Markov Decision Processes with Applications in Wireless Sensor Networks: A Survey

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) consist of autonomous and resource-limited devices. The devices cooperate to monitor one or more physical phenomena within an area of interest. WSNs operate as stochastic systems because of randomness in the monitored environments. For long service time and low maintenance cost, WSNs require adaptive and robust methods to address data exchange, topology formulation, resource and power optimization, sensing coverage and object detection, and security challenges. In these problems, sensor nodes are to make optimized decisions from a set of accessible strategies to achieve design goals. This survey reviews numerous applications of the Markov decision process (MDP) framework, a powerful decision-making tool to develop adaptive algorithms and protocols for WSNs. Furthermore, various solution methods are discussed and compared to serve as a guide for using MDPs in WSNs

Attentive monitoring of multiple video streams driven by a Bayesian foraging strategy

In this paper we shall consider the problem of deploying attention to subsets of the video streams for collating the most relevant data and information of interest related to a given task. We formalize this monitoring problem as a foraging problem. We propose a probabilistic framework to model observer's attentive behavior as the behavior of a forager. The forager, moment to moment, focuses its attention on the most informative stream/camera, detects interesting objects or activities, or switches to a more profitable stream. The approach proposed here is suitable to be exploited for multi-stream video summarization. Meanwhile, it can serve as a preliminary step for more sophisticated video surveillance, e.g. activity and behavior analysis. Experimental results achieved on the UCR Videoweb Activities Dataset, a publicly available dataset, are presented to illustrate the utility of the proposed technique.Comment: Accepted to IEEE Transactions on Image Processin

CMOS Vision Sensors: Embedding Computer Vision at Imaging Front-Ends

CMOS Image Sensors (CIS) are key for imaging technol-ogies. These chips are conceived for capturing opticalscenes focused on their surface, and for delivering elec-trical images, commonly in digital format. CISs may incor-porate intelligence; however, their smartness basicallyconcerns calibration, error correction and other similartasks. The term CVISs (CMOS VIsion Sensors) definesother class of sensor front-ends which are aimed at per-forming vision tasks right at the focal plane. They havebeen running under names such as computational imagesensors, vision sensors and silicon retinas, among others. CVIS and CISs are similar regarding physical imple-mentation. However, while inputs of both CIS and CVISare images captured by photo-sensors placed at thefocal-plane, CVISs primary outputs may not be imagesbut either image features or even decisions based on thespatial-temporal analysis of the scenes. We may hencestate that CVISs are more “intelligent” than CISs as theyfocus on information instead of on raw data. Actually,CVIS architectures capable of extracting and interpretingthe information contained in images, and prompting reac-tion commands thereof, have been explored for years inacademia, and industrial applications are recently ramp-ing up.One of the challenges of CVISs architects is incorporat-ing computer vision concepts into the design flow. Theendeavor is ambitious because imaging and computervision communities are rather disjoint groups talking dif-ferent languages. The Cellular Nonlinear Network Univer-sal Machine (CNNUM) paradigm, proposed by Profs.Chua and Roska, defined an adequate framework forsuch conciliation as it is particularly well suited for hard-ware-software co-design [1]-[4]. This paper overviewsCVISs chips that were conceived and prototyped at IMSEVision Lab over the past twenty years. Some of them fitthe CNNUM paradigm while others are tangential to it. Allthem employ per-pixel mixed-signal processing circuitryto achieve sensor-processing concurrency in the quest offast operation with reduced energy budget.Junta de Andalucía TIC 2012-2338Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad TEC 2015-66878-C3-1-R y TEC 2015-66878-C3-3-

A Self-organizing Hybrid Sensor System With Distributed Data Fusion For Intruder Tracking And Surveillance

A wireless sensor network is a network of distributed nodes each equipped with its own sensors, computational resources and transceivers. These sensors are designed to be able to sense specific phenomenon over a large geographic area and communicate this information to the user. Most sensor networks are designed to be stand-alone systems that can operate without user intervention for long periods of time. While the use of wireless sensor networks have been demonstrated in various military and commercial applications, their full potential has not been realized primarily due to the lack of efficient methods to self organize and cover the entire area of interest. Techniques currently available focus solely on homogeneous wireless sensor networks either in terms of static networks or mobile networks and suffers from device specific inadequacies such as lack of coverage, power and fault tolerance. Failing nodes result in coverage loss and breakage in communication connectivity and hence there is a pressing need for a fault tolerant system to allow replacing of the failed nodes. In this dissertation, a unique hybrid sensor network is demonstrated that includes a host of mobile sensor platforms. It is shown that the coverage area of the static sensor network can be improved by self-organizing the mobile sensor platforms to allow interaction with the static sensor nodes and thereby increase the coverage area. The performance of the hybrid sensor network is analyzed for a set of N mobile sensors to determine and optimize parameters such as the position of the mobile nodes for maximum coverage of the sensing area without loss of signal between the mobile sensors, static nodes and the central control station. A novel approach to tracking dynamic targets is also presented. Unlike other tracking methods that are based on computationally complex methods, the strategy adopted in this work is based on a computationally simple but effective technique of received signal strength indicator measurements. The algorithms developed in this dissertation are based on a number of reasonable assumptions that are easily verified in a densely distributed sensor network and require simple computations that efficiently tracks the target in the sensor field. False alarm rate, probability of detection and latency are computed and compared with other published techniques. The performance analysis of the tracking system is done on an experimental testbed and also through simulation and the improvement in accuracy over other methods is demonstrated

Veracity in power consumption of smart home

This project is intended to develop for EDP Portugal from Cside for the newly launched smart home platform called EDP re:dy ( Remote Energy Dynamics) Home Automation devices with digital controlling platform from anywhere with optimum power consumption pattern in order to make energy efficient home.During the realization of this project,the veracity of re:dy smart meter has been analyzed with different load factors (capacitive, nductive) in order to observe the harmonics distortion pattern with various home appliances and traditional energy meters.Gathering all collected data in SDP (Service Delivery latform) online platform to analyze the sequence of energy values and according to that edp box will give effective power consumption pattern to the client's minimum tariff and energy saving pattern via reducing the power dissipation.As a final conclusion of the project, based on obtained results an effective method for smart home automation with edp re:dy box associated with MAC address of equipment added and controlled via online carrier/subscriber portal

Requirements for digitized aircraft spotting (Ouija) board for use on U.S. Navy aircraft carriers

This thesis will evaluate system and process elements to initiate requirements modeling necessary for the next generation Digitized Aircraft Spotting (Ouija) Board for use on U.S. Navy aircraft carriers to track and plan aircraft movement. The research will examine and evaluate the feasibility and suitability of transforming the existing two-dimensional static board to an electronic, dynamic display that will enhance situational awareness by using sensors and system information from various sources to display a comprehensive operational picture of the current flight and hangar decks aboard aircraft carriers. The authors will evaluate the current processes and make recommendations on elements the new system would display. These elements include what information is displayed, which external systems feed information to the display, and how intelligent agents could be used to transform the static display to a powerful decision support tool. Optimally, the Aircraft Handler will use this system to effectively manage the Flight and Hangar decks to support the projection of air power from U.S. aircraft carriers.http://archive.org/details/requirementsford109454447Lieutenant Commander, United States NavyLieutenant Commander, United States Navy ReserveApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited