Hardware/firmware implementation of a soft sensor using an improved version of a fuzzy identification algorithm

This paper presents the design and implementation of an embedded soft sensor, i.e., a generic and autonomous hardware module, which can be applied to many complex plants, wherein a certain variable cannot be directly measured. It is implemented based on a fuzzy identification algorithm called "Limited Rules", employed to model continuous nonlinear processes. The fuzzy model has a Takagi-Sugeno-Kang structure and the premise parameters are defined based on the Fuzzy C-Means (FCM) clustering algorithm. The firmware contains the soft sensor and it runs online, estimating the target variable from other available variables. Tests have been performed using a simulated pH neutralization plant. The results of the embedded soft sensor have been considered satisfactory. A complete embedded inferential control system is also presented, including a soft sensor and a PID controller.     

Use of sorbyl chloride–osmium staining for fibrillar measurements in cotton fibers

The technique for staining unsaturated additives within cotton fibers reacts osmium tetroxide with a sorbyl moiety which has been attached to the cellulose chain. Resulting electron micrographs indicate that contrast is considerably enhanced. Measurements of fibrillar size averaged 0.30 nm, closely approximating the values in the literature.     

Would Professor Moriarity Make a Credible Sherlock Holmes?

My three year old daughter, Hannah, has spent a considerable amount of thinking time speculating on the why and wherefore of fairies. It has transpired that not all fairies are good. Miss Flora, Miss Fauna and Miss Merryweather are definitely good. Tinker Bell, though, is another brand of fairy. Didn’t she almost kill Wendy in Peter Pan? But she did have some redeeming features. In tandem with Hannah’s ruminations on the fairy world, I have been thinking about hackers of the black, grey and white hat varieties. Are black hats all bad? Are white hats all good? Are grey hats a devastating combination of both?     

Vendors take care!

Committed to stimulating discussion between vendors and users in a safe and enriching environment, Security Focus (www.securityfocus.com) is an excellent site that really does focus on some very practical areas of concern. Some of its very tangible and readily useful features can be found in the Vulnerabilities, Tools, Library, Products and Services options. Here you will find the latest technical information regarding the current status of new and established products, as well as valuable information on publications and services. It is best described by itself:     

Things You Always Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask!

This month I will look at several sites that provide the type of information that would go under the category of, “I always wondered what that was” or “I often wondered what that meant” or “I have been meaning to look that up for such a long time”. Well, I hope my eclectic pick of sites will address some of the great unanswered questions that have dogged your subconscious for years.     

Avoiding Email Blunders Even After The Email is Sent

There is nothing like a major controversy flaunted on the news reels to give some spunk to a rather dry subject like email security. The biggest email blunder of 2001 was surely UK civil servant Jo Moore’s¹ to the UK Labour Party press office to “bury the bad news” about the UK rail industry in the light of the events of 11 September. She could have exerted control over the entire life of that fateful email — in transit, even after it had been received at the other end, but unfortunately she was not party to this knowledge. Then five months later, two UK newspapers — the Daily Mirror and the Daily Express receive an unsigned note, apparently from an official in the transport department, alleging that Ms Moore had again succumbed to taking unfair advantage of tragedy. This time with an email suggesting using Princess Margaret’s funeral to conceal the bad news about the UK rail industry. The evidence here, a copy of an email apparently sent by Mr Sixsmith, Moore’s boss, and copied to Mr Byers², censuring Ms Moore for committing this sin yet again. But it transpires that the message had apparently been doctored to damage Ms Moore before it was sent to the newspapers. Again, some important email tracking technology could unveil the life cycle of the doctored email, like for example who read it, when they read it, and whether they printed, copied or forwarded it.     

Body Mnemonics in PDA Security

There is no doubt that PDA’s have come of age as the communications device of choice for the growing legions of road warriors. However PDAs can become just as vulnerable as desktop systems to viruses, mobile code exploits and spam.