Abstract.
The goal of PTA project is to design and implement a vehicle tracking system capable of controlling trans-boundary
movements of non-hazardous wastes. In open areas tracking is done via GPS (Global positioning system) and location
is sent to central monitoring station utilizing GSM/GPRS network. As GPS requires direct line of sight to satellites
it can not be used for positioning in tunnels and other obstructed areas.
The task of ALaRI team is to design a wireless sensor network based system for vehicle localization inside tunnels.
This very challenging due to specific in-tunnel environment strongly affected by multi-path propagation, stationary
waves, dynamics due to movement of vehicles and variations of atmospheric conditions. Our goal is to implement the
system using non-expensive of-the-shelf hardware and keeping energy consumption to a minimum. Reliability and scalability
are important factors. Simulations have a crucial role in the project as possibilities for direct measurement are limited
due to the specific environment.
Duration: September 2009 - September 2012
People: Mauro Prevostini, Antonio Taddeo, Katarina Balac, Volodymyr Sydoruk (master student), Daniel Widmann (master student)
Abstract.
The main objective of the STRATOS project is to develop an open ICT hardware-software infrastructure enabling the partial automation of tractors and at the same time enhancing their operational safety and production efficiency, with the positive effects of reduced accident risk and environmental impact.
In more detail, STRATOS project target is to develop and demonstrate new functions enabled by ISOBUS technology (ISO 11783) that supports a substantial improvement of the quality of the farming jobs.
In particular the idea is to develop a technology based on ISOBUS compliant, wireless self-powered sensor network for the real time measurement of soil and harvester conditions. In this way, Task Controller (an ICT component defined by ISOBUS specification which supervises actively the farming job performed by the tractor) can optimize the whole tractor and implement operational modes to improve the farming job quality and safety of the overall systems.
In fact, the second main target of STRATOS project is to increase the operational safety of the tractor by integrating new significant data sources and implementing new monitoring algorithms and control strategies into the active Task Controller.
Abstract.
EMME is a research project funded by the Hasler Foundation and it is based on previous work carried out during the MULTICUBE project.
Programmable multi-core and many-core platforms increase exponentially the challenge of task mapping and scheduling, provided that enough task-parallelism
does exist for each application. When considering that multiple applications are executed concurrently on the same multi-core platform and are competing to access system resources, a Run-time Resource Management (RRM) layer should be integrated in the OS in order to arbiter about resource distribution.
The RRM should take decisions in order to maximize platform performance while minimizing nonfunctional costs such as energy or power consumption. This problem is intractable with a pure run-time approach since too many operating configurations should be considered.
With the present project, we plan to provide a methodology for efficient Run-time Resource Management suitable for future MPSoC platforms. The work will address the analysis of efficient run-time heuristics able to identify near-optimal operating configurations without incurring in long run-time overheads.
The outcome of this project will be an open source prototype framework for the analysis and evaluation of different RRM techniques given a target computing platform.
Duration: 05/2011 - 01/2012 Funding: Hasler Stiftung - Open Support Grant no. 11096
Optimizing green energy and grid load by geographical steering of energy consumption.
Abstract.
Projects aims at bringing another approach to energy balance and overall power system stability. Introducing a concept of mobile consumer, it considers consumption mobility both in terms of time and space. In particular, electric vehicles and Data Centers processing tasks, as typical cases of mobile consumers and their impact on power grid, better energy usage efficiency, grid stability and picks shaving will be considered. Besides development of both structural and functional system model, the project will explore optimal control strategies and scheduling algorithms for mobile consumers, Vehicle to Grid (V2G) applications and analysis of storing energy in big functional buildings.
Using experience from embedded systems design, ALaRI is in the role of developing a hierarchical system model, starting with a high-level one, abstracted from implementation details and allowing a comprehensive overview of the system. Achieved model will serve not only as a mutual understanding platform of such a complex system, but support initial validation and evaluation of the concept, efficient design space exploration, subsequent refinements and evolutions.
The project is lanched by Eranet.
Abstract.
Aim of this feasibility study was to verify a method, based on the wireless sensor network technology (WSN), for detecting the identity and position of subscriber vehicles inside parking locations. A prototype of the algorithm that computes these parameters has been developed and tested.
Partners:BMOB S.a.g.l., USI.
Abstract.
The project deals with the development of a Wireless-sensor-network-based adaptive Management System (WAMS) to prevent vineyard pests from reaching economically relevant densities. By means of a set of algorithms, the pilot system can represent current pest population and forecast its evolution at the vineyard and the regional level in Ticino, so to allow efficient pest control. If successful, WAMS will be applied to other vineyard pests and agricultural crops in Switzerland as well as in other European regions.
Abstract.
Body Area Sensor Networks are low cost sensor networks, very often wireless, that are designed to sense physiological parameters, such as, e.g., heart rate and blood pressure, and that allow easy access to user's critical and non-critical data. Among the wide range of application fields which can benefit from the use of BASNs, the ones related to health care are particularly appealing, since the capacity of continued monitoring, on-line data processing and in-time communication with the user and/or with health-care professionals promises both better quality of life to persons affected by possibly serious illnesses and preventive health-care to a wider set of potential users (in particularly, to an elderly population). BASNs may also represent a fundamental tool for athletes and fitness enthusiast seeking to improve their performances while not exceeding their physical limitations.
Body Area Sensor Networks share most design challenges with other embedded systems, in particular with wireless sensor networks, but are characterized by specific aspects as well. BASNs, for instance, have to be non intrusive, must rely on smaller nodes compared to other types of sensor networks, and their energy supply is even more limited than usual (batteries will be very small, energy scavenging provides at present fairly limited energy supply). Another challenge, due to possible application areas such as personal health care and fitness, derives from the sensitive nature of collected, processed and transmitted data, requiring the use of strong security mechanism. Furthermore, BASNs are easily deployed in environments characterized by relevant noise, which in turn impacts not only on system security but also on data (and communication) robustness.
In this project we address the problem of security for BASNs, in the light of the new possibilities and challenges provided by novel technological libraries. In particular we aim at providing BASNs with strong cryptographic primitives and with robustness against physical attacks, and at evaluating the effect of such design decisions on the communication protocol. To achieve our goal, we propose applying an approach that, rather than adapting or redesigning security algorithms to meet the needs of limited-resource devices, takes advantage of the novel technological libraries to develop novel devices supporting standard algorithms. Furthermore, our methodology aims at considering all the design variables since the beginning of the design process, evaluating the effects that each optimization step in one direction has on the other parameters, in particular with reference to adoption of new, very low-power technologies.
Abstract.
Aim of this KTI project is to implement the method proposed in the previous feasibility study No. 11140.1.1, based on the wireless sensor network technology (WSN), for detecting the identity and position of subscriber vehicles inside parking locations. The algorithm and the necessary HW will be developed and tested on the WSN parking monitoring system deployed by Bmob Sagl
Partners:BMOB S.a.g.l., USI, SUPSI.
Abstract.
The VISSEE Visual Speed Sensor measures the absolute speed of objects or people it is mounted on.
The potential applications are numerous, such as braking optimization for motor vehicles, and virtual trainers for physiotherapy or physical exercise. This feasibility study had a technological and an economical goal: (1) showing the sensors accurate measuring of linear speed, and (2) estimating the production costs. This will allow to show potential customers a professional demonstrator, and move to an application-specific, industrial prototyping phase.
Abstract.
The future pervasive systems will be focused on distributed
heterogeneous systems designed with increased autonomy and operating under high uncertainty. In this context,
self-adaptive computing can provide an efficient and disruptive response to the design of such ubiquitous systems by providing dynamicity, efficient use of system resources and support for live maintenance, extensibility and evolving requirements.
In AETHER+ project different security approaches presented in the scientific literature have been extended by proposing a new design methodology and algorithms for supporting self-adaptive selection of the most suitable security solutions based on available system resources.
In particular, a comprehensive model of system supporting self-adaptive security has been introduced. Moreover, two adaptation mechanisms, as implementation of such a model in the context of Wireless Sensor Network (WSN), have been implemented.
Proposed approaches can be used to enhance the design of future nodes aimed at increasing their lifetime by selecting the best security solutions according to nodes energy conditions.
Effectiveness of proposed solution has been evaluated by means of both simulations and experiments on a real hardware prototype.
Methods for predictable design of heterogeneous embedded system with adaptivity and reliability support
Abstract.
The MADNESS project aims at the definition of innovative system-level design methodologies for embedded systems, able to drive the optimal composition of an heterogeneous MPSoC architecture, according to the requirements and the features of a given target application field.
The proposed methodologies will extend the classic concept of design space exploration, to cope with high heterogeneity, technology scaling, system reliability and multi-application demands, pursuing the following objectives:
-Improve design predictability of highly heterogeneous embedded systems, bridging the so called "implementation gap", i.e. the gap between the results that can be predicted during the system-level design phase and those eventually obtained after the on-silicon implementation.
-Consider, apart from more traditional constraints (typically, cost, performance, power consumption), continued availability of service, taking into account fault recovery as one of the optimization factors to be satisfied.
-Support adaptive runtime management of the architecture.
The technical approach of the project will rely on the following methods:
-In order to improve the design predictability, traditional system-level design methodologies will be extended to consider variables strictly related with physical implementation of the architecture, leveraging a specific layer for rapid and accurate on-hardware FPGA-based emulation.
-In order to address fault tolerance and adaptive runtime resources management, new methodologies are going to be defined and included in system-level exploration. Specific hardware/middleware IP modules will be developed to pursue those objectives.
The results of the project are expected to have a deep impact on the design flow for high-complexity embedded systems, facilitating and enhancing the exploration of the architectural design space, therefore resulting in a significantly increased overall productivity.
Abstract.
The COMES educational project aims at realizing an educational program on “COmplexity Management in Embedded Tera-Systems” (COMES), complexity management being a well known and increasingly important field. The project relives within the Nano-Tera.ch framework (to go to Nano-Tera website click here); The actions to be organized in 2009, dealing with fundamental aspects, can be seen as laying the foundations for subsequent educational activities to be envisioned for future years, that could bring the focus of the complexity problem onto “vertical” Nano-Tera subjects such as software, system design, networking, technology.
The educational offer will be structured in a manner to provide a flexible answer to users’ needs as user background and present objectives.
Moreover, the COMES intend to enable agile dissemination and sharing of experiences and results with other researchers, in particular belonging to the Nano-Tera community.
Monitoraggio Idrogeologico Adattivo a supporto del piano di Rischio Integrato Alpino
Abstract.
The project aims at building innovative systems and technologies for distributed acquisition of territorial data and their communication to second generation operative centers. Such data will be aggregated on a phenomenological basis and dynamic risk scenarios will be generated for alpine cross-border areas paying particular attention Domino Effect. In particular the specific distributed monitoring action - based on Wireless Sensor Network technologies (complementing existing monitoring points) will provide data necessary to build a dynamic risk map of the specific area. This dynamic risk map is integrated with a static map of the technological and networking risk present in the territories so to eventually provide an Alpine Area Integrated Risk Plan with dynamic characteristics. Furthermore the monitoring system allows dynamic forecasting of risk immediately before emergency situations as it will be possible to collect real time information from the field.
Virtual Power Systems as an Instrument to Promote Transnational Cooperation and Sustainable Energy Supply in the Alpine Space
Abstract.
At present, the Alpine Space is characterised by strong territorial discrepancies with regard to (conventional) energy supply. Rich endogenous renewable energy sources (RES) like hydropower, solar and wind energy, wood and other biomass exist throughout the Alpine Space. But equal access to their use is even more restricted because the use and the need to balance electricity production requires a strong electric grid and its – often unacceptable – extension or strengthening if the rate of RES is to be increased.
Virtual Power Systems (VPS) offer an alternative by using ICT technology for intelligent combinations of RES, load management and storage. A prerequisite are innovative ways of cooperation among utilities, independent power producers and consumers. VPS have a high potential to trigger new knowledge-based and competitive economic activities. AlpEnergy will explore this potential and sensitise political and business decision makers.
Partners: Allgäu Initiative GbR – Kempten, Germania; BAUM Consult GmbH – Munchen, Germania; Provincia di Mantova; Technical Foundation of the University of Milano - Department for Planning, Environment and Energy; Rhônalpénergie-Environnement – Lion, France; Institut National
Plytechnique de Grenoble – St. Martin D’Heres, France ;Business support centre Kranj (BSC) d.o.o. – Kranj, Slovenia; Elektro Gorenjska, distributor of electrical energy, d.d. – Kranj, Slovenia.
Abstract.
This projects aims to design and develop a new generation of Ethernet PON-based devices that optimize the bandwidth usage as the installation costs. Our devices are compact FPGA-based, SOPC reconfigurable digital logic modules enclosing WDM technology to enhance the bandwidth available per node. Furthermore their modular and reconfigurable architecture allows scalable network design and in-field system upgrade. Additionally they include hardware bandwidth accelerators and propose some remote monitor and maintenance facilities.
Abstract.
Many point tools exist to optimize particular aspects of embedded systems. However, an overall design space exploration framework is needed to combine all the decisions into a global search space, and a common interface to the optimization and evaluation tools.
The MULTICUBE project focuses on the definition of an automatic multi-objective Design Space Exploration (DSE) framework to be used to tune the System-on-Chip architecture for the target application evaluating a set of metrics (e.g. energy, latency, throughput, bandwidth, QoR, etc.) for the next generation embedded multimedia platforms.
Abstract.
The purpose of the AETHER project is to show that self-adaptive computing architectures can be a powerful approach to simultaneously addressing the major problems raised by pervasive computing. AETHER's main objectives are to study, evaluate and propose novel computing architectures responding to the most demanding embedded applications in the next 10+ years.
In particular, the AETHER project aims to tackle the issues related to the performance and technological scalability, increased complexity and programmability of future embedded computing architectures by introducing self-adaptive technologies in computing resources. The AETHER consortium will study and propose self-adaptive networked entities (SANE) based on reconfigurable computing architectures, and study their impact at various levels of the computing chain such as operating environments, programming methods and tools and application design. The potential benefits of the proposed approach will be assessed and validated with industrial partners on realistic application scenarios.
Abstract.
The LoMoSA project aims at the creation of a low-power expertise for mobile and multimedia applications by initiating the development of a European low-power System-on-Chip (SoC) platform.
It consists of an interacting combination of (architectural) models, design flows and methodologies, hardware design components, embedded software and test-benches. The project investigates low-power solutions for bus-controlled SoCs, but also covers the impact on power, scalability and performance of future multiprocessor SoC infrastructures based on novel on-chip communication solutions.
LoMoSA brings together world-class experts from the industry (NXP, STMicroelectronics, Thales, Thomson), university research labs and institutes (CEA-LETI, CEA-LIST, TIMA, ALaRI, University of Cantabria) and 1 SME's (DS2).
Abstract.
The COOPER project is dedicated to supporting long-distance cooperation of teams of students working on complex projects, assuming that the students and advisors are geographically dispersed and have heterogeneous backgrounds and competencies. COOPER applies to the following learning environments:
Graduate (or post-graduate) university studies involving students and lecturers participating in focused projects (e.g., masters or specialization courses) coming from different institutions and backgrounds;
Company universities and company training, involving multi-national participants coming from company's sites or customers which are world-wide dispersed, participating in the launching of new product or technology, or in product- and project-centred training.
Stemming from these requirements, COOPER's main technological objective is to develop and test a model-driven, extensible environment that supports in individual and collective competency building in virtual teams, whose members are geographically dispersed, have different backgrounds and competencies, working together in projects to solve complex problems. The COOPER project will achieve this goal by focusing on and providing the following results:
Create a reference model for cooperative teamwork processes;
Create interoperable and validated pedagogical scenarios and assessment strategies;
Create and test tools to support knowledge co-construction, sharing and re-use;
Create a common COOPER software platform in which these models, scenarios, strategies and tools are integrated;
Gather requirements as well as pilot results and evaluations in representative case studies.
All results delivered by the project will contribute to forming a protected, shared COOPER environment, that will be easily deployed over any University's or Company's Intranet. The COOPER environment will feature the use of advanced technology (e.g. VOI) provided by two small SMEs at the forefront of EU innovation edge
Abstract.
The increasing ubiquity of information technologies in all aspects of human life makes security issues one of the most critical aspects of system design: far from being a problem confined to a few specialists whose systems are exposed to potential threats, security now is of interest almost to everybody and it affects not only computer systems proper but also the increasingly-wide spectrum of embedded systems.
In fact, several new forms of attacks to cryptographic algorithms have been developed, such as timing analysis and power analysis attacks. They exploit weaknesses of the hardware platform where the algorithm is implemented. The importance of the threat is proportional to the proliferation of security-sensitive devices, especially including a great number of novel embedded devices, often portable and battery-operated.
Several solutions have been proposed and implemented against such attacks. But yet, several problems remain.
No comprehensive comparison of the robustness and cost of the techniques to counter timing
and power analysis attacks have been attempted. Only recently researchers have introduced metrics of robustness for existing programmable devices. As a first step in the proposed project, we wish to explore more precisely the issue of security metrics. We need to tackle the problem and obtain a priori metrics at least sufficient to guide us in subsequent phases.
Next step consists in elaborating novel techniques that combine the best robustness features and that are easily amenable to design automation. We will also explore new solutions, for instance exploiting some unorthodox techniques of logic synthesis. Again we will compare the different possibilities and concentrate on one or two options. We will put in practice these options to conceive flexible tightly-coupled coprocessors for
cryptographic applications, possibly based on a reconfigurable datapath.
We plan to demonstrate our results with the VLSI design of significant sections of a coprocessor in a typical embedded computing subsystem.
More information about proposal.
Abstract.
IPSec is an important part of the Mobile IPv6 protocol that can be used to provide security services for the IP datagrams being sent over the network. The aim of this project is to provide a set of guidelines for IPSec configuration and to study possible optimizations of the protocol in a Mobile IPv6 environment. To provide an experimental basis for definition of such guidelines, a test network made of Intel SA-1110 boards equipped with wireless cards will be built and specific performance figures will be collected.
More information about proposal.
Abstract.
Aim of the project is the definition of hardware/software solutions for achieving higher
security on mobile systems with cost and power consumption constraints. The project,
involving cooperation between USI and SUPSI, deals with innovative efficient and comprehensive security
policies for mobile systems design. The finally defined policy will be
validated by means of a physical demonstrator (implemented partly as
software, partly by means of fast-prototyping technologies) that could
be the initial step for an industrial prototype.
More information about the project on Gebert Rf Site.
The project of the month - nr. 7 - February 2004 Abstract.
"Only connect" may be said to be today's motto. The next stage after the cell phone is the wireless network, through which we can link up to the Internet wherever we are. An essential desideratum when a wireless system is created is the guarantee of personal data protection. Security in mobile systems is one problem tackled by AlaRI, an institute of the Universit�della Svizzera italiana (USI) and by the Microelectronics Laboratory at SUPSI. Together they have developed a project that puts forward innovative solutions.
For further details: http://www.ti-edu.ch/servizi/ricerca/ricerca_attualita/progettomese/7/ricerca_progetto.htm
Abstract.
The objective of the project is to address the shortage of highly
skilled personnel in designing and manufacturing embedded systems. The
consortium is composed by four European technical schools (Politecnico
di Milano; ALaRI Institute in Lugano; EPF Lausanne; Universitat
Politecnica de Catalunya) and by a group of microelectronics and related
companies (ST Microelectronics, Mentor Italia and TXT in Italy; IPLS in
Ireland; IMEC in Belgium; INTRACOM in Greece; Infineon in Germany). The
project provides for a number of training initiatives, built around the
"Master of Engineering in Embedded Systems Design" held at
ALaRI. They are: grants for students from candidate countries; support
to joint master projects with industry; dissemination of course contents
through summer schools and in-house courses at industry's premises;
set-up of a mobility scheme for students -
ECTS
and of a support infrastructure for remote learning and tutoring.
More information about the project on FP5 Site.
