Vincenzo Piuri

Error analysis and detection procedures for a hardware implementation of the advanced encryption standard

The goal of the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is to achieve secure communication. The use of AES does not, however, guarantee reliable communication. Prior work has shown that even a single transient error occurring during the AES encryption (or decryption) process will very likely result in a large number of errors in the encrypted/decrypted data. Such faults must be detected before sending to avoid the transmission and use of erroneous data. Concurrent fault detection is important not only to protect the encryption/decryption process from random faults. It will also protect the encryption/decryption circuitry from an attacker who may maliciously inject faults in order to find the encryption secret key. In this paper, we first describe some studies of the effects that faults may have on a hardware implementation of AES by analyzing the propagation of such faults to the outputs. We then present two fault detection schemes: The first is a redundancy-based scheme while the second uses an error detecting code. The latter is a novel scheme which leads to very efficient and high coverage fault detection. Finally, the hardware costs and detection latencies of both schemes are estimated.

A Web-based distributed virtual educational laboratory

Evolution and cost of measurement equipment, continuous training, and distance learning make it difficult to provide a complete set of updated workbenches to every student. For a preliminary familiarization and experimentation with instrumentation and measurement procedures, the use of virtual equipment is often considered more than sufficient from the didactic point of view, while the hands-on approach with real instrumentation and measurement systems still remains necessary to complete and refine the students practical expertise. Creation and distribution of workbenches in networked computer laboratories therefore becomes attractive and convenient. This paper describes specification and design of a geographically distributed system based on commercially standard components.

Fault Tolerance Management in Cloud Computing: A System-Level Perspective

The increasing popularity of Cloud computing as an attractive alternative to classic information processing systems has increased the importance of its correct and continuous operation even in the presence of faulty components. In this paper, we introduce an innovative, system-level, modular perspective on creating and managing fault tolerance in Clouds. We propose a comprehensive high-level approach to shading the implementation details of the fault tolerance techniques to application developers and users by means of a dedicated service layer. In particular, the service layer allows the user to specify and apply the desired level of fault tolerance, and does not require knowledge about the fault tolerance techniques that are available in the envisioned Cloud and their implementations.

Hybrid CORDIC algorithms

Each coordinate rotation digital computer iteration selects the rotation direction by analyzing the results of the previous iteration. In this paper, we introduce two arctangent radices and show that about 2/3 of the rotation directions can be derived in parallel without any error. Some architectures exploiting these strategies are proposed.

All-IDB: The acute lymphoblastic leukemia image database for image processing

The visual analysis of peripheral blood samples is an important test in the procedures for the diagnosis of leukemia. Automated systems based on artificial vision methods can speed up this operation and increase the accuracy and homogeneity of the response also in telemedicine applications. Unfortunately, there are not available public image datasets to test and compare such algorithms. In this paper, we propose a new public dataset of blood samples, specifically designed for the evaluation and the comparison of algorithms for segmentation and classification. For each image in the dataset, the classification of the cells is given, as well as a specific set of figures of merits to fairly compare the performances of different algorithms. This initiative aims to offer a new test tool to the image processing and pattern matching communities, direct to stimulating new studies in this important field of research.

Morphological classification of blood leucocytes by microscope images

The classification and the count of white blood cells in microscopy images allows the in vivo assessment of a wide range of important hematic pathologies (i.e., from presence of infections to leukemia). Nowadays, the morphological cell classification is typically made by experienced operators. Such a procedure presents undesirable drawbacks: slowness and it presents a not standardized accuracy since it depends on the operators capabilities and tiredness. Only few attempts of partial/full automated systems based on image-processing systems are present in literature and they are still at prototype stage. This paper presents a methodology to achieve an automated detection and classification of leucocytes by microscope color images. The proposed system firstly individuates in the blood image the leucocytes from the others blood cells, then it extracts morphological indexes and finally it classifies the leucocytes by a neural classifier in Basophil, Eosinophil, Lymphocyte, Monocyte and Neutrophil.

A simulation tool for virtual laboratory experiments in a WWW environment

Virtual instruments and distributed systems are of great interest to create advanced and flexible teaching and experimentation environments for measurement technologies at limited costs. The availability of simple and efficient technological supports to dissemination and remote use of virtual systems becomes attractive to increase the diffusion of experimental practice disregarding the number of students and their location as well as the variety of instruments and measurement procedures directly available for experimentation.

Programmable instruments, virtual instruments, and distributed measurement systems: what is really useful, innovative and technically sound?

This article is directed to discuss the fundamental characteristics of measurement systems based on digital processing, with specific focus on virtual instruments and distributed measurement systems. Its goal is to point out the characteristics and the features related to issues of accuracy, precision and sensitivity, so as to achieve a better understanding of the effective usability of these technologies, avoid problems due to their superficial application, and promote the best use of these advanced, powerful methods. Finally, we consider the problem of the traceability of the measurement results coming from the instrumentation based on digital signal processing.

Composite real-time image processing for railways track profile measurement

Checking railway status is critical to guarantee high operating safety, proper maintenance schedule, low maintenance and operating costs. This operation consists of the analysis of the rail profile and level as well as overall geometry and undulation. Traditional detection systems are based on mechanical devices in contact with the track. Innovative approaches are based on laser scanning and image analysis. This paper presents an efficient composite technique for track profile extraction with real-time image processing. High throughput is obtained by algorithmic pre-filtering to restrict the image area containing the track profile, while high accuracy is achieved by neural reconstruction of the profile itself.

Privacy-Aware Biometrics: Design and Implementation of a Multimodal Verification System

A serious concern in the design and use of biometric authentication systems is the privacy protection of the information derived from human biometric traits, especially since such traits cannot be replaced. Combining cryptography and biometrics, several recent works proposed to build the protection in the biometric templates themselves. While these solutions can increase the confidence in biometric systems when biometric information is stored for verification, they have been shown difficult to apply to real biometrics. In this work we present a biometric authentication technique that exploits multiple biometric traits. It is privacy-aware as it ensures privacy protection and allows the extraction of secure identifiers by means of cryptographic primitives. We also discuss the implementation of our approach by considering, as a significant example, the combination of iris and fingerprint biometrics and present experimental results obtained from real data. The implementation shows the feasibility of the scheme in practical applications.