Data dissemination over wireless sensor networks

In sensor networks, it is crucial to design and employ energy-efficient communication protocols since nodes are battery-powered, and thus their lifetimes are limited. We propose a data dissemination protocol for periodic data updates in wireless sensor networks, called SAFE (sinks accessing data from environments), which attempts to save energy through data delivery path sharing among multiple sinks that have common interests. Simulation results show that the proposed protocol is energy-efficient as well as scalable to a large sink population.     

Modelling of time-dependent performance criteria in a three-dimensional cell system during batch recirculation copper recovery

A three-dimensional electrode cell with cross-flow of current and electrolyte is modelled for galvanostatic and pseudopotentiostatic operation. The model is based on the electrodeposition of copper from acidified copper sulphate solution onto copper particles, with an initial concentration ensuring a diffusion-controlled process and operating in a batch recycle mode. Plug flow through the cell and perfect mixing of the electrolyte in the reservoir are assumed. Based on the model, the behaviour of reacting ion concentration, current efficiency, cell voltage, specific energy consumption and process time on selected independent variables is analysed for both galvanostatic and pseudopotentiostatic modes of operation. From the results presented it is possible to identify the optimal values of parameters for copper electrowinning.List of symbols a specific surface area (m^–1) - A cross-sectional area (mu²) - a _a Tafel constant for anode overpotential (V) - a _II Tofel constant for hydrogen evolution overpotential (V) - b _a Tafel coefficient for anode overpotential (V decade^–1) - b _H Tafel coefficient for hydrogen evolution overpotential (V decade^–1) - C _e concentration at the electrode surface (m) - C _L cell outlet concentration (m) - C ₀ cell inlet concentration (m) - C ₀ ⁰ initial cell inlet concentration att = 0 (m) - d _p particle diameter (m) - e, e _p current efficiency and pump efficiency, respectively - E specific energy consumption (Wh mol^–1) - E solution phase potential drop through the cathode (V) - F Faraday number (C mol^–1) - h interelectrode distance (m) - i, i _L current density and limiting current density, respectively (A m^–2) - I, I _L current and limiting current, respectively (A) - I _H partial current for hydrogen evolution (A) - k _L mass transfer coefficient (m s^–1) - L bed height (m) - l bed depth (m) - M molecular weight (g mol^–1) - N power per unit of electrode area (W m^–2) - n exponent in Equation 19 - P pressure drop in the cell (N m^–2) - Q electrolyte flow rate (m³ h^–1) - R Universal gas constant (J mol^–1 K^–1) - r _e electrochemical reaction rate (mol m^–2 h^–1) - t _c critical time for operating current to reach instantaneous limiting current (s) - t _p process time to reach specified degree of conversion (s) - T temperature (K) - u electrolyte velocity (m s^–1) - U total cell voltage (V) - U ₀ reversible decomposition potential (V) - U _ohm ohmic voltage drop between anode and threedimensional cathode (V) - V volume of electrolyte (m³) - z number of transferred electrons Greek letters ratio of the operating and limiting currents - _{A, a} anodic activation overpotential (V) - _{c, e} cathodic concentration overpotential (V) - bed voidage - _H void fraction of hydrogen bubbles in cathode - constant (Equation 2) - ₀ electrolyte conductivity (ohm^–1 m^–1) - v electrolyte kinematic viscosity (m² s^–1) - _d diaphragm voltage drop (V) - _H voltage drop due to hydrogen bubble containing electrolyte in cathode (V) - electrolyte density (kg m^–3) - _p particle density (kg M^–3) - reservoir residence time (s)     

Watermarking in the space/spatial-frequency domain usingtwo-dimensional Radon-Wigner distribution

A two-dimensional (2-D) signal with a variable spatial frequency is proposed as a watermark in the spatial domain. This watermark is characterized by a linear frequency change. It can be efficiently detected by using 2-D space/spatial-frequency distributions. The projections of the 2-D Wigner distribution-the 2-D Radon-Wigner distribution, are used in order to emphasize the watermark detection process. The watermark robustness with respect to some very important image processing attacks, such as for example, the translation, rotation, cropping, JPEG compression, and filtering, is demonstrated and tested by using Stirmark 3.1.     

Behavioral patterns of older-adults in assisted living

In this paper, we examine at-home activity rhythms and present a dozen of behavioral patterns obtained from an activity monitoring pilot study of 22 residents in an assisted living setting with four case studies. Established behavioral patterns have been captured using custom software based on a statistical predictive algorithm that models circadian activity rhythms (CARs) and their deviations. The CAR was statistically estimated based on the average amount of time a resident spent in each room within their assisted living apartment, and also on the activity level given by the average number of motion events per room. A validated in-home monitoring system (IMS) recorded the monitored resident's movement data and established the occupancy period and activity level for each room. Using these data, residents' circadian behaviors were extracted, deviations indicating anomalies were detected, and the latter were correlated to activity reports generated by the IMS as well as notes of the facility's professional caregivers on the monitored residents. The system could be used to detect deviations in activity patterns and to warn caregivers of such deviations, which could reflect changes in health status, thus providing caregivers with the opportunity to apply standard of care diagnostics and to intervene in a timely manner.     

Compression hysteresis of fibrous systems

This investigation deals with the compression of fibrous systems with oriented distribution of fibers into yarns, which are incorporated in a particular way into fabrics (by weft knitting technology). The compression phenomenon was investigated from both experimental and theoretical aspects. The knitted fabrics were subjected to successive compression–release cycles. According to the compression–release curves obtained, the viscoelastic response of the fibrous materials was determined. In such a way, the mechanical model based on van Wyk's compression theory was applied successfully to determine the compression hysteresis, although it is considered that the theory does not explain mechanical hysteresis of fiber assembly. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Analysis and experimentation of nonlinear adaptive controllers forthe series resonant converter

It is the purpose of this paper to explore the problem of regulating the output voltage of a DC-to-DC series resonant power converter (SRC). These converters have highly nonlinear dynamics fed by a bipolar square signal generator whose commuting frequency is the only accessible control variable in the control architecture that the authors study. Therefore, they are confronted with the problem of controlling a nonlinear switched system by means of a modulating frequency signal. Two more complications that make this problem more challenging are that the full state is typically not available for measurement, and that the output load, usually represented by a resistance, is unknown. They show here that-for constant control input-SRCs have a unique globally attractive periodic orbit, which motivates them to consider a first harmonic approximation of the system. They then prove that this reduced model consists of a known static nonlinearity in cascade with a first order system with unknown parameters, for which adaptive output feedback solutions can be derived. They propose two different schemes, first a passivity-based controller which, as usual in these schemes, achieves asymptotically the inversion of the nonlinearity. They prove that, under some practically reasonable considerations, this control law reduces to the dissipative controller recently proposed by Stankovic et al. The second scheme directly inverts the static nonlinearity and applies standard adaptive techniques to the resulting linear system. The three controllers are implemented in an experimental setup and the results are presented as a comparative study     

Water electrolysis and pressure drop behaviour in a three-dimensional electrode

Water electrolysis from acidified solution was used as a model system to investigate the net contribution of hydrogen bubbles to the pressure drop increase in a three-dimensional electrode. A bed of silvered glass beads in both fixed and fluidized state was used, assuming an unchanging particle surface during the experiments. Pressure drop behaviour with time was measured for different experimental conditions and presented relative to the pressure drop determined for a bubble free bed. Parameters, such as current density, electrolyte velocity and particle size, greatly influence the relative pressure drop behaviour in the three-dimensional electrode. A sudden increase in the pressure drop occurs with the appearance of a gas phase in the bed, reaching a constant value (plateau) after a certain time; this plateau corresponds to steady state conditions. The pressure drop increases with increasing current density. This increase is in the range 40-150% relative to the bubble free electrolyte flow through the bed. Electrolyte flow-rate also strongly influences the pressure drop in the hydrogen evolving fixed bed electrode. It was observed that the relative pressure drop decreases with increasing electrolyte velocity. At higher flow rates, peaks occur on the pressure drop-time curves, indicating the existence of channeling inside the bed in which spouting occurs. The time to reach the pressure drop plateau decreases with increasing electrolyte velocity as do the time intervals corresponding to maximum pressure drop values. At the minimum fluidization velocity the peaks disappear and the relative pressure drop decreases with time, tending to approach a constant value. For hydrogen evolution in the fluidized bed, the pressure drop is lower than that measured in the absence of gas, and reason for this decrease being the gas hold-up in the bed.     

Optimized error protection of scalable image bit streams [advances in joint source-channel coding for images]

This article focuses on FEC for scalable image coders. For various channel models, we survey recent progress made in system design and discuss efficient source-channel bit allocation techniques, with emphasis on unequal error protection. This article considered JSCC (joint source-channel coding) at the application layer only. Recent research has studied cross-layer optimization where JSCC is applied to both the application layer and the physical layer. The basic task here is to minimize the average distortion by allocating available power, subcarriers, and bandwidth among users at the physical layer and source-channel symbols at the application layer subject to a total resource constraint. Most of the JSCC systems covered in this article can be readily extended to transmit scalable compressed bit streams of video sequences and 3-D meshes. Due to the stringent delay constraints in video communications and the fact that MPEG is currently exploring a scalable video coding standard, fast JSCC algorithms are expected to play a bigger role and bring more performance gains. This article is also expected to stimulate further research efforts into JSCC and more importantly, prompt the industry to adopt some of these JSCC algorithms in their system designs, thus closing the cycle from algorithm development to implementation.     

Generalized Representation of Phase Derivatives for Regular Signals

This paper introduces a new generalized complex-lag moment which produces joint time-"phase derivatives" distributions. For the choice of the time-"first-order phase derivative," which stands for time-frequency representation, this distribution can be seen as a form of the Wigner-Ville distribution. Moreover, this generalization leads to distributions with highly reduced inner interferences caused by the nonlinearity of the signal's phase. It can also be seen as a polynomial distribution since the Nth-order distribution produces no inner interferences for polynomial phase law of order N. Implementation of these distributions is addressed. The results are illustrated by examples.     

Analytic phase-factor equations for Talbot array illuminations

Under specific circumstances the fractional Talbot effect can be described by simplified equations. We have obtained simplified analytic phase-factor equations to describe the relation between the pure-phase factors and their fractional Talbot distances behind a binary amplitude grating with an opening ratio of (1/M). We explain how these simple equations are obtained from the regularly rearranged neighboring phase differences. We point out that any intensity distribution with an irreducible opening ratio (M(N)/M) (M(N) < M, where M(N) and M are positive integers) generated by such an amplitude grating can be described by similar phase-factor equations. It is interesting to note that an amplitude grating with additional arbitrary phase modulation can also generate pure-phase distributions at the fractional Talbot distance. We have applied these analytic phase-factor equations to neighboring (0, pi) phase-modulated amplitude gratings and have analytically derived a new set of simple phase-factor equations for Talbot array illumination in this case. Experimental verification of our theoretical results is given.