A cooperative cellular and broadcast conditional access system for Pay-TV systems

This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final published article is available from the link below. Copyright @ 2009 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other users, including reprinting/ republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted components of this work in other works.The lack of interoperability between Pay-TV service providers and a horizontally integrated business transaction model have compromised the competition in the Pay-TV market. In addition, the lack of interactivity with customers has resulted in high churn rate and improper security measures have contributed into considerable business loss. These issues are the main cause of high operational costs and subscription fees in the Pay-TV systems. As a result, this paper presents the Mobile Conditional Access System (MICAS) as an end-to-end access control solution for Pay-TV systems. It incorporates the mobile and broadcasting systems and provides a platform whereby service providers can effectively interact with their customers, personalize their services and adopt appropriate security measurements. This would result in the decrease of operating expenses and increase of customers' satisfaction in the system. The paper provides an overview of state-of-the-art conditional access solutions followed by detailed description of design, reference model implementation and analysis of possible MICAS security architectures.Strategy & Technology (S&T) Lt

Development of an automated robot vision component handling system

Thesis (M. Tech. (Engineering: Electrical)) -- Central University of technology, Free State, 2013In the industry, automation is used to optimize production, improve product quality and increase profitability. By properly implementing automation systems, the risk of injury to workers can be minimized. Robots are used in many low-level tasks to perform repetitive, undesirable or dangerous work. Robots can perform a task with higher precision and accuracy to lower errors and waste of material. Machine Vision makes use of cameras, lighting and software to do visual inspections that a human would normally do. Machine Vision is useful in application where repeatability, high speed and accuracy are important. This study concentrates on the development of a dedicated robot vision system to automatically place components exiting from a conveyor system onto Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGV). A personal computer (PC) controls the automated system. Software modules were developed to do image processing for the Machine Vision system as well as software to control a Cartesian robot. These modules were integrated to work in a real-time system. The vision system is used to determine the parts‟ position and orientation. The orientation data are used to rotate a gripper and the position data are used by the Cartesian robot to position the gripper over the part. Hardware for the control of the gripper, pneumatics and safety systems were developed. The automated system‟s hardware was integrated by the use of the different communication protocols, namely DeviceNet (Cartesian robot), RS-232 (gripper) and Firewire (camera)

Microcontroller Based Smart Energy Meter with Data Logger System

Recent advancements in power system ensure that energy being generated is efficiently delivered to meet the growing demand for electricity in many countries. However, determining the proper energy usage by the consumers has become a major challenge to utility companies. Metering is an important aspect of electricity distribution, it helps to accurately measure and bill customers for their electricity consumption. In this project, a prototype for an electricity monitoring system using ATMEGA328P as the microcontroller was proposed and developed. The display parameter values are voltage, current, power factor, active and apparent power. A ZMPT101B voltage sensor is used to measure the AC voltage, while an SCT-013 100A current sensor is used to measure the AC current flowing through meter. In addition, a rotary encoder is used to converts the rotational motion into an electrical signal which is used to measure and control various parameters in a system. Real time clock module is based on an internal clock that generates pulses at a fixed frequency. variety of tests to verify that the system can handle the expected volume of data, can communicate reliably and that can secure data were performed such as logging the energy data to memory card, testing input sensors, The voltage and current errors for the energy meter are ±0.1% and ±0.3%, respectively while the power value error of ±0.04%, which is acceptable for most metering devices, The use of smart metering system lead to a more sustainable and efficient energy system for achieving a more sustainable future.       &nbsp

How to Deploy a Wire with a Robotic Platform: Learning from Human Visual Demonstrations

In this paper, we address the problem of deploying a wire along a specific path selected by an unskilled user. The robot has to learn the selected path and pass a wire through the peg table by using the same tool. The main contribution regards the hybrid use of Cartesian positions provided by a learning procedure and joint positions obtained by inverse kinematics and motion planning. Some constraints are introduced to deal with non-rigid material without breaks or knots. We took into account a series of metrics to evaluate the robot learning capabilities, all of them over performed the targets

Sensor System for Rescue Robots

A majority of rescue worker fatalities are a result of on-scene responses. Existing technologies help assist the first responders in scenarios of no light, and there even exist robots that can navigate radioactive areas. However, none are able to be both quickly deployable and enter hard to reach or unsafe areas in an emergency event such as an earthquake or storm that damages a structure. In this project we created a sensor platform system to augment existing robotic solutions so that rescue workers can search for people in danger while avoiding preventable injury or death and saving time and resources. Our results showed that we were able to map out a 2D map of the room with updates for robot motion on a display while also showing a live thermal image in front of the system. The system is also capable of taking a digital picture from a triggering event and then displaying it on the computer screen. We discovered that data transfer plays a huge role in making different programs like Arduino and Processing interact with each other. Consequently, this needs to be accounted for when improving our project. In particular our project is wired right now but should deliver data wirelessly to be of any practical use. Furthermore, we dipped our feet into SLAM technologies and if our project were to become autonomous, more research into the algorithms would make this autonomy feasible

Synchronized Line-Scan LIDAR/EO Imager for Creating 3D Images of Dynamic Scenes: Prototype II

A second prototype integrated lidar/Electro Optical (EO) camera, or 3D Texel™ camera, has been developed by Utah State University (USU) Center for Advanced Imaging Ladar (CAIL) that collocates, both temporally and spatially, a CMOS digital camera readout with a time-of-flight pulsed lidar1. The first prototype uses a flying spot lidar with a double gimbal whereas this prototype uses a single gimbal and rotating mirror. The selection and design of the second prototype hardware components: lidar, EO camera, computer, synchronization box, power source (AC to DC and battery box) and battery charger is discussed and compared with the first prototype. The new software used for scanning and tiling called LDScanner™ and LDImager™, developed in conjunction with RappidMapper Inc., Salt Lake City Utah, is explained. Based on the operator input, LDScanner™ initializes the hardware components, sets them up for scanning, conducts the scan and analyzes the data files. LDImager™ takes the lidar and EO camera files and converts them into image files for 3D viewing. LDImager™ also allows the operator to analyze preprocessed data files from the 3D Texel™ camera and create a histogram of the processed image. The EO requirements to control the region of interest (ROI), set cameraproperties, trigger the camera and set the file format are discussed. Third party toolkits including the EO camera manufacturer’s demo program and Carnegie Melon University’s (CMU) demo program were considered to implement EO requirements. The requirements ended up being implemented using a modified CMU demo program. The software created in the modified CMU demo program and the CMU1394.dll functions were made accessible through calls to the Camera.dll wrapper. The functions exposed through the wrapper were also used to construct a Camera Image dialog box. This dialog box displays the real time EO image and histogram. It also allows the operator to adjust the shutter speed, gain, brightness, white balance and select the scan azimuth extents

Development of Intelligent Door Lock System for Room Management Using Multi Factor Authentication

Keys play an important role in a security system. Most room door security systems still use conventional door locks, especially in room management applications. Room management with conventional keys has several problems, such as long key searches for each loan, and easily lost and duplicated. Therefore, the authors propose a door lock system that is capable of automating room door control and supervision via the internet network. Research that has been done previously uses single factor authentication (SFA). This technology is less secure for the authentication process for parties/users who want to access the room. This research proposes that a system with multi factor authentication (MFA) aims to protect the system from unauthorized users. The MFA concept will be implemented by validating the physical token on the RFID card and the security code or PIN entered by the user. MFA also increases the level of security and allows the implementation of identification, verification and authentication to ensure user authority. The results of this study are system prototypes that can work well, the system can be realized using backend services using expressjs and data stored in cloud services that can be accessed anytime and from anywhere by the client. The system can also be realized using a combination of nodejs, expressjs, PostgreSQL and esp32 client technologies. The validation process at check-in can occur within 207ms. The server is reliable enough to execute 500 requests simultaneously. Overall, the system has worked well for room management

Building Blocks for Adaptive Modular Sensing Systems

This thesis contributes towards the development of systems and strategies by which sensor and actuator components can be combined to produce flexible and robust sensor systems for a given application. A set of intelligent modular blocks (building blocks) have been created from which composite sensors (made up of multiple sensor and actuator components) can be rapidly reconfigured for the construction of Adaptive Modular Sensing Systems. The composite systems are expected to prove useful in several application domains including industrial control, inspection systems, mobile robotics, monitoring and data acquisition. The intelligent building blocks, referred to as transducer interface modules, contain embedded knowledge about their capabilities and how they can interact with other modules. These modules encapsulate a general purpose modular hardware architecture that provides an interface between the sensors, the actuators, and the communication medium. The geometry of each transducer interface module is a cube. A connector mechanism implemented on each face of the module enables physical connection of the modules. Each module provides a core functionality and can be connected to other modules to form more capable composite sensors. Once the modules are combined, the capabilities (e.g., range, resolution, sample rate, etc.) and functionality (e.g., temperature measurement) of the composite sensor is determined and communicated to other sensors in the enviornment. For maximum flexibility, a distributed software architecture is executed on the blocks to enable automatic acquisition of configuration-specific algorithms. This logical algorithm imparts a collective identity to the composite group, and processes data based on the capabilities and functionalities of the transducers present in the system. A knowledge representation scheme allows each module in the composite group to store and communicate its functionality and capabilities to other connected modules in the system

DirectShow Approach to Low-Cost Multimedia Security Surveillance System

In response to the recent intensive needs for civilian security surveillance, both full and compact versions of a Multimedia Security Surveillance (MSS) system have been built up. The new Microsoft DirectShow technology was applied in implementing the multimedia stream-processing module. Through Microsoft Windows Driver Model interface, the chosen IEEE1394 enabled Fire-i cameras as external sensors are integrated with PC based continuous storage unit. The MSS application also allows multimedia broadcasting and remote controls. Cost analysis is included

Gravity-Dependent Combustion and Fluids Research - From Drop Towers to Aircraft to the ISS

Driven by the need for knowledge related to the low-gravity environment behavior of fluids in liquid fuels management, thermal control systems and fire safety for spacecraft, NASA embarked on a decades long research program to understand, accommodate and utilize the relevant phenomena. Beginning in the 1950s, and continuing through to today, drop towers and aircraft were used to conduct an ever broadening and increasingly sophisticated suite of experiments designed to elucidate the underlying gravity-dependent physics that drive these processes. But the drop towers and aircraft afford only short time periods of continuous low gravity. Some of the earliest rocket test flights and manned space missions hosted longer duration experiments. The relatively longer duration low-g times available on the space shuttle during the 1980s and 1990s enabled many specialized experiments that provided unique data for a wide range of science and engineering disciplines. Indeed, a number of STS-based Spacelab missions were dedicated solely to basic and applied microgravity research in the biological, life and physical sciences. Between 1980 and 2000, NASA implemented a vigorous Microgravity Science Program wherein combustion science and fluid physics were major components. The current era of space stations from the MIR to the International Space Station have opened up a broad range of opportunities and facilities that are now available to support both applied research for technologies that will help to enable the future exploration missions and for a continuation of the non-exploration basic research that began over fifty years ago. The ISS-based facilities of particular value to the fluid physics and combustion/fire safety communities are the Fluids and Combustion Facility Combustion Integrated Rack and the Fluids Integrated Rack