Information Fusion for 5G IoT: An Improved 3D Localisation Approach Using K-DNN and Multi-Layered Hybrid Radiomap

Indoor positioning is a core enabler for various 5G identity and context-aware applications requiring precise and real-time simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM). In this work, we propose a K-nearest neighbours and deep neural network (K-DNN) algorithm to improve 3D indoor positioning. Our implementation uses a novel data-augmentation concept for the received signal strength (RSS)-based fingerprint technique to produce a 3D fused hybrid. In the offline phase, a machine learning (ML) approach is used to train a model on a radiomap dataset that is collected during the offline phase. The proposed algorithm is implemented on the constructed hybrid multi-layered radiomap to improve the 3D localisation accuracy. In our implementation, the proposed approach is based on the fusion of the prominent 5G IoT signals of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and the ubiquitous WLAN. As a result, we achieved a 91% classification accuracy in 1D and a submeter accuracy in 2D

Positioning as Service for 5G IoT Networks

Big Data and Artificial Intelligence are new tech- nologies to improve indoor localization. It focuses on the use of machine learning probabilistic algorithms to extract, model and analyse live and historical signal data obtained from several sources. In this respect, the data generated by 5G network and the Internet of Things is quintessential for precise indoor positioning in complex building environments. In this paper, we present a new architecture for assets and personnel location management in 5G network with an emphasis on vertical sectors in smart cities. Moreover, we explain how Big Data and Machine learning can be used to offer positioning as service. Additionally, we implement a new deep learning model for 3D positioning using the proposed architecture. The performance of the proposed model is compared against other Machine Learning algorithms

Implementing Deep Learning Techniques in 5G IoT Networks for 3D Indoor Positioning: DELTA (DeEp Learning-Based Co-operaTive Architecture)

In the near future, the fifth-generation wireless technology is expected to be rolled out, offering low latency, high bandwidth and multiple antennas deployed in a single access point. This ecosystem will help further enhance various location-based scenarios such as assets tracking in smart factories, precise smart management of hydroponic indoor vertical farms and indoor way-finding in smart hospitals. Such a system will also integrate existing technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), WiFi and other network infrastructures. In this respect, 5G precise indoor localization using heterogeneous IoT technologies (Zigbee, Raspberry Pi, Arduino, BLE, etc.) is a challenging research area. In this work, an experimental 5G testbed has been designed integrating C-RAN and IoT networks. This testbed is used to improve both vertical and horizontal localization (3D Localization) in a 5G IoT environment. To achieve this, we propose the DEep Learning-based co-operaTive Architecture (DELTA) machine learning model implemented on a 3D multi-layered fingerprint radiomap. The DELTA begins by estimating the 2D location. Then, the output is recursively used to predict the 3D location of a mobile station. This approach is going to benefit use cases such as 3D indoor navigation in multi-floor smart factories or in large complex buildings. Finally, we have observed that the proposed model has outperformed traditional algorithms such as Support Vector Machine (SVM) and K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN)

A qualitative investigation of paediatric intensive care staff attitudes towards the diagnosis of lower respiratory tract infection in the molecular diagnostics era

Background In the past decade, molecular diagnostic syndromic arrays incorporating a range of bacterial and viral pathogens have been described. It is unclear how paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) staff diagnose lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) and integrate diagnostic array results into antimicrobial decision-making. Methods An online survey with eleven questions was distributed throughout paediatric intensive care societies in the UK, continental Europe and Australasia with a total of 755 members. Participants were asked to rate the clinical factors and investigations they used when prescribing for LRTI. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with staff who participated in a single-centre observational study of a 52-pathogen diagnostic array. Results Seventy-two survey responses were received; most responses were from senior doctors. Whilst diagnostic arrays were used less frequently than routine investigations (i.e. microbiological culture), they were of comparable perceived utility when making antimicrobial decisions. Prescribers reported that for arrays to be clinically impactful, they would need to deliver results within 6 h for stable patients and within 1 h for unstable patients to inform their immediate decision to prescribe antimicrobials. From 16 staff interviews, we identified that arrays were helpful for the diagnosis and screening of bacterial LRTI. Staff reported it could be challenging to interpret results in some cases due to the high sensitivity of the test. Therefore, results were considered within the context of the patient and discussed within the multidisciplinary team. Conclusions Diagnostic arrays were considered of comparable value to microbiological investigations by PICU prescribers. Our findings support the need for further clinical and economic evaluation of diagnostic arrays in a randomised control trial. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT04233268. Registered on 18 January 2020

Design status of ASPIICS, an externally occulted coronagraph for PROBA-3

The "sonic region" of the Sun corona remains extremely difficult to observe with spatial resolution and sensitivity sufficient to understand the fine scale phenomena that govern the quiescent solar corona, as well as phenomena that lead to coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which influence space weather. Improvement on this front requires eclipse-like conditions over long observation times. The space-borne coronagraphs flown so far provided a continuous coverage of the external parts of the corona but their over-occulting system did not permit to analyse the part of the white-light corona where the main coronal mass is concentrated. The proposed PROBA-3 Coronagraph System, also known as ASPIICS (Association of Spacecraft for Polarimetric and Imaging Investigation of the Corona of the Sun), with its novel design, will be the first space coronagraph to cover the range of radial distances between ~1.08 and 3 solar radii where the magnetic field plays a crucial role in the coronal dynamics, thus providing continuous observational conditions very close to those during a total solar eclipse. PROBA-3 is first a mission devoted to the in-orbit demonstration of precise formation flying techniques and technologies for future European missions, which will fly ASPIICS as primary payload. The instrument is distributed over two satellites flying in formation (approx. 150m apart) to form a giant coronagraph capable of producing a nearly perfect eclipse allowing observing the sun corona closer to the rim than ever before. The coronagraph instrument is developed by a large European consortium including about 20 partners from 7 countries under the auspices of the European Space Agency. This paper is reviewing the recent improvements and design updates of the ASPIICS instrument as it is stepping into the detailed design phase

Any questions? An analysis of questions initiated by native and non-native English speaking patients and their parents during paediatric consultations

Deposited on behalf of the author. © 2002 Dr. Anne KanarisGood medical care depends on effective communication between patient and health professional. Misunderstandings can occur in any medical setting but can be further compounded by language and cultural factors in those interactions which occur in a cross-cultural context. The medical consultation is an institutional interaction and as such can involve additional, taken-for-granted evaluative and interpretive criteria which are applied by interactants automatically, without conscious reflection. Non-native speakers who may have a good functional control of the language and have few problems at the level of propositional content may experience significant difficulties at the necessary interpretative level. Questions act to allow the questioner a degree of interactional control and when patients ask questions they not only increase their access to information but also indicate to the doctor that they wish to play a more active role in the consultation. This thesis examines the discourse of doctor-patient interactions and in particular the ways in which questions are framed and presented by patients and, because the patients in this case are children, their parents. Fifty three medical consultations were observed from both public and private pediatric clinics with patients and their parents comprising 33 native and 20 non-native speakers of English. Data for the study comprise 28 of those consultations. The data include post-consultation interviews with patients and their parents, and interviews with the treating doctors. The analysis indicates that there are considerable differences in the patterns of questioning behaviour of native speakers and non-native speakers, and that the questioning behaviour of patients and parents seems to be influenced by the communication style of the doctor. These findings indicate that the questioning behaviour of non-native speaking parents in medical consultations has the potential to lead to less access to information, fewer explanations about their child's condition and a less active role overall in the medical consultation. This in turn can lead to different outcomes for those parents such as lower levels of satisfaction and, potentially, lower levels of compliance with medical advice and directives. These findings also indicate that the needs of non-native speakers in such circumstances are more successfully addressed by a doctor-centred approach. Finally, this study argues that the observed differences in the patterns of questioning behaviour between native speakers and non-native speakers is more than simple lack of linguistic resources but rather is a result of the clash between the often subtle differences in communicative competence of non-native speakers and the specialised inferential frameworks inherent in institutional discourse

Computational and experimental study for the optimal design of plate heat exchangers

The scope of this dissertation is to suggest a general method for the optimal design of a plate heat exchanger (PHE) that complies with the principles of sustainability. A CFD code is employed to construct virtual PHE channels and to simulate the heat transfer rate and pressure drop in this type of equipment. As the validity of the CFD code must be checked, two model plate heat exchangers have been constructed and used as experimental set-ups. The first experimental set-up comprises an orthogonal channel bearing corrugations on one side only, while the second comprises two complete fluid paths of a typical PHE, one for the hot and one for the cold fluid flow. A two-equation turbulence model, namely the SST (Shear Stress Transport) is used for the simulation. The Nusselt number values, Nu, that have been calculated using the CFD simulation results are found to be in very good agreement with the experimental data and with limited data in the literature. Small deviations in the calculation of friction factor values, f, can be attributed to the small differences in the shape of corrugations. The comparison of experimental data from the CFD simulations led to the safe conclusion that the CFD code can be used as a valid and reliable tool for predicting the thermo-hydraulic characteristics of the flow inside the narrow channels of a PHE. The next step of this thesis was the quest for the values of the PHE design parameters that optimize the performance of this type of equipment. Four of the design parameters refer to the geometrical characteristics of the corrugation herringbone pattern, while the Reynolds number, Re, is chosen as the fifth design parameter. The Box-Behnken technique is employed as a Design of Experiments (DOE) method to limit the number of simulations needed. Results from the simulations were used thereafter to express correlations for the Nu and f using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The proposed correlations are then used for estimating the geometrical design parameter values that optimize an objective function. This objective function linearly combines heat transfer augmentation with friction losses, using a weighting factor that accounts for the relative cost of energy. It is shown that the optimal performance of a PHE is achieved when secondary flow due to the corrugations is dominant. As the weighting factor increases meaning that the friction losses play a very important role, the optimal PHE should cause small pressure drop. Finally, using the new generalized correlations for Nu and f, a design algorithm is proposed for the calculation of the optimal corrugation geometry or the selection of an appropriate pre-fabricated PHE plate, complying with the principles of ecological and economic sustainability.Ο σκοπός της διδακτορικής διατριβής είναι ο βέλτιστος σχεδιασμός ενός εναλλάκτη πλακών, με απώτερο στόχο την καλύτερη αξιοποίηση της ενέργειας. Η διατριβή αξιοποιεί ένα εμπορικό κώδικα Υπολογιστικής Ρευστοδυναμικής (CFD) για την κατασκευή ιδεατών καναλιών ενός εναλλάκτη πλακών και την προσομοίωση της ροής μέσα σε αυτά. Καθώς η αξιοπιστία του κώδικα CFD πρέπει να ελεγχθεί, κατασκευάσθηκαν και χρησιμοποιήθηκαν ως πειραματικές διατάξεις δύο πρότυποι εναλλάκτες πλακών. Η πρώτη πειραματική διάταξη αποτελείται από ένα ορθογωνικό κανάλι το οποίο φέρει πτυχώσεις μόνο από τη μία πλευρά, ενώ η δεύτερη αποτελείται από δύο πλήρη κανάλια ροής, ένα για το θερμό και ένα για το ψυχρό ρεύμα. Για την προσομοίωση της ροής χρησιμοποιήθηκε ένα μοντέλο τύρβης δύο εξισώσεων (SST). Οι τιμές του αριθμού Nusselt, Nu, που υπολογίσθηκαν από τα αποτελέσματα της προσομοίωσης βρίσκονται σε πολύ καλή συμφωνία με τα πειραματικά δεδομένα αλλά και με τα ελάχιστα διαθέσιμα δεδομένα της βιβλιογραφίας. Οι διαφορές που εντοπίζονται στον υπολογισμό του συντελεστή τριβής f, μπορούν να αποδοθούν στις μικρές διαφοροποιήσεις του σχήματος των πτυχώσεων. Η σύγκριση των πειραματικών αποτελεσμάτων με εκείνα των προσομοιώσεων οδήγησαν στο ασφαλές συμπέρασμα ότι ο κώδικας CFD μπορεί να χρησιμοποιηθεί ως ένα αξιόπιστο εργαλείο υπολογισμού των θερμο-υδραυλικών χαρακτηριστικών της ροής στα στενά κανάλια του εναλλάκτη. Στη συνέχεια η έρευνα επικεντρώθηκε στην αναζήτηση των τιμών των σχεδιαστικών μεταβλητών του εναλλάκτη που οδηγούν στη βέλτιστη απόδοση της συσκευής. Οι τέσσερις από αυτές προέρχονται από τα βασικά γεωμετρικά χαρακτηριστικά των πτυχώσεων, ενώ ως πέμπτη σχεδιαστική μεταβλητή επιλέχθηκε ο αριθμός Reynolds. Χρησιμοποιώντας τη μέθοδο σχεδιασμού πειραμάτων (DOE) των Box-Behnken, βρέθηκε ο στατιστικά απαιτούμενος αριθμός προσομοιώσεων. Τα αποτελέσματα από τις προσομοιώσεις αξιοποιήθηκαν ακολούθως για τη διατύπωση γενικών συσχετισμών υπολογισμού του Nu και του f χρησιμοποιώντας τη μεθοδολογία επιφάνειας απόκρισης (RSM). Οι προτεινόμενες συσχετίσεις χρησιμοποιήθηκαν στην προσπάθεια εντοπισμού των τιμών των γεωμετρικών παραμέτρων που βελτιστοποιούν μια αντικειμενική συνάρτηση στην οποία εκτός των άλλων παραμέτρων υπεισέρχεται ένας συντελεστής βαρύτητας, β, που αναφέρεται στο σχετικό κόστος της άντλησης προς το κόστος της ανακτωμένης θερμικής ενέργειας. Αποδείχθηκε ότι η βέλτιστη απόδοση του εναλλάκτη πλακών επιτυγχάνεται όταν ενισχύεται η δημιουργία δευτερεύουσας ροής στο κανάλι του εναλλάκτη. Όταν η ενέργεια που απαιτείται για την άντληση γίνεται ακριβότερη (δηλαδή, η τιμή του β αυξάνεται) ως βέλτιστη λύση προτείνεται ο σχεδιασμός/κατασκευή διατάξεων με μειωμένη πτώση πίεσης. Τελικά, χρησιμοποιώντας τις νέες συσχετίσεις για τον Nu και το f, προτείνεται αλγόριθμος για τον υπολογισμό της βέλτιστης γεωμετρίας πτυχώσεων ή την επιλογή κατάλληλης προκατασκευασμένης πλάκας εναλλάκτη, ώστε να επιτυγχάνεται η καλύτερη αξιοποίηση της ενέργειας

Inter Vehicle Spacing: User's Manual (2 Diskettes Included)

This documentation and software provides a tool which enable a user to perform the following tasks regarding vehicle spacing:; calculate the minimum initial spacing between two vehicles, calculate the possibility and severity of collision between two vehicles, visualize the motion of the two vehicles in the longitudinal direction during braking maneuvers, and calculate the highway capacity given factors for velocity, spacing, and size of vehicles and platoons