Profiling Power Consumption on Mobile Devices

The proliferation of mobile devices, and the migration of the information access paradigm to mobile platforms, motivate studies of power consumption behaviors with the purpose of increasing the device battery life. The aim of this work is to profile the power consumption of a Samsung Galaxy I7500 and a Samsung Nexus S, in order to understand how such feature has evolved over the years. We performed two experiments: the first one measures consumption for a set of usage scenarios, which represent common daily user activities, while the second one analyzes a context-aware application with a known source code. The first experiment shows that the most recent device in terms of OS and hardware components shows significantly lower consumption than the least recent one. The second experiment shows that the impact of different configurations of the same application causes a different power consumption behavior on both smartphones. Our results show that hardware improvements and energy-aware software applications greatly impact the energy efficiency of mobile device

Accurate array diagnosis from near-field measurements using ℓ1 reweighted minimization

International audienceIn this contribution the use of ℓ1 weighted minimization for the diagnosis of arrays from a reduced set of near-field data is investigated. Numerical results show that reweighed method gives a higher probability of an accurate estimation of the failures compared to the classic ℓ1 minimization proposed in the past literature

Electromagnetic Signal and Information Theory -- Electromagnetically Consistent Communication Models for the Transmission and Processing of Information

In this paper, we present electromagnetic signal and information theory (ESIT). ESIT is an interdisciplinary scientific discipline, which amalgamates electromagnetic theory, signal processing theory, and information theory. ESIT is aimed at studying and designing physically consistent communication schemes for the transmission and processing of information in communication networks. In simple terms, ESIT can be defined as physics-aware information theory and signal processing for communications. We consider three relevant problems in contemporary communication theory, and we show how they can be tackled under the lenses of ESIT. Specifically, we focus on (i) the theoretical and practical motivations behind antenna designs based on subwavelength radiating elements and interdistances; (ii) the modeling and role played by the electromagnetic mutual coupling, and the appropriateness of multiport network theory for modeling it; and (iii) the analytical tools for unveiling the performance limits and realizing spatial multiplexing in near field, line-of-sight, channels. To exemplify the role played by ESIT and the need for electromagnetic consistency, we consider case studies related to reconfigurable intelligent surfaces and holographic surfaces, and we highlight the inconsistencies of widely utilized communication models, as opposed to communication models that originate from first electromagnetic principles.Comment: Submitted for journal publicatio

A Methodology for Designing One-Way Station-Based Carsharing Services in a GIS Environment: A Case Study in Palermo

One-way carsharing is recognized as one of the most popular transportation services in urban areas, being an alternative option to private cars. Over the last decades, a vast amount of literature on the design of specific aspects of this service (fleet size, stations’ locations, fare, balancing operations) has formed. However, a holistic approach for designing carsharing services seems not to be developed. This paper proposes a new approach for designing one-way station-based carsharing services, presenting a five-step method, entirely developed in a GIS environment. The first three steps (suitability analysis, site selection analysis, and walkability analysis) allow finding the candidate locations for carsharing stations. After the assessment of the capacity of the potential stations, a location-allocation analysis allows for assessing the fleet size, the number of stations that maximize the coverage of carsharing demand, and their optimal locations. This paper presents a case study: a new one-way carsharing service was designed in Palermo (Italy) and compared to the existing carsharing service operating in the city. The results highlight that the current carsharing supply is undersized, having about 45% fewer stations and about half the cars compared to those resulting from the model, leaving some POIs unserved

Gli itinerari turistici in ambito urbano tra accessibilità e informazione

Palermo è una delle città, culturalmente ed economicamente, più importanti dell’intera area del Mediterraneo. Ricca di un notevole patrimonio architettonico e archeologico, è caratterizzata da un elevato potenziale turistico a cui non corrisponde un’adeguata rete di collegamenti e di servizi di trasporto multimodali. Oggi i centri urbani, dalle metropoli ai borghi, rappresentano uno degli anelli più importanti del sistema di offerta turistica, perché sono i luoghi in cui il turista, occasionale e/o di lunga permanenza, si trova di fronte a beni, servizi, cultura ed esperienze, diventandone consumatore. È proprio in questo processo che il visitatore ha necessità di percepire servizi di qualità, specialmente nel campo dei trasporti per rendere accessibili i punti nodali della città. Infatti, per favorire l’organizzazione strutturale del territorio non basta sviluppare i centri urbani in termini di attrattività, ma è necessario assicurare i collegamenti realizzando un sistema infrastrutturale ai vari livelli di connessione e accessibilità. Molte città europee, nel loro programma di rivalutazione dei contesti urbani, hanno sviluppato un sistema di indicatori per valutare la vivibilità delle città, puntando molto sulle interrelazioni tra servizi di trasporto e itinerari turistici, mettendo in primo piano elementi come la qualità dei servizi pubblici, la sicurezza, le aree pedonali e la mobilità, che, sinergicamente, contribuiscono a rendere un centro urbano accogliente e competitivo. Sul piano europeo il programma degli itinerari culturali si fa portatore dei principi insiti nel processo di costruzione comunitaria, in particolar modo per la conoscenza della diversità culturale e del patrimonio storico sotto forma di tradizioni, arte e storia. In questa ottica va prendendo piede la volontà sovranazionale del sostegno per lo sviluppo dell’impresa culturale, anche appartenente al terzo settore, mirato al potenziamento del ruolo delle città siciliane nella promozione dell’europartenariato con realizzazione di circuiti di produzione congiunta. Gli itinerari sono testimonianza della storia e, quindi, fattore di rafforzamento degli ideali e del sentirsi cittadini europei, oltre che costituire di per sé un bene culturale, con le sue complessità sia in termini di individuazione e riconoscimento sia come progettazione e gestione. Connessa all’idea di “itinerario” c’è quella di strada, di via, di movimento e di connessione tra essi. Accessibilità e mobilità assumono rilevanza crescente per qualsiasi politica di sviluppo turistico. I trasporti, infatti, svolgono un ruolo centrale nello sviluppo economico del territorio che trascende le finalità del turismo, anche se è proprio in questo settore che si confermano essenziali. Non solo essenzialità ma anche qualificazione: l’accessibilità di un’area e la componente infrastrutturale del sistema dei trasporti contribuiscono a qualificare l’offerta orientandone i flussi turistici. Il sistema dei trasporti quindi rappresenta un aspetto dinamico dell’offerta turistica, che va formulata attraverso la realizzazione di un quadro organico delle risorse culturali, strutturato in circuiti, reti e itinerari, allo scopo di recuperare i contesti e le identità culturali locali, in una prospettiva di valorizzazione turistica, e di favorire l’emergere dei luoghi di maggiore concentrazione delle risorse (poli attrattori) che costituiranno la struttura portante alla quale saranno agganciate le realtà locali. Il recupero e la valorizzazione di tali contesti potrà avvenire attraverso la creazione di itinerari integrati che, collegando le variegate risorse, potranno attrarre particolari segmenti della domanda turi-stica e attivare occasioni di sviluppo economico e sociale duraturo per le collettività locali, di cui sarà possibile rafforzare l’identità storico-culturale. Da qui l’esigenza dell’individuazione e attivazione di circuiti museali, circuiti delle aree archeologiche, circuiti monumentali, ecc., gestiti in rete attraverso sistemi avanzati di informazione e di comunicazione, anche in funzione del miglioramento dell’integrazione tra i modi di trasporto e dell’interconnessione delle reti di trasporto. Obiettivo dello studio proposto è lo sviluppo di una metodologia progettuale capace di identificare il livello di accessibilità ottimale, dal punto di vista spazio-temporale, ai vari siti tramite la costruzione di itinerari turistici multimodali, basati sullo straordinario patrimonio storico-artistico, di cui dispone la città di Palermo, vero e proprio museo all’aperto (in particolare nel Centro Storico), all’interno del quale sono leggibili le vestigia dei popoli conquistatori, dai palazzi alle antiche mura, dai giardini ai parchi arabo-normanni. Gli itinerari prefigurabili partono da un determinato punto e ripercorrono la città per temi, migliorandone l’accessibilità spaziale e temporale, cosicché il turista possa usufruire qualitativamente del territorio che lo ospita. La ricezione turistica portuale, dal mese di marzo ad ottobre, è molto elevata e, a tal proposito, si potrebbe pensare ad un progetto che proponga di sviluppare una metodologia di accoglienza e gestione dei visitatori. La coniugazione dei tre elementi connessi ad accessibilità, accoglienza e informazione passa attraverso interventi di miglioramento dei collegamenti del porto con il sistema dei trasporti e per la predisposizione di sistemi informativi dei percorsi utili per la fruizione dei luoghi principali dell’offerta turistica, anche al fine del monitoraggio delle attività espositive e culturali per l’attivazione di un sistema integrato regionale ed euromediterraneo. Il piano della segnaletica turistica, la predisposizione di SIT per settore (naturalistico, monumentale, archeologico, museale, ecc.) e per favorire l’accessibilità ai luoghi di interesse turistico (integrazione modale, costi, orari, ecc.), e di siti Web, l’uso del GIS sono ulteriori e importanti strumenti per supportare la mobilità dei flussi turistici nel territorio prescelto come destinazione dei loro viaggi e delle loro vacanze

Comparing Macroscale and Microscale Walkability Indicators to Establish Pick-Up/Drop-Off Locations for a Microtransit Service in a Suburban Area

Microtransit is a shared mobility service that operates between fixed-route transit and ride-hailing. It operates with a fleet of vans or minibuses within a service zone that is usually located in a rural or suburban car-oriented area with a transport demand that is temporally and spatially dispersed. Microtransit often expects customers to walk a short distance to pick-up/drop-off (PUDO) locations. The PUDO points need to be quickly, easily, and safely reachable by pedestrians. Thus, PUDO locations must be chosen after analyzing the walkability of the suburban area served by microtransit. This paper presents a comparison of macroscale and microscale indicators to assess the walkability of suburban neighborhoods where microtransit has to be introduced. We chose three suburban neighborhoods (Partanna Mondello, Tommaso Natale, and Mondello) in Palermo, Italy, as a study area, aiming to identify the best places to locate PUDO stops for a microtransit service. A GIS database has been built associating each link with a series of qualitative and quantitative attributes. Finally, we developed a walkability index that indicates the attractiveness of specific locations in terms of intermodal walkability. We also identified the critical pedestrian links that need actions to improve their walkabilit

Car sharing demand estimation and urban transport demand modelling using stated preference techniques

The research deals with the use of the stated preference technique (SP) and transport demand modelling to analyse travel mode choice behaviour for commuting urban trips in Palermo, Italy. The principal aim of the study was the calibration of a demand model to forecast the modal split of the urban transport demand, allowing for the possibility of using innovative transport systems like car sharing and car pooling. In order to estimate the demand model parameters, a specific survey was carried out inside the urban area of Palermo. The survey focused on the morning rush hour and involved mainly employees, selfemployed workers and students (about 500 respondents) whose final destination was located within the historical centre of the city. The questionnaires contained a stated preference experiment regarding the choice among four different transport alternatives: private car, car pooling, car sharing and public transport. A random utility model was developed by using data resulting from the SP experiment. We found out that, for the specific case of Palermo, the multinomial logit proved to be the best urban transport demand model, even if the choice set contained three car alternatives. We identified as main attributes affecting mode choice behaviour the one-way trip travel time and cost, the parking time, the number of cars available to each household member, the alternative specific attributes for the car option and the car sharing one. The model was applied to analyse the potential demand for car sharing and car pooling in Palermo, under a future scenario characterized by several policy actions for limiting private transport use. The analysis highlighted that the car club market share could increase up to the 10% level, while car pooling could slightly rise

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of new anti-VZV agents

An introduction to this work presented in this thesis involves an overview of nucleic acids and the use of nucleoside analogues in antiviral therapy. Bicyclic furano pyrimidine nucleosides (BCNA)s were discovered by the McGuigan group as potent and selective inhibitors of Varicella-Zoster Virus. A brief description of Structure Activity Relationships of this class of compounds is presented, identifying a long lipophilic chain as a specific requirements for antiviral activity. We herein report the synthesis and biological evaluation of a new series aimed to further investigate the specific requirement for biological acitivity. Two sites of BCNAs were modified on the lead compound, the side chain and the sugar moiety. A series bearing electron-donating and electron-withdrawing aryl groups was synthesised in order to investigate the role of the position of the substitutent. Then, the phosphoramidate approach was applied to the lead compound in order to broaden the spectrum of activity, which was limited only to VZV. Modifications of the sugar moiety include the inversion of all the stereo-centres of the lead compound, obtaining the L-enantiomer, and the inversion of the stereochemistry at the C-1' obtaining thus the a-derivative. Furthermore the replacement of the furano ring of the sugar with a cyclopentane was thought as a good strategy in order to increase the resistance to enzymatic cleavage. Given the poor bioavailability of the lead compound, the valyl ester was synthesised making also the hydrochloric and succinate salts to increase the chemical stability and water solubility Finally, using the intrinsic fluorescence of these derivatives, a cell study was carried out in order to investigate the distribution of the compound inside the cell.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

A demand-based methodology for planning the bus network of a small or medium town

This work aims at developing a demand-based methodology for designing the bus network of a small or medium town. The proposed modelling tool adopts a multi-agent objective function which evaluates performance in the context of different stakeholders: the surplus of travellers (car and bus users); the bus service provider’s revenues and operation costs. This approach was applied to an existing bus network, serving Trapani, which is a medium town in the south of Italy (Sicily), with 100000 inhabitants. The busbased public transport system attracts only about 5% of commuter trips within Trapani (source: National Institute of Statistics, 2005). This paper reports on an analysis of the application of the proposed multiagent modelling tool to two planning scenarios: the first is short-term and characterized by a budget constraint (slight changes in the availability of drivers and vehicles) and the second long-term with new investments in new buses to improve services and increase patronage. In both cases, the impact of the recent car park charging policy launched by the local administration was considered. The decision variables for the optimisation procedure were route, service frequency and capacity of each bus line. A random utility model was employed to forecast the mode choices for trips within Trapani and the travel demand-supply equilibrium was obtained using the DUE (deterministic user equilibrium) assignment algorithm, for private transport, and the hyperpath network loading algorithm, for public transport. The optimisation procedure led to a more efficient bus network characterized by increase in bus frequencies and a better performance in terms of reduced travel time, especially for trips bound for the “old town” in the morning. In addition, a higher number of origin-destination pairs were served, at the expense of the need to interchange between the inner more frequent and the outer less frequent services. This implied that the number of transfers from one bus line to another significantly increased

A GIS-based methodology for evaluating the increase in multimodal transport between bicycle and rail transport systems. A case study in Palermo

Background: In a world where every municipality is pursuing the goals of more sustainable mobility, bicycle plays a fundamental role in getting rid of private cars and travelling by an eco-friendly mode of transport. Also, private and shared bikes can be used as a feeder transit system, solving the problem of the first and last-mile trips. Thanks to GIS (Geographic Information System) software, it is possible to evaluate the effectiveness of such a sustainable mean of transport in the future users’ modal choice. Methods: Running an accessibility analysis of cycling and rail transport services, the potential mobility demand attracted by these services and the possible multimodality between bicycle and rail transport systems can be assessed. Moreover, thanks to a modal choice model calibrated for high school students, it could be verified if students will be really motivated to adopt this solution for their home-to-school trips. Results: The GIS-based analysis showed that almost half of the active population in the study area might potentially abandon the use of their private car in favour of bike and its combination with public transport systems; furthermore, the percentage of the students of one high school of Palermo, the Einstein High School, sharply increases from 1.5% up to 10.1%, thanks also to the combination with the rail transport service. Conclusions: The GIS-based methodology shows that multimodal transport can be an effective way to pursue a more sustainable mobility in cities and efficiently connect suburbs with low-frequent public transport services to the main public transport nodes