Prototipado rápido de sistemas de procesado de vídeo basados en el VFBC de Xilinx

El presente trabajo desarrolla módulos hardware para el prototipado rápido de sistemas de procesado de vídeo basados en el controlador de memoria para fotogramas de vídeo (VFBC) de Xilinx. Esta implementación permite el almacenamiento de los fotogramas en memoria externa al dispositivo programable, así como su correcto manejo para el diseño de sistemas de procesado espacio-temporales utilizando el flujo de diseño basado en modelos de Xilinx System Generator. Los módulos hardware son los encargados de la configuración y control de las interfaces de escritura y lectura del VFBC, además de la manipulación de las señales de sincronismo de vídeo para la interconexión de periféricos de entrada y salida. El artículo incluye además la descripción de los módulos elaborados así como el análisis de los resultados del empleo de los mismos en el desarrollo de un demostrador de procesado temporal de vídeo utilizando un detector de movimiento simple sobre una placa Spartan-6 SP605 Evaluation Platform.This paper develops hardware modules for rapid prototyping of video processing systems based on the Xilinx video frame buffer controller (VFBC). This implementation allows the storage of video frames in memory external to the programmable device, as well as its proper handle for designing spatio-temporal processing systems using the Xilinx System Generator model-based design flow. The hardware modules are responsible for the configuration and control of writing and reading VFBC interfaces, as well as the manipulation of video synchronization signals for interconnecting input and output peripherals. The article also include the description of the elaborated modules and the analysis of the results of its use for the development of a temporal video processing demonstrator using a simple motion detector on a Spartan-6 SP605 Evaluation Platform board.Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID) PCI D/024124/09, PCI D/030769/10, PCI A1/039607/1

Controlador difuso para problemas de navegación en presencia de obstáculos fijos

En esta comunicación se describe un sistema de control difuso para aplicaciones de navegación de robots móviles autónomos en presencia de obstáculos fijos. Las herramientas de CAD del entorno Xfuzzy 3, desarrollado en el IMSE, han facilitado el diseño del controlador. En la comunicación se procede a la verificación del controlador diseñado operando en un lazo cerrado con el modelo del robot móvil autónomo eléctrico Romeo 4R, diseñado y construido en la Escuela Superior de Ingenieros de la Universidad de Sevilla. Las simulaciones realizadas demuestran la eficiencia del controlador desarrollado.Comisión Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnología TEC2005-04359/MICJunta de Andalucía DPI2005-0229

Innovación y mejora docente en el ámbito de la enseñanza de estructuras metálicas.

La asignatura “Estructuras Metálicas” está orientada a completar los conocimientos del análisis de estructuras del futuro ingeniero industrial con su aplicación práctica al diseño de estructuras metálicas. La organización y programación de la asignatura está pensada para transmitir los conocimientos necesarios para el cálculo de elementos estructurales simples, de manera que el alumno posea una perspectiva amplia de la problemática asociada al diseño de estructuras metálicas complejas. Ello se lleva a cabo mediante clases teóricas, clases de problemas, clases prácticas de estructuras por ordenador, prácticas de laboratorio, y trabajos prácticos. Este trabajo presenta nuevas metodologías docentes, de acuerdo con las líneas prioritarias del Plan Propio de la Universidad de Sevilla, para mejorar los diferentes frentes de docencia que la asignatura posee. Para ello se profundiza en el estudio y experimentación de nuevas metodologías didácticas como la enseñanza virtual, usando plataformas virtuales tipo WebCT, la elaboración de clases por transparencias PowerPoint y animaciones numéricas realizadas mediante elementos finitos, todo ello basadas en la normativa vigente actual y bibliografía referente actualizada. Además se fomenta el trabajo en equipo mediante la realización de prácticas de campo y un proyecto en grupo, y se desarrollan nuevas prácticas de laboratorio y actividades de manera que el alumno contemple la visión práctica de los conocimientos adquiridos

An automated design flow from linguistic models to piecewise polynomial digital circuits

This paper describes how the different CAD tools of the environment Xfuzzy 3, developed in Microelectronics Institute of Seville and University of Seville, allow to translate expressive linguistic models into mathematical ones, in particular, into a combination of piecewise polynomial systems that can be implemented efficiently in hardware. The new synthesis tool of Xfuzzy 3 automates communication with Xilinx System Generator in Matlab, thus facilitating implementation of the linguistic model into an FPGA from Xilinx. This is illustrated with the design of a navigation controller for an autonomous robot.Comunidad Europea FP7-IST-248858Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología TEC2008-04920Junta de Andalucía P08-TIC-0367

Using Xfuzzy environment for the whole design of fuzzy systems

Since 1992, Xfuzzy environment has been improving to ease the design of fuzzy systems. The current version, Xfuzzy 3, which is entirely programmed in Java, includes a wide set of new featured tools that allow automating the whole design process of a fuzzy logic based system: from its description (in the XFL3 language) to its synthesis in C, C++ or Java (to be included in software projects) or in VHDL (for hardware projects). The new features of the current version have been exploited in different application areas such as autonomous robot navigation and image processing.Comisión Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnología DPI2005-02293 y TEC2005-04359Junta de Andalucía TIC2006-635 y TEP2006-37

Random Forest identification of the thin disk, thick disk and halo Gaia-DR2 white dwarf population

Gaia-DR2 has provided an unprecedented number of white dwarf candidates of our Galaxy. In particular, it is estimated that Gaia-DR2 has observed nearly 400,000 of these objects and close to 18,000 up to 100 pc from the Sun. This large quantity of data requires a thorough analysis in order to uncover their main Galactic population properties, in particular the thin and thick disk and halo components. Taking advantage of recent developments in artificial intelligence techniques, we make use of a detailed Random Forest algorithm to analyse an 8-dimensional space (equatorial coordinates, parallax, proper motion components and photometric magnitudes) of accurate data provided by Gaia-DR2 within 100 pc from the Sun. With the aid of a thorough and robust population synthesis code we simulated the different components of the Galactic white dwarf population to optimize the information extracted from the algorithm for disentangling the different population components. The algorithm is first tested in a known simulated sample achieving an accuracy of 85.3%. Our methodology is thoroughly compared to standard methods based on kinematic criteria demonstrating that our algorithm substantially improves previous approaches. Once trained, the algorithm is then applied to the Gaia-DR2 100 pc white dwarf sample, identifying 12,227 thin disk, 1,410 thick disk and 95 halo white dwarf candidates, which represent a proportion of 74:25:1, respectively. Hence, the numerical spatial densities are $(3.6\pm0.4)\times10^{-3}\,{\rm pc^{-3}}$, $(1.2\pm0.4)\times10^{-3}\,{\rm pc^{-3}}$ and $(4.8\pm0.4)\times10^{-5}\,{\rm pc^{-3}}$ for the thin disk, thick disk and halo components, respectively. The populations thus obtained represent the most complete and volume-limited samples to date of the different components of the Galactic white dwarf population.Comment: 18 pages, 11 figures and 3 tables. Accepted for publication in MNRA

Digital implementation of hierarchical piecewise-affine controllers

This paper proposes the design of hierarchical piecewise-affine (PWA) controllers to alleviate the processing time or prohibitive memory requirements of large controller structures. The constituent PWA modules of the hierarchical solution have fewer inputs and/or coarser partitions, so that they can reduce considerably the hardware resources required and/or the time response of the controller. A design methodology aided by CAD tools is employed to design the parameters of the controller, implement its architecture in an FPGA, and verify the static and dynamic behavior of the digital implementation by applying hardware-in-the-loop testing.Comunidad Europea FP7-IST-248858Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación TEC2008-04920 y DPI2008-03847Junta de Andalucía P08-TIC-0367

The Gaia white dwarf population within 100 pc of the Sun

The 21st European Workshop on White Dwarfs was held in Austin, TX from July 23rd to 27th of 2018The recent Gaia Data Release 2 has provided an unprecedented sample of the local white dwarf population. The high astrometric resolution and the photometry provided by Gaia allows to build a clean magnitude-color diagram that, with the aid of the most updated population synthesis simulator, permit us to select the sample of white dwarf candidates. Our analysis shows that Gaia has virtually identified all white dwarfs within 100 pc from the Sun. Additionally, we use the Virtual Observatory tool VOSA to derive effective temperatures and luminosities for our sources by fitting their spectral energy distributions. The Gaia 100 pc white dwarf population is clearly dominated by cool (~8,000 K) objects and reveals a significant population of massive (M ~ 0:8M ) white dwarfs, of which no more than ~30 - 40% can be attributed to hydrogen-deficient atmospheres. Preliminary results including white dwarf mergers seem not to explain this excess unless some ad hoc hypothesis are adopted. Finally, we use an Intelligent Artificial algorithm based on the Random Forest method to disentangle the different Galactic components of the white dwarf population. Our results show that the thin, thick and halo ratio in the 100 pc sample is 89:11:1, identifying 97 halo white dwarf candidates.Astronom

Normative Anthropometric and Physical-Function Scores for Costa Rican Older Adults

INTRODUCTION: The aging population is becoming significantly large in several countries due to improved health conditions and higher life expectancy. For instance, Costa Rican elderly have 17% less mortality at 90 yr. of age than elderly from high-income countries, and in Costa Rica life expectancy is higher for men than for women. In developed countries such as Spain, a large number of sedentary elderly have been found with elevated body fat percentage, which might impact their overall health and quality of life. Although the international scientific literature is extensive, the physical and functional status of Central American elderly is unknown. PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to construct normative scores for anthropometric, adiposity and upper-arm strength variables in Costa Rican adults aged 60 to 110 yr. METHODS: Participants were 5494 Costa Rican elderly randomly selected from the Costa Rican National Population Census. These participants were assessed to determine their general health status and to obtain anthropometric, adiposity and hand grip strength measures. RESULTS: Nearly 50% of males and females showed an increased risk of metabolic complications (χ2 = 91.6; p ≤ 0.001). A higher percentage of females (64.5%) had abdominal obesity compared to males (18.6%). Males (39.8%) were more pre-obese than females (37.2%) and also type II obesity was more frequent in males (3.8%) than in females (3.5%). Males had higher body weight (4.4%) than females (3.9%), less type I obesity (13.4%) than women (17.5%) and less type III obesity (1.0%) than females (1.5%). Gender specific percentile-based norms (P10th, P25th, P50th, P75th, and P90th) were derived from data collected for each 10-year age groups (60-69, 70-79, 80-89, 90-99, and ≥100). CONCLUSION: This is the first population-based study in Central America reporting normative scores for anthropometric and physical-function variables in older adults

To den or not to den. Contributions to the taphonomic history of the Early Pleistocene site of Venta Micena 4 (Orce, Guadix-Baza Basin)

Venta Micena (Orce, Guadix-Baza Basin, Spain) is an Early Pleistocene locality renowned for the richness and quality of its palaeontological record. VM is spread over an area of 2.5 km2, where several exposed fossil outcrops are visible amidst its gorges and ravines. The best known of these sites, VM3, has been interpreted as a hyaena den. In addition, a new site, named VM4, has recently been the focus of fieldwork and taphonomic studies. The publication by Luz on et al. (2021) pointed out that VM4 presents a more complex history than VM3. First, two different sub-levels were identified: VM4-I and VM4-II. Secondly, the preliminary taphonomic analysis showed conspicuous differences with regard to VM3. Nevertheless, such interpretation has been challenged by Palmqvist et al. (2022) who proposed that VM3 and VM4 are both the result of a single depositional process, entailing the selective transport of skeletal parts by the giant extinct hyaena Pachycrocuta brevirostris back to its den. Using well-preserved faunal elements whose depositional context and provenance are reliable, in this paper we show that: 1) there are two clearly defined sub-levels in VM4 with some shared taphonomic characteristics as well as some notable differences; 2) VM3 and VM4 exhibit enough divergence to support differences in site formation processes; 3) The interpretation of both VM4-I and VM4-II is more consistent with their characterisation as open-air sites in which multiple agents and depositional processes contributed to its formation, rather than with hyaena dens. Nevertheless, excavations are still in progress at VM4 and therefore any results and interpretations ought to be considered as provisional.Consejeía de Cultura de la Junta de Andalucia through the General Research Project Primeras ocupaciones humanas y contexto paleoecologico a partir de los depositos Plio-pleistocenos de la cuenca Guadix-Baza BC.03.032/17Inside the Artefacts & Ecofacts" Excellence Unit (University of Granada) HUM-607 PID 2021.125098NB.I00 MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/FEDERUna manera de hacer Europa ProyExcel_00274 2021 SGR 01238Agencia de Gestio D'Ajuts Universitaris de Recerca Agaur (AGAUR) Generalitat de CatalunyaNational Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia PRE2020-094482 CEX2019-000945-M-20-1Spanish GovernmentArchaeometrical Studies. Inside the Artefacts & Ecofacts" Excellence Unit (University of Granad