Contact Dynamics Simulation for Space Robotics Applications

Abstract—The subject of this paper are contact dynamics simulation methods for two different examples of space robotics applications: Satellite docking in GEO and rover locomotion on planetary surfaces. The according modeling techniques include contact dynamics computation a) between two polygonal surfaces according to the elastic foundation model theory and b) between digital elevation grid surfaces and point cloud surfaces with application of Bekker’s empirical terramechanics functions. The presented simulation results, which are taken from two ongoing projects, SMART-OLEV with satellite docking simulations and ExoMars with rover drawbar pull simulations, demonstrate that contact dynamics simulations can provide helpful inputs in terms of mission feasibility assessment and system design. I

Interaction With Tilting Gestures In Ubiquitous Environments

In this paper, we introduce a tilting interface that controls direction based applications in ubiquitous environments. A tilt interface is useful for situations that require remote and quick interactions or that are executed in public spaces. We explored the proposed tilting interface with different application types and classified the tilting interaction techniques. Augmenting objects with sensors can potentially address the problem of the lack of intuitive and natural input devices in ubiquitous environments. We have conducted an experiment to test the usability of the proposed tilting interface to compare it with conventional input devices and hand gestures. The experiment results showed greater improvement of the tilt gestures in comparison with hand gestures in terms of speed, accuracy, and user satisfaction.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figure

The IoT Tree of Life

The Internet of Things (IoT) has come to mean all things to all people. Combined with the huge amount of interest and investment into this emerging opportunity, there is a real possibility that the arising confusion will hamper adoption by the mass market. The SILC team have used their extensive Sensor Systems market and technical knowledge in an attempt to clarify the situation for individuals interested in understanding IoT, and the underpinning role of Sensor Systems. This paper proposes a phased model of the IoT ecosystem, starting with infrastructure establishment, and culminating in exploitation through the creation of new companies and business models. It does not attempt to quantify the emerging opportunities, relying instead on the many publications dedicated to detailed market analysis. The focus is to place the opportunities in context, demonstrate the importance of sensor system technology underpinning the emerging IoT revolution, and suggests areas where the UK could establish leadership positions. Throughout the paper, examples of the likely protagonists have been used by way of illustration

Towards Early Mobility Independence: An Intelligent Paediatric Wheelchair with Case Studies

Standard powered wheelchairs are still heavily dependent on the cognitive capabilities of users. Unfortunately, this excludes disabled users who lack the required problem-solving and spatial skills, particularly young children. For these children to be denied powered mobility is a crucial set-back; exploration is important for their cognitive, emotional and psychosocial development. In this paper, we present a safer paediatric wheelchair: the Assistive Robot Transport for Youngsters (ARTY). The fundamental goal of this research is to provide a key-enabling technology to young children who would otherwise be unable to navigate independently in their environment. In addition to the technical details of our smart wheelchair, we present user-trials with able-bodied individuals as well as one 5-year-old child with special needs. ARTY promises to provide young children with early access to the path towards mobility independence

Location estimation in smart homes setting with RFID systems

Indoor localisation technologies are a core component of Smart Homes. Many applications within Smart Homes benefit from localisation technologies to determine the locations of things, objects and people. The tremendous characteristics of the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems have become one of the enabler technologies in the Internet of Things (IOT) that connect objects and things wirelessly. RFID is a promising technology in indoor positioning that not only uniquely identifies entities but also locates affixed RFID tags on objects or subjects in stationary and real-time. The rapid advancement in RFID-based systems has sparked the interest of researchers in Smart Homes to employ RFID technologies and potentials to assist with optimising (non-) pervasive healthcare systems in automated homes. In this research localisation techniques and enabled positioning sensors are investigated. Passive RFID sensors are used to localise passive tags that are affixed to Smart Home objects and track the movement of individuals in stationary and real-time settings. In this study, we develop an affordable passive localisation platform using inexpensive passive RFID sensors. To fillful this aim, a passive localisation framework using minimum tracking resources (RFID sensors) has been designed. A localisation prototype and localisation application that examined the affixed RFID tag on objects to evaluate our proposed locaisation framework was then developed. Localising algorithms were utilised to achieve enhanced accuracy of localising one particular passive tag which that affixed to target objects. This thesis uses a general enough approach so that it could be applied more widely to other applications in addition to Health Smart Homes. A passive RFID localising framework is designed and developed through systematic procedures. A localising platform is built to test the proposed framework, along with developing a RFID tracking application using Java programming language and further data analysis in MATLAB. This project applies localisation procedures and evaluates them experimentally. The experimental study positively confirms that our proposed localisation framework is capable of enhancing the accuracy of the location of the tracked individual. The low-cost design uses only one passive RFID target tag, one RFID reader and three to four antennas

Smart home and legal safeguard against cyber threat: A review

Purpose - Smart home concept development is still in its infancy, however, its advantages in users’ life have widely discussed all over the nation. Despite its role in preserving energy and environment (Reinisch et al., 2010), making life convenient and easier (Robles et al., 2010), for the safety and security purpose(Ding et al., 2011), as well as providing healthcare (Chan et al.,2008) to the inhabitants, being a connected house which relies fully on the internet connection is opened up to various threat in cyber aspect.Thus, this paper conducted a review of past literature regarding the trend of cyber threats that occur in a smart home concept and the methods of prevention that have been taken either approach in computer technology or in legal method. Methodology - This paper conducts a review on the information related to the concept of smart home and the issues revolving its susceptibility to cyber threat. Preliminary search was conducted using the search engines, google scholars and online journal database.The key term searched relevant to the topic includes ‘smart home technology system’, ‘smart home and cyber threat’, ‘smart grid attacks’, and ‘Internet of Things’. Finding of the searches were segmented according to the sub topic to be discussed thoroughly. Findings - Although there is no definite answer to what is exactly smart home should be, for the purpose of this study, author stick to the concept of a home whereby it should comprise of the digitally connected and controlled devices (Alam et al., 2012) within a house, equipped with sensors, actuators and cloud services that support automation (Aldrich, 2003), as well as control hubs to connect sensors and actuators from multiple entry points like touch pads, computer screens, telephones, and other wireless mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets (Rodden & Benford, 2003). Smart home environment consist of internet-enabled gadget embedded in a house to share information between each other to allow the devices functioning process dubbed with Internet of Things (Tzezana, 2017). The Internet of Things as a method of today’s communication links the internet with sensors and devices to enable the connection of physical and virtual object through the exploitation of data communication (Atzori et al., 2010). Smart technology is viewed as a system or account susceptible to hack due to its open system that may expose to eavesdropping, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack, attack against authentication (Li et al., 2016), hacking activity, data stolen and data manipulation. Attack on the system will bring greater problem that leads to data intrusion and privacy issues. Thus, the interconnecting of various devices in smart home demand control of data from being manipulated, hacked or misused by hackers through the introduction of policies and regulations (Cho et al.,2015). Apart from imposing rules and regulations to curb the issues, review also will look into approach taken in technical ways to protect the system to minimize the potential attacks in the smart home system

Smart grids: smart meters and non intrusive load monitoring

El objetivo de este proyecto consiste en sintetizar los conceptos generales de las redes inteligentes (Smart Grids), los cambios que se prevén en la red eléctrica y las principales tecnologías que apoyaran el desarrollo de las mismas. Una Smart Grid es una sistema que permite la comunicación bidireccional entre el consumidor final y las compañías eléctricas, de forma que la información proporcionada por los consumidores pueda ser utilizada por las compañías eléctricas para permitir una operación mas eficiente de las red eléctrica, así como ofrecer nuevos servicios a los clientes. El desarrollo de las Smart Grids es esencial si la comunidad global quiere alcanzar objetivos comunes de seguridad energética, desarrollo económico y mitigación del cambio climático. Para ello, se están desarrollando e implementando nuevas tecnologías como los medidores inteligentes (Smart Meters) y nuevas técnicas de medida de consumo eléctrico como la monitorización no intrusiva (Non Intrusive Load Monitoring). Los Smart Meters son medidores de electricidad, agua o gas que recopilan de forma automática los datos de medida y los envían a las compañías eléctricas permitiendo a estas tener una mejor visión de la distribución eléctrica y proporcionan a sus clientes un mayor conocimiento de su propio consumo. La monitorización no intrusiva es una técnica que detecta los eventos de aparatos eléctricos analizando la demanda total de la carga. Esto es posible debido a que los aparatos presentan características especiales en los momentos de conexión y desconexión consistentes en cambios tanto positivos como negativos en las potencias activa y reactiva. Como dichas características son únicas en cada dispositivo, es posible reconocer el perfil de cada uno de ellos pudiendo saber que dispositivos se están encendiendo o apagando, así como el consumo eléctrico de cada uno de ellos. Esto es lo que ofrece la tecnología Plugwise, que mediante el uso de sus dispositivos permite monitorizar y controlar el consumo eléctrico de una vivienda, oficina o empresa y poder ver los resultados en nuestro propio Smartphone o PC. El uso de tecnología Plugwise en combinación con un Smart Meter permite que tanto clientes como compañías eléctricas sean conscientes de cuanto, como y donde se consume la electricidad