4,891 research outputs found
DESIGN OF A MACHINE VISION CAMERA FOR SPATIAL AUGMENTED REALITY
Structured Light Imaging (SLI) is a means of digital reconstruction, or Three-Dimensional (3D) scanning, and has uses that span many disciplines. A projector, camera and Personal Computer (PC) are required to perform such 3D scans. Slight variances in synchronization between these three devices can cause malfunctions in the process due to the limitations of PC graphics processors as real-time systems. Previous work used a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) to both drive the projector and trigger the camera, eliminating these timing issues, but still needing an external camera. This thesis proposes the incorporation of the camera with the FPGA SLI controller by means of a custom printed circuit board (PCB) design. Featuring a high speed image sensor as well as High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) input and output, this PCB enables the FPGA to perform SLI scans as well as pass through HDMI video to the projector for Spatial Augmented Reality (SAR) purposes. Minimizing ripple noise on the power supply by means of effective circuit design and PCB layout, realizes a compact and cost effective machine vision sensing solution
FLEXIBLE LOW-COST HW/SW ARCHITECTURES FOR TEST, CALIBRATION AND CONDITIONING OF MEMS SENSOR SYSTEMS
During the last years smart sensors based on Micro-Electro-Mechanical systems (MEMS) are widely spreading over various fields as automotive, biomedical, optical and consumer, and nowadays they represent the outstanding state of the art.
The reasons of their diffusion is related to the capability to measure physical and chemical information using miniaturized components.
The developing of this kind of architectures, due to the heterogeneities of their components, requires a very complex design flow, due to the utilization of both mechanical parts typical of the MEMS sensor and electronic components for the interfacing and the conditioning.
In these kind of systems testing activities gain a considerable importance, and they concern various phases of the life-cycle of a MEMS based system. Indeed, since the design phase of the sensor, the validation of the design by the extraction of characteristic parameters is important, because they are necessary to design the sensor interface circuit. Moreover, this kind of architecture requires techniques for the calibration and the evaluation of the whole system in addition to the traditional methods for the testing of the control circuitry.
The first part of this research work addresses the testing optimization by the developing of different hardware/software architecture for the different testing stages of the developing flow of a MEMS based system. A flexible and low-cost platform for the characterization and the prototyping of MEMS sensors has been developed in order to provide an environment that allows also to support the design of the sensor interface. To reduce the reengineering time requested during the verification testing a universal client-server architecture has been designed to provide a unique framework to test different kind of devices, using different development environment and programming languages. Because the use of ATE during the engineering phase of the calibration algorithm is expensive in terms of ATE’s occupation time, since it requires the interruption of the production process, a flexible and easily adaptable low-cost hardware/software architecture for the calibration and the evaluation of the performance has been developed in order to allow the developing of the calibration algorithm in a user-friendly environment that permits also to realize a small and medium volume production.
The second part of the research work deals with a topic that is becoming ever more important in the field of applications for MEMS sensors, and concerns the capability to combine information extracted from different typologies of sensors (typically accelerometers, gyroscopes and magnetometers) to obtain more complex information. In this context two different algorithm for the sensor fusion has been analyzed and developed: the first one is a fully software algorithm that has been used as a means to estimate how much the errors in MEMS sensor data affect the estimation of the parameter computed using a sensor fusion algorithm; the second one, instead, is a sensor fusion algorithm based on a simplified Kalman filter. Starting from this algorithm, a bit-true model in Mathworks Simulink(TM) has been created as a system study for the implementation of the algorithm on chip
A strengthened and sensorised custom silicone glove for use with an intelligent prosthetic hand
External gloves for anthropomorphic prosthetic hands protect the mechanisms from damage and ingress of contaminants and can be used to create a pleasing, life-like appearance. The properties of the glove material are the result of a compromise between the resistance to damage and flexibility. Silicone gloves are easier to flex and keep clean, but also more easily damaged. This paper details the use of nanoclay fillers to enhance the properties of silicone, successfully increasing strength whilst maintaining flexibility. The performance of the enhanced silicone is as robust and resistant to tear and puncture as commercial gloves, while being more flexible. This flexibility makes the incorporation of a piezo-electric pressure sensor based on the EEonyx conductive fabric, practical. A sandwich of the cloth and copper fabric creates the sensor, which decreases in resistance with increasing pressure. The sensors are characterised and production variability within the silicone are tested. Three sensors are incorporated into a glove made to fit around a Southampton Intelligent Hand. The hand adapts its grip shape and force depending on the object held. The technology is adaptable and it can be incorporated in a glove produced to fit any prosthetic hand. <br/
Hybrid Linux System Modeling with Mixed-Level Simulation
Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Engenharia Electrónica Industrial e ComputadoresWe live in a world where the need for computer-based systems with better performances
is growing fast, and part of these systems are embedded systems. This
kind of systems are everywhere around us, and we use them everyday even without
noticing. Nevertheless, there are issues related to embedded systems in what comes
to real-time requirements, because the failure of such systems can be harmful
to the user or its environment.
For this reason, a common technique to meet real-time requirements in difficult
scenarios is accelerating software applications by using parallelization techniques
and dedicated hardware components. This dissertations’ goal is to adopt a methodology
of hardware-software co-design aided by co-simulation, making the design
flow more efficient and reliable. An isolated validation does not guarantee integral
system functionality, but the use of an integrated co-simulation environment
allows detecting system problems before moving to the physical implementation.
In this dissertation, an integrated co-simulation environment will be developed,
using the Quick EMUlator (QEMU) as a tool for emulating embedded software
platforms in a Linux-based environment. A SystemVerilog Direct Programming
Interface (DPI) Library was developed in order to allow SystemVerilog simulators
that support DPI to perform co-simulation with QEMU. A library for DLL
blocks was also developed in order to allow PSIMR to communicate with QEMU.
Together with QEMU, these libraries open up the possibility to co-simulate several
parts of a system that includes power electronics and hardware acceleration
together with an emulated embedded platform.
In order to validate the functionality of the developed co-simulation environment,
a demonstration application scenario was developed following a design flow that
takes advantage of the mentioned simulation environment capabilities.Vivemos num mundo em que a procura por sistemas computer-based com desempenhos
cada vez melhores domina o mercado. Estamos rodeados por este tipo de
sistemas, usando-os todos os dias sem nos apercebermos disso, sendo grande parte
deles sistemas embebidos. Ainda assim, existem problemas relacionados com os
sistemas embebidos no que toca aos requisitos de tempo-real, porque uma falha
destes sistemas pode ser perigosa para o utilizador ou o ambiente que o rodeia.
Devido a isto, uma técnica comum para se conseguir cumprir os requisitos de
tempo-real em aplicações crÃticas é a aceleração de aplicações de software, utilizando
técnicas de paralelização e o uso de componentes de hardware dedicados.
O objetivo desta dissertação é adotar uma metodologia de co-design de hardwaresoftware
apoiada em co-simulação, tornando o design flow mais eficiente e fiável.
Uma validação isolada não garante a funcionalidade do sistema completo, mas a
utilização de um ambiente de co-simulação permite detetar problemas no sistema
antes deste ser implementado na plataforma alvo.
Nesta dissertação será desenvolvido um ambiente de co-simulação usando o QEMU
como emulador para as plataformas de software "embebido" baseadas em Linux.
Uma biblioteca para SystemVerilog DPI foi desenvolvida, que permite a co-simulação
entre o QEMU e simuladores de Register-Transfer Level (RTL) que suportem SystemVerilog.
Foi também desenvolvida uma biblioteca para os blocos Dynamic Link
Library (DLL) do PSIMR , de modo a permitir a ligação ao QEMU. Em conjunto,
as bibliotecas desenvolvidas permitem a co-simulação de diversas partes do sistema,
nomeadamente do hardware de eletrónica de potência e dos aceleradores de
hardware, juntamente com a plataforma embebida emulada no QEMU.Para validar as funcionalidades do ambiente de co-simulação desenvolvido, foi explorado
um cenário de aplicação que tem por base esse mesmo ambiente
Integration of HoloLens in XR-LAB
Extended reality is experiencing rapid growth, in both hardware and software and the marked
is expanding targeting consumers, businesses and industry. At UiT, Narvik there is established
an extended reality laboratory that have a potential to have an impact on the future for education
and industry. However, the virtual environment is challenging to operate and navigate with the
current equipment. This project focuses on how to integrate a head mounted display, such as
Microsoft HoloLens 2, and then use the device in the same environment in real-time. Both the
system running the XR-LAB and the system that operates the HoloLens, support a common
development software for creating application. This software is a game engine given the name
Unity, and to this software there is toolkits provided to each respective system.
Results achieved during the project are designs of XR environment and templates
for future work towards the XR-LAB. There has been developed an application
which allows users of the laboratory to interact and control the virtual environment
with a seamless integration of the HoloLens 2.
The project had a duration of total 30 weeks and were divided into two parts. The part
one counted for 1/3 of the total time and initialized the project with introduction and
literature review. Part two were started after the first part was approved, and as the main part
it counted for 2/3 of the total time allocated to the project.
For the work done in part two and concluded within this report, it was scheduled to have a
time usage of 817 hours. Total time consumption used is 825 hours in the 18 weeks of
duration.
Keywords: Extended Reality, virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, OpenXR, XRLAB,
Unity, Microsoft HoloLens 2, Igloo Vision
Laser beam characterisation for industrial applications
This thesis describes the theory, development and applications of laser beam
characterisation for industrial laser materials processing systems. Descriptions are given
of novel forms of beam diagnostic systems and their integration into highly automated
industrial tools. Work is also presented that has contributed to the new ISO standard on
beam characterisation. Particular emphasis is given to excimer laser applications and UV
micromachining. [Continues.
Overcoming barriers and increasing independence: service robots for elderly and disabled people
This paper discusses the potential for service robots to overcome barriers and increase independence of
elderly and disabled people. It includes a brief overview of the existing uses of service robots by disabled and elderly
people and advances in technology which will make new uses possible and provides suggestions for some of these new
applications. The paper also considers the design and other conditions to be met for user acceptance. It also discusses
the complementarity of assistive service robots and personal assistance and considers the types of applications and
users for which service robots are and are not suitable
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