Jan Vanus

Testing of the voice communication in smart home care

This article is aimed to describe the method of testing the implementation of voice control over operating and technical functions of Smart Home Come. Custom control over operating and technical functions was implemented into a model of Smart Home that was equipped with KNX technology. A sociological survey focused on the needs of seniors has been carried out to justify the implementation of voice control into Smart Home Care. In the real environment of Smart Home Care, there are usually unwanted signals and additive noise that negatively affect the voice communication with the control system. This article describes the addition of a sophisticated system for filtering the additive background noise out of the voice communication with the control system. The additive noise significantly lowers the success of recognizing voice commands to control operating and technical functions of an intelligent building. Within the scope of the proposed application, a complex system based on fuzzy-neuron networks, specifically the ANFIS (Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Interference System) for adaptive suppression of unwanted background noises was created. The functionality of the designed system was evaluated both by subjective and by objective criteria (SSNR, DTW). Experimental results suggest that the studied system has the potential to refine the voice control of technical and operating functions of Smart Home Care even in a very noisy environment.

Development and testing of a visualization application software, implemented with wireless control system in smart home care

This article describes the development of a visualization application software used to control operational and technical functions in the Smart Home system or Smart Home Care system via the wireless xComfort control system. Graphic visualization of a home electrical control system gives the user unprecedented comfort when controlling home systems. The user is able to obtain the information necessary to optimise the management of operational and technical functions in the building as well as information about energy consumption. Selected definitions of requirements for the visualization system, online access via the Internet, control via USB interface, and control requirements executed via mobile phone are the reasons why these technical elements were selected. This article describes their mutual relations, functions and connections within the system. At the end of this article we propose a method to test the reliability of the created software application as well as the wireless xComfort system under different conditions which stimulate different implementation methods applicable to a real building/apartment unit. Measurement results can be used for the actual installation process and for optimal implementation of the active elements of the wireless system.

The Proposal Model of Energy Savings of Lighting Systems in the Smart Home Care

Abstract The optimal draft and quality construction of Smart Home Care must be based on detailed knowledge of older people needs. One of the basic assumptions is to have safe and stable control of operational and technical functions with an emphasis on energy savings in buildings. The article describes the proposal model of energy savings in lighting systems with artificial lighting, which is working in combination with daylight, for use in the Smart Home with Assistive Care.

A ROBUST APPROACH FOR ACOUSTIC NOISE SUPPRESSION IN SPEECH USING ANFIS

Abstract The authors of this article deals with the implementation of a combination of techniques of the fuzzy system and artificial intelligence in the application area of non-linear noise and interference suppression. This structure used is called an Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS). This system finds practical use mainly in audio telephone (mobile) communication in a noisy environment (transport, production halls, sports matches, etc). Experimental methods based on the two-input adaptive noise cancellation concept was clearly outlined. Within the experiments carried out, the authors created, based on the ANFIS structure, a comprehensive system for adaptive suppression of unwanted background interference that occurs in audio communication and degrades the audio signal. The system designed has been tested on real voice signals. This article presents the investigation and comparison amongst three distinct approaches to noise cancellation in speech; they are LMS (least mean squares) and RLS (recursive least squares) adaptive filtering and ANFIS. A careful review of literatures indicated the importance of non-linear adaptive algorithms over linear ones in noise cancellation. It was concluded that the ANFIS approach had the overall best performance as it efficiently cancelled noise even in highly noise-degraded speech. Results were drawn from the successful experimentation, subjective-based tests were used to analyse their comparative performance while objective tests were used to validate them. Implementation of algorithms was experimentally carried out in Matlab to justify the claims and determine their relative performances.

Realization of Prototype of a Low-Cost Bidirectional Communication System Through Fibreless Optics

The article deals with the design and realization of a prototype of an efficient Low-Cost, Low-Power, Low Complexity—hereinafter (L-CPC) bidirectional communication system for reading and configuration of inbuilt devices (e.g. devices for reading of water meters, power meters, gas meters, identification of property and other specific applications), which will comply with the requirements of no radio waves, reuses already existing components (NRW-RAEC). The goal of the authors was to realize a fibreless optical communication system that would be capable of efficiently replacing current systems (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ZigBee, IrDa etc.) at a fraction of their initial cost with an emphasis on L-CPC and NRW-RAEC. Within the development of the prototype, the authors were responsible for the hardware, firmware (ASM, C) and software components (C#) of the prototype. The functionality of the technical solution of the prototype was verified in a real-life application (reading of water meters). The original contribution of the presented article is the realization of a functional prototype including a patented technical solution and design of an intuitive UI. Real-life experiments have shown that the functional prototype designed by the authors can fully replace current systems at a fraction of their initial cost within the scope of the required parameters.

Application of optimal settings of the LMS adaptive filter for speech signal processing

This paper describes a proposition of the method for optimal adjustment parameters of the adaptive filter with LMS algorithm in the practical application of suppression of additive noise in a speech signal for voice communication with the control system. By the proposed method, the optimal values of parameters of adaptive filter are calculated with guarantees the stability and convergence of the LMS algorithm. The DTW criterion is used for the quality assessment of speech signal processing obtained from output of adaptive filter with LMS algorithm. In the experimental section is described the way of verification of the proposed method on the structure of the adaptive filter with LMS algorithm and on the structure of the adaptive filter with LMS algorithm in application of suppressing noise from speech signal by simulations in MATLAB software and implementation on DSK TMS320C6713.

The design of the voice communication in Smart Home Care

This article describes implementation of comfortable voice-control of building service-systems in a Smart Home Care in a real environment with additive noise. It describes the current condition of research on the voice-operated communication in the Smart Home and the design of a comfortable remote control of building service-systems by the xComfort wireless systems in an intelligent building. An LMS adaptive filter is used for elimination of undesired disturbances in the real environment of an intelligent house in voice communication with a wireless system for removal of additional disturbance from the voice signal.

Adaptive noise suppression in voice communication using a neuro-fuzzy inference system

This paper describes the implementation of a combination of techniques of the fuzzy system and artificial intelligence in the application area of non-linear suppression of noise and interference. The structure used is called ANFIS (Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System). This system finds practical use mainly in audio telephone (mobile) communication in a noisy environment (transport, production halls, sports matches, etc.). Within the experiments carried out, the authors created, based on the ANFIS structure, a comprehensive system for the adaptive suppression of unwanted background interference that occurs in audio communication and which degrades the audio signal. The system designed has been tested on real voice signals. Noise cancellation performance of the algorithms has been compared by means of SSNR (Segmental Signal to Noise Ratio) and DTW (Dynamic Time Warping). Also processing durations of the algorithms are determined for evaluating the possibility of real time implementation. The results imply that a system using ANFIS has better experimental results than conventional systems built on adaptive algorithms of the LMS (Least Mean Squares) and RLS (Recursive Least Squares) families.

Measurement of illuminance of interior lighting system automatically dimmed to the constant level depending on daylight

The article describes verifying of behaviour of dimming in a regulated lighting system in Smart Home (SH) which was controlled to the constant level of illuminance. The proposed method of measuring was realized as an upgrade for evaluation of curves of interior illuminance caused by daylight. A reference room in SH with a measuring device evaluating illuminance in the places of visual tasks and at the same time scanning illuminance caused by daylight on an outdoor unshadowed horizontal plane was used for measuring. The used measuring device was supplied with a dimmable lighting system of artificial lighting using luminance controller situated on the ceiling of the room in combination with controlling system KNX to reach the constant level of illuminance regarding the influence of both elements of artificial light and daylight. The article shows that there might be difference between the set value of illuminance, which is regulated by a KNX system, and real illuminance in the place of a visual task. Due to this difference, the lighting system may not meet the normative requirements, which is absolutely inacceptable.

Modelling of Fetal Hypoxic Conditions Based on Virtual Instrumentation

This article is dedicated to the design and implementation of a software simulator of the fetal ECG signal (fECG). Primarily, it aims at modelling the influence of physiological and pathological changes. Fetal electrocardiogram is a valuable carrier of information and its potential can be utilized in the diagnosis of hypoxic conditions. Analysis of real records and study of methods intended for obtaining the ECG signal in clinical practice resulted in creating a simulator of fECG waveforms based on virtual instrumentation. In a suitable user environment, the signal formed in this manner can be combined with physiological and pathological parameters that modify the signal. The respective changes can be observed and analysed with the help of graphical output elements of the user interface. The generator allows the user to model the transvaginal monitoring method (invasive), transabdominal monitoring method (non-invasive) and cardiotocograph (CTG) with ST analyser (STAN). Due to their morphology, the simulation results correlate with the established theoretical assumptions and approximate to real records.