Antoni Mànuel-Làzaro

FPGA-Based Implementation of an Adaptive Canceller for 50/60-Hz Interference in Electrocardiography

The implementation of an adaptive canceller of interference using a field-programmable gate array (Xilinx) programmable logic device/mechanism is shown in this paper. The adaptive canceller automatically adjusts its parameters to eliminate noise. This ability allows the canceller to adapt to changes in the characteristics of the signal. The use of this adaptive canceller to filter the interference noise that is caused by the power line is shown.

Standards-Based Plug & Work for Instruments in Ocean Observing Systems

Ocean observing systems may include a wide variety of sensor and instrument types, each with its own capabilities, communication protocols, and data formats. Connecting disparate devices into a network typically requires specialized software drivers that translate command and data between the protocols of the individual instruments, and that of the platform on which they are installed. In addition, such platforms typically require extensive manual configuration to match the driver software and other operational details of each network port to a specific connected instrument. In this paper, we describe an approach to “plug & work” interoperability, using standardized protocols to greatly reduce the amount of instrument-specific software and manual configuration required for connecting instruments to an observatory system. Our approach has two main components. First, we use the sensor interface descriptor (SID) model, based on the Open Geospatial Consortiums (OGC) SensorML standard, to describe each instruments protocol and data format, and to provide a generic driver/parser. Second, a new OGC standard known as the programmable underwater connector with knowledge (PUCK) protocol enables storage and retrieval of the SID file from the instrument itself. We demonstrate and evaluate our approach by applying it to three commonly used marine instruments in the OBSEA (Barcelona, Spain) observatory test bed.

Piezoelectric energy harvesting from induced vortex in water flow

On this paper an evaluation of an energy harvesting system is presented. The system scavenges energy from a water flow using induced vortexes and piezoelectric materials. Cylinders of different size generate the vortexes and are attached to a cantilever that holds the piezoelectric generators. The evaluations consist on testing the performance of the cylinders and observe the frequencies and voltages generated. The preliminary results show that some of the configurations can generate a power of up to 0.31 μW.

Study on Heat Dissipation and Cooling Optimization of the Junction Box of OBSEA Seafloor Observatory

Multidisciplinary underwater observatories represent an exceptional technological resource that can signify a qualitative forward step in marine scientific research as well as operational oceanography and climate change study. A cabled underwater observatory system that can provide broad bandwidth communication and power to oceanographic instruments is developed. The observatory consists of a subsea junction box that is fixed at a cable terminal, enabling real-time communication, power conversion, and power distribution of up to eight oceanographic instruments and one connection for a junction box. Therefore, the observatory has the capacity to cover a large range of distance-time observations, and to provide new opportunities for research and technological innovation. However, there are some issues to consider when designing the electronic system for the underwater observatory. The main concern is the location of the equipment in a hostile environment with difficult access for inspection and repair. Hence, appropriate heat management of the electronic apparatus has a significant influence on the useful life of this equipment. Specific validation and study of the behavior of the system prior the deployment, and permanent equipment status monitoring is essential to assure fault-free operation over the longest possible period of time. In this study, we present the thermal studies carried out on the junction box of the Observatorio Submarino Expandible Cableado (OBSEA) (expandable underwater cabled observatory) and the monitoring procedures are established. The underwater observatory has been deployed off the coast of the Balearic Sea and has been operating in real conditions for more than three years without interruption. The results show that this underwater observatory system is adequate for subsea real-time and long-term observations.

Self-powered high-rate Wireless Sensor Network for Underground High Voltage Power Lines

The use of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are a promising technology that can enhance various aspects of todays electric power systems, including generation, delivery, and utilization, making them a vital component of the next-generation electric power system, the smart grid. However, harsh and complex electric-power-system environments pose great challenges in the reliability of WSN communications in smart-grid applications. This paper presents wireless sensors with magnetic harvesting capabilities deployed along Underground High Voltage Power Lines (UHVPL) to allow long-lasting operation. The paper includes an overview of the communication protocol that optimizes sensor node coordination in linear array arrangements. Based on an optimal time synchronization method, the wireless sensors can self-adjust the communication timing in order to minimize the total power consumption. In addition, the paper provides a description of a linear sensor network under test, the results and discussions concerning network reliability and power efficiency.

Calibration and modelling of a bottom sea geophone based on Virtual Instrument

This development is a characterization of a geophone sensor with a calibrator and a shaker table in order to obtain the significant parameters and to test the proposed equivalent model. The method is based on a Virtual Instrument and allows to compare the results of the real and simulated measurements by modelling. This application is a geologic prospection to choose the best structures for the geophone. This equipment allows to record useful active and passive seismicity information, by means of acoustic wave front, with multiple applications to the marine environmental research.

A Meteorological Data Distribution System Using Remote Method Invocation Technology

A meteorological data distribution system (MDDS) is presented. The system was implemented in the Spanish Juan Carlos I Antarctic station during the 2002-2003 campaign. Meteorological data are distributed to any point of the base using the LAN, which allows distributing data up to a 3.3-km radius from the acquisition point. The acquisition control procedures are also integrated in the same system. A wide range of difficulties have been overcome during the development of the MDDS, including the integration of heterogeneous components, the integrity of the message system, the future extension and scalability of the system, fault tolerance, process concurrency, and the temporary synchronization of all the applications involved. These have been achieved through three steps, namely 1) design of a complete object-oriented model of the system; 2) implementation of this model using a scalable and portable development environment, such as Java; and 3) use of an intercommunication application technology that fits all the system requirements (high level of abstraction and easy to program and to deploy) as the remote method invocation technology from Java. This development is part of a more ambitious project, called LabVir, that is devoted to implement distributed measurements in Spanish oceanographic vessels and in the Antarctic base using Web technology interfaces. In a more general framework, the LabVir project will make the experimentation tools accessible from any existing navigator, creating a distributed research environment, that is accessible and user friendly from any place with hypertext transfer protocol connectivity

Smart IEEE–1588 GPS Clock Emulator for Cabled Ocean Sensors

Today, cabled seafloor observatories are installed at many sites around the globe, gathering different types of sensors in the marine environment where a Global Positioning System (GPS) signal is not accessible. Accurate time marking of ocean sensor data is highly important in many marine applications. This paper presents a smart GPS emulator based on the IEEE-1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP). The device was designed and implemented to be able to provide accurate timing data (trigger + time code) to any ocean sensor as a broadband seismometer. In this case, accurate location and magnitude of a detected earthquake are dependent on the accuracy of the data time marks. The performance of time synchronization is tested, using a commercial broadband seismometer, and the results are presented. These tests are based on a comparison of the synchronization trigger between master and slave clocks as well as the analysis of the data acquired by the seismometer. The work presented here leads to an improved performance of the ocean-bottom seismometers as well as tsunami warning systems.

Development of a “Synchronization Trigger” for the Spanish Oceanographic Ships Based on an Embedded Real-Time Java System

It is indispensable to have time synchronization and event/pulse generation systems on board oceanographic research vessels to control the data acquisition rate of sensors and equipment. This paper presents a pulse generation system based on the aJ-100 real-time Java embedded system with the capability of being integrated into a general-purpose acquisition system of the BIO Hesperides research vessel named LabVir. In the development of this system, a platform with reduced size and weight and networking technology for system control and data access was used, making its integration easy in any research vessel. Furthermore, a logic design for the event generation was implemented, making the overall system adaptable to any future needs.

Inverse Filtering Approximation for Impacting Signals Estimation Using a Multilayer Neural Network

This paper describes an original method for estimating impacting signals through an inverse filter based on a multilayer neural network (NN). A model for the impacting analytical signal has been used for training the NN using the Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) learning algorithm. The method has been tested with data acquired with a single-input accelerometer. Experimental results show that with the correct number of neurons and the proper training the NN can be used as an inverse filter