Proceedings of the Thirty-Fourth Southeastern Symposium on System Theory (Cat. No.02EX540)

Epicardial signals are time-varying electric potentials on the outer surface of the heart that originate from a signal inside the heart to trigger the heartbeat. Diagnosis of epicardial signals by medical personnel reveals the health of the heart. Modeling of these signals is important in the inverse problem of electrocardiography. In this paper, we present an inverse technique for computing epicardial signals. We present a finite difference method using Laplace's equation for computing the resistance of an arbitrarily shaped conductor. We demonstrate how this method is useful in modeling the currents inside the body due to static electric fields. By applying this method to a model of the human body, we can develop a network of resistors from the heart to various points on the body surface. From actual electrocardiogram (ECG) measurements at the body surface, we can use the derived network to compute source potentials.

Web-based experimentation is a paradigm currently deployed by various clusters of traditional and open universities for the main purpose of enhancing the offering of didactic resources designed to strengthen hands-on practice in engineering education by sharing laboratory experiments distributed worldwide. Web-based experimentation also offers an tremendous opportunity to add flexibility in traditional curricula by providing students with versatile access to the learning material from both a time and a location perspective. In this paper, experience gained in deploying common web-based experimentation resources at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) and at the University of Florida in Gainesville is detailed, respectively in the framework of a traditional undergraduate curricula and of a distance masters-degree program. In addition to providing a description of web-based on-line laboratory resources, this papers seeks to introduce clear definitions of the components necessary to realistically sustain hands-on learning activities, such as synchronous collaboration facilities and on-line tutoring resources.

For systems that can be modeled using multiple models and Markovian switching probabilities, an interacting multiple model (IMM) estimator is a good approach to state estimation and mode detection. For good mode detection, it is desirable to maintain the mode-probability set so that one of the probabilities is near unity. For radar tracking a ballistic missile, the mode probability is dependent on the so-called revisit time defined as the elapsed time between each measurement. It is shown that selecting a revisit time that controls the value of a mode-switching coefficient yields acceptable performance in terms of both the mode probability and tracking error. The potential robustness of the method to tracking conditions is demonstrated through a mid-fidelity, physics-based radar simulation using targets that differ in both type and radar-to-target geometry. The results show that the proposed adaptive-revisit method performs well during boost, boost-to-coast transition, and ballistic coast, as measured by tracking error when compared to both a constant revisit interval and an ad-hoc, altitude-based revisit schedule.

The problem of force control is addressed for a type of three-phase linear variable reluctance motor that exhibits strong magnetic coupling between its phases. The force produced is a quadratic function of phase currents with coefficient matrix proportional to the spatial derivatives of inductance. The magnetic coupling leads to a non-diagonal inductance matrix, so all possible products of phase currents are involved in the production of force. Constrained optimization is used to determine phase currents that produce a desired force with minimum power dissipation. The new optimal force controller is shown to be related to an existing force controller that applies to classical synchronous reluctance motors.

This paper provides a tutorial introduction to phasor measurement units (PMU) when applied in a power system environment, provides an overview of communication alternatives for wide area measurement systems (WAMS), and computes the delay budget for each type of communication link. The goal of this study is to provide data regarding the communication delay that can be incorporated into the analysis and simulation of WAMS.

This paper deals with the design and implementation of the Bluetooth protocol stack. It also describes a functional overview and applications of Bluetooth. We have explained industrial automation via Bluetooth using IISS (Intelligent Informative Switching System). Bluetooth is a method for data communication that uses short-range radio links to replace cables between computers and their connected units. IISS is a controlling device that monitors the devices in the industry. It basically communicates through the interface card in the PC. The hardware is connected in parallel across the device and is interfaced with the PC through the transceiver. The device can be accessed both manually via switches and remotely via the PC. A simulation of remote monitoring, connecting the PC and the control room was performed and we obtained results in the form of graphs and alerts for various conditions of working.

Bài báo này đề cập và thảo luận về cách thức mà Kiểm soát Phát điện Tự động (AGC) được hình thành trước và sau khi giải phóng thị trường. AGC là một trong số các dịch vụ được gọi là dịch vụ hỗ trợ, được định nghĩa bởi Ủy ban Điều tiết Năng lượng Liên bang Mỹ (FERC). Để cho phép truy cập truyền tải mở và khuyến khích một thị trường điện lực bán buôn cạnh tranh, việc giải phóng thị trường đã được FERC giới thiệu vào năm 1995 trong Thông báo Đề xuất Quy tắc (NOPR). Trước khi giải phóng, các dịch vụ hỗ trợ, bao gồm cả AGC, được cung cấp bởi một công ty tiện ích duy nhất được gọi là khu vực kiểm soát, công ty này sở hữu cả hệ thống truyền tải và phát điện. Loại hình tiện ích này được biết đến với tên gọi Tiện ích Tích hợp Dọc (VIU). Kể từ khi giải phóng thị trường, khái niệm VIU không còn áp dụng và cấu trúc hệ thống điện lực đã thay đổi, cho phép sự xuất hiện của các công ty chuyên biệt trong lĩnh vực phát điện (GenCos), truyền tải (TransCos), phân phối (DisCos) và Các quản lý hợp đồng độc lập (ICA). Bài báo tập trung vào việc hình thành và vận hành AGC để thích ứng với môi trường mới này. Nó cũng đề cập đến việc cung cấp các dịch vụ hỗ trợ khác trong khuôn khổ đã giải phóng.

Power consumption is one of the most critical system design parameters, particularly in the case of battery powered computer systems. This paper presents a novel method of data acquisition and processing suited for the dynamic power estimation of computer systems. It is the goal of the designer of these systems to maximize the useful system operation time with a fixed battery charge. In order to achieve the goal of maximum lifetime, several key data points about the real-time power consumption of the system are needed. These include average, maximum, and minimum current drawn over a period of time and also instantaneous current drawn by the system while it is active. We developed a separate power measurement device to provide the real-time data sets generated by the system under test. The power measurement device will determine the current drawn by the system under test, and will provide to the user the average, maximum, and minimum current drawn by the system during the period of the test. The power measurement device can also provide real-time current draw of the system under the test, within the precision of the power measurement device. We use a very low power microcontroller, Texas Instruments MSP430F149, for data acquisition and processing. We also provide a real-time data stream of average samples to the standard RS-232 serial communications port with the sampling frequency of approximately 6.9 kHz. Real-time traces of the dynamic power consumption collected by this power measurement device allow designers to modify hardware and software architecture to extend the system lifetime with a given battery charge.

We often encounter problems that involve either nonlinear or multi-dimensional combinations of random variables. One would like to be able to determine the probability density function of these combinations. The individual components that contribute to the combination are assumed known, but the combination is not known. Computations to determine this combined PDF axe tedious and difficult to accomplish in most cases. We propose a simpler means to bypass many of these difficulties. By using Fourier analysis and application of the definition of the Dirac delta function, the proper form the combined PDF is obtained with considerable simplification. The motivation for this is engineering applications that occur frequently in radar applications that involve combinations of probability density functions.

Trong ngành công nghiệp phần mềm, một trong những yếu tố kinh doanh trung tâm nhất là năng suất lập trình viên. Mặc dù có một lợi thế lớn trong việc có thể đo lường và từ đó quản lý yếu tố quan trọng này, nhưng hiện chưa có một khuôn khổ nào được chấp nhận rộng rãi để đo lường năng suất phần mềm. Tài liệu này phác thảo một đề xuất cho một nghiên cứu nhằm cố gắng đo lường năng suất lập trình viên phần mềm. Tài liệu đề xuất một phác thảo cho một công cụ đo lường cơ bản năng suất phần mềm.