Projects

Power electronics have become a ubiquitous technology widely present in many applications. At the same time, power electronics converters are undergoing some disruptive changes. These game changers had allowed converters to switch much faster, which in theory leads to much more compact circuits due to smaller passives (capacitors, inductors). Nevertheless, in practice, downsizing of passive components and interaction with semiconductors and ...

In this project, we will evaluate the applicability of the eRTIS 3D sonar sensor in autonomous indoor shipping applications. We will collaborate with a supplier of indoor autonomous shipping solutions to provide an experimental platform which can be used to evaluate the sensing capabilities of the sensor setup. Furthermore, we will work on water-proofing of our technology, which is an important asset for the overall sensor performance.

The fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0 as it is commonly referred to) is driven by extreme digitalization, enabled by tremendous computing capacity, smart collaborating machines and wireless computer networks. In the last six years, Nexor — a multi-disciplinary research consortium blending expertise from four Antwerp research labs — has built up a solid track record therein. We are currently strengthening the consortium in order to ...

During this project we will develop a framework which allows passive localization of acoustic sources using a synchronized wireless sensor network. Synchronization of the wireless microphone array will be performed using a distributed synchronization scheme absent of a master time representation. The framework will support automatic calibration of the microphone array with minimal human intervention. The location estimate of the acoustic sources ...

In hospitals where there is a significant workload, performing auscultations can be a timeconsuming process, which also exposes the medical personnel to potentially contagious diseases. Current systems that allow remote auscultations are often not fit for use with large amounts of patients, long-term use, or are limited in terms of functionality. The major drawback in current remote auscultation systems is the relatively bulky acoustic coupler ...

In engineering, simulations access the impact of design changes applied by engineers. Based on the simulation output, the engineer improves the design. Recently the engineer is replaced by an optimisation algorithm which adapts the design parameters to ensure optimal performance. Literature mentions case where applying these optimisation techniques leads to performance improvements up to 33%. However, current state-of-the-art very often relies ...

Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) consist of tightly integrated and coordinated computational and physical elements. They focus on interaction with highly uncertain environment with the limited resources. By introducing IoT and Industry 4.0, the CPSs are connected to each other to meet the emerging more complex requirements. These interconnected CPSs constitute complex systems called Cyber-physical System of Systems (CPSoS) in which there may be ...

Cyber-physical systems (CPS) are engineered systems that have a tight integration between the cyber part (computation and networking) and its physical components. Examples include but are not limited to industry 4.0, automotive and aerospace. To allow decisions to be made in a CPS (strategic control, tactical control and, low-level control), decision models are used. These models use input from sensors, but also from other supporting processes, ...

In this project we investigate acoustic aposematic signalling in insects. We combine acoustic measurements with computational bat behaviour modelling to gain insights into the effects of aposematic signalling on the bat's perception mechanisms.