System on fabrics utilising distributed computing

The main vision of wearable computing is to make electronic systems an important part of everyday clothing in the future which will serve as intelligent personal assistants. Wearable devices have the potential to be wearable computers and not mere input/output devices for the human body. The present thesis focuses on introducing a new wearable computing paradigm, where the processing elements are closely coupled with the sensors that are distributed using Instruction Systolic Array (ISA) architecture. The thesis describes a novel, multiple sensor, multiple processor system architecture prototype based on the Instruction Systolic Array paradigm for distributed computing on fabrics. The thesis introduces new programming model to implement the distributed computer on fabrics. The implementation of the concept has been validated using parallel algorithms. A real-time shape sensing and reconstruction application has been implemented on this architecture and has demonstrated a physical design for a wearable system based on the ISA concept constructed from off-the-shelf microcontrollers and sensors. Results demonstrate that the real time application executes on the prototype ISA implementation thus confirming the viability of the proposed architecture for fabric-resident computing devices

System on fabrics architecture using distributed computing

This paper describes a novel, distributed sensor network with parallel processing capability based on the Instruction Systolic Array (ISA). A new computing paradigm is introduced where spatially distributed sensors are closely coupled to processing elements and the whole array forms a parallel computer. This may find applications in wearable devices for sensing the position and other metrics of a human body and rapidly processing that data. A new programming model to implement the distributed computer on fabrics is described. The fabric-based distributed computing concept has been validated using a number of parallel applications including a real-time shape sensing and reconstruction application. The exemplar wearable system based on the ISA concept has been realized using off-the-shelf microcontrollers and sensors. Results show that the application executes on the prototype ISA implementation in real time thus confirming the viability of the proposed architecture for fabric-resident computing devices

Shape reconstruction using instruction systolic array

This paper describes a novel, 2D mesh architecture prototype based on the Instruction Systolic Array (ISA) paradigm for distributed computing on fabrics. We discuss a real-time shape sensing and reconstruction application executing on this architecture and demonstrate a physical design for a wearable system based on ISA concept constructed out of off-the-shelf microcontrollers and sensors. Results demonstrate the application executes in 39 ms on our prototype ISA implementation thus confirming the viability of the proposed architecture for fabric-resident computing devices

The effects of a selected durable press finish upon cotton sheetings of selected fiber characteristics

The major purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a durable press finish upon strength and wrinkle recovery characteristics of selected cotton sheetings following a series of launderings. The objectives were (1) to compare the breaking strength, tear resistance, and wrinkle recovery of durable press treated sheetings with similar sheetings having no durable press treatment, and (2) to determine whether differences in treatment are reflected in the performance of cottons of varying fiber length and fiber strength used in the sheetings. The ravelled strip method was used to test breaking strength, the Elmendorf test was used for tear resistance, and the Monsanto method was used for wrinkle recovery. All testing procedures were conducted according to specifications set by the American Society for Testing and Materials