23 research outputs found

    Time orientation training in AAL

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    A time display and time training device has been developed in collaboration between University and Special Education Schools, with which an empirical intervention is to begin shortly. Former trials in children provided evidences of time managing improvement, reduction of stress in changes of activity and usefulness in managing behavior contention. This communication describes current version of the prototype which has been adapted to the experimental setup to be started this year which integrates feedback obtained in previous trials, in accordance with previewed experimental intervention. Time passing is represented by turning off sequentially and gradually a row of luminous elements initially on, which provides for association with time perception. Besides luminous elements, tasks display provides for association of agenda-information. Tasks management support and anticipation to changes is supported by setting different colors to the luminous elements and by providing luminous or sound messages. Disruptive behavior control training is also supported by added flexibility in configuring different times and feedbacks. Training tools are integrated in an AAL platform that includes home control and AAL specialized interface, keeping in mind its potential application to other cognitive impairments as Alzheimer disease

    A multi-collaborative ambient assisted living service description tool

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    Collaboration among different stakeholders is a key factor in the design of Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) environments and services. Throughout several AAL projects we have found repeated difficulties in this collaboration and have learned lessons by the experience of solving real situations. This paper highlights identified critical items for collaboration among technicians, users, company and institutional stakeholders and proposes as a communication tool for a project steering committee a service description tool which includes information from the different fields in comprehensible format for the others. It was first generated in the MonAMI project to promote understanding among different workgroups, proven useful there, and further tested later in some other smaller AAL projects. The concept of scalable service description has proven useful for understanding of different disciplines and for participatory decision making throughout the projects to adapt to singularities and partial successes or faults of each action. This paper introduces such tool, relates with existing methodologies in cooperation in AAL and describes it with a example to offer to AAL community. Further work on this tool will significantly improve results in user-centered design of sustainable services in AAL

    Vessel Recognition in Induction Heating Appliances - A Deep-Learning Approach

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    The selection of a vessel by an induction-hob user has a significant impact on the performance of the appliance. Due to the induction heating physical phenomena, there exist many factors that modify the equivalent impedance of induction hobs and, consequently, the operational conditions of the inverter. In particular, the type of vessel, which is a sole decision of the user, strongly affects these parameters. Besides, the ferromagnetic properties of the different materials the vessels are made with, vary differently with the excitation level, and given that most of the domestic induction hobs are based on an ac-bus voltage arrangement, the excitation level continuously varies. The algorithm proposed in this work takes advantage of this fact to identify the equivalent impedance of the load and recognize the pot. This is accomplished through a phase-sensitive detector that was already proposed in the literature and the application of deep learning. Different convolutional neural networks are tested on an augmented experimental-based dataset and the proposed algorithm is implemented in an experimental prototype with a system-on-chip. The proposed implementation is presented as an effective and accurate method to characterize and discriminate between different pots that could enable further functionalities in new generations of induction hobs

    DC-Gain Measurement of the Frequency-to-Output Power Transfer Function based on sidebands for Domestic Induction Heating Applications

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    This paper analyzes different alternatives to obtain the dc gain of the frequency-to-output power transfer function of a series half-bridge resonant inverter for domestic induction heating. In this application, a full-wave rectified bus voltage usually feeds the inverter, and a constant switching frequency is applied during each half-period of the mains voltage. This dc gain is the derivative of the output power with respect to the frequency. A finite difference approximation to the derivative can be obtained measuring the output power during two consecutive half-periods of the mains voltage by injecting a small frequency increment in the second one. This paper compares five alternatives to estimate the gain in only one half-period of the mains, what would allow to increase the controller bandwidth. The alternatives are based on the computation of the DTFS of the sidebands. They are off-line implemented and experimentally verified. The proposed method can also be implemented in real time into a digital controller

    Output voltage estimation of a half-bridge inverter for domestic induction heating applications

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    The power supplied to a vessel by a domestic induction-heating appliance is strongly dependent on several parameters the designer of the system has no control over: the type and the size of the vessel, misalignments between the pot and the inductor, temperatures, etc. A reliable estimation of the power is essential to ensure that the home appliance works under the expected conditions and the user experience is suitable. Furthermore, any reduction of hardware is totally welcome by consumer-electronics manufacturers. In this work, two methods to estimate the output voltage of a half-bridge inverter without digitizing it with an analog-to-digital converter are proposed and the effects that this estimation has on the power calculation are evaluated. Both methods are implemented and experimentally verified in a real prototype with an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array)

    Reduced-order models of series resonant inverters in induction heating applications

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    From the controller design framework, a simple analytical model that captures the dominant behavior in the range of interest is the optimal. When modeling resonant circuits, complex mathematical models are obtained. These high-order models are not the most suitable for controller design. Although some assumptions can be made for simplifying these models, variable frequency operation or load uncertainty can make these premises no longer valid. In this work, a systematic modeling order reduction technique, Slowly Varying Amplitude and Phase (SVAP), is considered for obtaining simpler analytical models of resonant inverters. SVAP gives identical results as the classical model-order residualization technique from automatic control theory. A slight modification of SVAP, Slowly Varying Amplitude Derivative and Phase (SVADP) is applied in this paper to obtain a better validity range. SVADP is validated for a half-bridge series resonant inverter (HBSRI) and for a high- order plant, a dual-half bridge series resonant inverter (DHBSRI) giving analytical second-order transfer functions for both topologies. Simulation and experimental results are provided to show the validity range of the reduced-order models

    AAL platform with a “de facto” standard communication interface (TICO): Training in home control in special education

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    Framed within a long-term cooperation between university and special education teachers, training in alternative communication skills and home control was realized using the “TICO” interface, a communication panel editor extensively used in special education schools. From a technological view we follow AAL technology trends by integrating a successful interface in a heterogeneous services AAL platform, focusing on a functional view. Educationally, a very flexible interface in line with communication training allows dynamic adjustment of complexity, enhanced by an accessible mindset and virtual elements significance already in use, offers specific interaction feedback, adapts to the evolving needs and capacities and improves the personal autonomy and self-confidence of children at school and home. TICO-home-control was installed during the last school year in the library of a special education school to study adaptations and training strategies to enhance the autonomy opportunities of its pupils. The methodology involved a case study and structured and semi-structured observations. Five children, considered unable to use commercial home control systems were trained obtaining good results in enabling them to use an open home control system. Moreover this AAL platform has proved efficient in training children in previous cognitive steps like virtual representation and cause-effect interaction

    Implementación en FPGA de un sistema de medida de impedancia armónica de circuitos resonantes en serie basado en el algoritmo lock-in

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    En esta ponencia se presenta un sistema digital implementado en FPGA (field programmablegate array) cuya función es la medida en tiempo real de la impedancia del primer armónico deuna carga de una cocina de calentamiento por inducción. La etapa inversora de la cocinaimplementa la topología semipuente resonante serie de media frecuencia (25 kHz – 75 kHz)cuyo circuito de carga consiste en un condensador en serie con el sistema inductor‐recipiente(inductor planar acoplado con un recipiente). En una primera aproximación, la impedancia delcircuito puede modelarse como una red equivalente R‐L‐C, sin embargo, la impedanciaequivalente depende de múltiples factores tales como el material del recipiente, alineamientoentre el recipiente y el inductor, temperatura o frecuencia de trabajo. Por dicha razón, unacaracterización en tiempo real de la carga es deseable para realizar un correcto control de laetapa inversora. El sistema de identificación calcula la impedancia del primer armónico de lacarga aplicando el algoritmo lock‐in de fase dual a la corriente que atraviesa el inductor y a latensión de salida del inversor. Dicho algoritmo ha sido descrito en VHDL (very high speedintegrated circuit hadware description language) e implementado en una FPGA de Xilinx. Laprecisión del algoritmo ha sido verificada mediante simulación a través de una herramienta desimulación mixta (analógica‐digital). Finalmente, el sistema ha sido verificadoexperimentalmente

    Genome-Wide Joint Meta-Analysis of SNP and SNP-by-Smoking Interaction Identifies Novel Loci for Pulmonary Function

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    Association of Forced Vital Capacity with the Developmental Gene NCOR2

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    Background Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) is an important predictor of all-cause mortality in the absence of chronic respiratory conditions. Epidemiological evidence highlights the role of early life factors on adult FVC, pointing to environmental exposures and genes affecting lung development as risk factors for low FVC later in life. Although highly heritable, a small number of genes have been found associated with FVC, and we aimed at identifying further genetic variants by focusing on lung development genes. Methods Per-allele effects of 24,728 SNPs in 403 genes involved in lung development were tested in 7,749 adults from three studies (NFBC1966, ECRHS, EGEA). The most significant SNP for the top 25 genes was followed-up in 46,103 adults (CHARGE and SpiroMeta consortia) and 5,062 children (ALSPAC). Associations were considered replicated if the replication p-value survived Bonferroni correction (p<0.002; 0.05/25), with a nominal p-value considered as suggestive evidence. For SNPs with evidence of replication, effects on the expression levels of nearby genes in lung tissue were tested in 1,111 lung samples (Lung eQTL consortium), with further functional investigation performed using public epigenomic profiling data (ENCODE). Results NCOR2-rs12708369 showed strong replication in children (p = 0.0002), with replication unavailable in adults due to low imputation quality. This intronic variant is in a strong transcriptional enhancer element in lung fibroblasts, but its eQTL effects could not be tested due to low imputation quality in the eQTL dataset. SERPINE2-rs6754561 replicated at nominal level in both adults (p = 0.036) and children (p = 0.045), while WNT16-rs2707469 replicated at nominal level only in adults (p = 0.026). The eQTL analyses showed association of WNT16-rs2707469 with expression levels of the nearby gene CPED1.We found no statistically significant eQTL effects for SERPINE2-rs6754561. Conclusions We have identified a new gene, NCOR2, in the retinoic acid signalling pathway pointing to a role of Vitamin A metabolism in the regulation of FVC. Our findings also support SERPINE2, a COPD gene with weak previous evidence of association with FVC, and suggest WNT16 as a further promising candidate
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