” to accelerate xenon ions to speed up to 16,000 m/s (or 57 600 km/hr). It is able to deliver 70 mN of thrust with a specific impulse (the ratio between thrust and propellant consumption) 5 to 10 times better than traditional chemical thrusters and for much longer durations (months or even years, compared to the few minutes’ operating times typical of traditional chemical engines). The ion engine is scheduled to go into action on 30 September. At first, it will fire almost continuously -stopping only when the spacecraft is in the Earth’s shadow - to accelerate the probe (at about 0.2 mm/s2) and raise the altitude of its perigee (the lowest point of its orbit) from 654 to 14 000 km. This manoeuvre will take about 80 days to complete and will place the spacecraft safely above the radiation belts that surround the Earth. Commissioning will be completed within 2 weeks, after which ESA’s control centre at ESOC will be in contact with the spacecraft for two 8-hour periods every week. Once at a safe distance from Earth, SMART-1 will fire its thruster for periods of several days to progressively raise its apogee (the maximum altitude of its orbit) to the orbit of the Moon. At 200 000 km from Earth, it will begin receiving significant tugs from the Moon as it passes by. It will then perform three gravity-assist manoeuvres while flying by the Moon in late December 2004, late January and February 2005. Eventually, SMART-1 will be “captured” and enter a near-polar elliptical lunar orbit in March 2005. SMART-1 will then use its thruster to reduce the altitude and eccentricity of this orbit. During this 18-month transfer phase, the solar-electric primary propulsion’s performance, and its interactions with the spacecraft and its environment, will be closely monitored by the Spacecraft Potential, Electron & Dust Experiment (SPEDE) and the Electric Propulsion Diagnostic Package (EPDP) to detect possible side-effects or interactions with natural electric and magnetic phenomena in nearby space. A promising technology, Solar Electric Primary Propulsion could be applied to numerous interplanetary missions in the Solar System, reducing the size and cost of propulsion systems while increasing manoeuvring flexibility and the mass available for scientific instrumentation. In addition to Solar Electric Primary Propulsion, SMART-1 will demonstrate a wide range of new technologies like a Li-Ion modular battery package; new-generation high-data-rate deep space communications in X and Ka bands with the X/Ka-band Telemetry and Telecommand Experiment (KaTE); a computer technique enabling spacecraft to determine their position autonomously in space, which is the first step towards fully autonomous spacecraft navigation. Digging for the Moon’s remaining secrets In April 2005 SMART-1 will begin the second phase of its mission, due to last at least six months and dedicated to the study of the Moon from a near polar orbit. For more than 40 years, the Moon has been visited by automated space probes and by nine manned expeditions, six of which landed on its surface. Nevertheless, much remains to be learnt about our closest neighbour, and SMART-1’s payload will conduct observations never performed before in such detail. The Advanced/Moon Micro-Imaging Experiment (AMIE) miniaturised CCD camera will provide high-resolution and high-sensitivity imagery of the surface, even in poorly lit polar areas. The highly compact SIR infrared spectrometer will map lunar materials and look for water and carbon dioxide ice in permanently shadowed craters. The Demonstration Compact Imaging X-ray Spectrometer (D-CIXS) will provide the first global chemical map of the Moon and the X-ray Solar Monitor (XSM) will perform spectrometric observations of the Sun and provide calibration data to D-CIXS to compensate for solar variability. The SPEDE experiment used to monitor Solar Electric Primary Propulsion interactions with the environment will also study how the solar wind affects the Moon. The overall data collected by SMART-1 will provide new inputs for studies of the evolution of the Moon, its chemical composition and its geophysical processes, and also for comparative planetology in general. Paving the way for future space probes In addition to valuable lunar science, SMART-1’s payload will be involved in the mission’s technology demonstrations to prepare for future-generation deep space missions. For instance, the AMIE camera will be used to validate the On-Board Autonomous Navigation (OBAN) algorithm, which correlates data from sensors and star trackers to provide navigational data. It will also participate in a laser communication link experiment with ESA’s optical ground station at the Teide Observatory in Tenerife, Canary Islands, trying to detect an incoming laser beam from the ground. Using both AMIE and KaTE hardware, the Radio Science Investigation System (RSIS) experiment will demonstrate a new way of gauging the interiors of planets and their moons by detecting the well-known tilting motion of the Moon. This technology can be used later by ESA planetary missions. SMART-1 was developed for ESA by the Swedish Space Corporation, as prime contractor, with contributions from almost 30 contractors from 11 European countries and the United States. Despite its small size, the spacecraft carries 19 kg of science payload consisting in experiments led by Principal Investigators from Finland, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Despite its relatively small budget and short development schedule, SMART-1 holds tremendous potential for future missions and is a clear illustration of Europe’s ambitions in the exploration of the solar system, also highlighted by June’s launch of Mars Express, which has now completed over the half on its journey to Mars, and the launch of Rosetta, due in February 2004, to visit comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

On the Design of Smart Parking Networks in the Smart Cities: An Optimal Sensor Placement Model

PubMed Central

Bagula, Antoine; Castelli, Lorenzo; Zennaro, Marco

2015-01-01

Smart parking is a typical IoT application that can benefit from advances in sensor, actuator and RFID technologies to provide many services to its users and parking owners of a smart city. This paper considers a smart parking infrastructure where sensors are laid down on the parking spots to detect car presence and RFID readers are embedded into parking gates to identify cars and help in the billing of the smart parking. Both types of devices are endowed with wired and wireless communication capabilities for reporting to a gateway where the situation recognition is performed. The sensor devices are tasked to play one of the three roles: (1) slave sensor nodes located on the parking spot to detect car presence/absence; (2) master nodes located at one of the edges of a parking lot to detect presence and collect the sensor readings from the slave nodes; and (3) repeater sensor nodes, also called “anchor” nodes, located strategically at specific locations in the parking lot to increase the coverage and connectivity of the wireless sensor network. While slave and master nodes are placed based on geographic constraints, the optimal placement of the relay/anchor sensor nodes in smart parking is an important parameter upon which the cost and efficiency of the parking system depends. We formulate the optimal placement of sensors in smart parking as an integer linear programming multi-objective problem optimizing the sensor network engineering efficiency in terms of coverage and lifetime maximization, as well as its economic gain in terms of the number of sensors deployed for a specific coverage and lifetime. We propose an exact solution to the node placement problem using single-step and two-step solutions implemented in the Mosel language based on the Xpress-MPsuite of libraries. Experimental results reveal the relative efficiency of the single-step compared to the two-step model on different performance parameters. These results are consolidated by simulation results, which reveal that our solution outperforms a random placement in terms of both energy consumption, delay and throughput achieved by a smart parking network. PMID:26134104

On the Design of Smart Parking Networks in the Smart Cities: An Optimal Sensor Placement Model.

PubMed

Bagula, Antoine; Castelli, Lorenzo; Zennaro, Marco

2015-06-30

Smart parking is a typical IoT application that can benefit from advances in sensor, actuator and RFID technologies to provide many services to its users and parking owners of a smart city. This paper considers a smart parking infrastructure where sensors are laid down on the parking spots to detect car presence and RFID readers are embedded into parking gates to identify cars and help in the billing of the smart parking. Both types of devices are endowed with wired and wireless communication capabilities for reporting to a gateway where the situation recognition is performed. The sensor devices are tasked to play one of the three roles: (1) slave sensor nodes located on the parking spot to detect car presence/absence; (2) master nodes located at one of the edges of a parking lot to detect presence and collect the sensor readings from the slave nodes; and (3) repeater sensor nodes, also called "anchor" nodes, located strategically at specific locations in the parking lot to increase the coverage and connectivity of the wireless sensor network. While slave and master nodes are placed based on geographic constraints, the optimal placement of the relay/anchor sensor nodes in smart parking is an important parameter upon which the cost and efficiency of the parking system depends. We formulate the optimal placement of sensors in smart parking as an integer linear programming multi-objective problem optimizing the sensor network engineering efficiency in terms of coverage and lifetime maximization, as well as its economic gain in terms of the number of sensors deployed for a specific coverage and lifetime. We propose an exact solution to the node placement problem using single-step and two-step solutions implemented in the Mosel language based on the Xpress-MPsuite of libraries. Experimental results reveal the relative efficiency of the single-step compared to the two-step model on different performance parameters. These results are consolidated by simulation results, which reveal that our solution outperforms a random placement in terms of both energy consumption, delay and throughput achieved by a smart parking network.

Vehicle Fault Diagnose Based on Smart Sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhining, Li; Peng, Wang; Jianmin, Mei; Jianwei, Li; Fei, Teng

In the vehicle's traditional fault diagnose system, we usually use a computer system with a A/D card and with many sensors connected to it. The disadvantage of this system is that these sensor can hardly be shared with control system and other systems, there are too many connect lines and the electro magnetic compatibility(EMC) will be affected. In this paper, smart speed sensor, smart acoustic press sensor, smart oil press sensor, smart acceleration sensor and smart order tracking sensor were designed to solve this problem. With the CAN BUS these smart sensors, fault diagnose computer and other computer could be connected together to establish a network system which can monitor and control the vehicle's diesel and other system without any duplicate sensor. The hard and soft ware of the smart sensor system was introduced, the oil press, vibration and acoustic signal are resampled by constant angle increment to eliminate the influence of the rotate speed. After the resample, the signal in every working cycle could be averaged in angle domain and do other analysis like order spectrum.

Adoption of Smart Structures for Prevention of Health Hazards in Buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oke, Ayodeji; Aigbavboa, Clinton; Ngema, Wiseman

2017-11-01

The importance of building quality to the health and well-being of occupants and surrounding neighbors cannot be overemphasized. Smart structures were construed to proffer solution to various issues of sustainable development including social factors that is concerned with health and safety of people. Based on existing literature materials on building quality, smart structures and general aspect of sustainable developments, this study examined the benefits of smart structures in the prevention of various health issues in infrastructural buildings, which has been a concern for stakeholders in the architecture, engineering and construction industry. The criterion for indoor environmental quality was adopted and various health and bodily issues related to building quality were explained. The adoption of smart structure concept will help to manage physical, chemical, biological and psychological factors of building with a view to enhancing better quality of life of occupants.

Stress Management and Relaxation Techniques use among underserved inpatients in an inner city hospital.

PubMed

Gardiner, Paula; Sadikova, Ekaterina; Filippelli, Amanda C; Mitchell, Suzanne; White, Laura F; Saper, Robert; Kaptchuk, Ted J; Jack, Brian W; Fredman, Lisa

2015-06-01

Little is known about the use of Stress Management and Relaxation Techniques (SMART) in racially diverse inpatients. We hope to identify socioeconomic status (SES) factors, health behavior factors, and clinical factors associated with the use of SMART. We conducted a secondary analysis of baseline data from 623 hospitalized patients enrolled in the Re-Engineered Discharge (RED) clinical trial. We assessed socio-demographic characteristics and use of SMART. We used bivariate and multivariate logistic regression to test the association of SMART with socio-demographic characteristics, health behaviors, and clinical factors. A total of 26.6% of participants reported using SMART and 23.6% used mind body techniques. Thirty six percent of work disabled patients, 39% of illicit drug users, and 38% of participants with depressive symptoms used SMART. Patients who both reported illicit drug use and screened positive for depression had significantly increased odds of using SMART [OR=4.94, 95% CI (1.59, 15.13)]. Compared to non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks [0.55 (0.34-0.87)] and Hispanic/other race individuals [0.40 (0.20-0.76)] were less likely to use SMART. We found greater utilization of SMART among all racial groups compared to previous national studies. In the inner city inpatient setting, patients with depression, illicit drug use, and work disability reported higher rates of using SMART. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Combining a Multi-Agent System and Communication Middleware for Smart Home Control: A Universal Control Platform Architecture

PubMed Central

Zheng, Song; Zhang, Qi; Zheng, Rong; Huang, Bi-Qin; Song, Yi-Lin; Chen, Xin-Chu

2017-01-01

In recent years, the smart home field has gained wide attention for its broad application prospects. However, families using smart home systems must usually adopt various heterogeneous smart devices, including sensors and devices, which makes it more difficult to manage and control their home system. How to design a unified control platform to deal with the collaborative control problem of heterogeneous smart devices is one of the greatest challenges in the current smart home field. The main contribution of this paper is to propose a universal smart home control platform architecture (IAPhome) based on a multi-agent system and communication middleware, which shows significant adaptability and advantages in many aspects, including heterogeneous devices connectivity, collaborative control, human-computer interaction and user self-management. The communication middleware is an important foundation to design and implement this architecture which makes it possible to integrate heterogeneous smart devices in a flexible way. A concrete method of applying the multi-agent software technique to solve the integrated control problem of the smart home system is also presented. The proposed platform architecture has been tested in a real smart home environment, and the results indicate that the effectiveness of our approach for solving the collaborative control problem of different smart devices. PMID:28926957

Combining a Multi-Agent System and Communication Middleware for Smart Home Control: A Universal Control Platform Architecture.

PubMed

Zheng, Song; Zhang, Qi; Zheng, Rong; Huang, Bi-Qin; Song, Yi-Lin; Chen, Xin-Chu

2017-09-16

In recent years, the smart home field has gained wide attention for its broad application prospects. However, families using smart home systems must usually adopt various heterogeneous smart devices, including sensors and devices, which makes it more difficult to manage and control their home system. How to design a unified control platform to deal with the collaborative control problem of heterogeneous smart devices is one of the greatest challenges in the current smart home field. The main contribution of this paper is to propose a universal smart home control platform architecture (IAPhome) based on a multi-agent system and communication middleware, which shows significant adaptability and advantages in many aspects, including heterogeneous devices connectivity, collaborative control, human-computer interaction and user self-management. The communication middleware is an important foundation to design and implement this architecture which makes it possible to integrate heterogeneous smart devices in a flexible way. A concrete method of applying the multi-agent software technique to solve the integrated control problem of the smart home system is also presented. The proposed platform architecture has been tested in a real smart home environment, and the results indicate that the effectiveness of our approach for solving the collaborative control problem of different smart devices.

Formal Verification of the Runway Safety Monitor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siminiceanu, Radu; Ciardo, Gianfranco

2006-01-01

The Runway Safety Monitor (RSM) designed by Lockheed Martin is part of NASA's effort to reduce runway accidents. We developed a Petri net model of the RSM protocol and used the model checking functions of our tool SMART to investigate a number of safety properties in RSM. To mitigate the impact of state-space explosion, we built a highly discretized model of the system, obtained by partitioning the monitored runway zone into a grid of smaller volumes and by considering scenarios involving only two aircraft. The model also assumes that there are no communication failures, such as bad input from radar or lack of incoming data, thus it relies on a consistent view of reality by all participants. In spite of these simplifications, we were able to expose potential problems in the RSM conceptual design. Our findings were forwarded to the design engineers, who undertook corrective action. Additionally, the results stress the efficiency attained by the new model checking algorithms implemented in SMART, and demonstrate their applicability to real-world systems.

An Overview-NASA LeRC Structures Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zaretsky, Erwin V.

1997-01-01

The Structures and Acoustics Division of the NASA Lewis Research Center has its genesis dating back to 1943. It has been an independent Division at Lewis since 1979. Its two primary capabilities are performance and life analysis of static and dynamic systems such as those found in aircraft and spacecraft propulsion systems and experimental verification of these analyses. Research is conducted in-house, through university grants and contracts, and through cooperative programs with industry. Our work directly supports NASA's Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST), Smart Green Engine, Fast Quiet Engine, High-Temperature Materials and Processing (HiTEMP), Hybrid Hyperspeed Propulsion, Rotorcraft, High-Speed Research (HSR), and Aviation Safety Program (AvSP). A general overview is given discussing these programs and other technologies that are being developed at NASA LeRC.

Distribution System Reliability Analysis for Smart Grid Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aljohani, Tawfiq Masad

Reliability of power systems is a key aspect in modern power system planning, design, and operation. The ascendance of the smart grid concept has provided high hopes of developing an intelligent network that is capable of being a self-healing grid, offering the ability to overcome the interruption problems that face the utility and cost it tens of millions in repair and loss. To address its reliability concerns, the power utilities and interested parties have spent extensive amount of time and effort to analyze and study the reliability of the generation and transmission sectors of the power grid. Only recently has attention shifted to be focused on improving the reliability of the distribution network, the connection joint between the power providers and the consumers where most of the electricity problems occur. In this work, we will examine the effect of the smart grid applications in improving the reliability of the power distribution networks. The test system used in conducting this thesis is the IEEE 34 node test feeder, released in 2003 by the Distribution System Analysis Subcommittee of the IEEE Power Engineering Society. The objective is to analyze the feeder for the optimal placement of the automatic switching devices and quantify their proper installation based on the performance of the distribution system. The measures will be the changes in the reliability system indices including SAIDI, SAIFI, and EUE. The goal is to design and simulate the effect of the installation of the Distributed Generators (DGs) on the utility's distribution system and measure the potential improvement of its reliability. The software used in this work is DISREL, which is intelligent power distribution software that is developed by General Reliability Co.

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT; ULTRASONIC AQUEOUS CLEANING SYSTEMS, SMART SONIC CORPORATION, SMART SONIC

EPA Science Inventory

This report is a product of the U.S. EPA's Environmental Technoloy Verification (ETV) Program and is focused on the Smart Sonics Ultrasonic Aqueous Cleaning Systems. The verification is based on three main objectives. (1) The Smart Sonic Aqueous Cleaning Systems, Model 2000 and...

Adapting a commercial power system simulator for smart grid based system study and vulnerability assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Navaratne, Uditha Sudheera

The smart grid is the future of the power grid. Smart meters and the associated network play a major role in the distributed system of the smart grid. Advance Metering Infrastructure (AMI) can enhance the reliability of the grid, generate efficient energy management opportunities and many innovations around the future smart grid. These innovations involve intense research not only on the AMI network itself but as also on the influence an AMI network can have upon the rest of the power grid. This research describes a smart meter testbed with hardware in loop that can facilitate future research in an AMI network. The smart meters in the testbed were developed such that their functionality can be customized to simulate any given scenario such as integrating new hardware components into a smart meter or developing new encryption algorithms in firmware. These smart meters were integrated into the power system simulator to simulate the power flow variation in the power grid on different AMI activities. Each smart meter in the network also provides a communication interface to the home area network. This research delivers a testbed for emulating the AMI activities and monitoring their effect on the smart grid.

Intellectual Production Supervision Perform based on RFID Smart Electricity Meter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xiangqun; Huang, Rui; Shen, Liman; chen, Hao; Xiong, Dezhi; Xiao, Xiangqi; Liu, Mouhai; Xu, Renheng

2018-03-01

This topic develops the RFID intelligent electricity meter production supervision project management system. The system is designed for energy meter production supervision in the management of the project schedule, quality and cost information management requirements in RFID intelligent power, and provide quantitative information more comprehensive, timely and accurate for supervision engineer and project manager management decisions, and to provide technical information for the product manufacturing stage file. From the angle of scheme analysis, design, implementation and test, the system development of production supervision project management system for RFID smart meter project is discussed. Focus on the development of the system, combined with the main business application and management mode at this stage, focuses on the energy meter to monitor progress information, quality information and cost based information on RFID intelligent power management function. The paper introduces the design scheme of the system, the overall client / server architecture, client oriented graphical user interface universal, complete the supervision of project management and interactive transaction information display, the server system of realizing the main program. The system is programmed with C# language and.NET operating environment, and the client and server platforms use Windows operating system, and the database server software uses Oracle. The overall platform supports mainstream information and standards and has good scalability.

Development of engineering components having dual functionality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, L. D.; Waldbusser, R.; Pratt, E.

2000-05-01

This paper describes the engineering research and development of a smart aircraft bolt designed for high-tension wing attachment applications on USAF C-130 cargo planes. The bolt is a load-carrying structural component as well as serving as a damage sensor. The bolt material choice is TRIP (Transformation Induced Plasticity) steel; high-strength, metastable austenitic steel that gradually and irreversibly transforms to martensite during deformation. The martensite is ferromagnetic whereas the parent austenite phase is paramagnetic, having no significant ferromagnetic response. The ferromagnetic signature of the bolt can be correlated to the peak deformation strain and further correlated with the peak damage state. Stress-assisted phase transformations occur within the elastic regime while strain-induced transformations occur in the post-yield regime. Both transformation variants produce easily detected signals that can be readily monitored. A review of the nature of TRIP steel materials, their properties and behavior, and the smart bolt design approach is presented with examples of the quantitative output obtained during simulated laboratory testing. A brief discussion of the detection electronics and interrogation system is provided to familiarize the audience with the technical issues encompassing this technology. Preliminary results from field testing and service experience are reviewed.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The Best Practices Manual was written as a part of the promotional effort for EnergySmart Schools, provided by the US Department of Energy, to educate school districts around the country about energy efficiency and renewable energy. Written specifically for architects and engineers, The Best Practices Manual is designed to help those who are responsible for designing or retrofitting schools, as well as their project managers. This manual will help design staff make informed decisions about energy and environmental issues important to the school systems and communities.

Software and knowledge engineering aspects of smart homes applied to health.

PubMed

Augusto, Juan Carlos; Nugent, Chris; Martin, Suzanne; Olphert, Colin

2005-01-01

Smart Home technology offers a viable solution to the increasing needs of the elderly, special needs and home based-healthcare populations. The research to date has largely focused on the development of communication technologies, sensor technologies and intelligent user interfaces. We claim that this technological evolution has not been matched with a step of a similar size on the software counterpart. We particularly focus on the software that emphasizes the intelligent aspects of a Smart Home and the difficulties that arise from the computational analysis of the information collected from a Smart Home. The process of translating information into accurate diagnosis when using non-invasive technology is full of challenges, some of which have been considered in the literature to some extent but as yet without clear landmarks.

Vibration control of a ship engine system using high-load magnetorheological mounts associated with a new indirect fuzzy sliding mode controller

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phu, Do Xuan; Choi, Seung-Bok

2015-02-01

In this work, a new high-load magnetorheological (MR) fluid mount system is devised and applied to control vibration in a ship engine. In the investigation of vibration-control performance, a new modified indirect fuzzy sliding mode controller is formulated and realized. The design of the proposed MR mount is based on the flow mode of MR fluid, and it includes two separated coils for generating a magnetic field. An optimization process is carried out to achieve maximal damping force under certain design constraints, such as the allowable height of the mount. As an actuating smart fluid, a new plate-like iron-particle-based MR fluid is used, instead of the conventional spherical iron-particle-based MR fluid. After evaluating the field-dependent yield stress of the MR fluid, the field-dependent damping force required to control unwanted vibration in the ship engine is determined. Subsequently, an appropriate-sized MR mount is manufactured and its damping characteristics are evaluated. After confirming the sufficient damping force level of the manufactured MR mount, a medium-sized ship engine mount system consisting of eight MR mounts is established, and its dynamic governing equations are derived. A new modified indirect fuzzy sliding mode controller is then formulated and applied to the engine mount system. The displacement and velocity responses show that the unwanted vibrations of the ship engine system can be effectively controlled in both the axial and radial directions by applying the proposed control methodology.

Trust in smart systems: sharing driving goals and giving information to increase trustworthiness and acceptability of smart systems in cars.

PubMed

Verberne, Frank M F; Ham, Jaap; Midden, Cees J H

2012-10-01

We examine whether trust in smart systems is generated analogously to trust in humans and whether the automation level of smart systems affects trustworthiness and acceptability of those systems. Trust is an important factor when considering acceptability of automation technology. As shared goals lead to social trust, and intelligent machines tend to be treated like humans, the authors expected that shared driving goals would also lead to increased trustworthiness and acceptability of adaptive cruise control (ACC) systems. In an experiment, participants (N = 57) were presented with descriptions of three ACCs with different automation levels that were described as systems that either shared their driving goals or did not. Trustworthiness and acceptability of all the ACCs were measured. ACCs sharing the driving goals of the user were more trustworthy and acceptable than were ACCs not sharing the driving goals of the user. Furthermore, ACCs that took over driving tasks while providing information were more trustworthy and acceptable than were ACCs that took over driving tasks without providing information. Trustworthiness mediated the effects of both driving goals and automation level on acceptability of ACCs. As when trusting other humans, trusting smart systems depends on those systems sharing the user's goals. Furthermore, based on their description, smart systems that take over tasks are judged more trustworthy and acceptable when they also provide information. For optimal acceptability of smart systems, goals of the user should be shared by the smart systems, and smart systems should provide information to their user.

Bioresponsive materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Yue; Aimetti, Alex A.; Langer, Robert; Gu, Zhen

2017-01-01

'Smart' bioresponsive materials that are sensitive to biological signals or to pathological abnormalities, and interact with or are actuated by them, are appealing therapeutic platforms for the development of next-generation precision medications. Armed with a better understanding of various biologically responsive mechanisms, researchers have made innovations in the areas of materials chemistry, biomolecular engineering, pharmaceutical science, and micro- and nanofabrication to develop bioresponsive materials for a range of applications, including controlled drug delivery, diagnostics, tissue engineering and biomedical devices. This Review highlights recent advances in the design of smart materials capable of responding to the physiological environment, to biomarkers and to biological particulates. Key design principles, challenges and future directions, including clinical translation, of bioresponsive materials are also discussed.

Smart nanomaterials for biomedics.

PubMed

Choi, Soonmo; Tripathi, Anuj; Singh, Deepti

2014-10-01

Nanotechnology has become important in various disciplines of technology and science. It has proven to be a potential candidate for various applications ranging from biosensors to the delivery of genes and therapeutic agents to tissue engineering. Scaffolds for every application can be tailor made to have the appropriate physicochemical properties that will influence the in vivo system in the desired way. For highly sensitive and precise detection of specific signals or pathogenic markers, or for sensing the levels of particular analytes, fabricating target-specific nanomaterials can be very useful. Multi-functional nano-devices can be fabricated using different approaches to achieve multi-directional patterning in a scaffold with the ability to alter topographical cues at scale of less than or equal to 100 nm. Smart nanomaterials are made to understand the surrounding environment and act accordingly by either protecting the drug in hostile conditions or releasing the "payload" at the intended intracellular target site. All of this is achieved by exploiting polymers for their functional groups or incorporating conducting materials into a natural biopolymer to obtain a "smart material" that can be used for detection of circulating tumor cells, detection of differences in the body analytes, or repair of damaged tissue by acting as a cell culture scaffold. Nanotechnology has changed the nature of diagnosis and treatment in the biomedical field, and this review aims to bring together the most recent advances in smart nanomaterials.

Stress Management and Relaxation Techniques Use among Underserved Inpatients in an Inner City Hospital

PubMed Central

Gardiner, Paula; Sadikova, Ekaterina; Filippelli, Amanda C.; Mitchell, Suzanne; White, Laura F.; Saper, Robert; Kaptchuk, Ted J.; Jack, Brian W.; Fredman, Lisa

2015-01-01

Objective Little is known about the use of Stress Management and Relaxation Techniques (SMART) in racially diverse inpatients. We hope to identify socioeconomic status (SES) factors, health behavior factors, and clinical factors associated with the use of SMART. Design and Main Outcome Measures We conducted a secondary analysis of baseline data from 623 hospitalized patients enrolled in the Re-Engineered Discharge (RED) clinical trial. We assessed socio-demographic characteristics and use of SMART. We used bivariate and multivariate logistic regression to test the association of SMART with socio-demographic characteristics, health behaviors, and clinical factors. Results A total of 26.6% of participants reported using SMART and 23.6% used mind body techniques. Thirty six percent of work disabled patients, 39% of illicit drug users, and 38% of participants with depressive symptoms used SMART. Patients who both reported illicit drug use and screened positive for depression had significantly increased odds of using SMART [OR=4.94, 95% CI (1.59, 15.13)]. Compared to non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks [0.55, (0.34 to 0.87)] and Hispanic/other race individuals [0.40, (0.20 to 0.76)] were less likely to use SMART. Conclusions We found greater utilization of SMART among all racial groups compared to previous national studies. In the inner city inpatient setting, patients with depression, illicit drug use, and work disability reported higher rates of using SMART. PMID:26051576

Wellness engineering for better quality of life of aging baby boomer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szu, Harold

2007-04-01

Current health care system serving 78M aging baby-boomers is no longer sustainable, as the cost about 1/5 GDP will reach 1/4 GDT when all is retired in decades, unless the system is changed. We design a high-tech safe net to enhance the timeliness of early correct treatment execution (otherwise, causing 1/4 mortality associated with an escalating legal fee waste). We follow the common sense that "a stitch in time saves nine," and adopt the military surveillance know-how in designing early warning health management system, comprising of smart sensor pairs for point-care surveillance. However, the grand plan of affordable smart sensors hardware for households requires an ODM & OEM teaming to conduct parallel designing and sequential marketing strategy. The military software strategy combating a treacherous adversary enemy match well with point cares surveillance overcoming real world microorganism variability. Moreover, such smart military software provides self-reference change detection, not by traditional cohort ensemble average, but by individual own higher order statistics (HOS) independent component analysis (ICA), which take the advantage of known initial condition for each individual and desirable over-sampling daily dynamics. The triggering of warning follows the military algorithms comprising of Receiver Operation Characteristics (ROC) and Automatic Target Recognition (ATR). To further reduce the unwanted false negative rate, a benchmarked is made against the traditional cohort-ensemble baseline average & the upper & lower bounds of variance as adopted by the gatekeepers - Medical Doctors (MD) and Nurses.

Informatics Metrics and Measures for a Smart Public Health Systems Approach: Information Science Perspective

PubMed Central

Shea, Christopher Michael

2017-01-01

Public health informatics is an evolving domain in which practices constantly change to meet the demands of a highly complex public health and healthcare delivery system. Given the emergence of various concepts, such as learning health systems, smart health systems, and adaptive complex health systems, health informatics professionals would benefit from a common set of measures and capabilities to inform our modeling, measuring, and managing of health system “smartness.” Here, we introduce the concepts of organizational complexity, problem/issue complexity, and situational awareness as three codependent drivers of smart public health systems characteristics. We also propose seven smart public health systems measures and capabilities that are important in a public health informatics professional's toolkit. PMID:28167999

Informatics Metrics and Measures for a Smart Public Health Systems Approach: Information Science Perspective.

PubMed

Carney, Timothy Jay; Shea, Christopher Michael

2017-01-01

Public health informatics is an evolving domain in which practices constantly change to meet the demands of a highly complex public health and healthcare delivery system. Given the emergence of various concepts, such as learning health systems, smart health systems, and adaptive complex health systems, health informatics professionals would benefit from a common set of measures and capabilities to inform our modeling, measuring, and managing of health system "smartness." Here, we introduce the concepts of organizational complexity, problem/issue complexity, and situational awareness as three codependent drivers of smart public health systems characteristics. We also propose seven smart public health systems measures and capabilities that are important in a public health informatics professional's toolkit.

Mars Smart Lander Simulations for Entry, Descent, and Landing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Striepe, S. A.; Way, D. W.; Balaram, J.

2002-01-01

Two primary simulations have been developed and are being updated for the Mars Smart Lander Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL). The high fidelity engineering end-to-end EDL simulation that is based on NASA Langley's Program to Optimize Simulated Trajectories (POST) and the end-to-end real-time, hardware-in-the-loop simulation testbed, which is based on NASA JPL's (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) Dynamics Simulator for Entry, Descent and Surface landing (DSENDS). This paper presents the status of these Mars Smart Lander EDL end-to-end simulations at this time. Various models, capabilities, as well as validation and verification for these simulations are discussed.

Carbon-Based Wear Coatings: Properties and Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miyoshi, Kazuhisa

2003-01-01

The technical function of numerous engineering systems - such as vehicles, machines, and instruments - depends on the processes of motion and on the surface systems. Many processes in nature and technology depend on the motion and dynamic behavior of solids, liquids, and gases. Smart surface systems are essential because of the recent technological push toward higher speeds, loads, and operating temperatures; longer life; lighter weight and smaller size (including nanotechnology); and harsh environments in mechanical, mechatronic, and biomechanical systems. If proper attention is not given to surface systems, then vehicles, machines, instruments, and other technical systems could have short lives, consume excessive energy, experience breakdowns, result in liabilities, and fail to accomplish their missions. Surface systems strongly affect our national economy and our lifestyles. At the NASA Glenn Research Center, we believe that proper attention to surface systems, especially in education, research, and application, could lead to economic savings of between 1.3 and 1.6 percent of the gross domestic product. Wear coatings and surface systems continue to experience rapid growth as new coating and surface engineering technologies are discovered, more cost-effective coating and surface engineering solutions are developed, and marketers aggressively pursue, uncover, and exploit new applications for engineered surface systems in cutting tools and wear components. Wear coatings and smart surface systems have been used widely in industrial, consumer, automotive, aerospace, and biomedical applications. This presentation expresses the author's views of and insights into smart surface systems in wear coatings. A revolution is taking place in carbon science and technology. Diamond, an allotrope of carbon, joins graphite, fullerenes, and nanotubes as its major pure carbon structures. It has a unique combination of extreme properties: hardness and abrasion resistance; adhesion and friction; thermal conductivity; chemical and thermal inertness; corrosion and wear resistance; radiation resistance and biocompatibility; electronic, acoustic, and electrochemical characteristics; and environmental compatibility. These properties make diamond attractive for a wide range of diverse applications. In particular, chemical-vapor-deposited (CVD) diamond coatings offer a broad potential, since size and cost are not as limiting. The production of large, superhard diamond films or sheets at low cost make designer materials possible. This presentation is divided into two sections: properties and applications of hard coatings. The first section is concerned with the fundamental properties of the surfaces of CVD diamonds and related materials. The surface properties of hard coatings with favorable coefficients of friction (less than or equal to 0.1) and dimensional wear coefficients (less than or equal to 10(exp -6) cubic millimeters/N.m) in specific environments are discussed. The second section is devoted to applications. Examples of actual, successful applications and of potential challenging applications of the coatings.such as CVD diamond, diamondlike carbon, and cubic boron nitride-are described. Cutting tools coated with CVD diamond are of immediate commercial interest. Other applications, such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), valves, and bearings of CVD diamond, are being developed, but at a slow pace. There is a continually growing interest in commercializing diamondlike carbon for wear parts applications, such as biomedical parts and implants, forming dies, transport guides, magnetic tapes and disks, valves, and gears. Cubic boron nitride films are receiving attention because they can be used on tools to machine ferrous materials or on wear parts in sliding contact with ferrous materials.

Enabling active and healthy ageing decision support systems with the smart collection of TV usage patterns

PubMed Central

Billis, Antonis S.; Batziakas, Asterios; Bratsas, Charalampos; Tsatali, Marianna S.; Karagianni, Maria

2016-01-01

Smart monitoring of seniors behavioural patterns and more specifically activities of daily living have attracted immense research interest in recent years. Development of smart decision support systems to support the promotion of health smart homes has also emerged taking advantage of the plethora of smart, inexpensive and unobtrusive monitoring sensors, devices and software tools. To this end, a smart monitoring system has been used in order to extract meaningful information about television (TV) usage patterns and subsequently associate them with clinical findings of experts. The smart TV operating state remote monitoring system was installed in four elderly women homes and gathered data for more than 11 months. Results suggest that TV daily usage (time the TV is turned on) can predict mental health change. Conclusively, the authors suggest that collection of smart device usage patterns could strengthen the inference capabilities of existing health DSSs applied in uncontrolled settings such as real senior homes. PMID:27284457

Enabling active and healthy ageing decision support systems with the smart collection of TV usage patterns.

PubMed

Billis, Antonis S; Batziakas, Asterios; Bratsas, Charalampos; Tsatali, Marianna S; Karagianni, Maria; Bamidis, Panagiotis D

2016-03-01

Smart monitoring of seniors behavioural patterns and more specifically activities of daily living have attracted immense research interest in recent years. Development of smart decision support systems to support the promotion of health smart homes has also emerged taking advantage of the plethora of smart, inexpensive and unobtrusive monitoring sensors, devices and software tools. To this end, a smart monitoring system has been used in order to extract meaningful information about television (TV) usage patterns and subsequently associate them with clinical findings of experts. The smart TV operating state remote monitoring system was installed in four elderly women homes and gathered data for more than 11 months. Results suggest that TV daily usage (time the TV is turned on) can predict mental health change. Conclusively, the authors suggest that collection of smart device usage patterns could strengthen the inference capabilities of existing health DSSs applied in uncontrolled settings such as real senior homes.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Almajali, Anas; Rice, Eric; Viswanathan, Arun

This paper presents a systems analysis approach to characterizing the risk of a Smart Grid to a load-drop attack. A characterization of the risk is necessary for the design of detection and remediation strategies to address the consequences of such attacks. Using concepts from systems health management and system engineering, this work (a) first identifies metrics that can be used to generate constraints for security features, and (b) lays out an end-to-end integrated methodology using separate network and power simulations to assess system risk. We demonstrate our approach by performing a systems-style analysis of a load-drop attack implemented over themore » AMI subsystem and targeted at destabilizing the underlying power grid.« less

Ergonomic audit of a specially engineered sonic powered toothbrush with unique sensing and control technologies, the Sonicare Flexcare, and the Oral-B Smart Series 5000.

PubMed

Hunter, Gail; Burns, Laurie; Bone, Brian; Mintel, Thomas; Jimenez, Eduardo

2012-01-01

The presence of ergonomic features can impact the marketplace success of a new product. Metaphase Design Group, Inc., in partnership with the Colgate-Palmolive Company, conducted an ergonomic audit on three electric toothbrushes: a specially engineered sonic powered toothbrush with unique sensing and control technologies, the Sonicare FlexCare, and the Oral-B Smart Series 5000. The ergonomic audit was conducted by Metaphase Design Groups's ergonomic and usability experts. Two experts used the toothbrushes over a one-week period and assessed the performance of each brush against a set of ergonomic principles. The three toothbrushes have some solid ergonomic features. They each have adequate grip zones, provide grip security with elastomeric materials, and provide easy access to the on/off button. The most distinctive feature is the longitudinal shape of the handle of the specially engineered sonic powered toothbrush with unique sensing and control technologies. This handle angles downward at the top end and provides additional advantages through improved grip security and visibility. Yet all three toothbrushes have different opportunities for improvement. The Sonicare Flex Care toothbrush has a cluttered and complicated user interface that is difficult to read. The disadvantages of the Oral-B Smart Series 5000 toothbrush are related to its physical dimensions and audible feedback. The specially engineered sonic powered toothbrush with unique sensing afid control technologies is surprising to use with its changes in speeds, brush movements, and resulting changes in audible feedback.

Smart Home Test Bed: Examining How Smart Homes Interact with the Power Grid

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

This fact sheet highlights the Smart Home Test Bed capability at the Energy Systems Integration Facility. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is working on one of the new frontiers of smart home research: finding ways for smart home technologies and systems to enhance grid operations in the presence of distributed, clean energy technologies such as photovoltaics (PV). To help advance this research, NREL has developed a controllable, flexible, and fully integrated Smart Home Test Bed.

Designing and Securing an Event Processing System for Smart Spaces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Zang

2011-01-01

Smart spaces, or smart environments, represent the next evolutionary development in buildings, banking, homes, hospitals, transportation systems, industries, cities, and government automation. By riding the tide of sensor and event processing technologies, the smart environment captures and processes information about its surroundings as well as…

Traffic Monitor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

Mestech's X-15 "Eye in the Sky," a traffic monitoring system, incorporates NASA imaging and robotic vision technology. A camera or "sensor box" is mounted in a housing. The sensor detects vehicles approaching an intersection and sends the information to a computer, which controls the traffic light according to the traffic rate. Jet Propulsion Laboratory technical support packages aided in the company's development of the system. The X-15's "smart highway" can also be used to count vehicles on a highway and compute the number in each lane and their speeds, important information for freeway control engineers. Additional applications are in airport and railroad operations. The system is intended to replace loop-type traffic detectors.

Smart actuation of inlet guide vanes for small turbine engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusovici, Razvan; Kwok Choon, Stephen T.; Sepri, Paavo; Feys, Joshuo

2011-04-01

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have gained popularity over the past few years to become an indispensable part of aerial missions that include reconnaissance, surveillance, and communication [1]. As a result, advancements in small jet-engine performance are needed to increase the performance (range, payload and efficiency) of the UAV. These jet engines designed especially for UAV's are characterized by thrust force on the order of 100N and due to their size and weight limitations, may lack advanced flow control devices such as IGV [2]. The goal of the current study was to present a conceptual design of an IGV smart-material based actuation mechanism that would be simple, compact and lightweight. The compressor section of an engine increases the pressure and conditions the flow before the air enters the combustion chamber [3]. The airflow entering the compressor is often turbulent due to the high angle of incidence between engine inlet and free-stream velocity, or existing atmospheric turbulence. Actuated IGV are used to help control the relative angle of incidence of the flow that enters the engine compressor, thereby preventing flow separation, compressor stall and thus extending the compressor's operating envelope [4]. Turbine jet- engines which employ variable IGV were developed by Rolls Royce (Trent DR-900) and General Electric (J79).

Controls and Health Management Technologies for Intelligent Aerospace Propulsion Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garg, Sanjay

2004-01-01

With the increased emphasis on aircraft safety, enhanced performance and affordability, and the need to reduce the environmental impact of aircraft, there are many new challenges being faced by the designers of aircraft propulsion systems. The Controls and Dynamics Technology Branch at NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Glenn Research Center (GRC) in Cleveland, Ohio, is leading and participating in various projects in partnership with other organizations within GRC and across NASA, the U.S. aerospace industry, and academia to develop advanced controls and health management technologies that will help meet these challenges through the concept of an Intelligent Engine. The key enabling technologies for an Intelligent Engine are the increased efficiencies of components through active control, advanced diagnostics and prognostics integrated with intelligent engine control to enhance component life, and distributed control with smart sensors and actuators in an adaptive fault tolerant architecture. This paper describes the current activities of the Controls and Dynamics Technology Branch in the areas of active component control and propulsion system intelligent control, and presents some recent analytical and experimental results in these areas.

Smart Microsystems with Photonic Element and Their Applications to Aerospace Platforms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adamovsky, G.; Lekki, J.; Sutter, J. K.; Sarkisov, S. S.; Curley, M. J.; Martin, C. E.

2000-01-01

The need to make manufacturing, operation, and support of airborne vehicles safer and more efficient forces engineers and scientists to look for lighter, cheaper, more reliable technologies. Light weight, immunity to EMI, fire safety, high bandwidth, and high signal fidelity have already made photonics in general and fiber optics in particular an extremely attractive medium for communication purposes. With the fiber optics serving as a central nervous system of the vehicle, generation, detection, and processing of the signal occurs at the peripherals that include smart structures and devices. Due to their interdisciplinary nature, photonic technologies cover such diverse areas as optical sensors and actuators, embedded and distributed sensors, sensing schemes and architectures, harnesses and connectors, signal processing and algorithms. The paper includes a brief description of work in the photonic area that is going on at NASA, especially at the Glenn Research Center (GRC).

Smart-device environmental control systems: experiences of people with cervical spinal cord injuries.

PubMed

Hooper, Bethany; Verdonck, Michele; Amsters, Delena; Myburg, Michelle; Allan, Emily

2017-09-06

Environmental control systems (ECS) are devices that enable people with severe physical limitations to independently control household appliances. Recent advancements in the area of environmental control technology have led to the development of ECS that can be controlled through mainstream smart-devices. There is limited research on ECS within Australia and no known research addressing smart-device ECS. The current study sought to explore users' experiences with smart-device ECS within Australia. The study followed a single embedded case study method. Participants (n = 5) were existing ECS users with a cervical spinal cord injury. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with participants, reflexive journals and field notes. An inductive approach was used to analyze the data thematically. The experience of using a smart-device ECS presented both opportunities and costs to users. The opportunities included: independent control, choice, peace of mind, connection, effective resource use, and control over smart-phone functions and applications. The associated costs included: financial, time, frustration, and technical limitations. While findings are similar to previous research into traditional ECS this study indicates that smart-device ECS also offered a new opportunity for users to access mainstream smart-device functions and applications. Future research should investigate methods and resources that practitioners could utilize to better support new users of smart-device ECS. Implications for Rehabilitation As with traditional environmental control systems, users of smart environmental control systems report increased independence, choice and control. Smart-device environmental control systems provide users with access to mainstream smart-device functions and applications, which facilitate connection to family and the outside world. The costs to the user of smart-device environmental control systems include monetary and time investment, dealing with technical limitations and resulting frustration. Prescribers and installers must consider ways to mitigate these costs experienced by users.

THE DELTA SMART HOUSE: CROSS-DISCIPLINARY PROJECTS WITHIN THE DESIGN FRAMEWORK OF SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION

EPA Science Inventory

The Duke Engineering Living Technology Advancement (DELTA) Project began as a multidisciplinary endeavor to engage engineering students by having them design aspects/attributes of a new learning and living space. In the next few years, the vision will be realized when the DEL...

An Engineering Mentor's Take on "FIRST" Robotics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Jim

2013-01-01

In this article, the author describes a program that he says has "made being smart cool." "FIRST" (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics has made a significant contribution toward progress in advancing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses and STEM careers with young people. "FIRST" Robotics…

Model of interaction in Smart Grid on the basis of multi-agent system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engel, E. A.; Kovalev, I. V.; Engel, N. E.

2016-11-01

This paper presents model of interaction in Smart Grid on the basis of multi-agent system. The use of travelling waves in the multi-agent system describes the behavior of the Smart Grid from the local point, which is being the complement of the conventional approach. The simulation results show that the absorption of the wave in the distributed multi-agent systems is effectively simulated the interaction in Smart Grid.

The application of autostereoscopic display in smart home system based on mobile devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yongjun; Ling, Zhi

2015-03-01

Smart home is a system to control home devices which are more and more popular in our daily life. Mobile intelligent terminals based on smart homes have been developed, make remote controlling and monitoring possible with smartphones or tablets. On the other hand, 3D stereo display technology developed rapidly in recent years. Therefore, a iPad-based smart home system adopts autostereoscopic display as the control interface is proposed to improve the userfriendliness of using experiences. In consideration of iPad's limited hardware capabilities, we introduced a 3D image synthesizing method based on parallel processing with Graphic Processing Unit (GPU) implemented it with OpenGL ES Application Programming Interface (API) library on IOS platforms for real-time autostereoscopic displaying. Compared to the traditional smart home system, the proposed system applied autostereoscopic display into smart home system's control interface enhanced the reality, user-friendliness and visual comfort of interface.

Design of a piezoelectric inchworm actuator and compliant end effector for minimally invasive surgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canfield, Shawn; Edinger, Ben; Frecker, Mary I.; Koopmann, Gary H.

1999-06-01

Recent advances in robotics, tele-robotics, smart material actuators, and mechatronics raise new possibilities for innovative developments in millimeter-scale robotics capable of manipulating objects only fractions of a millimeter in size. These advances can have a wide range of applications in the biomedical community. A potential application of this technology is in minimally invasive surgery (MIS). The focus of this paper is the development of a single degree of freedom prototype to demonstrate the viability of smart materials, force feedback and compliant mechanisms for minimally invasive surgery. The prototype is a compliant gripper that is 7-mm by 17-mm, made from a single piece of titanium that is designed to function as a needle driver for small scale suturing. A custom designed piezoelectric `inchworm' actuator drives the gripper. The integrated system is computer controlled providing a user interface device capable of force feedback. The design methodology described draws from recent advances in three emerging fields in engineering: design of innovative tools for MIS, design of compliant mechanisms, and design of smart materials and actuators. The focus of this paper is on the design of a millimeter-scale inchworm actuator for use with a compliant end effector in MIS.

Learning analytics for smart campus: Data on academic performances of engineering undergraduates in Nigerian private university.

PubMed

Popoola, Segun I; Atayero, Aderemi A; Badejo, Joke A; John, Temitope M; Odukoya, Jonathan A; Omole, David O

2018-04-01

Empirical measurement, monitoring, analysis, and reporting of learning outcomes in higher institutions of developing countries may lead to sustainable education in the region. In this data article, data about the academic performances of undergraduates that studied engineering programs at Covenant University, Nigeria are presented and analyzed. A total population sample of 1841 undergraduates that studied Chemical Engineering (CHE), Civil Engineering (CVE), Computer Engineering (CEN), Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE), Information and Communication Engineering (ICE), Mechanical Engineering (MEE), and Petroleum Engineering (PET) within the year range of 2002-2014 are randomly selected. For the five-year study period of engineering program, Grade Point Average (GPA) and its cumulative value of each of the sample were obtained from the Department of Student Records and Academic Affairs. In order to encourage evidence-based research in learning analytics, detailed datasets are made publicly available in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet file attached to this article. Descriptive statistics and frequency distributions of the academic performance data are presented in tables and graphs for easy data interpretations. In addition, one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and multiple comparison post-hoc tests are performed to determine whether the variations in the academic performances are significant across the seven engineering programs. The data provided in this article will assist the global educational research community and regional policy makers to understand and optimize the learning environment towards the realization of smart campuses and sustainable education.

Virtual Factory Framework for Supporting Production Planning and Control.

PubMed

Kibira, Deogratias; Shao, Guodong

2017-01-01

Developing optimal production plans for smart manufacturing systems is challenging because shop floor events change dynamically. A virtual factory incorporating engineering tools, simulation, and optimization generates and communicates performance data to guide wise decision making for different control levels. This paper describes such a platform specifically for production planning. We also discuss verification and validation of the constituent models. A case study of a machine shop is used to demonstrate data generation for production planning in a virtual factory.

Smart CEI Moncloa: An IoT-based Platform for People Flow and Environmental Monitoring on a Smart University Campus

PubMed Central

Vázquez, Enrique

2017-01-01

Internet of Things platforms for Smart Cities are technologically complex and deploying them at large scale involves high costs and risks. Therefore, pilot schemes that allow validating proof of concepts, experimenting with different technologies and services, and fine-tuning them before migrating them to actual scenarios, are especially important in this context. The IoT platform deployed across the engineering schools of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid in the Moncloa Campus of International Excellence represents a good example of a test bench for experimentation with Smart City services. This paper presents the main features of this platform, putting special emphasis on the technological challenges faced and on the solutions adopted, as well as on the functionality, services and potential that the platform offers. PMID:29292790

Smart CEI Moncloa: An IoT-based Platform for People Flow and Environmental Monitoring on a Smart University Campus.

PubMed

Alvarez-Campana, Manuel; López, Gregorio; Vázquez, Enrique; Villagrá, Víctor A; Berrocal, Julio

2017-12-08

Internet of Things platforms for Smart Cities are technologically complex and deploying them at large scale involves high costs and risks. Therefore, pilot schemes that allow validating proof of concepts, experimenting with different technologies and services, and fine-tuning them before migrating them to actual scenarios, are especially important in this context. The IoT platform deployed across the engineering schools of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid in the Moncloa Campus of International Excellence represents a good example of a test bench for experimentation with Smart City services. This paper presents the main features of this platform, putting special emphasis on the technological challenges faced and on the solutions adopted, as well as on the functionality, services and potential that the platform offers.

Borrego springs microgrid demonstration project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None, None

SDG&E has been developing and implementing the foundation for its Smart Grid platform for three decades – beginning with its innovations in automation and control technologies in the 1980s and 1990s, through its most recent Smart Meter deployment and re-engineering of operational processes enabled by new software applications in its OpEx 20/20 (Operational Excellence with a 20/20 Vision) program. SDG&E’s Smart Grid deployment efforts have been consistently acknowledged by industry observers. SDG&E’s commitment and progress has been recognized by IDC Energy Insights and Intelligent Utility Magazine as the nation’s “Most Intelligent Utility” for three consecutive years, winning this award eachmore » year since its inception. SDG&E also received the “Top Ten Utility” award for excellence in Smart Grid development from GreenTech Media.« less

User Requirements Analysis For Digital Library Application Using Quality Function Deployment.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wulandari, Lily; Sularto, Lana; Yusnitasari, Tristyanti; Ikasari, Diana

2017-03-01

This study attemp to build Smart Digital Library to be used by the wider community wherever they are. The system is built in the form of Smart Digital Library portal which uses semantic similarity method (Semantic Similarity) to search journals, articles or books by title or author name. This method is also used to determine the recommended books to be read by visitors of Smart Digital Library based on testimony from a previous reader automatically. Steps being taken in the development of Smart Digital Library system is the analysis phase, design phase, testing and implementation phase. At this stage of the analysis using WebQual for the preparation of the instruments to be distributed to the respondents and the data obtained from the respondents will be processed using Quality Function Deployment. In the analysis phase has the purpose of identifying consumer needs and technical requirements. The analysis was performed to a digital library on the web digital library Gunadarma University, Bogor Institute of Agriculture, University of Indonesia, etc. The questionnaire was distributed to 200 respondents. The research methodology begins with the collection of user requirements and analyse it using QFD. Application design is funded by the government through a program of Featured Universities Research by the Directorate General of Higher Education (DIKTI). Conclusions from this research are identified which include the Consumer Requirements of digital library application. The elements of the consumers requirements consists of 13 elements and 25 elements of Engineering Characteristics digital library requirements. Therefore the design of digital library applications that will be built, is designed according to the findings by eliminating features that are not needed by restaurant based on QFD House of Quality.

Advances in Materials and System Technology for Portable Fuel Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Narayanan, Sekharipuram R.

2007-01-01

This viewgraph presentation describes the materials and systems engineering used for portable fuel cells. The contents include: 1) Portable Power; 2) Technology Solution; 3) Portable Hydrogen Systems; 4) Direct Methanol Fuel Cell; 5) Direct Methanol Fuel Cell System Concept; 6) Overview of DMFC R&D at JPL; 7) 300-Watt Portable Fuel Cell for Army Applications; 8) DMFC units from Smart Fuel Cell Inc, Germany; 9) DMFC Status and Prospects; 10) Challenges; 11) Rapid Screening of Well-Controlled Catalyst Compositions; 12) Screening of Ni-Zr-Pt-Ru alloys; 13) Issues with New Membranes; 14) Membranes With Reduced Methanol Crossover; 15) Stacks; 16) Hybrid DMFC System; 17) Small Compact Systems; 18) Durability; and 19) Stack and System Parameters for Various Applications.

Wrist ambulatory monitoring system and smart glove for real time emotional, sensorial and physiological analysis.

PubMed

Axisa, F; Gehin, C; Delhomme, G; Collet, C; Robin, O; Dittmar, A

2004-01-01

Improvement of the quality and efficiency of the quality of health in medicine, at home and in hospital becomes more and more important Designed to be user-friendly, smart clothes and gloves fit well for such a citizen use and health monitoring. Analysis of the autonomic nervous system using non-invasive sensors provides information for the emotional, sensorial, cognitive and physiological analysis. MARSIAN (modular autonomous recorder system for the measurement of autonomic nervous system) is a wrist ambulatory monitoring and recording system with a smart glove with sensors for the detection of the activity of the autonomic nervous system. It is composed of a "smart tee shirt", a "smart glove", a wrist device and PC which records data. The smart glove is one of the key point of MARSIAN. Complex movements, complex geometry, sensation make smart glove designing a challenge. MARSIAN has a large field of applications and researches (vigilance, behaviour, sensorial analysis, thermal environment for human, cognition science, sport, etc...) in various fields like neurophysiology, affective computing and health monitoring.

Coordinated Optimization of Distributed Energy Resources and Smart Loads in Distribution Systems: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, Rui; Zhang, Yingchen

2016-08-01

Distributed energy resources (DERs) and smart loads have the potential to provide flexibility to the distribution system operation. A coordinated optimization approach is proposed in this paper to actively manage DERs and smart loads in distribution systems to achieve the optimal operation status. A three-phase unbalanced Optimal Power Flow (OPF) problem is developed to determine the output from DERs and smart loads with respect to the system operator's control objective. This paper focuses on coordinating PV systems and smart loads to improve the overall voltage profile in distribution systems. Simulations have been carried out in a 12-bus distribution feeder andmore » results illustrate the superior control performance of the proposed approach.« less

Coordinated Optimization of Distributed Energy Resources and Smart Loads in Distribution Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, Rui; Zhang, Yingchen

2016-11-14

Distributed energy resources (DERs) and smart loads have the potential to provide flexibility to the distribution system operation. A coordinated optimization approach is proposed in this paper to actively manage DERs and smart loads in distribution systems to achieve the optimal operation status. A three-phase unbalanced Optimal Power Flow (OPF) problem is developed to determine the output from DERs and smart loads with respect to the system operator's control objective. This paper focuses on coordinating PV systems and smart loads to improve the overall voltage profile in distribution systems. Simulations have been carried out in a 12-bus distribution feeder andmore » results illustrate the superior control performance of the proposed approach.« less

Smart Pipe System for a Shipyard 4.0

PubMed Central

Fraga-Lamas, Paula; Noceda-Davila, Diego; Fernández-Caramés, Tiago M.; Díaz-Bouza, Manuel A.; Vilar-Montesinos, Miguel

2016-01-01

As a result of the progressive implantation of the Industry 4.0 paradigm, many industries are experimenting a revolution that shipyards cannot ignore. Therefore, the application of the principles of Industry 4.0 to shipyards are leading to the creation of Shipyards 4.0. Due to this, Navantia, one of the 10 largest shipbuilders in the world, is updating its whole inner workings to keep up with the near-future challenges that a Shipyard 4.0 will have to face. Such challenges can be divided into three groups: the vertical integration of production systems, the horizontal integration of a new generation of value creation networks, and the re-engineering of the entire production chain, making changes that affect the entire life cycle of each piece of a ship. Pipes, which exist in a huge number and varied typology on a ship, are one of the key pieces, and its monitoring constitutes a prospective cyber-physical system. Their improved identification, traceability, and indoor location, from production and through their life, can enhance shipyard productivity and safety. In order to perform such tasks, this article first conducts a thorough analysis of the shipyard environment. From this analysis, the essential hardware and software technical requirements are determined. Next, the concept of smart pipe is presented and defined as an object able to transmit signals periodically that allows for providing enhanced services in a shipyard. In order to build a smart pipe system, different technologies are selected and evaluated, concluding that passive and active RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) are currently the most appropriate technologies to create it. Furthermore, some promising indoor positioning results obtained in a pipe workshop are presented, showing that multi-antenna algorithms and Kalman filtering can help to stabilize Received Signal Strength (RSS) and improve the overall accuracy of the system. PMID:27999392

Smart Pipe System for a Shipyard 4.0.

PubMed

Fraga-Lamas, Paula; Noceda-Davila, Diego; Fernández-Caramés, Tiago M; Díaz-Bouza, Manuel A; Vilar-Montesinos, Miguel

2016-12-20

As a result of the progressive implantation of the Industry 4.0 paradigm, many industries are experimenting a revolution that shipyards cannot ignore. Therefore, the application of the principles of Industry 4.0 to shipyards are leading to the creation of Shipyards 4.0. Due to this, Navantia, one of the 10 largest shipbuilders in the world, is updating its whole inner workings to keep up with the near-future challenges that a Shipyard 4.0 will have to face. Such challenges can be divided into three groups: the vertical integration of production systems, the horizontal integration of a new generation of value creation networks, and the re-engineering of the entire production chain, making changes that affect the entire life cycle of each piece of a ship. Pipes, which exist in a huge number and varied typology on a ship, are one of the key pieces, and its monitoring constitutes a prospective cyber-physical system. Their improved identification, traceability, and indoor location, from production and through their life, can enhance shipyard productivity and safety. In order to perform such tasks, this article first conducts a thorough analysis of the shipyard environment. From this analysis, the essential hardware and software technical requirements are determined. Next, the concept of smart pipe is presented and defined as an object able to transmit signals periodically that allows for providing enhanced services in a shipyard. In order to build a smart pipe system, different technologies are selected and evaluated, concluding that passive and active RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) are currently the most appropriate technologies to create it. Furthermore, some promising indoor positioning results obtained in a pipe workshop are presented, showing that multi-antenna algorithms and Kalman filtering can help to stabilize Received Signal Strength (RSS) and improve the overall accuracy of the system.

Review of current status of smart structures and integrated systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chopra, Inderjit

1996-05-01

A smart structure involves distributed actuators and sensors, and one or more microprocessors that analyze the responses from the sensors and use distributed-parameter control theory to command the actuators to apply localized strains to minimize system response. A smart structure has the capability to respond to a changing external environment (such as loads or shape change) as well as to a changing internal environment (such as damage or failure). It incorporates smart actuators that allow the alteration of system characteristics (such as stiffness or damping) as well as of system response (such as strain or shape) in a controlled manner. Many types of actuators and sensors are being considered, such as piezoelectric materials, shape memory alloys, electrostrictive materials, magnetostrictive materials, electro- rheological fluids and fiber optics. These can be integrated with main load-carrying structures by surface bonding or embedding without causing any significant changes in the mass or structural stiffness of the system. Numerous applications of smart structures technology to various physical systems are evolving to actively control vibration, noise, aeroelastic stability, damping, shape and stress distribution. Applications range from space systems, fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, automotive, civil structures and machine tools. Much of the early development of smart structures methodology was driven by space applications such as vibration and shape control of large flexible space structures, but now wider applications are envisaged for aeronautical and other systems. Embedded or surface-bonded smart actuators on an airplane wing or helicopter blade will induce alteration of twist/camber of airfoil (shape change), that in turn will cause variation of lift distribution and may help to control static and dynamic aeroelastic problems. Applications of smart structures technology to aerospace and other systems are expanding rapidly. Major barriers are: actuator stroke, reliable data base of smart material characteristics, non-availability of robust distributed parameter control strategies, and non-existent mathematical modeling of smart systems. The objective of this paper is to review the state-of-the-art of smart actuators and sensors and integrated systems and point out the needs for future research.

Wireless network system based multi-non-invasive sensors for smart home

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Issa Ahmed, Rudhwan

There are several techniques that have been implemented for smart homes usage; however, most of these techniques are limited to a few sensors. Many of these methods neither meet the needs of the user nor are cost-effective. This thesis discusses the design, development, and implementation of a wireless network system, based on multi-non-invasive sensors for smart home environments. This system has the potential to be used as a means to accurately, and remotely, determine the activities of daily living by continuously monitoring relatively simple parameters that measure the interaction between users and their surrounding environment. We designed and developed a prototype system to meet the specific needs of the elderly population. Unlike audio-video based health monitoring systems (which have associated problems such as the encroachment of privacy), the developed system's distinct features ensure privacy and are almost invisible to the occupants, thus increasing the acceptance levels of this system in household environments. The developed system not only achieved high levels of accuracy, but it is also portable, easy to use, cost-effective, and requires low data rates and less power compared to other wireless devices such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, wireless USB, Ultra wideband (UWB), or Infrared (IR) wireless. Field testing of the prototype system was conducted at different locations inside and outside of the Minto Building (Centre for Advanced Studies in Engineering at Carleton University) as well as other locations, such as the washroom, kitchen, and living room of a prototype apartment. The main goal of the testing was to determine the range of the prototype system and the functionality of each sensor in different environments. After it was verified that the system operated well in all of the tested environments, data were then collected at the different locations for analysis and interpretation in order to identify the activities of daily living of an occupant.

Smart Drug Delivery Systems in Cancer Therapy.

PubMed

Unsoy, Gozde; Gunduz, Ufuk

2018-02-08

Smart nanocarriers have been designed for tissue-specific targeted drug delivery, sustained or triggered drug release and co-delivery of synergistic drug combinations to develop safer and more efficient therapeutics. Advances in drug delivery systems provide reduced side effects, longer circulation half-life and improved pharmacokinetics. Smart drug delivery systems have been achieved successfully in the case of cancer. These nanocarriers can serve as an intelligent system by considering the differences of tumor microenvironment from healthy tissue, such as low pH, low oxygen level, or high enzymatic activity of matrix metalloproteinases. The performance of anti-cancer agents used in cancer diagnosis and therapy is improved by enhanced cellular internalization of smart nanocarriers and controlled drug release. Here, we review targeting, cellular internalization; controlled drug release and toxicity of smart drug delivery systems. We are also emphasizing the stimulus responsive controlled drug release from smart nanocarriers. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

75 FR 28785 - Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-24

... business, research, new product development, engineering, labor, education, management consulting... include an update on NIST; presentations on NIST progress in documentary standards for Smart Grid...

Investigation into the use of smartphone as a machine vision device for engineering metrology and flaw detection, with focus on drilling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razdan, Vikram; Bateman, Richard

2015-05-01

This study investigates the use of a Smartphone and its camera vision capabilities in Engineering metrology and flaw detection, with a view to develop a low cost alternative to Machine vision systems which are out of range for small scale manufacturers. A Smartphone has to provide a similar level of accuracy as Machine Vision devices like Smart cameras. The objective set out was to develop an App on an Android Smartphone, incorporating advanced Computer vision algorithms written in java code. The App could then be used for recording measurements of Twist Drill bits and hole geometry, and analysing the results for accuracy. A detailed literature review was carried out for in-depth study of Machine vision systems and their capabilities, including a comparison between the HTC One X Android Smartphone and the Teledyne Dalsa BOA Smart camera. A review of the existing metrology Apps in the market was also undertaken. In addition, the drilling operation was evaluated to establish key measurement parameters of a twist Drill bit, especially flank wear and diameter. The methodology covers software development of the Android App, including the use of image processing algorithms like Gaussian Blur, Sobel and Canny available from OpenCV software library, as well as designing and developing the experimental set-up for carrying out the measurements. The results obtained from the experimental set-up were analysed for geometry of Twist Drill bits and holes, including diametrical measurements and flaw detection. The results show that Smartphones like the HTC One X have the processing power and the camera capability to carry out metrological tasks, although dimensional accuracy achievable from the Smartphone App is below the level provided by Machine vision devices like Smart cameras. A Smartphone with mechanical attachments, capable of image processing and having a reasonable level of accuracy in dimensional measurement, has the potential to become a handy low-cost Machine vision system for small scale manufacturers, especially in field metrology and flaw detection.

Android platform based smartphones for a logistical remote association repair framework.

PubMed

Lien, Shao-Fan; Wang, Chun-Chieh; Su, Juhng-Perng; Chen, Hong-Ming; Wu, Chein-Hsing

2014-06-25

The maintenance of large-scale systems is an important issue for logistics support planning. In this paper, we developed a Logistical Remote Association Repair Framework (LRARF) to aid repairmen in keeping the system available. LRARF includes four subsystems: smart mobile phones, a Database Management System (DBMS), a Maintenance Support Center (MSC) and wireless networks. The repairman uses smart mobile phones to capture QR-codes and the images of faulty circuit boards. The captured QR-codes and images are transmitted to the DBMS so the invalid modules can be recognized via the proposed algorithm. In this paper, the Linear Projective Transform (LPT) is employed for fast QR-code calibration. Moreover, the ANFIS-based data mining system is used for module identification and searching automatically for the maintenance manual corresponding to the invalid modules. The inputs of the ANFIS-based data mining system are the QR-codes and image features; the output is the module ID. DBMS also transmits the maintenance manual back to the maintenance staff. If modules are not recognizable, the repairmen and center engineers can obtain the relevant information about the invalid modules through live video. The experimental results validate the applicability of the Android-based platform in the recognition of invalid modules. In addition, the live video can also be recorded synchronously on the MSC for later use.

Ubiquitous Robotic Technology for Smart Manufacturing System.

PubMed

Wang, Wenshan; Zhu, Xiaoxiao; Wang, Liyu; Qiu, Qiang; Cao, Qixin

2016-01-01

As the manufacturing tasks become more individualized and more flexible, the machines in smart factory are required to do variable tasks collaboratively without reprogramming. This paper for the first time discusses the similarity between smart manufacturing systems and the ubiquitous robotic systems and makes an effort on deploying ubiquitous robotic technology to the smart factory. Specifically, a component based framework is proposed in order to enable the communication and cooperation of the heterogeneous robotic devices. Further, compared to the service robotic domain, the smart manufacturing systems are often in larger size. So a hierarchical planning method was implemented to improve the planning efficiency. A test bed of smart factory is developed. It demonstrates that the proposed framework is suitable for industrial domain, and the hierarchical planning method is able to solve large problems intractable with flat methods.

Ubiquitous Robotic Technology for Smart Manufacturing System

PubMed Central

Zhu, Xiaoxiao; Wang, Liyu; Qiu, Qiang; Cao, Qixin

2016-01-01

As the manufacturing tasks become more individualized and more flexible, the machines in smart factory are required to do variable tasks collaboratively without reprogramming. This paper for the first time discusses the similarity between smart manufacturing systems and the ubiquitous robotic systems and makes an effort on deploying ubiquitous robotic technology to the smart factory. Specifically, a component based framework is proposed in order to enable the communication and cooperation of the heterogeneous robotic devices. Further, compared to the service robotic domain, the smart manufacturing systems are often in larger size. So a hierarchical planning method was implemented to improve the planning efficiency. A test bed of smart factory is developed. It demonstrates that the proposed framework is suitable for industrial domain, and the hierarchical planning method is able to solve large problems intractable with flat methods. PMID:27446206

Engineering bacterial motility towards hydrogen-peroxide.

PubMed

Virgile, Chelsea; Hauk, Pricila; Wu, Hsuan-Chen; Shang, Wu; Tsao, Chen-Yu; Payne, Gregory F; Bentley, William E

2018-01-01

Synthetic biologists construct innovative genetic/biological systems to treat environmental, energy, and health problems. Many systems employ rewired cells for non-native product synthesis, while a few have employed the rewired cells as 'smart' devices with programmable function. Building on the latter, we developed a genetic construct to control and direct bacterial motility towards hydrogen peroxide, one of the body's immune response signaling molecules. A motivation for this work is the creation of cells that can target and autonomously treat disease, the latter signaled by hydrogen peroxide release. Bacteria naturally move towards a variety of molecular cues (e.g., nutrients) in the process of chemotaxis. In this work, we engineered bacteria to recognize and move towards hydrogen peroxide, a non-native chemoattractant and potential toxin. Our system exploits oxyRS, the native oxidative stress regulon of E. coli. We first demonstrated H2O2-mediated upregulation motility regulator, CheZ. Using transwell assays, we showed a two-fold increase in net motility towards H2O2. Then, using a 2D cell tracking system, we quantified bacterial motility descriptors including velocity, % running (of tumble/run motions), and a dynamic net directionality towards the molecular cue. In CheZ mutants, we found that increased H2O2 concentration (0-200 μM) and induction time resulted in increased running speeds, ultimately reaching the native E. coli wild-type speed of ~22 μm/s with a ~45-65% ratio of running to tumbling. Finally, using a microfluidic device with stable H2O2 gradients, we characterized responses and the potential for "programmed" directionality towards H2O2 in quiescent fluids. Overall, the synthetic biology framework and tracking analysis in this work will provide a framework for investigating controlled motility of E. coli and other 'smart' probiotics for signal-directed treatment.

Bio-inspired motion detection in an FPGA-based smart camera module.

PubMed

Köhler, T; Röchter, F; Lindemann, J P; Möller, R

2009-03-01

Flying insects, despite their relatively coarse vision and tiny nervous system, are capable of carrying out elegant and fast aerial manoeuvres. Studies of the fly visual system have shown that this is accomplished by the integration of signals from a large number of elementary motion detectors (EMDs) in just a few global flow detector cells. We developed an FPGA-based smart camera module with more than 10,000 single EMDs, which is closely modelled after insect motion-detection circuits with respect to overall architecture, resolution and inter-receptor spacing. Input to the EMD array is provided by a CMOS camera with a high frame rate. Designed as an adaptable solution for different engineering applications and as a testbed for biological models, the EMD detector type and parameters such as the EMD time constants, the motion-detection directions and the angle between correlated receptors are reconfigurable online. This allows a flexible and simultaneous detection of complex motion fields such as translation, rotation and looming, such that various tasks, e.g., obstacle avoidance, height/distance control or speed regulation can be performed by the same compact device.

Forecasting of the development of professional medical equipment engineering based on neuro-fuzzy algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaganova, E. V.; Syryamkin, M. V.

2015-11-01

The purpose of the research is the development of evolutionary algorithms for assessments of promising scientific directions. The main attention of the present study is paid to the evaluation of the foresight possibilities for identification of technological peaks and emerging technologies in professional medical equipment engineering in Russia and worldwide on the basis of intellectual property items and neural network modeling. An automated information system consisting of modules implementing various classification methods for accuracy of the forecast improvement and the algorithm of construction of neuro-fuzzy decision tree have been developed. According to the study result, modern trends in this field will focus on personalized smart devices, telemedicine, bio monitoring, «e-Health» and «m-Health» technologies.

The Nurse Watch: Design and Evaluation of a Smart Watch Application with Vital Sign Monitoring and Checklist Reminders

PubMed Central

Bang, Magnus; Solnevik, Katarina; Eriksson, Henrik

2015-01-01

Computerized wearable devices such as smart watches will become valuable nursing tools. This paper describes a smart-watch system developed in close collaboration with a team of nurses working in a Swedish ICU. The smart-watch system provides real-time vital-sign monitoring, threshold alarms, and to-do reminders. Additionally, a Kanban board, visualized on a multitouch screen provides an overview of completed and upcoming tasks. We describe an approach to implement automated checklist systems with smart watches and discuss aspects of importance when implementing such memory and attention support. The paper is finalized with an in-development formative evaluation of the system. PMID:26958162

The Nurse Watch: Design and Evaluation of a Smart Watch Application with Vital Sign Monitoring and Checklist Reminders.

PubMed

Bang, Magnus; Solnevik, Katarina; Eriksson, Henrik

Computerized wearable devices such as smart watches will become valuable nursing tools. This paper describes a smart-watch system developed in close collaboration with a team of nurses working in a Swedish ICU. The smart-watch system provides real-time vital-sign monitoring, threshold alarms, and to-do reminders. Additionally, a Kanban board, visualized on a multitouch screen provides an overview of completed and upcoming tasks. We describe an approach to implement automated checklist systems with smart watches and discuss aspects of importance when implementing such memory and attention support. The paper is finalized with an in-development formative evaluation of the system.

Towards Integrating Distributed Energy Resources and Storage Devices in Smart Grid.

PubMed

Xu, Guobin; Yu, Wei; Griffith, David; Golmie, Nada; Moulema, Paul

2017-02-01

Internet of Things (IoT) provides a generic infrastructure for different applications to integrate information communication techniques with physical components to achieve automatic data collection, transmission, exchange, and computation. The smart grid, as one of typical applications supported by IoT, denoted as a re-engineering and a modernization of the traditional power grid, aims to provide reliable, secure, and efficient energy transmission and distribution to consumers. How to effectively integrate distributed (renewable) energy resources and storage devices to satisfy the energy service requirements of users, while minimizing the power generation and transmission cost, remains a highly pressing challenge in the smart grid. To address this challenge and assess the effectiveness of integrating distributed energy resources and storage devices, in this paper we develop a theoretical framework to model and analyze three types of power grid systems: the power grid with only bulk energy generators, the power grid with distributed energy resources, and the power grid with both distributed energy resources and storage devices. Based on the metrics of the power cumulative cost and the service reliability to users, we formally model and analyze the impact of integrating distributed energy resources and storage devices in the power grid. We also use the concept of network calculus, which has been traditionally used for carrying out traffic engineering in computer networks, to derive the bounds of both power supply and user demand to achieve a high service reliability to users. Through an extensive performance evaluation, our data shows that integrating distributed energy resources conjointly with energy storage devices can reduce generation costs, smooth the curve of bulk power generation over time, reduce bulk power generation and power distribution losses, and provide a sustainable service reliability to users in the power grid.

Towards Integrating Distributed Energy Resources and Storage Devices in Smart Grid

PubMed Central

Xu, Guobin; Yu, Wei; Griffith, David; Golmie, Nada; Moulema, Paul

2017-01-01

Internet of Things (IoT) provides a generic infrastructure for different applications to integrate information communication techniques with physical components to achieve automatic data collection, transmission, exchange, and computation. The smart grid, as one of typical applications supported by IoT, denoted as a re-engineering and a modernization of the traditional power grid, aims to provide reliable, secure, and efficient energy transmission and distribution to consumers. How to effectively integrate distributed (renewable) energy resources and storage devices to satisfy the energy service requirements of users, while minimizing the power generation and transmission cost, remains a highly pressing challenge in the smart grid. To address this challenge and assess the effectiveness of integrating distributed energy resources and storage devices, in this paper we develop a theoretical framework to model and analyze three types of power grid systems: the power grid with only bulk energy generators, the power grid with distributed energy resources, and the power grid with both distributed energy resources and storage devices. Based on the metrics of the power cumulative cost and the service reliability to users, we formally model and analyze the impact of integrating distributed energy resources and storage devices in the power grid. We also use the concept of network calculus, which has been traditionally used for carrying out traffic engineering in computer networks, to derive the bounds of both power supply and user demand to achieve a high service reliability to users. Through an extensive performance evaluation, our data shows that integrating distributed energy resources conjointly with energy storage devices can reduce generation costs, smooth the curve of bulk power generation over time, reduce bulk power generation and power distribution losses, and provide a sustainable service reliability to users in the power grid1. PMID:29354654

A comprehensive WSN-based approach to efficiently manage a Smart Grid.

PubMed

Martinez-Sandoval, Ruben; Garcia-Sanchez, Antonio-Javier; Garcia-Sanchez, Felipe; Garcia-Haro, Joan; Flynn, David

2014-10-10

The Smart Grid (SG) is conceived as the evolution of the current electrical grid representing a big leap in terms of efficiency, reliability and flexibility compared to today's electrical network. To achieve this goal, the Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are considered by the scientific/engineering community to be one of the most suitable technologies to apply SG technology to due to their low-cost, collaborative and long-standing nature. However, the SG has posed significant challenges to utility operators-mainly very harsh radio propagation conditions and the lack of appropriate systems to empower WSN devices-making most of the commercial widespread solutions inadequate. In this context, and as a main contribution, we have designed a comprehensive ad-hoc WSN-based solution for the Smart Grid (SENSED-SG) that focuses on specific implementations of the MAC, the network and the application layers to attain maximum performance and to successfully deal with any arising hurdles. Our approach has been exhaustively evaluated by computer simulations and mathematical analysis, as well as validation within real test-beds deployed in controlled environments. In particular, these test-beds cover two of the main scenarios found in a SG; on one hand, an indoor electrical substation environment, implemented in a High Voltage AC/DC laboratory, and, on the other hand, an outdoor case, deployed in the Transmission and Distribution segment of a power grid. The results obtained show that SENSED-SG performs better and is more suitable for the Smart Grid than the popular ZigBee WSN approach.

Accelerating object detection via a visual-feature-directed search cascade: algorithm and field programmable gate array implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kyrkou, Christos; Theocharides, Theocharis

2016-07-01

Object detection is a major step in several computer vision applications and a requirement for most smart camera systems. Recent advances in hardware acceleration for real-time object detection feature extensive use of reconfigurable hardware [field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs)], and relevant research has produced quite fascinating results, in both the accuracy of the detection algorithms as well as the performance in terms of frames per second (fps) for use in embedded smart camera systems. Detecting objects in images, however, is a daunting task and often involves hardware-inefficient steps, both in terms of the datapath design and in terms of input/output and memory access patterns. We present how a visual-feature-directed search cascade composed of motion detection, depth computation, and edge detection, can have a significant impact in reducing the data that needs to be examined by the classification engine for the presence of an object of interest. Experimental results on a Spartan 6 FPGA platform for face detection indicate data search reduction of up to 95%, which results in the system being able to process up to 50 1024×768 pixels images per second with a significantly reduced number of false positives.

Formal Verification of Safety Properties for Aerospace Systems Through Algorithms Based on Exhaustive State-Space Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ciardo, Gianfranco

2004-01-01

The Runway Safety Monitor (RSM) designed by Lockheed Martin is part of NASA's effort to reduce aviation accidents. We developed a Petri net model of the RSM protocol and used the model checking functions of our tool SMART to investigate a number of safety properties in RSM. To mitigate the impact of state-space explosion, we built a highly discretized model of the system, obtained by partitioning the monitored runway zone into a grid of smaller volumes and by considering scenarios involving only two aircraft. The model also assumes that there are no communication failures, such as bad input from radar or lack of incoming data, thus it relies on a consistent view of reality by all participants. In spite of these simplifications, we were able to expose potential problems in the RSM conceptual design. Our findings were forwarded to the design engineers, who undertook corrective action. Additionally, the results stress the efficiency attained by the new model checking algorithms implemented in SMART, and demonstrate their applicability to real-world systems. Attempts to verify RSM with NuSMV and SPIN have failed due to excessive memory consumption.

A new type of smart basalt fiber-reinforced polymer bars as both reinforcements and sensors for civil engineering application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Yongsheng; Wu, Zhishen; Yang, Caiqian; Wu, Gang; Shen, Sheng

2010-11-01

In this paper, a new type of smart basalt fiber-reinforced polymer (BFRP) bar is developed and their sensing performance is investigated by using the Brillouin scattering-based distributed fiber optic sensing technique. The industrial manufacturing process is first addressed, followed by an experimental study on the strain, temperature and fundamental mechanical properties of the BFRP bars. The results confirm the superior sensing properties, in particular the measuring accuracy, repeatability and linearity through comparing with bare optical fibers. Results on the mechanical properties show stable elastic modulus and high ultimate strength. Therefore, the smart BFRP bar has potential applications for long-term structural health monitoring (SHM) as embedded sensors as well as strengthening and upgrading structures. Moreover the coefficient of thermal expansion for smart BFRP bars is similar to the value for concrete.

Remote Control of Cellular Functions: The Role of Smart Nanomaterials in the Medicine of the Future.

PubMed

Genchi, Giada Graziana; Marino, Attilio; Grillone, Agostina; Pezzini, Ilaria; Ciofani, Gianni

2017-05-01

The remote control of cellular functions through smart nanomaterials represents a biomanipulation approach with unprecedented potential applications in many fields of medicine, ranging from cancer therapy to tissue engineering. By actively responding to external stimuli, smart nanomaterials act as real nanotransducers able to mediate and/or convert different forms of energy into both physical and chemical cues, fostering specific cell behaviors. This report describes those classes of nanomaterials that have mostly paved the way to a "wireless" control of biological phenomena, focusing the discussion on some examples close to the clinical practice. In particular, magnetic fields, light irradiation, ultrasound, and pH will be presented as means to manipulate the cellular fate, due to the peculiar physical/chemical properties of some smart nanoparticles, thus providing realistic examples of "nanorobots" approaching the visionary ideas of Richard Feynman. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Design of Smart Home Systems Prototype Using MyRIO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ratna Wati, Dwi Ann; Abadianto, Dika

2017-06-01

This paper presents the design of smart home systems prototype. It applies. MyRIO 1900 embedded device as the main controller of the smart home systems. The systems include wireless monitoring systems and email based notifications as well as data logging. The prototype systems use simulated sensor such as temperature sensor, push button as proximity sensor, and keypad while its simulated actuators are buzzer as alarm system, LED as light and LCD. Based on the test and analysis, the smart home systems prototype as well as the wireless monitoring systems have real time responses when input signals are available. Tbe performance of MyRIO controller is excellent and it results in a stable system.

High-Temperature Smart Structures for Engine Noise Reduction and Performance Enhancement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quackenbush, Todd R.; McKillip, Robert M., Jr.

2011-01-01

One of key NASA goals is to develop and integrate noise reduction technology to enable unrestricted air transportation service to all communities. One of the technical priorities of this activity has been to account for and reduce noise via propulsion/airframe interactions, identifying advanced concepts to be integrated with the airframe to mitigate these noise-producing mechanisms. An adaptive geometry chevron using embedded smart structures technology offers the possibility of maximizing engine performance while retaining and possibly enhancing the favorable noise characteristics of current designs. New high-temperature shape memory alloy (HTSMA) materials technology enables the devices to operate in both low-temperature (fan) and high-temperature (core) exhaust flows. Chevron-equipped engines have demonstrated reduced noise in testing and operational use. It is desirable to have the noise benefits of chevrons in takeoff/landing conditions, but have them deployed into a minimum drag position for cruise flight. The central feature of the innovation was building on rapidly maturing HTSMA technology to implement a next-generation aircraft noise mitigation system centered on adaptive chevron flow control surfaces. In general, SMA-actuated devices have the potential to enhance the demonstrated noise reduction effectiveness of chevron systems while eliminating the associated performance penalty. The use of structurally integrated smart devices will minimize the mechanical and subsystem complexity of this implementation. The central innovations of the effort entail the modification of prior chevron designs to include a small cut that relaxes structural stiffness without compromising the desired flow characteristics over the surface; the reorientation of SMA actuation devices to apply forces to deflect the chevron tip, exploiting this relaxed stiffness; and the use of high-temperature SMA (HTSMA) materials to enable operation in the demanding core chevron environment. The overall conclusion of these design studies was that the cut chevron concept is a critical enabling step in bringing the variable geometry core chevron within reach. The presence of the cut may be aerodynamically undesirable in some respects, but it is present only when the chevron is not immersed in the core jet exhaust. When deployed, the gap closes as the chevron tip enters the high-speed, high-temperature core stream. Aeroacoustic testing and flow visualization support the contention that this cut is inconsequential to chevron performance.

Difference in electrodynamic transduction between speaker and alternator in thermoacoustic applications.

PubMed

Gonen, Eran; Grossman, Gershon

2015-09-01

Conventional reciprocating pistons, normally found in thermoacoustic engines, tend to introduce complex impedance characteristics, including acoustic, mechanical, and electrical portions. System behavior and performance usually rely on proper tuning processes and selection of an optimal point of operation, affected substantially by complementary hardware, typically adjusted for the specific application. The present study proposes an alternative perspective on the alternator behavior, by considering the relative motion between gas and piston during the engine mode of operation. Direct analytical derivation of the velocity distribution inside a tight seal gap and the associated impedance is employed to estimate the electro-acoustic conversion efficiency, thus indicating how to improve the system performance. The influence of acoustic phase, gap dimensions, and working conditions is examined, suggesting the need to develop tighter and longer seal gaps, having increased impedance, to allow optimization for use in upcoming sustainable power generation solutions and smart grids.

Potential of Cognitive Computing and Cognitive Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noor, Ahmed K.

2015-01-01

Cognitive computing and cognitive technologies are game changers for future engineering systems, as well as for engineering practice and training. They are major drivers for knowledge automation work, and the creation of cognitive products with higher levels of intelligence than current smart products. This paper gives a brief review of cognitive computing and some of the cognitive engineering systems activities. The potential of cognitive technologies is outlined, along with a brief description of future cognitive environments, incorporating cognitive assistants - specialized proactive intelligent software agents designed to follow and interact with humans and other cognitive assistants across the environments. The cognitive assistants engage, individually or collectively, with humans through a combination of adaptive multimodal interfaces, and advanced visualization and navigation techniques. The realization of future cognitive environments requires the development of a cognitive innovation ecosystem for the engineering workforce. The continuously expanding major components of the ecosystem include integrated knowledge discovery and exploitation facilities (incorporating predictive and prescriptive big data analytics); novel cognitive modeling and visual simulation facilities; cognitive multimodal interfaces; and cognitive mobile and wearable devices. The ecosystem will provide timely, engaging, personalized / collaborative, learning and effective decision making. It will stimulate creativity and innovation, and prepare the participants to work in future cognitive enterprises and develop new cognitive products of increasing complexity. http://www.aee.odu.edu/cognitivecomp

SMART-DS: Synthetic Models for Advanced, Realistic Testing: Distribution

Science.gov Websites

statistical summary of the U.S. distribution systems World-class, high spatial/temporal resolution of solar Systems and Scenarios | Grid Modernization | NREL SMART-DS: Synthetic Models for Advanced , Realistic Testing: Distribution Systems and Scenarios SMART-DS: Synthetic Models for Advanced, Realistic

Smart Grid Development: Multinational Demo Project Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oleinikova, I.; Mutule, A.; Obushevs, A.; Antoskovs, N.

2016-12-01

This paper analyses demand side management (DSM) projects and stakeholders' experience with the aim to develop, promote and adapt smart grid tehnologies in Latvia. The research aims at identifying possible system service posibilites, including demand response (DR) and determining the appropriate market design for such type of services to be implemented at the Baltic power system level, with the cooperation of distribution system operator (DSO) and transmission system operator (TSO). This paper is prepared as an extract from the global smart grid best practices, smart solutions and business models.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Babun, Leonardo; Aksu, Hidayet; Uluagac, A. Selcuk

The core vision of the smart grid concept is the realization of reliable two-­way communications between smart devices (e.g., IEDs, PLCs, PMUs). The benefits of the smart grid also come with tremendous security risks and new challenges in protecting the smart grid systems from cyber threats. Particularly, the use of untrusted counterfeit smart grid devices represents a real problem. Consequences of propagating false or malicious data, as well as stealing valuable user or smart grid state information from counterfeit devices are costly. Hence, early detection of counterfeit devices is critical for protecting smart grid’s components and users. To address thesemore » concerns, in this poster, we introduce our initial design of a configurable framework that utilize system call tracing, library interposition, and statistical techniques for monitoring and detection of counterfeit smart grid devices. In our framework, we consider six different counterfeit device scenarios with different smart grid devices and adversarial seZings. Our initial results on a realistic testbed utilizing actual smart-­grid GOOSE messages with IEC-­61850 communication protocol are very promising. Our framework is showing excellent rates on detection of smart grid counterfeit devices from impostors.« less

Use of Soft Computing Technologies for a Qualitative and Reliable Engine Control System for Propulsion Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trevino, Luis; Brown, Terry; Crumbley, R. T. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The problem to be addressed in this paper is to explore how the use of Soft Computing Technologies (SCT) could be employed to improve overall vehicle system safety, reliability, and rocket engine performance by development of a qualitative and reliable engine control system (QRECS). Specifically, this will be addressed by enhancing rocket engine control using SCT, innovative data mining tools, and sound software engineering practices used in Marshall's Flight Software Group (FSG). The principle goals for addressing the issue of quality are to improve software management, software development time, software maintenance, processor execution, fault tolerance and mitigation, and nonlinear control in power level transitions. The intent is not to discuss any shortcomings of existing engine control methodologies, but to provide alternative design choices for control, implementation, performance, and sustaining engineering, all relative to addressing the issue of reliability. The approaches outlined in this paper will require knowledge in the fields of rocket engine propulsion (system level), software engineering for embedded flight software systems, and soft computing technologies (i.e., neural networks, fuzzy logic, data mining, and Bayesian belief networks); some of which are briefed in this paper. For this effort, the targeted demonstration rocket engine testbed is the MC-1 engine (formerly FASTRAC) which is simulated with hardware and software in the Marshall Avionics & Software Testbed (MAST) laboratory that currently resides at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, building 4476, and is managed by the Avionics Department. A brief plan of action for design, development, implementation, and testing a Phase One effort for QRECS is given, along with expected results. Phase One will focus on development of a Smart Start Engine Module and a Mainstage Engine Module for proper engine start and mainstage engine operations. The overall intent is to demonstrate that by employing soft computing technologies, the quality and reliability of the overall scheme to engine controller development is further improved and vehicle safety is further insured. The final product that this paper proposes is an approach to development of an alternative low cost engine controller that would be capable of performing in unique vision spacecraft vehicles requiring low cost advanced avionics architectures for autonomous operations from engine pre-start to engine shutdown.

Design of the smart scenic spot service platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Min; Wang, Shi-tai

2015-12-01

With the deepening of the smart city construction, the model "smart+" is rapidly developing. Guilin, the international tourism metropolis fast constructing need smart tourism technology support. This paper studied the smart scenic spot service object and its requirements. And then constructed the smart service platform of the scenic spot application of 3S technology (Geographic Information System (GIS), Remote Sensing (RS) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)) and the Internet of things, cloud computing. Based on Guilin Seven-star Park scenic area as an object, this paper designed the Seven-star smart scenic spot service platform framework. The application of this platform will improve the tourists' visiting experience, make the tourism management more scientifically and standardly, increase tourism enterprises operating earnings.

A depth video sensor-based life-logging human activity recognition system for elderly care in smart indoor environments.

PubMed

Jalal, Ahmad; Kamal, Shaharyar; Kim, Daijin

2014-07-02

Recent advancements in depth video sensors technologies have made human activity recognition (HAR) realizable for elderly monitoring applications. Although conventional HAR utilizes RGB video sensors, HAR could be greatly improved with depth video sensors which produce depth or distance information. In this paper, a depth-based life logging HAR system is designed to recognize the daily activities of elderly people and turn these environments into an intelligent living space. Initially, a depth imaging sensor is used to capture depth silhouettes. Based on these silhouettes, human skeletons with joint information are produced which are further used for activity recognition and generating their life logs. The life-logging system is divided into two processes. Firstly, the training system includes data collection using a depth camera, feature extraction and training for each activity via Hidden Markov Models. Secondly, after training, the recognition engine starts to recognize the learned activities and produces life logs. The system was evaluated using life logging features against principal component and independent component features and achieved satisfactory recognition rates against the conventional approaches. Experiments conducted on the smart indoor activity datasets and the MSRDailyActivity3D dataset show promising results. The proposed system is directly applicable to any elderly monitoring system, such as monitoring healthcare problems for elderly people, or examining the indoor activities of people at home, office or hospital.

A Depth Video Sensor-Based Life-Logging Human Activity Recognition System for Elderly Care in Smart Indoor Environments

PubMed Central

Jalal, Ahmad; Kamal, Shaharyar; Kim, Daijin

2014-01-01

Recent advancements in depth video sensors technologies have made human activity recognition (HAR) realizable for elderly monitoring applications. Although conventional HAR utilizes RGB video sensors, HAR could be greatly improved with depth video sensors which produce depth or distance information. In this paper, a depth-based life logging HAR system is designed to recognize the daily activities of elderly people and turn these environments into an intelligent living space. Initially, a depth imaging sensor is used to capture depth silhouettes. Based on these silhouettes, human skeletons with joint information are produced which are further used for activity recognition and generating their life logs. The life-logging system is divided into two processes. Firstly, the training system includes data collection using a depth camera, feature extraction and training for each activity via Hidden Markov Models. Secondly, after training, the recognition engine starts to recognize the learned activities and produces life logs. The system was evaluated using life logging features against principal component and independent component features and achieved satisfactory recognition rates against the conventional approaches. Experiments conducted on the smart indoor activity datasets and the MSRDailyActivity3D dataset show promising results. The proposed system is directly applicable to any elderly monitoring system, such as monitoring healthcare problems for elderly people, or examining the indoor activities of people at home, office or hospital. PMID:24991942

Smart Polymeric Hydrogels for Cartilage Tissue Engineering: A Review on the Chemistry and Biological Functions.

PubMed

Eslahi, Niloofar; Abdorahim, Marjan; Simchi, Abdolreza

2016-11-14

Stimuli responsive hydrogels (SRHs) are attractive bioscaffolds for tissue engineering. The structural similarity of SRHs to the extracellular matrix (ECM) of many tissues offers great advantages for a minimally invasive tissue repair. Among various potential applications of SRHs, cartilage regeneration has attracted significant attention. The repair of cartilage damage is challenging in orthopedics owing to its low repair capacity. Recent advances include development of injectable hydrogels to minimize invasive surgery with nanostructured features and rapid stimuli-responsive characteristics. Nanostructured SRHs with more structural similarity to natural ECM up-regulate cell-material interactions for faster tissue repair and more controlled stimuli-response to environmental changes. This review highlights most recent advances in the development of nanostructured or smart hydrogels for cartilage tissue engineering. Different types of stimuli-responsive hydrogels are introduced and their fabrication processes through physicochemical procedures are reported. The applications and characteristics of natural and synthetic polymers used in SRHs are also reviewed with an outline on clinical considerations and challenges.

Investigation on Smart Parts with Embedded Piezoelectric Sensors via Additive Manufacturing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lin, Yirong

The goal of this proposed research is to design, fabricate, and evaluate “smart parts” with embedded sensors for energy systems. The “smart parts” will be fabricated using Electron Beam Melting (EBM) 3D printing technique with built-in piezoceramic sensors. The objectives of the proposed project are: 1) Fabricate energy system related components with embedded sensors, 2) Evaluate the mechanical properties and sensing functionalities of the “smart parts” with embedded piezoceramic sensors, and 3) Assess in-situ sensing capability of energy system parts. The second year’s research of the research is centered on fabrication of the “smart parts” with considerations of overall materialmore » property as well as demonstration of sensing functionalities. The results for the final report are presented here, including all research accomplishment, project management. Details are included such as: how the design and fabrication of sensor packaging could improve the sensor performance, demonstration of “smart parts” sensing capabilities, analysis on the elements that constitute the “smart sensors”, advanced “stop and go” fabrication process, smart injector fabrication using SLM technology, smart injector testing in combustion environments etc. Research results to date have generated several posters and papers.« less

75 FR 63462 - Smart Grid Interoperability Standards; Notice of Docket Designation for Smart Grid...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-15

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. RM11-2-000] Smart Grid Interoperability Standards; Notice of Docket Designation for Smart Grid Interoperability Standards October 7, 2010... directs the development of a framework to achieve interoperability of smart grid devices and systems...

Virtual Parts Engineering Research Center

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-20

engineering 10 materials. High strength alloys , composites (polymer composites and metallic composites), and the like cannot merely be replaced by...ceramics, smart materials, shape memory alloys , super plastic materials and nano- structured materials may be more appropriate substitutes in a reverse...molding process using thermosetting Bakelite. For remanufacturing the part in small quantities, machining has been identified as the most economical

Biomimetic actuators using electroactive polymers (EAP) as artificial muscles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bar-Cohen, Yoseph

2006-01-01

Evolution has resolved many of nature's challenges leading to lasting solutions with maximal performance and effective use of resources. Nature's inventions have always inspired human achievements leading to effective materials, structures, tools, mechanisms, processes, algorithms, methods, systems and many other benefits. The field of mimicking nature is known as Biomimetics and one of its topics includes electroactive polymers that gain the moniker artificial muscles. Integrating EAP with embedded sensors, self-repair and many other capabilities that are used in composite materials can add greatly to the capability of smart biomimetic systems. Such development would enable fascinating possibilities potentially turning science fiction ideas into engineering reality.

Emerging applications of stimuli-responsive polymer materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stuart, Martien A. Cohen; Huck, Wilhelm T. S.; Genzer, Jan; Müller, Marcus; Ober, Christopher; Stamm, Manfred; Sukhorukov, Gleb B.; Szleifer, Igal; Tsukruk, Vladimir V.; Urban, Marek; Winnik, Françoise; Zauscher, Stefan; Luzinov, Igor; Minko, Sergiy

2010-02-01

Responsive polymer materials can adapt to surrounding environments, regulate transport of ions and molecules, change wettability and adhesion of different species on external stimuli, or convert chemical and biochemical signals into optical, electrical, thermal and mechanical signals, and vice versa. These materials are playing an increasingly important part in a diverse range of applications, such as drug delivery, diagnostics, tissue engineering and 'smart' optical systems, as well as biosensors, microelectromechanical systems, coatings and textiles. We review recent advances and challenges in the developments towards applications of stimuli-responsive polymeric materials that are self-assembled from nanostructured building blocks. We also provide a critical outline of emerging developments.

Smart Stylet: The development and use of a bedside external ventricular drain image-guidance system

PubMed Central

Patil, Vaibhav; Gupta, Rajiv; Estépar, Raúl San José; Lacson, Ronilda; Cheung, Arnold; Wong, Judith M.; Popp, A. John; Golby, Alexandra; Ogilvy, Christopher; Vosburgh, Kirby G.

2015-01-01

Background Placement accuracy of ventriculostomy catheters is reported in a wide and variable range. Development of an efficient image-guidance system may improve physician performance and patient safety. Objective We evaluate the prototype of Smart Stylet, a new electromagnetic image-guidance system for use during bedside ventriculostomy. Methods Accuracy of the Smart Stylet system was assessed. System operators were evaluated for their ability to successfully target the ipsilateral frontal horn in a phantom model. Results Target registration error across 15 intracranial targets ranged from 1.3 – 4.6 mm (mean 3.1 mm). Using Smart Stylet guidance, a test operator successfully passed a ventriculostomy catheter to a shifted ipsilateral frontal horn 20/20 (100%) times from the frontal approach in a skull phantom. Without Smart Stylet guidance, the operator was successful 4/10 (40 %) from the right frontal approach and 6/10 (60 %) from the left frontal approach. In a separate experiment, resident operators were successful 2/4 (50%) when targeting the shifted ipsilateral frontal horn with Smart Stylet guidance and 0/4 (0 %) without image-guidance using a skull phantom. Conclusions Smart Stylet may improve the ability to successfully target the ventricles during frontal ventriculostomy. PMID:25662506

WSN- and IOT-Based Smart Homes and Their Extension to Smart Buildings

PubMed Central

Ghayvat, Hemant; Mukhopadhyay, Subhas; Gui, Xiang; Suryadevara, Nagender

2015-01-01

Our research approach is to design and develop reliable, efficient, flexible, economical, real-time and realistic wellness sensor networks for smart home systems. The heterogeneous sensor and actuator nodes based on wireless networking technologies are deployed into the home environment. These nodes generate real-time data related to the object usage and movement inside the home, to forecast the wellness of an individual. Here, wellness stands for how efficiently someone stays fit in the home environment and performs his or her daily routine in order to live a long and healthy life. We initiate the research with the development of the smart home approach and implement it in different home conditions (different houses) to monitor the activity of an inhabitant for wellness detection. Additionally, our research extends the smart home system to smart buildings and models the design issues related to the smart building environment; these design issues are linked with system performance and reliability. This research paper also discusses and illustrates the possible mitigation to handle the ISM band interference and attenuation losses without compromising optimum system performance. PMID:25946630

WSN- and IOT-Based Smart Homes and Their Extension to Smart Buildings.

PubMed

Ghayvat, Hemant; Mukhopadhyay, Subhas; Gui, Xiang; Suryadevara, Nagender

2015-05-04

Our research approach is to design and develop reliable, efficient, flexible, economical, real-time and realistic wellness sensor networks for smart home systems. The heterogeneous sensor and actuator nodes based on wireless networking technologies are deployed into the home environment. These nodes generate real-time data related to the object usage and movement inside the home, to forecast the wellness of an individual. Here, wellness stands for how efficiently someone stays fit in the home environment and performs his or her daily routine in order to live a long and healthy life. We initiate the research with the development of the smart home approach and implement it in different home conditions (different houses) to monitor the activity of an inhabitant for wellness detection. Additionally, our research extends the smart home system to smart buildings and models the design issues related to the smart building environment; these design issues are linked with system performance and reliability. This research paper also discusses and illustrates the possible mitigation to handle the ISM band interference and attenuation losses without compromising optimum system performance.

The Diabetes Self-management Assessment Report Tool (D-SMART): process evaluation and patient satisfaction.

PubMed

Charron-Prochownik, Denise; Zgibor, Janice C; Peyrot, Mark; Peeples, Malinda; McWilliams, Janis; Koshinsky, Janice; Noullet, William; Siminerio, Linda M

2007-01-01

The purpose of this article is to present the results of the process evaluation and patient experience in completing the Diabetes Self-management Assessment Report Tool (D-SMART), an instrument within the AADE Outcome System to assist diabetes educators to assess, facilitate, and track behavior change in the provision of diabetes self-management education (DSME). The D-SMART was integrated into computer and telephonic systems at 5 sites within the Pittsburgh Regional Initiative for Diabetes Education (PRIDE) network. Data were obtained from 290 patients with diabetes using the system at these programs via paper-and-pencil questionnaires following baseline D-SMART assessments and electronic system measurement of system performance. Process evaluation included time of completion, understanding content, usability of technology, and satisfaction with the system. Patients were 58% female and 85% Caucasian and had a mean age of 58 years. Fifty-six percent of patients had no more than a high school education, and 78% had Internet access at home. Most patients reported completing the D-SMART at home (78%), in 1 attempt (86%) via the Internet (55%), and in less than 30 minutes. Seventy-six percent believed the questions were easy to understand, and 80% did not need assistance. Age was negatively associated with ease of use. Moreover, 76% of patients believed the D-SMART helped them think about their diabetes, with 67% indicating that it gave the diabetes educator good information about themselves and their diabetes. Most (94%) were satisfied with the D-SMART. Level of satisfaction was independent of the system being used. The D-SMART was easily completed at home in 1 attempt, content was understandable, and patients were generally satisfied with the wording of questions and selection of answers. The D-SMART is easy to use and enhanced communication between the patient and clinician; however, elderly patients may need more assistance. Computer-based and telephonic D-SMARTs appear to be feasible and useful assessment methods for diabetes educators.

Some recent advances of intelligent health monitoring systems for civil infrastructures in HIT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ou, Jinping

2005-06-01

The intelligent health monitoring systems more and more become a technique for ensuring the health and safety of civil infrastructures and also an important approach for research of the damage accumulation or even disaster evolving characteristics of civil infrastructures, and attracts prodigious research interests and active development interests of scientists and engineers since a great number of civil infrastructures are planning and building each year in mainland China. In this paper, some recent advances on research, development nad implementation of intelligent health monitoring systems for civil infrastructuresin mainland China, especially in Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), P.R.China. The main contents include smart sensors such as optical fiber Bragg grating (OFBG) and polivinyllidene fluoride (PVDF) sensors, fatigue life gauges, self-sensing mortar and carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP), wireless sensor networks and their implementation in practical infrastructures such as offshore platform structures, hydraulic engineering structures, large span bridges and large space structures. Finally, the relative research projects supported by the national foundation agencies of China are briefly introduced.

GET SMARTE: A DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM TO REVITALIZE COMMUNITIES - CABERNET 2007

EPA Science Inventory

Sustainable Management Approaches and Revitalization Tools - electronic (SMARTe), is an open-source, web-based, decision support system for developing and evaluating future reuse scenarios for potentially contaminated land. SMARTe contains information and analysis tools for all a...

The role of smart systems in rendezvous, close proximity operations and docking maneuvers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szatkowski, Gerard P.

Various missions scenarios (Space Station logistics, LEO and GEO services, and SEI operation) will involve flexibility in mission management. This means operations will be one or a combination of the following: autonomous, supervised autonomous, and machine aided manual control. Smart Systems will likely play a significant role in making these missions successful from a safety/reliability perspective and less costly from an operations perspective. This does not imply that Smart Systems need to be super sophisticated. On the contrary, Smart Systems have been described as automated intelligence that if a person had done it wrong, it would be considered stupid. The first part of this paper will describe the types of Smart System techniques involved in AR and CC, their specifications, duties, and interactions. Next will be a discussion of the work performed under the auspice of the ALS Program to further Expert Systems applications imbedded in the control process, NASA/JSC CRAD, and other related IRAD projects. This will include issues pertaining to the following: integration, speed, knowledge encapsulation, and cooperative systems. Finally, a brief description will be offered to outline the major obstacles for the acceptance of Smart Systems in critical applications.

Role of System Architecture in Architecture in Developing New Drafting Tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sorguç, Arzu Gönenç

In this study, the impact of information technologies in architectural design process is discussed. In this discussion, first the differences/nuances between the concept of software engineering and system architecture are clarified. Then, the design process in engineering, and design process in architecture has been compared by considering 3-D models as the center of design process over which the other disciplines involve the design. It is pointed out that in many high-end engineering applications, 3-D solid models and consequently digital mock-up concept has become a common practice. But, architecture as one of the important customers of CAD systems employing these tools has not started to use these 3-D models. It is shown that the reason of this time lag between architecture and engineering lies behind the tradition of design attitude. Therefore, it is proposed a new design scheme a meta-model to develop an integrated design model being centered on 3-D model. It is also proposed a system architecture to achieve the transformation of architectural design process by replacing 2-D thinking with 3-D thinking. It is stated that in the proposed system architecture, the CAD systems are included and adapted for 3-D architectural design in order to provide interfaces for integration of all possible disciplines to design process. It is also shown that such a change will allow to elaborate the intelligent or smart building concept in future.

Research on the full life cycle management system of smart electric energy meter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xiangqun; Huang, Rui; Shen, Liman; Guo, Dingying; Xiong, Dezhi; Xiao, Xiangqi; Liu, Mouhai; Renheng, Xu

2018-02-01

At present, China’s smart electric energy meter life management is started from the procurement and acceptance. The related monitoring and management of the manufacturing sector has not yet been carried out. This article applies RFID technology and network cloud platform to full life cycle management system of smart electric energy meters, builds this full life cycle management system including design and manufacturing, process control, measurement and calibration testing, storage management, user acceptance, site operation, maintenance scrap and other aspects. Exploring smart electric energy meters on-line and off-line communication by the application of active RFID communication functions, and the actual functional application such as local data exchange and instrument calibration. This system provides technical supports on power demand side management and the improvement of smart electric energy meter reliability evaluation system.

A Review on Development Practice of Smart Grid Technology in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Liu; Chen, Wei; Zhuang, Bo; Shen, Hongming

2017-05-01

Smart grid has become an inexorable trend of energy and economy development worldwide. Since the development of smart grid was put forward in China in 2009, we have obtained abundant research results and practical experiences as well as extensive attention from international community in this field. This paper reviews the key technologies and demonstration projects on new energy connection forecasts; energy storage; smart substations; disaster prevention and reduction for power transmission lines; flexible DC transmission; distribution automation; distributed generation access and micro grid; smart power consumption; the comprehensive demonstration of power distribution and utilization; smart power dispatching and control systems; and the communication networks and information platforms of China, systematically, on the basis of 5 fields, i.e., renewable energy integration, smart power transmission and transformation, smart power distribution and consumption, smart power dispatching and control systems and information and communication platforms. Meanwhile, it also analyzes and compares with the developmental level of similar technologies abroad, providing an outlook on the future development trends of various technologies.

Pilot symbol-assisted beamforming algorithms in the WCDMA reverse link

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, Dongkeon; Lee, Jong H.; Chun, Joohwan; Woo, Yeon Sik; Soh, Ju Won

2001-08-01

We present a pilot symbol-assisted beamforming algorithm and a simulation tool of smart antennas for Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) in reverse link. In the 3GPP WCDMA system smart antenna technology has more room to play with than in the second generation wireless mobile systems such as IS-95 because the pilot symbol in Dedicated Physical Control Channel (DPCCH) can be utilized. First we show a smart antenna structure and adaptation algorithms, and then we explain a low-level smart antenna implementation using Simulink and MATLAB. In the design of our smart antenna system we pay special attention for the easiness of the interface to the baseband modem; Our ultimate goal is to implement a baseband smart antenna chip sets that can easily be added to to-be-existed baseband WCDMA modem units.

E-SMART system for in-situ detection of environmental contaminants. Quarterly technical progress report, July--September 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-10-01

General Atomics (GA) leads a team of industrial, academic, and government organizations to develop the Environmental Systems Management, Analysis and Reporting neTwork (E-SMART) for the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA), by way of this Technology Reinvestment Project (TRP). E-SMART defines a standard by which networks of smart sensing, sampling, and control devices can interoperate. E-SMART is intended to be an open standard, available to any equipment manufacturer. The user will be provided a standard platform on which a site-specific monitoring plan can be implemented using sensors and actuators from various manufacturers and upgraded as new monitoring devices become commerciallymore » available. This project will further develop and advance the E-SMART standardized network protocol to include new sensors, sampling systems, and graphical user interfaces.« less

A distributed reasoning engine ecosystem for semantic context-management in smart environments.

PubMed

Almeida, Aitor; López-de-Ipiña, Diego

2012-01-01

To be able to react adequately a smart environment must be aware of the context and its changes. Modeling the context allows applications to better understand it and to adapt to its changes. In order to do this an appropriate formal representation method is needed. Ontologies have proven themselves to be one of the best tools to do it. Semantic inference provides a powerful framework to reason over the context data. But there are some problems with this approach. The inference over semantic context information can be cumbersome when working with a large amount of data. This situation has become more common in modern smart environments where there are a lot sensors and devices available. In order to tackle this problem we have developed a mechanism to distribute the context reasoning problem into smaller parts in order to reduce the inference time. In this paper we describe a distributed peer-to-peer agent architecture of context consumers and context providers. We explain how this inference sharing process works, partitioning the context information according to the interests of the agents, location and a certainty factor. We also discuss the system architecture, analyzing the negotiation process between the agents. Finally we compare the distributed reasoning with the centralized one, analyzing in which situations is more suitable each approach.

Future evolution of distributed systems for smart grid - The challenges and opportunities to using decentralized energy system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konopko, Joanna

2015-12-01

A decentralized energy system is a relatively new approach in the power industry. Decentralized energy systems provide promising opportunities for deploying renewable energy sources locally available as well as for expanding access to clean energy services to remote communities. The electricity system of the future must produce and distribute electricity that is reliable and affordable. To accomplish these goals, both the electricity grid and the existing regulatory system must be smarter. In this paper, the major issues and challenges in distributed systems for smart grid are discussed and future trends are presented. The smart grid technologies and distributed generation systems are explored. A general overview of the comparison of the traditional grid and smart grid is also included.

Analysing Smart Metering Systems from a Consumer Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yesudas, Rani

Many countries are deploying smart meters and Advanced Metering Infrastructure systems as part of demand management and grid modernisation efforts. Several of these projects are facing consumer resistance. The advertised benefits to the consumer appear mainly monetary but detailed analysis shows that financial benefits are hard to realise since the fixed services charges are high. Additionally, the data collected from smart meters have security and privacy implications for the consumer. These projects failed to consider end-users as an important stakeholder group during planning stages resulting in the design and roll-out of expensive systems, which do not demonstrate clear consumer benefits. The overall goal of the research reported in this thesis was to improve the smart metering system to deliver consumer benefits that increase confidence and acceptance of these projects. The smart metering system was examined from an end-user perspective for realistic insights into consumer concerns. Processes from Design Science Research methodology were utilised to conduct this research due to the utilitarian nature of the objective. Consumer segmentation was central to the proposed measures. Initially, a consumer-friendly risk analysis framework was devised, and appropriate requirement elicitation techniques were identified. Control options for smart meter data transfer and storage were explored. Various scenarios were analysed to determine consumer-friendly features in the smart metering system, including control options for smart meter data transfer and storage. Proposed functionalities (billing choices, feedback information and specific configurations to match the needs of different user segments) were studied using the Australian smart metering system. Smart meters vary in capabilities depending on the manufacturer, mode and place of deployment. The research showed that features proposed in this thesis are implementable in smart meters, by examining their applicability to those used in Victoria (Australia). This study demonstrated that intelligent systems for demand and distribution-side management can be built without the use of detailed consumption data from the consumer. Many issues related to smart meter data could be avoided by distributing intelligent metering devices across the network. A check-list was generated to guide project proponents to achieve a consumer-friendly outcome. This research establishes that by applying well-established theories during the planning process, in particular, requirement elicitation and risk analysis, consumer support can be gained leading to the deployment of user-friendly and sustainable systems. The check-list generated will help the industry to appropriately plan and develop systems that can avoid opposition and even stimulate adoption. Options proposed provide choices for different consumer segments without affecting major operations such as billing. On evaluation, it has been identified that the proposed measures do not affect the quality attributes of the system. Since the proposals presented in this thesis were based on smart meters used in Victoria (Australia), smart meters used in other areas may require upgrades or revisions to support these functions. The scope of this research is limited to identifying improvements in the system that will benefit the residential consumer and does not extend to the analysis of the effects of these improvements on the profitability of the investors.

Smart distribution systems

DOE PAGES

Jiang, Yazhou; Liu, Chen -Ching; Xu, Yin

2016-04-19

The increasing importance of system reliability and resilience is changing the way distribution systems are planned and operated. To achieve a distribution system self-healing against power outages, emerging technologies and devices, such as remote-controlled switches (RCSs) and smart meters, are being deployed. The higher level of automation is transforming traditional distribution systems into the smart distribution systems (SDSs) of the future. The availability of data and remote control capability in SDSs provides distribution operators with an opportunity to optimize system operation and control. In this paper, the development of SDSs and resulting benefits of enhanced system capabilities are discussed. Amore » comprehensive survey is conducted on the state-of-the-art applications of RCSs and smart meters in SDSs. Specifically, a new method, called Temporal Causal Diagram (TCD), is used to incorporate outage notifications from smart meters for enhanced outage management. To fully utilize the fast operation of RCSs, the spanning tree search algorithm is used to develop service restoration strategies. Optimal placement of RCSs and the resulting enhancement of system reliability are discussed. Distribution system resilience with respect to extreme events is presented. Furthermore, test cases are used to demonstrate the benefit of SDSs. Active management of distributed generators (DGs) is introduced. Future research in a smart distribution environment is proposed.« less

Opportunity to Plug Your Car Into the Electric Grid is Arriving

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Griego, G.

2010-06-01

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles are hitting the U.S. market for the first time this year. Similar to hybrid electric vehicles, they feature a larger battery and plug-in charger that allows consumers to replace a portion of their fossil fuel by simply plugging their cars into standard 110-volt outlets at home or wherever outlets are available. If these vehicles become widely accepted, consumers and the environment will benefit, according to a computer modeling study by Xcel Energy and the Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Researchers found that each PHEV would cut carbon dioxide emissions in half and save ownersmore » up to $450 in annual fuel costs and up to 240 gallons of gasoline. The study also looked at the impact of PHEVs on the electric grid in Colorado if used on a large scale. Integrating large numbers of these vehicles will depend on the adoption of smart-grid technology - adding digital elements to the electric power system to improve efficiency and enable more dynamic communication between consumers and producers of electricity. Using an intelligent monitoring system that keeps track of all electricity flowing in the system, a smart grid could enable optimal PHEV battery-charging much the same way it would enable users to manage their energy use in household appliances and factory processes to reduce energy costs. When a smart grid is implemented, consumers will have many low-cost opportunities to charge PHEVs at different times of the day. Plug-in vehicles could contribute electricity at peak times, such as summer evenings, while taking electricity from the grid at low-use times such as the middle of the night. Electricity rates could offer incentives for drivers to 'give back' electricity when it is most needed and to 'take' it when it is plentiful. The integration of PHEVs, solar arrays and wind turbines into the grid at larger scales will require a more modern electricity system. Technology already exists to allow customers to feed excess power from their own renewable energy systems back to the grid. As more homes and businesses find opportunities to plan power flows to and from the grid for economic gain using their renewable energy systems and PHEVs, more sophisticated systems will be needed. A smart grid will improve the efficiency of energy consumption, manage real-time power flows and provide two-way metering needed to compensate small power producers. Many states are working toward the smart-grid concept, particularly to incorporate renewable sources into their utility grids. According to the Department of Energy, 30 states have developed and adopted renewable portfolio standards, which require up to 20 percent of a state's energy portfolio to come exclusively from renewable sources by this year, and up to 30 percent in the future. NREL has been laying the foundation for both PHEVs and the smart grid for many years with work including modifying hybrid electric cars with plug-in technology; studying fuel economy, batteries and power electronics; exploring options for recharging batteries with solar and wind technologies; and measuring reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The laboratory participated in development of smart-grid implementation standards with industry, utilities, government and others to guide the integration of renewable and other small electricity generation and storage sources. Dick DeBlasio, principal program manager for electricity programs, is now leading the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Standards efforts to connect the dots regarding power generation, communication and information technologies.« less

Exploration and design of smart home circuit based on ZigBee

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Huirong

2018-05-01

To apply ZigBee technique in smart home circuit design, in the hardware design link of ZigBee node, TI Company's ZigBee wireless communication chip CC2530 was used to complete the design of ZigBee RF module circuit and peripheral circuit. In addition, the function demand and the overall scheme of the intelligent system based on smart home furnishing were proposed. Finally, the smart home system was built by combining ZigBee network and intelligent gateway. The function realization, reliability and power consumption of ZigBee network were tested. The results showed that ZigBee technology was applied to smart home system, making it have some advantages in terms of flexibility, scalability, power consumption and indoor aesthetics. To sum up, the system has high application value.

Implementing a High-Assurance Smart-Card OS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karger, Paul A.; Toll, David C.; Palmer, Elaine R.; McIntosh, Suzanne K.; Weber, Samuel; Edwards, Jonathan W.

Building a high-assurance, secure operating system for memory constrained systems, such as smart cards, introduces many challenges. The increasing power of smart cards has made their use feasible in applications such as electronic passports, military and public sector identification cards, and cell-phone based financial and entertainment applications. Such applications require a secure environment, which can only be provided with sufficient hardware and a secure operating system. We argue that smart cards pose additional security challenges when compared to traditional computer platforms. We discuss our design for a secure smart card operating system, named Caernarvon, and show that it addresses these challenges, which include secure application download, protection of cryptographic functions from malicious applications, resolution of covert channels, and assurance of both security and data integrity in the face of arbitrary power losses.

Choosing front-of-package food labelling nutritional criteria: how smart were 'Smart Choices'?

PubMed

Roberto, Christina A; Bragg, Marie A; Livingston, Kara A; Harris, Jennifer L; Thompson, Jackie M; Seamans, Marissa J; Brownell, Kelly D

2012-02-01

The 'Smart Choices' programme was an industry-driven, front-of-package (FOP) nutritional labelling system introduced in the USA in August 2009, ostensibly to help consumers select healthier options during food shopping. Its nutritional criteria were developed by members of the food industry in collaboration with nutrition and public health experts and government officials. The aim of the present study was to test the extent to which products labelled as 'Smart Choices' could be classified as healthy choices on the basis of the Nutrient Profile Model (NPM), a non-industry-developed, validated nutritional standard. A total of 100 packaged products that qualified for a 'Smart Choices' designation were sampled from eight food and beverage categories. All products were evaluated using the NPM method. In all, 64 % of the products deemed 'Smart Choices' did not meet the NPM standard for a healthy product. Within each 'Smart Choices' category, 0 % of condiments, 8·70 % of fats and oils, 15·63 % of cereals and 31·58 % of snacks and sweets met NPM thresholds. All sampled soups, beverages, desserts and grains deemed 'Smart Choices' were considered healthy according to the NPM standard. The 'Smart Choices' programme is an example of industries' attempts at self-regulation. More than 60 % of foods that received the 'Smart Choices' label did not meet standard nutritional criteria for a 'healthy' food choice, suggesting that industries' involvement in designing labelling systems should be scrutinized. The NPM system may be a good option as the basis for establishing FOP labelling criteria, although more comparisons with other systems are needed.

Cybersecurity and Optimization in Smart “Autonomous” Buildings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mylrea, Michael E.; Gourisetti, Sri Nikhil Gup

Significant resources have been invested in making buildings “smart” by digitizing, networking and automating key systems and operations. Smart autonomous buildings create new energy efficiency, economic and environmental opportunities. But as buildings become increasingly networked to the Internet, they can also become more vulnerable to various cyber threats. Automated and Internet-connected buildings systems, equipment, controls, and sensors can significantly increase cyber and physical vulnerabilities that threaten the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of critical systems in organizations. Securing smart autonomous buildings presents a national security and economic challenge to the nation. Ignoring this challenge threatens business continuity and the availability ofmore » critical infrastructures that are enabled by smart buildings. In this chapter, the authors address challenges and explore new opportunities in securing smart buildings that are enhanced by machine learning, cognitive sensing, artificial intelligence (AI) and smart-energy technologies. The chapter begins by identifying cyber-threats and challenges to smart autonomous buildings. Then it provides recommendations on how AI enabled solutions can help smart buildings and facilities better protect, detect and respond to cyber-physical threats and vulnerabilities. Next, the chapter will provide case studies that examine how combining AI with innovative smart-energy technologies can increase both cybersecurity and energy efficiency savings in buildings. The chapter will conclude by proposing recommendations for future cybersecurity and energy optimization research for examining AI enabled smart-energy technology.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harper, Jason

Jason Harper, an electrical engineer in Argonne National Laboratory's EV-Smart Grid Interoperability Center, discusses his SpEC Module invention that will enable fast charging of electric vehicles in under 15 minutes. The module has been licensed to BTCPower.

AVQS: attack route-based vulnerability quantification scheme for smart grid.

PubMed

Ko, Jongbin; Lim, Hyunwoo; Lee, Seokjun; Shon, Taeshik

2014-01-01

A smart grid is a large, consolidated electrical grid system that includes heterogeneous networks and systems. Based on the data, a smart grid system has a potential security threat in its network connectivity. To solve this problem, we develop and apply a novel scheme to measure the vulnerability in a smart grid domain. Vulnerability quantification can be the first step in security analysis because it can help prioritize the security problems. However, existing vulnerability quantification schemes are not suitable for smart grid because they do not consider network vulnerabilities. We propose a novel attack route-based vulnerability quantification scheme using a network vulnerability score and an end-to-end security score, depending on the specific smart grid network environment to calculate the vulnerability score for a particular attack route. To evaluate the proposed approach, we derive several attack scenarios from the advanced metering infrastructure domain. The experimental results of the proposed approach and the existing common vulnerability scoring system clearly show that we need to consider network connectivity for more optimized vulnerability quantification.

SMART Layer and SMART Suitcase for structural health monitoring applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Mark; Qing, Xinlin; Kumar, Amrita; Beard, Shawn J.

2001-06-01

Knowledge of integrity of in-service structures can greatly enhance their safety and reliability and lower structural maintenance cost. Current practices limit the extent of real-time knowledge that can be obtained from structures during inspection, are labor-intensive and thereby increase life-cycle costs. Utilization of distributed sensors integrated with the structure is a viable and cost-effective means of monitoring the structure and reducing inspection costs. Acellent Technologies is developing a novel system for actively and passively interrogating the health of a structure through an integrated network of sensors and actuators. Acellent's system comprises of SMART Layers, SMART Suitcase and diagnostic software. The patented SMART Layer is a thin dielectric film with an embedded network of distributed piezoelectric actuators/sensors that can be surface-mounted on metallic structures or embedded inside composite structures. The SMART Suitcase is a portable diagnostic unit designed with multiple sensor/actuator channels to interface with the SMART Layer, generate diagnostic signals from actuators and record measurements from the embedded sensors. With appropriate diagnostic software, Acellent's system can be used for monitoring structural condition and for detecting damage while the structures are in service. This paper enumerates on the SMART Layer and SMART Suitcase and their applicability to composite and metal structures.

An Approach for Smart Antenna Testbed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawitkar, R. S.; Wakde, D. G.

2003-07-01

The use of wireless, mobile, personal communications services are expanding rapidly. Adaptive or "Smart" antenna arrays can increase channel capacity through spatial division. Adaptive antennas can also track mobile users, improving both signal range and quality. For these reasons, smart antenna systems have attracted widespread interest in the telecommunications industry for applications to third generation wireless systems.This paper aims to design and develop an advanced antennas testbed to serve as a common reference for testing adaptive antenna arrays and signal combining algorithms, as well as complete systems. A flexible suite of off line processing software should be written using matlab to perform system calibration, test bed initialization, data acquisition control, data storage/transfer, off line signal processing and analysis and graph plotting. The goal of this paper is to develop low complexity smart antenna structures for 3G systems. The emphasis will be laid on ease of implementation in a multichannel / multi-user environment. A smart antenna test bed will be developed, and various state-of-the-art DSP structures and algorithms will be investigated.Facing the soaring demand for mobile communications, the use of smart antenna arrays in mobile communications systems to exploit spatial diversity to further improve spectral efficiency has recently received considerable attention. Basically, a smart antenna array comprises a number of antenna elements combined via a beamforming network (amplitude and phase control network). Some of the benefits that can be achieved by using SAS (Smart Antenna System) include lower mobile terminal power consumption, range extension, ISI reduction, higher data rate support, and ease of integration into the existing base station system. In terms of economic benefits, adaptive antenna systems employed at base station, though increases the per base station cost, can increase coverage area of each cell site, thereby reducing the total system cost dramatically - often by more than 50% without compromising the system performance. The testbed can be employed to illustrate enhancement of system capacity and service quality in wireless communications.

Smart Aerospace eCommerce: Using Intelligent Agents in a NASA Mission Services Ordering Application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moleski, Walt; Luczak, Ed; Morris, Kim; Clayton, Bill; Scherf, Patricia; Obenschain, Arthur F. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

This paper describes how intelligent agent technology was successfully prototyped and then deployed in a smart eCommerce application for NASA. An intelligent software agent called the Intelligent Service Validation Agent (ISVA) was added to an existing web-based ordering application to validate complex orders for spacecraft mission services. This integration of intelligent agent technology with conventional web technology satisfies an immediate NASA need to reduce manual order processing costs. The ISVA agent checks orders for completeness, consistency, and correctness, and notifies users of detected problems. ISVA uses NASA business rules and a knowledge base of NASA services, and is implemented using the Java Expert System Shell (Jess), a fast rule-based inference engine. The paper discusses the design of the agent and knowledge base, and the prototyping and deployment approach. It also discusses future directions and other applications, and discusses lessons-learned that may help other projects make their aerospace eCommerce applications smarter.

Engineering artificial machines from designable DNA materials for biomedical applications.

PubMed

Qi, Hao; Huang, Guoyou; Han, Yulong; Zhang, Xiaohui; Li, Yuhui; Pingguan-Murphy, Belinda; Lu, Tian Jian; Xu, Feng; Wang, Lin

2015-06-01

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) emerges as building bricks for the fabrication of nanostructure with complete artificial architecture and geometry. The amazing ability of DNA in building two- and three-dimensional structures raises the possibility of developing smart nanomachines with versatile controllability for various applications. Here, we overviewed the recent progresses in engineering DNA machines for specific bioengineering and biomedical applications.

Engineering Artificial Machines from Designable DNA Materials for Biomedical Applications

PubMed Central

Huang, Guoyou; Han, Yulong; Zhang, Xiaohui; Li, Yuhui; Pingguan-Murphy, Belinda; Lu, Tian Jian; Xu, Feng

2015-01-01

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) emerges as building bricks for the fabrication of nanostructure with complete artificial architecture and geometry. The amazing ability of DNA in building two- and three-dimensional structures raises the possibility of developing smart nanomachines with versatile controllability for various applications. Here, we overviewed the recent progresses in engineering DNA machines for specific bioengineering and biomedical applications. PMID:25547514

E-SMART system for in-situ detection of environmental contaminants. Quarterly technical progress report, April--June 1997

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1997-08-01

General Atomics (GA) leads a team of industrial, academic, and government organizations in the development of the Environmental Systems Management, Analysis and Reporting neTwork (E-SMART) for the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA), by way of this Technology Reinvestment Project (TRP). E-SMART defines a standard by which networks of smart sensing, sampling, and control devices can interoperate. E-SMART is intended to be an open standard, available to any equipment manufacturer. The user will be provided a standard platform on which a site-specific monitoring plan can be implemented using sensors and actuators from various manufacturers and upgraded as new monitoring devicesmore » become commercially available. This project will further develop and advance the E-SMART standardized network protocol to include new sensors, sampling systems, and graphical user interfaces.« less

Design of smart home gateway based on Wi-Fi and ZigBee

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yang

2018-04-01

With the increasing demand for home lifestyle, the traditional smart home products have been unable to meet the needs of users. Aim at the complex wiring, high cost and difficult operation problems of traditional smart home system, this paper designs a home gateway for smart home system based on Wi-Fi and ZigBee. This paper first gives a smart home system architecture base on cloud server, Wi-Fi and ZigBee. This architecture enables users to access the smart home system remotely from Internet through the cloud server or through Wi-Fi at home. It also offers the flexibility and low cost of ZigBee wireless networking for home equipment. This paper analyzes the functional requirements of the home gateway, and designs a modular hardware architecture based on the RT5350 wireless gateway module and the CC2530 ZigBee coordinator module. Also designs the software of the home gateway, including the gateway master program and the ZigBee coordinator program. Finally, the smart home system and home gateway are tested in two kinds of network environments, internal network and external network. The test results show that the designed home gateway can meet the requirements, support remote and local access, support multi-user, support information security technology, and can timely report equipment status information.

The Smart Power Lab at the Energy Systems Integration Facility

ScienceCinema

Christensen, Dane; Sparn, Bethany; Hannegan, Brian

2018-05-11

Watch how NREL researchers are using the Smart Power Laboratory at the Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) to develop technologies that will help the "smart homes" of the future perform efficiently and communicate effectively with the electricity grid while enhancing occupants' comfort and convenience.

The Smart Power Lab at the Energy Systems Integration Facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Christensen, Dane; Sparn, Bethany; Hannegan, Brian

Watch how NREL researchers are using the Smart Power Laboratory at the Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) to develop technologies that will help the "smart homes" of the future perform efficiently and communicate effectively with the electricity grid while enhancing occupants' comfort and convenience.

Wireless Communications in Smart Grid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bojkovic, Zoran; Bakmaz, Bojan

Communication networks play a crucial role in smart grid, as the intelligence of this complex system is built based on information exchange across the power grid. Wireless communications and networking are among the most economical ways to build the essential part of the scalable communication infrastructure for smart grid. In particular, wireless networks will be deployed widely in the smart grid for automatic meter reading, remote system and customer site monitoring, as well as equipment fault diagnosing. With an increasing interest from both the academic and industrial communities, this chapter systematically investigates recent advances in wireless communication technology for the smart grid.

Complex IoT Systems as Enablers for Smart Homes in a Smart City Vision.

PubMed

Lynggaard, Per; Skouby, Knud Erik

2016-11-02

The world is entering a new era, where Internet-of-Things (IoT), smart homes, and smart cities will play an important role in meeting the so-called big challenges. In the near future, it is foreseen that the majority of the world's population will live their lives in smart homes and in smart cities. To deal with these challenges, to support a sustainable urban development, and to improve the quality of life for citizens, a multi-disciplinary approach is needed. It seems evident, however, that a new, advanced Information and Communications Technology ICT infrastructure is a key feature to realize the "smart" vision. This paper proposes a specific solution in the form of a hierarchical layered ICT based infrastructure that handles ICT issues related to the "big challenges" and seamlessly integrates IoT, smart homes, and smart city structures into one coherent unit. To exemplify benefits of this infrastructure, a complex IoT system has been deployed, simulated and elaborated. This simulation deals with wastewater energy harvesting from smart buildings located in a smart city context. From the simulations, it has been found that the proposed infrastructure is able to harvest between 50% and 75% of the wastewater energy in a smart residential building. By letting the smart city infrastructure coordinate and control the harvest time and duration, it is possible to achieve considerable energy savings in the smart homes, and it is possible to reduce the peak-load for district heating plants.

Load Balancing Integrated Least Slack Time-Based Appliance Scheduling for Smart Home Energy Management.

PubMed

Silva, Bhagya Nathali; Khan, Murad; Han, Kijun

2018-02-25

The emergence of smart devices and smart appliances has highly favored the realization of the smart home concept. Modern smart home systems handle a wide range of user requirements. Energy management and energy conservation are in the spotlight when deploying sophisticated smart homes. However, the performance of energy management systems is highly influenced by user behaviors and adopted energy management approaches. Appliance scheduling is widely accepted as an effective mechanism to manage domestic energy consumption. Hence, we propose a smart home energy management system that reduces unnecessary energy consumption by integrating an automated switching off system with load balancing and appliance scheduling algorithm. The load balancing scheme acts according to defined constraints such that the cumulative energy consumption of the household is managed below the defined maximum threshold. The scheduling of appliances adheres to the least slack time (LST) algorithm while considering user comfort during scheduling. The performance of the proposed scheme has been evaluated against an existing energy management scheme through computer simulation. The simulation results have revealed a significant improvement gained through the proposed LST-based energy management scheme in terms of cost of energy, along with reduced domestic energy consumption facilitated by an automated switching off mechanism.

A Comprehensive WSN-Based Approach to Efficiently Manage a Smart Grid

PubMed Central

Martinez-Sandoval, Ruben; Garcia-Sanchez, Antonio-Javier; Garcia-Sanchez, Felipe; Garcia-Haro, Joan; Flynn, David

2014-01-01

The Smart Grid (SG) is conceived as the evolution of the current electrical grid representing a big leap in terms of efficiency, reliability and flexibility compared to today's electrical network. To achieve this goal, the Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are considered by the scientific/engineering community to be one of the most suitable technologies to apply SG technology to due to their low-cost, collaborative and long-standing nature. However, the SG has posed significant challenges to utility operators—mainly very harsh radio propagation conditions and the lack of appropriate systems to empower WSN devices—making most of the commercial widespread solutions inadequate. In this context, and as a main contribution, we have designed a comprehensive ad-hoc WSN-based solution for the Smart Grid (SENSED-SG) that focuses on specific implementations of the MAC, the network and the application layers to attain maximum performance and to successfully deal with any arising hurdles. Our approach has been exhaustively evaluated by computer simulations and mathematical analysis, as well as validation within real test-beds deployed in controlled environments. In particular, these test-beds cover two of the main scenarios found in a SG; on one hand, an indoor electrical substation environment, implemented in a High Voltage AC/DC laboratory, and, on the other hand, an outdoor case, deployed in the Transmission and Distribution segment of a power grid. The results obtained show that SENSED-SG performs better and is more suitable for the Smart Grid than the popular ZigBee WSN approach. PMID:25310468

Evaluating an approach to improving the adoption rate of wireless drug library updates for smart pumps.

PubMed

Poppe, Lindsey B; Eckel, Stephen F

2011-01-15

An academic medical center's approach to improving the adoption rate of wireless drug library updates for smart pumps was evaluated. A multidisciplinary team composed of pharmacy, nursing, medical engineering, materials management, and patient equipment personnel at an academic medical center collaborated to update the drug libraries of more than 1800 smart pumps via a wireless control system. Two pilot tests were completed to identify and resolve issues before the live wireless update was attempted. The second pilot test, a passive approach, produced an adoption rate of 42% of 1804 pumps at the end of one week and a rate of 56% on day 10. The goal of 80% was not achieved until day 22. The change to an active multidisciplinary process three months later produced an adoption rate of 80% for 1869 pumps on day 10, resulting in a 45.4% increase in the adoption rate between the two trials on day 10 (p < 0.001). Communication regarding the updates was disseminated via e-mail to the entire organization, with fliers posted on all patient care units, and verbally during staff meetings. Patient equipment personnel manually tagged each pump with a blue zip tie after verifying the update to easily identify which pumps had been updated. Areas for improvement include increasing communication to the staff detailing when the update will occur and changing the day of the week the update is performed. A multidisciplinary team actively engaged in the updating of wireless i.v. smart pump drug libraries reduced the amount of time required to reach a goal adoption rate of 80%.

SMARTSware for SMARTS users to facilitate data reduction and data analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

2005-01-01

The software package SMARTSware is made by one of the instrument scientist on the engineering neutron diffractometer SMARTS at the Lujan Center, a national user facility at Los Alamos Neutron Scattering Center (LANSCE). The purpose of the software is to facilitate the data analysis of powder diffraction data recorded at the Lujan Center, and hence the target audience is users performing experiments at the one of the powder diffractometers (SMARTS, HIPPO, HIPD and NPDF) at the Lujan Center. The beam time at the Lujan Center is allocated by peer review of internally and extenally submitted proposals, and therefore many ofmore » the users who are granted beam time are from the international science community. Generally, the users are only at the Lujan Center for a short period of time while they are performing the experiments, and often they leave with several data sets that have not been analyzed. The distribution of the SMARTSware software package will minimize their efforts when analyzing the data once they are back at their institution. Description of software: There are two main parts of the software; a part used to generate instrument parameter files from a set of calibration runs (Smartslparm, SmartsBin, SmartsFitDif and SmartsFitspec); and a part that facilitates the batch refinement of multiple diffraction patterns (SmartsRunRep, SmartsABC, SmartsSPF and SmartsExtract). The former part may only be peripheral to most users, but is a critical part of the instrument scientists' efforts in calibrating their instruments. The latter part is highly applicable to the users as they often need to analyze or re-analyze large sets of data. The programs within the SMARTSware package heavily rely on GSAS for the Rietveld and single peak refinements of diffraction data. GSAS (General Structure Analysis System) is a public available software also originating from LANL. Subroutines and libraries from the NeXus project (a world wide trust to standardize diffraction data formats) and National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois (the Hierarchical Data Format Software Library and Utilities) are used in the programs. All these subroutines and libraries are publicly available through the GNU Public License and/or Freeware. The package also contains sample input and output text files and a manual (LA-UR 04-6581). The executables and sample files will be available for down load at http://public.lanl.gov/clausen/SMARTSware.html and ftp://lansce.lanl.gov/clausen/SMARTSware/SMARTSware.zip, but the source codes will only be made available by written request to clausen@lanl.gov.« less

78 FR 22846 - Smart Grid Advisory Committee Meeting Cancellation

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-17

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Institute of Standards and Technology Smart Grid Advisory... Commerce. ACTION: Notice of meeting cancellation. SUMMARY: The meeting of the Smart Grid Advisory Committee... INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Cuong Nguyen, Smart Grid and Cyber-Physical Systems Program Office, National...

Android Platform Based Smartphones for a Logistical Remote Association Repair Framework

PubMed Central

Lien, Shao-Fan; Wang, Chun-Chieh; Su, Juhng-Perng; Chen, Hong-Ming; Wu, Chein-Hsing

2014-01-01

The maintenance of large-scale systems is an important issue for logistics support planning. In this paper, we developed a Logistical Remote Association Repair Framework (LRARF) to aid repairmen in keeping the system available. LRARF includes four subsystems: smart mobile phones, a Database Management System (DBMS), a Maintenance Support Center (MSC) and wireless networks. The repairman uses smart mobile phones to capture QR-codes and the images of faulty circuit boards. The captured QR-codes and images are transmitted to the DBMS so the invalid modules can be recognized via the proposed algorithm. In this paper, the Linear Projective Transform (LPT) is employed for fast QR-code calibration. Moreover, the ANFIS-based data mining system is used for module identification and searching automatically for the maintenance manual corresponding to the invalid modules. The inputs of the ANFIS-based data mining system are the QR-codes and image features; the output is the module ID. DBMS also transmits the maintenance manual back to the maintenance staff. If modules are not recognizable, the repairmen and center engineers can obtain the relevant information about the invalid modules through live video. The experimental results validate the applicability of the Android-based platform in the recognition of invalid modules. In addition, the live video can also be recorded synchronously on the MSC for later use. PMID:24967603

A rule-based smart automated fertilization and irrigation systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yousif, Musab El-Rashid; Ghafar, Khairuddin; Zahari, Rahimi; Lim, Tiong Hoo

2018-04-01

Smart automation in industries has become very important as it can improve the reliability and efficiency of the systems. The use of smart technologies in agriculture have increased over the year to ensure and control the production of crop and address food security. However, it is important to use proper irrigation systems avoid water wastage and overfeeding of the plant. In this paper, a Smart Rule-based Automated Fertilization and Irrigation System is proposed and evaluated. We propose a rule based decision making algorithm to monitor and control the food supply to the plant and the soil quality. A build-in alert system is also used to update the farmer using a text message. The system is developed and evaluated using a real hardware.

SMART-1 operations experience and lessons learnt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Camino, Octavio; Alonso, Maria; Gestal, Daniel; de Bruin, Jurriaan; Rathsman, Peter; Kugelberg, Joakim; Bodin, Per; Ricken, Sascha; Blake, Rick; Voss, Pablo Pardo; Stagnaro, Luca

2007-06-01

SMART-1 is the first of a series of ESA Small Missions for Advance Research and Technology where elements of the platform and the payload technology have been conceived as a demonstration for future cornerstone missions and an early opportunity for science. SMART-1 has also been an opportunity to experiment with new ways of conducting ground operations taking advantage of both increased satellite autonomy and ground automation tools. The paper will focus on three areas: The accumulated performance of the technology demonstration components since launch as the electrical propulsion engine, the triple-junction solar cells, the lithium-ion batteries, the 32 bit CPU ERC32 Single Chip, the CAN bus, the DTU Star Trackers and the complex on-board autonomy. The changes implemented on-board and on the ground during the lunar phase to increase the data return. The pros and contras in some of the choices made for SMART-1, the developments and solutions implemented to mitigate the problems, the tools developed to automate the operations and the distribution of data.

Flow Navigation by Smart Microswimmers via Reinforcement Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colabrese, Simona; Gustavsson, Kristian; Celani, Antonio; Biferale, Luca

2017-04-01

Smart active particles can acquire some limited knowledge of the fluid environment from simple mechanical cues and exert a control on their preferred steering direction. Their goal is to learn the best way to navigate by exploiting the underlying flow whenever possible. As an example, we focus our attention on smart gravitactic swimmers. These are active particles whose task is to reach the highest altitude within some time horizon, given the constraints enforced by fluid mechanics. By means of numerical experiments, we show that swimmers indeed learn nearly optimal strategies just by experience. A reinforcement learning algorithm allows particles to learn effective strategies even in difficult situations when, in the absence of control, they would end up being trapped by flow structures. These strategies are highly nontrivial and cannot be easily guessed in advance. This Letter illustrates the potential of reinforcement learning algorithms to model adaptive behavior in complex flows and paves the way towards the engineering of smart microswimmers that solve difficult navigation problems.

Elucidating Multiscale Periosteal Mechanobiology: A Key to Unlocking the Smart Properties and Regenerative Capacity of the Periosteum?

PubMed Central

Evans, Sarah F.; Chang, Hana

2013-01-01

The periosteum, a thin, fibrous tissue layer covering most bones, resides in a dynamic, mechanically loaded environment. The periosteum also provides a niche for mesenchymal stem cells. The mechanics of periosteum vary greatly between species and anatomical locations, indicating the specialized role of periosteum as bone's bounding membrane. Furthermore, periosteum exhibits stress-state-dependent mechanical and material properties, hallmarks of a smart material. This review discusses what is known about the multiscale mechanical and material properties of the periosteum as well as their potential effect on the mechanosensitive progenitor cells within the tissue. Furthermore, this review addresses open questions and barriers to understanding periosteum's multiscale structure–function relationships. Knowledge of the smart material properties of the periosteum will maximize the translation of periosteum and substitute periosteum to regenerative medicine, facilitate the development of biomimetic tissue-engineered periosteum for use in instances where the native periosteum is lacking or damaged, and provide inspiration for a new class of smart, advanced materials. PMID:23189933

Calcium powered phloem protein of SEO gene family "Forisome" functions in wound sealing and act as biomimetic smart materials.

PubMed

Srivastava, Vineet Kumar; Tuteja, Narendra

2014-01-01

Forisomes protein belongs to SEO gene family and is unique to Fabaceae family. These proteins are located in sieve tubes of phloem and function to prevent loss of nutrient-rich photoassimilates, upon mechanical injury/wounding. Forisome protein is also known as ATP independent, mechanically active proteins. Despite the wealth of information role of forisome in plants are not yet fully understood. Recent reports suggest that forisomes protein can act as ideal model to study self assembly mechanism for development of nanotechnological devices like microfluidic system application in space exploration mission. Improvement in micro instrument is highly demanding and has been a key technology by NASA in future space exploration missions. Based on its physical parameters, forisome are found to be ideal biomimetic materials for micro fluidic system because the conformational shifts can be replicated in vitro and are fully reversible over large number of cycles. By the use of protein engineering forisome recombinant protein can be tailored. Due to its unique ability to convert chemical energy into mechanical energy forisome has received much attention. For nanotechnological application and handling biomolecules such as DNA, RNA, protein and cell as a whole microfluidic system will be the most powerful technology. The discovery of new biomimetic smart materials has been a key factor in development of space science and its requirements in such a challenging environment. The field of microfludic, particularly in terms of development of its components along with identification of new biomimetic smart materials, deserves more attention. More biophysical investigation is required to characterize it to make it more suitable under parameters of performance.

Calcium powered phloem protein of SEO gene family "Forisome" functions in wound sealing and act as biomimetic smart materials.

PubMed

Srivastava, Vineet Kumar; Tuteja, Narendra

2014-06-06

Forisomes protein belongs to SEO gene family and is unique to Fabaceae family. These proteins are located in sieve tubes of phloem and function to prevent loss of nutrient-rich photoassimilates, upon mechanical injury/wounding. Forisome protein is also known as ATP independent, mechanically active proteins. Despite the wealth of information role of forisome in plants are not yet fully understood. Recent reports suggest that forisomes protein can act as ideal model to study self assembly mechanism for development of nanotechnological devices like microfluidic system application in space exploration mission. Improvement in micro instrument is highly demanding and has been a key technology by NASA in future space exploration missions. Based on its physical parameters, forisome are found to be ideal biomimetic materials for micro fluidic system because the conformational shifts can be replicated in vitro and are fully reversible over large number of cycles. By the use of protein engineering forisome recombinant protein can be tailored. Due to its unique ability to convert chemical energy into mechanical energy forisome has received much attention. For nanotechnological application and handling biomolecules such as DNA, RNA, protein and cell as a whole microfluidic system will be the most powerful technology. The discovery of new biomimetic smart materials has been a key factor in development of space science and its requirements in such a challenging environment. The field of microfludic, particularly in terms of development of its components along with identification of new biomimetic smart materials, deserves more attention. More biophysical investigation is required to characterize it to make it more suitable under parameters of performance.

Calcium powered phloem protein of SEO gene family “Forisome” functions in wound sealing and act as biomimetic smart materials

PubMed Central

Srivastava, Vineet Kumar; Tuteja, Narendra

2014-01-01

Forisomes protein belongs to SEO gene family and is unique to Fabaceae family. These proteins are located in sieve tubes of phloem and function to prevent loss of nutrient-rich photoassimilates, upon mechanical injury/wounding. Forisome protein is also known as ATP independent, mechanically active proteins. Despite the wealth of information role of forisome in plants are not yet fully understood. Recent reports suggest that forisomes protein can act as ideal model to study self assembly mechanism for development of nanotechnological devices like microfluidic system application in space exploration mission. Improvement in micro instrument is highly demanding and has been a key technology by NASA in future space exploration missions. Based on its physical parameters, forisome are found to be ideal biomimetic materials for micro fluidic system because the conformational shifts can be replicated in vitro and are fully reversible over large number of cycles. By the use of protein engineering forisome recombinant protein can be tailored. Due to its unique ability to convert chemical energy into mechanical energy forisome has received much attention. For nanotechnological application and handling biomolecules such as DNA, RNA, protein and cell as a whole microfluidic system will be the most powerful technology. The discovery of new biomimetic smart materials has been a key factor in development of space science and its requirements in such a challenging environment. The field of microfludic, particularly in terms of development of its components along with identification of new biomimetic smart materials, deserves more attention. More biophysical investigation is required to characterize it to make it more suitable under parameters of performance. PMID:25763691

Introduction to Advanced Engine Control Concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sanjay, Garg

2007-01-01

With the increased emphasis on aircraft safety, enhanced performance and affordability, and the need to reduce the environmental impact of aircraft, there are many new challenges being faced by the designers of aircraft propulsion systems. The Controls and Dynamics Branch at NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Glenn Research Center (GRC) in Cleveland, Ohio, is leading and participating in various projects in partnership with other organizations within GRC and across NASA, the U.S. aerospace industry, and academia to develop advanced controls and health management technologies that will help meet these challenges through the concept of Intelligent Propulsion Systems. The key enabling technologies for an Intelligent Propulsion System are the increased efficiencies of components through active control, advanced diagnostics and prognostics integrated with intelligent engine control to enhance operational reliability and component life, and distributed control with smart sensors and actuators in an adaptive fault tolerant architecture. This presentation describes the current activities of the Controls and Dynamics Branch in the areas of active component control and propulsion system intelligent control, and presents some recent analytical and experimental results in these areas.

A Study of the Relationship between Weather Variables and Electric Power Demand inside a Smart Grid/Smart World Framework

PubMed Central

Hernández, Luis; Baladrón, Carlos; Aguiar, Javier M.; Calavia, Lorena; Carro, Belén; Sánchez-Esguevillas, Antonio; Cook, Diane J.; Chinarro, David; Gómez, Jorge

2012-01-01

One of the main challenges of today's society is the need to fulfill at the same time the two sides of the dichotomy between the growing energy demand and the need to look after the environment. Smart Grids are one of the answers: intelligent energy grids which retrieve data about the environment through extensive sensor networks and react accordingly to optimize resource consumption. In order to do this, the Smart Grids need to understand the existing relationship between energy demand and a set of relevant climatic variables. All smart “systems” (buildings, cities, homes, consumers, etc.) have the potential to employ their intelligence for self-adaptation to climate conditions. After introducing the Smart World, a global framework for the collaboration of these smart systems, this paper presents the relationship found at experimental level between a range of relevant weather variables and electric power demand patterns, presenting a case study using an agent-based system, and emphasizing the need to consider this relationship in certain Smart World (and specifically Smart Grid and microgrid) applications.

ETHICS OF SMART HOUSE WELFARE TECHNOLOGY FOR OLDER ADULTS: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW.

PubMed

Sánchez, Veralia Gabriela; Taylor, Ingrid; Bing-Jonsson, Pia Cecilie

2017-01-01

The University College of Southeast Norway has an on-going project to develop a smart house welfare system to allow older adults and people with disabilities to remain in their homes for as long as they wish in safe, dignified, living conditions. This article reviews reported ethical challenges to implementing smart houses for older adults. A systematic literature review identified twenty-four articles in English, French, Spanish, and Norwegian, which were analyzed and synthesized using Hofmann's question list to investigate the reported ethical challenges. Smart houses offer a promising way to improve access to home care for older adults and people with disabilities. However, important ethical challenges arise when implementing smart houses, including cost-effectiveness, privacy, autonomy, informed consent, dignity, safety, and trust. The identified ethical challenges are important to consider when developing smart house systems. Due to the limitations of smart house technology, designers and users should be mindful that smart houses can achieve a safer and more dignified life-style but cannot solve all the challenges related to ageing, disabilities, and disease. At some point, smart houses can no longer help persons as they develop needs that smart houses cannot meet.

Smart glass as the method of improving the energy efficiency of high-rise buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gamayunova, Olga; Gumerova, Eliza; Miloradova, Nadezda

2018-03-01

The question that has to be answered in high-rise building is glazing and its service life conditions. Contemporary market offers several types of window units, for instance, wooden, aluminum, PVC and combined models. Wooden and PVC windows become the most widespread and competitive between each other. In recent times design engineers choose smart glass. In this article, the advantages and drawbacks of all types of windows are reviewed, and the recommendations are given according to choice of window type in order to improve energy efficiency of buildings.

Smart sensor systems for human health breath monitoring applications.

PubMed

Hunter, G W; Xu, J C; Biaggi-Labiosa, A M; Laskowski, D; Dutta, P K; Mondal, S P; Ward, B J; Makel, D B; Liu, C C; Chang, C W; Dweik, R A

2011-09-01

Breath analysis techniques offer a potential revolution in health care diagnostics, especially if these techniques can be brought into standard use in the clinic and at home. The advent of microsensors combined with smart sensor system technology enables a new generation of sensor systems with significantly enhanced capabilities and minimal size, weight and power consumption. This paper discusses the microsensor/smart sensor system approach and provides a summary of efforts to migrate this technology into human health breath monitoring applications. First, the basic capability of this approach to measure exhaled breath associated with exercise physiology is demonstrated. Building from this foundation, the development of a system for a portable asthma home health care system is described. A solid-state nitric oxide (NO) sensor for asthma monitoring has been identified, and efforts are underway to miniaturize this NO sensor technology and integrate it into a smart sensor system. It is concluded that base platform microsensor technology combined with smart sensor systems can address the needs of a range of breath monitoring applications and enable new capabilities for healthcare.

SMART-on-FHIR implemented over i2b2

PubMed Central

Mandel, Joshua C; Klann, Jeffery G; Wattanasin, Nich; Mendis, Michael; Chute, Christopher G; Mandl, Kenneth D; Murphy, Shawn N

2017-01-01

We have developed an interface to serve patient data from Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside (i2b2) repositories in the Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) format, referred to as a SMART-on-FHIR cell. The cell serves FHIR resources on a per-patient basis, and supports the “substitutable” modular third-party applications (SMART) OAuth2 specification for authorization of client applications. It is implemented as an i2b2 server plug-in, consisting of 6 modules: authentication, REST, i2b2-to-FHIR converter, resource enrichment, query engine, and cache. The source code is freely available as open source. We tested the cell by accessing resources from a test i2b2 installation, demonstrating that a SMART app can be launched from the cell that accesses patient data stored in i2b2. We successfully retrieved demographics, medications, labs, and diagnoses for test patients. The SMART-on-FHIR cell will enable i2b2 sites to provide simplified but secure data access in FHIR format, and will spur innovation and interoperability. Further, it transforms i2b2 into an apps platform. PMID:27274012

Argonne's SpEC Module

ScienceCinema

Harper, Jason

2018-03-02

Jason Harper, an electrical engineer in Argonne National Laboratory's EV-Smart Grid Interoperability Center, discusses his SpEC Module invention that will enable fast charging of electric vehicles in under 15 minutes. The module has been licensed to BTCPower.

Complex IoT Systems as Enablers for Smart Homes in a Smart City Vision

PubMed Central

Lynggaard, Per; Skouby, Knud Erik

2016-01-01

The world is entering a new era, where Internet-of-Things (IoT), smart homes, and smart cities will play an important role in meeting the so-called big challenges. In the near future, it is foreseen that the majority of the world’s population will live their lives in smart homes and in smart cities. To deal with these challenges, to support a sustainable urban development, and to improve the quality of life for citizens, a multi-disciplinary approach is needed. It seems evident, however, that a new, advanced Information and Communications Technology ICT infrastructure is a key feature to realize the “smart” vision. This paper proposes a specific solution in the form of a hierarchical layered ICT based infrastructure that handles ICT issues related to the “big challenges” and seamlessly integrates IoT, smart homes, and smart city structures into one coherent unit. To exemplify benefits of this infrastructure, a complex IoT system has been deployed, simulated and elaborated. This simulation deals with wastewater energy harvesting from smart buildings located in a smart city context. From the simulations, it has been found that the proposed infrastructure is able to harvest between 50% and 75% of the wastewater energy in a smart residential building. By letting the smart city infrastructure coordinate and control the harvest time and duration, it is possible to achieve considerable energy savings in the smart homes, and it is possible to reduce the peak-load for district heating plants. PMID:27827851

Injectable nanoengineered stimuli-responsive hydrogels for on-demand and localized therapeutic delivery.

PubMed

Jalili, Nima A; Jaiswal, Manish K; Peak, Charles W; Cross, Lauren M; Gaharwar, Akhilesh K

2017-10-19

"Smart" hydrogels are an emerging class of biomaterials that respond to external stimuli and have been investigated for a range of biomedical applications, including therapeutic delivery and regenerative engineering. Stimuli-responsive nanogels constructed of thermoresponsive polymers such as poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylamide) (poly(NIPAM-co-AM)) and magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have been developed as "smart carriers" for on-demand delivery of therapeutic biomolecules via magneto-thermal activation. However, due to their small size and systemic introduction, these poly(NIPAM-co-AM)/MNP nanogels result in limited control over long-term, localized therapeutic delivery. Here, we developed an injectable nanoengineered hydrogel loaded with poly(NIPAM-co-AM)/MNPs for localized, on-demand delivery of therapeutics (doxorubicin (DOX)). We have engineered shear-thinning and self-recoverable hydrogels by modulating the crosslinking density of a gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) network. Poly(NIPAM-co-AM)/MNP nanogels loaded with DOX were entrapped within a GelMA pre-polymer solution prior to crosslinking. The temperature and magnetic field dependent release of loaded DOX was observed from the nanoengineered hydrogels (GelMA/(poly(NIPAM-co-AM)/MNPs)). Finally, the in vitro efficacy of DOX released from injectable nanoengineered hydrogels was investigated using preosteoblast and osteosarcoma cells. Overall, these results demonstrated that the injectable nanoengineered hydrogels could be used for on-demand and localized therapeutic delivery for biomedical applications.

Virtual Sensor Test Instrumentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Roy

2011-01-01

Virtual Sensor Test Instrumentation is based on the concept of smart sensor technology for testing with intelligence needed to perform sell-diagnosis of health, and to participate in a hierarchy of health determination at sensor, process, and system levels. A virtual sensor test instrumentation consists of five elements: (1) a common sensor interface, (2) microprocessor, (3) wireless interface, (4) signal conditioning and ADC/DAC (analog-to-digital conversion/ digital-to-analog conversion), and (5) onboard EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory) for metadata storage and executable software to create powerful, scalable, reconfigurable, and reliable embedded and distributed test instruments. In order to maximize the efficient data conversion through the smart sensor node, plug-and-play functionality is required to interface with traditional sensors to enhance their identity and capabilities for data processing and communications. Virtual sensor test instrumentation can be accessible wirelessly via a Network Capable Application Processor (NCAP) or a Smart Transducer Interlace Module (STIM) that may be managed under real-time rule engines for mission-critical applications. The transducer senses the physical quantity being measured and converts it into an electrical signal. The signal is fed to an A/D converter, and is ready for use by the processor to execute functional transformation based on the sensor characteristics stored in a Transducer Electronic Data Sheet (TEDS). Virtual sensor test instrumentation is built upon an open-system architecture with standardized protocol modules/stacks to interface with industry standards and commonly used software. One major benefit for deploying the virtual sensor test instrumentation is the ability, through a plug-and-play common interface, to convert raw sensor data in either analog or digital form, to an IEEE 1451 standard-based smart sensor, which has instructions to program sensors for a wide variety of functions. The sensor data is processed in a distributed fashion across the network, providing a large pool of resources in real time to meet stringent latency requirements.

Smart Manufacturing Technologies and Data Analytics for Improving Energy Efficiency in Industrial Energy Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nimbalkar, Sachin U.; Guo, Wei; Wenning, Thomas J.

Smart manufacturing and advanced data analytics can help the manufacturing sector unlock energy efficiency from the equipment level to the entire manufacturing facility and the whole supply chain. These technologies can make manufacturing industries more competitive, with intelligent communication systems, real-time energy savings, and increased energy productivity. Smart manufacturing can give all employees in an organization the actionable information they need, when they need it, so that each person can contribute to the optimal operation of the corporation through informed, data-driven decision making. This paper examines smart technologies and data analytics approaches for improving energy efficiency and reducing energy costsmore » in process-supporting energy systems. It dives into energy-saving improvement opportunities through smart manufacturing technologies and sophisticated data collection and analysis. The energy systems covered in this paper include those with motors and drives, fans, pumps, air compressors, steam, and process heating.« less

Smart Sensor Systems for Aerospace Applications: From Sensor Development to Application Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunter, G. W.; Xu, J. C.; Dungan, L. K.; Ward, B. J.; Rowe, S.; Williams, J.; Makel, D. B.; Liu, C. C.; Chang, C. W.

2008-01-01

The application of Smart Sensor Systems for aerospace applications is a multidisciplinary process consisting of sensor element development, element integration into Smart Sensor hardware, and testing of the resulting sensor systems in application environments. This paper provides a cross-section of these activities for multiple aerospace applications illustrating the technology challenges involved. The development and application testing topics discussed are: 1) The broadening of sensitivity and operational range of silicon carbide (SiC) Schottky gas sensor elements; 2) Integration of fire detection sensor technology into a "Lick and Stick" Smart Sensor hardware platform for Crew Exploration Vehicle applications; 3) Extended testing for zirconia based oxygen sensors in the basic "Lick and Stick" platform for environmental monitoring applications. It is concluded that that both core sensor platform technology and a basic hardware platform can enhance the viability of implementing smart sensor systems in aerospace applications.

Healthcare Blockchain System Using Smart Contracts for Secure Automated Remote Patient Monitoring.

PubMed

Griggs, Kristen N; Ossipova, Olya; Kohlios, Christopher P; Baccarini, Alessandro N; Howson, Emily A; Hayajneh, Thaier

2018-06-06

As Internet of Things (IoT) devices and other remote patient monitoring systems increase in popularity, security concerns about the transfer and logging of data transactions arise. In order to handle the protected health information (PHI) generated by these devices, we propose utilizing blockchain-based smart contracts to facilitate secure analysis and management of medical sensors. Using a private blockchain based on the Ethereum protocol, we created a system where the sensors communicate with a smart device that calls smart contracts and writes records of all events on the blockchain. This smart contract system would support real-time patient monitoring and medical interventions by sending notifications to patients and medical professionals, while also maintaining a secure record of who has initiated these activities. This would resolve many security vulnerabilities associated with remote patient monitoring and automate the delivery of notifications to all involved parties in a HIPAA compliant manner.

SMART: The Future of Spaceflight Avionics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alhorn, Dean C.; Howard, David E.

2010-01-01

A novel avionics approach is necessary to meet the future needs of low cost space and lunar missions that require low mass and low power electronics. The current state of the art for avionics systems are centralized electronic units that perform the required spacecraft functions. These electronic units are usually custom-designed for each application and the approach compels avionics designers to have in-depth system knowledge before design can commence. The overall design, development, test and evaluation (DDT&E) cycle for this conventional approach requires long delivery times for space flight electronics and is very expensive. The Small Multi-purpose Advanced Reconfigurable Technology (SMART) concept is currently being developed to overcome the limitations of traditional avionics design. The SMART concept is based upon two multi-functional modules that can be reconfigured to drive and sense a variety of mechanical and electrical components. The SMART units are key to a distributed avionics architecture whereby the modules are located close to or right at the desired application point. The drive module, SMART-D, receives commands from the main computer and controls the spacecraft mechanisms and devices with localized feedback. The sensor module, SMART-S, is used to sense the environmental sensors and offload local limit checking from the main computer. There are numerous benefits that are realized by implementing the SMART system. Localized sensor signal conditioning electronics reduces signal loss and overall wiring mass. Localized drive electronics increase control bandwidth and minimize time lags for critical functions. These benefits in-turn reduce the main processor overhead functions. Since SMART units are standard flight qualified units, DDT&E is reduced and system design can commence much earlier in the design cycle. Increased production scale lowers individual piece part cost and using standard modules also reduces non-recurring costs. The benefit list continues, but the overall message is already evident: the SMART concept is an evolution in spacecraft avionics. SMART devices have the potential to change the design paradigm for future satellites, spacecraft and even commercial applications.

Finding the Value of Urban Parking : An Analysis of the Impacts of Smart Parking Systems on Congestion and Land Values in Downtown Houston, Final Report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2018-01-01

For this report, researchers have examined smart parking, which is a parking management tool that uses various technologies to aid drivers in efficiently locating and paying for available parking. Smart parking systems allow drivers to know where the...

AVQS: Attack Route-Based Vulnerability Quantification Scheme for Smart Grid

PubMed Central

Lim, Hyunwoo; Lee, Seokjun; Shon, Taeshik

2014-01-01

A smart grid is a large, consolidated electrical grid system that includes heterogeneous networks and systems. Based on the data, a smart grid system has a potential security threat in its network connectivity. To solve this problem, we develop and apply a novel scheme to measure the vulnerability in a smart grid domain. Vulnerability quantification can be the first step in security analysis because it can help prioritize the security problems. However, existing vulnerability quantification schemes are not suitable for smart grid because they do not consider network vulnerabilities. We propose a novel attack route-based vulnerability quantification scheme using a network vulnerability score and an end-to-end security score, depending on the specific smart grid network environment to calculate the vulnerability score for a particular attack route. To evaluate the proposed approach, we derive several attack scenarios from the advanced metering infrastructure domain. The experimental results of the proposed approach and the existing common vulnerability scoring system clearly show that we need to consider network connectivity for more optimized vulnerability quantification. PMID:25152923

Structural Probability Concepts Adapted to Electrical Engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinberg, Eric P.; Chamis, Christos C.

1994-01-01

Through the use of equivalent variable analogies, the authors demonstrate how an electrical subsystem can be modeled by an equivalent structural subsystem. This allows the electrical subsystem to be probabilistically analyzed by using available structural reliability computer codes such as NESSUS. With the ability to analyze the electrical subsystem probabilistically, we can evaluate the reliability of systems that include both structural and electrical subsystems. Common examples of such systems are a structural subsystem integrated with a health-monitoring subsystem, and smart structures. Since these systems have electrical subsystems that directly affect the operation of the overall system, probabilistically analyzing them could lead to improved reliability and reduced costs. The direct effect of the electrical subsystem on the structural subsystem is of secondary order and is not considered in the scope of this work.

Smart, Injury-Triggered Therapy for Ocular Trauma

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

attachment surgery. We genetically engineered “protease activity sensor” (PAS) as chimeric transmembrane protein that can respond to increase in...results or key outcomes We genetically engineered “protease activity sensor” (PAS) as chimeric transmembrane protein that can respond to increase in...6 A B Fig. 1. The effects of ionomycin on the shedding of chimeric fractalkine constructs from HEK293 cells in vitro. (A

Smart-system of distance learning of visually impaired people based on approaches of artificial intelligence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samigulina, Galina A.; Shayakhmetova, Assem S.

2016-11-01

Research objective is the creation of intellectual innovative technology and information Smart-system of distance learning for visually impaired people. The organization of the available environment for receiving quality education for visually impaired people, their social adaptation in society are important and topical issues of modern education.The proposed Smart-system of distance learning for visually impaired people can significantly improve the efficiency and quality of education of this category of people. The scientific novelty of proposed Smart-system is using intelligent and statistical methods of processing multi-dimensional data, and taking into account psycho-physiological characteristics of perception and awareness learning information by visually impaired people.

Use of Dynamic Distortion to Predict and Alleviate Loss of Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klyde, David; Liang, Chi-Ying; Alvarez, Daniel

2011-01-01

This research has developed and evaluated the specific concepts, termed Smart-Cue and Smart-Gain, to alleviate aircraft loss of control that results from unfavorable pilot/vehicle system interactions, including pilot-induced oscillations (PIOs). Unfavorable pilot/ vehicle-system interactions have long been an aviation safety problem. While the effective aircraft dynamic properties involved in these events have been extensively studied and understood, similar scrutiny has not been paid to the many aspects of the primary manual control system that converts the pilot control inputs to motions of the control surfaces. The purpose of the Smart-Cue and Smart-Gain developments is to redress this neglect, and to develop and validate remedial manual control systems.

Design of Modular, Shape-transitioning Inlets for a Conical Hypersonic Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gollan, Rowan J.; Smart, Michael K.

2010-01-01

For a hypersonic vehicle, propelled by scramjet engines, integration of the engines and airframe is highly desirable. Thus, the forward capture shape of the engine inlet should conform to the vehicle body shape. Furthermore, the use of modular engines places a constraint on the shape of the inlet sidewalls. Finally, one may desire a combustor cross- section shape that is different from that of the inlet. These shape constraints for the inlet can be accommodated by employing a streamline-tracing and lofting technique. This design technique was developed by Smart for inlets with a rectangular-to-elliptical shape transition. In this paper, we generalise that technique to produce inlets that conform to arbitrary shape requirements. As an example, we show the design of a body-integrated hypersonic inlet on a winged-cone vehicle, typical of what might be used in a three-stage orbital launch system. The special challenge of inlet design for this conical vehicle at an angle-of-attack is also discussed. That challenge is that the bow shock sits relatively close to the vehicle body.

Innovative Mobile Smart Photonic Dimensional, Color and Spectral Measurement Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hofmann, Dr Dietrich, Prof; Dittrich (B. Eng. , Paul-Gerald; Höfner (B. Eng. , Dieter; Kraus, Daniel

2015-02-01

Aim of the paper is the demonstration of a paradigm shift in dimensional, color and spectral measurements in industry, biology/medicine, farming/environmental protection and security, as well as in education and training: Measurement engineering and quality assurance become mobile, modular and smart. Smartpads, smartphones and smartwatches (smartcomps) in combination with innovative hardware apps (hwapps) and conventional software apps (swapps) are fundamental enablers for the transformation from conventional stationary working places towards innovative mobile working places with in-field measurements and point-of-care (POC) diagnostics. Furthermore mobile open online courses (MOOCs) are transforming the study habits. Practical examples for the application of innovative photonic micro dimensiometers, colorimeters and spectrometers will be given. The innovative approach opens so far untapped enormous markets for measurement science, engineering, applications, education and training. These innovative working conditions will be fast accepted due to their convenience, reliability and affordability. A highly visible advantage of smartcomps is the huge number of their real distribution, their worldwide connectivity via Internet and cloud services, the standardized interfaces like USB and HDMI and the experienced capabilities of their users for practical operations, obtained with their private smartcomps.

Development and preliminary evaluation of an ultrasonic motor actuated needle guide for 3T MRI-guided transperineal prostate interventions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Sang-Eun; Tokuda, Junichi; Tuncali, Kemal; Tempany, Clare; Hata, Nobuhiko

2012-02-01

Image guided prostate interventions have been accelerated by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and robotic technologies in the past few years. However, transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guided procedure still remains as vast majority in clinical practice due to engineering and clinical complexity of the MRI-guided robotic interventions. Subsequently, great advantages and increasing availability of MRI have not been utilized at its maximum capacity in clinic. To benefit patients from the advantages of MRI, we developed an MRI-compatible motorized needle guide device "Smart Template" that resembles a conventional prostate template to perform MRI-guided prostate interventions with minimal changes in the clinical procedure. The requirements and specifications of the Smart Template were identified from our latest MRI-guided intervention system that has been clinically used in manual mode for prostate biopsy. Smart Template consists of vertical and horizontal crossbars that are driven by two ultrasonic motors via timing-belt and mitergear transmissions. Navigation software that controls the crossbar position to provide needle insertion positions was also developed. The software can be operated independently or interactively with an open-source navigation software, 3D Slicer, that has been developed for prostate intervention. As preliminary evaluation, MRI distortion and SNR test were conducted. Significant MRI distortion was found close to the threaded brass alloy components of the template. However, the affected volume was limited outside the clinical region of interest. SNR values over routine MRI scan sequences for prostate biopsy indicated insignificant image degradation during the presence of the robotic system and actuation of the ultrasonic motors.

An RFID Based Smart Feeder for Hummingbirds.

PubMed

Ibarra, Vicente; Araya-Salas, Marcelo; Tang, Yu-ping; Park, Charlie; Hyde, Anthony; Wright, Timothy F; Tang, Wei

2015-12-16

We present an interdisciplinary effort to record feeding behaviors and control the diet of a hummingbird species (Phaethornis longirostris, the long-billed hermit or LBH) by developing a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) based smart feeder. The system contains an RFID reader, a microcontroller, and a servo-controlled hummingbird feeder opener; the system is presented as a tool for studying the cognitive ability of the LBH species. When equipped with glass capsule RFID tags (which are mounted on the hummingbird), the smart feeder can provide specific diets for predetermined sets of hummingbirds at the discretion of biologists. This is done by reading the unique RFID tag on the hummingbirds and comparing the ID number with the pre-programmed ID numbers stored in the smart feeder. The smart feeder records the time and ID of each hummingbird visit. The system data is stored in a readily available SD card and is powered by two 9 V batteries. The detection range of the system is approximately 9-11 cm. Using this system, biologists can assign the wild hummingbirds to different experimental groups and monitor their diets to determine if they develop a preference to any of the available nectars. During field testing, the smart feeder system has demonstrated consistent detection (when compared to detections observed by video-recordings) of RFID tags on hummingbirds and provides pre-designed nectars varying water and sugar concentrations to target individuals. The smart feeder can be applied to other biological and environmental studies in the future.

An RFID Based Smart Feeder for Hummingbirds

PubMed Central

Ibarra, Vicente; Araya-Salas, Marcelo; Tang, Yu-ping; Park, Charlie; Hyde, Anthony; Wright, Timothy F.; Tang, Wei

2015-01-01

We present an interdisciplinary effort to record feeding behaviors and control the diet of a hummingbird species (Phaethornis longirostris, the long-billed hermit or LBH) by developing a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) based smart feeder. The system contains an RFID reader, a microcontroller, and a servo-controlled hummingbird feeder opener; the system is presented as a tool for studying the cognitive ability of the LBH species. When equipped with glass capsule RFID tags (which are mounted on the hummingbird), the smart feeder can provide specific diets for predetermined sets of hummingbirds at the discretion of biologists. This is done by reading the unique RFID tag on the hummingbirds and comparing the ID number with the pre-programmed ID numbers stored in the smart feeder. The smart feeder records the time and ID of each hummingbird visit. The system data is stored in a readily available SD card and is powered by two 9 V batteries. The detection range of the system is approximately 9–11 cm. Using this system, biologists can assign the wild hummingbirds to different experimental groups and monitor their diets to determine if they develop a preference to any of the available nectars. During field testing, the smart feeder system has demonstrated consistent detection (when compared to detections observed by video-recordings) of RFID tags on hummingbirds and provides pre-designed nectars varying water and sugar concentrations to target individuals. The smart feeder can be applied to other biological and environmental studies in the future. PMID:26694402

Load Balancing Integrated Least Slack Time-Based Appliance Scheduling for Smart Home Energy Management

PubMed Central

Silva, Bhagya Nathali; Khan, Murad; Han, Kijun

2018-01-01

The emergence of smart devices and smart appliances has highly favored the realization of the smart home concept. Modern smart home systems handle a wide range of user requirements. Energy management and energy conservation are in the spotlight when deploying sophisticated smart homes. However, the performance of energy management systems is highly influenced by user behaviors and adopted energy management approaches. Appliance scheduling is widely accepted as an effective mechanism to manage domestic energy consumption. Hence, we propose a smart home energy management system that reduces unnecessary energy consumption by integrating an automated switching off system with load balancing and appliance scheduling algorithm. The load balancing scheme acts according to defined constraints such that the cumulative energy consumption of the household is managed below the defined maximum threshold. The scheduling of appliances adheres to the least slack time (LST) algorithm while considering user comfort during scheduling. The performance of the proposed scheme has been evaluated against an existing energy management scheme through computer simulation. The simulation results have revealed a significant improvement gained through the proposed LST-based energy management scheme in terms of cost of energy, along with reduced domestic energy consumption facilitated by an automated switching off mechanism. PMID:29495346

Cyber and physical equipment digital control system in Industry 4.0 item designing company

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gurjanov, A. V.; Zakoldaev, D. A.; Shukalov, A. V.; Zharinov, I. O.

2018-05-01

The problem of organization of digital control of the item designing company equipped with cyber and physical systems is being studied. A scheme of cyber and physical systems and personnel interaction in the Industry 4.0 smart factory company is presented. A scheme of assembly units transportation in the Industry 4.0 smart factory company is provided. A scheme of digital control system in the Industry 4.0 smart factory company is given.

Ultra-Low-Power Smart Electronic Nose System Based on Three-Dimensional Tin Oxide Nanotube Arrays.

PubMed

Chen, Jiaqi; Chen, Zhuo; Boussaid, Farid; Zhang, Daquan; Pan, Xiaofang; Zhao, Huijuan; Bermak, Amine; Tsui, Chi-Ying; Wang, Xinran; Fan, Zhiyong

2018-06-04

In this work, we present a high-performance smart electronic nose (E-nose) system consisting of a multiplexed tin oxide (SnO 2 ) nanotube sensor array, read-out circuit, wireless data transmission unit, mobile phone receiver, and data processing application (App). Using the designed nanotube sensor device structure in conjunction with multiple electrode materials, high-sensitivity gas detection and discrimination have been achieved at room temperature, enabling a 1000 times reduction of the sensor's power consumption as compared to a conventional device using thin film SnO 2 . The experimental results demonstrate that the developed E-nose can identify indoor target gases using a simple vector-matching gas recognition algorithm. In addition, the fabricated E-nose has achieved state-of-the-art sensitivity for H 2 and benzene detection at room temperature with metal oxide sensors. Such a smart E-nose system can address the imperative needs for distributed environmental monitoring in smart homes, smart buildings, and smart cities.

Tuning acoustic and mechanical properties of materials for ultrasound phantoms and smart substrates for cell cultures.

PubMed

Cafarelli, A; Verbeni, A; Poliziani, A; Dario, P; Menciassi, A; Ricotti, L

2017-02-01

Materials with tailored acoustic properties are of great interest for both the development of tissue-mimicking phantoms for ultrasound tests and smart scaffolds for ultrasound mediated tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In this study, we assessed the acoustic properties (speed of sound, acoustic impedance and attenuation coefficient) of three different materials (agarose, polyacrylamide and polydimethylsiloxane) at different concentrations or cross-linking levels and doped with different concentrations of barium titanate ceramic nanoparticles. The selected materials, besides different mechanical features (stiffness from few kPa to 1.6MPa), showed a wide range of acoustic properties (speed of sound from 1022 to 1555m/s, acoustic impedance from 1.02 to 1.67MRayl and attenuation coefficient from 0.2 to 36.5dB/cm), corresponding to ranges in which natural soft tissues can fall. We demonstrated that this knowledge can be used to build tissue-mimicking phantoms for ultrasound-based medical procedures and that the mentioned measurements enable to stimulate cells with a highly controlled ultrasound dose, taking into account the attenuation due to the cell-supporting scaffold. Finally, we were able to correlate for the first time the bioeffect on human fibroblasts, triggered by piezoelectric barium titanate nanoparticles activated by low-intensity pulsed ultrasound, with a precise ultrasound dose delivered. These results may open new avenues for the development of both tissue-mimicking materials for ultrasound phantoms and smart triggerable scaffolds for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. This study reports for the first time the results of a systematic acoustic characterization of agarose, polyacrylamide and polydimethylsiloxane at different concentrations and cross-linking extents and doped with different concentrations of barium titanate nanoparticles. These results can be used to build tissue-mimicking phantoms, useful for many ultrasound-based medical procedures, and to fabricate smart materials for stimulating cells with a highly controlled ultrasound dose. Thanks to this knowledge, we correlated for the first time a bioeffect (the proliferation increase) on human fibroblasts, triggered by piezoelectric nanoparticles, with a precise US dose delivered. These results may open new avenues for the development of both tissue-mimicking phantoms and smart triggerable scaffolds for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Copyright © 2016 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative advantage between traditional and smart navigation systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Jeongkyu; Kim, Pan-Jun; Kim, Seunghwan

2013-03-01

The smart navigation system that refers to real-time traffic data is believed to be superior to traditional navigation systems. To verify this belief, we created an agent-based traffic model and examined the effect of changing market share of the traditional shortest-travel-time algorithm based navigation and the smart navigation system. We tested our model on the grid and actual metropolitan road network structures. The result reveals that the traditional navigation system have better performance than the smart one as the market share of the smart navigation system exceeds a critical value, which is contrary to conventional expectation. We suggest that the superiority inversion between agent groups is strongly related to the traffic weight function form, and is general. We also found that the relationship of market share, traffic flow density and travel time is determined by the combination of congestion avoidance behavior of the smartly navigated agents and the inefficiency of shortest-travel-time based navigated agents. Our results can be interpreted with the minority game and extended to the diverse topics of opinion dynamics. This work was supported by the Original Technology Research Program for Brain Science through the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology(No. 2010-0018847).

Open architecture of smart sensor suites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Müller, Wilmuth; Kuwertz, Achim; Grönwall, Christina; Petersson, Henrik; Dekker, Rob; Reinert, Frank; Ditzel, Maarten

2017-10-01

Experiences from recent conflicts show the strong need for smart sensor suites comprising different multi-spectral imaging sensors as core elements as well as additional non-imaging sensors. Smart sensor suites should be part of a smart sensor network - a network of sensors, databases, evaluation stations and user terminals. Its goal is to optimize the use of various information sources for military operations such as situation assessment, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, target recognition and tracking. Such a smart sensor network will enable commanders to achieve higher levels of situational awareness. Within the study at hand, an open system architecture was developed in order to increase the efficiency of sensor suites. The open system architecture for smart sensor suites, based on a system-of-systems approach, enables combining different sensors in multiple physical configurations, such as distributed sensors, co-located sensors combined in a single package, tower-mounted sensors, sensors integrated in a mobile platform, and trigger sensors. The architecture was derived from a set of system requirements and relevant scenarios. Its mode of operation is adaptable to a series of scenarios with respect to relevant objects of interest, activities to be observed, available transmission bandwidth, etc. The presented open architecture is designed in accordance with the NATO Architecture Framework (NAF). The architecture allows smart sensor suites to be part of a surveillance network, linked e.g. to a sensor planning system and a C4ISR center, and to be used in combination with future RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems) for supporting a more flexible dynamic configuration of RPAS payloads.

A rhythm-based authentication scheme for smart media devices.

PubMed

Lee, Jae Dong; Jeong, Young-Sik; Park, Jong Hyuk

2014-01-01

In recent years, ubiquitous computing has been rapidly emerged in our lives and extensive studies have been conducted in a variety of areas related to smart devices, such as tablets, smartphones, smart TVs, smart refrigerators, and smart media devices, as a measure for realizing the ubiquitous computing. In particular, smartphones have significantly evolved from the traditional feature phones. Increasingly higher-end smartphone models that can perform a range of functions are now available. Smart devices have become widely popular since they provide high efficiency and great convenience for not only private daily activities but also business endeavors. Rapid advancements have been achieved in smart device technologies to improve the end users' convenience. Consequently, many people increasingly rely on smart devices to store their valuable and important data. With this increasing dependence, an important aspect that must be addressed is security issues. Leaking of private information or sensitive business data due to loss or theft of smart devices could result in exorbitant damage. To mitigate these security threats, basic embedded locking features are provided in smart devices. However, these locking features are vulnerable. In this paper, an original security-locking scheme using a rhythm-based locking system (RLS) is proposed to overcome the existing security problems of smart devices. RLS is a user-authenticated system that addresses vulnerability issues in the existing locking features and provides secure confidentiality in addition to convenience.

A Rhythm-Based Authentication Scheme for Smart Media Devices

PubMed Central

Lee, Jae Dong; Park, Jong Hyuk

2014-01-01

In recent years, ubiquitous computing has been rapidly emerged in our lives and extensive studies have been conducted in a variety of areas related to smart devices, such as tablets, smartphones, smart TVs, smart refrigerators, and smart media devices, as a measure for realizing the ubiquitous computing. In particular, smartphones have significantly evolved from the traditional feature phones. Increasingly higher-end smartphone models that can perform a range of functions are now available. Smart devices have become widely popular since they provide high efficiency and great convenience for not only private daily activities but also business endeavors. Rapid advancements have been achieved in smart device technologies to improve the end users' convenience. Consequently, many people increasingly rely on smart devices to store their valuable and important data. With this increasing dependence, an important aspect that must be addressed is security issues. Leaking of private information or sensitive business data due to loss or theft of smart devices could result in exorbitant damage. To mitigate these security threats, basic embedded locking features are provided in smart devices. However, these locking features are vulnerable. In this paper, an original security-locking scheme using a rhythm-based locking system (RLS) is proposed to overcome the existing security problems of smart devices. RLS is a user-authenticated system that addresses vulnerability issues in the existing locking features and provides secure confidentiality in addition to convenience. PMID:25110743

A Two-Stage Stochastic Mixed-Integer Programming Approach to the Smart House Scheduling Problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozoe, Shunsuke; Tanaka, Yoichi; Fukushima, Masao

A “Smart House” is a highly energy-optimized house equipped with photovoltaic systems (PV systems), electric battery systems, fuel cell cogeneration systems (FC systems), electric vehicles (EVs) and so on. Smart houses are attracting much attention recently thanks to their enhanced ability to save energy by making full use of renewable energy and by achieving power grid stability despite an increased power draw for installed PV systems. Yet running a smart house's power system, with its multiple power sources and power storages, is no simple task. In this paper, we consider the problem of power scheduling for a smart house with a PV system, an FC system and an EV. We formulate the problem as a mixed integer programming problem, and then extend it to a stochastic programming problem involving recourse costs to cope with uncertain electricity demand, heat demand and PV power generation. Using our method, we seek to achieve the optimal power schedule running at the minimum expected operation cost. We present some results of numerical experiments with data on real-life demands and PV power generation to show the effectiveness of our method.

The Principles of Engineering Immune Cells to Treat Cancer

PubMed Central

Lim, Wendell A.; June, Carl H.

2017-01-01

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have proven that engineered immune cells can serve as a powerful new class of cancer therapeutics. Clinical experience has helped to define the major challenges that must be met to make engineered T cells a reliable, safe, and effective platform that can be deployed against a broad range of tumors. The emergence of synthetic biology approaches for cellular engineering is providing us with a broadly expanded set of tools for programming immune cells. We discuss how these tools could be used to design the next generation of smart T cell precision therapeutics. PMID:28187291

Measuring aerobic respiration in stream ecosystems using the resazurin-resorufin system

Treesearch

R. González-Pinzón; R. Haggerty; D.D. Myrold

2012-01-01

The use of smart tracers to study hydrologic systems is becoming more widespread. Smart tracers are compounds that irreversibly react in the presence of a process or condition under investigation. Resazurin (Raz) is a smart tracer that undergoes an irreversible reduction to resorufin (Rru) in the presence of cellular metabolic activity. We quantified the relationship...

SMARTe 2008

EPA Science Inventory

Sustainable Management Approaches and Revitalization Tools - electronic (SMARTe), is an open-source, web-based, decision support system for developing and evaluating future reuse scenarios for potentially contaminated land. SMARTe contains resources and analysis tools for all asp...

SMARTe 2011

EPA Science Inventory

Sustainable Management Approaches and Revitalization Tools - electronic (SMARTe), is an open-source, web-based, decisions support system for developing and evaluating future reuse scenarios for potentially contaminated land. SMARTe contains resources and analysis tools for all a...

SMARTE 2007

EPA Science Inventory

Sustainable Management Approaches and Revitalization Tools-electronic (SMARTe), is an open-source, web-based, decision support system for developing and evaluating future reuse scenarios for potentially contaminated land. SMARTe contains guidance and analysis tools for all aspect...

KSC-2014-2984

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-23

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Heather Hava, who is working on a doctorate in aerospace engineering sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder, describes a Remotely Operated Gardening Rover, or ROGR, which could tend to plants grown in one of the SmartPots, or SPOTS seen on the right. The system is being developed by the graduate students participating in the eXploration HABitat X-Hab Academic Innovation Challenge. X-Hab Academic Innovation Challenge is a university-level activity designed to engage and retain students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, disciplines. NASA will directly benefit from the effort by sponsoring the development of innovative habitat concepts from universities which may result in innovative ideas and solutions that could be applied to exploration habitats. For more: http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/technology/deep_space_habitat/xhab/ Photo credit: NASA/Daniel Casper

Smart house-based optimal operation of thermal unit commitment for a smart grid considering transmission constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howlader, Harun Or Rashid; Matayoshi, Hidehito; Noorzad, Ahmad Samim; Muarapaz, Cirio Celestino; Senjyu, Tomonobu

2018-05-01

This paper presents a smart house-based power system for thermal unit commitment programme. The proposed power system consists of smart houses, renewable energy plants and conventional thermal units. The transmission constraints are considered for the proposed system. The generated power of the large capacity renewable energy plant leads to the violated transmission constraints in the thermal unit commitment programme, therefore, the transmission constraint should be considered. This paper focuses on the optimal operation of the thermal units incorporated with controllable loads such as Electrical Vehicle and Heat Pump water heater of the smart houses. The proposed method is compared with the power flow in thermal units operation without controllable loads and the optimal operation without the transmission constraints. Simulation results show the validation of the proposed method.

Unlocking the potential of the smart grid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konopko, Joanna

2015-12-01

The smart grid refers to describe a next-generation electrical power system that is typified by the increased use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the whole delivery electrical energy process. The generation, delivery and consumption energy, all the steps for power transmission and distribution make the smart grid a complex system. The question is if the amount, diversity, and uses of such data put the smart grid in the category of Big Data applications, followed by the natural question of what is the true value of such data. In this paper an initial answer to this question is provided, the current state of data generation of the Polish grid is analyzed, and a future realistic scenario is illustrated. The analysis shows that the amount of data generated in smart grid is comparable to some of Big Data system examples.

77 FR 38609 - Notice of Submission for OMB Review; Federal Student Aid; Pell Grant, ACG, and National SMART...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-28

..., and National SMART Reporting Under the Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) System SUMMARY: The... records. Title of Collection: Pell Grant, ACG, and National SMART Reporting under the Common Origination.... Abstract: The Federal Pell Grant, ACG, and National SMART Programs are student financial assistance...

A Modular IoT Platform for Real-Time Indoor Air Quality Monitoring.

PubMed

Benammar, Mohieddine; Abdaoui, Abderrazak; Ahmad, Sabbir H M; Touati, Farid; Kadri, Abdullah

2018-02-14

The impact of air quality on health and on life comfort is well established. In many societies, vulnerable elderly and young populations spend most of their time indoors. Therefore, indoor air quality monitoring (IAQM) is of great importance to human health. Engineers and researchers are increasingly focusing their efforts on the design of real-time IAQM systems using wireless sensor networks. This paper presents an end-to-end IAQM system enabling measurement of CO₂, CO, SO₂, NO₂, O₃, Cl₂, ambient temperature, and relative humidity. In IAQM systems, remote users usually use a local gateway to connect wireless sensor nodes in a given monitoring site to the external world for ubiquitous access of data. In this work, the role of the gateway in processing collected air quality data and its reliable dissemination to end-users through a web-server is emphasized. A mechanism for the backup and the restoration of the collected data in the case of Internet outage is presented. The system is adapted to an open-source Internet-of-Things (IoT) web-server platform, called Emoncms, for live monitoring and long-term storage of the collected IAQM data. A modular IAQM architecture is adopted, which results in a smart scalable system that allows seamless integration of various sensing technologies, wireless sensor networks (WSNs) and smart mobile standards. The paper gives full hardware and software details of the proposed solution. Sample IAQM results collected in various locations are also presented to demonstrate the abilities of the system.

Elliptic Curve Cryptography-Based Authentication with Identity Protection for Smart Grids

PubMed Central

Zhang, Liping; Tang, Shanyu; Luo, He

2016-01-01

In a smart grid, the power service provider enables the expected power generation amount to be measured according to current power consumption, thus stabilizing the power system. However, the data transmitted over smart grids are not protected, and then suffer from several types of security threats and attacks. Thus, a robust and efficient authentication protocol should be provided to strength the security of smart grid networks. As the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system provides the security protection between the control center and substations in most smart grid environments, we focus on how to secure the communications between the substations and smart appliances. Existing security approaches fail to address the performance-security balance. In this study, we suggest a mitigation authentication protocol based on Elliptic Curve Cryptography with privacy protection by using a tamper-resistant device at the smart appliance side to achieve a delicate balance between performance and security of smart grids. The proposed protocol provides some attractive features such as identity protection, mutual authentication and key agreement. Finally, we demonstrate the completeness of the proposed protocol using the Gong-Needham- Yahalom logic. PMID:27007951

Elliptic Curve Cryptography-Based Authentication with Identity Protection for Smart Grids.

PubMed

Zhang, Liping; Tang, Shanyu; Luo, He

2016-01-01

In a smart grid, the power service provider enables the expected power generation amount to be measured according to current power consumption, thus stabilizing the power system. However, the data transmitted over smart grids are not protected, and then suffer from several types of security threats and attacks. Thus, a robust and efficient authentication protocol should be provided to strength the security of smart grid networks. As the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system provides the security protection between the control center and substations in most smart grid environments, we focus on how to secure the communications between the substations and smart appliances. Existing security approaches fail to address the performance-security balance. In this study, we suggest a mitigation authentication protocol based on Elliptic Curve Cryptography with privacy protection by using a tamper-resistant device at the smart appliance side to achieve a delicate balance between performance and security of smart grids. The proposed protocol provides some attractive features such as identity protection, mutual authentication and key agreement. Finally, we demonstrate the completeness of the proposed protocol using the Gong-Needham-Yahalom logic.

Development of integrated control system for smart factory in the injection molding process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chung, M. J.; Kim, C. Y.

2018-03-01

In this study, we proposed integrated control system for automation of injection molding process required for construction of smart factory. The injection molding process consists of heating, tool close, injection, cooling, tool open, and take-out. Take-out robot controller, image processing module, and process data acquisition interface module are developed and assembled to integrated control system. By adoption of integrated control system, the injection molding process can be simplified and the cost for construction of smart factory can be inexpensive.

Development of Open source-based automatic shooting and processing UAV imagery for Orthoimage Using Smart Camera UAV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, J. W.; Jeong, H. H.; Kim, J. S.; Choi, C. U.

2016-06-01

Recently, aerial photography with unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system uses UAV and remote controls through connections of ground control system using bandwidth of about 430 MHz radio Frequency (RF) modem. However, as mentioned earlier, existing method of using RF modem has limitations in long distance communication. The Smart Camera equipments's LTE (long-term evolution), Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi to implement UAV that uses developed UAV communication module system carried out the close aerial photogrammetry with the automatic shooting. Automatic shooting system is an image capturing device for the drones in the area's that needs image capturing and software for loading a smart camera and managing it. This system is composed of automatic shooting using the sensor of smart camera and shooting catalog management which manages filmed images and information. Processing UAV imagery module used Open Drone Map. This study examined the feasibility of using the Smart Camera as the payload for a photogrammetric UAV system. The open soure tools used for generating Android, OpenCV (Open Computer Vision), RTKLIB, Open Drone Map.

Design and Implementation of a Smart Home System Using Multisensor Data Fusion Technology.

PubMed

Hsu, Yu-Liang; Chou, Po-Huan; Chang, Hsing-Cheng; Lin, Shyan-Lung; Yang, Shih-Chin; Su, Heng-Yi; Chang, Chih-Chien; Cheng, Yuan-Sheng; Kuo, Yu-Chen

2017-07-15

This paper aims to develop a multisensor data fusion technology-based smart home system by integrating wearable intelligent technology, artificial intelligence, and sensor fusion technology. We have developed the following three systems to create an intelligent smart home environment: (1) a wearable motion sensing device to be placed on residents' wrists and its corresponding 3D gesture recognition algorithm to implement a convenient automated household appliance control system; (2) a wearable motion sensing device mounted on a resident's feet and its indoor positioning algorithm to realize an effective indoor pedestrian navigation system for smart energy management; (3) a multisensor circuit module and an intelligent fire detection and alarm algorithm to realize a home safety and fire detection system. In addition, an intelligent monitoring interface is developed to provide in real-time information about the smart home system, such as environmental temperatures, CO concentrations, communicative environmental alarms, household appliance status, human motion signals, and the results of gesture recognition and indoor positioning. Furthermore, an experimental testbed for validating the effectiveness and feasibility of the smart home system was built and verified experimentally. The results showed that the 3D gesture recognition algorithm could achieve recognition rates for automated household appliance control of 92.0%, 94.8%, 95.3%, and 87.7% by the 2-fold cross-validation, 5-fold cross-validation, 10-fold cross-validation, and leave-one-subject-out cross-validation strategies. For indoor positioning and smart energy management, the distance accuracy and positioning accuracy were around 0.22% and 3.36% of the total traveled distance in the indoor environment. For home safety and fire detection, the classification rate achieved 98.81% accuracy for determining the conditions of the indoor living environment.

Design and Implementation of a Smart Home System Using Multisensor Data Fusion Technology

PubMed Central

Chou, Po-Huan; Chang, Hsing-Cheng; Lin, Shyan-Lung; Yang, Shih-Chin; Su, Heng-Yi; Chang, Chih-Chien; Cheng, Yuan-Sheng; Kuo, Yu-Chen

2017-01-01

This paper aims to develop a multisensor data fusion technology-based smart home system by integrating wearable intelligent technology, artificial intelligence, and sensor fusion technology. We have developed the following three systems to create an intelligent smart home environment: (1) a wearable motion sensing device to be placed on residents’ wrists and its corresponding 3D gesture recognition algorithm to implement a convenient automated household appliance control system; (2) a wearable motion sensing device mounted on a resident’s feet and its indoor positioning algorithm to realize an effective indoor pedestrian navigation system for smart energy management; (3) a multisensor circuit module and an intelligent fire detection and alarm algorithm to realize a home safety and fire detection system. In addition, an intelligent monitoring interface is developed to provide in real-time information about the smart home system, such as environmental temperatures, CO concentrations, communicative environmental alarms, household appliance status, human motion signals, and the results of gesture recognition and indoor positioning. Furthermore, an experimental testbed for validating the effectiveness and feasibility of the smart home system was built and verified experimentally. The results showed that the 3D gesture recognition algorithm could achieve recognition rates for automated household appliance control of 92.0%, 94.8%, 95.3%, and 87.7% by the 2-fold cross-validation, 5-fold cross-validation, 10-fold cross-validation, and leave-one-subject-out cross-validation strategies. For indoor positioning and smart energy management, the distance accuracy and positioning accuracy were around 0.22% and 3.36% of the total traveled distance in the indoor environment. For home safety and fire detection, the classification rate achieved 98.81% accuracy for determining the conditions of the indoor living environment. PMID:28714884

Bellevue Smart Traveler And Cellular Telecommunication

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1993-05-01

SEATTLE (BELLEVUE) SMART TRAVELER OR SST : PHASE I OF THE BELLEVUE SMART TRAVELER PROJECT WAS FUNDED BY THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION UNDER THE ADVANCED PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS (APTS) PROGRAM. THE GRANTEE, THE MUNICIPALITY OF METROPOLIT...

Online Bridge Crack Monitoring with Smart Film

PubMed Central

Wang, Shuliang; Li, Xingxing; Zhou, Zhixiang; Zhang, Xu; Yang, Guang; Qiu, Minfeng

2013-01-01

Smart film crack monitoring method, which can be used for detecting initiation, length, width, shape, location, and propagation of cracks on real bridges, is proposed. Firstly, the fabrication of the smart film is developed. Then the feasibility of the method is analyzed and verified by the mechanical sensing character of the smart film under the two conditions of normal strain and crack initiation. Meanwhile, the coupling interference between parallel enameled wires of the smart film is discussed, and then low-frequency detecting signal and the custom communication protocol are used to decrease interference. On this basis, crack monitoring system with smart film is designed, where the collected crack data is sent to the remote monitoring center and the cracks are simulated and recurred. Finally, the monitoring system is applied to six bridges, and the effects are discussed. PMID:24489496

Smart hybrid rotary damper

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, C. S. Walter; DesRoches, Reginald

2014-03-01

This paper develops a smart hybrid rotary damper using a re-centering smart shape memory alloy (SMA) material as well as conventional energy-dissipating metallic plates that are easy to be replaced. The ends of the SMA and steel plates are inserted in the hinge. When the damper rotates, all the plates bend, providing energy dissipating and recentering characteristics. Such smart hybrid rotary dampers can be installed in structures to mitigate structural responses and to re-center automatically. The damaged energy-dissipating plates can be easily replaced promptly after an external excitation, reducing repair time and costs. An OpenSEES model of a smart hybrid rotary was established and calibrated to reproduce the realistic behavior measured from a full-scale experimental test. Furthermore, the seismic performance of a 3-story moment resisting model building with smart hybrid rotary dampers designed for downtown Los Angeles was also evaluated in the OpenSEES structural analysis software. Such a smart moment resisting frame exhibits perfect residual roof displacement, 0.006", extremely smaller than 18.04" for the conventional moment resisting frame subjected to a 2500 year return period ground motion for the downtown LA area (an amplified factor of 1.15 on Kobe earthquake). The smart hybrid rotary dampers are also applied into an eccentric braced steel frame, which combines a moment frame system and a bracing system. The results illustrate that adding smart hybrid rotaries in this braced system not only completely restores the building after an external excitation, but also significantly reduces peak interstory drifts.

Smart nanogrid systems for disaster mitigation employing deployable renewable energy harvesting devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghasemi-Nejhad, Mehrdad N.; Menendez, Michael; Minei, Brenden; Wong, Kyle; Gabrick, Caton; Thornton, Matsu; Ghorbani, Reza

2016-04-01

This paper explains the development of smart nanogrid systems for disaster mitigation employing deployable renewable energy harvesting, or Deployable Disaster Devices (D3), where wind turbines and solar panels are developed in modular forms, which can be tied together depending on the needed power. The D3 packages/units can be used: (1) as a standalone unit in case of a disaster where no source of power is available, (2) for a remote location such as a farm, camp site, or desert (3) for a community that converts energy usage from fossil fuels to Renewable Energy (RE) sources, or (4) in a community system as a source of renewable energy for grid-tie or off-grid operation. In Smart D3 system, the power is generated (1) for consumer energy needs, (2) charge storage devices (such as batteries, capacitors, etc.), (3) to deliver power to the network when the smart D3 nano-grid is tied to the network and when the power generation is larger than consumption and storage recharge needs, or (4) to draw power from the network when the smart D3 nano-grid is tied to the network and when the power generation is less than consumption and storage recharge needs. The power generated by the Smart D3 systems are routed through high efficiency inverters for proper DC to DC or DC to AC for final use or grid-tie operations. The power delivery from the D3 is 220v AC, 110v AC and 12v DC provide proper power for most electrical and electronic devices worldwide. The power supply is scalable, using a modular system that connects multiple units together. This are facilitated through devices such as external Input-Output or I/O ports. The size of the system can be scaled depending on how many accessory units are connected to the I/O ports on the primary unit. The primary unit is the brain of the system allowing for smart switching and load balancing of power input and smart regulation of power output. The Smart D3 systems are protected by ruggedized weather proof casings allowing for operation in a variety of extreme environments and can be parachuted into the needed locations. The Smart Nanogrid Systems will have sensors that will sense the environmental conditions for the wind turbines and solar panels for maximum energy harvesting as well as identifying the appliances in use. These signal will be sent to a control system to send signal to the energy harvester actuators to maximize the power generation as well as regulating the power, i.e., either send the power to the appliances and consumer devices or send the power to the batteries and capacitors for energy storage, if the power is being generated but there are no consumer appliances in use, making it a "smart nanogrid deployable renewable energy harvesting system."

Measurement of bio-impedance with a smart needle to confirm percutaneous kidney access.

PubMed

Hernandez, D J; Sinkov, V A; Roberts, W W; Allaf, M E; Patriciu, A; Jarrett, T W; Kavoussi, L R; Stoianovici, D

2001-10-01

The traditional method of percutaneous renal access requires freehand needle placement guided by C-arm fluoroscopy, ultrasonography, or computerized tomography. This approach provides limited objective means for verifying successful access. We developed an impedance based percutaneous Smart Needle system and successfully used it to confirm collecting system access in ex vivo porcine kidneys. The Smart Needle consists of a modified 18 gauge percutaneous access needle with the inner stylet electrically insulated from the outer sheath. Impedance is measured between the exposed stylet tip and sheath using Model 4275 LCR meter (Hewlett-Packard, Sunnyvale, California). An ex vivo porcine kidney was distended by continuous gravity infusion of 100 cm. water saline from a catheter passed through the parenchyma into the collecting system. The Smart Needle was gradually inserted into the kidney to measure depth precisely using a robotic needle placement system, while impedance was measured continuously. The Smart Needle was inserted 4 times in each of 4 kidneys. When the needle penetrated the distended collecting system in 11 of 16 attempts, a characteristic sharp drop in resistivity was noted from 1.9 to 1.1 ohm m. Entry into the collecting system was confirmed by removing the stylet and observing fluid flow from the sheath. This characteristic impedance change was observed only at successful entry into the collecting system. A characteristic sharp drop in impedance signifies successful entry into the collecting system. The Smart Needle system may prove useful for percutaneous kidney access.

SMART Structures User's Guide - Version 3.0

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spangler, Jan L.

1996-01-01

Version 3.0 of the Solid Modeling Aerospace Research Tool (SMART Structures) is used to generate structural models for conceptual and preliminary-level aerospace designs. Features include the generation of structural elements for wings and fuselages, the integration of wing and fuselage structural assemblies, and the integration of fuselage and tail structural assemblies. The highly interactive nature of this software allows the structural engineer to move quickly from a geometry that defines a vehicle's external shape to one that has both external components and internal components which may include ribs, spars, longerons, variable depth ringframes, a floor, a keel, and fuel tanks. The geometry that is output is consistent with FEA requirements and includes integrated wing and empennage carry-through and frame attachments. This report provides a comprehensive description of SMART Structures and how to use it.

Flow Navigation by Smart Microswimmers via Reinforcement Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colabrese, Simona; Biferale, Luca; Celani, Antonio; Gustavsson, Kristian

2017-11-01

We have numerically modeled active particles which are able to acquire some limited knowledge of the fluid environment from simple mechanical cues and exert a control on their preferred steering direction. We show that those swimmers can learn effective strategies just by experience, using a reinforcement learning algorithm. As an example, we focus on smart gravitactic swimmers. These are active particles whose task is to reach the highest altitude within some time horizon, exploiting the underlying flow whenever possible. The reinforcement learning algorithm allows particles to learn effective strategies even in difficult situations when, in the absence of control, they would end up being trapped by flow structures. These strategies are highly nontrivial and cannot be easily guessed in advance. This work paves the way towards the engineering of smart microswimmers that solve difficult navigation problems. ERC AdG NewTURB 339032.

Smart polymers as surface modifiers for bioanalytical devices and biomaterials: theory and practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanov, A. E.; Zubov, V. P.

2016-06-01

Smart, or responsive polymers can reversibly change their state of aggregation, thus switching from water-soluble to insoluble state, in response to minor changes in temperature, pH or solvent composition. Grafting of these polymers to solid surfaces imparts the surfaces with controllable wettability and adsorption behaviour. The review summarizes the theoretical models and the results of physical measurements of the conformational transitions in grafted polymer chains and polymer brushes. Primary attention is paid to the grafting density and the length and spatial arrangement of grafted chains, the role of polystyrene, organosilane or alkanethiol sublayers and their effects on adsorption of proteins and adhesion of cells. The key applications of grafted smart polymers such as cell culture and tissue engineering, cell and protein separation, biosensing and targeted drug delivery are surveyed. The bibliography includes 174 references.

Scale-up of nature's tissue weaving algorithms to engineer advanced functional materials.

PubMed

Ng, Joanna L; Knothe, Lillian E; Whan, Renee M; Knothe, Ulf; Tate, Melissa L Knothe

2017-01-11

We are literally the stuff from which our tissue fabrics and their fibers are woven and spun. The arrangement of collagen, elastin and other structural proteins in space and time embodies our tissues and organs with amazing resilience and multifunctional smart properties. For example, the periosteum, a soft tissue sleeve that envelops all nonarticular bony surfaces of the body, comprises an inherently "smart" material that gives hard bones added strength under high impact loads. Yet a paucity of scalable bottom-up approaches stymies the harnessing of smart tissues' biological, mechanical and organizational detail to create advanced functional materials. Here, a novel approach is established to scale up the multidimensional fiber patterns of natural soft tissue weaves for rapid prototyping of advanced functional materials. First second harmonic generation and two-photon excitation microscopy is used to map the microscopic three-dimensional (3D) alignment, composition and distribution of the collagen and elastin fibers of periosteum, the soft tissue sheath bounding all nonarticular bone surfaces in our bodies. Then, using engineering rendering software to scale up this natural tissue fabric, as well as multidimensional weaving algorithms, macroscopic tissue prototypes are created using a computer-controlled jacquard loom. The capacity to prototype scaled up architectures of natural fabrics provides a new avenue to create advanced functional materials.

Smart surgical tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Huan; Yang, Lih-Mei; Bai, Shuang; Liu, Jian

2015-02-01

A laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) guided smart surgical tool using a femtosecond fiber laser is developed. This system provides real-time material identification by processing and analyzing the peak intensity and ratio of atomic emissions of LIBS signals. Algorithms to identify emissions of different tissues and metals are developed and implemented into the real-time control system. This system provides a powerful smart surgical tool for precise robotic microsurgery applications with real-time feedback and control.

Co-Simulation Platform For Characterizing Cyber Attacks in Cyber Physical Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sadi, Mohammad A. H.; Ali, Mohammad Hassan; Dasgupta, Dipankar

Smart grid is a complex cyber physical system containing a numerous and variety of sources, devices, controllers and loads. Communication/Information infrastructure is the backbone of the smart grid system where different grid components are connected with each other through this structure. Therefore, the drawbacks of the information technology related issues are also becoming a part of the smart grid. Further, smart grid is also vulnerable to the grid related disturbances. For such a dynamic system, disturbance and intrusion detection is a paramount issue. This paper presents a Simulink and OPNET based co-simulated test bed to carry out a cyber-intrusion inmore » a cyber-network for modern power systems and smart grid. The effect of the cyber intrusion on the physical power system is also presented. The IEEE 30 bus power system model is used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the simulated testbed. The experiments were performed by disturbing the circuit breakers reclosing time through a cyber-attack in the cyber network. Different disturbance situations in the proposed test system are considered and the results indicate the effectiveness of the proposed co-simulated scheme.« less

Optimization of Deep Drilling Performance--Development and Benchmark Testing of Advanced Diamond Product Drill Bits & HP/HT Fluids to Significantly Improve Rates of Penetration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alan Black; Arnis Judzis

2003-10-01

This document details the progress to date on the OPTIMIZATION OF DEEP DRILLING PERFORMANCE--DEVELOPMENT AND BENCHMARK TESTING OF ADVANCED DIAMOND PRODUCT DRILL BITS AND HP/HT FLUIDS TO SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE RATES OF PENETRATION contract for the year starting October 2002 through September 2002. The industry cost shared program aims to benchmark drilling rates of penetration in selected simulated deep formations and to significantly improve ROP through a team development of aggressive diamond product drill bit--fluid system technologies. Overall the objectives are as follows: Phase 1--Benchmark ''best in class'' diamond and other product drilling bits and fluids and develop concepts for amore » next level of deep drilling performance; Phase 2--Develop advanced smart bit--fluid prototypes and test at large scale; and Phase 3--Field trial smart bit--fluid concepts, modify as necessary and commercialize products. Accomplishments to date include the following: 4Q 2002--Project started; Industry Team was assembled; Kick-off meeting was held at DOE Morgantown; 1Q 2003--Engineering meeting was held at Hughes Christensen, The Woodlands Texas to prepare preliminary plans for development and testing and review equipment needs; Operators started sending information regarding their needs for deep drilling challenges and priorities for large-scale testing experimental matrix; Aramco joined the Industry Team as DEA 148 objectives paralleled the DOE project; 2Q 2003--Engineering and planning for high pressure drilling at TerraTek commenced; 3Q 2003--Continuation of engineering and design work for high pressure drilling at TerraTek; Baker Hughes INTEQ drilling Fluids and Hughes Christensen commence planning for Phase 1 testing--recommendations for bits and fluids.« less

GridLAB-D: An Agent-Based Simulation Framework for Smart Grids

DOE PAGES

Chassin, David P.; Fuller, Jason C.; Djilali, Ned

2014-01-01

Simulation of smart grid technologies requires a fundamentally new approach to integrated modeling of power systems, energy markets, building technologies, and the plethora of other resources and assets that are becoming part of modern electricity production, delivery, and consumption systems. As a result, the US Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity commissioned the development of a new type of power system simulation tool called GridLAB-D that uses an agent-based approach to simulating smart grids. This paper presents the numerical methods and approach to time-series simulation used by GridLAB-D and reviews applications in power system studies, market design, building control systemmore » design, and integration of wind power in a smart grid.« less

GridLAB-D: An Agent-Based Simulation Framework for Smart Grids

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chassin, David P.; Fuller, Jason C.; Djilali, Ned

2014-06-23

Simulation of smart grid technologies requires a fundamentally new approach to integrated modeling of power systems, energy markets, building technologies, and the plethora of other resources and assets that are becoming part of modern electricity production, delivery, and consumption systems. As a result, the US Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity commissioned the development of a new type of power system simulation tool called GridLAB-D that uses an agent-based approach to simulating smart grids. This paper presents the numerical methods and approach to time-series simulation used by GridLAB-D and reviews applications in power system studies, market design, building control systemmore » design, and integration of wind power in a smart grid.« less

Smart thermal networks for smart cities - Introduction of concepts and measures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, R. R.; Pol, O.; Basciotti, D.; Page, J.

2012-10-01

In order to contribute to high living standards, climate mitigation and energy supply security, future urban energy systems require a holistic approach. In particular an intelligent integration of thermal networks is necessary. This paper will briefly present the "smart city" concept and introduce an associated definition for smart thermal networks defined on three levels: 1. the interaction with urban planning processes and the interface to the overall urban energy system, 2. the adaptation of the temperature level and 3. supply and demand-side management strategies.

Energy Logic (EL): a novel fusion engine of multi-modality multi-agent data/information fusion for intelligent surveillance systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rababaah, Haroun; Shirkhodaie, Amir

2009-04-01

The rapidly advancing hardware technology, smart sensors and sensor networks are advancing environment sensing. One major potential of this technology is Large-Scale Surveillance Systems (LS3) especially for, homeland security, battlefield intelligence, facility guarding and other civilian applications. The efficient and effective deployment of LS3 requires addressing number of aspects impacting the scalability of such systems. The scalability factors are related to: computation and memory utilization efficiency, communication bandwidth utilization, network topology (e.g., centralized, ad-hoc, hierarchical or hybrid), network communication protocol and data routing schemes; and local and global data/information fusion scheme for situational awareness. Although, many models have been proposed to address one aspect or another of these issues but, few have addressed the need for a multi-modality multi-agent data/information fusion that has characteristics satisfying the requirements of current and future intelligent sensors and sensor networks. In this paper, we have presented a novel scalable fusion engine for multi-modality multi-agent information fusion for LS3. The new fusion engine is based on a concept we call: Energy Logic. Experimental results of this work as compared to a Fuzzy logic model strongly supported the validity of the new model and inspired future directions for different levels of fusion and different applications.

Injectable thermosensitive chitosan/glycerophosphate-based hydrogels for tissue engineering and drug delivery applications: a review.

PubMed

Tahrir, Farzaneh G; Ganji, Fariba; Ahooyi, Taha M

2015-01-01

Recently, great attention has been paid to in situ gel-forming chitosan/glycerophosphate (CS/Gp) formulation due to its high biocompatibility with incorporated cells and medical agents, biodegradability and sharp thermosensitive gelation. CS/Gp is in liquid state at room temperature and after minimally invasive administration into the desired tissue, it forms a solid-like gel as a response to temperature increase. The overview of various recently patented strategies on injectable delivery systems indicates the significance of this formulation in biomedical applications. This thermosensitive hydrogel has a great potential as scaffold material in tissue engineering, due to its good biocompatibility, minimal immune reaction, high antibacterial nature, good adhesion to cells and the ability to be molded in various geometries. Moreover, CS/Gp hydrogel has been utilized as a smart drug delivery system to increase patient compliance by maintaining the drug level in the therapeutic window for a long time while avoiding the need for frequent injections of the therapeutic agent. This review paper highlights the recent patents and investigations on different formulations of CS/Gp hydrogels as tissue engineering scaffolds and carriers for therapeutic agents. Additionally, the dominant mechanism of sol-gel transition in those systems as well as their physicochemical properties and biocompatibility are discussed in detail.

Magnetorheological valve based actuator for improvement of passively controlled turbocharger system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahiuddin, I.; Mazlan, S. A.; Imaduddin, F.; Ubaidillah, Ichwan, B.

2016-03-01

Variable geometry turbochargers have been widely researched to fulfil the current engine stringent regulations. The passively controlled turbocharger (PCT) concept has been proposed to reduce energy consumption by utilizing the emission energy to move the actuator. However, it only covered a small range operating condition. Therefore, a magnetorheological(MR) Valve device, as typical smart material devices to enhance a passive device, is proposed to improve the PCT. Even though the benefits have been considered for the compactness and easiness to connect to an electrical system, the number of publications regarding the MR application within engine system is hard to be found. Therefore, this paper introduces a design of an MR Valve in a turbocharger. The main challenge is to make sure its capability to produce a sufficient total pressure drop. To overcome the challenge, its material properties, shape and pressure drop calculation has been analyzed to fulfil the requirement. Finally, to get a more understanding of actuator performance, the actuator response was simulated by treating the exhaust gas pressure as an input. It shows that the new MR actuator has a potential dynamic to improve the PCT controllability.

Structural Mechanics and Dynamics Branch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stefko, George

2003-01-01

The 2002 annual report of the Structural Mechanics and Dynamics Branch reflects the majority of the work performed by the branch staff during the 2002 calendar year. Its purpose is to give a brief review of the branch s technical accomplishments. The Structural Mechanics and Dynamics Branch develops innovative computational tools, benchmark experimental data, and solutions to long-term barrier problems in the areas of propulsion aeroelasticity, active and passive damping, engine vibration control, rotor dynamics, magnetic suspension, structural mechanics, probabilistics, smart structures, engine system dynamics, and engine containment. Furthermore, the branch is developing a compact, nonpolluting, bearingless electric machine with electric power supplied by fuel cells for future "more electric" aircraft. An ultra-high-power-density machine that can generate projected power densities of 50 hp/lb or more, in comparison to conventional electric machines, which generate usually 0.2 hp/lb, is under development for application to electric drives for propulsive fans or propellers. In the future, propulsion and power systems will need to be lighter, to operate at higher temperatures, and to be more reliable in order to achieve higher performance and economic viability. The Structural Mechanics and Dynamics Branch is working to achieve these complex, challenging goals.

Shape memory alloy resetable spring lift for pedestrian protection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnes, Brian M.; Brei, Diann E.; Luntz, Jonathan E.; Strom, Kenneth; Browne, Alan L.; Johnson, Nancy

2008-03-01

Pedestrian protection has become an increasingly important aspect of automotive safety with new regulations taking effect around the world. Because it is increasingly difficult to meet these new regulations with traditional passive approaches, active lifts are being explored that increase the "crush zone" between the hood and rigid under-hood components as a means of mitigating the consequences of an impact with a non-occupant. Active lifts, however, are technically challenging because of the simultaneously high forces, stroke and quick timing resulting in most of the current devices being single use. This paper introduces the SMArt (Shape Memory Alloy ReseTable) Spring Lift, an automatically resetable and fully reusable device, which couples conventional standard compression springs to store the energy required for a hood lift, with Shape Memory Alloys actuators to achieve both an ultra high speed release of the spring and automatic reset of the system for multiple uses. Each of the four SMArt Device subsystems, lift, release, lower and reset/dissipate, are individually described. Two identical complete prototypes were fabricated and mounted at the rear corners of the hood, incorporated within a full-scale vehicle testbed at the SMARTT (Smart Material Advanced Research and Technology Transfer) lab at University of Michigan. Full operational cycle testing of a stationary vehicle in a laboratory setting confirms the ultrafast latch release, controlled lift profile, gravity lower to reposition the hood, and spring recompression via the ratchet engine successfully rearming the device for repeat cycles. While this is only a laboratory demonstration and extensive testing and development would be required for transition to a fielded product, this study does indicate that the SMArt Lift has promise as an alternative approach to pedestrian protection.

Organizational and technological correlates of nurses’ trust in a smart IV pump

PubMed Central

Montague, Enid; Asan, Onur; Chiou, Erin

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to understand technology and system characteristics that contribute to nurses’ ratings of trust in a smart IV pump. Nurse’s trust in new technologies can influence how technologies are used. Trust in technology is defined as a person’s belief that a technology will not fail them. Potential outcomes of trust in technology are appropriate trust, over trust, distrust, and mistrust. Trust in technology is also related to several use specific outcomes, including appropriate use and inappropriate use such as over reliance, disuse or rejection, or misuse. Understanding trust in relation to outcomes can contribute to designs that facilitate appropriate trust in new technologies. A survey was completed by 391 nurses a year after the implementation of a new smart IV pump. The survey assessed trust in the IV pump and other elements of the sociotechnical system, individual characteristics, technology characteristics and organizational characteristics. Results show perceptions of usefulness, safety, ease of use and usability are related to ratings of trust in smart IV pumps. Other work system factors such as perception of work environment, age, experience, quality of work, and perception of work performance are also related to ratings of trust. Nurses’ trust in smart IV pumps is influenced by both characteristics of the technology and the sociotechnical system. Findings from this research have implications for the design of future smart IV pumps and health systems. Recommendations for appropriately trustworthy smart IV pumps are discussed. Findings also have implications for how trust in health technologies can be measured and conceptualized in complex sociotechnical systems. PMID:23321482

Power systems and requirements for the integration of smart structures into aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lockyer, Allen J.; Martin, Christopher A.; Lindner, Douglas K.; Walia, Paramjit S.

2002-07-01

Electrical power distribution for recently developed smart actuators becomes an important air-vehicle challenge if projected smart actuation benefits are to be met. Among the items under development are variable shape inlets and control surfaces that utilize shape memory alloys (SMA); full span, chord-wise and span-wise contouring trailing control surfaces that use SMA or piezoelectric materials for actuation; and other strain-based actuators for buffet load alleviation, flutter suppression and flow control. At first glance, such technologies afford overall vehicle performance improvement, however, integration system impacts have yet to be determined or quantified. Power systems to support smart structures initiatives are the focus of the current paper. The paper has been organized into five main topics for further discussion: (1) air-vehicle power system architectures - standard and advanced distribution concepts for actuators, (2) smart wing actuator power requirements and results - highlighting wind tunnel power measurements from shape memory alloy and piezoelectric ultrasonic motor actuated control surfaces and different dynamic pressure and angle of attack; (3) vehicle electromagnetic effects (EME) issues, (4) power supply design considerations for smart actuators - featuring the aircraft power and actuator interface, and (5) summary and conclusions.

Smart Phones Permitted: How Teachers Use Text Messaging to Collaborate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cosier, Meghan; Gomez, Audri; McKee, Aja; Maghzi, Kimiya Sohrab

2015-01-01

The use of smart phones by teachers in K-12 education has been contentious. Although teachers are often instructed to put their phones away during instruction, teachers and students can benefit in many ways from using smart phones in the classroom. The use of information systems such as a smart phone can support knowledge sharing and collaboration…

High power microwave hazard facing smart ammunitions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bohl, J.

1995-03-01

The battle field of the present and even more the one in future will be characterized by the use of weapon systems with a high degree of electronics, computers, and sensors, designed and built to keep not only the man out of the loop. But the higher the technology used for smart weapon systems, the more these systems are endangered by numerous sources of hazard. One of those sources is the threat caused by induced or natural electromagnetic fields. These threat factors can be generated by natural, civil and military environment. In principle there are two main applications which must be considered in military applications: Firstly, weapon systems, that is, high power microwave sources as well as intelligent electromagnetic radiation systems to defeat ammunition on the battle field and secondly, the hardening of the own smart ammunition systems and missiles against the interference sources created by the different types of electromagnetic fields. This report will discuss the possible electromagnetic coupling effects on smart ammunition and missiles and their typical interference caused on the electronics and sensor level. Real time 6-DOF simulations show the flight mission which may be compromised depending on the coupled electromagnetic fields. The German MOD has established a research program where smart ammunitions with different seeker systems are investigated in respect of the coupling effects on smart ammunition caused by high power microwaves. This program considers all available resources and know how in Germany. The systems are investigated by analytical, numerical, and experimental methods with passive and activated missiles.

Mapping and navigational control for a “smart” wheelchair.

PubMed

Schultz, Dana L; Shea, Kathleen M; Barrett, Steven F

2012-01-01

A “smart” wheelchair is in development to provide mobility to those unable to control a traditional wheelchair. A “smart” wheelchair is an autonomous machine with the ability to navigate a mapped environment while avoiding obstacles. The flexibility and complex design of “smart” wheelchairs have made those currently available expensive. Ongoing research at the University of Wyoming has been aimed at designing a cheaper, alternative control system that could be interfaced with a typical powered wheelchair. The goal of this project is to determine methods for mapping and navigational control for the wheelchair. The control system acquires data from eighteen sensors and uses the data to navigate around a pre-programmed map which is stored on a micro SD card. The control system also provides a user interface in the form of a touchscreen LCD. The designed system will be an easy-to-use and cost effective alternative to current “smart” wheelchair technology.

Improving energy efficiency via smart building energy management systems. A comparison with policy measures

DOE PAGES

Rocha, Paula; Siddiqui, Afzal; Stadler, Michael

2014-12-09

In this study, to foster the transition to more sustainable energy systems, policymakers have been approving measures to improve energy efficiency as well as promoting smart grids. In this setting, building managers are encouraged to adapt their energy operations to real-time market and weather conditions. Yet, most fail to do so as they rely on conventional building energy management systems (BEMS) that have static temperature set points for heating and cooling equipment. In this paper, we investigate how effective policy measures are at improving building-level energy efficiency compared to a smart BEMS with dynamic temperature set points. To this end,more » we present an integrated optimisation model mimicking the smart BEMS that combines decisions on heating and cooling systems operations with decisions on energy sourcing. Using data from an Austrian and a Spanish building, we find that the smart BEMS results in greater reduction in energy consumption than a conventional BEMS with policy measures.« less

'Smart' nanoparticles as drug delivery systems for applications in tumor therapy.

PubMed

Fang, Zhi; Wan, Lin-Yan; Chu, Liang-Yin; Zhang, Yan-Qiong; Wu, Jiang-Feng

2015-01-01

In the therapy of clinical diseases such as cancer, it is important to deliver drugs directly to tumor sites in order to maximize local drug concentration and reduce side effects. This objective may be realized by using 'smart' nanoparticles (NPs) as drug delivery systems, because they enable dramatic conformational changes in response to specific physical/chemical stimuli from the diseased cells for targeted and controlled drug release. In this review, we first briefly summarize the characteristics of 'smart' NPs as drug delivery systems in medical therapy, and then discuss their targeting transport, transmembrane and endosomal escape behaviors. Lastly, we focus on the applications of 'smart' NPs as drug delivery systems for tumor therapy. Biodegradable 'smart' NPs have the potential to achieve maximum efficacy and drug availability at the desired sites, and reduce the harmful side effects for healthy tissues in tumor therapy. It is necessary to select appropriate NPs and modify their characteristics according to treatment strategies of tumor therapy.

Optimal Operation Method of Smart House by Controllable Loads based on Smart Grid Topology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoza, Akihiro; Uchida, Kosuke; Yona, Atsushi; Senju, Tomonobu

2013-08-01

From the perspective of global warming suppression and depletion of energy resources, renewable energy such as wind generation (WG) and photovoltaic generation (PV) are getting attention in distribution systems. Additionally, all electrification apartment house or residence such as DC smart house have increased in recent years. However, due to fluctuating power from renewable energy sources and loads, supply-demand balancing fluctuations of power system become problematic. Therefore, "smart grid" has become very popular in the worldwide. This article presents a methodology for optimal operation of a smart grid to minimize the interconnection point power flow fluctuations. To achieve the proposed optimal operation, we use distributed controllable loads such as battery and heat pump. By minimizing the interconnection point power flow fluctuations, it is possible to reduce the maximum electric power consumption and the electric cost. This system consists of photovoltaics generator, heat pump, battery, solar collector, and load. In order to verify the effectiveness of the proposed system, MATLAB is used in simulations.

Organizational, Cultural, and Psychological Determinants of Smart Infusion Pump Work Arounds: A Study of 3 U.S. Health Systems.

PubMed

Dunford, Benjamin B; Perrigino, Matthew; Tucker, Sharon J; Gaston, Cynthia L; Young, Jim; Vermace, Beverly J; Walroth, Todd A; Buening, Natalie R; Skillman, Katherine L; Berndt, Dawn

2017-09-01

We investigated nurse perceptions of smart infusion medication pumps to provide evidence-based insights on how to help reduce work around and improve compliance with patient safety policies. Specifically, we investigated the following 3 research questions: (1) What are nurses' current attitudes about smart infusion pumps? (2) What do nurses think are the causes of smart infusion pump work arounds? and (3) To whom do nurses turn for smart infusion pump training and troubleshooting? We surveyed a large number of nurses (N = 818) in 3 U.S.-based health care systems to address the research questions above. We assessed nurses' opinions about smart infusion pumps, organizational perceptions, and the reasons for work arounds using a voluntary and anonymous Web-based survey. Using qualitative research methods, we coded open-ended responses to questions about the reasons for work arounds to organize responses into useful categories. The nurses reported widespread satisfaction with smart infusion pumps. However, they reported numerous organizational, cultural, and psychological causes of smart pump work arounds. Of 1029 open-ended responses to the question "why do smart pump work arounds occur?" approximately 44% of the causes were technology related, 47% were organization related, and 9% were related to individual factors. Finally, an overwhelming majority of nurses reported seeking solutions to smart pump problems from coworkers and being trained primarily on the job. Hospitals may significantly improve adherence to smart pump safety features by addressing the nontechnical causes of work arounds and by providing more leadership and formalized training for resolving smart pump-related problems.

Smart health monitoring systems: an overview of design and modeling.

PubMed

Baig, Mirza Mansoor; Gholamhosseini, Hamid

2013-04-01

Health monitoring systems have rapidly evolved during the past two decades and have the potential to change the way health care is currently delivered. Although smart health monitoring systems automate patient monitoring tasks and, thereby improve the patient workflow management, their efficiency in clinical settings is still debatable. This paper presents a review of smart health monitoring systems and an overview of their design and modeling. Furthermore, a critical analysis of the efficiency, clinical acceptability, strategies and recommendations on improving current health monitoring systems will be presented. The main aim is to review current state of the art monitoring systems and to perform extensive and an in-depth analysis of the findings in the area of smart health monitoring systems. In order to achieve this, over fifty different monitoring systems have been selected, categorized, classified and compared. Finally, major advances in the system design level have been discussed, current issues facing health care providers, as well as the potential challenges to health monitoring field will be identified and compared to other similar systems.

A Taxonomy on Accountability and Privacy Issues in Smart Grids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naik, Ameya; Shahnasser, Hamid

2017-07-01

Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) are combinations of computation, networking, and physical processes. Embedded computers and networks monitor control the physical processes, which affect computations and vice versa. Two applications of cyber physical systems include health-care and smart grid. In this paper, we have considered privacy aspects of cyber-physical system applicable to smart grid. Smart grid in collaboration with different stockholders can help in the improvement of power generation, communication, circulation and consumption. The proper management with monitoring feature by customers and utility of energy usage can be done through proper transmission and electricity flow; however cyber vulnerability could be increased due to an increased assimilation and linkage. This paper discusses various frameworks and architectures proposed for achieving accountability in smart grids by addressing privacy issues in Advance Metering Infrastructure (AMI). This paper also highlights additional work needed for accountability in more precise specifications such as uncertainty or ambiguity, indistinct, unmanageability, and undetectably.

Smart fabrics: integrating fiber optic sensors and information networks.

PubMed

El-Sherif, Mahmoud

2004-01-01

"Smart Fabrics" are defined as fabrics capable of monitoring their own "health", and sensing environmental conditions. They consist of special type of sensors, signal processing, and communication network embedded into textile substrate. Available conventional sensors and networking systems are not fully technologically mature for such applications. New classes of miniature sensors, signal processing and networking systems are urgently needed for such application. Also, the methodology for integration into textile structures has to be developed. In this paper, the development of smart fabrics with embedded fiber optic systems is presented for applications in health monitoring and diagnostics. Successful development of such smart fabrics with embedded sensors and networks is mainly dependent on the development of the proper miniature sensors technology, and on the integration of these sensors into textile structures. The developed smart fabrics will be discussed and samples of the results will be presented.

Developing a Domain Ontology: the Case of Water Cycle and Hydrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, H.; Pozzi, W.; Piasecki, M.; Imam, B.; Houser, P.; Raskin, R.; Ramachandran, R.; Martinez Baquero, G.

2008-12-01

A semantic web ontology enables semantic data integration and semantic smart searching. Several organizations have attempted to implement smart registration and integration or searching using ontologies. These are the NOESIS (NSF project: LEAD) and HydroSeek (NSF project: CUAHS HIS) data discovery engines and the NSF project GEON. All three applications use ontologies to discover data from multiple sources and projects. The NASA WaterNet project was established to identify creative, innovative ways to bridge NASA research results to real world applications, linking decision support needs to available data, observations, and modeling capability. WaterNet (NASA project) utilized the smart query tool Noesis as a testbed to test whether different ontologies (and different catalog searches) could be combined to match resources with user needs. NOESIS contains the upper level SWEET ontology that accepts plug in domain ontologies to refine user search queries, reducing the burden of multiple keyword searches. Another smart search interface was that developed for CUAHSI, HydroSeek, that uses a multi-layered concept search ontology, tagging variables names from any number of data sources to specific leaf and higher level concepts on which the search is executed. This approach has proven to be quite successful in mitigating semantic heterogeneity as the user does not need to know the semantic specifics of each data source system but just uses a set of common keywords to discover the data for a specific temporal and geospatial domain. This presentation will show tests with Noesis and Hydroseek lead to the conclusion that the construction of a complex, and highly heterogeneous water cycle ontology requires multiple ontology modules. To illustrate the complexity and heterogeneity of a water cycle ontology, Hydroseek successfully utilizes WaterOneFlow to integrate data across multiple different data collections, such as USGS NWIS. However,different methodologies are employed by the Earth Science, the Hydrological, and Hydraulic Engineering Communities, and each community employs models that require different input data. If a sub-domain ontology is created for each of these,describing water balance calculations, then the resulting structure of the semantic network describing these various terms can be rather complex, heterogeneous, and overlapping, and will require "mapping" between equivalent terms in the ontologies, along with the development of an upper level conceptual or domain ontology to utilize and link to those already in existence.

Impact landing ends SMART-1 mission to the Moon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2006-09-01

SMART-1 scientists, engineers and space operations experts witnessed the final moments of the spacecraft’s life in the night between Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 September at ESA’s European Space Operations Centre (ESOC), in Darmstadt, Germany. The confirmation of the impact reached ESOC at 07:42:22 CEST (05:42:22 UT) when ESA’s New Norcia ground station in Australia suddenly lost radio contact with the spacecraft. SMART-1 ended its journey in the Lake of Excellence, in the point situated at 34.4º South latitude and 46.2º West longitude. The SMART-1 impact took place on the near side of the Moon, in a dark area just near the terminator (the line separating the day side from the night side), at a “grazing” angle of about one degree and a speed of about 2 kilometres per second. The impact time and location was planned to favour observations of the impact event from telescopes on Earth, and was achieved by a series of orbit manoeuvres and corrections performed during the course of summer 2006, the last of which was on 1 September. Professional and amateur ground observers all around the world - from South Africa to the Canary Islands, South America, the continental United States, Hawaii, and many other locations - were watching before and during the small SMART-1 impact, hoping to spot the faint impact flash and to obtain information about the impact dynamics and about the lunar surface excavated by the spacecraft. The quality of the data and images gathered from the ground observatories - a tribute to the end of the SMART-1 mission and a possible additional contribution to lunar science - will be assessed in the days to come. For the last 16 months and until its final orbits, SMART-1 has been studying the Moon, gathering data about the morphology and mineralogical composition of the surface in visible, infrared and X-ray light. “The legacy left by the huge wealth of SMART-1 data, to be analysed in the months and years to come, is a precious contribution to lunar science at a time when the exploration of the Moon is once again getting the world’s interest” said Bernard Foing, ESA SMART-1 Project Scientist. “The measurements by SMART-1 call into question the theories concerning the Moon’s violent origin and evolution,” he added. The Moon may have formed from the impact of a Mars-size asteroid with the Earth 4500 million years ago. “SMART-1 has mapped large and small impact craters, studied the volcanic and tectonic processes that shaped the Moon, unveiled the mysterious poles, and investigated sites for future exploration,” Foing concluded. “ESA’s decision to extend the SMART-1 scientific mission by a further year ( it was initially planned to last only six months around the Moon) allowed the instrument scientists to extensively use a number of innovative observing modes at the Moon,” added Gerhard Schwehm, ESA’s SMART-1 Mission Manager. In addition to plain nadir observations (looking down on the ‘vertical’ line for lunar surveys), they included targeted observations, moon-spot pointing and ‘push-broom’ observations (a technique SMART-1 used to obtain colour images). “This was tough work for the mission planners, but the lunar data archive we are now building is truly impressive.” “SMART-1 has been an enormous success also from a technological point of view,” said Giuseppe Racca, ESA SMART-1 Project Manager. The major goal of the mission was to test an ion engine (solar electric propulsion) in space for the first time for interplanetary travel, and capture a spacecraft into orbit around another celestial body, in combination with gravity assist manoeuvres. SMART-1 also tested future deep-space communication techniques for spacecraft, techniques to achieve autonomous spacecraft navigation, and miniaturised scientific instruments, used for the first time around the Moon. “It is a great satisfaction to see how well the mission achieved its technological objectives, and did great lunar science at the same time,” Racca concluded. “Operating SMART-1 has been an extremely complex but rewarding task,” said Octavio Camino-Ramos, ESA SMART-1 Spacecraft Operations Manager. “The long spiralling trajectory around Earth to test solar electric propulsion (a low-thrust approach), the long exposure to radiation, the strong perturbations of the gravity fields of the Earth-Moon system and then the reaching of a lunar orbit optimised for the scientific investigations, have allowed us to gain valuable expertise in navigation techniques for low-thrust propulsion and innovative operations concepts: telemetry distribution and alerting through the internet, and a high degree of ground operations automation - a remarkable benchmark for the future,” he explained. “For ESA’s Science Programme, SMART-1 represents a great success and a very good return on investment, both from the technological and the scientific point of view,” said Professor Southwood, ESA’s Director of Science. “It seems that right now everyone in the world is planning on going to the Moon. Future scientific missions will greatly benefit from the technological and operational experience gained thanks to this small spacecraft, while the set of scientific data gathered by SMART-1 is already helping to update our current picture of the Moon.” Note to editors More images and further updates on the SMART-1 mission end can be found at:www.esa.int/smart-1 SMART-1, (Small Mission for Advanced Research and Technology) is the first European mission to the Moon. It was launched on 27 September 2003 on board an Ariane 5 rocket, from the CSG, Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana and reached its destination in November 2004 after following a long spiralling trajectory around Earth. In this phase, the spacecraft successfully tested for the first time in space the series of advanced technologies it carried on board. The technology demonstration part of the mission was declared successfully concluded when SMART-1 reached the Moon and was captured by the lunar gravity field in mid-November 2004. SMART-1 started its scientific observations of the Moon in March 2005, running on an elliptical polar orbit that ranged from about 500 to 3000 kilometres over the lunar surface. The instruments on board included a miniaturised imaging camera (AMIE), an X-ray telescope (D-CIXS) to identify the key chemical elements in the lunar surface, an infrared spectrometer (SIR) to chart the Moon’s minerals and an X-ray solar monitor (XSM) to complement the D-CIXS measurements and study the solar variability. SMART-1 was a small unmanned satellite weighing 366 kilograms and roughly fitting into a cube just 1 metre across, excluding its 14-metre solar panels. It was manufactured by the Swedish Space Corporation, Solna, leading a consortium of more than 20 European industrial teams.

Smart Meter Rollout: Intelligente Messsysteme als Schnittstelle zum Kunden im Smart Grid und Smart Market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vortanz, Karsten; Zayer, Peter

Das Gesetz zur Digitalisierung der Energiewende ist verabschiedet. Ab 2017 sind moderne Messeinrichtungen (mME) und intelligente Messsysteme (iMSys) zu verbauen und zu betreiben. Der "deutsche Weg" für die Einführung von Smart Metern sieht einen stufenweisen Rollout sowie ein Höchstmaß an Informations- und Datensicherheit vor. Dabei spielen iMSys und mME eine wichtige Rolle bei der Neugestaltung der intelligenten Netze (Smart Grids) und des neuen Marktmodells (Smart Market). Dieser Beitrag beschäftigt sich mit den neuen Gesetzen, den Marktrollen und ihren Aufgaben, Datenschutz und Datensicherheit, dem iMSys als sichere Lösung, dem sicheren Betrieb von Smart Meter Gateways, Smart Grid - Smart Market, dem Zusammenspiel zwischen reguliertem Bereich und Markt, den Einsatzbereichen der iMSys sowie den Auswirkungen auf Prozesse und Systeme und gibt Handlungsempfehlungen.

Development of Smart Grid for Community and Cyber based Landslide Hazard Monitoring and Early Warning System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karnawati, D.; Wilopo, W.; Fathani, T. F.; Fukuoka, H.; Andayani, B.

2012-12-01

A Smart Grid is a cyber-based tool to facilitate a network of sensors for monitoring and communicating the landslide hazard and providing the early warning. The sensor is designed as an electronic sensor installed in the existing monitoring and early warning instruments, and also as the human sensors which comprise selected committed-people at the local community, such as the local surveyor, local observer, member of the local task force for disaster risk reduction, and any person at the local community who has been registered to dedicate their commitments for sending reports related to the landslide symptoms observed at their living environment. This tool is designed to be capable to receive up to thousands of reports/information at the same time through the electronic sensors, text message (mobile phone), the on-line participatory web as well as various social media such as Twitter and Face book. The information that should be recorded/ reported by the sensors is related to the parameters of landslide symptoms, for example the progress of cracks occurrence, ground subsidence or ground deformation. Within 10 minutes, this tool will be able to automatically elaborate and analyse the reported symptoms to predict the landslide hazard and risk levels. The predicted level of hazard/ risk can be sent back to the network of electronic and human sensors as the early warning information. The key parameters indicating the symptoms of landslide hazard were recorded/ monitored by the electrical and the human sensors. Those parameters were identified based on the investigation on geological and geotechnical conditions, supported with the laboratory analysis. The cause and triggering mechanism of landslide in the study area was also analysed in order to define the critical condition to launch the early warning. However, not only the technical but also social system were developed to raise community awareness and commitments to serve the mission as the human sensors, which will be responsible for reporting and informing the early warning. Therefore, a community empowerment and encouragement program through public education was conducted. Strategy and approach for this program was formulated based on the socio-engineering investigation. Finally, the results of technical and social engineering investigations, have been elaborated to further enhance the performance of expert system of the Smart Grid, in order to completely establish this system as an innovative and effective tool for the landslide monitoring and early warning in tropical-developing country.

Practical and Secure Recovery of Disk Encryption Key Using Smart Cards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Omote, Kazumasa; Kato, Kazuhiko

In key-recovery methods using smart cards, a user can recover the disk encryption key in cooperation with the system administrator, even if the user has lost the smart card including the disk encryption key. However, the disk encryption key is known to the system administrator in advance in most key-recovery methods. Hence user's disk data may be read by the system administrator. Furthermore, if the disk encryption key is not known to the system administrator in advance, it is difficult to achieve a key authentication. In this paper, we propose a scheme which enables to recover the disk encryption key when the user's smart card is lost. In our scheme, the disk encryption key is not preserved anywhere and then the system administrator cannot know the key before key-recovery phase. Only someone who has a user's smart card and knows the user's password can decrypt that user's disk data. Furthermore, we measured the processing time required for user authentication in an experimental environment using a virtual machine monitor. As a result, we found that this processing time is short enough to be practical.

A Smart Detection System Based on Specific Magnetic and Rolling Cycle Amplification Signal-Amplified Dual-Aptamers to Accurately Monitor Minimal Residual Diseases in Patients with T-ALL.

PubMed

Li, Xa; Zhou, Bo; Zhao, Zilong; Hu, Zixi; Zhou, Sufang; Yang, Nuo; Huang, Yong; Zhang, Zhenghua; Su, Jing; Lan, Dan; Qin, Xue; Meng, Jinyu; Zheng, Duo; He, Jian; Huang, Xianing; Zhao, Jing; Zhang, Zhiyong; Tan, Weihong; Lu, Xiaoling; Zhao, Yongxiang

2016-12-01

It is a major clinical challenge for clinicians how to early find out minimal residual diseases (MRD) of leukemia. Here, we developed a smart detection system for MRD involving magnetic aptamer sgc8 probe (M-sgc8 probe) to capture CEM cells and rolling cycle amplification probe (RCA-sgc8 probe) to initiate RCA, producing a single-stranded tandem repeated copy of the circular template. The DNA products were hybridized with molecular beacon to generate the amplified fluorescence signal. An in vitro model to mimic MRD was established to evaluate the sensitivity of the smart detection system. The smart detection system was used to detect MRD in patients with T-ALL peri-chemotherapy, which could not only specifically captured T-ALL cells, but also significantly amplified fluorescence signals on them. The sensitivity was 1/20,000. These results indicate that the smart detection system with high specificity and sensitivity could more efficiently monitor the progress of T-ALL peri-chemotherapy.

A Remote Health Monitoring System for the Elderly Based on Smart Home Gateway

PubMed Central

Shao, Minggang

2017-01-01

This paper proposed a remote health monitoring system for the elderly based on smart home gateway. The proposed system consists of three parts: the smart clothing, the smart home gateway, and the health care server. The smart clothing collects the elderly's electrocardiogram (ECG) and motion signals. The home gateway is used for data transmission. The health care server provides services of data storage and user information management; it is constructed on the Windows-Apache-MySQL-PHP (WAMP) platform and is tested on the Ali Cloud platform. To resolve the issues of data overload and network congestion of the home gateway, an ECG compression algorithm is applied. System demonstration shows that the ECG signals and motion signals of the elderly can be monitored. Evaluation of the compression algorithm shows that it has a high compression ratio and low distortion and consumes little time, which is suitable for home gateways. The proposed system has good scalability, and it is simple to operate. It has the potential to provide long-term and continuous home health monitoring services for the elderly. PMID:29204258

A Remote Health Monitoring System for the Elderly Based on Smart Home Gateway.

PubMed

Guan, Kai; Shao, Minggang; Wu, Shuicai

2017-01-01

This paper proposed a remote health monitoring system for the elderly based on smart home gateway. The proposed system consists of three parts: the smart clothing, the smart home gateway, and the health care server. The smart clothing collects the elderly's electrocardiogram (ECG) and motion signals. The home gateway is used for data transmission. The health care server provides services of data storage and user information management; it is constructed on the Windows-Apache-MySQL-PHP (WAMP) platform and is tested on the Ali Cloud platform. To resolve the issues of data overload and network congestion of the home gateway, an ECG compression algorithm is applied. System demonstration shows that the ECG signals and motion signals of the elderly can be monitored. Evaluation of the compression algorithm shows that it has a high compression ratio and low distortion and consumes little time, which is suitable for home gateways. The proposed system has good scalability, and it is simple to operate. It has the potential to provide long-term and continuous home health monitoring services for the elderly.

How to engage end-users in smart energy behaviour?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valkering, Pieter; Laes, Erik; Kessels, Kris; Uyterlinde, Matthijs; Straver, Koen

2014-12-01

End users will play a crucial role in up-coming smart grids that aim to link end-users and energy providers in a better balanced and more efficient electricity system. Within this context, this paper aims to deliver a coherent view on current good practice in end-user engagement in smart grid projects. It draws from a recent review of theoretical insights from sustainable consumption behaviour, social marketing and innovation systems and empirical insights from recent smart grid projects to create an inventory of common motivators, enablers and barriers of behavioural change, and the end-user engagement principles that can be derived from that. We conclude with identifying current research challenges as input for a research agenda on end-user engagement in smart grids.

Systems Maintenance Automated Repair Tasks (SMART)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

SMART is an interactive decision analysis and refinement software system that uses evaluation criteria for discrepant conditions to automatically provide and populate a document/procedure with predefined steps necessary to repair a discrepancy safely, effectively, and efficiently. SMART can store the tacit (corporate) knowledge merging the hardware specification requirements with the actual "how to" repair methods, sequences, and required equipment, all within a user-friendly interface. Besides helping organizations retain repair knowledge in streamlined procedures and sequences, SMART can also help them in saving processing time and expense, increasing productivity, improving quality, and adhering more closely to safety and other guidelines. Though SMART was developed for Space Shuttle applications, its interface is easily adaptable to any hardware that can be broken down by component, subcomponent, discrepancy, and repair.

Design of the smart home system based on the optimal routing algorithm and ZigBee network.

PubMed

Jiang, Dengying; Yu, Ling; Wang, Fei; Xie, Xiaoxia; Yu, Yongsheng

2017-01-01

To improve the traditional smart home system, its electric wiring, networking technology, information transmission and facility control are studied. In this paper, we study the electric wiring, networking technology, information transmission and facility control to improve the traditional smart home system. First, ZigBee is used to replace the traditional electric wiring. Second, a network is built to connect lots of wireless sensors and facilities, thanks to the capability of ZigBee self-organized network and Genetic Algorithm-Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm (GA-PSOA) to search for the optimal route. Finally, when the smart home system is connected to the internet based on the remote server technology, home environment and facilities could be remote real-time controlled. The experiments show that the GA-PSOA reduce the system delay and decrease the energy consumption of the wireless system.

Design of the smart home system based on the optimal routing algorithm and ZigBee network

PubMed Central

Xie, Xiaoxia

2017-01-01

To improve the traditional smart home system, its electric wiring, networking technology, information transmission and facility control are studied. In this paper, we study the electric wiring, networking technology, information transmission and facility control to improve the traditional smart home system. First, ZigBee is used to replace the traditional electric wiring. Second, a network is built to connect lots of wireless sensors and facilities, thanks to the capability of ZigBee self-organized network and Genetic Algorithm-Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm (GA-PSOA) to search for the optimal route. Finally, when the smart home system is connected to the internet based on the remote server technology, home environment and facilities could be remote real-time controlled. The experiments show that the GA-PSOA reduce the system delay and decrease the energy consumption of the wireless system. PMID:29131868

Regenerative Engineering and Bionic Limbs.

PubMed

James, Roshan; Laurencin, Cato T

2015-03-01

Amputations of the upper extremity are severely debilitating, current treatments support very basic limb movement, and patients undergo extensive physiotherapy and psychological counselling. There is no prosthesis that allows the amputees near-normal function. With increasing number of amputees due to injuries sustained in accidents, natural calamities and international conflicts, there is a growing requirement for novel strategies and new discoveries. Advances have been made in technological, material and in prosthesis integration where researchers are now exploring artificial prosthesis that integrate with the residual tissues and function based on signal impulses received from the residual nerves. Efforts are focused on challenging experts in different disciplines to integrate ideas and technologies to allow for the regeneration of injured tissues, recording on tissue signals and feed-back to facilitate responsive movements and gradations of muscle force. A fully functional replacement and regenerative or integrated prosthesis will rely on interface of biological process with robotic systems to allow individual control of movement such as at the elbow, forearm, digits and thumb in the upper extremity. Regenerative engineering focused on the regeneration of complex tissue and organ systems will be realized by the cross-fertilization of advances over the past thirty years in the fields of tissue engineering, nanotechnology, stem cell science, and developmental biology. The convergence of toolboxes crated within each discipline will allow interdisciplinary teams from engineering, science, and medicine to realize new strategies, mergers of disparate technologies, such as biophysics, smart bionics, and the healing power of the mind. Tackling the clinical challenges, interfacing the biological process with bionic technologies, engineering biological control of the electronic systems, and feed-back will be the important goals in regenerative engineering over the next two decades.

Regenerative Engineering and Bionic Limbs

PubMed Central

James, Roshan; Laurencin, Cato T.

2015-01-01

Amputations of the upper extremity are severely debilitating, current treatments support very basic limb movement, and patients undergo extensive physiotherapy and psychological counselling. There is no prosthesis that allows the amputees near-normal function. With increasing number of amputees due to injuries sustained in accidents, natural calamities and international conflicts, there is a growing requirement for novel strategies and new discoveries. Advances have been made in technological, material and in prosthesis integration where researchers are now exploring artificial prosthesis that integrate with the residual tissues and function based on signal impulses received from the residual nerves. Efforts are focused on challenging experts in different disciplines to integrate ideas and technologies to allow for the regeneration of injured tissues, recording on tissue signals and feed-back to facilitate responsive movements and gradations of muscle force. A fully functional replacement and regenerative or integrated prosthesis will rely on interface of biological process with robotic systems to allow individual control of movement such as at the elbow, forearm, digits and thumb in the upper extremity. Regenerative engineering focused on the regeneration of complex tissue and organ systems will be realized by the cross-fertilization of advances over the past thirty years in the fields of tissue engineering, nanotechnology, stem cell science, and developmental biology. The convergence of toolboxes crated within each discipline will allow interdisciplinary teams from engineering, science, and medicine to realize new strategies, mergers of disparate technologies, such as biophysics, smart bionics, and the healing power of the mind. Tackling the clinical challenges, interfacing the biological process with bionic technologies, engineering biological control of the electronic systems, and feed-back will be the important goals in regenerative engineering over the next two decades. PMID:25983525

Smart-Home Architecture Based on Bluetooth mesh Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Qing; Liu, Jianghua

2018-03-01

This paper describes the smart home network system based on Nordic nrf52832 device. Nrf52832 is new generation RF SOC device focus on sensor monitor and low power Bluetooth connection applications. In this smart home system, we set up a self-organizing network system which consists of one control node and a lot of monitor nodes. The control node manages the whole network works; the monitor nodes collect the sensor information such as light intensity, temperature, humidity, PM2.5, etc. Then update to the control node by Bluetooth mesh network. The design results show that the Bluetooth mesh wireless network system is flexible and construction cost is low, which is suitable for the communication characteristics of a smart home network. We believe it will be wildly used in the future.

Instrumentation, monitoring, and modeling of the I-35W bridge.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-08-01

The new I-35W Bridge was instrumented incorporating "smart bridge technology" by Figg Engineering Group in : conjunction with Flatiron-Manson. The purpose of the instrumentation was to monitor the structure during service, : and to use this informati...

Manufacturing Cell Therapies Using Engineered Biomaterials.

PubMed

Abdeen, Amr A; Saha, Krishanu

2017-10-01

Emerging manufacturing processes to generate regenerative advanced therapies can involve extensive genomic and/or epigenomic manipulation of autologous or allogeneic cells. These cell engineering processes need to be carefully controlled and standardized to maximize safety and efficacy in clinical trials. Engineered biomaterials with smart and tunable properties offer an intriguing tool to provide or deliver cues to retain stemness, direct differentiation, promote reprogramming, manipulate the genome, or select functional phenotypes. This review discusses the use of engineered biomaterials to control human cell manufacturing. Future work exploiting engineered biomaterials has the potential to generate manufacturing processes that produce standardized cells with well-defined critical quality attributes appropriate for clinical testing. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Event-Based Approach to Distributed Diagnosis of Continuous Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Daigle, Matthew; Roychoudhurry, Indranil; Biswas, Gautam; Koutsoukos, Xenofon

2010-01-01

Distributed fault diagnosis solutions are becoming necessary due to the complexity of modern engineering systems, and the advent of smart sensors and computing elements. This paper presents a novel event-based approach for distributed diagnosis of abrupt parametric faults in continuous systems, based on a qualitative abstraction of measurement deviations from the nominal behavior. We systematically derive dynamic fault signatures expressed as event-based fault models. We develop a distributed diagnoser design algorithm that uses these models for designing local event-based diagnosers based on global diagnosability analysis. The local diagnosers each generate globally correct diagnosis results locally, without a centralized coordinator, and by communicating a minimal number of measurements between themselves. The proposed approach is applied to a multi-tank system, and results demonstrate a marked improvement in scalability compared to a centralized approach.

Reliability-based optimization of an active vibration controller using evolutionary algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saraygord Afshari, Sajad; Pourtakdoust, Seid H.

2017-04-01

Many modern industrialized systems such as aircrafts, rotating turbines, satellite booms, etc. cannot perform their desired tasks accurately if their uninhibited structural vibrations are not controlled properly. Structural health monitoring and online reliability calculations are emerging new means to handle system imposed uncertainties. As stochastic forcing are unavoidable, in most engineering systems, it is often needed to take them into the account for the control design process. In this research, smart material technology is utilized for structural health monitoring and control in order to keep the system in a reliable performance range. In this regard, a reliability-based cost function is assigned for both controller gain optimization as well as sensor placement. The proposed scheme is implemented and verified for a wing section. Comparison of results for the frequency responses is considered to show potential applicability of the presented technique.

Smart Coatings for Launch Site Corrosion Protection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calle, Luz M.

2014-01-01

Smart, environmentally friendly paint system for early corrosion detection, mitigation, and healing that will enable supportability in KSC launch facilities and ground systems through their operational life cycles. KSC's Corrosion Technology Laboratory is developing a smart, self-healing coating that can detect and repair corrosion at an early stage. This coating is being developed using microcapsules specifically designed to deliver the contents of their core when corrosion starts.

Hydraulic Universal Display Processor System (HUDPS).

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-11-21

emphasis on smart alphanumeric devices in Task II. Volatile and non-volatile memory components were utilized along with the Intel 8748 microprocessor...system. 1.2 TASK 11 Fault display methods for ground support personnel were investigated during Phase II with emphasis on smart alphanumeric devices...CONSIDERATIONS Methods of display fault indication for ground support personnel have been investigated with emphasis on " smart " alphanumeric devices

Sensor Network-Based and User-Friendly User Location Discovery for Future Smart Homes

PubMed Central

Ahvar, Ehsan; Lee, Gyu Myoung; Han, Son N.; Crespi, Noel; Khan, Imran

2016-01-01

User location is crucial context information for future smart homes where many location based services will be proposed. This location necessarily means that User Location Discovery (ULD) will play an important role in future smart homes. Concerns about privacy and the need to carry a mobile or a tag device within a smart home currently make conventional ULD systems uncomfortable for users. Future smart homes will need a ULD system to consider these challenges. This paper addresses the design of such a ULD system for context-aware services in future smart homes stressing the following challenges: (i) users’ privacy; (ii) device-/tag-free; and (iii) fault tolerance and accuracy. On the other hand, emerging new technologies, such as the Internet of Things, embedded systems, intelligent devices and machine-to-machine communication, are penetrating into our daily life with more and more sensors available for use in our homes. Considering this opportunity, we propose a ULD system that is capitalizing on the prevalence of sensors for the home while satisfying the aforementioned challenges. The proposed sensor network-based and user-friendly ULD system relies on different types of inexpensive sensors, as well as a context broker with a fuzzy-based decision-maker. The context broker receives context information from different types of sensors and evaluates that data using the fuzzy set theory. We demonstrate the performance of the proposed system by illustrating a use case, utilizing both an analytical model and simulation. PMID:27355951

Sensor Network-Based and User-Friendly User Location Discovery for Future Smart Homes.

PubMed

Ahvar, Ehsan; Lee, Gyu Myoung; Han, Son N; Crespi, Noel; Khan, Imran

2016-06-27

User location is crucial context information for future smart homes where many location based services will be proposed. This location necessarily means that User Location Discovery (ULD) will play an important role in future smart homes. Concerns about privacy and the need to carry a mobile or a tag device within a smart home currently make conventional ULD systems uncomfortable for users. Future smart homes will need a ULD system to consider these challenges. This paper addresses the design of such a ULD system for context-aware services in future smart homes stressing the following challenges: (i) users' privacy; (ii) device-/tag-free; and (iii) fault tolerance and accuracy. On the other hand, emerging new technologies, such as the Internet of Things, embedded systems, intelligent devices and machine-to-machine communication, are penetrating into our daily life with more and more sensors available for use in our homes. Considering this opportunity, we propose a ULD system that is capitalizing on the prevalence of sensors for the home while satisfying the aforementioned challenges. The proposed sensor network-based and user-friendly ULD system relies on different types of inexpensive sensors, as well as a context broker with a fuzzy-based decision-maker. The context broker receives context information from different types of sensors and evaluates that data using the fuzzy set theory. We demonstrate the performance of the proposed system by illustrating a use case, utilizing both an analytical model and simulation.

SMARTE: HELPING COMMUNITIES OVERCOME OBSTACLES TO REVITALIZATION (04/23/07)

EPA Science Inventory

Sustainable Management Approaches and Revitalization Tools - electronic (SMARTe), is an open-source, web-based, decision support system for developing and evaluating future reuse scenarios for potentially contaminated land. SMARTe contains information and analysis tools for all a...

SmartWay Truck Tool-Advanced Class: Getting the Most out of Your SmartWay Participation

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This EPA presentation provides information on the Advanced SmartWay Truck Tool; it's background, development, participation, data collection, usage, fleet categories, emission metrics, ranking system, performance data, reports, and schedule for 2017.

Long Island Smart Energy Corridor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mui, Ming

The Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) has teamed with Stony Brook University (Stony Brook or SBU) and Farmingdale State College (Farmingdale or FSC), two branches of the State University of New York (SUNY), to create a “Smart Energy Corridor.” The project, located along the Route 110 business corridor on Long Island, New York, demonstrated the integration of a suite of Smart Grid technologies from substations to end-use loads. The Smart Energy Corridor Project included the following key features: -TECHNOLOGY: Demonstrated a full range of smart energy technologies, including substations and distribution feeder automation, fiber and radio communications backbone, advanced meteringmore » infrastructure (AM”), meter data management (MDM) system (which LIPA implemented outside of this project), field tools automation, customer-level energy management including automated energy management systems, and integration with distributed generation and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. -MARKETING: A rigorous market test that identified customer response to an alternative time-of-use pricing plan and varying levels of information and analytical support. -CYBER SECURITY: Tested cyber security vulnerabilities in Smart Grid hardware, network, and application layers. Developed recommendations for policies, procedures, and technical controls to prevent or foil cyber-attacks and to harden the Smart Grid infrastructure. -RELIABILITY: Leveraged new Smart Grid-enabled data to increase system efficiency and reliability. Developed enhanced load forecasting, phase balancing, and voltage control techniques designed to work hand-in-hand with the Smart Grid technologies. -OUTREACH: Implemented public outreach and educational initiatives that were linked directly to the demonstration of Smart Grid technologies, tools, techniques, and system configurations. This included creation of full-scale operating models demonstrating application of Smart Grid technologies in business and residential settings. Farmingdale State College held three international conferences on energy and sustainability and Smart Grid related technologies and policies. These conferences, in addition to public seminars increased understanding and acceptance of Smart Grid transformation by the general public, business, industry, and municipalities in the Long Island and greater New York region. - JOB CREATION: Provided training for the Smart Grid and clean energy jobs of the future at both Farmingdale and Stony Brook. Stony Brook focused its “Cradle to Fortune 500” suite of economic development resources on the opportunities emerging from the project, helping to create new technologies, new businesses, and new jobs. To achieve these features, LIPA and its sub-recipients, FSC and SBU, each have separate but complementary objectives. At LIPA, the Smart Energy Corridor (1) meant validating Smart Grid technologies; (2) quantifying Smart Grid costs and benefits; and (3) providing insights into how Smart Grid applications can be better implemented, readily adapted, and replicated in individual homes and businesses. LIPA installed 2,550 AMI meters (exceeding the 500 AMI meters in the original plan), created three “smart” substations serving the Corridor, and installed additional distribution automation elements including two-way communications and digital controls over various feeders and capacitor banks. It gathered and analyzed customer behavior information on how they responded to a new “smart” TOU rate and to various levels of information and analytical tools.« less

Ridership impacts of South Florida's EASY smart card.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-07-01

Smart card-based Automated Fare Collection Systems (AFCS) are being increasingly deployed in transit systems across the US. Miami-Dade Transit (MDT) has recently deployed such a system branded as the EASY Card. The South Florida Regional Transportati...

Smart infrared inspection system field operational test.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-04-01

The Smart InfraRed Inspection System (SIRIS) is a tool designed to assist inspectors in determining which vehicles : passing through the system are in need of further inspection by measuring the thermal data from the wheel : components. As a vehicle ...

Manufacturing of Smart Structures Using Fiber Placement Manufacturing Processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Matthew M.; Glowasky, Robert A.; McIlroy, Bruce E.; Story, Todd A.

1996-01-01

Smart structures research and development, with the ultimate aim of rapid commercial and military production of these structures, are at the forefront of the Synthesis and Processing of Intelligent Cost-Effective Structures (SPICES) program. As part of this ARPA-sponsored program, MDA-E is using fiber placement processes to manufacture integrated smart structure systems. These systems comprise advanced composite structures with embedded fiber optic sensors, shape memory alloys, piezoelectric actuators, and miniature accelerometers. Cost-effective approaches and solutions to smart material synthesis in the fiber-placement process, based upon integrated product development, are discussed herein.

Gamification in the context of smart cities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zica, M. R.; Ionica, A. C.; Leba, M.

2018-01-01

The recent emergence of smart cities is highly supported by the development of IT and IoT technologies. Nevertheless, a smart city needs to be built to meet the needs and requirements of its citizens. In order to build a smart city it is necessary to understand the benefits of such a city. A smart city is, beyond technology, populated by people. A smart city can be raised by its citizens’ contribution, and gamification is the means to motivate them. In this paper we included gamification techniques in the stage of capturing the citizens’ requirements for building a smart city. The system proposed in the paper is to create an application that allows the building of a virtual smart city customized by each user. From this virtual city, the most relevant features are extracted.

The research of the malfunction diagnosis and predictions system in the smart electric grid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yaqing; Zhang, Guoxing; Xu, Hongbing

2017-03-01

The Chinese smart electric grid constriction has been increasing with the technology development. However, the monitoring equipment and background system which should play important roles did not work as intended and restrict to the efficacy of the smart grid. In this essay, it has researched an intelligentized malfunction diagnosis and predictions system which could work with the existed monitoring equipment to function as whole energy monitoring, common malfunction diagnosis, faulted proactive judgment and automatically elimination.

Alternate-Fueled Combustor-Sector Performance: Part A: Combustor Performance Part B: Combustor Emissions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shouse, D. T.; Neuroth, C.; Henricks, R. C.; Lynch, A.; Frayne, C.; Stutrud, J. S.; Corporan, E.; Hankins, T.

2010-01-01

Alternate aviation fuels for military or commercial use are required to satisfy MIL-DTL-83133F(2008) or ASTM D 7566 (2010) standards, respectively, and are classified as drop-in fuel replacements. To satisfy legacy issues, blends to 50% alternate fuel with petroleum fuels are certified individually on the basis of feedstock. Adherence to alternate fuels and fuel blends requires smart fueling systems or advanced fuel-flexible systems, including combustors and engines without significant sacrifice in performance or emissions requirements. This paper provides preliminary performance (Part A) and emissions and particulates (Part B) combustor sector data for synthetic-parafinic-kerosene- (SPK-) type fuel and blends with JP-8+100 relative to JP-8+100 as baseline fueling.

A decision support system using combined-classifier for high-speed data stream in smart grid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Hang; Li, Peng; He, Zhian; Guo, Xiaobin; Fong, Simon; Chen, Huajun

2016-11-01

Large volume of high-speed streaming data is generated by big power grids continuously. In order to detect and avoid power grid failure, decision support systems (DSSs) are commonly adopted in power grid enterprises. Among all the decision-making algorithms, incremental decision tree is the most widely used one. In this paper, we propose a combined classifier that is a composite of a cache-based classifier (CBC) and a main tree classifier (MTC). We integrate this classifier into a stream processing engine on top of the DSS such that high-speed steaming data can be transformed into operational intelligence efficiently. Experimental results show that our proposed classifier can return more accurate answers than other existing ones.

Next-generation smart traffic signals : RHODES with Intellidrive, the self-taught traffic control system.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-01-01

Can a self-calibrating signal control system lead to wider adoption of adaptive traffic control systems? The focus of Next Generation of Smart Traffic Signals, an Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program project, is a system that-with lit...

An Electricity Price-Aware Open-Source Smart Socket for the Internet of Energy.

PubMed

Blanco-Novoa, Óscar; Fernández-Caramés, Tiago M; Fraga-Lamas, Paula; Castedo, Luis

2017-03-21

The Internet of Energy (IoE) represents a novel paradigm where electrical power systems work cooperatively with smart devices to increase the visibility of energy consumption and create safer, cleaner and sustainable energy systems. The implementation of IoE services involves the use of multiple components, like embedded systems, power electronics or sensors, which are an essential part of the infrastructure dedicated to the generation and distribution energy and the one required by the final consumer. This article focuses on the latter and presents a smart socket system that collects the information about energy price and makes use of sensors and actuators to optimize home energy consumption according to the user preferences. Specifically, this article provides three main novel contributions. First, what to our knowledge is the first hardware prototype that manages in a practical real-world scenario the price values obtained from a public electricity operator is presented. The second contribution is related to the definition of a novel wireless sensor network communications protocol based on Wi-Fi that allows for creating an easy-to-deploy smart plug system that self-organizes and auto-configures to collect the sensed data, minimizing user intervention. Third, it is provided a thorough description of the design of one of the few open-source smart plug systems, including its communications architecture, the protocols implemented, the main sensing and actuation components and the most relevant pieces of the software. Moreover, with the aim of illustrating the capabilities of the smart plug system, the results of different experiments performed are shown. Such experiments evaluate in real-world scenarios the system's ease of use, its communications range and its performance when using HTTPS. Finally, the economic savings are estimated for different appliances, concluding that, in the practical situation proposed, the smart plug system allows certain energy-demanding appliances to save almost €70 per year.

Cyber security challenges in Smart Cities: Safety, security and privacy.

PubMed

Elmaghraby, Adel S; Losavio, Michael M

2014-07-01

The world is experiencing an evolution of Smart Cities. These emerge from innovations in information technology that, while they create new economic and social opportunities, pose challenges to our security and expectations of privacy. Humans are already interconnected via smart phones and gadgets. Smart energy meters, security devices and smart appliances are being used in many cities. Homes, cars, public venues and other social systems are now on their path to the full connectivity known as the "Internet of Things." Standards are evolving for all of these potentially connected systems. They will lead to unprecedented improvements in the quality of life. To benefit from them, city infrastructures and services are changing with new interconnected systems for monitoring, control and automation. Intelligent transportation, public and private, will access a web of interconnected data from GPS location to weather and traffic updates. Integrated systems will aid public safety, emergency responders and in disaster recovery. We examine two important and entangled challenges: security and privacy. Security includes illegal access to information and attacks causing physical disruptions in service availability. As digital citizens are more and more instrumented with data available about their location and activities, privacy seems to disappear. Privacy protecting systems that gather data and trigger emergency response when needed are technological challenges that go hand-in-hand with the continuous security challenges. Their implementation is essential for a Smart City in which we would wish to live. We also present a model representing the interactions between person, servers and things. Those are the major element in the Smart City and their interactions are what we need to protect.

Organizational and technological correlates of nurses' trust in a smart intravenous pump.

PubMed

Montague, Enid; Asan, Onur; Chiou, Erin

2013-03-01

The aim of this study was to understand technology and system characteristics that contribute to nurses' ratings of trust in a smart intravenous pump. Nurses' trust in new technologies can influence how technologies are used. Trust in technology is defined as a person's belief that a technology will not fail them. Potential outcomes of trust in technology are appropriate trust, overtrust, distrust, and mistrust. Trust in technology is also related to several use-specific outcomes, including appropriate use and inappropriate use such as overreliance, disuse or rejection, or misuse. Understanding trust in relation to outcomes can contribute to designs that facilitate appropriate trust in new technologies. A survey was completed by 391 nurses a year after the implementation of a new smart intravenous pump. The survey assessed trust in the intravenous pump and other elements of the sociotechnical system, individual characteristics, technology characteristics, and organizational characteristics. Results show that perceptions of usefulness, safety, ease of use, and usability are related to ratings of trust in smart intravenous pumps. Other work systemfactors such as perception of work environment, age, experience, quality of work, and perception of work performance are also related to ratings of trust. Nurses' trust in smart intravenous pumps is influenced by both characteristics of the technology and the sociotechnical system. Findings from this research have implications for the design of future smart intravenous pumps and health systems. Recommendations for appropriately trustworthy smart intravenous pumps are discussed. Findings also have implications for how trust in health technologies can be measured and conceptualized in complex sociotechnical systems.

Smart roadside initiative : system requirements specifications.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-09-01

This document describes the system requirements specifications (SyRS) for the Smart Roadside Initiative (SRI) Prototype for the delivery of capabilities related to wireless roadside inspections, electronic screening/virtual weigh stations, universal ...

Development of a wireless displacement measurement system using acceleration responses.

PubMed

Park, Jong-Woong; Sim, Sung-Han; Jung, Hyung-Jo; Spencer, Billie F

2013-07-01

Displacement measurements are useful information for various engineering applications such as structural health monitoring (SHM), earthquake engineering and system identification. Most existing displacement measurement methods are costly, labor-intensive, and have difficulties particularly when applying to full-scale civil structures because the methods require stationary reference points. Indirect estimation methods converting acceleration to displacement can be a good alternative as acceleration transducers are generally cost-effective, easy to install, and have low noise. However, the application of acceleration-based methods to full-scale civil structures such as long span bridges is challenging due to the need to install cables to connect the sensors to a base station. This article proposes a low-cost wireless displacement measurement system using acceleration. Developed with smart sensors that are low-cost, wireless, and capable of on-board computation, the wireless displacement measurement system has significant potential to impact many applications that need displacement information at multiple locations of a structure. The system implements an FIR-filter type displacement estimation algorithm that can remove low frequency drifts typically caused by numerical integration of discrete acceleration signals. To verify the accuracy and feasibility of the proposed system, laboratory tests are carried out using a shaking table and on a three storey shear building model, experimentally confirming the effectiveness of the proposed system.

Development of a Wireless Displacement Measurement System Using Acceleration Responses

PubMed Central

Park, Jong-Woong; Sim, Sung-Han; Jung, Hyung-Jo; Spencer, Billie F.

2013-01-01

Displacement measurements are useful information for various engineering applications such as structural health monitoring (SHM), earthquake engineering and system identification. Most existing displacement measurement methods are costly, labor-intensive, and have difficulties particularly when applying to full-scale civil structures because the methods require stationary reference points. Indirect estimation methods converting acceleration to displacement can be a good alternative as acceleration transducers are generally cost-effective, easy to install, and have low noise. However, the application of acceleration-based methods to full-scale civil structures such as long span bridges is challenging due to the need to install cables to connect the sensors to a base station. This article proposes a low-cost wireless displacement measurement system using acceleration. Developed with smart sensors that are low-cost, wireless, and capable of on-board computation, the wireless displacement measurement system has significant potential to impact many applications that need displacement information at multiple locations of a structure. The system implements an FIR-filter type displacement estimation algorithm that can remove low frequency drifts typically caused by numerical integration of discrete acceleration signals. To verify the accuracy and feasibility of the proposed system, laboratory tests are carried out using a shaking table and on a three storey shear building model, experimentally confirming the effectiveness of the proposed system. PMID:23881123

Kirigami design and fabrication for biomimetic robotics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rossiter, Jonathan; Sareh, Sina

2014-03-01

Biomimetics faces a continual challenge of how to bridge the gap between what Nature has so effectively evolved and the current tools and materials that engineers and scientists can exploit. Kirigami, from the Japanese `cut' and `paper', is a method of design where laminar materials are cut and then forced out-of-plane to yield 3D structures. Kirimimetic design provides a convenient and relatively closed design space within which to replicate some of the most interesting niche biological mechanisms. These include complex flexing organelles such as cilia in algae, energy storage and buckled structures in plants, and organic appendages that actuate out-of-plane such as the myoneme of the Vorticella protozoa. Where traditional kirigami employs passive materials which must be forced to transition to higher dimensions, we can exploit planar smart actuators and artificial muscles to create self-actuating kirigami structures. Here we review biomimetics with respect to the kirigami design and fabrication methods and examine how smart materials, including electroactive polymers and shape memory polymers, can be used to realise effective biomimetic components for robotic, deployable structures and engineering systems. One-way actuation, for example using shape memory polymers, can yield complete self-deploying structures. Bi-directional actuation, in contrast, can be exploited to mimic fundamental biological mechanisms such as thrust generation and fluid control. We present recent examples of kirigami robotic mechanisms and actuators and discuss planar fabrication methods, including rapid prototyping and 3D printing, and how current technologies, and their limitations, affect Kirigami robotics.

An indoor augmented reality mobile application for simulation of building evacuation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Sharad; Jerripothula, Shanmukha

2015-03-01

Augmented Reality enables people to remain connected with the physical environment they are in, and invites them to look at the world from new and alternative perspectives. There has been an increasing interest in emergency evacuation applications for mobile devices. Nearly all the smart phones these days are Wi-Fi and GPS enabled. In this paper, we propose a novel emergency evacuation system that will help people to safely evacuate a building in case of an emergency situation. It will further enhance knowledge and understanding of where the exits are in the building and safety evacuation procedures. We have applied mobile augmented reality (mobile AR) to create an application with Unity 3D gaming engine. We show how the mobile AR application is able to display a 3D model of the building and animation of people evacuation using markers and web camera. The system gives a visual representation of a building in 3D space, allowing people to see where exits are in the building through the use of a smart phone or tablets. Pilot studies were conducted with the system showing its partial success and demonstrated the effectiveness of the application in emergency evacuation. Our computer vision methods give good results when the markers are closer to the camera, but accuracy decreases when the markers are far away from the camera.

Prototyping a Web-of-Energy Architecture for Smart Integration of Sensor Networks in Smart Grids Domain.

PubMed

Caballero, Víctor; Vernet, David; Zaballos, Agustín; Corral, Guiomar

2018-01-30

Sensor networks and the Internet of Things have driven the evolution of traditional electric power distribution networks towards a new paradigm referred to as Smart Grid. However, the different elements that compose the Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) layer of a Smart Grid are usually conceived as isolated systems that typically result in rigid hardware architectures which are hard to interoperate, manage, and to adapt to new situations. If the Smart Grid paradigm has to be presented as a solution to the demand for distributed and intelligent energy management system, it is necessary to deploy innovative IT infrastructures to support these smart functions. One of the main issues of Smart Grids is the heterogeneity of communication protocols used by the smart sensor devices that integrate them. The use of the concept of the Web of Things is proposed in this work to tackle this problem. More specifically, the implementation of a Smart Grid's Web of Things, coined as the Web of Energy is introduced. The purpose of this paper is to propose the usage of Web of Energy by means of the Actor Model paradigm to address the latent deployment and management limitations of Smart Grids. Smart Grid designers can use the Actor Model as a design model for an infrastructure that supports the intelligent functions demanded and is capable of grouping and converting the heterogeneity of traditional infrastructures into the homogeneity feature of the Web of Things. Conducted experimentations endorse the feasibility of this solution and encourage practitioners to point their efforts in this direction.

A solution for measuring accurate reaction time to visual stimuli realized with a programmable microcontroller.

PubMed

Ohyanagi, Toshio; Sengoku, Yasuhito

2010-02-01

This article presents a new solution for measuring accurate reaction time (SMART) to visual stimuli. The SMART is a USB device realized with a Cypress Programmable System-on-Chip (PSoC) mixed-signal array programmable microcontroller. A brief overview of the hardware and firmware of the PSoC is provided, together with the results of three experiments. In Experiment 1, we investigated the timing accuracy of the SMART in measuring reaction time (RT) under different conditions of operating systems (OSs; Windows XP or Vista) and monitor displays (a CRT or an LCD). The results indicated that the timing error in measuring RT by the SMART was less than 2 msec, on average, under all combinations of OS and display and that the SMART was tolerant to jitter and noise. In Experiment 2, we tested the SMART with 8 participants. The results indicated that there was no significant difference among RTs obtained with the SMART under the different conditions of OS and display. In Experiment 3, we used Microsoft (MS) PowerPoint to present visual stimuli on the display. We found no significant difference in RTs obtained using MS DirectX technology versus using the PowerPoint file with the SMART. We are certain that the SMART is a simple and practical solution for measuring RTs accurately. Although there are some restrictions in using the SMART with RT paradigms, the SMART is capable of providing both researchers and health professionals working in clinical settings with new ways of using RT paradigms in their work.

Prototyping a Web-of-Energy Architecture for Smart Integration of Sensor Networks in Smart Grids Domain

PubMed Central

Vernet, David; Corral, Guiomar

2018-01-01

Sensor networks and the Internet of Things have driven the evolution of traditional electric power distribution networks towards a new paradigm referred to as Smart Grid. However, the different elements that compose the Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) layer of a Smart Grid are usually conceived as isolated systems that typically result in rigid hardware architectures which are hard to interoperate, manage, and to adapt to new situations. If the Smart Grid paradigm has to be presented as a solution to the demand for distributed and intelligent energy management system, it is necessary to deploy innovative IT infrastructures to support these smart functions. One of the main issues of Smart Grids is the heterogeneity of communication protocols used by the smart sensor devices that integrate them. The use of the concept of the Web of Things is proposed in this work to tackle this problem. More specifically, the implementation of a Smart Grid’s Web of Things, coined as the Web of Energy is introduced. The purpose of this paper is to propose the usage of Web of Energy by means of the Actor Model paradigm to address the latent deployment and management limitations of Smart Grids. Smart Grid designers can use the Actor Model as a design model for an infrastructure that supports the intelligent functions demanded and is capable of grouping and converting the heterogeneity of traditional infrastructures into the homogeneity feature of the Web of Things. Conducted experimentations endorse the feasibility of this solution and encourage practitioners to point their efforts in this direction. PMID:29385748

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sadi, Mohammad A. H.; Dasgupta, Dipankar; Ali, Mohammad Hassan

The important backbone of the smart grid is the cyber/information infrastructure, which is primarily used to communicate with different grid components. A smart grid is a complex cyber physical system containing a numerous and variety number of sources, devices, controllers and loads. Therefore, the smart grid is vulnerable to grid related disturbances. For such dynamic system, disturbance and intrusion detection is a paramount issue. This paper presents a Simulink and Opnet based co-simulated platform to carry out a cyber-intrusion in cyber network for modern power systems and the smart grid. The IEEE 30 bus power system model is used tomore » demonstrate the effectiveness of the simulated testbed. The experiments were performed by disturbing the circuit breakers reclosing time through a cyber-attack. Different disturbance situations in the considered test system are considered and the results indicate the effectiveness of the proposed co-simulated scheme.« less

Modeling the Behaviour of an Advanced Material Based Smart Landing Gear System for Aerospace Vehicles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Varughese, Byji; Dayananda, G. N.; Rao, M. Subba

2008-07-29

The last two decades have seen a substantial rise in the use of advanced materials such as polymer composites for aerospace structural applications. In more recent years there has been a concerted effort to integrate materials, which mimic biological functions (referred to as smart materials) with polymeric composites. Prominent among smart materials are shape memory alloys, which possess both actuating and sensory functions that can be realized simultaneously. The proper characterization and modeling of advanced and smart materials holds the key to the design and development of efficient smart devices/systems. This paper focuses on the material characterization; modeling and validationmore » of the model in relation to the development of a Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) based smart landing gear (with high energy dissipation features) for a semi rigid radio controlled airship (RC-blimp). The Super Elastic (SE) SMA element is configured in such a way that it is forced into a tensile mode of high elastic deformation. The smart landing gear comprises of a landing beam, an arch and a super elastic Nickel-Titanium (Ni-Ti) SMA element. The landing gear is primarily made of polymer carbon composites, which possess high specific stiffness and high specific strength compared to conventional materials, and are therefore ideally suited for the design and development of an efficient skid landing gear system with good energy dissipation characteristics. The development of the smart landing gear in relation to a conventional metal landing gear design is also dealt with.« less

A Petri Net model for distributed energy system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konopko, Joanna

2015-12-01

Electrical networks need to evolve to become more intelligent, more flexible and less costly. The smart grid is the next generation power energy, uses two-way flows of electricity and information to create a distributed automated energy delivery network. Building a comprehensive smart grid is a challenge for system protection, optimization and energy efficient. Proper modeling and analysis is needed to build an extensive distributed energy system and intelligent electricity infrastructure. In this paper, the whole model of smart grid have been proposed using Generalized Stochastic Petri Nets (GSPN). The simulation of created model is also explored. The simulation of the model has allowed the analysis of how close the behavior of the model is to the usage of the real smart grid.

KSC-2014-2986

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-23

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Heather Hava, right, who is working on a doctorate in aerospace engineering sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder, describes a computerized SmartPot, or SPOT, which could be used to grow plants in a deep-space habitat. The SPOTs could be tended by a Remotely Operated Gardening Rover, or ROGR, seen on the left. The system is being developed by the graduate students participating in the eXploration HABitat X-Hab Academic Innovation Challenge. X-Hab Academic Innovation Challenge is a university-level activity designed to engage and retain students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, disciplines. NASA will directly benefit from the effort by sponsoring the development of innovative habitat concepts from universities which may result in innovative ideas and solutions that could be applied to exploration habitats. For more: http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/technology/deep_space_habitat/xhab/ Photo credit: NASA/Daniel Casper

KSC-2014-2983

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-23

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Heather Hava, who is working on a doctorate in aerospace engineering sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder, makes adjustments on a Remotely Operated Gardening Rover, or ROGR, which could tend to plants grown in one of the SmartPots, or SPOTS seen on the right. The system is being developed by the graduate students participating in the eXploration HABitat X-Hab Academic Innovation Challenge. X-Hab Academic Innovation Challenge is a university-level activity designed to engage and retain students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, disciplines. NASA will directly benefit from the effort by sponsoring the development of innovative habitat concepts from universities which may result in innovative ideas and solutions that could be applied to exploration habitats. For more: http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/technology/deep_space_habitat/xhab/ Photo credit: NASA/Daniel Casper

Optical smart card using semipassive communication.

PubMed

Glaser, I; Green, Shlomo; Dimkov, Ilan

2006-03-15

An optical secure short-range communication system is presented. The mobile unit (optical smart card) of this system utilizes a retroreflector with an optical modulator, using light from the stationary unit; this mobile unit has very low power consumption and can be as small as a credit card. Such optical smart cards offer better security than RF-based solutions, yet do not require physical contact. Results from a feasibility study model are included.

Optical smart card using semipassive communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glaser, I.; Green, Shlomo; Dimkov, Ilan

2006-03-01

An optical secure short-range communication system is presented. The mobile unit (optical smart card) of this system utilizes a retroreflector with an optical modulator, using light from the stationary unit; this mobile unit has very low power consumption and can be as small as a credit card. Such optical smart cards offer better security than RF-based solutions, yet do not require physical contact. Results from a feasibility study model are included.

Common Badging and Access Control System (CBACS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baldridge, Tim

2005-01-01

The goals of the project are: Achieve high business value through a common badging and access control system that integrates with smart cards. Provide physical (versus logical) deployment of smart cards initially. Provides a common consistent and reliable environment into which to release the smart card. Gives opportunity to develop agency-wide consistent processes, practices and policies. Enables enterprise data capture and management. Promotes data validation prior to SC issuance.

From Smart Metering to Smart Grid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kukuča, Peter; Chrapčiak, Igor

2016-06-01

The paper deals with evaluation of measurements in electrical distribution systems aimed at better use of data provided by Smart Metering systems. The influence of individual components of apparent power on the power loss is calculated and results of measurements under real conditions are presented. The significance of difference between the traditional and the complex evaluation of the electricity consumption efficiency by means of different definitions of the power factor is illustrated.

Smart motor technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Packard, D.; Schmitt, D.

1984-01-01

Current spacecraft design relies upon microprocessor control; however, motors usually require extensive additional electronic circuitry to interface with these microprocessor controls. An improved control technique that allows a smart brushless motor to connect directly to a microprocessor control system is described. An actuator with smart motors receives a spacecraft command directly and responds in a closed loop control mode. In fact, two or more smart motors can be controlled for synchronous operation.

Business Case Analysis of the Marine Corps Base Pendleton Virtual Smart Grid

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-01

Metering Infrastructure on DOD installations. An examination of five case studies highlights the costs and benefits of the Virtual Smart Grid (VSG...studies highlights the costs and benefits of the Virtual Smart Grid (VSG) developed by Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command for use at Marine Corps...41 A. SMART GRID BENEFITS .....................................................................41 B. SUMMARY OF VSG ESTIMATED COSTS AND BENEFITS

PLCs used in smart home control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barz, C.; Deaconu, S. I.; Latinovic, T.; Berdie, A.; Pop-Vadean, A.; Horgos, M.

2016-02-01

This paper presents the realization of a smart home automation using Siemens PLCs. The smart home interface is realized using the HMI Weintek eMT3070a touchscreen, which shows the window for controlling and monitoring the lighting, room temperature, irrigation systems, swimming pool, etc. By using PLCs, the smart home can be controlled via Ethernet and it can be programmed to the needs of tenants.

A Low-Power High-Speed Smart Sensor Design for Space Exploration Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fang, Wai-Chi

1997-01-01

A low-power high-speed smart sensor system based on a large format active pixel sensor (APS) integrated with a programmable neural processor for space exploration missions is presented. The concept of building an advanced smart sensing system is demonstrated by a system-level microchip design that is composed with an APS sensor, a programmable neural processor, and an embedded microprocessor in a SOI CMOS technology. This ultra-fast smart sensor system-on-a-chip design mimics what is inherent in biological vision systems. Moreover, it is programmable and capable of performing ultra-fast machine vision processing in all levels such as image acquisition, image fusion, image analysis, scene interpretation, and control functions. The system provides about one tera-operation-per-second computing power which is a two order-of-magnitude increase over that of state-of-the-art microcomputers. Its high performance is due to massively parallel computing structures, high data throughput rates, fast learning capabilities, and advanced VLSI system-on-a-chip implementation.

Research and design of smart grid monitoring control via terminal based on iOS system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Wei; Gong, Li; Chen, Heli; Pan, Guangji

2017-06-01

Aiming at a series of problems existing in current smart grid monitoring Control Terminal, such as high costs, poor portability, simple monitoring system, poor software extensions, low system reliability when transmitting information, single man-machine interface, poor security, etc., smart grid remote monitoring system based on the iOS system has been designed. The system interacts with smart grid server so that it can acquire grid data through WiFi/3G/4G networks, and monitor each grid line running status, as well as power plant equipment operating conditions. When it occurs an exception in the power plant, incident information can be sent to the user iOS terminal equipment timely, which will provide troubleshooting information to help the grid staff to make the right decisions in a timely manner, to avoid further accidents. Field tests have shown the system realizes the integrated grid monitoring functions, low maintenance cost, friendly interface, high security and reliability, and it possesses certain applicable value.

Evaluation -- Northern Virginia Smart Traffic Center (NVSTC) integration program

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-02-01

The Northern Virginia Smart Traffic Center (NVSTC) Integration Program was an ambitious undertaking to enhance the effectiveness of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) in the Washington metropolitan area by interconnecting regional systems. The ...