TY - JOUR A1 - Fiedler, Thomas M. A1 - Orzada, Stephan A1 - Flöser, Martina A1 - Rietsch, Stefan H. G. A1 - Quick, Harald H. A1 - Ladd, Mark E. A1 - Bitz, Andreas T1 - Performance analysis of integrated RF microstrip transmit antenna arrays with high channel count for body imaging at 7 T JF - NMR in Biomedicine N2 - The aim of the current study was to investigate the performance of integrated RF transmit arrays with high channel count consisting of meander microstrip antennas for body imaging at 7 T and to optimize the position and number of transmit ele- ments. RF simulations using multiring antenna arrays placed behind the bore liner were performed for realistic exposure conditions for body imaging. Simulations were performed for arrays with as few as eight elements and for arrays with high channel counts of up to 48 elements. The B1+ field was evaluated regarding the degrees of freedom for RF shimming in the abdomen. Worst-case specific absorption rate (SARwc ), SAR overestimation in the matrix compression, the number of virtual obser- vation points (VOPs) and SAR efficiency were evaluated. Constrained RF shimming was performed in differently oriented regions of interest in the body, and the devia- tion from a target B1+ field was evaluated. Results show that integrated multiring arrays are able to generate homogeneous B1+ field distributions for large FOVs, espe- cially for coronal/sagittal slices, and thus enable body imaging at 7 T with a clinical workflow; however, a low duty cycle or a high SAR is required to achieve homoge- neous B1+ distributions and to exploit the full potential. In conclusion, integrated arrays allow for high element counts that have high degrees of freedom for the pulse optimization but also produce high SARwc , which reduces the SAR accuracy in the VOP compression for low-SAR protocols, leading to a potential reduction in array performance. Smaller SAR overestimations can increase SAR accuracy, but lead to a high number of VOPs, which increases the computational cost for VOP evaluation and makes online SAR monitoring or pulse optimization challenging. Arrays with interleaved rings showed the best results in the study. KW - body imaging at UHF MRI KW - integrated transmit coil arrays KW - VOP compression Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/nbm.4515 SN - 0952-3480 (ISSN) SN - 1099-1492 (eISSN) VL - 34 IS - 7 PB - Wiley CY - Weinheim ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Dey, Thomas A1 - Elsen, Ingo A1 - Ferrein, Alexander A1 - Frauenrath, Tobias A1 - Reke, Michael A1 - Schiffer, Stefan ED - Makedon, Fillia T1 - CO2 Meter: a do-it-yourself carbon dioxide measuring device for the classroom T2 - PETRA '21: Proceedings of the 14th Pervasive Technologies Related to Assistive Environments Conference N2 - In this paper we report on CO2 Meter, a do-it-yourself carbon dioxide measuring device for the classroom. Part of the current measures for dealing with the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is proper ventilation in indoor settings. This is especially important in schools with students coming back to the classroom even with high incidents rates. Static ventilation patterns do not consider the individual situation for a particular class. Influencing factors like the type of activity, the physical structure or the room occupancy are not incorporated. Also, existing devices are rather expensive and often provide only limited information and only locally without any networking. This leaves the potential of analysing the situation across different settings untapped. Carbon dioxide level can be used as an indicator of air quality, in general, and of aerosol load in particular. Since, according to the latest findings, SARS-CoV-2 can be transmitted primarily in the form of aerosols, carbon dioxide may be used as a proxy for the risk of a virus infection. Hence, schools could improve the indoor air quality and potentially reduce the infection risk if they actually had measuring devices available in the classroom. Our device supports schools in ventilation and it allows for collecting data over the Internet to enable a detailed data analysis and model generation. First deployments in schools at different levels were received very positively. A pilot installation with a larger data collection and analysis is underway. KW - embedded hardware KW - sensor networks KW - information systems KW - education KW - do-it-yourself Y1 - 2021 SN - 9781450387927 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1145/3453892.3462697 N1 - PETRA '21: The 14th PErvasive Technologies Related to Assistive Environments Conference Corfu Greece 29 June 2021- 2 July 2021 SP - 292 EP - 299 PB - Association for Computing Machinery CY - New York ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Chajan, Eduard A1 - Schulte-Tigges, Joschua A1 - Reke, Michael A1 - Ferrein, Alexander A1 - Matheis, Dominik A1 - Walter, Thomas T1 - GPU based model-predictive path control for self-driving vehicles T2 - IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium (IV) N2 - One central challenge for self-driving cars is a proper path-planning. Once a trajectory has been found, the next challenge is to accurately and safely follow the precalculated path. The model-predictive controller (MPC) is a common approach for the lateral control of autonomous vehicles. The MPC uses a vehicle dynamics model to predict the future states of the vehicle for a given prediction horizon. However, in order to achieve real-time path control, the computational load is usually large, which leads to short prediction horizons. To deal with the computational load, the control algorithm can be parallelized on the graphics processing unit (GPU). In contrast to the widely used stochastic methods, in this paper we propose a deterministic approach based on grid search. Our approach focuses on systematically discovering the search area with different levels of granularity. To achieve this, we split the optimization algorithm into multiple iterations. The best sequence of each iteration is then used as an initial solution to the next iteration. The granularity increases, resulting in smooth and predictable steering angle sequences. We present a novel GPU-based algorithm and show its accuracy and realtime abilities with a number of real-world experiments. KW - Heuristic algorithms KW - Computational modeling KW - model-predictive control KW - GPU KW - autonomous driving Y1 - 2021 SN - 978-1-7281-5394-0 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1109/IV48863.2021.9575619 N1 - 2021 IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium (IV), July 11-17, 2021. Nagoya, Japan SP - 1243 EP - 1248 PB - IEEE CY - New York, NY ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Köhler, Klemens A1 - Röpke, René A1 - Wolf, Martin R. T1 - Through a mirror darkly – On the obscurity of teaching goals in game-based learning in IT security JF - ISAGA 2019: Simulation Gaming Through Times and Disciplines N2 - Teachers and instructors use very specific language communicating teaching goals. The most widely used frameworks of common reference are the Bloom’s Taxonomy and the Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy. The latter provides distinction of 209 different teaching goals which are connected to methods. In Competence Developing Games (CDGs - serious games to convey knowledge) and in IT security education, a two- or three level typology exists, reducing possible learning outcomes to awareness, training, and education. This study explores whether this much simpler framework succeeds in achieving the same range of learning outcomes. Method wise a keyword analysis was conducted. The results were threefold: 1. The words used to describe teaching goals in CDGs on IT security education do not reflect the whole range of learning outcomes. 2. The word choice is nevertheless different from common language, indicating an intentional use of language. 3. IT security CDGs use different sets of terms to describe learning outcomes, depending on whether they are awareness, training, or education games. The interpretation of the findings is that the reduction to just three types of CDGs reduces the capacity to communicate and think about learning outcomes and consequently reduces the outcomes that are intentionally achieved. KW - IT security education KW - Competence Developing Games KW - Game-based learning KW - Keyword analysis KW - Bloom’s Taxonomy Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-72132-9_6 N1 - ISAGA 2019 - International Simulation and Gaming Association Conference. 26-30 August 2019. Warsaw, Poland. Part of the Lecture Notes in Computer Science book series (LNCS, volume 11988) SP - 61 EP - 73 PB - Springer CY - Cham ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Ferrein, Alexander A1 - Meeßen, Marcus A1 - Limpert, Nicolas A1 - Schiffer, Stefan ED - Lepuschitz, Wilfried T1 - Compiling ROS schooling curricula via contentual taxonomies T2 - Robotics in Education N2 - The Robot Operating System (ROS) is the current de-facto standard in robot middlewares. The steadily increasing size of the user base results in a greater demand for training as well. User groups range from students in academia to industry professionals with a broad spectrum of developers in between. To deliver high quality training and education to any of these audiences, educators need to tailor individual curricula for any such training. In this paper, we present an approach to ease compiling curricula for ROS trainings based on a taxonomy of the teaching contents. The instructor can select a set of dedicated learning units and the system will automatically compile the teaching material based on the dependencies of the units selected and a set of parameters for a particular training. We walk through an example training to illustrate our work. Y1 - 2021 SN - 978-3-030-67411-3 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67411-3_5 N1 - RiE: International Conference on Robotics in Education (RiE); Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing book series (AISC, volume 1316) SP - 49 EP - 60 PB - Springer CY - Cham ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Harzheim, Thomas A1 - Mühmel, Marc A1 - Heuermann, Holger T1 - A SFCW harmonic radar system for maritime search and rescue using passive and active tags JF - International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies N2 - This paper introduces a new maritime search and rescue system based on S-band illumination harmonic radar (HR). Passive and active tags have been developed and tested while attached to life jackets and a small boat. In this demonstration test carried out on the Baltic Sea, the system was able to detect and range the active tags up to a distance of 5800 m using an illumination signal transmit-power of 100 W. Special attention is given to the development, performance, and conceptual differences between passive and active tags used in the system. Guidelines for achieving a high HR dynamic range, including a system components description, are given and a comparison with other HR systems is performed. System integration with a commercial maritime X-band navigation radar is shown to demonstrate a solution for rapid search and rescue response and quick localization. KW - Radar KW - microwave measurements KW - harmonic radar KW - harmonic radar tags KW - nonlinear VNA measurements Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1017/S1759078721000520 VL - 13 IS - Special Issue 7 SP - 691 EP - 707 PB - Cambridge University Press CY - Cambridge ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Heuermann, Holger A1 - Harzheim, Thomas A1 - Mühmel, Marc T1 - A maritime harmonic radar search and rescue system using passive and active tags T2 - 2020 17th European Radar Conference (EuRAD) N2 - This article introduces a new maritime search and rescue system based on S-band illumination harmonic radar (HR). Passive and active tags have been developed and tested attached to life jackets and a rescue boat. This system was able to detect and range the active tags up to a range of 5800 m in tests on the Baltic Sea with an antenna input power of only 100 W. All electronic GHz components of the system, excluding the S-band power amplifier, were custom developed for this purpose. Special attention is given to the performance and conceptual differences between passive and active tags used in the system and integration with a maritime X-band navigation radar is demonstrated. KW - Harmonic Radar KW - Rescue System KW - Frequency Doubler KW - Transponder KW - Tag Y1 - 2021 SN - 978-2-87487-061-3 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1109/EuRAD48048.2021.00030 N1 - 17th European Radar Conference, 13th - 15th January 2021, Utrecht, Netherlands SP - 73 EP - 76 PB - IEEE CY - New York, NY ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hoffmann, Andreas A1 - Rohrbach, Felix A1 - Uhl, Matthias A1 - Ceblin, Maximilian A1 - Bauer, Thomas A1 - Mallah, Marcel A1 - Jacob, Timo A1 - Heuermann, Holger A1 - Kuehne, Alexander J. C. T1 - Atmospheric pressure plasma-jet treatment of polyacrylonitrile-nonwovens—Stabilization and roll-to-roll processing JF - Journal of Applied Polymer Science N2 - Carbon nanofiber nonwovens represent a powerful class of materials with prospective application in filtration technology or as electrodes with high surface area in batteries, fuel cells, and supercapacitors. While new precursor-to-carbon conversion processes have been explored to overcome productivity restrictions for carbon fiber tows, alternatives for the two-step thermal conversion of polyacrylonitrile precursors into carbon fiber nonwovens are absent. In this work, we develop a continuous roll-to-roll stabilization process using an atmospheric pressure microwave plasma jet. We explore the influence of various plasma-jet parameters on the morphology of the nonwoven and compare the stabilized nonwoven to thermally stabilized samples using scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and infrared spectroscopy. We show that stabilization with a non-equilibrium plasma-jet can be twice as productive as the conventional thermal stabilization in a convection furnace, while producing electrodes of comparable electrochemical performance. KW - batteries and fuel cells KW - electrospinning KW - fibers KW - irradiation KW - porous materials Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/app.52887 SN - 0021-8995 (Print) SN - 1097-4628 (Online) N1 - Weitere Informationen: Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Fördernummer: 13XP5036E. Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Fördernummern: 390874152, 441209207, 327886311 VL - 139 IS - 37 SP - 1 EP - 9 PB - Wiley ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Allal, D. A1 - Bannister, R. A1 - Buisman, K. A1 - Capriglione, D. A1 - Di Capua, G. A1 - García-Patrón, M. A1 - Gatzweiler, Thomas A1 - Gellersen, F. A1 - Harzheim, Thomas A1 - Heuermann, Holger A1 - Hoffmann, J. A1 - Izbrodin, A. A1 - Kuhlmann, K. A1 - Lahbacha, K. A1 - Maffucci, A. A1 - Miele, G. A1 - Mubarak, F. A1 - Salter, M. A1 - Pham, T.D. A1 - Sayegh, A. A1 - Singh, D. A1 - Stein, F. A1 - Zeier, M. T1 - RF measurements for future communication applications: an overview T2 - 2022 IEEE International Symposium on Measurements & Networking (M&N) N2 - In this paper research activities developed within the FutureCom project are presented. The project, funded by the European Metrology Programme for Innovation and Research (EMPIR), aims at evaluating and characterizing: (i) active devices, (ii) signal- and power integrity of field programmable gate array (FPGA) circuits, (iii) operational performance of electronic circuits in real-world and harsh environments (e.g. below and above ambient temperatures and at different levels of humidity), (iv) passive inter-modulation (PIM) in communication systems considering different values of temperature and humidity corresponding to the typical operating conditions that we can experience in real-world scenarios. An overview of the FutureCom project is provided here, then the research activities are described. KW - FPGA KW - signal integrity KW - power integrity KW - passive inter-modulation KW - metrological characterization Y1 - 2022 SN - 978-1-6654-8362-9 SN - 978-1-6654-8363-6 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1109/MN55117.2022.9887740 SN - 2639-5061 SN - 2639-507X N1 - 2022 IEEE International Symposium on Measurements & Networking (M&N), 18-20 July 2022, Padua, Italy. SP - 1 EP - 6 PB - IEEE ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Ostkotte, Sebastian A1 - Peters, Constantin A1 - Hüning, Felix A1 - Bragard, Michael T1 - Design, implementation and verification of an rotational incremental position encoder based on the magnetic Wiegand effect T2 - 2022 ELEKTRO (ELEKTRO) N2 - This paper covers the use of the magnetic Wiegand effect to design an innovative incremental encoder. First, a theoretical design is given, followed by an estimation of the achievable accuracy and an optimization in open-loop operation. Finally, a successful experimental verification is presented. For this purpose, a permanent magnet synchronous machine is controlled in a field-oriented manner, using the angle information of the prototype. KW - Position Encoder KW - Rotational Encoder KW - Wiegand Effect KW - Angle Sensor KW - Incremental Encoder Y1 - 2022 SN - 978-1-6654-6726-1 SN - 978-1-6654-6727-8 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1109/ELEKTRO53996.2022.9803477 SN - 2691-0616 N1 - 2022 ELEKTRO (ELEKTRO), 23-26 Mai 2022, Krakow, Poland. PB - IEEE ER -