Current Commercial Off-the-shelf Research Articles

Vector Extensions in COTS Processors to Increase Guaranteed Performance in Real-Time Systems

The need for increased application performance in high-integrity systems such as those in avionics is on the rise as software continues to implement more complex functionalities. The prevalent computing solution for future high-integrity embedded products is multi-processor systems-on-chip (MPSoC) processors. MPSoCs include central processing unit (CPU) multicores that enable improving performance via thread-level parallelism. MPSoCs also include generic accelerators (graphics processing units [GPUs]) and application-specific accelerators. However, the data processing approach (DPA) required to exploit each of these underlying parallel hardware blocks carries several open challenges to enable the safe deployment in high-integrity domains. The main challenges include the qualification of its associated runtime system and the difficulties in analyzing programs deploying the DPA with out-of-the-box timing analysis and code coverage tools. In this work, we perform a thorough analysis of vector extensions (VExts) in current commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) processors for high-integrity systems. We show that VExts prevent many of the challenges arising with parallel programming models and GPUs. Unlike other DPAs, VExts require no runtime support, prevent design race conditions that might arise with parallel programming models, and have minimum impact on the software ecosystem, enabling the use of existing code coverage and timing analysis tools. We develop vectorized versions of neural network kernels and show that the NVIDIA Xavier VExts provide a reasonable increase in guaranteed application performance of up to 2.7x. Our analysis contends that VExts are the DPA approach with arguably the fastest path for adoption in high-integrity systems.

Assessing tele-manipulation systems using task performance for glovebox operations.

Tele-manipulation is indispensable for the nuclear industry since teleoperated robots cancel the radiation hazard problem for the operator. The majority of the teleoperated solutions used in the nuclear industry rely on bilateral teleoperation, utilizing a variation of the 4-channel architecture, where the motion and force signals of the local and remote robots are exchanged in the communication channel. However, the performance limitation of teleoperated robots for nuclear decommissioning tasks is not clearly answered in the literature. In this study, we assess the task performance in bilateral tele-manipulation for radiation surveying in gloveboxes and compare it to radiation surveying of a glovebox operator. To analyze the performance, an experimental setup suitable for human operation (manual operation) and tele-manipulation is designed. Our results showed that a current commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) teleoperated robotic manipulation solution is flexible, yet insufficient, as its task performance is significantly lower when compared to manual operation and potentially hazardous for the equipment inside the glovebox. Finally, we propose a set of potential solutions, derived from both our observations and expert interviews, that could improve the performance of teleoperation systems in glovebox environments in future work.

Coordinated Allocation of Radio Resources to Wi-Fi and Cellular Technologies in Shared Unlicensed Frequencies

Wireless connectivity is essential for industrial production processes and workflow management. Moreover, the connectivity requirements of industrial devices, which are usually long-term investments, are diverse and require different radio interfaces. In this regard, the 3GPP has studied how to support heterogeneous radio access technologies (RATs) such as Wi-Fi and unlicensed cellular technologies in 5G core networks. In some cases, these technologies coexist in the same spectrum. Dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS), which has already been proven to increase spectrum efficiency in licensed bands, can also be applied to this scenario. In this paper, we propose two solutions for mobile network operators (MNOs) or service providers to dynamically divide (multiplex) the radio resources of a shared channel between a Wi-Fi basic service set (BSS) and one or several carriers of scheduled wireless networks, such as cellular technologies, with a configurable level of sharing granularity. These solutions do not require modifications to the current commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) end devices. We adapt the existing IEEE 802.11 procedures to notify the Wi-Fi stations that they must share channels with different access networks. We demonstrate that our dynamic sharing proposals are also advantageous over direct coexistence and evaluate each of them quantitatively and qualitatively to determine when one or the other is preferable. The evaluation is particularized for IEEE 802.11ac and long-term evolution (LTE) license assisted access (LAA), but the solutions can be easily extended to 5G new radio-unlicensed (5G NR-U) or to any other wireless technology in which the network side schedules end device transmissions.

A prototype personal aerosol sampler based on electrostatic precipitation and electrowetting-on-dielectric actuation of droplets

An electrostatic precipitator (ESP) based personal sampler with a laboratory based electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) concentrator could provide a high concentration rate personal aerosol sampler system. A prototype system has been developed based on the concept of a lightweight personal ESP collecting aerosol particles onto a hydrophobic surface followed by the use of an EWOD actuated droplet system to transfer the deposited sample into a microlitre size water droplet.A personal sampler system could provide military or civilian personnel with a wide area biological monitoring capability supplying information on who has been infected, what they have been infected with, how much material they were exposed to and possibly where and when they were infected. Current commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) personal sampler solutions can be bulky and use volumes of water to extract the sample that are typically a thousand times greater than the proposed method.Testing of the prototype ESP at a sample flow rate of 5Lmin−1 demonstrated collection efficiencies greater than 80% for sodium fluorescein particles larger than 4μm diameter and of approximately 50% at 1.5μm. The ESP-EWOD system collection efficiency measured for Bacillus atrophaeus (BG) spores with an air sample flow rate of 20Lmin−1 was 2.7% with a concentration rate of 1.9×105min−1. This was lower than expected due to the corona ions from the ESP affecting the hydrophobicity of the collection surface and hence the EWOD efficiency. However, even with this low efficiency the concentration rate is more than an order of magnitude higher than the theoretical maximum of the best current COTS personal sampler. For an optimised system, ESP-EWOD system efficiency should be higher than 32% with a comparable increase in concentration rate.

Evaluation of COTS Simulations for Future HRI Teams

As robotic technologies become more autonomous, the way human-robot interaction is studied in the laboratory is going to need to change. Currently, the use of robots in the present day is almost entirely via tele-operation. As robots become more intelligent, they will need less human supervisory control. One approach is to liken near future human-robot teams to working human-animal teams However, in order to fully understand how humans will interact with near future robotic technologies that may not yet exist, we must use today’s simulation technologies as research tools. Some of these include Commercial off the Shelf (COTS) games. To overcome some of the problems inherent in trying to simulate technologies that may not yet exist, these games can represent a means by which near future human-robot interactions can be simulated This paper serves as a review the development of a framework for analyzing the utility of COTS games for HRI research, and will apply the framework to a few current COTS games.

Introducing quantitative analysis methods into virtual environments for real-time and continuous ergonomic evaluations

This paper presents our work on methods to link virtual environments (VE) and quantitative ergonomic analysis tools in real time for occupational ergonomic studies. We pursued two distinct approaches: (a) create methods to integrate the VE with commercially available ergonomic analysis tools for a synergistic use of functionalities and capabilities; (b) create a built-in ergonomic analysis module in the VE. The first approach provides the use of established, off-the shelf tools integrated with the VE to create a hybrid application. This integration is performed through the use of APIs provided by the software vendor and existing Internet and communications technologies. The commercial ergonomics tool and the VE run concurrently and integrate their capabilities. The second approach provides the capability to do ergonomic evaluations in a self-contained VE application. In this method, the required ergonomics calculations are built into the VE. Each approach has its own distinct advantages. The use of a commercially available ergonomics tool integrated with a VE provides significant more capability and should be used where detailed and complex ergonomics evaluations are required. However, the process of integration in this approach is more difficult and time consuming. The self-contained VE application is more suited for simple ergonomic evaluations or in cases where the ergonomics algorithms are readily accessible and easily implemented. The two integration strategies are methodically explained and demonstrated using case studies conducted with industry partners. This integrated capability facilitates integration of ergonomic issues early in the design and planning phases of workplace layouts. It provides functionality beyond the capabilities of current commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) solutions. In addition, it contributes to a new trend in the integration of different technology fields for synergistic use in industry.

Anti-aircraft artillery simulator

Air defense systems protect land and maritime resources from air attack. Depending on the regional characteristics and type of conflicting forces, air defense threats vary considerably. In regional conflicts, where forces with similar capabilities are involved and no air-superiority can be achieved, the role of air defense systems becomes critical. In combat terrains containing mountains (in mainland or in small islands), the man-operated or computer-controlled (using passive sensors) anti-aircraft artillery can be highly effective. The simulator presented in this work aims to exploit the capabilities provided by current commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) communication and multimedia technologies for providing a training environment that improves the personnel capability for effective use of man-controlled anti-aircraft weapons.

Guest Editor's Introduction: Special section on dependable distributed systems

Guest Editor's Introduction: Special section on dependable distributed systems