Project List

Dr lina Stankovic (Nee Fagoonee)

Dept of Electronic and Electrical Engineering

This project aims to design, develop, implement and test an integrated WIreless Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (WISCADA) system for monitoring, control, decision making, and resource optimisation of urban wastewater system. Our key focus from the communications perspective is to employ wireless sensor network (WSN) to make optimal and timely control and monitoring decisions, as well as to maximise the use of existing underlying SCADA infrastructures (for sewer network, treatment plant,…) including sensors, actuators and telemetry systems. This is a significant change from current data acquisition practices of using portable data loggers with a low duty cycle and limited remote monitoring stations that do not have the capability to do local processing or high-bandwidth transmission. This project brings together academic experts in the area of water engineering, water quality, industrial control, communications and signal processing and mathematical sciences. Seed funding is provided by the EPSRC BTG sandpit.

The aim of this project is to contrive and develop signal processing and coding technologies for multilevel two dimensional storage (optical and magnetic), e.g. these technologies could assist in achieving beyond the current cutting edge optical storage technology by enabling higher data storage capacity (100GB, which is at least 6 times Blu-Ray Disc capacity together with higher data rates (at least 10 times BD) than those currently achieved by 4th generation optical storage. Given our expertise signal processing for optical storage, we propose to achieve this by introducing new methods in the following areas of signal processing and coding initially focusing on optical storage channels and further explore these areas for magnetic storage: Advanced Channel and Noise Estimation, Error Correction Coding and Unequal Error Protection, Symbol detection.

This project, led by Philips Research Eindhoven, develops a new and challenging concept for optical storage, in which the information written on the disc has two-dimensional character instead of a traditional way of using one-dimensional tracks. The aim is to generate technologies that realize an increase over the third generation of optical storage (DVR, which is a generation after DVD) with a factor of two in capacity and a factor of 10 in speed. (i) Experimental Channel Characterization: Characterization will indirectly help evaluate the quality of the disc mastering, through direct monitoring via the optical read-out system. This task involves development of techniques as a signal processing methods, (ii) Multilevel Signal Processing: The aim of this work is to develop a suitable model (linear and/or non-linear) for the additional increase in the data rate and capacity, (iii) Multilevel 2D Coding and Symbol Detection: One of the vital parts of TwoDOS project is a design of high performance symbol detection and coding schemes.

One of the key challenges facing broadband nomadic/mobile wireless communications is to develop advanced wireless access technologies to achieve high-speed and high-quality transmission in severe fading channels with high frequency utilization efficiency. Both Collaborative Coding Multiple Access (CCMA) and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) techniques permit efficient simultaneous transmission by several users sharing a common channel, without subdivision in time or frequency. The main research focus of this proposal is to provide a practical design for a combined CCMA/CDMA scheme that will exploit the individual merits and mitigate individual limitations. So far research has been focused in conceptual feasibility studies with little or no practical implementation considerations. It is intended that the outcome of the proposed research will provide a more powerful multiple-access capability and a better performance by the introduction of iterative decoding.

Time critical monitoring, decision making and maintenance for rapid response with application to urban wastewater systems

Two Dimensional Optical Storage (EU FP6)

Coding Technologies for achieving higher capacities and rates in data storage (EPSRC)

Combined CCMA/CDMA: Practical applications for communication systems (EPSRC)

Research Projects

The successful design for a difficult communication circuit, with a low signal-to-noise ratio, non-Gaussian noise characteristics, and significant multipath delay is a major challenge. Such channels are normally characterized by frequency selectivity, which causes Inter Symbol Interference at the receiver. For reliable digital transmission over such a channel the following aspects are considered: (1) the detection and correction of errors which appear as a combination of burst and random errors by the application of forward error correcting codes, (2) equalization techniques to mitigate the effects of ISI, (3) frame synchronisation with minimum impact on overall throughput.

Application of Turbo Codes to Tactical Communication Systems (QinetiQ, Malvern)

Underwater sensor networks (USN) have recently received a lot of attention due to their various applications, such as offshore oil discovery, the detection of submerged objects, tsunami forecasting, underwater habitat, launch and recovery of ship-borne underwater unmanned vehicles used for security and interception, and pollution monitoring. USNs comprise of two or more nodes such as Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV), fixed sensor nodes and control vessels that communicate wirelessly with one another and/or a central point. This requires development of novel DSP-enabled communications that require fundamental paradigm shifts from point-to-point communications to centralized or distributed architectures. This project develops a robust solution employing OFDM, turbo code and/or network coding to mitigate the effects of a typical acoustic channel, characterized by low data rate, long propagation delay, transmission loss and poor reception reliability due to multi-path fading.

Reliable Underwater Communications

End-to-end modelling of bidirectional communications of an Advanced Meter Infrastructure

Advanced Meter Infrastructure (AMI) provides intelligent metering based on data network communications to facilities. The driver for most AMI deployments is reduced billing cost for Energy and Water utilities, as well as adaptive utility usage to exploit cheapest utility tariff to reduce the customer’s utility bills. AMI is currently of high interest in Smart Grid, but are also being considered by water utilities. The use of Smart Grid functions depends on a central unit/gateway or substation that “connects” residential smart meters to the electricity provider. Domestic appliance manufacturers will need to invest in both telecommunications and software development. Operating and monitoring the appliances will be via smart phones or smart meter. Wireless and mobile communications standards such as Zigbee, WLAN, WiMAx, LTE as well as power-line communications (PLC) are all being considered to provide the communications infrastructure for AMI. The ICT infrastructure for smart grid is still in its infancy and as yet there is lack of standardization on the heterogeneous network and associated protocols that will enable effective and efficient operation of the AMI.

Evaluating performance of a wireless sensor network using TOSSIM network simulator (EPSRC Internship)

The aim of the first section of the internship was to create a working simulation of a wireless sensor network of nodes running TinyOS. The nodes in question were of the MICAz family of wireless sensor nodes, or “motes” , which are made by Crossbow, and are small, low powered circuits which have “Atmel ATmega128 8-bit microcontrollers with 4 kB of RAM, 128 kB of flash program memory, uses the same CC2420 radio chip” and “runs off batteries. The reason for the low specifications of the mote is that the batteries required to power anything more powerful would be prohibitively big; the motes themselves are very small, at 58mm x 32mm x 7mm. The small amount of memory means that the programs designed to run on the motes must also be very small. However, they still need to do relatively complex things, such as gathering measurements from sensors at given time intervals, making sure that messages are properly received. The solution to this is to use an operating system designed specifically for motes such as this, one that is lightweight, yet highly functional. The operating system, which was developed specifically for this purpose, is called TinyOS, which is an embedded operating system programmed in the nesC language, which is a specialised dialect of C. It is fairly similar to C, albeit with slightly differing syntax and a much smaller library of functions. A TinyOS program is made up of two items of code, one of which contains the implementations of the various modules that make up the program, while the other contains the wiring of the modules together to make up the program. These modules may be the included modules build into TinyOS or they may be user-created ones.

Smart meters are a key technology for the implementation of Smart Grids, measuring electricity consumption, communicating with energy suppliers and potentially electricity-consuming appliances in the home, and controlling the operation of appliances concerned. The functional advantage of smart meters is their ability to communicate bidirectionally and autonomously with both the utility company and appliances in the home. In addition to communications of readings between home and the supplier, smart meters also meter power consumption at a far higher resolution than current practice, store the readings and provide incoming and outcoming data management. Feedback to customers is purely a visual breakdown of their consumption and associated costs, from which they can use to manage their energy consumption and resulting cost. The next generation of smart meters are envisaged to include an element of data management (and perhaps control) to ‘learn’ a user’s electricity-consuming behaviour such that the meter can make decisions on appliance operation based on real-time pricing information acquired from the supplier. For example, operation of appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers can be delayed when electricity prices are high, demand is at a peak or a pricing incentive signal is received. Note that this research will also provide understanding for other ‘smart’ utility infrastructure e.g. water, gas, waste water.

Next generation smart metering: Bidirectional communications and data management in smart appliances (EPSRC)

REFIT: Personalised Retrofit Decision Support Tools for UK Homes using Smart Home Technology (EPSRC)

Thermal efficiency retrofit options, appliance upgrades and on-site renewables represent a significant opportunity to deliver energy demand reductions to UK homes. The potential to reduce thermal heat losses through insulation and airtightness (in particular in pre-1980s housing), upgrade the household appliance stock (using the latest energy saving models) and integrated on-site renewables and microgeneration (developing a 'prosumer' culture and reducing energy bills) still remains largely unrealised. There are a number of challenges in providing advice for retrofit solutions to consumers which will promote behaviour change and influence purchasing decisions. Currently consumer information is based on standardised methodologies for nominal house types and the resulting predictions of energy savings have minimal resemblance to reality where the thermal efficiency of the dwelling, efficiency of heating system and appliances, occupancy, user behaviour and preferences will have a significant impact on the effectiveness and uptake of retrofit measures. One solution is to provide consumers with personalised, accurate and trustworthy predictions of energy saving measures which are calibrated and tailored to their dwelling and living patterns, presented in a format to engage and promote action.

Intelligent Asset Monitoring for Large Scale Infrastructures (SFC)

As Scheduled Ancient Monuments, Scotland's canal network requires particular care and attention in terms of asset monitoring of structures, embankments and bridges. In an era of declining capital and revenue budgets, the asset management industry needs to monitor infrastructure cost-effectively, and Scottish Canals must do this in a sustainable manner in order to fulfill the economic, social and environmental potential of the network. This projects will focus on the development of a wireless sensor network for monitoring and control with a self-configuration capability, low power consumption, long life, maintainability, and without interfering with surrounding equipment, e.g., electronic pumps. Its novelty lies in the design and deployment of intelligent wireless sensor platforms capable of displaying autonomous behaviour. A complete solution is planned - from capturing end-user requirements, to the design of the monitoring and data collection platform, and the design of software to enable levels of autonomous reconfiguration based on policy supported by decision-support applications – creating a system that can identify and predict irregularities and critical events in time for remedial actions to be taken. The key focus will be on: (i) Data acquisition: developing systems based on sensing capabilities via sensors and sensor networks, including drainage and civil structure damage location; (ii) Engineering of ICT systems: a means to configure new and complex end-to-end ICT systems for large scale monitoring in rugged environments; (iii) User-centric systems: the development of methodologies and tools aligned with Scottish Canals asset inspection procedures providing real time asset condition feedback, monitoring of both the asset and its reaction to a variety of environmental influences.