SPECIAL SESSIONS



Special Sessions are being developed by designated chairs. If an author has a paper that could be included in one of these sessions, he/she may submit an abstract and note it is a "candidate for Special Session on". If the abstract is not selected for the session, it may be included in another part of the technical program.

To submit abstracts or draft papers to the special session, please follow the submission instructions for regular sessions but remind to specify the special session to which the paper is directed.

The deadline to submit a paper to a special session is 30 OCTOBER 2004. This deadline is valid ONLY for the special sessions: papers for regular sessions MUST be submitted by 4 OCTOBER 2004.

Special sessions at IMTC/05 are being organized on these subjects:

  • ADVANCED DESIGN, FABRICATION AND TEST FOR SYSTEM-LEVEL-INTEGRATION TECHNOLOGY Organizers:
    Dr. Yong-Bin Kim, Northeastern University, USA
    Dr. Nohpill Park, Oklahoma State University, USA
    Dr. Serge Demidenko, Monash University, Malaysia

    Semiconductor deep-submicron device effects complicate design and test tasks for system level integration. Design and test methodology is a key to the success of the modern system level integration. Furthermore, since the time to market is very critical factor these days, the importance of reusable Intellectual Property/Proprietary (IP) block design concept is ever increasing. As MEMS are being integrated with other circuits, MEMS CAD and NANO circuit design and test flow is receiving more attention.
    This special session will cover all aspects of theory and practice of SoC design and test methodology including innovative circuit design techniques such as clockless circuit, power estimation methodology, timing analysis flow, clock/power distribution, clock skew analysis methodology, design for test and reliability test algorithm, physical design methodology such as signal integrity analysis and place/routing method, decoupling capacitance estimation, circuit design and test methodology in NANO technology, VLSI and system CAD, MEMS CAD, RF circuit design methodology, and analog circuit design testability.

  • BIOLOGICALLY INSPIRED INSTRUMENTATION, SENSORS, AND PERCEPTION TECHNIQUES
    Organizer: Prof. Abdulmotaleb El Saddik, University of Ottawa

    This special session will focus on all the aspects of the biologically inspired technologies for instrumentation and measurement applications.

    Original papers are solicited in, but are not limited to the following technical areas: models of the biological sensing and perception mechanisms, random-pulse/random-data instrumentation and artificial NN architectures, biologically inspired sensors (visual, haptic, audio, smell, etc.), distributed sensor agent networks, adaptability, configurability, emergence, self organization, self optimization etc.

  • BUILT-IN-TEST AND SELF-TEST
    Organizers:
    Prof. Robert Gao, University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA
    Mr. Dennis Hecht, Integrated Diagnostics, Boeing Company, USA

    As the complexity of products and systems increases, there is an increasing need for better methodologies to monitor the condition of the products and systems, from the design stage throughout manufacturing to their final applications. Better condition monitoring enables better quality control, which is essential for economical, environmental, reliability, and safety reasons. One approach to achieving this goal is Built-in-Test (BIT), which incorporates testing and diagnostic functionalities into a product’s structure right at the design stage. A system with BIT is characterized by its ability to identify its operation conditions by itself. Such a design philosophy has been investigated for the design and testing of complex, mixed-signal electronic systems, such as ICs and multifunctional instrumentation, and has gain increasing attention in recent years in other areas of the industry, e.g. manufacturing, aerospace, and transportation.
    This special session is aimed at providing a focused presentation of the scientific and technological aspects of BIT research and applications. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
    - Formative BIT design approach and its codification;
    - Boundary conditions to be considered in a BIT design;
    - Interface and interactions among various components in a BIT product/system;
    - Appropriate apportioning and configuration of BIT design;
    - BIT applications

  • ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING
    Organizer: Dr. Gabriele D'Antona, Politecnico di Milano, Italy

    Continuous scientific and industrial developments in the field of sensors and communication technology keep offering new means for endeavoring environmental measurements. At the same time they put forward new methodological problems, often characterized by strong interdisciplinary contents and complexity.
    This special session is organized to allow researchers operating in the field of environmental monitoring to meet and discuss, starting from a common terminological and scientific background in instrumentation and measurements, not only at the single monitoring chain component level, but also at system level of the whole environmental monitoring process.
    Main session topics, but not limited to, include: Sensors for environmental monitoring, Dedicated instrumentation, Sensor networking and communication, Signal processing, Sensors fusion, Sensor/model data assimilation for monitoring and forecasting, Calibration and traceability, Methods for identifying and managing data/models uncertainty

  • IMAGING SYSTEMS AND TECHNIQUES Organizer: Dr. George C. Giakos, University of Akron, USA

    This session deals with the engineering and physical principles, design, development, testing and evaluation of imaging technologies, systems, and subsystems, advanced metrology and measuring techniques, image analysis and processing, aimed to enhance the detection process and image quality Applications for aerospace, medicine and biology, metrology, radar, defence, national security, and industrial imaging, will be investigated. Imaging modalities from the areas of optical imaging, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Digital Radiography, single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), Ultrasound, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and NSOM spectroscopy will be considered.
    Novel imaging principles, paradigms and concepts leading to the development of high resolution-high specificity imaging technological paradigms on areas such as nano-imaging, quantum dots imaging, imaging for the exploration of Space, mine detection, biometric imaging, security imaging, target detection, recognition and identification, and surveillance, defects and surface anomalies, multi-fusion/multi-modality imaging, physiological imaging, guided biopsy imaging, biomedical optics and cancer detection, optical polarimetric imaging, and advanced electromagnetic imaging techniques are strongly encouraged.

  • INSTRUMENTATION AND SENSORS FOR FARMING
    Organizer: Dr. Miguel A. Perez, Oviedo University, Spain
    Dr. Jesus A. Baro, University of Valladolid, Spain

    This special session aims at covering issues regarding measurements and monitoring in any kind of food-related production processes. These include:
    - Quality and control of food production
    - On-line measurement in farming
    - Sensors for taste, color, odor, and feel in foodstuffs
    - On-line monitoring of bioreactors
    - Precision farming
    - Other related topics

  • MEDICAL MEASUREMENTS AND INSTRUMENTATION
    Organizer: Prof. Marco Parvis, Politecnico di Torino, Italy

    Measurement problems in medical applications are continuously increasing and several examples exist that process measurement data from several instruments in order to derive specific knowledge about the patient status from the vital parameters. This special session will focus on all the aspects related to sensors and measurements in the medical field. Main session topics, but not limited to, include: Sensors for medical systems and medical specific instrumentation; Embedded systems and signal processing; Sensor fusion and calibration; Standards and medical applications; Digital imaging and communication in medicine (DICOM) issues.

  • MEASUREMENT IN GROUND TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
    Organizers:
    Dr. Georg Brasseur, Graz University of Technology, Austria
    Dr. Frans C.A. Groen, Science University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Sensor development, sensor data interpretation and sensor data fusion plays a crucial role in intelligent ground transportation systems. Challenges are in particular present in the integration of in vehicle and off-road sensor systems. This special session focuses on measurement systems based on radar technology, vision, laser based speed and distance measurement, ultrasound measurement and in general on sensors & devices for intelligent ground transportation systems including data interpretation and fusion.

  • MULTI-SENSOR AND MODEL-BASED SENSOR SYSTEMS
    Organizers:
    Dr. O. Kanoun, University of the Bundeswehr Munich, Germany
    Univ.-Prof. H.-R. Tränkler, University of the Bundeswehr Munich, Germany

    In order to improve the quality, availability and reliability of measurements several approaches can be pursued, which make use of multi sensor systems or model based sensor systems. Multi sensor systems exploit redundancy and diversity of sensor signals by using data fusion techniques. Model based sensor systems use a set of operating points of the sensor element for a better calculation of measurement values, correction of effects, self-test, self-validation, etc.
    This special session deals with all aspects related to the design, development, evaluation, and testing of multi sensor and model based sensor systems, such as:
    - Multi sensor systems
    - Multi signal processing, data fusion, pattern recognition
    - Video measurement technology
    - Model-based sensor systems
    - Signal processing for smart sensor systems
    - Modeling of sensor signals
    - Model-based self-diagnosis and self-validation techniques

  • PERCEPTION AND MODELLING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL OBJECTS AND SCENES
    Organizer: Prof. Eric Dubois, University of Ottawa, Canada

    Various types of sensors can be used to gather information about a three-dimensional object or scene in order to develop an accurate computer model. The most common sensor is the usual optical camera, but many other sensors including range sensors and haptic sensors can also be used. By combining multiple optical images of a scene or object with data from range sensors and haptic sensors, sophisticated models can be developed that allow users to have a very realistic virtual interaction with these scenes or objects.
    Haptic perception, which is essential for human or robotic manipulation of objects, is the result of a complex exploratory act integrating two distinct processes: (i) cutaneous tactile/touch sensing that provides information about the contact forces, geometric profile and temperature of the touched object, and (ii) kinesthetic sensing that provides information about the positions and velocities of the kinematic structure (e.g. hand) carrying the tactile sensor.
    Papers are solicited on all aspects of visual and haptic perception technologies for modelling and related applications. This includes, but is not limited to, stereovision, structured light, haptic sensors, haptic human feedback interfaces, perception and psychophysics aspects, intrinsic tactile sensing, object modelling, multi-sensor data fusion, as well as relevant applications such as: tele-manipulation, tele-medicine, augmented and virtualized reality, training, arts, entertainment, etc.

  • SIGMA-DELTA MODULATORS
    Organizer: Prof. Izzet Kale, University of Westminster, Great Britain

    In the past decade, Sigma-Delta modulators have found themselves in the heart of very many instrumentation and measurement devices, circuits and systems. They have primarily been used as the workhorse for high fidelity data conversion systems, both in Analog-to-Digital and Digital-to-Analog converters. However, their application has not been restricted to data conversion systems alone. They have been used in a diversity of application areas, which include integrated transducers, frequency synthesizers and beam formers for sonar and medical imaging.
    Contributions that are sought after in this special session may include (but not restricted to) any of the following topics:
    - Sigma-delta modulator based ADC design and implementation
    - Sigma-delta modulator based DAC design and implementation
    - Sigma-delta modulator based ADC/DAC system modeling and simulation
    - DSP for sigma-delta based ADC/DACs and systems
    - Theoretical analysis and characterization of sigma-delta modulators
    - Sigma-delta modulators and their tonal behavior to dc inputs, analysis and prevention
    - Sigma-delta modulator based fractional-N-frequency synthesizers
    - Sigma-delta modulator based transducers
    - Sigma-delta modulator based systems for high frequency direct conversion applications
    - Sigma-delta modulator based filtering systems
    - Sigma-delta modulator based coding and data compression systems
    - Test and measurement of sigma-delta modulator based ADC and DACs
    - Standardization of test and measurement techniques for sigma-delta modulator based ADC & DACs
    - IC layout design strategies for mixed-signal sigma-delta modulators and sigma-delta modulator based systems

  • SYSTEM-ON-CHIP (SOC) INTEGRATED CIRCUITS - DESIGN AND TEST
    Organizer: Dr. Sunil R. Das, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada and Troy State University Montgomery, Montgomery, AL, U.S.A.

    Topics include but are not exclusively confined to : Test scheduling and test access mechanisms for core-based SOCs : designing test access mechanism, test set selection, test resource placement, and power-constrained test scheduling approach ; reconfigurable wrapper design ; deterministic test vector compression and decompression ; test data compression for memory BIST ; role of crosstalk and faults for signal integrity loss in high speed SOCs ; BIST for detecting clock skew and noise, etc.

  • RF AND MICROWAVE MOISTURE SENSING APPLICATIONS
    Organizers:
    Dr. Samir Trabelsi, US Department of Agriculture, USA
    Dr. Stuart Nelson, US Department of Agriculture, USA

    Nondestructive sensing of moisture content in biological and nonbiological materials is of prime importance in many research areas and industries. RF- and microwave-based sensing techniques represent an attractive solution that can be implemented in highly automated and computerized industrial environments for real-time sensing of moisture content. Availability of robust calibration methods and inexpensive components make this solution competitive with existing sensing systems.
    This session will explore new developments in both the basic measurement concepts and the design of RF- and microwave-based sensors.

  • SENSOR TECHNOLOGIES FOR INTELLIGENT ROBOTICS
    Organizers:
    Dr. Gourab Sen Gupta, Massey University, New Zealand & Singapore Polytechnic, Singapore
    Chris Messom, Massey University, New Zealand

    In the past decade, significant advances have been made in the field of intelligent robotics including mobile robot systems and humanoid robot systems. A key feature of these robotic systems is the requirement to function in uncertain, dynamic environments, in close contact with humans. These challenges require new advanced sensor technologies that are able to integrate with the intelligent control systems that are under development.
    The IMTC 2005 special session on Sensor Technologies for Intelligent Robotics is intended to bring together leading researchers working in the field of sensor systems for robotics to present and discuss relevant issues including (but not restricted to) topics such as:
    * Distributed sensors for Multi-robot systems
    * Performance measurement
    * Human-robot interface
    * Multi-sensor fusion in robotics
    * Service robotics
    * Robot Vision

  • VIRTUAL LABS FOR EDUCATION IN INSTRUMENTATION AND MEASUREMENT
    Organizers:
    Prof. Domenico Grimaldi, Università della Calabria, Italy
    Prof. Theodore Laopoulos, Aristotle University of , Greece

    The wide spread of internet-based educational facilities may offer measurement resources and data worldwide by requiring a minimum connection cost. Internet popularity has resulted in the development of electronic educational tools, enabling the realization of flexible customized solutions for specific remote measurement tasks. Several solutions have been proposed using the internet as a communication channel, enabling thus the realization of remote and distributed measurement systems. Also from the educational point of view, much work has been done. The capabilities of remote teaching and the use of internet as a channel to reach the students or workers to their homes have been recognized.
    Presentations will be combined with discussion with the audience.
    Topics may include any issue related to virtual and web-based educational laboratories, and especially:
    - Studies on the content of a modern web-based I&M course;
    - Non-traditional teaching approaches using web technology; Innovations related to the laboratory practice (educational tools, equipment, and content) due to web-based approaches;
    - Web-based continuing education and training related to I&M.