Vincenzo Paciello

Balancing computational and transmission power consumption in wireless image sensor networks

The paper presents a methodology to reduce the energy consumption of visual sensor node in wireless sensor networks. This methodology, based on a balancing between processing and transmission tasks, can be applied in all those situations where subjective image based measurements are required. Considering that in a sensor node, the communication task is the most energy consumption, the proposed method tries to find the best compression ratio able to give a significant reduction of transmission time, returning adequate and objective image quality and compression time. Some results are presented applying the proposed methodology to the particular case study: the use of wireless visual sensors to the remote metering of water counters.

Experimental Characterization of Synchronization Protocols for Instrument Wireless Interface

Nowadays, careful measurement applications are handed over to wireless sensor networks (WSNs). In most of these tasks, sensor nodes work together to recognize the data fusion process. Synchronization is a critical element in this scenario. Nodes have to be regulated to a common clock and regulated among them. Many synchronization algorithms can be found in literature, and some of them have been intentionally established for low-cost structural designing where efficient memory management and reduced computational burden are important constraints. The performance of these algorithms is usually evaluated either in simulation environments or by adopting ad hoc radio systems. Attention is rarely paid to the influence of factors, such as the following: clock stability, the dependence of the measurement application on the synchronization algorithm and vice versa, the effect of the limited bandwidth available on real radio systems, and the change of performance when common commercial wireless communication busses such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (BT), and ZigBee are adopted. This paper makes the first step toward this direction, proposing the experimental characterization of a small-scale WSN implementing some of these protocols versus common wireless busses such as BT, Wi-Fi, and ZigBee.

A Bluetooth-based proposal of instrument wireless interface

This paper deals with a Bluetooth-based interface for instrumentation, whose aim is that of satisfying todays arising need of wireless connection in developing automatic measurement systems. After some notes about the Bluetooth communication protocol, the interface architecture of both hardware and software parts is described. Finally, some experimental results allow early conclusions to be drawn about the interface performance.

A Comparison Between Stereo-Vision Techniques for the Reconstruction of 3-D Coordinates of Objects

This paper deals with the problems in setting up stereo-vision systems for contactless measurement of dimensional parameters in industrial environments. Two implicit calibration algorithms for the reconstruction of three-dimensional (3-D) real-world coordinates of objects from pairs of two-dimensional image coordinates have been implemented and compared. The former is based on a direct linear transformation, while the latter on an Artificial Neural Network (ANN). The results of the comparison made on artificial and real objects are finally reported in terms of statistical analysis of the reconstruction error

Visual sensors for remote metering in public networks

New research trends in energy grids and water networks push toward ICT solutions for allowing remote metering of consumptions. In the paper, after an introduction to the European Standards on smart metering, a visual sensor thought to solve typical metering problems in water public networks is described. Particular detail is given to its hardware and software solutions and to the perspective of integration with analogous gas and electric energy metering devices.

Software customization to provide digital oscilloscope with enhanced period measurement features

The paper tackles the problem of signal period measurements by means of oscilloscopes. At first the performance of two last generation scopes implementing a zero-crossing algorithm is evaluated. Then, after a brief resume of alternative measurement techniques, a solution to enhance the period measurement capability of scopes is proposed and implemented in the Lecroy WaveMaster 8120A software. Finally, the results of tests carried out on different signal waveforms are reported and analyzed.

Smart metering for demand side management

The paper deals with the topic of demand side management in smart grids. After an introduction on Advanced Metering Infrastructures the paper illustrates an architecture the authors are proposing, focused on the development of smart meters and actuators for demand side management. The first results concerning the implementation of suitable digital signal processing algorithms for the electric energy measurement on a Remote Measurement Unit are finally reported.

Magnetorheological Dampers: A New Approach of Characterization

Magnetorheological (MR) fluids are widely used since their rheological behavior can be reversibly changed and changed back with simplicity. These fluids have important applications in the field of damping systems. In the first part of this paper, a brief description of their properties is given. Then, some of the problems in designing the MR dampers that are caused by the nonlinear behavior of these MR dampers are examined in regard to accuracy and to the implementation of the models proposed in literature. Finally, the authors have considered a new measurement method to characterize and then to control the MR dampers for automotive applications. It has been described in detail.

A new approach to magnetorheological damping control

Magnetorheological fluids are widely used as their rheological behavior can be reversibly changed with simplicity. These fluids have important applications in the field of damping systems. In the paper a brief description of their properties is given at first. Then, problems in designing magnetorheological (MR) dampers caused by the nonlinear behavior of these MR dampers are examined with regard to accuracy and implementation of the models proposed in literature. Finally its described in detail a new measurement method that has been thought by the authors to characterize and then control magnetorheological dampers for automotive applications.

A Comparison Between Sensor Signal Preprocessing Techniques

The need for the use of sensor networks in ever more efficient manner drives research methods for better information management. It would be useful to decrease the amount of managed data. Often, we are interested in few noteworthy information of a signal (for example, period, amplitude, time constant, steady state value, and so on) not in the whole waveform. The idea is to take less data, but acquire the same information. In a highly oversampled signal, each single sample does not carry a lot of information. From this point, two different algorithms are compared, in which only few samples are stored or transferred. This paper describes these two algorithms: the first one is the segmentation and labeling algorithm, also proposed for the definition of the new standard of the IEEE 1451 and the second one is based on compressive sensing theory. These two algorithms are compared, the simulations results are shown, and it is discussed which case could be more suitable.