A low-cost development platform to design digital circuits on FPGAs using open-source software and hardware tools

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert Saiz-Vela ◽  
Pau Fontova ◽  
Tomas Palleja ◽  
Marcel Tresanchez ◽  
Juan Antonio Garriga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Open Source ◽  
Open Source Software ◽  
Digital Circuits ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Development Platform ◽  
Cost Development ◽  
Software And Hardware

scholarly journals New Omnidirectional Sensor Based on Open-Source Software and Hardware for Tracking and Backtracking of Dual-Axis Solar Trackers in Photovoltaic Plants

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 726
Author(s):  
Francisco J. Gómez-Uceda ◽  
José Ramirez-Faz ◽  
Marta Varo-Martinez ◽  
Luis Manuel Fernández-Ahumada
Keyword(s):  
Open Source Software ◽  
Energy Production ◽  
Scientific Community ◽  
Radiative Capture ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Free Software ◽  
Solar Tracking ◽  
Software And Hardware ◽  
Celestial Sphere ◽  
Photovoltaic Plants

In this work, an omnidirectional sensor that enables identification of the direction of the celestial sphere with maximum solar irradiance is presented. The sensor, based on instantaneous measurements, functions as a position server for dual-axis solar trackers in photovoltaic plants. The proposed device has been developed with free software and hardware, which makes it a pioneering solution because it is open and accessible as well as capable of being improved by the scientific community, thereby contributing to the rapid advancement of technology. In addition, the device includes an algorithm developed ex professo that makes it possible to predetermine the regions of the celestial sphere for which, according to the geometric characteristics of the PV plant, there would be shading between the panels. In this way, solar trackers do not have to locate the Sun’s position at all times according to astronomical models, while taking into account factors such as shadows or cloudiness that also affect levels of incident irradiance on solar collectors. Therefore, with this device, it is possible to provide photovoltaic plants with dual-axis solar tracking with a low-cost device that helps to optimise the trajectory of the trackers and, consequently, their radiative capture and energy production.

scholarly journals Merging a Remote Microscope and Virtual Worlds: Teaching Kingdom Plantae on Basic Education

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (04) ◽  
pp. 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Porto Antonio ◽  
João Paulo Lima ◽  
João Bosco Alves ◽  
Juarez Bento Silva ◽  
José Pedro Simão
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environment ◽  
Open Source ◽  
Science Teaching ◽  
Open Source Software ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
Educational Tool ◽  
Plant Parts

This paper presents an educational tool based on open source software and low cost hardware to supplement science teaching, merging concepts of remote experiment, virtual worlds and virtual learning environment. Using an avatar, students can move around in an enriched environment and access a remote microscope that enables visualization of plant parts and interaction with the available samples.

Review of Open Source Software (OSS)

2012 ◽  
pp. 26-40
Author(s):  
Bhasker Mukerji ◽  
Ramaraj Palanisamy
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Open Source ◽  
Open Source Software ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Source Code ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Economic Resources ◽  
Large Pool ◽  
Public Sector Organizations

The popularity of Open Source Software (OSS) in developing countries is quiet evident from its widespread adoption across government departments and public sector organizations. The use of OSS saves economic resources of cash starved countries, provides an opportunity to promote e-government, and to utilize their resources in other sectors. Many developing countries have a large pool of skilled developers who can modify the source code of the OSS at a very low cost. Many governments in developing and developed countries have switched to OSS which probably encourages others to follow the trend. It was not possible to follow the adoption trend in all the developing countries but the usage of OSS in countries like India, Brazil, and Venezuela provides us an insight. The successful adoption of OSS requires thorough analysis of its advantages as well as the issues associated with it. This chapter will provide an overview of OSS, characteristics of OSS developers, and their motivation to volunteer by contributing in OSS projects, followed by the advantages and issues associated with OSS.

scholarly journals A coincidence detection system based on real-time software

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 437-449 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sindulfo Ayuso ◽  
Juan José Blanco ◽  
José Medina ◽  
Raúl Gómez-Herrero ◽  
Oscar García-Población ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Detection System ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Coincidence Detection ◽  
Pulse Delay ◽  
Development Platform ◽  
Electronic Circuitry ◽  
Coincidence System ◽  
Cost Development

Abstract. Conventional real-time coincidence systems use electronic circuitry to detect coincident pulses (hardware coincidence). In this work, a new concept of coincidence system based on real-time software (software coincidence) is presented. This system is based on the recurrent supervision of the analogue-to-digital converters status, which is described in detail. A prototype has been designed and built using a low-cost development platform. It has been applied to two different experimental sets for cosmic ray muon detection. Experimental muon measurements recorded simultaneously using conventional hardware coincidence and our software coincidence system have been compared, yielding identical results. These measurements have also been validated using simultaneous neutron monitor observations. This new software coincidence system provides remarkable advantages such as higher simplicity of interconnection and adjusting. Thus, our system replaces, at least, three Nuclear Instrument Modules (NIMs) required by conventional coincidence systems, reducing its cost by a factor of 40 and eliminating pulse delay adjustments.

scholarly journals Software-Based Three-Dimensional Deconvolution Microscopy of Cytoskeletal Proteins in Cultured Fibroblast Using Open-Source Software and Open Hardware

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (12) ◽  
pp. 88
Author(s):  
Kazuo Katoh
Keyword(s):  
Open Source ◽  
Open Source Software ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Cytoskeletal Proteins ◽  
Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Confocal Laser ◽  
Actual Measurement ◽  
Open Hardware

As conventional fluorescence microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy generally produce images with blurring at the upper and lower planes along the z-axis due to non-focal plane image information, the observation of biological images requires “deconvolution.” Therefore, a microscope system’s individual blur function (point spread function) is determined theoretically or by actual measurement of microbeads and processed mathematically to reduce noise and eliminate blurring as much as possible. Here the author describes the use of open-source software and open hardware design to build a deconvolution microscope at low cost, using readily available software and hardware. The advantage of this method is its cost-effectiveness and ability to construct a microscope system using commercially available optical components and open-source software. Although this system does not utilize expensive equipment, such as confocal and total internal reflection fluorescence microscopes, decent images can be obtained even without previous experience in electronics and optics.

scholarly journals Use of Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS) in the U.S. Department of Defense

2003 ◽  
Vol 2003 (01) ◽  
pp. 0102
Author(s):  
Terry Bollinger
Keyword(s):  
Software Development ◽  
Open Source ◽  
Open Source Software ◽  
Department Of Defense ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Source Code ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Cyber Attacks ◽  
Software Analysis ◽  
The U.S

This report documents the results of a study by The MITRE Corporation on the use of free and open-source software (FOSS) in the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). FOSS gives users the right to run, copy, distribute, study, change, and improve it as they see fit, without asking permission or making fiscal payments to any external group or person. The study showed that FOSS provides substantial benefits to DoD security, infrastructure support, software development, and research. Given the openness of its source code, the finding that FOSS profoundly benefits security was both counterintuitive and instructive. Banning FOSS in DoD would remove access to exceptionally well-verified infrastructure components such as OpenBSD and robust network and software analysis tools needed to detect and respond to cyber-attacks. Finally, losing the hands-on source code accessibility of FOSS source code would reduce DoD’s ability to respond rapidly to cyberattacks. In short, banning FOSS would have immediate, broad, and strongly negative impacts on the DoD’s ability to defend the U.S. against cyberattacks. For infrastructure support, the deep historical ties between FOSS and the emergence of the Internet mean that removing FOSS applications would strongly negatively impact the DoD’s ability to support web and Internet-based applications. Software development would be hit especially hard due to many leading-edge and broadly used tools being FOSS. Finally, the loss of access to low-cost data processing tools and the inability to share results in the more potent form of executable FOSS software would seriously and negatively impact nearly all forms of scientific and data-driven research.

scholarly journals Communicating with (Some) Canadians: Communication Rights and Government Online in Canada

2009 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Felczak ◽  
Richard Smith ◽  
Geoffrey Glass
Keyword(s):  
Open Source ◽  
Open Source Software ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Policy Recommendations ◽  
Government Information ◽  
Government Programs ◽  
Online Programs ◽  
Government Websites

Abstract: A communication rights framework is used to evaluate recent government online initiatives in Canada. Through an analysis of policy documents, government websites, user experiences, and the existing and evolving computing environment, the authors argue that government online programs fail to adequately ensure the communication rights of Canadians who use free and open source software, including Canadians who seek alternatives to proprietary software, Canadians who require low-cost computing, and Canadians who access the Internet via public libraries and community centres that use free and open source software. Existing government programs also fail to ensure the communication rights of Canadians without access to the Internet, including Canadians who do not use or plan to use the Internet. The authors identify specific problem areas in the provision of government information, services, and consultations and suggest policy recommendations that address the identified shortcomings.Résumé : Dans cet article, les auteurs utilisent une perspective fondée sur le droit à la communication pour évaluer des initiatives en ligne de la part du gouvernement canadien. Au moyen de l’analyse de documents de politique générale, de sites gouvernementaux, d’expériences d’utilisateurs et de l’environnement informatique actuel dans son évolution constante, les auteurs soutiennent que les programmes gouvernementaux en ligne ne réussissent pas à protéger de manière adéquate les droits de communication des Canadiens qui utilisent des logiciels libres gratuits, y compris ceux qui désirent une alternative aux logiciels propriétaires, ceux qui dépendent de services informatiques à bas prix et ceux qui accèdent à Internet dans les bibliothèques et centres communautaires équipés de logiciels libres gratuits. En outre, les programmes gouvernementaux actuels sont incapables de protéger les droits de communication de ces Canadiens qui n’ont pas accès à Internet, c’est-à-dire ceux qui ne l’utilisent pas présentement ainsi que ceux qui n’ont pas l’intention de l’utiliser. Les auteurs identifient des problèmes spécifiques reliés à la fourniture d’informations, de services et de consultations de la part du gouvernement et recommandent des politiques qui s’adressent aux défauts identifiés.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document