A Microprogrammed Approach for Implementing Statecharts

Date of Conference: 28-30 Aug. 2019; Conference Location: Kallithea, Greece[Abstract] Statechart diagrams allow specifying complex systems in which there may be several states active at the same time and a large number of events and transitions to evaluate. Statecharts have been found useful in the design and implementation of control systems in research facilities, such as particle accelerators. Automatic tools may convert statechart-based specifications into hardware descriptions. During the development of one of those tools, the convenience of implementing statecharts as microprogrammed control systems was considered. In this work, we propose a method for implementing generic microprogrammed architectures that support statecharts upgradable on the field. This approach is evaluated showing its advantages and disadvantages.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad; TIN2016-75845-PXunta de Galicia e FEDER funds of the EU under the Consolidation Program of Competitive Reference Groups; ED431C 2017/04)Centro Singular de Investigación de Galicia; ED431G/0

High-Speed FPGA Architecture for CABAC Decoding Acceleration in H.264/AVC Standard

This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Journal of Signal Processing Systems. The final authenticated version is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11265-012-0718-y.[Abstract] Video encoding and decoding are computing intensive applications that require high performance processors or dedicated hardware. Video decoding offers a high parallel processing potential that may be exploited. However, a particular task challenges parallelization: entropy decoding. In H.264 and SVC video standards, this task is mainly carried out using arithmetic decoding, an strictly sequential algorithm that achieves results close to the entropy limit. By accelerating arithmetic decoding, the bottleneck is removed and parallel decoding is enabled. Many works have been published on accelerating pure binary encoding and decoding. However, little research has been done into how to integrate binary decoding with context managing and control without losing performance. In this work we propose a FPGA-based architecture that achieves real time decoding for high-definition video by sustaining a 1 bin per cycle throughput. This is accomplished by implementing fast bin decoding; a novel and area efficient context-managing mechanism; and optimized control scheduling.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación; TIN2010-17541Xunta de Galicia, Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria; 2010/6Xunta de Galicia, Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria; 2010/28

Hardware Implementation of Statecharts for FPGA-based Control in Scientific Facilities

Date of Conference: 20-22 Nov. 2019; Conference Location: Bilbao, Spain[Abstract] The problem of generating complex synchronization patterns using automated tools is addressed in this paper. This work was originally motivated by the need of fast and jitter free synchronization in scientific facilities, where a large number of sensors and actuators must be controlled at the right time in a variety of situations. Programmable processors cannot meet the real-time requirements, forcing to use dedicated circuits to produce and transmit the control signals. Designing application specific hardware by hand is a slow and error-prone task. Hence, a set of tools is required that allow specifying the control systems in a clear and efficient way and producing synthesizable HDL (hardware description language) code in an automated manner. Statechart diagrams have been selected as the input method, and this work focuses on how to translate those diagrams into HDL code. We present a tool that analyzes a Statecharts specification and implements the required control systems using FPGAs. A number of solutions are provided to deal with multiple triggering events and concurrent super-states. Also, an alternative microprogrammed implementation is proposed.This work was funded in part by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain, Project TIN2016-75845-P (AEI/FEDER, UE), Xunta de Galicia and FEDER funds of the EU under the Consolidation Program of Competitive Reference Groups (ED431C 2017/04), and under the Centro Singular de Investigaci ´on de Galicia accreditation 2016-2019 (ED431G/01)Xunta de Galicia; ED431C 2017/04Xunta de Galicia; ED431G/0

Rusty microglia: trainers of innate immunity in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, is marked by progressive cognitive and functional impairment believed to reflect synaptic and neuronal loss. Recent preclinical data suggests that lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated microglia may contribute to the elimination of viable neurons and synapses by promoting a neurotoxic astrocytic phenotype, defined as A1. The innate immune cells, including microglia and astrocytes, can either facilitate or inhibit neuroinflammation in response to peripherally applied inflammatory stimuli, such as LPS. Depending on previous antigen encounters, these cells can assume activated (trained) or silenced (tolerized) phenotypes, augmenting or lowering inflammation. Iron, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and LPS, the cell wall component of gram-negative bacteria, are microglial activators, but only the latter can trigger immune tolerization. In Alzheimer's disease, tolerization may be impaired as elevated LPS levels, reported in this condition, fail to lower neuroinflammation. Iron is closely linked to immunity as it plays a key role in immune cells proliferation and maturation, but it is also indispensable to pathogens andmalignancies which compete for its capture. Danger signals, including LPS, induce intracellular iron sequestration in innate immune cells to withhold it from pathogens. However, excess cytosolic iron increases the risk of inflammasomes' activation, microglial training and neuroinflammation. Moreover, it was suggested that free iron can awaken the dormant central nervous system (CNS) LPS-shedding microbes, engendering prolonged neuroinflammation that may override immune tolerization, triggering autoimmunity. In this review, we focus on iron-related innate immune pathology in Alzheimer's disease and discuss potential immunotherapeutic agents for microglial de-escalation along with possible delivery vehicles for these compounds

Sistema digital para el control central del sistema eléctrico utilizando tecnología Arduino y Android: aplicación en Centro Regional San Miguel

Este artículo contiene información concerniente al proyecto de investigación aplicada “Sistema digital para el control central del sistema eléctrico utilizando tecnología Arduino y Android” llevado a cabo por docentes y estudiantes de las carreras técnicas en Ingeniería Eléctrica y Sistemas Informáticos del Centro Regional de San Miguel. El proyecto tuvo como propósito la búsqueda y la aplicación de la tecnología para desarrollar un sistema digital que permitiera el control central de los circuitos eléctricos de forma remota e inalámbrica a un área específica, utilizando dispositivos Arduino vía Wi-fi. Para lograr el control de los segmentos de la red se adecuaron las instalaciones eléctricas existentes, se construyeron los circuitos de hardware con Arduino; se construyó la interfaz gráfica de usuario para la comunicación y acceso a los segmentos de red vía web y a través de dispositivos móviles; se elaboró una aplicación web para el control central y acceso a los circuitos de la red eléctrica y se integró el nuevo sistema desarrollado a una aplicación informática existente para administrar el uso de llaves de las aulas, laboratorios y talleres

Sistema digital para el control central del sistema eléctrico utilizando tecnologías Arduino y Android

La necesidad de encontrar soluciones al ahorro de consumo eléctrico, motivó llevar a cabo una investigación referente a métodos o técnicas de ahorro y eficiencia del uso de la electricidad. Se encontró que existen diversas formas de ahorrar energía eléctrica, una de ellas es logrando una educación eficaz del personal para el consumo racional o eficiente y cambiando los equipos existentes por otros de tecnología de menor consumo. Sin embargo, para el uso eficiente y ahorro de la energía eléctrica con la mínima intervención humana, se pueden desarrollar sistemas de control automático. Entre éstos se investigaron los sistemas domóticos, los Controladores Lógicos Programables (PLC) y los sistemas autómatas programables como LOGO. Si bien algunos de estos sistemas y equipos podrían lograr hacer una función similar a los resultados esperados con este proyecto, tienen la limitante que el costo de adquisición es elevado en relación al costo de la tecnología Arduino y el desarrollo de un software sencillo y amigable. El sistema más económico y con la tecnología de actualidad es el sistema de control inteligente a través de Arduino. Aprovechando las ventajas de este dispositivo electrónico, es posible programar sus seis pines de salida eléctrica, a través de los pulsos eléctricos de 5V DC. En sus pines digitales y analógicos en combinación a una tarjeta de relés electrónicos de 12V DC, es posible controlar la acción de contactores que administran corrientes y voltajes en AC para control de potencia eléctrica en sistemas de iluminación, aires acondicionados y ventilación

Software Receiver Design for Galileo Signals.

The article presents a new concept of software-based GNSS receivers because of its advantages in flexibility and possibility of reconfiguration. The aim is to develop a receiver for navigation signals of the Galileo system testbed, the Giove-A and Giove-B. The receiver must be able to acquire, track and demodulate signals "BOC" system. For this test different techniques, both in the acquisition and follow-up. Also developed a configurable signal generator for testing and a graphical user interface to manage the receiver easily. The results show that the signals can be acquired successfully with a front-end narrowband GPS and conventional algorithms. Similarly, you can track and demodulate the data channel signal (E1B) using the BOCPRN configuration

Design and Validation of a Software Receiver for Galileo

This paper presents a new concept of software-based GNSS receivers for the Binary Offset Carrier signals of the Galileo testbed satellites, Giove-A and Giove-B. The receiver designed in Matlab must be able to acquire, track and demodulate both signals. Its advantages in terms of flexibility and reconfigurability make it an excellent instrument to test new designs or new prototypes as a previous stage on a hardware implementation

Evaluación serológica de dosis – respuesta de la vacuna inactivada contra la enfermedad de Newcastle en pollo de engorda (Gallus gallus) “Cobb 700”

"La EN se define como una infección de las aves de corral, causada por el virus de la enfermedad de Newcastle, altamente contagiosa que afecta a muchas especies de aves domésticas y silvestres. Afecta más notoriamente a las aves de corral debido a su alta susceptibilidad y a las posibilidades de impacto severo que una epidemia causa en la industria avícola (SENASICA, 2015). La EN, sin duda alguna, se ha convertido en un problema sanitario en el sector avícola del país, ocasionando pérdidas económicas de gran magnitud, tanto en mortalidad como en la caída de producción de huevo, alterando específicamente al rendimiento productivo de las aves. Hoy en día, la elección de una vacuna adecuada que genere un nivel de inmunidad humoral suficiente es necesaria para evitar estas pérdidas económicas cuando las parvadas sean expuestas al virus de la EN (VEN). Por esta razón se buscó evaluar diferentes vacunas inactivadas contra la EN elaboradas con diferente cepa vacunal y concentración de antígeno para estimular la inmunidad humoral que se traduce en una respuesta de anticuerpos protectores contra la EN en las aves de engorda en la región de Tecamachalco"