Husna Zainol Abidin

Multi-objective Optimization (MOO) approach for sensor node placement in WSN

It is desirable to position sensor nodes in a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) to be able to provide maximum coverage with minimum energy consumption. However, these two aspects are contradicting and quite impossible to solve the placement problem with a single optimal decision. Thus, a Multi-objective Optimization (MOO) approach is needed to facilitate this. This paper studies the performance of a WSN sensor node placement problem solved with a new biologically inspired optimization technique that imitates the behavior of territorial predators in marking their territories with their odours known as Territorial Predator Scent Marking Algorithm (TPSMA). The simulation study is done for a single objective and multi-objective approaches. The MOO approach of TPSMA (MOTPSMA) deployed in this paper uses the minimum energy consumption and maximum coverage as the objective functions while the single objective approach TPSMA only considers maximum coverage. The performance of both approaches is then compared in terms of coverage ratio and total energy consumption. Simulation results show that the WSN deployed with the MOTPSMA is able to reduce the energy consumption although the coverage ratio is slightly lower than single approach TPSMA which only focuses on maximizing the coverage.

Logical Effort using a Novel Discrete Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm

Designers often need to choose the gate sizes for logic circuit designs to estimate the delay of the circuit. Simulation and timing analysis are poor tools for this task because they cannot be modified for better results. Hence, the method of Logical Effort (LE) provides a simple method to overcome these design problems. We apply a novel Discrete Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm (DPSO) to solve the LE problem for electronic circuits. The method uses the rescaling function commonly used to scale datasets in neural networks to convert continuous-valued PSO values into discrete values. The proposed algorithm was successfully applied on a three-stage NAND gate circuit, and has been shown to work well, with 100% accuracy in all test runs.

Outcome Based Education Performance Evaluation on Electrical Engineering laboratory module

Implementing Outcome Based Education (OBE) in evaluating program outcomes is a standard practice nowadays at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering (FEE), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM). Previously, laboratory assessments method was merely based only on lab report submitted by each group of students and the procedure is inconsistence as each module consists of different area of electrical engineering fields and involves many lecturers from various disciplines in the FEE. Furthermore, there were no specific guidelines for grading the report and lecturers would rely on their experiences, resulting large variance of judgments in giving the marks. To overcome such problem, an OBE assessment tool known as Laboratory Sensor Performance Evaluation Course Tool (LAB-SPECT) has been designed recently for evaluating laboratory modules. This tool has taken into account additional students attributes that represents teamwork skill, practical skill and ethical in the lab. With rubrics table provided, it has successfully facilitated lecturers to evaluate students fairly in terms of their Group Related Skills (GRS) besides than the laboratory report. Each of the assessment section in this process is addressing the respective the course outcome (CO) and program outcome (PO). The output plots produced by this tool would be used as indicators for Continual Quality Improvement (CQI) recommendations.

Sensor Node Placement in Wireless Sensor Network Based on Territorial Predator Scent Marking Algorithm

Optimum sensor node placement in a monitored area is needed for cost-effective deployment. The positions of sensor nodes must be able to provide maximum coverage with longer lifetimes. This paper proposed a sensor node placement technique that utilizes a new biologically inspired optimization technique that imitates the behaviour of territorial predators in marking their territories with their odours, known as territorial predator scent marking algorithm (TPSMA). The TPSMA deployed in this paper uses the maximum coverage objective function. A performance study has been carried out by comparing the performance of the proposed technique with the minimax and lexicographic minimax (lexmin) sensor node placement schemes in terms of coverage ratio and uniformity. Uniformity is a performance metric that can be used to estimate a WSN lifetime. Simulation results show that the WSN deployed with the proposed sensor node placement scheme outperforms the other two schemes with larger coverage ratio and is expected to provide as long lifetime as possible.

Incorporating VHDL in teaching combinational logic circuit

Digital System Fundamentals is an elementary course offered by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) for semester 1 undergraduate students of the Electrical Engineering programs specializing in computer, electronics, communication and instrumentation. As this course is focusing more on designing circuit rather than only knowing the theoretical part of the circuit, students are introduced with a tool which is widely used in the industry known as Very High Speed Integrated Circuits Hardware Description Language or better known as VHDL. This is also to ensure that these students are already exposed and equipped with updated technology and skills that would meet the industry requirement as well as for accreditation purposes. This paper outlines how the VHDL is incorporated in teaching combinational logic circuit of this course.

Development of an Alzheimer's Disease genetic database for Malaysian patients

Web database is a convenient way of sharing and retrieving data as well as a key component of the information system infrastructure of todays modern research. In medicine, web databases on various diseases are valuable tools to facilitate the search for effective treatment. Alzheimers Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that has received significant focus in research worldwide. Currently, medical professionals rely on foreign AD databases with no relevant biodiversity with Malaysian patients with different genetic elements. We present the development work of a web database to store genetic information of Malaysian AD patients based on biodiversity. The three-tier architecture was used, consisting of the client-side presentation logic, and server-side business logic and database. It is envisaged that, the proposed web database would assist Malaysian medical professionals in finding the effective treatment for AD.

Sensor node placement based on minimax for effective surveillance

Abilities in sensing, storing data, processing data and transmitting data has made Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) to be applied in providing effective surveillance. Optimum sensor nodes placement in the surveillance area is needed since the number of sensor nodes that can be deployed are limited. The positions of sensor nodes must be able to provide maximum coverage. This paper describes an initial progress of an ongoing project. A sensor nodes placement technique which is based on minimax algorithm is proposed where surveillance locations will be monitored by the closest sensor nodes. Performance study has been carried out by comparing the performance of minimax and ideal value in terms of coverage ratio. Coverage ratio indicates the number of surveillance locations that received effective coverage. Simulation results obtained shows that coverage ratio produced by minimax technique is directly proportional to the number of sensor nodes and can be considered acceptable.

Sensor node placement based on lexicographic minimax

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) which is capable in sensing, storing, processing and transmitting data has been widely applied in providing effective surveillance. Optimum sensor nodes placement in the surveillance area is needed to optimise the cost and efficiency of deployment. The positions of sensor nodes should be able to provide maximum coverage with longer lifetime. This paper proposed a sensor nodes placement technique which is based on the lexicographic minimax algorithm. Performance study has been carried out by comparing the performance of the lexicographic minimax sensor node placement scheme with traditional minimax technique in terms of coverage ratio and uniformity. Uniformity is a performance metric that can be used to estimate WSN lifetime. Simulation results show that the WSN deployed with lexicographic minimax sensor node placement scheme outperforms minimax scheme with larger coverage ratio and is expected to provide longer lifetime.

WSN sensor node placement approach using Territorial Predator Scent Marking Algorithm (TPSMA)

Optimum sensor node placement for Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) is needed for cost effective deployment that provides maximum coverage and minimum energy consumption without jeopardizing the connectivity. A sensor node placement technique that utilizes a new biologically inspired optimization technique that imitates the behavior of territorial predators in marking their territories with their odours known as Territorial Predator Scent Marking Algorithm (TPSMA) is proposed in this paper. The TPSMA deployed in this paper uses the minimum uncovered area as the objective function. The performance of the proposed technique is then compared with other two sensor node placement schemes that are based on Integer Linear Programming (ILP) in terms of coverage ratio, connectivity and energy consumption. Simulation results show that the WSN deployed with the proposed sensor node placement scheme outperforms the other two schemes with larger coverage ratio, full connectivity and lower energy consumption.

Provisioning QoS in Wireless Sensor Networks Using a Simple Max-Min Fair Bandwidth Allocation

Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) is made up of a number of sensor nodes and base stations. The ad hoc nature of sensor deployment produces unpredictable patterns of connectivity and varied node density. Consequently, uneven bandwidth provisioning will occur on the forwarding paths. As the data converge towards the same base station, congestion may occur at sensors that receive more data than its maximum forwarding rate. Congested WSN will disturb the Quality of Service (QoS) which is an important aspect in sending data from one node to another. This project analyzes and enhances the performance of a WSN by deploying a simple max-min fairness bandwidth allocation technique. The simulation results show that WSN with proposed scheme offers better services where traffics are accepted in the network. Due to sufficient resources allocations, the throughput and packet delivery ratio has increased. The duration taken for the packet to be sent to the destination node has also reduced when the proposed scheme is deployed in the WSN.