Obstacle detection for autonomous systems using stereoscopic images and bacterial behaviour

This paper presents a low cost strategy for real-time estimation of the position of obstacles in an unknown environment for autonomous robots. The strategy was intended for use in autonomous service robots, which navigate in unknown and dynamic indoor environments. In addition to human interaction, these environments are characterized by a design created for the human being, which is why our developments seek morphological and functional similarity equivalent to the human model. We use a pair of cameras on our robot to achieve a stereoscopic vision of the environment, and we analyze this information to determine the distance to obstacles using an algorithm that mimics bacterial behavior. The algorithm was evaluated on our robotic platform demonstrating high performance in the location of obstacles and real-time operation

Hybrid fuzzy-sliding grasp control for underactuated robotic hand

A major part of the success of human-robots integration requires the development of robotic platforms capable of interacting in human environments. Human beings have an environment designed for their physical and morphological capacity, robots must adapt to these conditions. This paper presents a fuzzy-sliding hybrid grasp control for a five-finger robotic hand. As a design principle, the scheme takes into account the minimum force required on the object to prevent the object from slipping. The robotic hand uses force sensors on each finger to determine the grasp state. The control is designed with two control surfaces, one when there is slippage, the other when there is no slippage. For each surface, control rules are defined and unified by means of a fuzzy inference block. The proposed scheme is evaluated in the laboratory for different objects, which include spherical and cylindrical elements. In all cases, an excellent grasp was observed without producing deformations in the fragile objects

Performance Evaluation of the NASNet Convolutional Network in the Automatic Identification of COVID-19

This paper evaluates the performance of the Neural Architecture Search Network (NASNet) in the automatic detection of COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) from chest x-ray images. COVID-19 is a disease caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that produces in patients fever, cough, shortness of breath, muscle pain, sputum production, diarrhea, and even sore throat. The virus spreads through the air, and to date, is expanding as a global pandemic. There is no vaccine, and it is fatal to approximately 2-7% of the infected population. Among the clinical and paraclinical characteristics of infected patients, nodules have been identified in images of chest x-rays that can be visually identified, producing a simple, rapid, and generally available method of identification. However, the rapid spread of the disease means that there is a lack of specialized medical personnel capable of identifying it, which is why automated schemes are being developed. We propose the tuning of a NASNet-type convolutional model to automatically determine the initial state of a patient in the triage process or intervention protocol of health care centers. The neural network is trained with public images of cases positively identified as patients infected with the virus and patients in normal conditions without infection. Performance evaluation is also done with real images unknown to the neuronal model. As for performance metrics, we use the function of loss of cross-entropy (categorical cross-entropy), the accuracy (or success rate), and the MSE (Mean Squared Error). The tuned model was able to correctly classify the test images with an accuracy of 97%

Hardware description of a simplified 4-bit softcore processor with BCD capabilities

The objective of the work reported in this paper is to improve a 4-bit softcore processor previously designed in Verilog language, keeping its compact size. This processor was thought to be used as academic and didactic tool for teaching as computers architecture subject as digital circuits subject in the technology faculty of the Universidad Distrital. The new features include arithmetic instruction with input carry, BCD operations enabling, rotating instructions, implementation of input and output register banks, increase of the number of general purpose registers of the data memory, and the reduction of the execution clock cycles per instruction. Additionally, the assembler software was enabled to support macro-instructions to make easy the comprehension of some composed functions. As result, a very compact softcore processor was obtained, by means of a Verilog description done in a single file. This implementation occupies only the 2% of the medium-size FPGA used for the application, reaching a maximum possible working clock frequency of 929 Mhz

Risk simulation of having direct contact with electric urban networks

To know the electric risks for the human health having electric discharges on low and medium voltage urban networks, helps to the people to make aware about doing actions of prevention and safety, which reach to prevent injuries and/or accidental deaths. In this paper, simulations on ATP-Draw software over three different specific risk cases were done, based on the concurrent problem presented in the central region of Colombia between august and october when people use to fly kites. The first case analyzed is an individual who has an indirect contact with medium voltage transmission lines by means on a conventional kite, presenting no serious effects on its health. In the second and in the third case, the individual generates a direct contact both low and medium voltage lines, when tries to recover a stuck kite, receiving high health effects even producing death. The main goal of this work is to show the different consequences and effects in the human body which are presented over a person when receiving an electric discharge by direct contact, in order to prevent accidents

Hardware based cryptography: technological advances for applications in Colombia using embedded systems

To have totally independent systems that offer a sufficient security scheme has become a necessity in Colombia, this because of the proliferation of IoT type systems and similar; In general, it is required to make stand-alone systems totally independent and distributed to offer users a solution to this need, this work offers the analysis and comparison of two security schemes type digital signature and/or hardware security module (HSM) and its variations, made on embedded platforms type microcontroller software, which shows the strategy to provide information protection, In addition, it is analyzed how each implementation was executed, in which devices and metrics of interest, in the first application the cryptography schemes were made using a deep programming that describes the algorithms in C++ language and in the second implementation the use of the dedicated hardware that the embedded platform type microcontroller had is detailed; In both cases, solutions with an acceptable throughput were generated, allowing to obtain comparable solutions and the same style as those made in a PC or similar hardware. On the other hand, an exhaustive review of this type of solutions in the country-region was made, in order to have a reference as to the possible use of this type of applications

Transformation and dynamic visualization of images from computer through an FPGA in a matrix of LED

This article shows the implementation of a system that uses a graphic interface to load a digital image into a programmable logic device, which is stored in its internal RAM memory and is responsible for visualizing it in a matrix of RGB LEDs, so that This way, the LEDs show an equivalent to the image that was sent from the PC, conserving an aspect ratio and respecting as much as possible the color of the original image. To carry out this task, a Matlab script was designed to load the image, convert and format the data, which are transmitted to the FPGA using the RS232 protocol. The FPGA is in charge of receiving them, storing them and generating all the signals of control and synchronization of the system including the control of the PWM signals necessary to conserve the brightness of each one of the LEDs. This system allows the visualization of static images in standard formats and, in addition, thanks to the flexibility of the hardware used, it allows the visualization of moving images type GIF

Sistema de control de acceso biométrico sin contacto con tarjeta inteligente

Este artículo describe el desarrollo de un sistema interfaz de usuario sobre un terminal Spectra T-800 (POS). La transmisión de datos se realiza por medio de comunicación GPRS full dúplex y con un servidor externo mediante protocolo ISO 8583. El proyecto desarrolló su parte central en la captura de datos de la cédula colombiana, permitiendo la lectura del código de barras con un dispositivo de lectura del PDF417. La captura de la huella se realiza por medio del lector dactilar, el cual genera una plantilla que se almacena parcialmente en el datáfono. El lenguaje usado fue ANSI C, y se depuró mediante el compilador GCC de uso libre. Las herramientas de la aplicación fueron diseñadas especialmente para garantizar eficiencia, velocidad y seguridad a nivel comercial

Algoritmo de navegación a bordo en ambientes controlados a partir de procesamiento de imágenes

Navigation systems for static environments are supported in planning  with geometric tools. Also implement statistical and heuristic navigation methods, which makes them complex. Each day increases the complexity in implementing navigation controls, due to the constant progress of the technical characteristics of the hardware, giving possibility to better methods of path planning, with faster calculations and less error between the planned and carried out trajectory. This research proposes an algorithm suitable for navigation with camera in a mobile digital system. Laboratory results  demonstrates the high performance of the strategy.Los sistemas de navegación para ambientes estáticos se soportan en la planificación de rutas con herramientas geométricas. Implementan también métodos estocásticos y heurísticos lo que los hace complejos en su ajuste. Cada día aumenta la complejidad en la implementación de controles de navegación de robots, debido al avance constante de las características técnicas del hardware, dando posibilidad a mejores métodos de planeación de las rutas, con mayor rapidez en los cálculos y con menor error entre la trayectoria planeada y la realizada. Esta investigación propone un algoritmo  adecuado  para navegación con cámara a bordo en un sistema digital móvil. Resultados de laboratorio demuestra el alto desempeño de la estrategia

Sistema de monitoreo y control inalámbrico de potencia activa

Este artículo se enmarca en la problemática del calentamiento global desde el punto de vista del consumo energético, que es uno de los factores predominantes que lo agudizan. Es deber del ciudadano común tomar un papel protagónico en combatirla, y el de la ingeniería consiste en proponer soluciones sostenibles, a fin de contribuir a la preservación del ambiente y de la humanidad. En este contexto, y asumiendo nuestra responsabilidad como ingenieros, se elabora la propuesta de un sistema de monitoreo y control inalámbrico que permita reducir el consumo energético en los hogares suscritos a la Electrificadora del Meta. Se logra el prototipo de un sistema de monitoreo y control inalámbrico para el ahorro energético en los hogares suscritos a dicha empresa electrificadora, compatible con el medidor digital inalámbrico en desarrollo por Sypelc Ltda