Dr. Daniele Inserra | August 22, 2017 | 10.00 a.m. | B04, L4.1.01

Abstract

Antenna arrays have gained considerable interest in the last decades due to their advantage of increasing system coverage, capacity, throughput, and link quality, hence improving communication system performance. On the other hand, an antenna array can also be used to provide spatial diversity, beamforming capabilities, or implementing Direction of Arrival (DoA)-based positioning systems. Obviously, all of these systems manifest performance strongly dependent on the antenna array design.

In this lecture, two of these antenna array applications are treated and described. Firstly, the problem of radio localization based on DoA estimation is analyzed under the hypothesis that DoA estimation capability can be integrated in a general communication system data processing path. A specific case of cyclic prefixing (CP) orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) transmission technique with training sequence is assumed to show fundamental limits of the proposed approach in a communication channel impaired by multipath components.

In the second part, antenna array is exploited to accurately control the radiation pattern and synthesize a specific communication area on a planar surface. Communication area synthesis, defined as a space portion limited by a power threshold, is described as an important requirement in the design of radio frequency identification (RFID)-based electronic toll collection (ETC) systems, or other specific vehicular applications which require a high data-rate service spatial area.

Bio

Daniele Inserra received the BSc Degree (2007) and the MSc Degree (2009, summa cum laude) in electrical engineering, and the Ph.D. degree in industrial and information engineering (2013), all from the University of Udine, Udine, Italy. He was a member of the Wireless and Power Line Communications Lab at the University of Udine until 2013. From 2013 to 2014 he was with Calzavara S.p.a., Italy, as responsible of the Non Ionizing Radiation Laboratory measurement activities and as a member of the technical staff (antennas and electromagnetic compatibility designer). Currently, he is a postdoctoral researcher with the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China. His research interests include antenna array design, wireless communication systems, radio localization and positioning techniques, hardware/software co-design, rapid prototyping methodologies, hardware and RF devices characterization and measurement systems.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Johannes Huber | 26. Juni 2017 | 10.00 Uhr | B04 L4.1.01

Kurzfassung

In bildungspolitischen Diskussionen wird oft ein Gegensatz zwischen theorie- und praxisorientierten Ausbildungsgängen konstruiert. Zum Beispiel werden die Unterschiede zwischen den Studiengängen an Fachhochschulen und Universitäten hiermit begründet. Dabei wird oftmals unterschwellig eine vermeintliche Praxisorientierung als für Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft von höherem Wert subsumiert. Im Vortrag wird jedoch anhand naturwissenschaftlicher und technischer Entwicklungen aufgezeigt, dass Theorie und Praxis zu keiner Zeit in irgendeiner Weise etwas Gegensätzliches darstellten, sondern alle entscheidenden Erfolge in der Technik, welche das menschliche Dasein maßgeblich veränderten, nur auf der Grundlage umfassender theoretischer Fundamente möglich waren. Für aktuelle technische Entwicklungen, die überwiegend als neue Algorithmen in Softwarelösungen (z.B. App´s)  stattfinden, gilt dies sogar noch in verstärktem Maße. Somit wird das Gegensatzpaar Theorie und Praxis als Feigenblatt bei Aversionen gegenüber oftmals nicht einfachen theoretischen Konzepten entlarvt.

Die These „Eine gute Theorie ist das Praktischste, was es gibt!“, die vom Physiker Gustav R. Kirchhoff und auch von manch anderen namhaften Wissenschaftlern ähnlich formuliert wurde, wird insbesondere an der Entwicklung der modernen digitalen Informationstechnik ab der Mitte des 20. Jahrhunderts bestätigt, die zum einen bzgl. der Elektronik auf der Theorie der Festkörperphysik und zum anderen auf den Konzepten der mathematischen Informationstheorie beruht. Als aktuelles Beispiel werden die enormen Steigerungen der Datengeschwindigkeiten in der Mobilkommunikation mit Hilfe der Vielfach-Antennentechnik näher betrachtet, wo es mit Hilfe strikt mathematisch abgeleiteter Entzerrungsverfahren gelingt, viele Antennen ähnlich wie parallele Strippen in dicken Kabeln für parallele Übertragungswege nutzbar zu machen.

Schlussfolgerungen auf die Ausbildung des Nachwuchses in Technik und Naturwissen-schaften beschließen die Ausführungen.

Bio

Johannes Huber studierte Elektrotechnik an der Technischen Universität München und erwarb 1977 das Diplom. Er wurde 1982 zur Dr.-Ing. promoviert und erhielt 1991 den Titel Dr.-Ing. habil. mit einer Monographie zur Trelliscodierung. Von 1991 bis März 2017 war er Inhaber des Lehrstuhls für Informationsübertragung an der Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. Seit April 2017 ist er Prof. em. am Institute for Digital Communications (IDC) dieser Universität. Von 2007 bis 2009 war er Dekan der Technischen Fakultät.

In der Forschung ist Johannes Huber auf den Gebieten digitale Übertragung, Informations- und Codierungstheorie, codierte Modulation, Entzerrungs- und Detektionsverfahren, MIMO-Übertragungsverfahren, DSL etc. aktiv. Er hat zwei Monographien verfasst und ist Autor und Co-Autor von ca. 340 wissenschaftlichen Veröffentlichungen. In den Jahren 1988, 2000 und 2006 wurden Publikationen, die er verfasst bzw. mit verfasst hat, mit dem Preis der deutschen informationstechnischen Gesellschaft ausgezeichnet. 2004 erhielt er den Innovationspreis der Vodafone-Stiftung für Mobilfunk und in den Jahren 2003 und 2010 wurde ihm der EEEfCOM Innovationspreis verliehen.

Prof. Huber ist Fellow of the IEEE, Corresponding Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh und ordentliches Mitglied der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissen-schaften (BAdW). An der BAdW leitet er die Kommission „Forum Technologie“ und ist stellvertretender Sprecher der Sektion III: Naturwissenschaften, Mathematik, Technikwissenschaften

Inzwischen sind 11 seiner ehemaligen Doktoranden selbst Professoren an namhaften Universitäten und Hochschulen.

Dr.-Ing. Marco Jose da Silva | June 12, 2017 | 02.00 p.m. | L4.1.01

Abstract

The simultaneous stream of two of more substances denoted as multiphase flow is commonly encountered in many industrial applications, among others in nuclear, chemical and petroleum industry. The monitoring of such flow is required to assure safety and/or efficiency of industrial processes and equipment. For this reason, in the past a number of sensors and instrumentation to monitor multiphase flow have developed and applied. Impedance sensors, in which the measurand causes a variation of an electrical property such as resistance or capacitance, are promising candidates for the measurement of flow parameters of multiphase mixtures.

In this talk, an overview on selected impedance-based measurement techniques and sensors applied to the measurement of multiphase flows with emphasis in the field of petroleum production is given. First, typical scenario of onshore and offshore oil production systems along with typical requirements on sensors and instrumentation are given. Then, different sensor and instrumentation developed at UTFPR are presented as well as some typical application is shown. Hence, beginning with simple impedance probes up to tomographic (multi-electrode) sensors will be described and discussed.

Bio

Marco Jose da Silva received the Dr.-Ing. degree in Electrical Engineering from Dresden University of Technology, Germany, in 2008. From 2004 to 2009 he was a Research Associate with Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Germany. In Year 2010, he joined the Federal University of Technology-Parana (UTFPR), Brazil, as Assistant Professor. From 2013, he is an Associate Professor (tenured) at the Department of Electrical Engineering (CPGEI) and since 2016 he also is co-Director of the Multiphase Flow Center (NUEM) at UTFPR. His research interests include measurement technology, sensors, and instrumentation applied to fluid flow. He is the author of over 150 scientific international journals and conference papers and was granted 3 patents. Dr. Da Silva is Topical (Senior) Editor of IEEE Sensors Journal and Associate Editor of Journal of Sensors and Sensor Systems.

Prof. Niklaus Wirth | June 12, 2017 | 04.00 p.m. | HS 1

Abstract

We recount the development of procedural programming languages and of computer architectures, beginning with Algol 60 and the main frame computers, and discuss the influence of the former on the latter. We point out the major innovative features of computers, and the main characteristics of languages. What makes languages high-level, and what caused their cancerous growth and overwhelming complexity? Are we stuck with the monsters, or is further, sound development still possible?

Bio

© Peter Badge/Typos1 – in coop. with HLFF – all rights reserved 2017

Niklaus Wirth is one of the most influential computer scientists ever. He is known first of all for his works in programming language and compiler design, but he has also contributed a lot to hardware and operating system design and software engineering in a general sense. He spent most of his working time as professor at the ETH Zürich, but spent also several years in outstanding research institutions in the USA (e.g. Xerox PARC) and Canada.

His best known programming language is Pascal. Pascal was published at the end of the sixties, at a time, when on the one side widely used but theoretically poorly founded languages (such as Fortran and Cobol) and on the other hand theoretically exaggerated and practically hardly useful languages (such as Algol-68) dominated the scene. Wirth succeeded with Pascal to find the happy medium. This was the first programming language 1) incorporating the sound theory of safe programming (as defined by E.W. Dijkstra, C.A. Hoare and others, including Wirth himself); 2) applying strict, static type checking; 3) providing a flexible system of recursive type constructors. In other words: Strictness, regarding syntax, but freedom in expressing semantics. In later languages Wirth adapted the concept of encapsulation and information hiding (Modula and Modula-2), and object-orientation (Oberon and Oberon-2) in a novel, clean and simple way. Oberon was not only the name of a language, but also of an extremely compact, but extendible operating system, enabling – among others – maybe the first efficient garbage collector of the world. He designed also a hardware architecture, best fitting for the requirements of code generation from compilers (the Lilith architecture) becoming thus a pioneer for later RISC architectures. He also designed a simple and compact language for hardware design (LOLA). The leading principle in all his work was the slogan taken from Albert Einstein: “Make it as simple as possible – but not simpler!”

Niklaus Wirth published over 10 books and numerous scientific papers. He was for a few years the most quoted computer scientist at all. He received practically all awards a computer scientists can get. First of all, the Turing Award, which is often called “the Nobel prize for computer scientists”. He is a member of the order Pour le mérite for science and art and of the German Academy of Sciences, he received the IEEE Computer Pioneer Award, the Outstanding Research Award in Software Engineering von ACM Sigsoft – and a lot of others.

Niklaus Wirth is an excellent speaker; humble, wise and with a lot of sense of humor. This makes his talks for an unforgettable event for this audience. The Institute of Information Technology at the Klagenfurt University is highly honored and pleased that he accepted our invitation.

Registration needed:
martina@itec.aau.at

Dr. Oleksandr Glushko | June 1, 2017 | 10.00 a.m. | V.1.34

Abstract

Fabrication of electronic devices on flexible polymer substrates is a new and constantly growing branch in microelectronics industry. The main advantages of flexible electronics are light-weight and ultra-thin design, possibility of large area roll-to-roll production as well as outstanding mechanical properties such as stretchability or bendability. For realization of these advantages within a final device not only development of novel appropriate materials and fabrication methods but also understanding of reliability issues and failure mechanisms are required.

In this presentation an overview of main mechanical test concepts along with the description of important reliability parameters which can be gained from these tests will be given. The cornerstone of materials testing – the monotonic tensile test – is used to characterize the general structural integrity of a film, to determine the crack onset strain and ductility but also to estimate the film-substrate adhesion. Cyclic tensile (fatigue) test is a well-established method to examine the stability of thin film components when small amounts of mechanical strain are repeatedly applied. Examples of different types of damage which develops with the increasing cycle number as well as the methods for fatigue life estimation will be shown. Finally, bending tests are required to prove the mechanical performance under conditions which closely simulate the real usage conditions of a flexible electronic device. The stability and fracture of different metallization lines during repeated bending will be systematically overviewed.

A special emphasize on the correlation between mechanical damage and the degradation of electrical conductivity will be made throughout the talk. In particular, it will be shown that formation and propagation of cracks in the film does not always lead to the electrical failure. At the end of the talk several suggestions for failure-free design of flexible electronics from the perspective of a mechanical engineer will be given.

Bio

Oleksandr Glushko had received his PhD degree at the Montanuniversität Leoben in the area of photonic metamaterials in 2011. Afterwards he entered the Erich Schmid Institute of Materials Science where he started implementation of coupled electro-mechanical testing methods for reliability characterization of thin conductive films on polymer substrates. Currently he is a project leader at the Erich Schmid Institute investigating different fundamental and applied problems of thin film reliability. The fundamental research areas cover the mechanisms of microplasticity, room-temperature grain coarsening and strain-induced grain boundary migration. The applied scientific areas of interest are the correlation between mechanical damage and electrical degradation of polymer metallization, optimization of microstructure and geometry of conductive lines as well as development of new reliability test concepts for flexible electronics applications.

Tamer Khatib, Ph.D, | May 23, 2017 | 03.00 p.m.| Lakeside Labs, B4.1.114

Abstract

In late 2016, Tamer Khatib has led the energy mission of the Islamic Bank for Development to Mauritania. The mission aimed to learn about energy status in the country and draft a road map for energy development project. The mission was supposed to collaborate with the Mauritania government in the capital Nouakchott. However, the mission has faced many challenges in having this collaboration on ground due to faults done by the mission at the beginning in terms of communication and presentation. In this lecture Tamer will share the experience of working in Africa in the field of energy development including official communication, culture barriers and other political issues.

Bio

Tamer is a photovoltaic power systems professional. He holds a B.Sc. degree in electrical power systems from An-Najah National University, Palestine as well as a M.Sc. degree and a Ph.D degree in photovoltaic power systems from National University of Malaysia, Malaysia. In addition he holds Habilitation (the highest academic degree in German speaking countries) in Renewable and sustainable energy from Alpen Adria Universitat, Klagenfurt, Austria.
Currently he is an Assistant professor of renewable energy at An-Najah National University and IEEE Palestine sub-section chair. In addition he is a Privatdozent in Renewable Energy at Alpen Adria Universitat, Klagenfurt, Austria.
So far, he has 2 patents, 3 books and 100 research articles, while  his current h-index is 23. He has supervised 4 Ph.D researches, 8 master researches and 35 bachelor researches.
He is a senior member of IEEE, IEEE Power and Energy Society, The International Solar Energy society, Jordanian Engineers Association, Palestinian Solar and Sustainable Energy Association and International Association of Engineers.
His research interests mainly fall in the scope of photovoltaic systems and solar energy fundamentals. These interests include PV systems design and optimization, modeling and control of PV systems, hybrid PV/Wind systems, hybrid PV/diesel systems, Grid connected PV systems, sun trackers, MPPT technology, inverters in PV system, solar chargers, batteries and charge controllers, solar energy fundamentals, solar energy prediction, AI applications for solar energy and PV systems, wind power systems, wind chargers, wind energy modeling and prediction.