Remote programming of network robots within the UJI Industrial Robotics Telelaboratory: FPGA vision and SNRP network protocol
This paper presents the UJI Industrial Robotics Telelaboratory, which lets Ph.D. and Master’s degree students perform robotics and computer vision tele-experiments. By using this system, students are able to program experiments remotely via the Web, in order to combine the use of a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) to provide real-time vision processing, a conveyor belt, and a Motoman industrial manipulator. This paper introduces the novel SNRP protocol (i.e., Simple Network Robot Protocol), which permits the integration of network robots and sensors within an e-learning platform in a simple and reliable manner. As long as the students are able to interact remotely with a real robotic sc…
Towards a SDN-based architecture for analyzing network traffic in cloud computing infrastructures
Currently, network traffic monitoring tools do not fit well in the monitoring of cloud computing infrastructures. These tools are not integrated with the control plane of the cloud computing stack. This lack of integration causes a deficiency in the handling of the re-usage of IP addresses along virtual machines, a lack of adaption and reaction on highly frequent topology changes, and a lack of accuracy in the metrics gathered for the networking traffic flowing along the cloud infrastructure. The main contribution of this paper is to provide a novel SDN-based architecture to carry out the monitoring of network traffic in cloud infrastructures. The architecture in based on the integration be…
Efficient Transport Protocol for Networked Haptics Applications
The performance of haptic application is highly sensitive to communication delays and losses of data. It implies several constraints in developing networked haptic applications. This paper describes a new internet protocol called Efficient Transport Protocol (ETP), which aims at developing distributed interactive applications. TCP and UDP are transport protocols commonly used in any kind of networked communication, but they are not focused on real time application. This new protocol is focused on reducing roundtrip time (RTT) and interpacket gap (IPG). ETP is, therefore, optimized for interactive applications which are based on processes that are continuously exchanging data. ETP protocol i…
A Fast GPU-Based Motion Estimation Algorithm for H.264/AVC
H.264/AVC is the most recent predictive video compression standard to outperform other existing video coding standards by means of higher computational complexity. In recent years, heterogeneous computing has emerged as a cost-efficient solution for high-performance computing. In the literature, several algorithms have been proposed to accelerate video compression, but so far there have not been many solutions that deal with video codecs using heterogeneous systems. This paper proposes an algorithm to perform H.264/AVC inter prediction. The proposed algorithm performs the motion estimation, both with full-pixel and sub-pixel accuracy, using CUDA to assist the CPU, obtaining remarkable time …
GSaaS: A Service to Cloudify and Schedule GPUs
Cloud technology is an attractive infrastructure solution that provides customers with an almost unlimited on-demand computational capacity using a pay-per-use approach, and allows data centers to increase their energy and economic savings by adopting a virtualized resource sharing model. However, resources such as graphics processing units (GPUs), have not been fully adapted to this model. Although, general-purpose computing on graphics processing units (GPGPU) is becoming more and more popular, cloud providers lack of flexibility to manage accelerators, because of the extended use of peripheral component interconnect (PCI) passthrough techniques to attach GPUs to virtual machines (VMs). F…
Individual Variability and Average Reliability in Parallel Networks of Heterogeneous Biological and Artificial Nanostructures
We simulate the collective electrical response of heterogeneous ensembles of biological and artificial nanostructures whose individual threshold potentials show a significant variability. This problem is of current interest because nanotechnology is bound to produce nanostructures with a significant experimental variability in their individual physical properties. This diversity is also present in biological systems that are however able to process information efficiently. The nanostructures considered are the ion channels of biological membranes, nanowire field-effect transistors, and metallic nanoparticle-based single electron transistors. These systems are simulated with canonical models…
3D high definition video coding on a GPU-based heterogeneous system
H.264/MVC is a standard for supporting the sensation of 3D, based on coding from 2 (stereo) to N views. H.264/MVC adopts many coding options inherited from single view H.264/AVC, and thus its complexity is even higher, mainly because the number of processing views is higher. In this manuscript, we aim at an efficient parallelization of the most computationally intensive video encoding module for stereo sequences. In particular, inter prediction and its collaborative execution on a heterogeneous platform. The proposal is based on an efficient dynamic load balancing algorithm and on breaking encoding dependencies. Experimental results demonstrate the proposed algorithm's ability to reduce the…
Wireless Internet. 8th International Conference, WICON 2014, Lisbon, Portugal, November 13-14, 2014, Revised Selected Papers
In this paper, the influence and improvement of the localization accuracy achieved using a fingerprint database with information coming from different channels and radio signal strength levels is evaluated. This study uses IEEE 802.15.4 networks with different power levels and carrier frequency channels in the 2.4 GHz band. Experimental results show that selecting part of this information with a cleverer data processing can provide similar or better localization accuracy than using the whole database.
Reducing complexity in H.264/AVC motion estimation by using a GPU
H.264/AVC applies a complex mode decision technique that has high computational complexity in order to reduce the temporal redundancies of video sequences. Several algorithms have been proposed in the literature in recent years with the aim of accelerating this part of the encoding process. Recently, with the emergence of many-core processors or accelerators, a new approach can be adopted for reducing the complexity of the H.264/AVC encoding algorithm. This paper focuses on reducing the inter prediction complexity adopted in H.264/AVC and proposes a GPU-based implementation using CUDA. Experimental results show that the proposed approach reduces the complexity by as much as 99% (100x of spe…
Remote control within the UJI Robotics Manufacturing Cell using FPGA-based vision
In this paper we present a work in progress of a new remote control system based on networked robots and FPGAs technology. The experimental validation has been carried out within the UJI (i.e. the acronym for University Jaume I) Robotics Manufacturing Cell. The main devices included in this Cell are: a SCARA manipulator (AdeptOne), a robot arm with six degrees of freedom (Motoman), an industrial belt, several sensors and cameras, an FPGA that takes care of the computer vision algorithms (i.e. including grasping determination), and a distributed architecture that allows any user to control remotely via Internet a specific manufacturing task. The different components of this system are connec…
Optimizing H.264/AVC interprediction on a GPU-based framework
H.264/MPEG-4 part 10 is the latest standard for video compression and promises a significant advance in terms of quality and distortion compared with the commercial standards currently most in use such as MPEG-2 or MPEG-4. To achieve this better performance, H.264 adopts a large number of new/improved compression techniques compared with previous standards, albeit at the expense of higher computational complexity. In addition, in recent years new hardware accelerators have emerged, such as graphics processing units (GPUs), which provide a new opportunity to reduce complexity for a large variety of algorithms. However, current GPUs suffer from higher power consumption requirements because of…
The UJI industrial robotics telelaboratory: Real-time vision and networking
In this video we present a work in progress in the UJI (i.e. the acronym for University Jaume I) robotics telelaboratory. This telelaboratory uses a remote control system based on networked robots and FPGAs technology. The main devices included in this cell are: a SCARA manipulator (AdeptOne), a robot arm with six degrees of freedom (Motoman), an industrial belt, several sensors and cameras, an FPGA that takes care of the computer vision algorithms (i.e. including grasping determination), and a distributed architecture that allows any user to control remotely via Internet a specific manufacturing task. The different components of this system are connected by a 100BaseT Ethernet network and …
Adapting hierarchical bidirectional inter prediction on a GPU-based platform for 2D and 3D H.264 video coding
The H.264/AVC video coding standard introduces some improved tools in order to increase compression efficiency. Moreover, the multi-view extension of H.264/AVC, called H.264/MVC, adopts many of them. Among the new features, variable block-size motion estimation is one which contributes to high coding efficiency. Furthermore, it defines a different prediction structure that includes hierarchical bidirectional pictures, outperforming traditional Group of Pictures patterns in both scenarios: single-view and multi-view. However, these video coding techniques have high computational complexity. Several techniques have been proposed in the literature over the last few years which are aimed at acc…
Game-based learning supported by audience response tools: game proposals and preliminary assessment
The so-called game-based learning strategies are based on introducing games in the classrooms to improve aspects such as student performance, concentration and effort. Currently, they provide a very useful resource to increase the motivation of university students, generating a better atmosphere among peers and between student and teacher, which in turn is generally translated into better academic results. However, the design of games that successfully achieve the desired teaching-learning objectives is not a trivial task. This work focuses on the design of games that allow the assessment of ICT-related university subjects. Specifically, three different games are proposed, all based on stud…
Indoor localization using time difference of arrival with UWB signals and unsynchronized devices
Abstract Indoor location using radio frequency (RF) signals has been traditionally focused mainly on RSSI and fingerprint techniques, because methods based on time of arrival (ToA) or time difference of arrival (TDoA) were not suitable for measuring short distances. However, the release of the IEEE 802.15.4a standard, the emergence of commercial ultra wide band (UWB) transceivers that are compliant to this norm and the integration of high frequency oscillators have permitted the design of more accurate indoor localization systems using the RF signal transmission time. In this paper, we propose an indoor localization system based on TDoA for UWB. The method implements an only one way transmi…
A reconfigurable platform for evaluating the performance of QoS networks
Nowadays, high performance System and Local Area Networks (SAN/LAN) have to serve heterogeneous traffic consisting of information flows with different bandwidth and latency requirements. This makes it necessary to provide Quality of Service (QoS) and optimize the design of network components. In this paper we present a hardware tool designed to analyze the performance of QoS networks, under given traffic conditions and server models. In particular, a reprogrammable multimedia traffic Generator/Monitor platform has been built. This permits prototyping the communication system of a high speed LAN/SAN on a single FPGA device. Hence, it can be used at design to produce more efficient devices. T…
End-to-end congestion control protocols for remote programming of robots, using heterogeneous networks: A comparative analysis
There are many interesting aspects of Internet Telerobotics within the network robotics context, such as variable bandwidth and time-delays. Some of these aspects have been treated in the literature from the control point of view. Moreover, only a little work is related to the way Internet protocols can help to minimize the effect of delay and bandwidth fluctuation on network robotics. In this paper, we present the capabilities of TCP, UDP, TCP Las Vegas, TEAR, and Trinomial protocols, when performing a remote experiment within a network robotics application, the UJI Industrial Telelaboratory. Comparative analysis is presented through simulations within the NS2 platform. Results show how th…
Cloud-based elastic architecture for distributed video encoding: Evaluating H.265, VP9, and AV1
Abstract Areas with social and business impact such as entertainment, healthcare, surveillance, and e-learning would benefit from improvements in video coding and transcoding services. New codecs, such as AV1, are being developed to deal with new demands for high video resolutions with bandwidth constraints and quality requirements. However, these new codecs have high computational requirements and new strategies are needed to accelerate their processing. Cloud computing offers interesting features such as on-demand resource allocation, multitenancy, elasticity, and resiliency among others. Deploying video coding and transcoding services on these infrastructures is suitable because it allow…
Transport Protocols for Remote Programming of Network Robots within the context of Telelaboratories for Education: A Comparative Analysis
Within the context of tele-laboratories for education the use of the Internet as communication media permits any researcher/student to perform remote experiments in a simple and reliable manner. Moreover, this situation introduces many interesting issues like network protocols for Internet robots, the effects of variable bandwidth and time-delays on telerobotics, etc. In this paper we present a comparative analysis of using several Internet transport protocols when performing a remote experiment within the UJI Industrial Telelaboratory. TCP, UDP, Trinomial and TEAR protocols are analyzed using the NS2 simulator. Conclusions show a set of characteristics the authors of this paper consider ve…
Modeling Information Processing Using Nonidentical Coulomb Blockade Nanostructures
In recent years, molecular-protected metallic nanoparticles (NPs) have attracted a great deal of attention. Because of their reduced size, they behave like tiny capacitors so that there is an energy penalty when adding an electron to the NP which suppresses the electric current at a potential lower than a threshold value. This phenomenon is known as Coulomb blockade (CB) and allows the transport of electrons to be modulated through an external gate provided that the energy penalty is higher than the thermal energy. Together with the possibility of tailoring their properties, molecular protected NPs are potential candidates as future components of high density, low consumption electronics. H…
Accelerating H.264 inter prediction in a GPU by using CUDA
H.264/AVC defines a very efficient algorithm for the inter prediction but it takes too much time. With the emergence of General Purpose Graphics Processing Units (GPGPU), a new door has been opened to support this video algorithm into these small processing units. In this paper, a forward step is developed towards an implementation of the H.264/AVC inter prediction algorithm into a GPU using Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA). The results show a negligible rate distortion drop with a time reduction on average up to 93.6%.
Conquer the Net: An educational computer game to learn the basic configuration of networking components
Advanced networking equipment is relatively expensive and student access to it is usually limited to scheduled times at computer laboratories within the university premises. Hence, it is important to make the most effective use of the time assigned and minimize the time that students spend in activities which can be performed outside the laboratory sessions. Familiarizing with the basic configuration commands is one such activity. We have developed a computer game to allow students to learn these in a motivating and pleasant environment. This game has been designed so that rules are easily learned and both cooperative and competitive learning are promoted. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Com…
Optimizing the MAC Protocol in Localization Systems Based on IEEE 802.15.4 Networks
Radio frequency signals are commonly used in the development of indoor localization systems. The infrastructure of these systems includes some beacons placed at known positions that exchange radio packets with users to be located. When the system is implemented using wireless sensor networks, the wireless transceivers integrated in the network motes are usually based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard. But, the CSMA-CA, which is the basis for the medium access protocols in this category of communication systems, is not suitable when several users want to exchange bursts of radio packets with the same beacon to acquire the radio signal strength indicator (RSSI) values needed in the location proce…
A GPU-Based DVC to H.264/AVC Transcoder
Mobile to mobile video conferencing is one of the services that the newest mobile network operators can offer to users With the apparition of the distributed video coding paradigm which moves the majority of complexity from the encoder to the decoder, this offering can be achieved by introducing a transcoder This device has to convert from the distributed video coding paradigm to traditional video coding such as H.264/AVC which is formed by simpler decoders and more complex encoders, and allows to the users to execute only the low complex algorithms In order to deal with this high complex video transcoder, this paper introduces a graphics processing unit based transcoder as base station The…
A signal processing scheme based on high-frequency electromechanical oscillations in nanostructures
We explore the characteristics of a new signal processing scheme based on the high-frequency electromechanical oscillations of a nanostructure formed by an oscillating metallic nanoparticle connected to the left and right electrodes by soft links. Because this system shows resonant behavior when the frequency of the applied electric potential is close to the characteristic natural frequency of the oscillating nanoparticle, a parallel arrangement of nanostructures with different frequencies can be excited selectively by an external time-dependent electrical signal with the appropriate resonant frequencies. The highly nonlinear system response makes it possible to devise a signal processing s…
RF-Based Location Using Interpolation Functions to Reduce Fingerprint Mapping
Indoor RF-based localization using fingerprint mapping requires an initial training step, which represents a time consuming process. This location methodology needs a database conformed with RSSI (Radio Signal Strength Indicator) measures from the communication transceivers taken at specific locations within the localization area. But, the real world localization environment is dynamic and it is necessary to rebuild the fingerprint database when some environmental changes are made. This paper explores the use of different interpolation functions to complete the fingerprint mapping needed to achieve the sought accuracy, thereby reducing the effort in the training step. Also, different distri…