Biologically inspired vision systems in robotics

During the last years, the International Journal of Advanced Robotic Systems, under the Topic of Vision Systems, especially welcomes papers that cover any aspect of biologically inspired vision in robots. As Guest Editors of the Special Issue on “Biologically Inspired Vision Systems in Robotics,” we feel that living beings have still much to tell us about the design and development of robotics

Command and control: the military governors of border in Extremadura in the second half of the 18th century

La victoria borbónica en la Guerra de Sucesión Española (1701-1714) agudizó el proceso de centralización institucional. Esta política se tradujo en la militarización de la administración territorial y, por ende, de las plazas fronterizas del Reino. Para la consecución de este propósito, la monarquía situó al frente de los diferentes gobiernos a oficiales del Ejército y, en este contexto, las tierras extremeñas estuvieron sujetas a este proceso desde el inicio del siglo XVIII a causa de su proximidad con la Raya portuguesa.The Bourbon victory in the Spanish Succession war (1701-1714) sharpened the process of institutional centralization. This politics was translated in the militarization of the territorial administration and the frontier squares of the Kingdom. This way, the monarchy named for the governments officials of the Army and Extremadura experienced this process from beginnings of the 18th century for proximity with the Portuguese «Raya»

Hand-based interface for augmented reality

Augmented reality (AR) is a highly interdisciplinary field which has received increasing attention since late 90s. Basically, it consists of a combination of the real scene viewed by a user and a computer generated image, running in real time. So, AR allows the user to see the real world supplemented, in general, with some information considered as useful, enhancing the users perception and knowledge of the environment. Benefits of reconfigurable hardware for AR have been explored by Luk et al. [4]. However, the wide majority of AR systems have been based so far on PCs or workstation

Discrete-time cellular neural networks in FPGA

This paper describes a novel architecture for the hardware implementation of non-linear multi-layer cellular neural networks. This makes it feasible to design CNNs with millions of neurons accommodated in low price FPGA devices, being able to process standard video in real time.This research has been funded by MTyAS of Spain, IMSERSO RETVIS 150/06

Sistema de tiempo-real de código abierto para control robótico usando cultivos de neuroblastoma

Este artículo introduce un sistema de tiempo real de código abierto que controla remotamente un robot empleando cultivos de Neuroblastoma Humano y algunos principios básicos de Braitenberg. Los setups de arrays de microelectrodos han sido diseñados para cultivar directamente células neuronales sobre sustratos de silicio o cristal, proporcionando la capacidad de estimular y registrar simultáneamente la actividad del cultivo. El principal objetivo de esta investigación es modular las respuestas fisiológicas naturales de las células neuronales aplicando estimulación tetánica en el cultivo. Si el sistema es capaz de modificar las respuestas selectivas de algunas células con un patrón de estímulos externo proporcionado por un robot sobre diferentes escalas de tiempo, la estructura cultivada de neuroblastoma puede ser entrenada para procesar patrones espacio-temporales pre-programados, controlando de esta forma el comportamiento robótico.Asociación de Jóvenes Investigadores de Cartagena, (AJICT). Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena. Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Industrial UPCT, (ETSII). Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, (ETSIA), Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería de Telecomunicación (ETSIT). Escuela de Ingeniería de Caminos, Canales, y Puertos y de Ingeniería de Minas, (EICM). Fundación Séneca, Agencia Regional de Ciencia y Tecnología. Parque Tecnológico de Fuente Álamo. Grupo Aquilin

HANNA: a tool for hardware prototyping and benchmarking of ANNs. Poster

For some applications, designers must implement an ANN model over different platforms to meet performance, cost or power constrains, a process still more painful when several hardware implementations have to be evaluated. Continuous advances in VLSI technologies, computer architecture and software development make it difficult to find the adequate implementation platform. HANNA (Hardware ANN Architect), is a tool designed to automate the generation of hardware prototypes of MLP-like neural networks over FPGA devices. Coupled with traditional Matlab/Simulink environments the model can be synthesized, downloaded to the FPGA and co-simulated with the software version to trade off area, speed and precision requirements.This research is being funded by Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología TIC 2003-09557-C02-02

Bio-inspired broad-class phonetic labelling

Recent studies have shown that the correct labeling of phonetic classes may help current Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) when combined with classical parsing automata based on Hidden Markov Models (HMM).Through the present paper a method for Phonetic Class Labeling (PCL) based on bio-inspired speech processing is described. The methodology is based in the automatic detection of formants and formant trajectories after a careful separation of the vocal and glottal components of speech and in the operation of CF (Characteristic Frequency) neurons in the cochlear nucleus and cortical complex of the human auditory apparatus. Examples of phonetic class labeling are given and the applicability of the method to Speech Processing is discussed

A multi-FPGA distributed embedded system for the emulation of Multi-Layer CNNs in real time video applications

This paper describes the design and the implementation of an embedded system based on multiple FPGAs that can be used to process real time video streams in standalone mode for applications that require the use of large Multi-Layer CNNs (ML-CNNs). The system processes video in progressive mode and provides a standard VGA output format. The main features of the system are determined by using a distributed computing architecture, based on Independent Hardware Modules (IHM), which facilitate system expansion and adaptation to new applications. Each IHM is composed by an FPGA board that can hold one or more CNN layers. The total computing capacity of the system is determined by the number of IHM used and the amount of resources available in the FPGAs. Our architecture supports traditional cloned templates, but also the (simultaneous) use of time-variant and space-variant templates.This work has been partially supported by the Fundación Séneca de la Región de Murcia through the research projects 08801/PI/08 and 08788/PI/08, and by the Spanish Government through project TIN2008-06893-C03

Medida automatizada de la calidad óptica de la película lagrimal en pacientes con tratamiento tópico para el glaucoma

Nuestro sistema óptico está formado por varios elementos y superficies que van cambiando con el tiempo y con ello su calidad óptica. Esta es posible medirla de forma objetiva mediante la técnica de doble paso que utiliza el Optical Quality Analysis System (OQAS). Este instrumento nos aporta varios parámetros que nos definen la calidad óptica del ojo, entre los cuales se encuentra el Objective Scatter Index (OSI). Este parámetro aumenta en un ojo sano conforme disminuye su calidad óptica. En pacientes glaucomatosos con tratamiento se produce la alteración de la película lagrimal por uso crónico de colirios hipotensores. Así pues decidimos realizar un estudio en el cual pudiéramos observar las diferencias significativas de la calidad óptica en pacientes glaucomatosos con tratamiento y en pacientes hipertensos sin tratamiento. Donde observamos que la alteración de la película lagrimal produce un aumento del OSI de la lágrima que a su vez provoca el aumento del OSI total del ojo lo que conlleva a la pérdida de la calidad visual de los pacientes glaucomatosos con tratamiento

Modeling the role of fixational eye movements in real-world scenes

Our eyes never remain still. Even when we stare at a fixed point, small involuntary movements take place in our eyes in an imperceptible manner. Researchers agree on the presence of three main contributions to eye movements when we fix the gaze: microsaccades, drifts and tremor. These small movements carry the image across the retina stimulating the photoreceptors and thus avoiding fading. Nowadays it is commonly accepted that these movements can improve the discrimination performance of the retina. In this paper, several retina models with and without fixational eye movements were implemented by mean of RetinaStudio tool to test the feasibility of these models to be incorporated in future neuroprostheses. For this purpose each retina model has been stimulated with natural scene images in two experiments. Results are discussed from the point of view of a neuroprosthesis development.This work has been supported in part by the ONCE (National Organization of the Spanish Blind), by the Research Chair on Retinitis Pigmentosa Bidons Egara and by the Grant SAF2008-03694 from the Spanish Government