Evaluating Rapid Application Development with Python for Heterogeneous Processor-based FPGAs

As modern FPGAs evolve to include more het- erogeneous processing elements, such as ARM cores, it makes sense to consider these devices as processors first and FPGA accelerators second. As such, the conventional FPGA develop- ment environment must also adapt to support more software- like programming functionality. While high-level synthesis tools can help reduce FPGA development time, there still remains a large expertise gap in order to realize highly performing implementations. At a system-level the skill set necessary to integrate multiple custom IP hardware cores, interconnects, memory interfaces, and now heterogeneous processing elements is complex. Rather than drive FPGA development from the hardware up, we consider the impact of leveraging Python to ac- celerate application development. Python offers highly optimized libraries from an incredibly large developer community, yet is limited to the performance of the hardware system. In this work we evaluate the impact of using PYNQ, a Python development environment for application development on the Xilinx Zynq devices, the performance implications, and bottlenecks associated with it. We compare our results against existing C-based and hand-coded implementations to better understand if Python can be the glue that binds together software and hardware developers.Comment: To appear in 2017 IEEE 25th Annual International Symposium on Field-Programmable Custom Computing Machines (FCCM'17

Differences in older adults\u27 motivation to exercise between healthy and cardiac rehabilitation populations

U suvremenom svijetu, postoji potreba za sve većim količinama proizvodnje i u kojem će se vremenu zadana količina proizvesti. Takvo rješenje za dotični izazov pružaju programabilni logički kontroleri, poznatiji pod međunarodnom kraticom PLC. U ovom radu se predstavljaju funkcionalnosti kontrolera Allen-Bradley, odnosno njegovih verzija CompactLogix i ControlLogix. Također, upoznaje se pobliže s programskom platformom Studio 5000, način na koji se kreiraju projekti te kako se upravlja podacima na različite načine. Izrađen je upravljački algoritam u kojem je omogućena simulacija elektromotornog pogona reguliran pomoću protoka i tlaka neke specificirane tekućine. Nakon svega, izrađen je SCADA sustav pomoću kojeg se u konačnici pokreće cjelokupni program preko vizualizacijskog sučelja PanelView Plus 1000.In the contemporary world, there is a need for ever larger quantities of production and in which time the given amount will be produced. Such a solution to this challenge is provided by programmable logic controllers, better known under the international abbreviation of the PLC. This paper presents the functionality of the Allen-Bradley controller, respectively its versions of CompactLogix and ControlLogix. Also, learn more about the Studio 5000 programming platform, how projects are created and how data is managed in different ways. A control algorithm has been developed in which the simulation of the electric drive is regulated by the flow and pressure of a specific fluid. After all, a SCADA system was created that ultimately launches the entire program through the visualization interface of PanelView Plus 1000

Carbon dioxide and fruit odor transduction in Drosophila olfactory neurons. What controls their dynamic properties?

We measured frequency response functions between odorants and action potentials in two types of neurons in Drosophila antennal basiconic sensilla. CO2 was used to stimulate ab1C neurons, and the fruit odor ethyl butyrate was used to stimulate ab3A neurons. We also measured frequency response functions for light-induced action potential responses from transgenic flies expressing H134R-channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) in the ab1C and ab3A neurons. Frequency response functions for all stimulation methods were well-fitted by a band-pass filter function with two time constants that determined the lower and upper frequency limits of the response. Low frequency time constants were the same in each type of neuron, independent of stimulus method, but varied between neuron types. High frequency time constants were significantly slower with ethyl butyrate stimulation than light or CO2 stimulation. In spite of these quantitative differences, there were strong similarities in the form and frequency ranges of all responses. Since light-activated ChR2 depolarizes neurons directly, rather than through a chemoreceptor mechanism, these data suggest that low frequency dynamic properties of Drosophila olfactory sensilla are dominated by neuron-specific ionic processes during action potential production. In contrast, high frequency dynamics are limited by processes associated with earlier steps in odor transduction, and CO2 is detected more rapidly than fruit odor