Final Layout Research Articles

A Novel Low Noise Instrumentation Amplifier for Bio-Medical applications

In this work we propose an efficient and a novel Instrumentation amplifier design fabricated using CMOS technology that can be used for the amplification of bio-medical signals. Instrumentation Biological amplifiers play a crucial role in biomedical devices like hearing aids, pacemaker etc. An instrumentation amplifier with current feedback and Current re-use topology along with the Chopper Offset-stabilization technique which was used in op-amps will also be extended to current-feedback instrumentation amplifiers, will help us to minimize and eliminate the flicker (1/f) noise and the offset voltages that will occur during the design of the feedback amplifiers. The gain mismatch problems that usually occurs due to the use of Current re -use topology was also minimized by the use of dynamic element matching technique that will be described in the paper. The design is simulated using Cadence Spectre tool. The Instrumentation amplifier final layout is designed in Cadence Layout editor with 0.18um CMOS technology.

Content-Based Visual Summarization for Image Collections.

With the surge of images in the information era, people demand an effective and accurate way to access meaningful visual information. Accordingly, effective and accurate communication of information has become indispensable. In this article, we propose a content-based approach that automatically generates a clear and informative visual summarization based on design principles and cognitive psychology to represent image collections. We first introduce a novel method to make representative and nonredundant summarizations of image collections, thereby ensuring data cleanliness and emphasizing important information. Then, we propose a tree-based algorithm with a two-step optimization strategy to generate the final layout that operates as follows: (1) an initial layout is created by constructing a tree randomly based on the grouping results of the input image set; (2) the layout is refined through a coarse adjustment in a greedy manner, followed by gradient back propagation drawing on the training procedure of neural networks. We demonstrate the usefulness and effectiveness of our method via extensive experimental results and user studies. Our visual summarization algorithm can precisely and efficiently capture the main content of image collections better than alternative methods or commercial tools.

Uniformly distributed lace design for hard rock TBMs

Optimization in TBM cutterhead design is essential for increasing its performance. Lace design for the cutters, buckets, and manholes in the cutterhead, is one of the major considerations in the design of the hard rock TBMs. An optimum lace design is necessary to avoid cutterhead deviation, vibration, and stress concentration during its operation. TBM manufacturers usually utilize two common lace designs of radial and spiral configurations. Despite the presence of many advantages for these two designs, each of them has its own disadvantages which may cause difficulties in achieving an efficient design of the cutterhead. This paper introduces a new TBM cutterhead lace design in which all three normal, side, and rolling forces are considered. The new force and moment balancing relationships are presented. With the consideration of the problems of the radial and spiral configurations, a new method of “uniformly distributed lace design” is introduced and the steps of achieving the final layout of the cutterhead is explained with its required parameters. On the basis of an example, a comparative study is made among three methods of applying radial, spiral, and uniformly distributed lace designs. The results show that the new method is very efficient in both uniformly and symmetrically distributing the cutters, buckets, and manholes on the cutterhead surface with no boundary conflicts. It also has the advantage to have low unbalanced forces and moments.

Reliability-based topology optimization framework of two-dimensional phononic crystal band-gap structures based on interval series expansion and mapping conversion method

• The NRBTO scheme is presented for PnCs where the interval series expansion and adjoint vector methods are then utilized to obtain design sensitivity expressions. • A mapping conversion method is proposed to eliminate the gray-scale elements when relatively coarse grids are used. • The maximum band-gap with a specific frequency region and a filling fraction is obtained while ensuring reliability requirements considering the uncertainty in the optimization parameters. In this study, a non-probabilistic reliability-based topological optimization (NRBTO) method is investigated for the optimized design of the band-gap structure of two-dimensional phononic crystals (PnCs), in which unknown but bounded (UBB) uncertainty issues from the material uncertainty are taken into account. A measurement metric is first defined based on the interval set-theoretical model, which may transform the band-gap setting into a non-probabilistic reliability format. The interval series expansion and adjoint vector methods are then utilized to obtain design sensitivity expressions between frequency measures and design variables. The method of moving asymptote (MMA) is adopted as well to iteratively solve the reliability-oriented band-gap optimization problem for PnCs. To effectively tackle the gray-scale units, a mapping conversion method is involved eventually. The usage and validity of the present methodology are verified through three examples, and numerical results show that considering the uncertainty effect of UBB throughout the topology optimization process has an important impact on the final layout scheme. Additionally, the optimization of the out-of-plane modes of PnCs (both the band-gap upper bound and the filling rate constraint are considered) indicates that the topological configuration may always change accompanied with the filling rate increases.

Joint Optimization of Multiprocess Routes and Layout for Low Entropy Flexible Facility.

Facility layout is not only the premise of production, but also a breakthrough for manufacturing industry to realize energy saving, environmental protection, and low entropy development. On the one hand, considering the interaction between product process routes and facility layout, a joint optimization model is proposed. The model aims to minimize the total logistics cost and consider the global optimization of facility layout and process route planning. On the other hand, considering the application of low entropy concept in facility layout, the analytic network process (ANP) is used to evaluate the low entropy layout. In the choice of the final facility layout, the algorithm results and expert knowledge are considered comprehensively to make up for the shortcomings of the model in the design of qualitative indicators. The algorithm innovation of this paper is to use genetic algorithm (GA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO) to search the solution of product process routes and facility layout simultaneously, to ensure the overall optimal solution of the two decision variables. Finally, an example is given to compare the joint optimization results with the independent optimization results, and the effectiveness of the joint optimization method is verified.

A mobile application to enhance mobility of people with permanent or temporary mobility disability – a case study in Portugal

Abstract This paper presents a mobile application developed in conjunction with the City Hall from Viana do Castelo, a city in the north of Portugal. This application targets people with permanent or temporary reduced mobility and intends to show them information about taxi points, parking spaces and reference points in the city with the possibility to navigate to them using an optimized algorithm, based on routes defined for each segment (deaf people, visually impaired people, etc.). The Dijkstra’s algorithm was used to implement the shortestPath given an origin, destination and segment. In this paper we present implementation details as well as final layouts of the prototype. At the current moment, the application is ended and will soon enter in usability tests with the users.

Design Framework for a Modular Floating Container Terminal

The design and development of an offshore port terminal is a complex task that involves distinctive design and decision challenges. In this paper, we propose the implementation of a floating, modular, platform that can act as an additional terminal of a port, with the aim of expanding its current container handling capacity. To this end, we introduce a generic methodology to tackle three aspects of an offshore terminal: terminal layout design, strategic logistics optimization, and operational process coordination. The terminal layout design includes the modular arrangements, handling on and between platform modules by the associated equipment. To select the final layout design concept, we evaluate different alternatives on criteria such as layout complexity, scalability, and the number of moves associated with the modular nature of the platform. Subsequently, the selected concept is given as input to a strategic logistics optimization approach that introduces a mixed-integer linear programming model. The proposed model minimizes the capital, operational, and maintenance costs of the floating modular terminal, i.e., number and size of modules, number and type of equipment, as well as capacities. In parallel, we develop a simulation of the floating terminal’s hinterland connections, where the number and type of required vessels are specified for relevant destinations and transport configurations. At the operational level, we focus on the coordination of handling equipment on the offshore platform by employing a tailored simulation/optimization approach. Our methodology is demonstrated on a case study that considers accommodating the growth of a port in the Hamburg-Le Havre range via the use of a modular, floating, transport, and logistics hub.

3D Room Layout Estimation From a Single RGB Image

3D layout is crucial for scene understanding and reconstruction, and very useful in applications like real estate and furniture design. In this paper, we propose a fully automatic solution to estimate 3D layout of an indoor scene from a single 2D image. Our technique contains two key components. Firstly, we train a neural network that directly estimates room structure lines from the input image. Secondly, we propose a novel technique to automatically identify the layout topology of an input image, followed by a nonlinear optimization with equality constraints to estimate the final 3D layout of a scene. Based on our knowledge, this is the first fully automatic technique to achieve single image-based 3D layout estimation of an indoor scene. We evaluate our method on the public datasets $LSUN$ , $Hedau$ and $3DGP$ and the results show that the proposed method achieves accurate 3D layout reconstruction on various images with different layout topologies.

Large-Scale Green Liver System for Sustainable Purification of Aquacultural Wastewater: Construction and Case Study in a Semiarid Area of Brazil (Itacuruba, Pernambuco) Using the Naturally Occurring Cyanotoxin Microcystin as Efficiency Indicator.

The aquaculture industry in Brazil has grown immensely resulting in the production of inefficiently discarded wastewater, which causes adverse effects on the aquatic ecosystem. The efficient treatment of aquaculture wastewater is vital in reaching a sustainable and ecological way of fish farming. Bioremediation in the form of the Green Liver System employing macrophytes was considered as wastewater treatment for a tilapia farm, COOPVALE, in Itacuruba, Brazil, based on previously demonstrated success. A large-scale system was constructed, and the macrophytes Azolla caroliniana, Egeria densa, Myriophyllum aquaticum, and Eichhornia crassipes were selected for phytoremediation. As cyanobacterial blooms persisted in the eutrophic wastewater, two microcystin congeners (MC-LR and -RR) were used as indicator contaminants for system efficiency and monitored by liquid-chromatography–tandem-mass-spectrometry. Two trial studies were conducted to decide on the final macrophyte selection and layout of the Green Liver System. In the first trial, 58% MC-LR and 66% MC-RR were removed and up to 32% MC-LR and 100% MC-RR were removed in the second trial. Additional risks that were overcome included animals grazing on the macrophytes and tilapia were spilling over from the hatchery. The implementation of the Green Liver System significantly contributed to the bioremediation of contaminants from the fish farm.

Research based on double coverage rate and reliability of gas detector layout optimization

The gas detector layout should be highly attuned to combustible gas leakage and attain a good reliability in avoiding detector malfunction, which is an important guarantee for the normal production of the chemical industry and other related enterprises. Herein, a gas detector layout optimization method based on double coverage and reliability is proposed. The key gas leakage monitoring area is determined through layout scene field investigation. To improve the detection probability and detection system reliability, the dual coverage target and voting mechanism are set, and the gas detector layout is determined with the ray-casting algorithm according to the coverage target. Combined with FLACS software to simulate a variety of typical leakage conditions under different layout scenarios, the relationship between the leaked gas concentration detected by gas detectors in each layout scheme and time is obtained, and the gas leakage detection probability in each layout scheme, number of detectors that can trigger the alarm, shortest time to trigger the alarm and reliability are comprehensively evaluated. The decision-maker selects the final gas detector layout plan according to the evaluation results and actual site needs. The study shows that the detection probability of each layout scheme set according to the double coverage is high, and multiple detectors can trigger the alarm (up to 100%), which ensures that the alarm can be triggered within 10 s under all applicable conditions. According to the evaluation results, the decision-maker can obtain a layout scheme that not only agrees with the actual site conditions but also attains a high detection probability, short detection time and strong reliability.

PERANCANGAN ULANG TATA LETAK FASILITAS DENGAN MENGGUNAKAN METODE KONVENSIONAL BERBASIS 5S

The facility layout design greatly affects the performance of a company. Poor facility layout will lead to poor material flow patterns and relatively high movement of materials, products, information, equipment and labor which causes delays in product completion and increases production costs. Facility layout design aims to analyze improvements in production activities. In preparing the layout of the facility, this research applies the 5S method to see what needs to be improved and to redesign the factory layout. The object of this research was conducted at PT. XYZ. The results showed that the redesign of the facility layout of the light bulb processing factory of PT.XYZ consists of several parts that must be improved in order to obtain the best final layout. The redesign of this facility layout does not have to require additional areas, this can be done by rearranging it. Based on the trial questionnaire before applyingthe 5S method,it was found that seiri,seiso,seiton,seiketsu,shitsuke needed improvement, while after redesigning using 5S method, it was found that only seiketsu and shitsuke needed improvement.

MAGICAL: An Open- Source Fully Automated Analog IC Layout System from Netlist to GDSII

This article presents MAGICAL, which is a fully automated analog IC layout system. MAGICAL takes a netlist and design rules as inputs, and it produces the final GDS layout in a fully automated fashion.

On aesthetics for user-sketched layouts of vertex-weighted graphs

Recent empirical works on graph drawing have investigated visual properties of graph drawings created by users based on adjacency lists of graphs as well as drawing behaviors. This is mainly done by asking participants to sketch these graphs on a tablet computer so that they can freely express their interpretation. However, previous works did not consider weighted vertices, i.e., assigning a weight to a vertex to reflect its importance. Therefore, we conducted an empirical study on graphs with weighted vertices. More specifically, this work conducts an experiment and analyzes characteristics of the final graph layouts, participants’ drawing processes and strategies and their drawing preferences. Results indicated that minimizing the number of edge crossings was still the most important aesthetic for participants, and that participants preferred the aesthetic of creating grid-like drawings in the condition with weighted vertices. Hence, this work suggested that aesthetics of minimizing number of edge crossings and creating grid-like patterns should be the main consideration for designing a graph drawing software application.

Redesigning Finished Product Warehouse Layout - A Case Study

System engineering methods are often used to design complex systems like airplanes. However, this method is also useful to propose solutions to redesign logistics systems such as warehouses and transport systems. This paper will apply system engineering in analyzing the late order problem at a pesticide company, thereby surveying stakeholders needs for warehouse re-designing. The functional analysis in the warehouse will be carried out in the concept analysis section to propose warehouse’s layout redesign alternatives that based on the demand of storage capacity and throughput. The authors also used the AHP method to select the final design layout. The detailed design section builds the operation process for the warehouse as well as the codification for commodity storage slots along with these tables forms that support for warehouse management. These solutions increase warehouse performance as well as the utilization in warehouses when applied in practice. Therefore, the system engineering method should be used in warehouse’s redesign

The ABC130 barrel module prototyping programme for the ATLAS strip tracker

For the Phase-II Upgrade of the ATLAS Detector [1], its Inner Detector, consisting of silicon pixel, silicon strip and transition radiation sub-detectors, will be replaced with an all new 100% silicon tracker, composed of a pixel tracker at inner radii and a strip tracker at outer radii. The future ATLAS strip tracker will include 11,000 silicon sensor modules in the central region (barrel) and 7,000 modules in the forward region (end-caps), which are foreseen to be constructed over a period of 3.5 years. The construction of each module consists of a series of assembly and quality control steps, which were engineered to be identical for all production sites. In order to develop the tooling and procedures for assembly and testing of these modules, two series of major prototyping programs were conducted: an early program using readout chips designed using a 250 nm fabrication process (ABCN-250) [2,2] and a subsequent program using a follow-up chip set made using 130 nm processing (ABC130 and HCC130 chips). This second generation of readout chips was used for an extensive prototyping program that produced around 100 barrel-type modules and contributed significantly to the development of the final module layout. This paper gives an overview of the components used in ABC130 barrel modules, their assembly procedure and findings resulting from their tests.

An optimization algorithm for automatic structural design

We propose a new algorithm to design lightweight and stiff structures exhibiting free-form features, with the aim of minimizing the compliance under a volume inequality constraint. The procedure is based on the coupling of geometric shape optimization with topology optimization. We start from a full-mass body corresponding to a given material occupying entirely the initial design domain. The first phase of geometric shape optimization acts as an out-of-the-box paradigm. It allows one to modify the initial design domain by acting only on its boundary, keeping the same volume and topology. With respect to the full-mass body, this phase reduces the compliance to a large extent. The successive step of topology optimization does actually change the topology of the structure, e.g., by introducing holes, reduces the volume according to the volume constraint, but does not affect the boundary of the structure, which is fixed by the previous phase. Overall, the combined approach allows us to design a new structure, that is lighter and stiffer with respect to the full-mass body. Additionally, the employment of a structure-tailored computational mesh, via an anisotropic mesh adaptation procedure during topology optimization, yields an intrinsically smooth final layout characterized by free-form features. An extensive numerical assessment corroborates both qualitatively and quantitatively the performances of the proposed optimization algorithm.

Similarity control in topology optimization under static and crash loading scenarios

Topology Optimization (TO) redistributes the material within a design space to optimize certain objective functions under given constraints. Currently available TO methods do not consider the designer's preferences about the final material layout in the optimized design. Contrarily, often an improved design similar to a reference design is required because of the economic, manufacturing or assembly restrictions. In this article, the proposed heuristic similarity control methods like the Energy Scaling Method (ESM), weak passive material method, and an intuitive method of modified design domain are compared with the formal mathematical method of Optimality Criteria (OC)-based Solid Isotropic Material with Penalization (SIMP) with a similarity constraint. Initially, the methods are coupled with Hybrid Cellular Automata (HCA) and OC-based SIMP for the TO of a cantilever beam under a static point load. The ESM is found to be the most effective and further tested for similarity-based TO with HCA in crash loading scenarios. The results show that ESM can be used to control the TO process effectively.

LDE-aware Analog Layout Migration with OPC-inclusive Routing

Performance degradation in analog circuits due to layout dependent effects (LDEs) has become increasingly challenging in advanced technologies. To address this issue, LDEs have to be seriously considered as performance constraints in the physical design process. In this article, we have proposed an innovative LDE-aware retargeting methodology for analog layout migration from old technologies to new ones with LDEs optimized for performance preservation. The LDE constraints, which are first identified with the aid of a specialized sensitivity analysis scheme, are satisfied during the layout migration process. Moreover, optical proximity correction (OPC), as one of the most popular resolution enhancement techniques for subwavelength lithography in modern nanometer technology manufacturing, is also included in this study. We have developed an OPC-inclusive ILP-based analog router to route electrical nets for improving image fidelity of the final layout while the routability and other analog constraints are respected in the meantime. The experimental results show our proposed layout migration methodology along with the routing scheme is able to retarget analog layouts with better circuit performance and finer image quality compared to the previous works.

Semantic-aware label placement for augmented reality in street view

In an augmented reality (AR) application, placing labels in a manner that is clear and readable without occluding the critical information from the real world can be a challenging problem. This paper introduces a label placement technique for AR used in street view scenarios. We propose a semantic-aware task-specific label placement method by identifying potentially important image regions through a novel feature map, which we refer to as guidance map. Given an input image, its saliency information, semantic information and the task-specific importance prior are integrated in the guidance map for our labeling task. To learn the task prior, we created a label placement dataset with the users’ labeling preferences, as well as use it for evaluation. Our solution encodes the constraints for placing labels in an optimization problem to obtain the final label layout, and the labels will be placed in appropriate positions to reduce the chances of overlaying important real-world objects in street view AR scenarios. The experimental validation shows clearly the benefits of our method over previous solutions in the AR street view navigation and similar applications.

Final Design of the Boundary Layer Transition (BOLT) Flight Experiment

To improve scientific knowledge of boundary-layer transition physics on increasingly complex geometries, the Air Force Research Laboratory/Air Force Office of Scientific Research has sponsored the Boundary Layer Transition (BOLT) Experiment to obtain measurements of hypersonic boundary-layer transition in flight on a low-curvature concave surface with highly swept leading edges. This paper will summarize the completed design of the BOLT flight experiment. The final selection and layout of the flight scientific instrumentation was driven by extensive ground testing and numerical analyses. The complex flight experiment hardware was designed with over 344 scientific measurements to characterize transition in flight, and to provide a new validation dataset for the development of next-generation transition prediction methods.