Le cancer est une maladie caractérisée par la croissance incontrôlée des cellules. Le nombre de personnes atteintes par le carcinome hépatocellulaire (CHC) est en progression croissante. Les traitements utilisés jusqu'à présent par les médecins tels que la chimioembolisation transartérielle (TACE) et la radioembolisation transartérielle (TARE) présentent des limitations à cause des effets secondaires causés sur les tissus sains. En vue d'atteindre un meilleur contrôle tumoral avec le minimum de complications des tissus sains, les approches microrobotiques peuvent apporter des solutions au problème du ciblage thérapeutique. Une solution consiste à contrôler la direction de transporteurs thérapeutiques (bolus magnétiques), composés de microparticules magnétiques et d’agents anti-cancéreux, à l’intérieur des vaisseaux sanguins vers la zone tumorale. Des champs magnétiques extérieurs sont alors utilisés pour propulser, guider et naviguer une flottille de bolus magnétiques au travers du réseau artériel. Cette thèse propose donc une méthodologie globale à mettre en place afin de rendre les procédures locorégionales transartérielles robotisées plus ciblées et plus localisées. Dans un premier temps, nous avons optimisé la quantité de médicament à injecter sous forme de bolus magnétiques. Ensuite, nous nous sommes intéressés à l'optimisation de la structure du bolus en vue d’assurer d’une part, la navigation optimale à l’intérieur des vaisseaux et d’autre part, d’offrir la possibilité d’embarquer une quantité d’agents thérapeutiques plus importante. La navigation des bolus délivrés par un cathéter vers la zone ciblée (tumeur) est assurée grâce au développement et à l'implémentation d’une loi de commande optimale. La validation de l'injection et de la navigation des bolus magnétiques a été réalisée sur une plateforme magnétique robotisée développée dans le cadre de cette thèse. / Cancer is a disease characterized by an uncontrolled cell growth. The number of people with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is growing constantly. The treatments used by doctors until nowadays such as transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and transarterial Radioembolization (TARE) have limitations because of the side effects caused to healthy tissues. In order to achieve best tumor control with minimal complications on healthy tissues, microrobotics technology can provide solutions to the problem of therapeutic targeting. One solution is to control the direction of the therapeutic carriers (magnetic bolus), composed of magnetic microparticles and anti-cancer agents, inside the blood vessels to the tumor area (target). External magnetic fields are then used to propel, steer and navigate a magnetic bolus fleet through the arterial system. This thesis offers a global methodology to implement in order to make the robotic transarterial locoregional procedures more targeted and localized. First, we have optimized the amount of drug to be injected as magnetic boluses. Then, we have carried out the optimization of the magnetic bolus structure in order to ensure firstly, the optimal navigation inside the vessels and secondly, to offer the possibility of carrying a larger amount of therapeutic agents. The navigation of boluses delivered by the catheter to the target area (tumor) is ensured through the development and implementation of the optimal control law. The validation of the injection and navigation magnetic bolus are performed on a magnetic microrobotic platform.

[pt] As redes de sensores sem fio se constituem numa área que outorga grandes oportunidades para a oferta de uma série de aplicações inovadoras e com baixo custo. Os dispositivos destas redes são bastantes pequenos e sua fonte de alimentação são baterias. O tempo de vida destas é limitado, limitando assim o tempo da vida dos sensores e da rede como um todo. Por esta razão nos últimos anos o tema de eficiência energética tem atraído grande interesse de pesquisadores. O aumento do custo da energia e do consumo global da energia pelo setor de ICT (Information and Communications Technologies) têm crescido vertiginosamente devido ao aumento continuo do número de clientes e da demanda por aplicações de maior complexidade. Por tudo isso têm sido desenvolvidos distintos métodos e técnicas para economizar energia nas RSSF. Neste trabalho se implementam dois algoritmos que levam em conta critérios para economizar os custos de energia da rede e através de experimentos de simulação se avalia os mesmos. Nos resultados pode se observar as vantagens de trabalhar com sistemas que visam a eficiência energética. / [en] The WSNs (Wireless Sensor Networks) belong to an area that gives rise to great opportunities to spread innovative and low cost applications. These kinds of networks are composed of tiny devices with limited energy. The main source of power supply for WSNs are batteries, which are limited in cycle life, thus limiting the sensors lifetime and the network as a whole. Due to that fact, the energy efficiency network is becoming the main concern to be addressed by researchers. Rising energy prices and global energy consumption by the ICT (Information and Communications Technologies) sector have grown dramatically due to the continuous increase in customer number and the demand for more complex applications. For the reasons outlined above, different energy-saving techniques for WSNs have been developed. Two energy-saving algorithms for WSNs were implemented in this thesis, and they were tested by experimental evaluation using simulation. The results obtained from the simulations showed the advantages of working with systems aiming at energy efficiency.

In wireless sensor networks, communications are usually destroyed by signal attenuation, multipath fading and different kinds of interferences like WLAN and microwave oven interference. In order to build a stable wireless communication system, reactions like retransmission mechanisms are necessary. Since the way we must react to interference is different from the way we react to multipathfading and attenuation, the retransmission mechanism should be adjusted in different ways under those different cicumstances. Under this condition, channel diagnostics for discriminating the causes that corrupt the packets between multipath fading and attenuation (MFA) and WLAN interference are imperative. This paper presents a frame bit error rate (F-BER) regulated algorithm based on a joint RSSI-LQI classifier that may correctly diagnose the channel status. This discriminator is implemented on MicaZ sensor devices equipped with CC2420 transceivers. This discriminator is able to improve the accuracy to 91%. Although we need to wait for 2 or 3 necessary packets to make a decision, higher stability and reliability are presented when operating this discriminator.

No description available.

This study is devoted to investigating and developing WSN based localisation approaches with high position accuracies indoors. The study initially summarises the design and implementation of localisation systems and WSN architecture together with the characteristics of LQI and RSSI values. A fingerprint localisation approach is utilised for indoor positioning applications. A k-nearest neighbourhood algorithm (k-NN) is deployed, using Euclidean distances between the fingerprint database and the object fingerprints, to estimate unknown object positions. Weighted LQI and RSSI values are calculated and the k-NN algorithm with different weights is utilised to improve the position detection accuracy. Different weight functions are investigated with the fingerprint localisation technique. A novel weight function which produced the maximum position accuracy is determined and employed in calculations. The study covered designing and developing the centroid localisation (CL) and weighted centroid localisation (WCL) approaches by using LQI values. A reference node localisation approach is proposed. A star topology of reference nodes are to be utilized and a 3-NN algorithm is employed to determine the nearest reference nodes to the object location. The closest reference nodes are employed to each nearest reference nodes and the object locations are calculated by using the differences between the closest and nearest reference nodes. A neighbourhood weighted localisation approach is proposed between the nearest reference nodes in star topology. Weights between nearest reference nodes are calculated by using Euclidean and physical distances. The physical distances between the object and the nearest reference nodes are calculated and the trigonometric techniques are employed to derive the object coordinates. An environmentally adaptive centroid localisation approach is proposed. Weighted standard deviation (STD) techniques are employed adaptively to estimate the unknown object positions. WSNs with minimum RSSI mean values are considered as reference nodes across the sensing area. The object localisation is carried out in two phases with respect to these reference nodes. Calculated object coordinates are later translated into the universal coordinate system to determine the actual object coordinates. Virtual fingerprint localisation technique is introduced to determine the object locations by using virtual fingerprint database. A physical fingerprint database is organised in the form of virtual database by using LQI distribution functions. Virtual database elements are generated among the physical database elements with linear and exponential distribution functions between the fingerprint points. Localisation procedures are repeated with virtual database and localisation accuracies are improved compared to the basic fingerprint approach. In order to reduce the computation time and effort, segmentation of the sensing area is introduced. Static and dynamic segmentation techniques are deployed. Segments are defined by RSS ranges and the unknown object is localised in one of these segments. Fingerprint techniques are applied only in the relevant segment to find the object location. Finally, graphical user interfaces (GUI) are utilised with application program interfaces (API), in all calculations to visualise unknown object locations indoors.

Este trabalho concentra-se no aumento da robustez à taxa de erros em redes de sensores sem fio industriais (RSSFI). Para alcançar tal objetivo, é preciso, de algum modo, contornar os problemas intrínsecos da comunicação sem fio, que são, o ruído ambiental, interferências e desvanecimento por multipercurso. O multipercurso pode ser considerado um dos principais fatores que tornam as comunicações nas redes de sensores sem fio (RSSF) um verdadeiro desafio quando comparadas com outros meios, como a transmissão em fibra óptica, cabo ou mesmo transmissões de rádio ponto-a-ponto. Nesse sentido, propõe-se a diversidade de antenas como uma solução para minimizar os efeitos do multicaminho, com o objetivo de melhorar a confiabilidade do enlace de rádio para permitir o emprego de RSSF densas. O potencial da diversidade de antenas em RSSF não está totalmente explorado em aplicações industriais. Esta dissertação apresenta ainda, a técnica “Combinação de seleção” para RSSFI através de um algoritmo que seleciona a porta do receptor que apresenta o melhor indicador de qualidade de enlace e realiza a comutação das antenas nos módulos de rádio. Os resultados são analisados para dois tipos de enlaces, isto é, com e sem diversidade de antenas na recepção, e discute-se opções para melhorar o PER (“Packet Error Rate”) com as atuais técnicas de diversidade. / This work concentrates on the increase of reliability and robustness in Industrial Wireless Sensor Networks (IWSNs), decreasing the Packet Error Rate (PER). To achieve this objective, is need to somehow circumvent and reduce the underlying problems of wireless communication, which are: environmental noise, interference, and multipath fading. The multipath can be seen as the main factor which becomes the communications in the Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) a real challenge when compared to other types of means such as a transmission in fiber, cable or even point-to-point radio transmissions. In this sense, it is proposed antenna diversity as solution to reduce these effects, with the aim to improve the reliability of the radio link to allow the use of dense WSNs. The potential of antenna diversity in WSN is not fully exploited in industrial applications. In this sense, this dissertation presents the "Combination of selection" technique for IWSNs through an internal algorithm that selects the receiver port that has the highest LQI ("Link Quality Indicator") and performs an antenna switching in the radio modules. Also, options to improve PER using diversity techniques are discussed.

Este trabalho concentra-se no aumento da robustez à taxa de erros em redes de sensores sem fio industriais (RSSFI). Para alcançar tal objetivo, é preciso, de algum modo, contornar os problemas intrínsecos da comunicação sem fio, que são, o ruído ambiental, interferências e desvanecimento por multipercurso. O multipercurso pode ser considerado um dos principais fatores que tornam as comunicações nas redes de sensores sem fio (RSSF) um verdadeiro desafio quando comparadas com outros meios, como a transmissão em fibra óptica, cabo ou mesmo transmissões de rádio ponto-a-ponto. Nesse sentido, propõe-se a diversidade de antenas como uma solução para minimizar os efeitos do multicaminho, com o objetivo de melhorar a confiabilidade do enlace de rádio para permitir o emprego de RSSF densas. O potencial da diversidade de antenas em RSSF não está totalmente explorado em aplicações industriais. Esta dissertação apresenta ainda, a técnica “Combinação de seleção” para RSSFI através de um algoritmo que seleciona a porta do receptor que apresenta o melhor indicador de qualidade de enlace e realiza a comutação das antenas nos módulos de rádio. Os resultados são analisados para dois tipos de enlaces, isto é, com e sem diversidade de antenas na recepção, e discute-se opções para melhorar o PER (“Packet Error Rate”) com as atuais técnicas de diversidade. / This work concentrates on the increase of reliability and robustness in Industrial Wireless Sensor Networks (IWSNs), decreasing the Packet Error Rate (PER). To achieve this objective, is need to somehow circumvent and reduce the underlying problems of wireless communication, which are: environmental noise, interference, and multipath fading. The multipath can be seen as the main factor which becomes the communications in the Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) a real challenge when compared to other types of means such as a transmission in fiber, cable or even point-to-point radio transmissions. In this sense, it is proposed antenna diversity as solution to reduce these effects, with the aim to improve the reliability of the radio link to allow the use of dense WSNs. The potential of antenna diversity in WSN is not fully exploited in industrial applications. In this sense, this dissertation presents the "Combination of selection" technique for IWSNs through an internal algorithm that selects the receiver port that has the highest LQI ("Link Quality Indicator") and performs an antenna switching in the radio modules. Also, options to improve PER using diversity techniques are discussed.

The master's thesis deals with problems which is associated with rough detection of distance between wireless modules based on ZigBee technology. In the first logical part it theoretically describes this technology and their characteristics. This section gives basic informations needed to understand the operation of wireless communications and also acquaint him with some of the terms from this sphere. Next thing is description of the medium access together with a detailed description of functions that are crucial for deter-mining the signal strength. The second part is devoted to describe the 1321XDSK-BDM development kit. Another section is devoted to the design of the user's interface for displaying measured data. It consists of a theoretical design, which describes the initial vision of the device accompanied by solution of communication between wireless module and the proposed device. Follows the design of the involvement in Eagle software and explanation of the various components. In the last two chapters of the whole logical structure is described construction of the device and simple user's guide. The following chapter talks about the selection of suited application, necessary changes and own implementation of source code. There is even a description of important features and components of the application. The penultimate chapter contains a distance measurement in terrain using wireless modules and designed device. Here are tested different influences on the final distance measurement accuracy. In conclusion there is a debate over the results achieved. Particular, this section includes an assessment of precision measuring methods and evaluates aplicability of this method in practice.

L'objectif de la thèse est d'étudier la variation temporelle de la qualité des liens dans les réseaux de capteurs sans fil à grande échelle, de concevoir des estimateurs permettant la différenciation, à court terme et long terme, entre liens de qualité hétérogène. Tout d'abord, nous étudions les caractéristiques de deux paramètres de la couche physique: RSSI (l'indicateur de puissance du signal reçu) et LQI (l'indicateur de la qualité de liaison) sur SensLab, une plateforme expérimentale de réseau de capteurs à grande échelle situé à l'intérieur de bâtiments. Nous observons que le RSSI et le LQI permettent de discriminer des liens de différentes qualités. Ensuite, pour obtenir un estimateur de PRR, nous avons approximé le diagramme de dispersion de la moyenne et de l'écart-type du LQI et RSSI par une fonction Fermi-Dirac. La fonction nous permet de trouver le PRR à partir d'un niveau donné de LQI. Nous avons évalué l'estimateur en calculant le PRR sur des fenêtres de tailles variables et en le comparant aux valeurs obtenues avec l'estimateur. Par ailleurs, nous montrons en utilisant le modèle de Gilbert-Elliot (chaîne de Markov à deux états) que la corrélation des pertes de paquets dépend de la catégorie de lien. Le modèle permet de distinguer avec précision les différentes qualités des liens, en se basant sur les probabilités de transition dérivées de la moyenne et de l'écart-type du LQI. Enfin, nous proposons un modèle de routage basé sur la qualité de lien déduite de la fonction de Fermi-Dirac approximant le PRR et du modèle Markov Gilbert-Elliot à deux états. Notre modèle est capable de distinguer avec précision les différentes catégories de liens ainsi que les liens fortement variables. / The goal of the thesis is to investigate the issues related to the temporal link quality variation in large scale WSN environments, to design energy efficient link quality estimators able to distinguish among links with different quality on a short and a long term. First, we investigate the characteristics of two physical layer metrics: RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indication) and LQI (Link Quality Indication) on SensLAB, an indoor large scale wireless sensor network testbed. We observe that RSSI and LQI have distinct values that can discriminate the quality of links. Second, to obtain an estimator of PRR, we have fitted a Fermi-Dirac function to the scatter diagram of the average and standard variation of LQI and RSSI. The function enables us to find PRR for a given level of LQI. We evaluate the estimator by computing PRR over a varying size window of transmissions and comparing with the estimator. Furthermore, we show using the Gilbert-Elliot two-state Markov model that the correlation of packet losses and successful receptions depend on the link category. The model allows to accurately distinguish among strongly varying intermediate links based on transition probabilities derived from the average and the standard variation of LQI. Finally, we propose a link quality routing model driven from the F-D fitting functions and the Markov model able to discriminate accurately link categories as well as high variable links.

Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Standards define target reliability levels that govern the safety of designed structures. These target levels should be around an economic optimum for the class of structure under consideration. However, society may have safety requirements in excess of that required to achieve an economic optimum. The LQI criterion can be used to determine society’s willingness to invest in safety, thereby defining a minimum acceptable safety- or reliability level. This thesis determines economically optimised reliability levels for reliability class two concrete structures in South Africa, over a range of typical input parameters. Rackwitz’s (2000) approach is used here, adjusted for the South African context. The structure is described using a simple limit state function, defined as the difference between load and resistance, with resistance a function of a global safety parameter. South African construction costs, costs of increasing safety, failure costs and discount rates are used in the objective function for economic optimisation. Life Quality Index (LQI) theory is used as a basis to derive society’s willingness to pay (SWTP) for safety and the corresponding reliability level is found by applying the LQI criterion. In the South African context the derivation of SWTP presents some challenges, which is discussed. Situations where the minimum required reliability would exceed the economically optimum reliability level are discussed. Various reliability based cost optimization case studies are conducted covering a broad range of typical concrete design situations. From these case studies a range of target reliability indices are derived for typical concrete structural components and failure modes. Obtained values are compared to current South African target levels of reliability provided by the South African loading code and recommendations are made. The approach used by Rackwitz (2000) is compared with results obtained from case studies and used as basis to estimate optimum reliability levels for other types of buildings. Functions are written in MATLAB to allow replication of the study for others seeking to derive optimum reliability indices. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Standaarde spesifiseer teiken betroubaarheidsvlakke wat die veiligheidsvlak van ontwerpte strukture bepaal. Hierdie teikenvlak moet rondom die ekonomiese optimum wees vir die klas van struktuur onder oorweging. Die samelewing verkies moontlik ‘n hoër veiligheidsvlak as wat deur die ekonomiese optimum dikteer word. Die LKI (Lewens Kwaliteit Indeks) maatstaf kan gebuik word om die samelewing se bereidwilligheid om in veiligheid te belê te bepaal en sodoende ‘n minimum veiligheidsvlak bepaal. Hierdie tesis bepaal die ekonomiese optimum betroubaarheidsvlak vir klas twee beton strukture in Suid-Afrika vir wisselende parameters. Rackwitz (2000) se benadering word in hierdie studie gebruik en is aangepas vir Suid-Afrikaanse omstandighede. Die struktuur word beskryf deur ‘n eenvoudige limiet staat funksie, gedefinieer as die verskil tussen die las en weerstand, met die weerstand as die funksie van ‘n globale veiligheidsparameter. Suid-Afrikaanse konstruksie koste, veiligheidsvermedering koste, falingskoste en diskonteer koerse word gebruik vir optimering. Die LKI teorie word gebruik om SBB (Samelewing Bereidheid om te Belê) vir veiligheid af te lei en die ooreenkomstige betroubaarheidsvlak word bepaal deur die LKI maatstaf toe te pas. In die afleiding hiervan vir Suid-Afrikaanse omstandighede is sekere uitdagings teegekom wat bespreek word. Situasies waar die minimum betroubaarheidsvlak hoer is as die ekonomiese optimum word bespreek. Verskillende betroubaarheids gebaseerde optimering gevalstudies word gedoen op tipiese beton struktuur elemente. Van hierdie gevalstudies is optimum betroubaarheidsindekse vir die tipiese beton elemente en galingsmodusie afgelei. Die betroubaarheidsindekse word vergelyk met huidige betroubaarheidsindekse soos wat voorgeskryf is in die Suid-Afrikaanse laskode (SANS10160-1(2011)). Rackwitz (2000) se benadering word vergelyk met die resultate van die gevallestudies en word gebruik as basis om optimum betroubaarheidsvlakke vir ander tipes geboue te voorspel. MATLAB funksies is geprogrameer om minimum en optimum betroubaarheidsindekse af te lei.