33,365 research outputs found
Design of multimedia processor based on metric computation
Media-processing applications, such as signal processing, 2D and 3D graphics
rendering, and image compression, are the dominant workloads in many embedded
systems today. The real-time constraints of those media applications have
taxing demands on today's processor performances with low cost, low power and
reduced design delay. To satisfy those challenges, a fast and efficient
strategy consists in upgrading a low cost general purpose processor core. This
approach is based on the personalization of a general RISC processor core
according the target multimedia application requirements. Thus, if the extra
cost is justified, the general purpose processor GPP core can be enforced with
instruction level coprocessors, coarse grain dedicated hardware, ad hoc
memories or new GPP cores. In this way the final design solution is tailored to
the application requirements. The proposed approach is based on three main
steps: the first one is the analysis of the targeted application using
efficient metrics. The second step is the selection of the appropriate
architecture template according to the first step results and recommendations.
The third step is the architecture generation. This approach is experimented
using various image and video algorithms showing its feasibility
An Adaptive Design Methodology for Reduction of Product Development Risk
Embedded systems interaction with environment inherently complicates
understanding of requirements and their correct implementation. However,
product uncertainty is highest during early stages of development. Design
verification is an essential step in the development of any system, especially
for Embedded System. This paper introduces a novel adaptive design methodology,
which incorporates step-wise prototyping and verification. With each adaptive
step product-realization level is enhanced while decreasing the level of
product uncertainty, thereby reducing the overall costs. The back-bone of this
frame-work is the development of Domain Specific Operational (DOP) Model and
the associated Verification Instrumentation for Test and Evaluation, developed
based on the DOP model. Together they generate functionally valid test-sequence
for carrying out prototype evaluation. With the help of a case study 'Multimode
Detection Subsystem' the application of this method is sketched. The design
methodologies can be compared by defining and computing a generic performance
criterion like Average design-cycle Risk. For the case study, by computing
Average design-cycle Risk, it is shown that the adaptive method reduces the
product development risk for a small increase in the total design cycle time.Comment: 21 pages, 9 figure
A Real-Time GPP Software-Defined Radio Testbed for the Physical Layer of Wireless Standards
We present our contribution to the general-purpose-processor-(GPP)-based radio. We describe a baseband software-defined radio testbed for the physical layer of wireless LAN standards. All physical layer functions have been successfully mapped on a Pentium 4 processor that performs these functions in real time. The testbed consists of a transmitter PC with a DAC board and a receiver PC with an ADC board. In our project, we have implemented two different types of standards on this testbed, a continuous-phase-modulation-based standard, Bluetooth, and an OFDM-based standard, HiperLAN/2. However, our testbed can easily be extended to other standards, because the only limitation in our testbed is the maximal channel bandwidth of 20 MHz and of course the processing capabilities of the used PC. The transmitter functions require at most 714 M cycles per second and the receiver functions need 1225 M cycles per second on a Pentium 4 processor. In addition, baseband experiments have been carried out successfully
STR: a student developed star tracker for the ESA-LED ESMO moon mission
In the frame of their engineering degree, ISAE’s students are developing a Star Tracker, with the aim of being the core attitude estimation equipment of the European Moon Student Orbiter. This development goes on since several years and is currently in phase B. We intend to start building an integrated breadboard for the end of the academic year.
The STR is composed of several sub-systems: the optical and detection sub-system, the electronics, the mechanics and the software. The optical detection part is based on an in-house developed new generation of APS detectors. The optical train is made of several lenses enclosed in a titanium tube. The electronics includes a FPGA for the pre-processing of the image and a microcontroller in order to manage the high level functions of the instrument. The mechanical part includes the electronics box, as well as the sensor baffle. The design is optimized to minimize the thermo-elastic noise of the assembly.
Embedded on ESMO platform, this Star Tracker will be able to compute the satellite‘s attitude, taking into account the specific requirements linked to a Moon mission (illumination, radiation requirements and baffle adaptation to lunar orbit).
In order to validate the design, software end-to-end simulation will include a complete simulation of the STR in its lunar dynamic environment. Therefore, we are developing a simple orbital model for the mission (including potential dazzling by celestial bodies)
Visual Quality Enhancement in Optoacoustic Tomography using Active Contour Segmentation Priors
Segmentation of biomedical images is essential for studying and
characterizing anatomical structures, detection and evaluation of pathological
tissues. Segmentation has been further shown to enhance the reconstruction
performance in many tomographic imaging modalities by accounting for
heterogeneities of the excitation field and tissue properties in the imaged
region. This is particularly relevant in optoacoustic tomography, where
discontinuities in the optical and acoustic tissue properties, if not properly
accounted for, may result in deterioration of the imaging performance.
Efficient segmentation of optoacoustic images is often hampered by the
relatively low intrinsic contrast of large anatomical structures, which is
further impaired by the limited angular coverage of some commonly employed
tomographic imaging configurations. Herein, we analyze the performance of
active contour models for boundary segmentation in cross-sectional optoacoustic
tomography. The segmented mask is employed to construct a two compartment model
for the acoustic and optical parameters of the imaged tissues, which is
subsequently used to improve accuracy of the image reconstruction routines. The
performance of the suggested segmentation and modeling approach are showcased
in tissue-mimicking phantoms and small animal imaging experiments.Comment: Accepted for publication in IEEE Transactions on Medical Imagin
MScMS-II: an innovative IR-based indoor coordinate measuring system for large-scale metrology applications
According to the current great interest concerning large-scale metrology applications in many different fields of manufacturing industry, technologies and techniques for dimensional measurement have recently shown a substantial improvement. Ease-of-use, logistic and economic issues, as well as metrological performance are assuming a more and more important role among system requirements. This paper describes the architecture and the working principles of a novel infrared (IR) optical-based system, designed to perform low-cost and easy indoor coordinate measurements of large-size objects. The system consists of a distributed network-based layout, whose modularity allows fitting differently sized and shaped working volumes by adequately increasing the number of sensing units. Differently from existing spatially distributed metrological instruments, the remote sensor devices are intended to provide embedded data elaboration capabilities, in order to share the overall computational load. The overall system functionalities, including distributed layout configuration, network self-calibration, 3D point localization, and measurement data elaboration, are discussed. A preliminary metrological characterization of system performance, based on experimental testing, is also presente
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