Search results for: desktop application
2282 The Application of Non-quantitative Modelling in the Analysis of a Network Warfare Environment
Authors: N. Veerasamy, JPH Eloff
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Network warfare is an emerging concept that focuses on the network and computer based forms through which information is attacked and defended. Various computer and network security concepts thus play a role in network warfare. Due the intricacy of the various interacting components, a model to better understand the complexity in a network warfare environment would be beneficial. Non-quantitative modeling is a useful method to better characterize the field due to the rich ideas that can be generated based on the use of secular associations, chronological origins, linked concepts, categorizations and context specifications. This paper proposes the use of non-quantitative methods through a morphological analysis to better explore and define the influential conditions in a network warfare environment.
Keywords: Morphological, non-quantitative, network warfare.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 13872281 Towards the Design of Gripper Independent of Substrate Surface Structures
Authors: Annika Schmidt, Ausama Hadi Ahmed, Carlo Menon
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End effectors for robotic systems are becoming more and more advanced, resulting in a growing variety of gripping tasks. However, most grippers are application specific. This paper presents a gripper that interacts with an object’s surface rather than being dependent on a defined shape or size. For this purpose, ingressive and astrictive features are combined to achieve the desired gripping capabilities. The developed prototype is tested on a variety of surfaces with different hardness and roughness properties. The results show that the gripping mechanism works on all of the tested surfaces. The influence of the material properties on the amount of the supported load is also studied and the efficiency is discussed.Keywords: Claw, dry adhesion, insects, material properties.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 13512280 Genetic Algorithm with Fuzzy Genotype Values and Its Application to Neuroevolution
Authors: Hidehiko Okada
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The author proposes an extension of genetic algorithm (GA) for solving fuzzy-valued optimization problems. In the proposed GA, values in the genotypes are not real numbers but fuzzy numbers. Evolutionary processes in GA are extended so that GA can handle genotype instances with fuzzy numbers. The proposed method is applied to evolving neural networks with fuzzy weights and biases. Experimental results showed that fuzzy neural networks evolved by the fuzzy GA could model hidden target fuzzy functions well despite the fact that no training data was explicitly provided.
Keywords: Evolutionary algorithm, genetic algorithm, fuzzy number, neural network, neuroevolution.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 23022279 Low Power Approach for Decimation Filter Hardware Realization
Authors: Kar Foo Chong, Pradeep K. Gopalakrishnan, T. Hui Teo
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There are multiple ways to implement a decimator filter. This paper addresses usage of CIC (cascaded-integrator-comb) filter and HB (half band) filter as the decimator filter to reduce the frequency sample rate by factor of 64 and detail of the implementation step to realize this design in hardware. Low power design approach for CIC filter and half band filter will be discussed. The filter design is implemented through MATLAB system modeling, ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) design flow and verified using a FPGA (field programmable gate array) board and MATLAB analysis.Keywords: CIC filter, decimation filter, half-band filter, lowpower.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 23972278 Quantum Computation using Two Component Bose-Einstein Condensates
Authors: Tim Byrnes
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Quantum computation using qubits made of two component Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) is analyzed. We construct a general framework for quantum algorithms to be executed using the collective states of the BECs. The use of BECs allows for an increase of energy scales via bosonic enhancement, resulting in two qubit gate operations that can be performed at a time reduced by a factor of N, where N is the number of bosons per qubit. We illustrate the scheme by an application to Deutsch-s and Grover-s algorithms, and discuss possible experimental implementations. Decoherence effects are analyzed under both general conditions and for the experimental implementation proposed.
Keywords: Quantum, computing, information, Bose-Einstein condensates, macroscopic.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 19772277 Preparation and Characterization of Silk/Diopside Composite Nanofibers via Electrospinning for Tissue Engineering Application
Authors: Abbas Teimouri, Leila Ghorbanian, Iren Dabirian
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This work focused on preparation and characterizations of silk fibroin (SF)/nanodiopside nanoceramic via electrospinning process. Nanofibrous scaffolds were characterized by combined techniques of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results confirmed that fabricated SF/diopside scaffolds improved cell attachment and proliferation. The results indicated that the electrospun of SF/nanodiopside nanofibrous scaffolds could be considered as ideal candidates for tissue engineering.Keywords: Electrospinning, nanofibers, silk fibroin, diopside, composite scaffold.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 13032276 Application of a Fracture-Mechanics Approach to Gas Pipelines
Authors: Ľubomír Gajdoš, Martin Šperl
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This study offers a new simple method for assessing an axial part-through crack in a pipe wall. The method utilizes simple approximate expressions for determining the fracture parameters K, J, and employs these parameters to determine critical dimensions of a crack on the basis of equality between the J-integral and the J-based fracture toughness of the pipe steel. The crack tip constraint is taken into account by the so-called plastic constraint factor C, by which the uniaxial yield stress in the J-integral equation is multiplied. The results of the prediction of the fracture condition are verified by burst tests on test pipes.Keywords: Axial crack, Fracture-mechanics, J integral, Pipeline wall.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 29472275 Object Localization in Medical Images Using Genetic Algorithms
Authors: George Karkavitsas, Maria Rangoussi
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We present a genetic algorithm application to the problem of object registration (i.e., object detection, localization and recognition) in a class of medical images containing various types of blood cells. The genetic algorithm approach taken here is seen to be most appropriate for this type of image, due to the characteristics of the objects. Successful cell registration results on real life microscope images of blood cells show the potential of the proposed approach.
Keywords: Genetic algorithms, object registration, pattern recognition, blood cell microscope images.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 19692274 Web Service Architecture for Computer-Adaptive Testing on e-Learning
Authors: M. Phankokkruad, K. Woraratpanya
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This paper proposes a Web service and serviceoriented architecture (SOA) for a computer-adaptive testing (CAT) process on e-learning systems. The proposed architecture is developed to solve an interoperability problem of the CAT process by using Web service. The proposed SOA and Web service define all services needed for the interactions between systems in order to deliver items and essential data from Web service to the CAT Webbased application. These services are implemented in a XML-based architecture, platform independence and interoperability between the Web service and CAT Web-based applications.Keywords: Web service, service-oriented architecture, computer-adaptive testing, e-learning, interoperability
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 17342273 Efficient Mean Shift Clustering Using Exponential Integral Kernels
Authors: S. Sutor, R. Röhr, G. Pujolle, R. Reda
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This paper presents a highly efficient algorithm for detecting and tracking humans and objects in video surveillance sequences. Mean shift clustering is applied on backgrounddifferenced image sequences. For efficiency, all calculations are performed on integral images. Novel corresponding exponential integral kernels are introduced to allow the application of nonuniform kernels for clustering, which dramatically increases robustness without giving up the efficiency of the integral data structures. Experimental results demonstrating the power of this approach are presented.
Keywords: Clustering, Integral Images, Kernels, Person Detection, Person Tracking, Intelligent Video Surveillance.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 15292272 Multi-Objective Optimization of Combined System Reliability and Redundancy Allocation Problem
Authors: Vijaya K. Srivastava, Davide Spinello
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This paper presents established 3n enumeration procedure for mixed integer optimization problems for solving multi-objective reliability and redundancy allocation problem subject to design constraints. The formulated problem is to find the optimum level of unit reliability and the number of units for each subsystem. A number of illustrative examples are provided and compared to indicate the application of the superiority of the proposed method.
Keywords: Integer programming, mixed integer programming, multi-objective optimization, reliability redundancy allocation.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 6682271 Non-Rigid Registration of Medical Images Using an Automated Method
Authors: Panos Kotsas
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This paper presents the application of a signal intensity independent registration criterion for non-rigid body registration of medical images. The criterion is defined as the weighted ratio image of two images. The ratio is computed on a voxel per voxel basis and weighting is performed by setting the ratios between signal and background voxels to a standard high value. The mean squared value of the weighted ratio is computed over the union of the signal areas of the two images and it is minimized using the Chebyshev polynomial approximation. The geometric transformation model adopted is a local cubic B-splines based model.
Keywords: Medical image, non-rigid, registration.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 14492270 Complexity of Operation and Maintenance in Irrigation Network Management-A Case of the Dez Scheme in the Greater Dezful, Iran
Authors: Najaf Hedayat
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Food and fibre production in arid and semi-arid regions has emerged as one of the major challenges for various socio-economic and political reasons such as the food security and self-sufficiency. Productive use of the renewable water resources has risen on top ofthe decision-making agenda. For this reason, efficient operation and maintenance of modern irrigation and drainage schemes become part and parcel and indispensible reality in agricultural policy making arena. The aim of this paper is to investigate the complexity of operating and maintaining such schemes, mainly focussing on challenges which enhance and opportunities that impedsustainable food and fibre production. The methodology involved using secondary data complemented byroutine observations and stakeholders views on issues that influence the O&M in the Dez command area. The SPSS program was used as an analytical framework for data analysis and interpretation.Results indicate poor application efficiency in most croplands, much of which is attributed to deficient operation of conveyance and distribution canals. These in turn, are reportedly linked to inadequate maintenance of the pumping stations and hydraulic structures like turnouts,flumes and other control systems particularly in the secondary and tertiary canals. Results show that the aforementioned deficiencies have been the major impediment to establishing regular flow toward the farm gates which subsequently undermine application efficiency and tillage operationsat farm level. Results further show that accumulative impact of such deficiencies has been the major causes of poorcrop yield and quality that deem production system in these croplands uneconomic. Results further show that the present state might undermine the sustainability of agricultural system in the command area. The overall conclusion being that present water management is unlikely to be responsive to challenges that the sector faces. And in the absence of coherent measures to shift the status quo situation in favour of more productive resource use, it would be hard to fulfil the objectives of the National Economic and Socio-cultural Development Plans.
Keywords: renewable water resources, Dez scheme, irrigationand drainage, sustainable crop production, O&M
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 16182269 Landfill Gas Monitoring at Borehole Wells using an Autonomous Environmental Monitoring System
Authors: Breda M. Kiernan, Stephen Beirne, Cormac Fay, Dermot Diamond
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An autonomous environmental monitoring system (Smart Landfill) has been constructed for the quantitative measurement of the components of landfill gas found at borehole wells at the perimeter of landfill sites. The main components of landfill gas are the greenhouse gases, methane and carbon dioxide and have been monitored in the range 0-5 % volume. This monitoring system has not only been tested in the laboratory but has been deployed in multiple field trials and the data collected successfully compared with on-site monitors. This success shows the potential of this system for application in environments where reliable gas monitoring is crucial.Keywords: Environmental monitoring, greenhouse gas, landfill gas, sensor deployment
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 21172268 EU, US and Tax Incentives: An Application
Authors: Carlos F. Liard-Muriente
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The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the controversial subject of tax incentives to promote regional development. Although extensive research has been conducted, a review of the literature gives an inconclusive answer to whether economic incentives are effective. One reason is the fact that for some researchers “effective" means the significant location of new firms in targeted areas, while for others the creation of jobs regardless if new firms are arriving in a significant fashion. We present this dichotomy by analyzing a tax incentive program via both alternatives: location and job creation. The contribution of the paper is to inform policymakers about the potential opportunities and pitfalls when designing incentive strategies. This is particularly relevant, given that both the US and Europe have been promoting incentives as a tool for regional economic development.Keywords: Employment, Foreign Investment, Tax Incentives.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 14042267 Electrocardiogram Signal Denoising Using a Hybrid Technique
Authors: R. Latif, W. Jenkal, A. Toumanari, A. Hatim
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This paper presents an efficient method of electrocardiogram signal denoising based on a hybrid approach. Two techniques are brought together to create an efficient denoising process. The first is an Adaptive Dual Threshold Filter (ADTF) and the second is the Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT). The presented approach is based on three steps of denoising, the DWT decomposition, the ADTF step and the highest peaks correction step. This paper presents some application of the approach on some electrocardiogram signals of the MIT-BIH database. The results of these applications are promising compared to other recently published techniques.Keywords: Hybrid technique, ADTF, DWT, tresholding, ECG signal.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 12002266 Enhanced Economic Evaluation – Approach for a Holistic Evaluation of Factory Planning Variants
Authors: Candy P. Schulze, Michael Brieke, Prof. Peter Nyhuis
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The building of a factory can be a strategic investment owing to its long service life. An evaluation that only focuses, for example, on payments for the building, the technical equipment of the factory, and the personnel for the enterprise is – considering the complexity of the system factory – not sufficient for this long-term view. The success of an investment is secured, among other things, by the attainment of nonmonetary goals, too, like transformability. Such aspects are not considered in traditional investment calculations like the net present value method. This paper closes this gap with the enhanced economic evaluation (EWR) for factory planning. The procedure and the first results of an application in a project are presented.Keywords: economic efficiency, holistic evaluation, factory planning
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 16962265 Talent Management and its Use in the Field of Human Resources Management in the Organization of the Czech Republic
Authors: Petra Horváthová, Irena Durdová
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The article is aimed at bringing information on the scope and the level of use of talent management by organizations in one of the Czech Republic regions, in the Moravian-Silesian Region. On the basis of data acquired by a questionnaire survey it has been found out that organizations in the above-mentioned region are implementing the system of talent management on a small scale: this approach is used by 3.8 % of organizations only that is 9 from 237 (100 %) of the approached respondents. The main reasons why this approach is not used is either that organizations have no knowledge of it or there is lack of financial and personnel resources. In the article recommendations suggested by the author can be found for a wider application of talent management in the Czech practice.
Keywords: Talent, talent management, use, mind map of talent management.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 21672264 Transimpedance Amplifier for Integrated 3D Ultrasound Biomicroscope Applications
Authors: Xiwei Huang, Hyouk-Kyu Cha, Dongning Zhao, Bin Guo, Minkyu Je, Hao Yu
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This paper presents the design and implementation of a fully integrated transimpedance amplifier (TIA) as the analog frontend receiver for Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasound Transducers (CMUTs) for ultrasound biomicroscope imaging application. The amplifier is designed to amplify the received signals from 17.5MHz to 52.5MHz with a center frequency of 35MHz. The TIA was fabricated in GF 0.18μm 1P6M 30V high voltage process. The measurement results show that the designed amplifier can reach a transimpedance gain of 61.08dBΩ and operating frequency from 17.5MHz to 100MHz with 1VP-P output voltage under 6V power supply.
Keywords: 3D ultrasound biomicroscope, analog front-end, transimpedance amplifier, CMUT
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 27222263 The Application of Homotopy Method In Solving Electrical Circuit Design Problem
Authors: Talib Hashim Hasan
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This paper describes simple implementation of homotopy (also called continuation) algorithm for determining the proper resistance of the resistor to dissipate energy at a specified rate of an electric circuit. Homotopy algorithm can be considered as a developing of the classical methods in numerical computing such as Newton-Raphson and fixed point methods. In homoptopy methods, an embedding parameter is used to control the convergence. The method purposed in this work utilizes a special homotopy called Newton homotopy. Numerical example solved in MATLAB is given to show the effectiveness of the purposed methodKeywords: electrical circuit homotopy, methods, MATLAB, Newton homotopy
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 30292262 Asynchronous Microcontroller Simulation Model in VHDL
Authors: M. Kovac
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This article describes design of the 8-bit asynchronous microcontroller simulation model in VHDL. The model is created in ISE Foundation design tool and simulated in Modelsim tool. This model is a simple application example of asynchronous systems designed in synchronous design tools. The design process of creating asynchronous system with 4-phase bundled-data protocol and with matching delays is described in the article. The model is described in gate-level abstraction. The simulation waveform of the functional construction is the result of this article. Described construction covers only the simulation model. The next step would be creating synthesizable model to FPGA.Keywords: Asynchronous, Microcontroller, VHDL, FPGA.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 33002261 Calculation of Heating Load for an Apartment Complex with Unit Building Method
Authors: Ju-Seok Kim, Sun-Ae Moon, Tae-Gu Lee, Seung-Jae Moon, Jae-Heon Lee
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As a simple to method estimate the plant heating energy capacity of an apartment complex, a new load calculation method has been proposed. The method which can be called as unit building method, predicts the heating load of the entire complex instead of summing up that of each apartment belonging to complex. Comparison of the unit heating load for various floor sizes between the present method and conventional approach shows a close agreement with dynamic load calculation code. Some additional calculations are performed to demonstrate it-s application examples.Keywords: Unit Building Method, Unit Heating Load, TFMLoad.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 34382260 High-Production Laser and Plasma Welding Technologies for High-Speed Vessels Production
Authors: V. M. Levshakov, N. A. Steshenkova, N. A. Nosyrev
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Application of hulls processing technologies, based on high-concentrated energy sources (laser and plasma technologies), allow improve shipbuilding production. It is typical for high-speed vessels construction using steel and aluminum alloys with high precision hulls required. Report describes high-performance technologies for plasma welding (using direct current of reversed polarity), laser, and hybrid laser-arc welding of hulls structures developed by JSC “SSTC”
Keywords: Flat sections, hybrid laser-arc welding, plasma welding, plasmatron.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 25992259 Application of Simulation and Response Surface to Optimize Hospital Resources
Authors: Shamsuddin Ahmed, Francis Amagoh
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This paper presents a case study that uses processoriented simulation to identify bottlenecks in the service delivery system in an emergency department of a hospital in the United Arab Emirates. Using results of the simulation, response surface models were developed to explain patient waiting time and the total time patients spend in the hospital system. Results of the study could be used as a service improvement tool to help hospital management in improving patient throughput and service quality in the hospital system.Keywords: Simulation, Hospital Service, Resource Utilization, United Arab Emirates.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 14982258 A Family of Minimal Residual Based Algorithm for Adaptive Filtering
Authors: Noor Atinah Ahmad
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The Minimal Residual (MR) is modified for adaptive filtering application. Three forms of MR based algorithm are presented: i) the low complexity SPCG, ii) MREDSI, and iii) MREDSII. The low complexity is a reduced complexity version of a previously proposed SPCG algorithm. Approximations introduced reduce the algorithm to an LMS type algorithm, but, maintain the superior convergence of the SPCG algorithm. Both MREDSI and MREDSII are MR based methods with Euclidean direction of search. The choice of Euclidean directions is shown via simulation to give better misadjustment compared to their gradient search counterparts.Keywords: Adaptive filtering, Adaptive least square, Minimalresidual method.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 14422257 Sociological Impact on Education An Analytical Approach Through Artificial Neural network
Authors: P. R. Jayathilaka, K.L. Jayaratne, H.L. Premaratne
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This research presented in this paper is an on-going project of an application of neural network and fuzzy models to evaluate the sociological factors which affect the educational performance of the students in Sri Lanka. One of its major goals is to prepare the grounds to device a counseling tool which helps these students for a better performance at their examinations, especially at their G.C.E O/L (General Certificate of Education-Ordinary Level) examination. Closely related sociological factors are collected as raw data and the noise of these data are filtered through the fuzzy interface and the supervised neural network is being utilized to recognize the performance patterns against the chosen social factors.Keywords: Education, Fuzzy, neural network, prediction, Sociology
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 16392256 Performance Analysis of Round Trip Delay Time in Practical Wireless Network for Telemanagement
Authors: El Miloud Ar Reyouchi, Kamal Ghoumid, Koutaiba Ameziane, Otman El Mrabet, Slimane Mekaoui
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In this paper we focus on the Round Trip Delay (RTD) time measurement technique which is an easy way to obtain the operating condition information in wireless network (WN). RTD measurement is affected by various parameters of wireless network. We illustrate how these RTD parameters vary (in a telemanagement application) versus distance, baud rates, number of hops, between nodes, using radio modem & router unit as a means of transmission and wireless routing.
Keywords: Wireless Network, Round Trip Delay, Radio modem, Router.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 38892255 Simplex Method for Solving Linear Programming Problems with Fuzzy Numbers
Authors: S. H. Nasseri, E. Ardil, A. Yazdani, R. Zaefarian
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The fuzzy set theory has been applied in many fields, such as operations research, control theory, and management sciences, etc. In particular, an application of this theory in decision making problems is linear programming problems with fuzzy numbers. In this study, we present a new method for solving fuzzy number linear programming problems, by use of linear ranking function. In fact, our method is similar to simplex method that was used for solving linear programming problems in crisp environment before.Keywords: Fuzzy number linear programming, rankingfunction, simplex method.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 35262254 Transmission Performance Analysis for Live Broadcasting over IPTV Service in Telemedicine Applications
Authors: Jenny K. Ubaque, Edward P. Guillen, Juan S. Solórzano, Leonardo J. Ramírez
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The health care must be a right for people around the world, but in order to guarantee the access to all, it is necessary to overcome geographical barriers. Telemedicine take advantage of Information Communication Technologies to deploy health care services around the world. To achieve those goals, it is necessary to use existing last mile solution to create access for home users, which is why is necessary to establish the channel characteristics for those kinds of services. This paper presents an analysis of network performance of last mile solution for the use of IPTV broadcasting with the application of streaming for telemedicine apps.Keywords: Telemedicine, IPTV, GPON, ADSL2+, COAXIAL, Jumbogram.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 20542253 Water Saving in Arid Regions: Comparison of Innovative Techniques for Irrigation of Young Date Palms
Authors: R. Bourziza, A. Hammani, M. Kuper, A. Bouaziz
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In oases, the surface water resources are becoming increasingly scarce and groundwater resources, which generally have a poor quality due to the high levels of salinity, are often overexploited. Water saving have therefore become imperative for better oases sustainability. If drip irrigation is currently recommended in Morocco for saving water and valuing, its use in the sub-desert areas does not keep water safe from high evaporation rates. An alternative to this system would be the use of subsurface drip irrigation. This technique is defined as an application of water under the soil surface through drippers, which deliver water at rates generally similar to surface drip irrigation. As subsurface drip irrigation is a recently introduced in Morocco, a better understanding of the infiltration process around a buried source, in local conditions, and its impact on plant growth is necessarily required. This study aims to contribute to improving the water use efficiency by testing the performance of subsurface irrigation system, especially in areas where water is a limited source. The objectives of this research are performance evaluation in arid conditions of the subsurface drip irrigation system for young date palms compared to the surface drip. In this context, an experimental test is installed at a farmer’s field in the area of Erfoud (Errachidia Province, southeastern Morocco), using the subsurface drip irrigation system in comparison with the classic drip system for young date palms. Flow measurement to calculate the uniformity of the application of water was done through two methods: a flow measurement of drippers above the surface and another one underground. The latter method has also helped us to estimate losses through evaporation for both irrigation techniques. In order to compare the effect of two irrigation modes, plants were identified for each type of irrigation to monitor certain agronomic parameters (cumulative numbers of palms and roots development). Experimentation referred to a distribution uniformity of about 88%; considered acceptable for subsurface drip irrigation while it is around 80% for the surface drip irrigation. The results also show an increase in root development and in the number of palm, as well as a substantial water savings due to lower evaporation losses compared to the classic drip irrigation. The results of this study showed that subsurface drip irrigation is an efficient technique, which allows sustainable irrigation in arid areas.
Keywords: Subsurface drip irrigation, Water conservation, Arid areas, Young date palms.
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