Abstract: Kalman filtering (KF) techniques have been applied in numerous scientific investigations and engineering applications. Most tracking systems, such as GPS, radar, sonar, optical, infrared sensor systems, use Kalman filters to smooth information acquired from corrupted data reported from sensors and simultaneously compensate for the motion involved during the measurements.  Kalman filter is also used in many systems involving multi-sensor fusion, feedback control and prediction (forecast) schemes.  These applications have led to many successful commercial and military applications. The basic idea behind Kalman filtering is to combine a system model (the differential or difference equation that describes the dynamical motion of the system being investigated) and the measurement model (the observations made of the variables of the system) in an optimum manner, to compute the best estimate of the present state of the system. In certain cases, the KF can also be used to predict future states with reasonable accuracy.  Since 1960, a large number of articles have been published in conferences, journals and books, with regards to Kalman filtering, algorithms and its applications.  The vast literature often focuses on advanced variations of the subject that can sometimes be vague to uninitiated readers.  In this seminar, the underlying principles of Kalman filter will be explained in depth and made simple and clear with illustrative examples. Practical examples of KF application to tracking, control and sensor fusion systems will be presented.  The topics to be covered include: Essential algebraic and differential math; essential statistics; system models; measurement models; observer theory; optimal estimation (derivation of KF); forms of KF (analog & discrete); KF algorithms; extended KF; practical aspects of KF; KF trackers; and applications. Application examples will involve demonstration with Matlab simulation and animation of tracking systems with GPS, radar and/or sonar, and with an actual inertial stabilization platform control system. 

Abstract:  Future and emerging military applications have need of an accurate and effective imaging and range finding capability. Laser radar imaging has been becoming an increasingly valid technology for accomplishing both tasks. This technology is based on the principle of the continuous wave modulation of laser radar signals. Laser radar imaging has been primarily used in defense arenas, and the principle of CW laser radar imaging has been proposed and, in some cases, implemented. Modulation based laser radar imaging uses infrared (IR) laser as an active source to illuminate a desired scope of scenes and acquire range images via detecting phase shift at each of the image array pixels. A laser radar system acquires both intensity images and range images, at a high acquisition speed which compatible to video rates. A laser radar imager may apply only a single laser pulse, and few-centimeter range resolution. A complete system can be built in small size, weight, and power requirements. One future application is in vehicle navigation. A laser radar imager provides vehicle’s navigation control center a constant and real-time range and intensity images, therefore providing visual cues from intensity images and range information of the forward looking scenes. In a case of object detection or recognition, range images are vital in providing geometric information of targets. IR laser radar imaging has great commercial potential in industrial automation and robotics. This workshop aims to introduce both the principle of laser radar imaging and the new strategies in designing flexible long range object imaging and high fidelity in range image quality. Some innovative approaches in system design will be introduced and a case study will be included for in-depth understanding of the laser radar principle.

Abstract: The Brushless DC (BLDC) motor drive system is one of the most popular advanced motor drives. High power density, very compact geometry and high efficiency, along with a simple control are among the main attractions for replacing many adjustable speed applications with this technology. BLDC machine is now mature and increasingly used in automotive, military, traction, aerospace, industrial, and consumer products. In this short course, we will address in detail the basics of the BLDC machine, comparing its features with those of other machines, its control strategies and conventional sensorless control techniques. Moreover, Advanced BLDC machine control topics including our novel sensorless position detection technique based on a new physical concept will be presented.  Advanced controls are used for improving reliability in case of sensor failure and to maximize the power density and minimize the size and weight of the BLDC generator.  The course will end with a discussion of BLDC machine drive application trends.

Abstract: The Department of Defense has a crucial need for dynamically and quickly reconfiguring processing environments to effectively respond to changing battlefield conditions, and to increase the survivability of infrastructure and weapon systems at the lowest possible cost. Ultrawide Band (UWB) technology is fast becoming a communication technology of choice due to its ability to transmit information over a wide spectrum and consuming ultra low power. UWB is very secure and has tremendous applications in military. UWB is pretty much immune to electronic eavesdropping, is equally immune to interference or jamming, and because its broad frequency range includes the ultra-low frequencies used to communicate with submerged submarines, UWB can be used easily in buildings and even underground. And because of the random nature of UWB timing schemes, there appears to be virtually no limit to the number of UWB signals that can share the same airwaves. The processing demands for UWB signals is tremendous and it is unlikely that pure software based solutions will provide real time performance. This workshop will provide overview of reconfigurable computing and its applications in UWB signal processing. In particular, it will introduce reconfigurable computing as a technology overview, provide in-depth analysis of technologies that facilitate reconfigurable computing, recent advances in the field, and then study the applications in UWB signal processing that can be exploited using reconfigurable computing.

Abstract:  This TUTORIAL emphasizes design of multiprocessor system, parallel architecture, reconfigurable architecture, design considerations and applications. The topics covered include:  Classes of computer systems, SIMD, MIMD computers, interconnection networks and parallel memories, parallel algorithms; performance evaluation of parallel systems, pipelined computers, multiprocessing by tight and loose coupling, distributed systems, data flow machines, architecture and software considerations.

Abstract: Increasingly, today’s embedded and system-level chips are multiprocessors (Texas Instruments, Motorola, IBM, Infineon, NEC, Toshiba, Philips, etc.). Moreover, these multiprocessors are usually cores of RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Architecture) and DSP (Digital Signal Processing) engines. The Software Scalable System on Chip (3SoC) from Cradle Technologies, Inc. is a single-chip computing platform that combines the classic microprocessor, micro-controller, and digital signal processor chip families. 3SoC permits a broad range of streaming applications (like high-speed secure networking, imaging, graphics, multimedia, digital video & communications) to be created entirely in software. This permits tremendous design economies through simplified design, software re-use and support from third-party software-solution providers. In addition, the 3SoC architecture yields immediate 1-to-2 orders of magnitude increase in performance, and a similar reduction in cost, and design effort over existing approaches. Another unique aspect of 3SoC is its programmable I/O that enables any I/O to be done entirely in software. For the first time, software development methodologies can be utilized and still guarantee real time performance. Solutions can now be realized much faster because intellectual property will be developed, reused, and recombined, much more efficiently and cost effectively. In the short term, this reduces time to market significantly, and solves many of the integration problems that exist today. In the long run, multiple products and product lines can be developed quickly and at a fraction of the cost. In a nutshell, 3SoC can be looked as a reconfigurable processor that is cheaper, higher performing, and easier to use than FPGAs. In this workshop, we will cover the architecture, programmability, and tools for 3SoC.

Abstract:  The material of this workshop comes from the instructor’s teaching experience of a graduate course "Electric and Hybrid Vehicles" at the University of Michigan - Dearborn. Vehicles with electric or hybrid powertrains are more fuel-efficient and environment friendly compared with conventional vehicles that are driven by internal combustion engines (ICE) alone. In EVs, energy transfer efficiency can be as high as 90%, compared to typical 25% efficiency of ICE. In HEVs, by optimizing the power intake of hybrid vehicles, the engine operation will be kept within the range designed for best fuel economy and lowest emission, while the motor/generator system will either provide additional power input or recover the kinetic energy in braking or coasting. Because of these advantages, hybrid vehicles have attracted worldwide development interests in the automotive industry. EVs and HEVs will become more and more popular in the market as the related technology matures. The development of EV and HEV technologies and vehicles will have a profound impact on the automotive industry and the future economy of the USA. It is a great opportunity for automotive, electrical, mechanical and system engineers to update their knowledge in the fast growing automotive field. This one-day workshop will cover the basics of EV and HEV technologies. In an easy-tounderstand format, we will explain engineering of EV/HEV, components of EV/HEV, modeling and simulation of EV/HEV. Examples of existing EV/HEV models, such as Toyota Prius, Toyota Hybrid Minivan, Honda Civic, Ford Escape, and some fuel cell vehicle models will be studied. 

Abstract: Applications of unmanned vehicles can increase combat effectiveness and personnel safety. These include reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition, logistics, minefield and other obstacle detection, explosive disposal, physical security, and operations in contaminated environments [1]. Better communication and GPS technologies are necessary for a convoy of unmanned vehicles to accurately follow a lead-vehicle. The vehicles of a convoy need reliable and secure communication links to exchange information in real-time. The vehicles of a convoy also need better technology to accurately measure distances between them and the lead-vehicle. The error introduced in position measurement of a vehicle, using standard GPS receivers can be as much as 100 meters. Hence, the distance error between the lead-vehicle and a follower, introduced by standard GPS receivers can be as high as 200 meters [2]. Thus, distance measurement using standard GPS receivers is not acceptable for robotic follower applications. Differential GPS receivers can be used to reduce the distance error between the lead-vehicle and the followers. Measurements using differential GPS receivers require GPS ground stations after every couple of hundred miles. But, GPS ground stations may not be readily available in a battlefield. Thus, distance measurement using differential GPS receivers is not possible in a battlefield. In this workshop, a new technique of distance measurement using two cooperative standard GPS receivers will be presented. Numerical results show that the accuracy in distance measurement using the new technique is as good as that using the differential GPS receivers [3]. But, a reliable and secure wireless link is necessary for the GPS receivers to cooperate with each other. This workshop will also present some techniques for building secure ad hoc communication links among a convoy of vehicles.

Abstract: This workshop explores the application of Ultrawideband (UWB)  Radio to Terrain Mapping Radar.  This capability will enhance the off-road operations of autonomous systems by providing the capabilty to map travel surfaces that are hidden from view by vegetation or other obstructions.  This workshop will emphasize both theoretical underpinnings of UWB and practical issues associated with implementation.

Abstract:  3D objects obtained from different sensors inevitably contain certain amount of noises. This is particularly true in the situation of wartime or other emergent cases. How to effectively remove these noises is a crucial issue for the success of shape matching in security checking or pattern recognition in computer vision.  This talk will first review all major existing algorithms in the area of surface smoothing or denoising,  and point out the strength and weakness of each approach.  Then, a new high-accuracy denoising algorithm for 3D objects will be introduced.  It has a better accuracy in terms of both surface normal and geometric distance than existing published algorithms such as mean filter, median filter, bilateral filter, mean curvature flow, volume-preserved Laplacian and Gaussian filter.  Our approach consists of three key components: a) a second-order predicator; b) feature-preserving smoothing; c) a surface noise predicator.  Various numerical experiments have been conducted to show the effectiveness of our approach. Some typical test results will be demonstrated in this talk.

Abstract :  In future combat systems, the flow of information between tactical and strategic elements will increase exponentially.  These elements will be interconnected with hybrid wireless-wired networks.  Some of this information will be critical in the sense that unreliable or untimely delivery can result in mission failure or degraded outcomes.  As these trends emerge, it is necessary to develop a clearer understanding of network performance and how to appropriately measure performance.  There are different network management functions such as network monitoring, trend analysis, and capacity planning:  Network Monitoring is the process of measuring the network performance metrics to assure the quality of service (QoS) and network capacity is within predetermined boundaries for both wired and wireless networks. Trend Analysis is a long term monitoring and reporting service for the entire network infrastructure based on a historical performance data. Capacity Planning, on the other hand, exploits growth in information management and involves modeling and simulating different network alternatives for future combat systems.

Currently, there are various network monitoring and management tools, such as Cisco Works, Tivoli, Sniffer, Statscout, etc. In addition, there are open source management tools, which are very competitive to commercial packages with similar feature sets, such as Multi Router Traffic Grapher (MRTG), Big Brother, Ethereal, WhatsUpGold, etc. Such tools are also used to warn the network support team when the behavior of the network indicates a problem or an unexpected change in the network, much before user complaints of unavailable and/or malfunctioning service arrive.  This workshop will give an overview of network management solutions in terms of exploding growth in information management between various Army resources in a hybrid wireless-to-wired network infrastructure. Various practical case studies will be completed.