Microcomputer-based Monitoring Research Articles

Turnout Fault Diagnosis through Dynamic Time Warping and Signal Normalization

Turnout is one key fundamental infrastructure in the railway signal system, which has great influence on the safety of railway systems. Currently, turnout fault diagnoses are conducted manually in China; engineers are obliged to observe the signals and make problem solving decisions. Thus, the accuracies of fault diagnoses totally depend on the engineers’ experience although massive data are produced in real time by the turnout microcomputer-based monitoring systems. This paper aims to develop an intelligent diagnosis method for railway turnout through Dynamic Time Warping (DTW). We firstly extract the features of normal turnout operation current curve and normalize the collected turnout current curves. Then, five typical fault reference curves are ascertained through the microcomputer-based monitoring system, and DTW is used to identify the turnout current curve fault through test data. The analysis results based on the similarity data indicate that the analyzed five turnout fault types can be diagnosed automatically with 100% accuracy. Finally, the benefits of the proposed method and future research directions were discussed.

Microcomputer-based monitoring of cardiovascular functions in simulated microgravity.

A microcomputer-based system for non-invasive monitoring of cardiovascular system in simulated microgravity is described. The system evaluates automatically, accurately and interactively heart beat intervals, beat-to-beat non-invasive finger arterial blood pressure (systolic, diastolic, mean and pulse pressure) using a Finapres device and beat-to-beat changes of thoracic blood volume using impedance changes. In addition, beat-to-beat evaluation of cardiac mechanical function including left ventricular ejection time, diastolic time, systolic time intervals, left ventricular ejection fraction estimate and several other contractility parameters, left ventricular volume, stroke volume and cardiac output estimates are performed with high degree of automaticity.

Blood Pressure Increases, Birth Weight-Dependent Stability Boundary, and Intraventricular Hemorrhage

The blood pressure (BP) and transcutaneous PO2 (TcPO2) changes associated with intensive care procedures were evaluated to determine whether responses differ between babies with and without periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage (PV-IVH). Fifty-three inborn babies less than or equal to 1500 g were studied using a microcomputer-based monitoring system. With almost any procedure including a seemingly benign one such as a diaper change, peak systolic BP increased and TcPO2 decreased. However, responses to interventions did not differ between babies with PV-IVH and those without PV-IVH. Neither did these responses differ between those with birth weight less than or equal to 1000 g and greater than 1000 g. When each baby's record was scanned for the highest peak systolic BP before diagnosis of PV-IVH or within 48 hours in those with no PV-IVH and their BP points plotted against birth weight, a stable region was evident wherein PV-IVH occurred at a lower incidence (13%). When peak systolic BP was beyond this stable region, the incidence of PV-IVH was significantly higher, 70% (P less than .0001). The stability boundary for the maximum systolic BP is birth weight-dependent; the limit for the highest tolerable peak systolic BP is lower for the low-birth-weight infant. In over 70% of instances the highest peak systolic BP was associated with motor activities either induced by nursery procedures or spontaneous. We speculate that decreasing the frequency of intensive care interventions may decrease episodic BP increases to levels beyond the birth weight-dependent stability boundary where PV-IVH is likely to occur.

Microcomputer-Based Monitoring System for Broiler Housing

The hardware needed to implement a microcomputer- based monitoring system for a broiler complex is described. A single-board computer supports the monitoring functions at the complex and provides a serial communication link to a personal computer at the complex managers residence. The system can be programmed in BASIC.

Computer-Controlled On-Line Moisture Measurement in Organic Solvents Using a Novel Potentiometric Technique

A microcomputer-based monitoring system for the determination of residual water in organic solvents using ion-selective electrodes in a novel potentiometric method, called the proton iso-concentration technique (PICT), has been developed at UMIST. In the monitor, a sample stream is bled off and mixed with a buffer solution before passing through a cell containing a pH glass electrode, a reference electrode and an automatic temperature compensation probe. The instrument is calibrated with standard solutions containing water in the same solvent. The automatic monitoring system comprises a microcomputer and slave microprocessor system, the former performing system control and data analysis, the latter controlling a number of discrete electronic devices. Results obtained on selected industrially important solvents demonstrate a satisfactory performance of PICT in continuous monitoring, showing it to be accurate, reproducible and sensitive. On-line determination of moisture in solvents is important for process control in industry.

Continuous oxygen consumption measurement during initial emergency department resuscitation of critically ill patients.

A portable microcomputer-based monitoring system was adapted to permit frequent, on-line measurement of oxygen consumption (VO2) in critically ill, unstable patients in the ED during initial resuscitation. Nine adult patients were monitored with this system; they were found to have initial VO2 values that were markedly elevated, averaging 409 +/- 53 ml/min.m2. In the 11 major physiologic events which were observed in these patients, VO2 changes appropriately reflected alterations in the patients' clinical condition induced by therapeutic interventions or changes in cardiorespiratory state. This study demonstrates the feasibility of VO2 monitoring during initial resuscitation and suggests that measurement of VO2 in the ED may assist in the management of critically ill patients in this setting.

Systemwide power plant performance monitoring using microcomputers

Gulf State Utilities recently installed microcomputer-based monitoring systems in its power plants to compute fuel consumption, electrical generation, and unit efficiencies. The microcomputers were programmed in BASIC to perform instantaneous and total energy calculations from continuous metering. The computed electrical generation, boiler and supplier BTU fuel flows, and unit heat rates are used by plant operators to make adjustments to improve unit efficiency. The information is also automatically transmitted via a SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system to the Energy Control Center, where it is used to meet generation requirements with the most efficient generating units, while minimizing fuel costs.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

Microcomputer-based monitoring and information system for solar heaters

Solar energy has been extensively utilized for domestic and commercial water heating over the last few years. The currently available solar heaters work at moderate efficiency, cannot easily achieve high operating temperatures and the rate of energy saving they offer is reduced, as the demand for hot water becomes less than the full capacity of the heater. A novice configuration of a solar heater is presented in this paper, which operates with multiple water tanks and incorporates a sophisticated microcomputer-based monitoring and information system. The use of the microcomputer system results in maximum rate of saving in conventional energy, high level of user-heater interaction, high operating temperatures and reduction of the required outdoor installation for the heater.

Experiences with Computer-Based Monitoring Systems in Polish Coal Mines

A modular computer-based monitoring system for mines is discussed. The system consists of the following modules : production monitoring system HADES, methane monitoring system CMC, seismoacoustic and seisraometric systems SAK and SYLOK, communication systems. The system enables one to compose flexible, economic structures according to the specification of a mine. Application of microcomputer-based monitoring and control systems in coal preparation plants also is discussed.

Microcomputer-Based Monitoring and Data Acquisition System for a Mosquito Flight Mill

The combination of a microcomputer and a mosquito flight mill system, containing up to 16 flight mills, is described. The microcomputer provides CRT screen monitoring, log reports, and summary reports. Each log report contains the distance (meters) and duration (seconds) of each flight by each mosquito. Summary reports include group assignments, total number of flights, distance (meters), duration (seconds), initial speed (speed of the initial flight in meters per second) and average speed (meters per second). High-speed data processing by the microcomputer eliminates the inordinate number of hours previously required to process flight mill data.

Design, implementation and evaluation of a microcomputer-based portable arrhythmia monitor.

The design of a portable, battery-operated microcomputer-based monitor for ambulatory ECG recording and analysis is described. Designed for real-time cardiac arrhythmia analysis, it is suitable for use on ambulator, patients for several weeks, and is about the size and weight of a Holter recorder. The device differs from a Holter recorder in that is does not store normal complexes but recognises and alarms on significant arrhythmias. It sotres 16 s of the arrhythmic event, which it can transmit by telephone to a central receiving station for immediate appraisal by a cardiologist. The monitor uses a CMOS microcomputer and has 2kbytes of program memory and 2kbytes of data memory. The arrhythmia monitor program recognises tachycardia, bradycardia, asystole, dropped beats, and PVCs. The alarm limits are physician programmable. The performance of the monitor was evaluated with standard annotated ECG tapes provided by MIT/BIH. This device should be useful for applications such as antiarrhythmic drug studies, for pacemaker and postsurgery evaluations, and for detecting premonitory as well as life-threatening arrhythmias.