Bridges Structural Health Monitoring and Deterioration Detection Synthesis of Knowledge and Technology

INE/AUTC 10.0

Cellular for the skies: exploiting mobile network infrastructure for low altitude air-to-ground communications

In this article we presented an overview of UASs for civil applications focusing on the communication component. We identified several available communication technologies for UAVs, their constraints, and also protocols available for implementing the remote operation of the vehicles. As an attractive solution for the A2G communication link for UAVs, we discussed the potential of mobile networks with their fully deployed infrastructures, wide radio coverage, high throughputs, reduced latencies, and large availability of radio modems. We described how a UAS can be implemented in a flexible and modular approach that allows it to rely on one or several wireless (UAVs and GCSs) and wired (GCSs) technologies. Despite the advantages of a system based on cellular and IP networks, there are problems that must be dealt with, namely, possible loss of radio coverage, presence of NAT, delay, jitter, and packet loss. Following the proposed architecture, we implemented an UAS and conducted some flight tests, which showed that the operation of the vehicles in semi-automatic or fully-automatic modes is feasible. It is expected that future enhancements for 4G networks and evolution to 5G will benefit UAV communications even further with lower latencies, higher throughput, and higher reliability.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Ultra-Fast, Autonomous, Reconfigurable Communication System

The recent years have witnessed an increase in natural disasters in which the destruction of essential communication infrastructure has significantly affected the number of casualties. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina in the United States resulted in over 1,900 deaths, three million land-line phones disconnections, and more than 2000 cell sites going out of service. This incident highlighted an urgent need for a quick-deployment, efficient communication network for emergency relief purposes. In this research, a fully autonomous system to deploy Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) as the first phase disaster recovery communication network for wide-area relief is presented. As part of this system, an automation algorithm has been developed to control the deployment and positioning of the UAVs based on a traditional cell network structure utilizing 7-cell clusters in a hexagonal pattern. In addition to the software algorithm, a fully functional control interface was developed which allowed for full control of the system both locally and over an internet connection. This system represents a novel approach for handling a large-scale autonomous deployment of a UAV communications networks

Migração de analógico para digital da rede sísmica do CIVISA mediante o desenho de um sistema de aquisição de dados e um rádio telemetria Wi-Fi

ABSTRACT: In September of 2016 a new digital communications network for the Azores Civil Protection (SRPCBA) was inaugurated providing digital, voice and Ethernet LAN telemetry capabilities to the Centre for Information and Seismovolcanic Surveillance of the Azores (CIVISA). During 2017, the telemetry links from all monitoring techniques were reconnected to the new communication system. In 2018 the CIVISA has started the migration from analogue to digital seismic stations and this process allow to liberate few short period geophones. At the CIVISA’s Information and Communication Technologies Support group (SATIC), motivated by the availability of sensors, an instrumentation project was started with the objective of develop affordable digital data acquisition system (DAS) for geophones and a Wi-Fi telemetry to transmit seismic data to the Data Acquisition Centre (CAD) of CIVISA, in Ponta Delgada. The DAS design uses Do It Yourself (DIY) modules for Internet of Things (IoT) applications, microcontrollers and low power computer boards.RESUMO: Em setembro de 2016, foi inaugurada uma nova rede de comunicações digitais para o Serviço Regional de Proteção Civil e Bombeiros dos Açores (SRPCBA), fornecendo capacidades de telemetria digital e voz ao Centro de Informação e Vigilância Sismovulcânica dos Açores (CIVISA). Em 2017, os enlaces de rádio das diversas técnicas de monitorização passaram para o sistema atual. Em 2018, o CIVISA iniciou a migração das estações sísmicas analógicas para digitais e este processo libertou alguns geofones. No grupo de Serviço de Apoio às Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação (SATIC), motivado pela disponibilidade de sensores, iniciou-se um projeto com o objetivo de desenvolver um instrumento de aquisição de dados acessível (DAS) para geofones e um rádio Wi-Fi para retransmitir dados para o Centro de Aquisição de Dados (CAD), em Ponta Delgada. O DAS utiliza dispositivos Do It Yourself (DIY) para aplicações de Internet de Coisas (IoT) e computadores de baixa potência.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Signals in the Soil: An Introduction to Wireless Underground Communications

In this chapter, wireless underground (UG) communications are introduced. A detailed overview of WUC is given. A comprehensive review of research challenges in WUC is presented. The evolution of underground wireless is also discussed. Moreover, different component of UG communications is wireless. The WUC system architecture is explained with a detailed discussion of the anatomy of an underground mote. The examples of UG wireless communication systems are explored. Furthermore, the differences of UG wireless and over-the-air wireless are debated. Different types of wireless underground channel (e.g., In-Soil, Soil-to-Air, and Air-to-Soil) are reported as well

Towards Collection of Smart City Data for Cloud Storage Using UAVs

The article describes the methodology and process of collecting smart city data using drones for cities that do not have a sufficiently developed infrastructure. For storage and subsequent analysis of data, a cloud server is required; TUC DriveCloud is presented as an example of such a server in the article. Traffic analysis and building inspection are described as examples of drone data collection tasks. The advantages and disadvantages of collecting data using a thermal imaging camera are also discussed using the example of the problem of detecting and tracking the movement of people

An architectural framework for developing advanced integrated environmental monitoring systems

The environment has become a topic of great public and academic concern. Monitoring studies of environmental variables are needed to allow control strategies and policy-/decision-making to be applied effectively. This thesis presents an overview of the main issues and requirements for the capabilities of integration, flexibility and scalability for complex environmental monitoring applications. The scope and depth of the topics are considerable and are developing rapidly in line with new technology and computational techniques. The author proposes and designs an architectural framework to develop advanced integrated environmental monitoring systems (A-ITEMS), which feeds the requirements of complex environmental monitoring systems. Afterwards, in terms of the theoretical and technical investigation on the A-ITEMS, this thesis demonstrates the key ideas by implementing an Integrated Watershed Telemetry (IWT) system. The practical design and simulation implementation of the IWT system does show that the A-ITEMS has the significant flexibility and capability to adapt to complex environmental monitoring applications