Mobile ad hoc network testbed using mobile robot technology

MANET (Mobile Ad Hoc Network) researchers have shown increased interest in using mobile robot technology for their testbed platforms. Thus, the main motivation of this paper is to review various robot-based MANET testbeds that have been developed in previously reported research. Additionally, suggestions to heighten mobility mechanisms by using mobile robots to be more practical, easy and inexpensive are also included in this paper, as we unveils ToMRobot, a low-cost MANET robot created from an ordinary remote control car that is capable of performing a real system MANET testbed with the addition of only a few low-cost electronic components. Despite greatly reduced costs, the ToMRobot does not sacrifice any of the necessary MANET basic structures and will still be easily customizable and upgradeable through the use of open hardware technology like Cubieboard2 and Arduino, as its robot controller. This paper will also include guidelines to enable technically limited MANET researchers to design and develop the ToMRobot. It is hoped that this paper achieves its two pronged objectives namely (i) to facilitate other MANET researchers by providing them with a source of reference that eases their decision making for selecting the best and most suitable MANET mobile robots for real mobility in their MANET testbeds (ii) to provide MANET researchers with a prospect of building their own MANET robots that can be applied in their own MANET testbed in the future

The potential of chitosan-tripolyphosphate microparticles in the visualisation of latent fingermarks

Chitosan (CS) is a cationic polymer with excellent film, gel and particle-forming properties. This polymer has been investigated widely for its potential in the development of food and drug delivery systems and pharmaceutical applications, however it has not generally been considered in forensic applications for example fingerprints (fingermarks). Fingerprints are a very common form of physical evidence. The most commonly used procedure for revealing the ridge pattern is powder dusting, which relies on the mechanical adherence of fingerprint formulation to the fatty components of the skin deposit that are secreted by sweat pores that exist on friction ridges. Cross-linking between oppositely charged molecules can be used to prepare chitosan microparticles. Tripolyphosphate (TPP) is a nontoxic polyanion; it can form particles by ionic interaction between positively charged amino groups of CS and negatively charged counter ions of TPP. In the present study chitosan microparticles (CSMPs) were prepared under four different processing/formulation conditions. The development of latent fingermarks using CSMPs was analysed by using a 23 factorial design, which considered simultaneously three main factors: pH, ionic strength and CS: TPP (v/v) ratio. In this study CS: TPP ratio has the strongest effect on fingerprint quality. The best conditions for fingerprint visualisation were pH 4.8, CS: TPP of 2:1 and 0.2 M of ionic strength in buffer (AB-12)

Substances prioritaires de la directive cadre européenne sur l`eau : difficultés analytiques pour la surveillance du milieu et l`application des seuils de qualité

With the new Water Directive the European Union has given a new dimension to environmental monitoring. It is now necessary to follow and account for the ecological and chemical status of aquatic ecosystems. This status should improve with the objective of "good status" in 2015 for all waters of Member States. Such a regulation will lead to an intensification of chemical contaminants control and has important metrological implications. In order to ensure the comparability of data at European scale, it appears necessary to develop internationally validated standard methods and to organise intercomparison exercises for analytical laboratories.L`Union Européenne vient d`introduire, avec la nouvelle réglementation sur l`eau, une dimension nouvelle dans le domaine de la surveillance de l`environnement. Il ne s`agit plus seulement de mesurer un état de contamination mais de suivre et rendre compte de l`état de qualité écologique et chimique des eaux. Cet état doit s`améliorer avec un objectif exigeant de « bon état » dès 2015 pour toutes les masses d`eau en Europe. Une telle mesure, qui doit se traduire notamment par une intensification du contrôle des contaminants chimiques, a des conséquences importantes en terme de développement analytique. Afin d`assurer la comparabilité des données au niveau européen, il apparaît indispensable de développer des méthodes de mesure appropriées et validées au plan international et d`organiser des exercices d`intercomparaison, voire à plus long terme d`organiser un réseau de laboratoires qui assurerait le suivi des pratiques de qualité