UB08 Session 8

Label	Presentation Title Authors
UB08.1	EWCMS: AN EMBEDDED WALK-CYCLE MONITORING SYSTEM USING BODY AREA COMMUNICATION AND SECURE LOW-POWER DYNAMIC SIGNALING Authors: Shahzad Muzaffar¹ and Ibrahim (Abe) M. Elfadel² ¹Masdar Institute, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, AE; ²Khalifa University of Science and Technology, AE Abstract The demo presents a novel ultra-low power, embedded, and wearable walk-cycle monitoring system with applications in areas such as healthcare, robotics, sports medicine, physical therapy, prosthesis, and animal sports. Customized shoes with sensors continuously measure the forces, and an electronic digital assistant is used to analyze the acquired measurements in real time by employing an IMU free and self-synchronizing method in order to estimate weight and study motion patterns. To achieve ultra-low power operation, the human body is used as a communication medium between the sensors and the digital assistant. The single-channel behavior of the human body is accommodated with a novel, simple yet robust single-wire signaling technique, Pulsed-Index Communication (PIC), that significantly reduces the system footprint and overall power consumption as it eliminates the need for clock and data recovery. The system prototype has been rigorously and successfully tested. More information ...
UB08.2	EVOAPPROX: LIBRARIES AND GENERATORS OF APPROXIMATE CIRCUITS Authors: Lukas Sekanina, Zdeněk Vašíček and Vojtěch Mrazek, Brno University of Technology, CZ Abstract Our contribution deals with a fully automated functional approximation methodology for combinational digital circuits. We present open libraries of approximate circuits and tools performing desired approximations. Our approach uses a multi-objective genetic programming-based method to automatically design approximate k-bit adders and multipliers (k = 8, 12, 16, 32). All circuits can be downloaded from [1] at the level of a source code (C, Verilog, and Matlab). Several error metrics are pre-calculated and formal guarantees are given in terms of these errors. By means of an interactive web interface the user can easily find the best trade-off between the error and electrical parameters provided for 45/90/180 nm technology process. We will also demonstrate the circuit design flow developed. References: [1] http://www.fit.vutbr.cz/research/groups/ehw/approxlib/ More information ...
UB08.4	ROS X FPGA FOR ROBOT-CLOUD SYSTEM: ROBOT-CLOUD COOPERATIVE VISUAL SLAM PROCESSING USING ROS-COMPLIANT FPGA COMPONENT Authors: Takeshi Ohkawa, Yuhei Sugata, Aoi Soya, Kanemitsu Ootsu and Takashi Yokota, Utsunomiya University, JP Abstract Distributed processing in robot-cloud cooperative system is discussed in terms of processing performance and communication performance. Cooperation of robots and cloud-servers is inevitable for realizing intelligent robots in the next generation society and industry. To improve processing performance of the cooperative system, we utilize ROS-compliant FPGA component as a robot-side embedded processing for low-power and high-performance image processing. We prepare two demonstrations. (1)Key-point Detection from camera image using Fully-hardwired ROS-Compliant FPGA component In the evaluation, the processing performance of the component is almost same as PC, while it operates at more than 10 times less power (5W), compared to PC (50W). (2)Distributed Visual SLAM using two-wheeled robot (TurtleBot3) Distributed Visual SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) are presented as a concrete example of the robot-cloud cooperative system. More information ...
UB08.5	WIRELESS SENSOR SYSTEM WITH ELECTROMAGNETIC ENERGY HARVESTER FOR INDUSTRY 4.0 APPLICATIONS Authors: Bianca Leistritz, Elena Chervakova, Sven Engelhardt, Axl Schreiber and Wolfram Kattanek, Institut für Mikroelektronik- und Mechatronik-Systeme gemeinnützige GmbH, DE Abstract An energy-autonomous and adaptive wireless multi-sensor system for a wide range of Industry 4.0 applications is presented here. By taking a holistic view of the sensor system and of the specific interactions of its components, technological barriers of individual system elements can be overcome. The energy supply of the demonstrator is realized by an miniaturized electromagnetic energy harvester, which could be easily and quickly adapted to the application-specific boundary conditions with the help of a computer assisted design process. Variations in the available energy are monitored by advanced energy management functions. The modular hardware and software platform is demonstrated by an adaptive measurement and data transmission rate. Communication takes place by means of industry 4.0 compliant standard protocols. The demonstrator was developed in the research group Green-ISAS funded by the Free State of Thuringia from the European Social Fund (ESF) under grant no. 2016 FGR 0055. More information ...
UB08.6	WARE: WEARABLE ELECTRONICS DIRECTIONAL AUGMENTED REALITY Authors: Gabriele Miorandi¹, Walter Vendraminetto², Federico Fraccaroli³, Davide Quaglia¹ and Gianluca Benedetti⁴ ¹University of Verona, IT; ²EDALab Srl, IT; ³Wagoo LLC, IT; ⁴Wagoo Italia srls, IT Abstract Augmented Reality (AR) currently require large form factors, weight, cost and frequent recharging cycles that reduce usability. Connectivity, image processing, localization, and direction evaluation lead to high processing and power requirements. A multi-antenna system, patented by the industrial partner, enables a new generation of smart eye-wear that elegantly requires less hardware, connectivity, and power to provide AR functionalities. They will allow users to directionally locate nearby radio emitting sources that highlight objects of interest (e.g., people or retail items) by using existing standards like Bluetooth Low Energy, Apple's iBeacon and Google's Eddystone. This booth will report the current level of research addressed by the Computer Science Department of University of Verona, Wagoo LLC, and Wagoo Italia srls. In the presented demo, different objects emit an "I am here" signal and a prototype of the smart glasses shows the information related to the observed object. More information ...
UB08.7	T-CREST: THE OPEN-SOURCE REAL-TIME MULTICORE PROCESSOR Authors: Martin Schoeberl, Luca Pezzarossa and Jens Sparsø, Technical University of Denmark, DK Abstract Future real-time systems, such as advanced control systems or real-time image recognition, need more powerful processors, but still a system where the worst-case execution time (WCET) can be statically predicted. Multicore processors are one answer to the need for more processing power. However, it is still an open research question how to best organize and implement time-predictable communication between processing cores. T-CREST is an open-source multicore processor for research on time-predictable computer architecture. In consists of several Patmos processors connected by various time-predictable communication structures: access to shared off-chip, access to shared on-chip memory, and the Argo network-on-chip for fast inter-processor communication. T-CREST is supported by open-source development tools, such as compilation and WCET analysis. To best of our knowledge, T-CREST is the only fully open-source architecture for research on future real-time multicore architectures. More information ...
UB08.10	EXPERIENCE-BASED AUTOMATION OF ANALOG IC DESIGN Authors: Florian Leber and Juergen Scheible, Reutlingen University, DE Abstract While digital design automation is highly developed, analog design automation still remains behind the demands. Previous circuit synthesis approaches, which are usually based on optimization algorithms, do not satisfy industrial requirements. A promising alternative is given by procedural approaches (also known as "generators"): They (a) emulate experts' decisions, thus (b) make expert knowledge re-usable and (c) can consider all relevant aspects and constraints implicitly. Nowadays, generators are successfully applied in analog layout (Pcells, Pycells). We aim at an entire design flow completely based on procedural automation techniques. This flow will consist of procedures for the generation of schematics and layouts for every typical analog circuit class, such as amplifier, bandgap, filter a.s.o. In our presentation we give an overview on such a design flow and we show an approach for capturing an analog circuit designer's strategy as an executable "expert design plan". More information ...
18:00	End of session

Label

Presentation Title
Authors

UB08.1

EWCMS: AN EMBEDDED WALK-CYCLE MONITORING SYSTEM USING BODY AREA COMMUNICATION AND SECURE LOW-POWER DYNAMIC SIGNALING
Authors:
Shahzad Muzaffar¹ and Ibrahim (Abe) M. Elfadel²
¹Masdar Institute, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, AE; ²Khalifa University of Science and Technology, AE
Abstract
The demo presents a novel ultra-low power, embedded, and wearable walk-cycle monitoring system with applications in areas such as healthcare, robotics, sports medicine, physical therapy, prosthesis, and animal sports. Customized shoes with sensors continuously measure the forces, and an electronic digital assistant is used to analyze the acquired measurements in real time by employing an IMU free and self-synchronizing method in order to estimate weight and study motion patterns. To achieve ultra-low power operation, the human body is used as a communication medium between the sensors and the digital assistant. The single-channel behavior of the human body is accommodated with a novel, simple yet robust single-wire signaling technique, Pulsed-Index Communication (PIC), that significantly reduces the system footprint and overall power consumption as it eliminates the need for clock and data recovery. The system prototype has been rigorously and successfully tested.
More information ...

UB08.2

EVOAPPROX: LIBRARIES AND GENERATORS OF APPROXIMATE CIRCUITS
Authors:
Lukas Sekanina, Zdeněk Vašíček and Vojtěch Mrazek, Brno University of Technology, CZ
Abstract
Our contribution deals with a fully automated functional approximation methodology for combinational digital circuits. We present open libraries of approximate circuits and tools performing desired approximations. Our approach uses a multi-objective genetic programming-based method to automatically design approximate k-bit adders and multipliers (k = 8, 12, 16, 32). All circuits can be downloaded from [1] at the level of a source code (C, Verilog, and Matlab). Several error metrics are pre-calculated and formal guarantees are given in terms of these errors. By means of an interactive web interface the user can easily find the best trade-off between the error and electrical parameters provided for 45/90/180 nm technology process. We will also demonstrate the circuit design flow developed. References: [1] http://www.fit.vutbr.cz/research/groups/ehw/approxlib/
More information ...

UB08.4

ROS X FPGA FOR ROBOT-CLOUD SYSTEM: ROBOT-CLOUD COOPERATIVE VISUAL SLAM PROCESSING USING ROS-COMPLIANT FPGA COMPONENT
Authors:
Takeshi Ohkawa, Yuhei Sugata, Aoi Soya, Kanemitsu Ootsu and Takashi Yokota, Utsunomiya University, JP
Abstract
Distributed processing in robot-cloud cooperative system is discussed in terms of processing performance and communication performance. Cooperation of robots and cloud-servers is inevitable for realizing intelligent robots in the next generation society and industry. To improve processing performance of the cooperative system, we utilize ROS-compliant FPGA component as a robot-side embedded processing for low-power and high-performance image processing. We prepare two demonstrations. (1)Key-point Detection from camera image using Fully-hardwired ROS-Compliant FPGA component In the evaluation, the processing performance of the component is almost same as PC, while it operates at more than 10 times less power (5W), compared to PC (50W). (2)Distributed Visual SLAM using two-wheeled robot (TurtleBot3) Distributed Visual SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) are presented as a concrete example of the robot-cloud cooperative system.
More information ...

UB08.5

WIRELESS SENSOR SYSTEM WITH ELECTROMAGNETIC ENERGY HARVESTER FOR INDUSTRY 4.0 APPLICATIONS
Authors:
Bianca Leistritz, Elena Chervakova, Sven Engelhardt, Axl Schreiber and Wolfram Kattanek, Institut für Mikroelektronik- und Mechatronik-Systeme gemeinnützige GmbH, DE
Abstract
An energy-autonomous and adaptive wireless multi-sensor system for a wide range of Industry 4.0 applications is presented here. By taking a holistic view of the sensor system and of the specific interactions of its components, technological barriers of individual system elements can be overcome. The energy supply of the demonstrator is realized by an miniaturized electromagnetic energy harvester, which could be easily and quickly adapted to the application-specific boundary conditions with the help of a computer assisted design process. Variations in the available energy are monitored by advanced energy management functions. The modular hardware and software platform is demonstrated by an adaptive measurement and data transmission rate. Communication takes place by means of industry 4.0 compliant standard protocols. The demonstrator was developed in the research group Green-ISAS funded by the Free State of Thuringia from the European Social Fund (ESF) under grant no. 2016 FGR 0055.
More information ...

UB08.6

WARE: WEARABLE ELECTRONICS DIRECTIONAL AUGMENTED REALITY
Authors:
Gabriele Miorandi¹, Walter Vendraminetto², Federico Fraccaroli³, Davide Quaglia¹ and Gianluca Benedetti⁴
¹University of Verona, IT; ²EDALab Srl, IT; ³Wagoo LLC, IT; ⁴Wagoo Italia srls, IT
Abstract
Augmented Reality (AR) currently require large form factors, weight, cost and frequent recharging cycles that reduce usability. Connectivity, image processing, localization, and direction evaluation lead to high processing and power requirements. A multi-antenna system, patented by the industrial partner, enables a new generation of smart eye-wear that elegantly requires less hardware, connectivity, and power to provide AR functionalities. They will allow users to directionally locate nearby radio emitting sources that highlight objects of interest (e.g., people or retail items) by using existing standards like Bluetooth Low Energy, Apple's iBeacon and Google's Eddystone. This booth will report the current level of research addressed by the Computer Science Department of University of Verona, Wagoo LLC, and Wagoo Italia srls. In the presented demo, different objects emit an "I am here" signal and a prototype of the smart glasses shows the information related to the observed object.
More information ...

UB08.7

T-CREST: THE OPEN-SOURCE REAL-TIME MULTICORE PROCESSOR
Authors:
Martin Schoeberl, Luca Pezzarossa and Jens Sparsø, Technical University of Denmark, DK
Abstract
Future real-time systems, such as advanced control systems or real-time image recognition, need more powerful processors, but still a system where the worst-case execution time (WCET) can be statically predicted. Multicore processors are one answer to the need for more processing power. However, it is still an open research question how to best organize and implement time-predictable communication between processing cores. T-CREST is an open-source multicore processor for research on time-predictable computer architecture. In consists of several Patmos processors connected by various time-predictable communication structures: access to shared off-chip, access to shared on-chip memory, and the Argo network-on-chip for fast inter-processor communication. T-CREST is supported by open-source development tools, such as compilation and WCET analysis. To best of our knowledge, T-CREST is the only fully open-source architecture for research on future real-time multicore architectures.
More information ...

UB08.10

EXPERIENCE-BASED AUTOMATION OF ANALOG IC DESIGN
Authors:
Florian Leber and Juergen Scheible, Reutlingen University, DE
Abstract
While digital design automation is highly developed, analog design automation still remains behind the demands. Previous circuit synthesis approaches, which are usually based on optimization algorithms, do not satisfy industrial requirements. A promising alternative is given by procedural approaches (also known as "generators"): They (a) emulate experts' decisions, thus (b) make expert knowledge re-usable and (c) can consider all relevant aspects and constraints implicitly. Nowadays, generators are successfully applied in analog layout (Pcells, Pycells). We aim at an entire design flow completely based on procedural automation techniques. This flow will consist of procedures for the generation of schematics and layouts for every typical analog circuit class, such as amplifier, bandgap, filter a.s.o. In our presentation we give an overview on such a design flow and we show an approach for capturing an analog circuit designer's strategy as an executable "expert design plan".
More information ...

18:00

End of session