http://hdl.handle.net/2117/3657 2013-05-22T15:14:28Z http://hdl.handle.net/2117/18537 Title: Biological and anthropogenic sound sources: effects and control in the European Seas Observatory Network (ESONET) Authors: André, Michel; Manuel Lázaro, Antonio; Dañobeitia, Juan José; Rolin, Jean-François; Person, Roland 2013-04-02T11:07:14Z http://hdl.handle.net/2117/17659 Title: Real-time speaker verification system implemented on reconfigurable hardware Authors: Ramos Lara, Rafael Ramón; López García, Mariano; Canto Navarro, Enrique Fernando; Puente Rodriguez, Luis Abstract: Nowadays, biometrics is considered as a promising solution in the market of security and personal verification. Applications such as financial transactions, law enforcement or network management security are already benefitting from this technology. Among the different biometric modalities, speaker verification represents an accurate and efficient way of authenticating a person’s identity by analyzing his/her voice. This identification method is especially suitable in real-life scenarios or when a remote recognition over the phone is required. The processing of a signal of voice, in order to extract its unique features, that allows distinguishing an individual to confirm or deny his/ her identity is, usually, a process characterized by a high computational cost. This complexity imposes that many systems, based on microprocessor clocked at hundreds of MHz, are unable to process samples of voice in real-time. This drawback has an important effect, since in general, the response time needed by the biometric system affects its acceptability by users. The design based on FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) is a suited way to implement systems that require a high computational capability and the resolution of algorithms in real-time. Besides, these devices allow the design of complex digital systems with outstanding performance in terms of execution time. This paper presents the implementation of a MFCC (Mel-Frequency Cepstrum Coefficients)—SVM (Support Vector Machine) speaker verification system based on a low-cost FPGA. Experimental results show that our system is able to verify a person’s identity as fast as a high-performance microprocessor based on a Pentium IV personal computer. 2013-02-12T13:39:36Z http://hdl.handle.net/2117/17600 Title: Ballast system for Guanay II AUV Authors: González Agudelo, Julián; Masmitja Rusinyol, Ivan; Gomáriz Castro, Spartacus 2013-02-07T17:51:33Z http://hdl.handle.net/2117/17599 Title: Salinity studies in mar Menor using Guanay II AUV Authors: González Agudelo, Julián; Masmitja Rusinyol, Ivan; Río Fernandez, Joaquín del; Gomáriz Castro, Spartacus 2013-02-07T17:08:32Z http://hdl.handle.net/2117/16993 Title: Efficient cubic spline interpolation implemented with FIR filters Authors: Ferrer Arnau, Luis Jorge; Reig Bolano, Ramon; Marti Puig, Pere; Manjabacas, A.; Parisi Baradad, Vicenç Abstract: Classical Cubic spline interpolation needs to solve a set of equations of high dimension. In this work we show how to compute the interpolant using a FIR digital filter, with a reduced number of operations per interpolated point and high accuracy. Additionally, the computation can be made on real time as the signal samples are acquired. Following this approach, we show how to obtain easily the derivatives of the interpolant in a similar way, and also signal approximations to reduce the oscillations that appear when using high order splines. These techniques are very well suited to compute continuous representations of image contours on closed shapes and to find its curvature and singularities. 2012-11-22T10:53:46Z http://hdl.handle.net/2117/16439 Title: Seasonal rhythm in a Mediterranean coastal fish community as monitored by a cabled observatory Authors: Condal, Fernando; Aguzzi, Jacopo; Sardà Amills, Francesc; Nogueras Cervera, Marc; Cadena Muñoz, Francisco Javier; Costa, Corrado; Río Fernandez, Joaquín del; Manuel Lázaro, Antonio Abstract: To adequately describe seasonal rhythms in habitat utilization by fish communities, observations are needed that occur at a relatively high frequency and over large temporal windows. For the first time, images collected from a cabled video-observatory (the western Mediterranean expandable SEAfloor OBservatory; OBSEA) were utilized to examine habitat utilization by coastal fishes. Over the course of a year, hourly digital images of the water column and an artificial reef were obtained during daylight hours. For each image, the total number of species, an estimate of the abundance of individuals, and the Shannon Diversity Index were quantified. A total of 22 fish species commonly associated with nearshore western Mediterranean habitats were identified, and significant spatial (water column vs. artificial reef), seasonal (spring, summer, autumn, and winter), and daily (morning, midday, and sunset) differences in habitat utilization occurred. Four species (Diplodus vulgaris, Diplodus cervinus, Diplodus sargus, and Scorpaena porcus) were associated with the artificial reef, while one species (Pagrus pagrus) chiefly occurred in the water column. Chromis chromis and Diplodus annularis occurred at the site more frequently in the winter and autumn, respectively, while 14 other species utilized the site more frequently in either the spring (8 spp) or summer (6 spp). In addition, Dentex dentex and Spicara maena occurred more frequently at sunset, while D. cervinus displayed a crepuscular rhythm (occurring more frequently in the morning and at sunset). Species diversity was highest in the summer and lowest in the winter. If not taken into account when planning in situ sampling, such seasonal and/or diel differences may lead to spurious estimates of population sizes and biodiversity. We suggest that cabled video-observatories offer a non-invasive and reliable technology for faunistic sampling and population assessment in coastal water of the Mediterranean and likely elsewhere. 2012-09-06T07:11:10Z http://hdl.handle.net/2117/14263 Title: Precision timing in ocean sensor systems Authors: Río Fernandez, Joaquín del; Mihai Toma, Daniel; Shariat Panahi, Shahram; Manuel Lázaro, Antonio; Geirinhas Ramos, Helena María Abstract: This paper discusses the use of the IEEE 1588 standard in ocean observatories. The performance result of prototype implementations of this standard in an Ethernet Marine Sensor Network (MSN) is presented. The performance tests emulate an underwater-cabled observatory with a Master Clock synchronized with GPS, located in an on-shore station, and with underwater instruments requiring high-precision PPS (pulse s−1) signals for synchronization purposes. These signals will be provided to the underwater station by an IEEE 1588 GPS Emulator connected to the observatory’s Local Area Network (LAN). The experimental setup emulates the underwater-cabled observatory OBSEA where this technology will be installed due to synchronization requirements of marine instruments such as ocean bottom seismometers. 2011-12-19T08:43:06Z http://hdl.handle.net/2117/14029 Title: Hydrodynamic model, simulation and linear control for cormoran-auv Authors: González Agudelo, Julián; Gomáriz Castro, Spartacus; Benezra, Andreina 2011-11-23T13:04:18Z http://hdl.handle.net/2117/13516 Title: A new laboratory radio frequency identification (RFID) system for behavioural tracking of marine organisms Authors: Sardà Amills, Francesc; Aguzzi, Jacopo; Sbragaglia, Valerio; Sarriá Gandul, David; García, José Antonio; Costa, Corrado; Río Fernandez, Joaquín del; Manuel Lázaro, Antonio; Menesatti, Paolo Abstract: Radio frequency identification (RFID) devices are currently used to quantify several traits of animal behaviour with potential applications for the study of marine organisms. To date, behavioural studies with marine organisms are rare because of the technical difficulty of propagating radio waves within the saltwater medium. We present a novel RFID tracking system to study the burrowing behaviour of a valuable fishery resource, the Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus L.). The system consists of a network of six controllers, each handling a group of seven antennas. That network was placed below a microcosm tank that recreated important features typical of Nephrops’ grounds, such as the presence of multiple burrows. The animals carried a passive transponder attached to their telson, operating at 13.56 MHz. The tracking system was implemented to concurrently report the behaviour of up to three individuals, in terms of their travelled distances in a specified unit of time and their preferential positioning within the antenna network. To do so, the controllers worked in parallel to send the antenna data to a computer via a USB connection. The tracking accuracy of the system was evaluated by concurrently recording the animals’ behaviour with automated video imaging. During the two experiments, each lasting approximately one week, two different groups of three animals each showed a variable burrow occupancy and a nocturnal displacement under a standard photoperiod regime (12 h light:12 h dark), measured using the RFID method. Similar results were obtained with the video imaging. Our implemented RFID system was therefore capable of efficiently tracking the tested organisms and has a good potential for use on a wide variety of other marine organisms of commercial, aquaculture, and ecological interest. 2011-10-17T08:45:06Z http://hdl.handle.net/2117/13171 Title: Hardware-software co-design of an iris recognition algorithm Authors: López García, Mariano; Daugman, J.; Canto Navarro, Enrique Fernando Abstract: This paper describes the implementation of an iris recognition algorithm based on hardware-software co-design. The system architecture consists of a general-purpose 32- bit microprocessor and several slave coprocessors that accelerate the most intensive calculations. The whole iris recognition algorithm has been implemented on a low-cost Spartan 3 FPGA, achieving significant reduction in execution time when compared to a conventional software-based application. Experimental results show that with a clock speed of 40 MHz, an IrisCode is obtained in less than 523 ms from an image of 640x480 pixels, which is just 20% of the total time needed by a software solution running on the same microprocessor embedded in the architecture. 2011-09-08T09:57:23Z http://hdl.handle.net/2117/12706 Title: The new seafloor observatory (OBSEA) for remote and long-term coastal ecosystem monitoring Authors: Palanques Monteys, Albert; Mihai Toma, Daniel; Sardà Amills, Francesc; Puig Alenyà, Pere; Aguzzi, Jacopo; Manuel Lázaro, Antonio; Condal, Fernando; Guillen, J.; Nogueras Cervera, Marc; Río Fernandez, Joaquín del; Costa, Corrado; Menesatti, Paolo Abstract: A suitable sampling technology to identify species and to estimate population dynamics based on individual counts at different temporal levels in relation to habitat variations is increasingly important for fishery management and biodiversity studies. In the past two decades, as interest in exploring the oceans for valuable resources and in protecting these resources from overexploitation have grown, the number of cabled (permanent) submarine multiparametric platforms with video stations has increased. Prior to the development of seafloor observatories, the majority of autonomous stations were battery powered and stored data locally. The recently installed low-cost, multiparametric, expandable, cabled coastal Seafloor Observatory (OBSEA), located 4 km off of Vilanova i la Gertrú, Barcelona, at a depth of 20 m, is directly connected to a ground station by a telecommunication cable; thus, it is not affected by the limitations associated with previous observation technologies. OBSEA is part of the European Multidisciplinary Seafloor Observatory (EMSO) infrastructure, and its activities are included among the Network of Excellence of the European Seas Observatory NETwork (ESONET). OBSEA enables remote, long-term, and continuous surveys of the local ecosystem by acquiring synchronous multiparametric habitat data and bio-data with the following sensors: Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) sensors for salinity, temperature, and pressure; Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCP) for current speed and direction, including a turbidity meter and a fluorometer (for the determination of chlorophyll concentration); a hydrophone; a seismometer; and finally, a video camera for automated image analysis in relation to species classification and tracking. Images can be monitored in real time, and all data can be stored for future studies. In this article, the various components of OBSEA are described, including its hardware (the sensors and the network of marine and land nodes), software (data acquisition, transmission, processing, and storage), and multiparametric measurement (habitat and bio-data time series) capabilities. A one-month multiparametric survey of habitat parameters was conducted during 2009 and 2010 to demonstrate these functions. An automated video image analysis protocol was also developed for fish counting in the water column, a method that can be used with cabled coastal observatories working with still images. Finally, bio-data time series were coupled with data from other oceanographic sensors to demonstrate the utility of OBSEA in studies of ecosystem dynamics. 2011-06-03T10:58:53Z http://hdl.handle.net/2117/11461 Title: Real-time embedded systems powered by FPGA dynamic partial self-reconfiguration: a case study oriented to biometric recognition applications Authors: Fons Lluis, Francesc; Fons Lluis, Mariano; Canto Navarro, Enrique Fernando; López García, Mariano Abstract: This work aims to pave the way for an efficient open system architecture applied to embedded electronic applications to manage the processing of computationally complex algorithms at real-time and low-cost. The target is to define a standard architecture able to enhance the performance-cost trade-off delivered by other alternatives nowadays in the market like general-purpose multi-core processors. Our approach, sustained by hardware/software (HW/SW) co-design and run-time reconfigurable computing, is synthesizable in SRAM-based programmable logic. As proof-of-concept, a run-time partially reconfigurable field-programmable gate array (FPGA) is addressed to carry out a specific application of high-demanding computational power such as an automatic fingerprint authentication system (AFAS). Biometric personal recognition is a good example of compute-intensive algorithm composed of a series of image processing tasks executed in a sequential order. In our pioneer conception, these tasks are partitioned and synthesized first in a series of coprocessors that are then instantiated and executed multiplexed in time on a partially reconfigurable region of the FPGA. The implementation benchmark of the AFAS either as a pure software approach on a PC platform under a dual-core processor (Intel Core 2 Duo T5600 at 1.83 GHz) or as a reconfigurable FPGA co-design (identical algorithm partitioned in HW/SW tasks operating at 50 or 100 MHz on the second smallest device of the Xilinx Virtex-4 LX family) highlights a speed-up of one order of magnitude in favor of the FPGA alternative. These results let point out biometric recognition as a sensible killer application for run-time reconfigurable computing, mainly in terms of efficiently balancing computational power, functional flexibility and cost. Such features, reached through partial reconfiguration, are easily portable today to a broad range of embedded applications with identical system architecture. 2011-02-22T09:04:38Z http://hdl.handle.net/2117/11449 Title: Web based application for the selection of cable trays Authors: Hidalgo Castro, Alberto; Manuel Lázaro, Antonio Abstract: In this paper, we present an application that helps the designers and engineers decide which cable tray is the one they need for their projects. It considers both their section and weight, and from that data it offers the trays that are able to support them. It can select also among some models of bulkheads. The application has been developed in a web environment, using the ASP language in combination with a MySQL database. 2011-02-21T12:08:15Z http://hdl.handle.net/2117/11447 Title: Geophone calibration procedure for ocean bottom seismometers (OBS) Authors: Roset Juan, Francesc Xavier; Garcia Benadí, Albert; Manuel Lázaro, Antonio Abstract: This is a new calibration procedure for geophones using the expanded uncertainly [1] [2] of null-correction created in our laboratories. 2011-02-21T11:53:57Z http://hdl.handle.net/2117/11446 Title: Data acquisition system for a cabled ocean bottom seismometer (OBS) Authors: Rogalski, Tomasz; Shariat Panahi, Shahram; Río Fernandez, Joaquín del; Manuel Lázaro, Antonio Abstract: Ocean Bottom Seismometers (OBS) are highly used to monitor seismic activities at sea. They are also used to detect tsunamis and generate warning alarms. This paper presents a data acquisition system built for an OBS with capability to synchronize time through IEEE-1588 protocol. This acquisition system provides real time data through the Ethernet making it suitable for OBSs deployed at seafloor observatories. 2011-02-21T11:43:11Z