A Rapid Prototyping Environment for Wireless Communication Embedded Systems

This paper introduces a rapid prototyping methodology which overcomes important barriers in the design and implementation of digital signal processing (DSP) algorithms and systems on embedded hardware platforms, such as cellular phones. This paper describes rapid prototyping in terms of a simulation/prototype bridge and in terms of appropriate language design. The simulation/prototype bridge combines the strengths of simulation and of prototyping, allowing the designer to develop and evaluate next-generation communications systems, partly in simulation on a host computer and partly as a prototype on embedded hardware. Appropriate language design allows designers to express a communications system as a block diagram, in which each block represents an algorithm specified by a set of equations. Software tools developed for this paper implement both concepts, and have been successfully used in the development of a next-generation code division multiple access (CDMA) cellular wireless communications system.NokiaTexas InstrumentsThe Texas Advanced Technology ProgramNational Science Foundatio

Kecerdasan matematik-logik dalam kalangan pelajar sarjana Pendidikan Teknik dan Vokasional UTHM

Kecerdasan matematik-logik sering dikaitkan dengan penguasaan pelajar dalam subjek matematik. Pencapaian pelajar, khususnya pelajar Sarjana Pendidikan Teknik dan Vokasional, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) dalam kursus Statistik dalam Penyelidikan sedikit sebanyak mempengaruhi pencapaian akademik pelajar. Oleh itu, kajian ini dijalankan untuk mengkaji pengaruh kecerdasan matematik-logik terhadap pencapaian pelajar dalam kursus Statistik dalam Penyelidikan. Kajian berbentuk tinjauan secara kuantitatif untuk melihat hubungan diantara dua pembolehubah iaitu pembolehubah tidak bersandar (kecerdasan matematik-logik) dan pembolehubah bersandar (penguasaan pelajar dalam kursus Statistik dalam Penyelidikan). Persampelan rawak mudah digunakan dalam kajian ini dengan mengambil sampel seramai 108 orang pelajar Sarjana Pendidikan Teknik dan Vokasional sebagai responden kajian. Data diperoleh daripada sampel dengan menggunakan borang soal selidik yang diolah berdasarkan alat pengukuran kecerdasan MIDAS (Multiple Intelligence Development Assessment Scales). Data dianalisis menggunakan perisian SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) versi 16.0 yang melibatkan ujian statistik skor min dan kolerasi pangkat Spearman. Hasil dapatan kajian menunjukkan tahap kecenderungan kecerdasan matematik-logik pelajar berada pada tahap yang tinggi dan mempunyai hubungan yang signifikan dengan pencapaian pelajar dalam kursus Statistik dalam Penyelidikan. Berdasarkan dapatan kajian boleh disimpulkan bahawa kecerdasan matematik-logik dapat dijadikan kayu ukur dalam memastikan kejayaan pelajar

Bioengineered Textiles and Nonwovens – the convergence of bio-miniaturisation and electroactive conductive polymers for assistive healthcare, portable power and design-led wearable technology

Today, there is an opportunity to bring together creative design activities to exploit the responsive and adaptive ‘smart’ materials that are a result of rapid development in electro, photo active polymers or OFEDs (organic thin film electronic devices), bio-responsive hydrogels, integrated into MEMS/NEMS devices and systems respectively. Some of these integrated systems are summarised in this paper, highlighting their use to create enhanced functionality in textiles, fabrics and non-woven large area thin films. By understanding the characteristics and properties of OFEDs and bio polymers and how they can be transformed into implementable physical forms, innovative products and services can be developed, with wide implications. The paper outlines some of these opportunities and applications, in particular, an ambient living platform, dealing with human centred needs, of people at work, people at home and people at play. The innovative design affords the accelerated development of intelligent materials (interactive, responsive and adaptive) for a new product & service design landscape, encompassing assistive healthcare (smart bandages and digital theranostics), ambient living, renewable energy (organic PV and solar textiles), interactive consumer products, interactive personal & beauty care (e-Scent) and a more intelligent built environment

Toward Rapid Prototyping of Miniature Capsule Robots

Minimally invasive robotic surgery techniques are becoming popular thanks to their enhanced patient benefits, including shorter recovery time, better cosmetic results and reduced discomforts. Less invasive procedures would be achieved with the use of Medical Capsule Robots (MCRs). These devices are characterized by low power requirements and small dimensions as well as uncompromising safety. MCRs operate wirelessly in abdominal Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) and Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES) or in the Gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The design process of MCRs, however, is expensive and time consuming. A platform for rapid prototyping MCRs is needed so that MCR researchers can reduce development costs and spend more time in studying innovative MCR applications. In this work, we introduce an open source modular platform geared toward rapid prototyping MCRs. To speed up the prototyping process, the MCR is programmed using TinyOS instead of bare-bone C. We present the hardware architecture of the platform, and the motivation for using TinyOS. To show the viability of TinyOS, we present results from an experiment involving sensing, actuation and wireless communication. This work lays the foundation for our future goal of building an integrated design environment for the design, analysis and simulation of MCRs

VLSI Architectures and Rapid Prototyping Testbeds for Wireless Systems

The rapid evolution of wireless access is creating an ever changing variety of standards for indoor and outdoor environments. The real-time processing demands of wireless data rates in excess of 100 Mbps is a challenging problem for architecture design and verification. In this paper, we consider current trends in VLSI architecture and in rapid prototyping testbeds to evaluate these systems. The key phases in multi-standard system design and prototyping include: Algorithm Mapping to Parallel Architectures – based on the real-time data and sampling rate and the resulting area, time and power complexity; Configurable Mappings and Design Exploration – based on heterogeneous architectures consisting of DSP, programmable application-specific instruction (ASIP) processors, and co-processors; and Verification and Testbed Integration – based on prototype implementation on programmable devices and integration with RF units.Nokia Foundation FellowshipNokia CorporationNational InstrumentsNational Science Foundatio