Neuro-inspired system for real-time vision sensor tilt correction

Neuromorphic engineering tries to mimic biological information processing. Address-Event-Representation (AER) is an asynchronous protocol for transferring the information of spiking neuro-inspired systems. Currently AER systems are able sense visual and auditory stimulus, to process information, to learn, to control robots, etc. In this paper we present an AER based layer able to correct in real time the tilt of an AER vision sensor, using a high speed algorithmic mapping layer. A codesign platform (the AER-Robot platform), with a Xilinx Spartan 3 FPGA and an 8051 USB microcontroller, has been used to implement the system. Testing it with the help of the USBAERmini2 board and the jAER software.Junta de Andalucía P06-TIC-01417Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia TEC2006-11730-C03-02Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación TEC2009-10639-C04-0

Live demonstration: Neuro-inspired system for realtime vision tilt correction

Correcting digital images tilt needs huge quantities of memory, high computational resources, and use to take a considerable amount of time. This demonstration shows how a spikes-based silicon retina dynamic vision sensor (DVS) tilt can corrected in real time using a commercial accelerometer. DVS output is a stream of spikes codified using the address-event representation (AER). Event-based processing is focused on change in real time DVS output addresses. Taking into account this DVS feature, we present an AER based layer able to correct in real time the DVS tilt, using a high speed algorithmic mapping layer and introducing a minimum latency in the system. A co-design platform (the AER-Robot platform), based into a Xilinx Spartan 3 FPGA and an 8051 USB microcontroller, has been used to implement the system

AER Neuro-Inspired interface to Anthropomorphic Robotic Hand

Address-Event-Representation (AER) is a communication protocol for transferring asynchronous events between VLSI chips, originally developed for neuro-inspired processing systems (for example, image processing). Such systems may consist of a complicated hierarchical structure with many chips that transmit data among them in real time, while performing some processing (for example, convolutions). The information transmitted is a sequence of spikes coded using high speed digital buses. These multi-layer and multi-chip AER systems perform actually not only image processing, but also audio processing, filtering, learning, locomotion, etc. This paper present an AER interface for controlling an anthropomorphic robotic hand with a neuro-inspired system.Unión Europea IST-2001-34124 (CAVIAR)Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología TIC-2003-08164-C03-02Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología TIC2000-0406-P4- 0

Biometric parameters and biochemical composition of wild wreckfish (Polyprion americanus)

Wreckfish (Polyprion americanus) is considered to be a good candidate for European aquaculture. The main biometric parameters were recorded from 86 wild-caught fish (2.6-18 kg of total weight) for 14 months and the gonadosomatic index (GSI), hepatosomatic index (HIS) and viscerosomatic index (VSI) were obtained. Biochemical analyses of muscle, liver and gonads from wild wreckfish showed that wreckfish has a high level of protein in muscle, 84% of dry weight (DW), and low level of lipids (7% DW). Capture season, sex, size or weight of the fish did not have a strong effect on the variability observed in the levels of proteins, lipids and fatty acids of the different tissues. Reared wreckfish have more lipids in mature gonads than wild fish, which may be due to a more lipid-rich diet. However, some polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) such as arachidonic acid (ARA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) reached higher values in wild female gonads than in reared gonads, which could indicate the wreckfish has high requirements in these fatty acids. This study obtained valuable data on the biology and biochemical composition of wreckfish to estimate its nutritional requirements, which could be useful for the future of this species in aquaculture.European Union's Seventh Framework Programme Research, Technological development and demonstration (KBBE-2013-07)Postprint1,48

Calibración de sensores de humedad capacitivos usando redes neuronales

X Jornadas de Investigación de la Zona no Saturada del Suelo, Salamanca (España), 2011El estudio de la variabilidad espacial de la humedad del suelo a escala de parcela o cuenca agrícola requiere el uso de redes de sensores de humedad de bajo coste, que suelen mostrar una fiabilidad limitada y requieren de calibraciones específicas, especialmente en suelos con elevados contenidos en arcilla. El presente trabajo pretende plantear una calibración más fiable de sondas de humedad mediante un análisis mixto campo-laboratorio. Para la calibración de campo se dispone de datos gravimétricos; para la calibración en laboratorio se han usado columnas de suelo inalterado que tras ser saturadas fueron desecadas en un entorno controlado mientras se monitorizaba la evolución de su peso y la de su humedad volumétrica, medida con diferentes sondas capacitivas Decagon. Tras obtener curvas de secado y la relación entre la humedad gravimétrica y la volumétrica es posible realizar una calibración mejorada específica para cada tipo de suelo. Las redes neuronales son particularmente útiles para el modelado de procesos físicos y el ajuste de modelos. En este trabajo se propone el empleo de dichas herramientas para obtener calibraciones para las sondas analizadas en el tipo de suelo objeto de estudio. Los resultados muestran que dichas calibraciones permiten mejorar la precisión de las mediciones de humedad realizadas.The study of the spatial variability of soil water content at agricultural plot or catchment scales requires the use of low-cost soil water content sensor networks, which usually show a limited reliability and require specific calibrations, specially for soils with a high clay content. This work proposes a more reliable calibration of soil water content probes with a laboratory analysis. Minimally disturbed soil columns were saturated with water and dried in a controlled environment while monitorizing the evolution of their volumetric soil water content (with different capacitive Decagon Probes) and weights. After obtaining the drying curves and the relation between the volumetric and the measured gravimetric soil water contents it is possible to achieve an improved calibration specific for different kinds of soil. Neural networks are especially interesting for the modeling of physical processes and model adjustment. In this work, these tools were used in order to obtain improved calibrations for the analyzed probes in the studied soil type. Results show that this calibration improves the accuracy and pMinisterio de Ciencia e Innovación AGL2009 C03-03Junta de Andalucía AGR-478

An AER to CAN Bridge for Spike-Based Robot Control

Address-Event-Representation (AER) is a bio-inspired communication protocol between chips. A set of AER sensors (retina and cochleas), processors (convolvers, WTA, mappers, …) and actuators can be found in the literature that have been specifically designed for mimicking the communication principle in the brain: spikes. The problem when developing complex robots based on AER (or spikes) is to command actuators (motors) directly with spikes. Commercial robots are usually based on commercial standards (CAN) that do not allow powering actuators directly with spikes. This paper presents a co-design FPGA and embedded computer system that implements a bridge between these two protocols: CAN and AER. The bridge has been analyzed under the Spanish project VULCANO1 with an arm robot and a Shadow anthropomorphic hand.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación TEC2009-10639-C04-0

Short-term effects of traffic noise on suicides and emergency hospital admissions due to anxiety and depression in Madrid (Spain)

Studies show a relationship between some mental illnesses and suicides and different environmental variables such as air pollution, characterized by stress at the neuropsychological level. Despite the fact that traffic noise is also a powerful neurological stressor, studies that relate traffic noise to these mental disorders are practically non-existent. The objective is to analyze the short-term impact that chemical air pollution, traffic noise and thermal extremes have on emergency hospital admissions due to anxiety, dementia and suicides in the city of Madrid. This ecological, longitudinal study uses generalized linear models with Poisson link to analyze the short-term impact of the average daily concentrations of chemical pollutants (NO2, PM10, PM2.5, O3), noise pollution indicators (Leqday, Leqnight and Leq24h) and temperatures during heat waves (Theat) and cold waves (Tcold) on daily admissions to emergency services in the city of Madrid from 2010 to 2013 due to anxiety (ICD-10: F32), depression (ICD-10: F40-F42) and suicide (ICD-10: X60-X84). The results show no association between any of the chemical pollutants considered and the dependent variables studied. On the contrary, the values of Leqday are associated with the three variables analyzed in lag 0 for the cases of anxiety and depression and in lag 1 for suicides, with RR: 1.20 (IC95% 1.14 1.26), RR: 1.11 (IC95% 1.06 1.16) and RR: 1.17 (IC95% 1.05 1.30), respectively, for increases of 1 dB(A) in the values of Leqday. An association was also found between Tcold and admissions for anxiety in lag 9 with RR: 1.62 (IC95% 1.18 2.22) for increases of 1 °C in the values of Tcold. Traffic noise can be considered an important risk factor related to the illnesses and anxiety and depression and for suicides in the city of Madrid, although new studies are needed to support the findings shown here.The authors gratefully acknowledge Project ENPY 376/18 and Project ENPY 107/18 grants from the Institute of Health Carlos III.S

Seroprevalencia de leptospirosis en canes castrados por el Departamento de Zoonosis de la Municipalidad de Maipú, Mendoza

Leptospirosis es una zoonosis cosmopolita causada por la bacteria Leptospira (250 serovares). Produce infecciones asintomáticas hasta cuadros muy graves y mortales. Afecta distintas especies animales: perros, roedores, vacas, caballos y humanos. Se adquiere por contacto directo con fluídos y tejidos infectados o en forma indirecta por agua contaminada con orina infectada . Los animales son huéspedes primarios y reservorios de un serovar determinado. Identificar los reservorios animales de Leptospiras patógenas y su prevalencia es fundamental para la prevención de esta zoonosis. Los perros son un factor de riesgo en la transmisión de leptospirosis urbana debido a la estrecha relación en la dupla perro-hombre

Description of the wreckfish (Polyprion americanus) reproductive cycle in captivity

Within the DIVERSIFY project for the diversification of species in European aquaculture, wreckfish is a special case because of its late sexual maturation, which does not occur until 7-8 years of age (Peleteiro and Brunzón, 2014), besides existing very few data on its reproductive biology because it is a demersal species whose adult specimens tend to live at the range of 100-1000 meters of deep. This work sets out the progress made in the study of the reproductive cycle of this species in stocks established in Galicia (Spain).European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration (KBBE-2013-07 single stage, GA 603121, DIVERSIFY)