Smart computer algorithms and signal processing techniques have led to rapid development in the field of patient monitoring. Accelerated growth in the field of medical science has made data analysis more demanding and thus the complexity of decision-making procedures. Anaesthetists working in the operating theatre are responsible for carrying out a multitude of tasks which requires constant vigilance and thus a need for a smart decision support system has arisen. It is anticipated that such an automated decision support tool, capable of detecting pathological events can enhance the anaesthetist’s performance by providing the diagnostic information to the anaesthetist in an interactive and ergonomic display format. The main goal of this research was to develop a clinically useful diagnostic alarm system prototype for monitoring pathological events during anaesthesia. Several intelligent techniques, fuzzy logic, artificial neural networks, a probabilistic alarms and logistic regression were explored for developing the optimum diagnostic modules in detecting these events. New real-time diagnostic algorithms were developed and implemented in the form of a prototype system called real time – smart alarms for anaesthesia monitoring (RT-SAAM). Three diagnostic modules based on, fuzzy logic (Fuzzy Module), probabilistic alarms (Probabilistic Module) and respiration induced systolic pressure variations (SPV Module) were developed using MATLABTM and LabVIEWTM. In addition, a new data collection protocol was developed for acquiring data from the existing S/5 Datex-Ohmeda anaesthesia monitor in the operating theatre without disturbing the original setup. The raw physiological patient data acquired from the S/5 monitor were filtered, pre-processed and analysed for detecting anaesthesia related events like absolute hypovolemia (AHV) and fall in cardiac output (FCO) using SAAM. The accuracy of diagnoses generated by SAAM was validated by comparing its diagnostic information with the one provided by the anaesthetist for each patient. Kappa-analysis was used for measuring the level of agreement between the anaesthetist’s and RT-SAAM’s diagnoses. In retrospective (offline) analysis, RT-SAAM that was tested with data from 18 patients gave an overall agreement level of 81% (which implies substantial agreement between SAAM and anaesthetist). RT-SAAM was further tested in real-time with 6-patients giving an agreement level of 71% (which implies fair level of agreement). More real-time tests are required to complete the real-time validation and development of RT-SAAM. This diagnostic alarm system prototype (RT-SAAM) has shown that evidence based expert diagnostic systems can accurately diagnose AHV and FCO events in anaesthetized patients and can be useful in providing decision support to the anaesthetists.

Dada a importância dos para-raios para a proteção dos diversos equipamentos e instalações nos sistemas de distribuição e transmissão de energia elétrica contra danos provocados por sobretensões transitórias, quer sejam originadas por descargas atmosféricas, quer por estabelecimento e interrupção de cargas reativas (sobretensões de manobra), é apresentada uma nova metodologia de diagnóstico de seu estado. São apresentadas também as formas construtivas dos para-raios com tecnologias de carboneto de silício (SiC) e óxido de zinco (ZnO), as quais são associadas a modelos elétricos de representação completos e simplificados, de forma a facilitar a análise dos métodos de diagnóstico. Os métodos atualmente empregados para o diagnóstico dos para-raios, tanto fora de serviço quanto durante a operação, bem como suas potencialidades e pontos falhos são explanados, para os equipamentos de SiC e de ZnO. O novo método de diagnóstico proposto nesse trabalho é introduzido a seguir, baseado na monitoração da capacitância equivalente e resistência equivalente do para-raio, juntamente com simulações dos diversos tipos de defeitos passíveis de ocorrência em equipamentos de SiC e ZnO, verificando-se os parâmetros de medição afetados por cada um deles, de forma a estabelecer a efetividade do novo método de monitoração para a detecção dos defeitos. Também é apresentado um método para viabilização da monitoração em tempo real de capacitância e de resistência equivalentes, através da técnica de soma vetorial das correntes de fuga, atualmente já empregada para monitoração de buchas capacitivas de transformadores e outros equipamentos. Por fim, são apresentados os resultados esperados com o novo método de monitoração e as sugestões de novas etapas para trabalhos futuros. / Given the importance of surge arresters for the protection of several devices and installations in electric energy distribution and transmission systems from damages caused by transitory overvoltages, either originated from atmospheric discharges or by closing or opening of reactive loads (switching overvoltages), a new methodology for diagnosing their condition is presented. The constructive forms of surge arresters with silicon carbide (SiC) and zinc oxide (ZnO) technologies are presented, as well as their associated electric representation models, complete and simplified, so as to facilitate the analysis of diagnostic methods. Surge arrester diagnostic methods are presented, both off-line and on-line, together with their potentialities and weak points, for SiC and ZnO arresters. The new diagnostic method proposed in this work is introduced next, based on monitoring of the arrester equivalent capacitance and equivalent resistance, followed by simulations of the several possible defect types in SiC and ZnO devices. The measured parameters affected by each defect type are checked in order to establish the effectiveness of the new monitoring method for the detection of arrester problems. A method for making the monitoring of equivalent capacitance and resistance is also presented, by using the vector sum of leakage currents technique, largely used for monitoring of capacitive bushings in power transformers and other equipment. Finally, the results expected with the new monitoring method and suggestions for future work are presented.

Dada a importância dos para-raios para a proteção dos diversos equipamentos e instalações nos sistemas de distribuição e transmissão de energia elétrica contra danos provocados por sobretensões transitórias, quer sejam originadas por descargas atmosféricas, quer por estabelecimento e interrupção de cargas reativas (sobretensões de manobra), é apresentada uma nova metodologia de diagnóstico de seu estado. São apresentadas também as formas construtivas dos para-raios com tecnologias de carboneto de silício (SiC) e óxido de zinco (ZnO), as quais são associadas a modelos elétricos de representação completos e simplificados, de forma a facilitar a análise dos métodos de diagnóstico. Os métodos atualmente empregados para o diagnóstico dos para-raios, tanto fora de serviço quanto durante a operação, bem como suas potencialidades e pontos falhos são explanados, para os equipamentos de SiC e de ZnO. O novo método de diagnóstico proposto nesse trabalho é introduzido a seguir, baseado na monitoração da capacitância equivalente e resistência equivalente do para-raio, juntamente com simulações dos diversos tipos de defeitos passíveis de ocorrência em equipamentos de SiC e ZnO, verificando-se os parâmetros de medição afetados por cada um deles, de forma a estabelecer a efetividade do novo método de monitoração para a detecção dos defeitos. Também é apresentado um método para viabilização da monitoração em tempo real de capacitância e de resistência equivalentes, através da técnica de soma vetorial das correntes de fuga, atualmente já empregada para monitoração de buchas capacitivas de transformadores e outros equipamentos. Por fim, são apresentados os resultados esperados com o novo método de monitoração e as sugestões de novas etapas para trabalhos futuros. / Given the importance of surge arresters for the protection of several devices and installations in electric energy distribution and transmission systems from damages caused by transitory overvoltages, either originated from atmospheric discharges or by closing or opening of reactive loads (switching overvoltages), a new methodology for diagnosing their condition is presented. The constructive forms of surge arresters with silicon carbide (SiC) and zinc oxide (ZnO) technologies are presented, as well as their associated electric representation models, complete and simplified, so as to facilitate the analysis of diagnostic methods. Surge arrester diagnostic methods are presented, both off-line and on-line, together with their potentialities and weak points, for SiC and ZnO arresters. The new diagnostic method proposed in this work is introduced next, based on monitoring of the arrester equivalent capacitance and equivalent resistance, followed by simulations of the several possible defect types in SiC and ZnO devices. The measured parameters affected by each defect type are checked in order to establish the effectiveness of the new monitoring method for the detection of arrester problems. A method for making the monitoring of equivalent capacitance and resistance is also presented, by using the vector sum of leakage currents technique, largely used for monitoring of capacitive bushings in power transformers and other equipment. Finally, the results expected with the new monitoring method and suggestions for future work are presented.