Specification of the Research Goals of the Centre

The research goals are specified conformably to the research departments of the Centre.

Automatic Control

AR1 - Modelling, simulation, control and decision making in distribution networks
The objective of the research is design of methods assuring stabile and fault tolerant operation of distribution networks in recently established market-oriented environment. The new and unresolved problems require developing numerical stable and fast running simulators suitable for short-term control as well as long term network planning. A special attention will be given to electrical distribution networks and water distribution networks. Besides the simulator development methods for stability analysis will be designed. The inherent part of the research program is design of system rules, which will guarantee smooth network operations in the market-oriented environment. We will work on methods estimating peak values of network variables (e.g. maximum with the measure of uncertainty in exceeding the limit) with the aim of deriving general stochastic models for propagation of flow, drop in generalized effort (voltage, pressure) and energy loss in distribution networks. The sequential tasks are summarized as follows:
• Definition of tasks for modelling, identification, analysis and design methods assuring smooth operations of distribution networks under the rules of market-oriented environment
• Definition of external influences, i.e. manipulated and disturbance variables affecting the system operation for electrical networks
• Design of a model using bond-graph modelling technique
• Model parameters identification, short-term local demand estimation and medium-term regional demand estimation
• Peak value estimation of network variables using stochastic network models in matrix and graph representation
• Analysis of distribution networks, looking for critical situations and specification of stable regions in the system state space
• Design of system rules guaranteeing stable distribution network operations in market-oriented environment
• Specification of recommendations for network design and development in market-oriented environment

AR 2 - Algorithms for systems, signals and control
The objective of the research is to develop new methods and procedures for computing with polynomials in systems, signals and control. The third generation methods will be completed. The procedures will be combined with general optimisation methods, such as linear matrix inequalities (LMI) and bilinear matrix inequalities (BMI) and semi-definite programming. New methods will be tested experimentally in the form of prototype software in Matlab. The results will be verified by the simulations and laboratory experiments. In later stages, the research will focus on special procedures tailored to particular industrial applications. The objectives include:
• algorithms for very large matrices (order 1000 and more) with applications in adaptive optics, in collaboration with European Southern Observatory (ESO)
• computational procedures for nanotechnologies – control of focusing of electron beam in transmission electron microscope, in collaboration with Delong Instruments, a.s.
• special procedures for polynomial of high degree (1000 and higher)
• use of semi-definite programming for computing with polynomials
• algorithms for robust analysis and synthesis
• very fast algorithms for applications in mobile communication, especially mobile phones
• methods suitable for hardware constraints and approximate computations
• computational procedures for applications in biomedicine – collaboration with University Hospital in Olomouc,
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AR3 - Sensorless and adaptive control of induction motors
• The aim of the research is to develop new algorithms for robust control of electro-mechanical systems using advanced methods and tools of state and signal analysis. The sequence of tasks to be fulfilled is as follows:
• Identification of electro-mechanical systems
• Analysis of control system robustness with respect of mutually correlated variations of multiple parameters
• Design of no-linear estimators
• Adaptive optimisation of control algorithms

AR4 - Modelling, simulation and control of time-delay systems and processes
The aim of the research will focus on completing the theory on meromorfic design of anizochronic control systems and analysis, or rather shaping their spectral properties. In parallel methods for identification of anizochronic models for typical real systems and processes will be developed and methods for anizochronic controllers design will be worked out. The sequence of tasks is specified as follows:
• Design of anizochronic control based on convolution generalization of an internal state formulation of models for processes with distributed parameters
• Generalization of algebraic design methods using meromorfic functions for time-delay systems
• Applications of anizochronic models for modelling and control of industrial systems and processes whose selection will be coordinated with the “Distribution Networks” group
• Modelling of controlled photosynthesis a control design for photobioreactor
• The results of every stage of each of the research areas stated above will be documented in the form of research and technical reports, software and user’s manuals for the software developed.  The software will not be tailored for the use of a particular end user and will be general enough in order to be passed for modifications under the industrial research and adapted for the end users easily. All results sponsored by the funds of the Ministry of Education of the Czech Republic will be public and published in journals and presented in highly ranked international conferences.

Applications and applicability of the results:

Direct users of the results generated in the area of Modelling, simulation, control and decision-making in distribution networks for the area of electro-energy are:
• The Ministry of Industry and Commerce of the Czech Republic, which will use the results as a support tool in conjunction with stating its “energy line and conception of the Czech Republic” and also in conjunction with investments plans in the area.
• The Regulator Authority – in defining the rules for energy market and pricing of individual activities conducted under in the market environment.
• Producers of electricity for strategic planning not only in the area of energy production but also in application of so called Ancillary Services on the market assuring the technical stability of the whole distribution network including energy production.
• Company running the transmission lines, which is fundamentally interested in high quality and reliable model of the distribution network adopted for market-oriented environment as its responsibility is to keep the delivery of electricity stable within the country.
• Companies running regional distribution networks.

The end-users of the research results for water area are:
• Companies running regional distribution systems known in the Czech Republic as VaKs.

Direct users of the results generated in the area of Algorithms for systems, signals and control are:
• Producers and users of advanced adaptive optics (e.g. ESO - European Southern Observatory).
• Producers of high performance electron microscopes and devices for nanotechnologies (Delong Instruments, a.s.).
• Producers of mobile telephony and equipment for telecommunications.

Direct users of the results generated in the area of Sensorless and adaptive control of induction motors are:
• Producers of electro-mechanical systems and drives and their control systems requiring minimizing number of directly measured variables and maximizing the reliability and quality of the control system. (Motorola).

Direct users of the results generated in the area of Modelling, simulation and control of time-delay systems and processes are:
• Owners of historical buildings and historical heritage who will use the research results for stabilizing climatic conditions in historical building using algorithms based on anizochronic models.
• Pharmaceutical industry where anizochronic models will be used for control of photosynthesis in solar bioreactors.

Machine Perception

The research goals can be sorted into four groups. The first two are focused on methods development and publication outputs are expected. The second two topics will be oriented to applications. It is possible that during the project duration additional application areas will be found. 

SV1 - Methods for three-dimensional computer vision and image sequence analysis
• Development of geometry-based methods in 3D computer vision.
• Acquirement of depth-maps from several viewpoints, their analysis and fusion.
• Advanced methods of finding correspondences in images.
• Using physical models of image formation for acquiring image data.
• Analysis of video-sequences

SV2 - General pattern recognition methods with applications in image recognition
• Development of the general statistical pattern recognition theory, especially kernel methods.    
• The relationship between statistical and structural pattern recognition.
• Local structure (distinguishable regions) and their use for detection and object recognition in images.
• Texture and colour.

SV3 - Machine perception for traffic applications
• Traffic monitoring from video-sequences. Information fusion about the same scene from several cameras.
• Analysis of video-sequences from a camera attached to a moving car, mobile robot or unmanned lane.
• Detection of unusual behaviour using monitoring cameras.
• Development of fast hardware devices for image analysis.
• Utilization of methods from tasks groups MP1 and MP2.

SV4 - Machine perception in industrial and other applications
• Special methods of image acquisition for image inspection facilitating object retrieval.
• Representation of specific application-dependent knowledge for generic image processing techniques.
• Analysis of medical topographic data. Image registration respecting deformation.
• Utilization of methods from tasks groups MP1 and MP2.

Artificial Intelligence

UI1 - Collective robotics
The research in the area of collective robotics will be mainly concentrated to:
• solving tasks of collaborative localisation in a group of robots
• coordination of motion within a robot’s group
• coalition formation and robot team actions
• collective behaviour in an environment with limited communication capabilities
• intrusive and non-collaborative behaviour in robotics
UI2 - Service robots
Research and development of service robots for exploratory, rescue and protective actions and robotic systems for disabled will be based on:
• design of robotic platforms for movement in difficult environment
• methods for localisation of humans
• technical solution of grasping mechanisms
• application of principles of mechatronics, telepresence and enhanced reality
UI3 - Voice dialog systems
The research in voice dialog systems communicating with a human operator in natural language will be targeted at:
• investigation of recognition of key words and key phrases for detection of dialog acts
• research of the statistical approach to dialog systems design
• implementation of an experimental voice dialog system
• testing and tuning of the experimental system using real data
• transfer of the project results to commerce, mainly in cooperation with industrial partners, implementation of voice dialog systems in real practical operation
UI4 - Softcomputing
The softcomputing research objectives are listed as:
• design of theoretical models of cognitive computation and hybrid methods for computational intelligence including computational power and complexity
• model testing in classification, control and cognitive tasks, both in software and robotic environment
• research of neural networks and multidimensional data spaces, task dimensionality reduction by data compression
• study and testing of non-classical neural network types and other procedures utilising compressed data
UI5 - Artificial Intelligence Based Software Solutions
Architectures for AI-based software solutions will be focused on:
• system architectures for intelligent control with special attention to implementation of fuzzy control algorithms (in cooperation with the Automatic control department of the Centre)
• system architectures pro knowledge processing, data mining, prediction and biocybernetic needs
• the area of multi-agent and distributed systems
• design and implementation of information systems with increased security, i.e. with a structured system of roles and rights using SQL database technology with a secured Internet access and stressed utilisation of cryptographic techniques for security assurance

Embedded Systems

VS1-  Signal processing in programmable circuits
The goal of this activity is to perform research and development of fast signal processing algorithms and to implement them in programmable hardware and specialized processors. We shall consider requirements of so called “disappearing computer” trend, characterized by low-power embedded intelligent devices. As the starting point, we shall use advanced algorithms, derived in the frame of previous projects of fundamental research, so far verified by simulation in the Matlab environment. We plan to implement them in programmable hardware and to perform an experimental verification of this implementation. Since the results of the hardware implementation affect the original algorithmic definition, it will be necessary to cover complete range of methods from the algorithmic research to design, implementation and verification. Our goal is to set-up hardware implementations that can be used in industrial practice. Our concrete plans are:
• To develop and implement selected families of the signal processing algorithms, up to the level of modules optimised for application in programmable gate arrays, possibly combined within embedded processor on a single chip. We will focus on the recursive structure estimation and testing of hypotheses, SVD and subspace methods and the affine projections algorithms.
• To research a general design methodology for dynamically reconfigurable circuits.
• To develop our in-house software tools. Our research activity will be characterized by experimental, project-oriented research and development work.
• To build infrastructure for partner seek for the EU projects. It will be used to form closer cooperation with other research groups both in EU and in the Czech Republic, in the form of research contracts. The outcome of the development will consist of specialized libraries of functional modules (“Intellectual Property Cores”) for the standard families of programmable circuits, for dynamically reconfigurable circuits and for embedded processors. These modules will be offered to our industrial partners.
• For each phase of the development, we shall use the following design tools: definition of an algorithm: Matlab, Simulink, C. Conversion to VHDL and simulation: System Generator, Handel-C, Modelsim. Compilation to synthesizable description: Synplify Pro. Programmable circuit design: ISE,  Figaro. Application encapsulation: EDK, GCC, Processor Expert etc.

VS2 - Verification of discrete event systems
General aim of this research direction lies in exploring the possibilities of using the accessible verification methods and tools for verification of (models of) control systems and developing new procedures for specific problems arising at concrete tasks  which are solved in realization of embedded systems. We suppose not only solutions of selected case studies but also contributions in the area of theoretical foundations. We will also build on our own  results in the verification area and will concentrate particularly on models based on Petri nets and process algebras, real-time models, as well as probabilistic models. More specifically, we will aim at the following targets:
• Exploring boundaries for algorithmic verifiability of behavioural relations and  for model checking at models based on Petri nets, process algebras etc.
• Analysis of the area of using the accessible software tools for verification of embedded systems
• Real time models
• Models with probabilistic features
• Safety properties
• Design and implementation of new specific tools
• Algorithms for suitable model (sub)classes
• Experimental evaluation of the methods on selected case studies

VS3 - Distributed Control Systems Design
In the area of distributed systems the research will be aimed at increasing the reliability and performance of the realized control system. We will focus on international standards in the area of communications and operating systems. Not only it involves topics purely theoretical (e.g., hybrid systems) but also matters of practical implementation including both, the system software (design tools, communication stacks, components of operating systems) and selected applications (cars, trains, …). The following topics will be particularly emphasised:
• Hybrid systems
• Further elaboration of hybrid Petri nets
• Comparison of various hybrid system methods on typical case studies
• Demonstration on a helicopter model
• Java solutions
• RT features comparison of Java solutions realized on various specific platforms (Jbed, aJfile, ...)
• Compatibility tests of  Real-time Extensions to the Java™ Platform
• System designer
• Creation of unified HW, SW interfaces used in control systems
• Implementation of basic platform independent interface (Java, .Net, ActiveX, VBScript,  …), suited for reconfiguration
• Distributed control system for process control
• Realisation of  Modbus over TCP/IP – protocol implementation compliant to "Modbus Messaging Implementation Guide“ and "Modbus Application Protocol Specification"
• Development of the system tools for micro controllers
• Processor Expert
• Component approach to development of embedded systems
• Support for industrial communications (CANOpen)