APPLICATION OF EMBEDDED SYSTEM IN CIVIL ENGINEERING.
Dinesh Yadav#, Vishal Maru#, Himanshu Mishra#
Arya College of Engineering and Research Centre, kukas, Jaipur
PREVIEW:
Embedded systems in many cases must be optimized for life-cycle and business-driven factors rather than for maximum computing throughput. There is currently little tool support for expanding embedded computer design to the scope of holistic embedded system design. However, knowing the strengths and weaknesses of current approaches can set expectations appropriately, identify risk areas to tool adopters, and suggest ways in which tool builders can meet industrial needs.
**Introduction:
An Embedded System is a microprocessor based system that is embedded as a subsystem, in a larger system (which may or may not be a computer system). By contrast, a general-purpose computer, such as a personal computer (PC), is designed to be flexible and to meet a wide range of end-user needs. Embedded systems control many devices in common use today.[3]
FIG: A BLOCK DIAGRAM OF EMBEDDED SYSTEM
Embedded systems are controlled by one or more main processing cores that are typically either microcontrollers or digital signal processors (DSP).[4] The key characteristic, however, is being dedicated to handle a particular task, which may require very powerful processors. For example, air traffic control systems may usefully be viewed as embedded, even though they involve mainframe computers and dedicated regional and national networks between airports and radar sites (each radar probably includes one or more embedded systems of its own).
Since the embedded system is dedicated to specific tasks, design engineers can optimize it to reduce the size and cost of the product and increase the reliability and performance. Some embedded systems are mass-produced, benefiting from economies of scale. An embedded system is a computer system designed to perform one or a few dedicated functions. It is embedded as part of a complete device often including hardware and mechanical parts. Whereas, general-purpose computer, such as personal computer (PC), is designed to be flexible and to meet a wide range of end-user needs. Since the embedded system is dedicated to specific tasks, design engineers can optimize it to reduce the size and cost of the product and increase the reliability and performance. Some embedded systems are mass-produced, benefiting from economies of scale. Embedded systems range from portable devices such as digital watches and MP3 players, to large stationary installations like traffic lights, factory controllers. Complexity varies from low, with a single microcontroller chip, to very high with multiple units.
Embedded systems are designed to do some specific task, rather than be a general-purpose computer for multiple tasks. Embedded systems are not always standalone devices. The program instructions written for embedded systems are referred to as firmware and are stored in read-only memory or flash memory chips.
SCOPE OF EMBEDDED SYSTEM:
Embedded systems encompass a variety of hardware and software components that performs specific functions in host systems, for example, satellites, washing machines, hand-held telephones and automobiles. Embedded systems have become increasingly digital with a non-digital periphery (analog power), thus both hardware and software co-designs are relevant. Although the design of embedded systems has been used in industrial practice for decades, the systematic design of such systems has only recently gained increased attention. Advances in microelectronics have made possible applications that would have been impossible without an embedded system design. Embedded System Applications describes the latest techniques for embedded system design in a variety of applications. This includes some of the latest software tools for embedded system design. Applications of embedded system design in avionics, satellites, and radio astronomy, space and control systems. Embedded system also used in military and aerospace embedded software applications.
APPLICATION OF EMBEDDED SYSTEM IN DIFF. DIFF. FIELDS..
(1)Home applications:
just like washing machine is used for washing the cloth.
vcd player to watch movies.
air conditioner to cool the room etc etc.
(2)Millitry field :
to navigate the missile etc.
(3)Medical field :
just like MRI , CT SCAN to scan the whole body etc.
(4)Material processing and production
To remove the material completely, then laser cutting can be performed. With higher powers the material becomes fluid and laser welding can be realized, or ifthe power is high enough.
(5) Construction industry:
Digital drawings of Bridge, Industrial Plants, and Monuments
FIG: a point cloud taken from lidar scanner.
FOR FULL VIEW CLICK HERE:
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_dIvFa14S0yc/SWwkibJQvRI/AAAAAAAAFmo/DBpAscqC2qc/image_thumb%5B9%5D.png?imgmax=800
(4) Documentation of historical sites
FIGURE THAT DESCRIBE , HOW DOCUMENTATION OF HISTORICAL OBJECTS ARE DOCUMENTED.
(5) Futuristic prediction of a project in 3d animated way, where software and electronics plays.
(6)Robotics:
Robotic Control: e.g., a laser scanner may function as the "eye" of a robot.
III. Application in Civil Engineering
Today’s sensor technology provides the increased opportunities for automation and improvement in data acquisition and construction processes. However, many current field practices at construction sites still rely on manual processes for asset tracking and information handling. Previous technologies, such as radio frequency identification and global positioning systems, do not provide a solution to automated asset tracking because of their limitations in terms of applicability and performance in a typical construction environment. This paper introduces a new development of an embedded system for construction asset tracking by 3D scanner combining radio and ultrasound signals. We present the detailed hardware and software architecture and have implemented outdoor experiments to examine the accuracy and performance of the designed system. The results obtained showed the accurate distance and position estimation with enhanced networking flexibility. The findings and lessons learned from this research demonstrate the potential for future practical deployment of similar systems in many civil engineering applications.
**3d scanner
A 3D scanner is a device that analyzes a real-world object or environment to collect data on its shape and possibly its appearance (i.e. colour). The collected data can then be used to construct digital, three dimensional models useful for a wide variety of applications. These devices are used extensively by the entertainment industry in the production of movies and video games. Other common applications of this technology include industrial design, orthotics and prosthetics, reverse engineering and prototyping, quality control/inspection and documentation of cultural artefacts.
Many different technologies can be used to build these 3D scanning devices.
Functionality:
(1)The purpose of a 3D scanner is usually to create a point cloud of geometric samples on the surface of the subject. These points can then be used to extrapolate the shape of the subject (a process called reconstruction).
(2) 3D scanners are very analogous to cameras. Like cameras, they have a cone-like field of view, and like cameras, they can only collect information about surfaces that are not obscured. While a camera collects colour information about surfaces within its field of view, 3D scanners collect distance information about surfaces within its field of view.
(3) The “picture” produced by a 3D scanner describes the distance to a surface at each point in the picture. If a spherical coordinate system is defined in which the scanner is the origin and the vector out from the front of the scanner is φ=0 and θ=0, then each point in the picture is associated with φ and θ.
(4) Together with distance, which corresponds to the r component, these spherical coordinates fully describe the three dimensional position of each point in the picture, in a local coordinate system relative to the scanner.
(5) For most situations, a single scan will not produce a complete model of the subject. Multiple scans, even hundreds, from many different directions are usually required to obtain information about all sides of the subject.
(6) These scans have to be brought in a common reference system, a process that is usually called alignment or registration, and all them are merged together to make complete model, this whole process is called as 3d scanning pipelining.
**Technology:
There are a variety of technologies for digitally acquiring the shape of a 3D object. A well established classification[2] divides them into two types:
1. Contact and
2. Non-contact 3D scanners.
(1)CONTACT 3D SCANNAR:
Contact 3D scanners probe the subject through physical touch. A CMM (coordinate measuring machine) is an example of a contact 3D scanner. It is used mostly in manufacturing and can be
very precise.
Functionality of CMM: it requires contact with the object being scanned. Thus, the act of scanning the object might modify or damage the delicate or expensive objects.
Fig. 2 A CORDINATE MEASURING MACHINE
FOR FULL VIEW CLICK HERE:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/9.12.17_Coordinate_measuring_machine.png
(2) Non-contact 3D SCANNAR:
Active scanners emit some kind of radiation or light and detect its reflection in order to probe an object or environment. Possible types of emissions used include light, ultrasound or x-ray.
The time-of-flight 3D laser scanner is an active scanner that uses laser light to probe the subject. At the heart of this type of scanner is a time-of-flight laser rangefinder. The laser rangefinder finds the distance of a surface . A laser is used to emit a pulse of light and the amount of time before the reflected light is seen by a detector is timed.
The laser rangefinder only detects the distance of one point in its direction of view.
This lidar scanner may be used to scan buildings, rock formations, etc., to produce a 3D model. The lidar can aim its laser beam in a wide range: its head rotates horizontally, a mirror flips vertically. The laser beam is used to measure the distance to the first object on its path.
FUNCTIONALITY:
(1)Thus, the scanner scans its entire field of view one point at a time by changing the range finder’s direction of view to scan different points.
(2)The view direction of the laser rangefinder can be changed
(3) It is done by rotating the range finder itself, or by using a system of rotating mirrors, the second one is preferred, that is much faster and having greater accuracy.
Fig 4: The geometry in 3D modeling is completely described in 3D space; objects can be viewed from any angle.
FOR FULL VIEW CLICK HERE:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/Jack-in-cube_solid_model%2C_light_background.gif
IV. CONCLUSION
Embedded systems have virtually entered every sphere of our life, right from the time we work out on tread mills to the cars that we drive today. The possibilities in this field are only limited by our imagination. Many of the embedded systems are managed by human controllers by some sort of man machine interface-for example a cash register, a cell phone, a TV screen or a PC interface. It is this MMI that often represents the most costly investment in the system’s development, interms of both time and money.
HOW (SOFTWARE + ELECTRONICS) IS A CORE PART OF MODERN CIVIL TECHNIQUES, AS Embedded System.
The principle that is done by software that runs on a PC or an embedded system and that controls the complete process is connected with a scanner card. That card converts the received vector data to movement information which is sent to the scanhead, traces (X- and Y-and Z-coordinate).
That’s why by using the core technology of embedded science we can make highly effective & best designs in civil.
References:
[1] Embedded Systems Programming. Miller Freeman, San Francisco, ISSN 1040-3272.
[2] Daniel D. Gajski. Frank Vahid, Sanjiv Narayan & Jie Gong, Specification and Design of Embedded Systems. PTR Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs NJ, 1994.
[3J Jack Ganssle, Art of programming Embedded Systems, Academic Press, San Diego. 1992.
[4J Shem-Tov Levi & Ashok Agrawala, Fault Tolerant System Design, McGrawHill, New York, 1994.
[5] Nancy Leveson, Safeware: system safety and computers, Addison-Wesle,1994..
