Device-free locators allow the user to interact with a system without the burden of being physically in contact with some input device or without being connected to the system with cables. This thesis presents a device-free locator that uses computer vision techniques to recognize and track the user's hand. The system described herein uses a video camera to capture live video images of the user, which are segmented and processed to extract features that can be used to locate the user's hand within the image. Two types of features, namely moment based invariants and Fourier descriptors, are compared experimentally. An important property of both these techniques is that they allow the recognition of hand-shapes regardless of affine transformation, e.g. rotation within the plane or scale changes. A neural network is used to classify the extracted features as belonging to one of several hand signals, which can be used in the locator system as 'button clicks' or mode indicators. The Siltrack system described herein illustrates that the above techniques can be implemented in real-time on standard hardware. / Dissertation (MSc (Computer Science))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Computer Science / unrestricted

The purpose of this research is to develop an optimal kernel which would be used in a real-time engineering and communications system. Since the application is a real-time system, relevant real-time issues are studied in conjunction with kernel related issues. The emphasis of the research is the development of a kernel which would not only adhere to the criteria of a real-time environment, namely determinism and performance, but also provide the flexibility and portability associated with non-real-time environments. The essence of the research is to study how the features found in non-real-time systems could be applied to the real-time system in order to generate an optimal kernel which would provide flexibility and architecture independence while maintaining the performance needed by most of the engineering applications. Traditionally, development of real-time kernels has been done using assembly language. By utilizing the powerful constructs of the C language, a real-time kernel was developed which addressed the goals of flexibility and portability while still meeting the real-time criteria. The implementation of the kernel is carried out using the powerful 68010/20/30/40 microprocessor based systems.

I denna uppsats presenteras de problem och utmaningar som finns vid utvecklandet av en marknadsplats för realtidsdata. Några lösningar på dessa utmaningar är också föreslagna. Med realtidsdata menas data från olika typer av sensorer som tex termometrar och luftfuktighets sensorer. Dessa kan bli placerade på olika platser där någon kan finna ett använde för dem, efter att ha köpt ett dataset från marknadsplatsen. Sensorerna kan sättas upp och datan kan säljas från individuella säljare på marknadsplatsen.Detta ämne är viktigt pga den ökande populariteten av ett “smart” hem. En marknadsplats för realtidsdata används för en “smart” stad, vilket är en naturlig fortsättning av det smarta hemmet. Men det är just nu i ett tidigt stadie och ingen grundlig forskning har utförts på området. Marknadsplatsen används i den smarta staden för att hjälpa användarna få tillgång och använda de olika sensorerna och applikationerna i nätverket.Denna uppsats är en fallstudie på ett företag relaterat till utvecklandet av “Internet of Things” produkter som är i planeringsfasen för att utveckla en marknadsplats för realtidsdata. Enligt tillvägagångssättet för en fallstudie, två metoder för att undersöka ämnet används: intervjuer och en systematisk litteraturstudie. Fyra intervjuer utförs på företaget, på några av de anställda, om de olika målen med den kommande marknadsplatsen. Litteraturstudien utförs för att få en bakgrund och kompletterande information om hur en marknadsplats för realtidsdata kan utvecklas. Dessa två jämförs sedan för att forma en slutsats.Flera olika områden hittades i både intervjuerna och i litteraturstudien, inklunderande tillit, privacy, interoperabilitet och användbarhet. Dessa är presenterade i slutsatsen i denna uppsats. / In this paper the difficulties and challenges of developing a marketplace for real-time data is presented. Additionally some solutions to these challenges are suggested. With the term real-time data that is used in this paper, it means live data from different kind of sensors for example thermometers and humidity sensors. These can be put out at different locations where someone can make use of them, after purchasing a dataset from the marketplace. The sensors can be put up and the data be sold by individual sellers on the marketplace.This subject is important because of the rising popularity of the smart home. A marketplace for real-time data is used for a “smart city”, which is a natural progression of the smart home. But it is in its early stages and as such no major research has been done in the area. The marketplace is used in a “smart city” to help users gain access and to use the different sensors and applications in the network.The study follow a case study researching methodology at a company related to development of Internet of Things products that is in the planning phase of developing a marketplace for real-time data. Following this case study research approach, two methods for investigating the topic are used; interviews and literature review. Four interviews are performed at the company, by the researchers on some of the employees, about the different aspiration of the upcoming marketplace. The literature review is performed to get a background and additional information on how a marketplace for real-time data can be developed and what is needed to make it happen. These two are then compared and analysed together to form the conclusion.Several different topics were found in both the interview and the literature review, including trust, privacy, interoperability and user usability. These are presented in the conclusion part of this paper.

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This thesis examines a manufacturing process using a real time interface with a 6502 microprocessor that gives the appearance of parallel processing. Two separate processes are operated, apparently simultaneously with an asynchronous interface between the two processes. An Apple microcomputer, an ISAAC data transfer system and a constructed simulation model are used to demonstrate this process. The model is constructed of Fischertechnik manufactured parts for the support framework, as well as gearing devices, small DC electric motors, and sensing devices in the form of photo-electric switches and single pole double throw switches physically activated by the constructed model. The software, written in Applesoft BASIC and Cyborg's Labsoft, was designed to operate the modeled processes simultaneously and allow an asynchronous interaction between the two processes. The model has applications for use as a method to illustrate manufacturing techniques and to assist in the design and control of manufacturing processes.