Telemedicine systems represent significant achievements in the provision of clinical medicine and health care service using telecommunication and information technologies for the purpose of remote monitoring. Almost all telemedicine systems require a network-enabled device, ranging from server machine to smart phone, which delivers the data as a transmission gateway. The research in this thesis introduces the hardware and software design of a novel Internet-based real time DSP system in the application of telemedicine. Before this work, it was not previously achievable or economically feasible to develop a telemedicine system with a truly embedded measurement platform for real-time monitoring of clinical information on a global scale. The novelty of this design consists in embedding the Internet-based monitoring into the real-time signal processing system, as well as incorporating the merits of wireless communication and global distributed measurement. To demonstrate this concept, a prototype of a truly embedded device incorporating either a browser-based application or a LabVIEW software application has been designed and developed, which is able to provide real-time biomedical signal acquisition, processing, wired/wireless transmission, visualisation, storage and retrieval via the Internet. The concept-to-prototype manipulates multiple biomedical signals from multi-sensors during studies and distributes them to the Internet. The prototype was evaluated on volunteers in vivo under ethical approval. The designed system was also tested under various physiological conditions and different Internet speeds. It manifests desirable performance regarding multi-functionality, ubiquitous accessibility, robustness, and adaptability. The full functionality of this innovative system successfully enables clinicians to remotely monitor a patient's physical condition in real-time globally. The experimental results obtained from the host are in close agreement with the expected performance of the designed system, which proffers evidence that this system represents a true innovation in the realm of telemedicine.

The use of optical fiber sensors is increasing widely in civil, industrial, and military applications mainly due to their, (a) miniature size, (b) high sensitivity, (c) immunity from electro-magnetic interference, (d) resistance to harsh environments, (e) remote signal processing ability, and, (f) multiplexing capabilities. Because of these advantages a variety of optical fiber sensing techniques have evolved over the years having potentials for myriad of applications. One very challenging job, for any of these optical fiber sensing techniques, is to implement a stand alone system with the design and development of all the signal processing models along with the necessary hardware, firmware, and software satisfying the real-time signal processing requirements. In this work we first develop the equations for the system model of the wavelength modulated extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometric (EFPI) optical fiber sensor, and then design and build all the hardware and software necessary to implement a stand-a / Ph. D.

Este trabalho descreve o desenvolvimento de um algoritmo para avaliar o grau de corrosão em paredes de oleodutos, através de ultrassom. O algoritmo desenvolvido será implementado em um circuito digital, fazendo parte de um sistema que poderá ser embarcado em pigs ultrassônicos para inspeção de dutos à procura de corrosão. O modelo matemático conhecido como filtro casado é usado como base do algoritmo, além de um método de detecção de picos para localização dos sinais de eco de ultrassom, provenientes das reflexões do sinal nas paredes dos dutos. Um dos problemas é a definição do sinal (e do filtro) que será utilizado, mas por meio de sinais sintetizados (signal design) uma grande gama de alternativas foi analisada e apenas algumas foram selecionadas para testes em experimentos. Por último os melhores sinais foram utilizados na inspeção de um corpo de prova feito à partir de um duto corroído, e os resultados são analisados. A detecção da primeira parede do oleoduto apresenta resultados promissores em comparação com a medição tridimensional das mesmas paredes. O sistema foi capaz de reconstruir o perfil da parede interna do duto com elevada verossimilhança, mesmo em regiões severamente corroídas. A detecção da segunda parede apresenta resultados satisfatórios para baixos níveis de corrosão, porém alguns problemas foram encontrados para níveis mais altos de corrosão, prejudicando a medição direta da espessura da parede nestas condições. / This work describes the development of an algorithm to evaluate the degree of corrosion in pipeline walls, using ultrasound. The developed algorithm will be implemented in a dedicated digital circuit that can be embedded in ultrasonic pigs for pipeline corrosion inspection. The algorithm is based on the mathematic model known as matched filter, besides a peak detection method for the location of ultrasound echoes, originated from the signal reflections in the pipeline walls. One problem is the determination of the signal (and filter) that should be used, but using a signal design approach a large number of possibilities could be analyzed and only a few was tested in experiments. Finally, the best signals were used to inspect a test specimen made of a corroded pipeline section, and the results were analyzed. The first wall detection shows promising results when compared to the results of a three-dimensional inspection of the same walls. It was possible to reconstruct the profile of the internal wall with good likelihood, even at badly corroded areas. The second wall detection shows some satisfactory results on low corrosion levels, but show some problems with high corrosion levels, compromising the direct measurement of the wall of the pipeline.

Este trabalho descreve o desenvolvimento de um algoritmo para avaliar o grau de corrosão em paredes de oleodutos, através de ultrassom. O algoritmo desenvolvido será implementado em um circuito digital, fazendo parte de um sistema que poderá ser embarcado em pigs ultrassônicos para inspeção de dutos à procura de corrosão. O modelo matemático conhecido como filtro casado é usado como base do algoritmo, além de um método de detecção de picos para localização dos sinais de eco de ultrassom, provenientes das reflexões do sinal nas paredes dos dutos. Um dos problemas é a definição do sinal (e do filtro) que será utilizado, mas por meio de sinais sintetizados (signal design) uma grande gama de alternativas foi analisada e apenas algumas foram selecionadas para testes em experimentos. Por último os melhores sinais foram utilizados na inspeção de um corpo de prova feito à partir de um duto corroído, e os resultados são analisados. A detecção da primeira parede do oleoduto apresenta resultados promissores em comparação com a medição tridimensional das mesmas paredes. O sistema foi capaz de reconstruir o perfil da parede interna do duto com elevada verossimilhança, mesmo em regiões severamente corroídas. A detecção da segunda parede apresenta resultados satisfatórios para baixos níveis de corrosão, porém alguns problemas foram encontrados para níveis mais altos de corrosão, prejudicando a medição direta da espessura da parede nestas condições. / This work describes the development of an algorithm to evaluate the degree of corrosion in pipeline walls, using ultrasound. The developed algorithm will be implemented in a dedicated digital circuit that can be embedded in ultrasonic pigs for pipeline corrosion inspection. The algorithm is based on the mathematic model known as matched filter, besides a peak detection method for the location of ultrasound echoes, originated from the signal reflections in the pipeline walls. One problem is the determination of the signal (and filter) that should be used, but using a signal design approach a large number of possibilities could be analyzed and only a few was tested in experiments. Finally, the best signals were used to inspect a test specimen made of a corroded pipeline section, and the results were analyzed. The first wall detection shows promising results when compared to the results of a three-dimensional inspection of the same walls. It was possible to reconstruct the profile of the internal wall with good likelihood, even at badly corroded areas. The second wall detection shows some satisfactory results on low corrosion levels, but show some problems with high corrosion levels, compromising the direct measurement of the wall of the pipeline.