tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38302663631147617292024-02-21T01:53:44.154-08:00FORTRAN revivalAll things computing, software engineering and physics related!Oldbamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05220911700892934936noreply@blogger.comBlogger144125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830266363114761729.post-19469709571367356612022-07-13T13:17:00.000-07:002022-07-13T16:43:27.071-07:00Frogs of the Osa Peninsular<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6cy5PBQkzcmjYc87eys7TDR29jErB3Fea4mZ-XS7Xrqmu5wTrf9ovp404vnaW7cILoM8Y24LMs7bd09Di-VZz_VcEZjq12AS8NGdM9ddT_BZNOwsdfgbWEhZhj4oZcR_FUyIq_Bex8IeCYnYputco2c68Jg4UT934W1rhU2_iCD8i2jxH4HttVb7SiA/s4032/20220712_054849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6cy5PBQkzcmjYc87eys7TDR29jErB3Fea4mZ-XS7Xrqmu5wTrf9ovp404vnaW7cILoM8Y24LMs7bd09Di-VZz_VcEZjq12AS8NGdM9ddT_BZNOwsdfgbWEhZhj4oZcR_FUyIq_Bex8IeCYnYputco2c68Jg4UT934W1rhU2_iCD8i2jxH4HttVb7SiA/w516-h387/20220712_054849.jpg" width="516"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What fabulous place - primary rain forest, birds galore and plenty of frogs to record.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">See https://www.researchgate.net/project/Costa-Rican-Observation-and-Analysis-of-Calls-CROAC</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For the recordings!</div><br><p></p>Oldbamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05220911700892934936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830266363114761729.post-26620471580774340602022-07-08T19:01:00.001-07:002022-07-09T05:58:59.249-07:00More frogs at Greentique Wildlife Refuge, Manuel Antonio<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimyJlz1W-ix2lntNBTU4OuZ9UBZs3lOuuRwFmRfeUc3_fKUL_KgVU55g7k91pP92-c5A4Yo-Qs1goEEkzJaXeReRA93-c7qNgKC9wT0QIQh3wKOyUn0yIgsbzTTTFyOz7IZByxj5Y2VhCQ/s1600/1657331892050654-0.png">
</a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimyJlz1W-ix2lntNBTU4OuZ9UBZs3lOuuRwFmRfeUc3_fKUL_KgVU55g7k91pP92-c5A4Yo-Qs1goEEkzJaXeReRA93-c7qNgKC9wT0QIQh3wKOyUn0yIgsbzTTTFyOz7IZByxj5Y2VhCQ/s1600/1657331892050654-0.png" width="400" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimyJlz1W-ix2lntNBTU4OuZ9UBZs3lOuuRwFmRfeUc3_fKUL_KgVU55g7k91pP92-c5A4Yo-Qs1goEEkzJaXeReRA93-c7qNgKC9wT0QIQh3wKOyUn0yIgsbzTTTFyOz7IZByxj5Y2VhCQ/s1600/1657331892050654-0.png">
</a>
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sat outside or hotel room, pre-breakfast, near the site entrance. Was visited by humming birds and others!<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Night walk at the Greentique refuge - fantastic!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Call can be found here - https://www.researchgate.net/project/Costa-Rican-Observation-and-Analysis-of-Calls-CROAC</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Oldbamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05220911700892934936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830266363114761729.post-57254704954673691222022-07-07T06:33:00.001-07:002022-07-07T06:33:42.175-07:00The frogs are calling at Macaw LodgeBut which ones.....<div><br></div><div>Check out the recordings at,</div><div><br></div><div>https://www.researchgate.net/project/Costa-Rican-Observation-and-Analysis-of-Calls-CROAC</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbILVYa9StYo2DLYBZp3M3BSHjy5Cct2hQ14U91VKP-Arvr73grJrDf-J-U-VKWqZW7v2vKGsv-gZ84DsgO8SI2YbGQIIiT62FwPhyphenhyphenOonR0PMC0mCYlkaTjQ-IX_zkzpnWUChBTVUAOhF/s1600/1657200818128595-0.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbILVYa9StYo2DLYBZp3M3BSHjy5Cct2hQ14U91VKP-Arvr73grJrDf-J-U-VKWqZW7v2vKGsv-gZ84DsgO8SI2YbGQIIiT62FwPhyphenhyphenOonR0PMC0mCYlkaTjQ-IX_zkzpnWUChBTVUAOhF/s1600/1657200818128595-0.png" width="400">
</a>
</div><br><div><br></div><div><br></div></div>Oldbamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05220911700892934936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830266363114761729.post-75645060432074199552022-07-06T09:55:00.001-07:002022-07-06T13:48:56.180-07:00Frogs is us!Trip to Costa Rica to record a few frog calls for our CROAC product development. <div><br></div><div>Installed at Macaw Lodge awaiting dusk and the frogs.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFmF8ndRkEnQ-G6eM60kY1kZLpUm8ofZO0yWfJm632X8sYsFIcE8Hk7mXDsxKgW5tRmUZOle1bdL_mhCPkJH0Pf3IR34RPCGUUNRDbcnlpftQYuN6wgS4WnMHkj8QErDeCRpGuahN7mIB3/s1600/1657126511680759-0.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFmF8ndRkEnQ-G6eM60kY1kZLpUm8ofZO0yWfJm632X8sYsFIcE8Hk7mXDsxKgW5tRmUZOle1bdL_mhCPkJH0Pf3IR34RPCGUUNRDbcnlpftQYuN6wgS4WnMHkj8QErDeCRpGuahN7mIB3/s1600/1657126511680759-0.png" width="400">
</a>
</div></div>Oldbamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05220911700892934936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830266363114761729.post-69487853795682832802022-07-03T06:38:00.001-07:002022-07-03T06:38:12.421-07:00Start of semi-retirementWell been a busy start since the 30 June end of consulting projects.<div><br></div><div>Managed to finish off the paper on the analysis of Galsbury bridge. Essentially to demonstrate that the SAIN unit can detect damage to a bridge arch. Just by listening to the sound of traffic passing over it.</div><div><br></div><div>Pretty cool or what! </div><div><br></div><div>Check out the preprint - here - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/361670463_Sounding_road_bridges_for_changing_structural_integrity</div>Oldbamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05220911700892934936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830266363114761729.post-55417197650742614672022-06-30T23:59:00.002-07:002022-06-30T23:59:31.484-07:00End of consulting projects!<p> The last couple of years have been frantic. I was supposed to be retired but ended up on a couple of projects that ate up the time.</p><p>HOWEVER - as of yesterday.....</p><p>I have taken the decision to down tools on consultancy work and focus on stuff I want to do. That includes travel as well as finishing off the frog and bridge products we have built within the Advisory business.</p><p>Feels like I've retired - still 'working' but not getting paid for any of this - does that constitute retirement?</p><p>Anyway I need to run through what I can remember of the past year to try and not have a gap in the blog records.</p><p>Things that happened in 2021 and up to July in 2022 that I can remember - in bullet form,</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Presentation of bridge monitoring and satellites at Manseds conference - first I'd done in quite a while.</li><li>Many trips to the 'Static' in Wales - excellent working breaks.</li><li>Roxy (our motorhome) trip with Amanda around Scotland - fantastic!</li><li>1st and 2nd Glasbury bridge recordings taken with SAIN</li><li>Anniversary in LLandrindod Wells</li><li>Start work on Autonomous Minesweeper project for Thales.</li><li>Trip to Plymouth to see 'the boat'</li><li>Trip to Madrid with Richard to visit FOSSA Syatems and update on SAIN dev.</li><li>Christmas in the Static</li><li>Trip to Maui - WOW always great. Lahaina flat and worked through analysis of SAIN data with Stuart.</li><li>Trips to Bristol, Templecombe on Thales job</li><li>Trip to Crete on historical tour.</li><li>HS1 'wall' recordings with SAIN</li><li>3rd Glasbury bridge recording</li><li>Salisbury and Bristol again to finish Thales job.</li><li>ENDED CONSULTANCY PROJECTS FOR NETWORK RAIL AND THALES IN JUNE</li></ol><div>which probably doesn't mean much to anyone but myself. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now to refocus on SAIN.</div><p></p>Oldbamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05220911700892934936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830266363114761729.post-21444020211494192222021-02-03T01:26:00.007-08:002021-02-03T01:27:58.483-08:002019 summary (very late - 2/10) - research entry that was missing<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFt6Tjsf37gkGxk_QYpyeMrJKXutiyVS3L4hsu3Z-Z9iVcikYPLO_PcigNYkxC2CvYKlyDo1NEUbap4ORK2tvEsRgpS8sDr4diiz8c0VLc-GVTzzPuJCP3zWMIz-C3Hwp3TaCYOJMPlmui/s1391/2019+research+summary.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="782" data-original-width="1391" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFt6Tjsf37gkGxk_QYpyeMrJKXutiyVS3L4hsu3Z-Z9iVcikYPLO_PcigNYkxC2CvYKlyDo1NEUbap4ORK2tvEsRgpS8sDr4diiz8c0VLc-GVTzzPuJCP3zWMIz-C3Hwp3TaCYOJMPlmui/w551-h309/2019+research+summary.JPG" width="551" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><p></p>Oldbamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05220911700892934936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830266363114761729.post-65618982095689247472021-02-03T01:16:00.002-08:002021-02-03T01:29:58.076-08:002020 - Year of the lockdown<p> 2020 - A strange year all in all - but major progress was made!</p><p>The potted history;</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Project work rolled in throughout the year which was very good for business finances. </li><li>Big ticket item is that we finally delivered the 25 Manchester Metrolink Safety Cases for Thales - after 5 years!</li><li>We took up residence in Sensor City offices in Liverpool. Then promptly got moved out to Liverpool Science Park while the SC offices were being 'expanded'. We will see if we ever move back?</li><li>We built our rail infrastructure simulator CLAMP Critical Location Acoustic Modification Platform and took many thousands of readings for various void and bridge configurations. </li><li>We were planning of running some real field tests with SAIN but lockdown put a stop to that. So we ended up doing runs on CLAMP.</li><li>We secured a trial on road bridges in Powys which hopefully we will carry out this year - once we are out of the third lockdown period!</li><li>Ten SAIN units are now on delivery from Fossa for this project.</li><li>We are also firming up our bridge signature analysis and hope to be presenting the results in Mallorca at the Civil Comp conference in 2021.</li></ol><div>So all in all not such a bad year. Our caravan in Wales has helped tremendously - many weeks were spent there planning and researching which otherwise would not have happened!</div><div><br /></div><div>Onward and upward.....</div><p></p>Oldbamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05220911700892934936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830266363114761729.post-79960331243402817802019-07-20T23:48:00.000-07:002019-07-20T23:48:05.623-07:002018 - where did it all go - just realised I didn't do one of theseI'm slipping - so bit late and a bit brief but this is what we were up to in 2018!<br />
<br />
Busy, busy, busy.....the journey continues.<br />
<br />
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 99.0pt;" valign="top" width="132">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Name of project<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 140.05pt;" valign="top" width="187">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Uncertainties at start<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 150.55pt;" valign="top" width="201">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Issues arising during project<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="151">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Further work<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 90.15pt;" valign="top" width="120">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Ongoing/Ended<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 99.0pt;" valign="top" width="132">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">CROAC – app to analyse Costa Rican frog
calls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 140.05pt;" valign="top" width="187">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Could we develop an analysis package to
run on mobile phone for identifying calls in the wild.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 150.55pt;" valign="top" width="201">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Difficulties with running complex
analysis fast enough on mobile devices.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Complexity of the background noise to
the calls. Resulting in false calls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="151">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Algorithm needs refining to help reduce
false calls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 90.15pt;" valign="top" width="120">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Ongoing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 99.0pt;" valign="top" width="132">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Rail infrastructure health monitoring.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 140.05pt;" valign="top" width="187">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Could the health of railway
infrastructure (points, bridges, tunnels etc) be monitored through their
changing sounds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 150.55pt;" valign="top" width="201">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Difficulty getting access to real
railway infrastructure. So we used a model railway to prove the concepts and
think through the sensors required.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Preliminary analysis showed simplest
analysis would be to focus on bridges.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="151">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Need to develop sensor to a level where
it can be left for a period of time in the field.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Need to prove we can identify signals
for real railway bridges.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 90.15pt;" valign="top" width="120">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Ongoing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 99.0pt;" valign="top" width="132">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">PACE – air-conditioning control system.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 140.05pt;" valign="top" width="187">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Could a new air-conditioning approach
be controlled using the new LoRA radio communication protocol and a simple
control device.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 150.55pt;" valign="top" width="201">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Control of the peltier cooler was
non-trivial requiring significant hardware modifications.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">LoRA communication setup proved less
effective that originally anticipated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="151">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">May look to use more standard
communication methods. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 90.15pt;" valign="top" width="120">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Ended – proved LoRA is not right for this
system.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 99.0pt;" valign="top" width="132">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Wheel slip analysis<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 140.05pt;" valign="top" width="187">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Could a big-data approach be used to
analyse rail wheel slip occurrences.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 150.55pt;" valign="top" width="201">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Access to appropriate data was
difficult to obtain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Data was provided by Siemens in the end
but then we ended up with too much data. Effort then had to be expended
refining this data.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="151">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Initial analysis has demonstrated the
technique. Larger data sets are now needed to refine the algorithms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 90.15pt;" valign="top" width="120">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Ongoing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 99.0pt;" valign="top" width="132">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">FOSSA – satellite swarm communications.
Effectively he ‘glue’ to communicating and transmitting data from remote
monitoring devices using cheap satellite systems.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 140.05pt;" valign="top" width="187">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Could a cube-sat be developed to use
the new LoRA communication protocol. Built and launched at low cost.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 150.55pt;" valign="top" width="201">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Difficulties encountered applying the
LoRA protocol to the satellite communication time window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Power consumption on the satellite
required special design of solar cells.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 4.0cm;" valign="top" width="151">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">The cube sat now needs final build then
tested and commissioned for flight<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 90.15pt;" valign="top" width="120">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Ongoing – launch planned for Sept 2019<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Oldbamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05220911700892934936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830266363114761729.post-61344404781798522802019-02-05T10:42:00.001-08:002019-02-05T10:45:50.298-08:00Pico-Satellite coming alongNothing to do with me mind - project is one of my trusted advisors projects.<br />
<br />
Check out @FossaSys on Twitter for full info.<br />
<br />
However, its a great learning ground for my Fortran revival - learning by osmosis about Arduino's and LORA with a bit of programming thrown in (but not too much mind).<br />
<br />
Box of tricks just arrived for the schools workshops that are planned to take place over coming months - code to be flown on the satellite.<br />
<br />
How cool is that.....beep, beep, beep....<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn5uszy6wiVUqiEJYbigCcnufQEB1gLv5OQsTXl1aSO8PgMrrgX0xHWXT6la456SWbrqCeQRDI10jFH3KZAMBxF8shfbZJdcjSS_OJkuAjCnSWctuSRDEKpPFAiUv3zTB1JZvMnESZtCWN/s1600/20190205_180706.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn5uszy6wiVUqiEJYbigCcnufQEB1gLv5OQsTXl1aSO8PgMrrgX0xHWXT6la456SWbrqCeQRDI10jFH3KZAMBxF8shfbZJdcjSS_OJkuAjCnSWctuSRDEKpPFAiUv3zTB1JZvMnESZtCWN/s320/20190205_180706.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The revival is revived!Oldbamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05220911700892934936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830266363114761729.post-41280583805040668382018-02-10T02:10:00.002-08:002018-05-18T13:24:25.921-07:00Railway Big Data done small<div dir="ltr">
Workshop now contains our rail simulator!</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
Why bother building our own you ask?</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
Well we have had a few negative encounters around :- </div>
<ul>
<li>Difficulties getting funding</li>
<li>Difficulties getting access to data</li>
<li>Difficulties not giving away IPR </li>
</ul>
The solution is, therefore, build our own railway - a miniaturized version of course! This does have some issues with scalability however its great for proof of concept stuff and is getting us into real data analysis of multi data streams.<br />
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
4 Arduinos being installed and coded up ready for all sorts of good stuff!</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
Onward and upward.....</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiheiUh2YaIac_bleD8riQbNG-ofsmtMAmt3SAhxoIYxpT8y14DSEjksCHn_oMtk2JT-czBL2iCarVu0Kz98tVV3RTgQvIgr15zZyzwK3XsVNV8kR1tvDtBAAsRSMafl00h34uIOSPZ-kaO/s1600/20180113_144923.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1392" data-original-width="1392" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiheiUh2YaIac_bleD8riQbNG-ofsmtMAmt3SAhxoIYxpT8y14DSEjksCHn_oMtk2JT-czBL2iCarVu0Kz98tVV3RTgQvIgr15zZyzwK3XsVNV8kR1tvDtBAAsRSMafl00h34uIOSPZ-kaO/s320/20180113_144923.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MGTyjebn7wZzPH-OextzTJ0uGHKTKTXQpZ4tevttPN3RkkCjPYVizoFZyw80f5-yD8bZc60ME2wpYgNZcicsjVaI30xAbLrEnN176qkcBojktMBU8VQC-H6tGNOq8tB3rhwiQvpmzHg3/s1600/20180113_143444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1392" data-original-width="1392" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MGTyjebn7wZzPH-OextzTJ0uGHKTKTXQpZ4tevttPN3RkkCjPYVizoFZyw80f5-yD8bZc60ME2wpYgNZcicsjVaI30xAbLrEnN176qkcBojktMBU8VQC-H6tGNOq8tB3rhwiQvpmzHg3/s320/20180113_143444.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
Oldbamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05220911700892934936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830266363114761729.post-20855797894953898402017-12-27T02:43:00.000-08:002017-12-27T02:45:27.168-08:002017 - where did it go?Long time no blog - life took over!<br />
<br />
Things have moved on in business and on the home front.Home front we have moved house finally after 12 months of renovation of the new property 'The Villa' we are now in and up and running. I have my Ohana (office) and Advisory workshop (garage) initiatives in progress.<br />
<br />
Work front has been full on. Majority of the year was spent working on a project for Thales, which I think is now under control and can be moved on to the next phase in the New Year. This has been great for consolidating the business and given a bit of 'thinking' time to what needs to be focused on and where funding is going to come from. And its not the following, one thing 2017 has shown us is that.....start of RANT.....<br />
<br />
getting funding for innovation projects in the UK is a complete nightmare - so much so that we have given up trying on our own as a small business. <u>Catapult</u>, runs is own consulting arm - why - I have no idea - seems a little conflicted to me - so now we won't bid because we've had ideas 're-cycled'. Also why on earth would you go to one of their events to brainstorm ideas for innovation. Well we went to one but that was it. Then there are other <u>Innovate UK</u> initiatives i.e. KTP - where's your business case and partners - and by the way can you fund 50% of the work. Its not as bad as that, I'm sure if we put enough bids in we would get something in the spray of money coming out. The issue here is the amount of time it takes to put a submission together - i.e. to fill out all the forms (while working full time on projects and making sure your business is still functioning). I'm sure its just a means of keeping box ticking checkers employed. May as well just fund 100% of the research yourself as you could have the work done in the time it takes to do all this - and keep the IPR.<br />
<br />
.....end of RANT.<br />
<br />
We did waste a lot of time and energy on these things. Suppose its fine if you are a large outfit with spare capacity to service the submissions but we don't have that luxury. better to just get on with development. So that's what we did.<br />
<br />
We have been building upon out review of big data and its application in the railway sector in particular. These have included;<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>building a strategic relationship with AIT the Austrian Institute of Technology to resell their product range.</li>
<li>building partnerships on projects with Universities such as Lancaster and Manchester - both working out brilliantly for us.</li>
<li>setting up an office in Atlanta to build links with Georgia State University and to kickstart our US business.</li>
<li>developing an NLP tool for analysing risk logs - see a previous blog on this one - I got so excited I blogged - conference coming up in 2018 to present the results.</li>
<li>keynote speaking at events such as the IMechE annual conference - scary.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So, in all, 2017 has been a year of consolidation and positioning, we now need to push through on some of the product development ideas.....onwards and upwards in 2018.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Cheers.....Gary</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Oldbamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05220911700892934936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830266363114761729.post-83077580852320312522017-10-20T23:46:00.002-07:002017-10-20T23:46:59.209-07:00Working it out in Logs<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #424242; font-family: "PT Sans"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.62; margin-bottom: 20px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Long time no blog - but have been busy on top secret stuff. Here is a glimpse into some of the things I've been up to.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #424242; font-family: "PT Sans"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.62; margin-bottom: 20px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #424242; font-family: "PT Sans"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.62; margin-bottom: 20px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Railway safety management is a complex subject that involves a significant amount of manual intervention in the assessment, analysis and control of risk. Supporting documentation is, usually, worked on by multiple parties, with differences in system viewpoints and writing styles. Maintaining quality safety documentation is therefore an interesting challenge for the industry.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #424242; font-family: "PT Sans"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.62; margin-bottom: 20px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Hazard logs, for example, play a central role in both system engineering and risk assessment activity. The role of the log is to contain a representation of the risks related to the system under consideration. The content of the hazard log relies upon input from a variety of sources and collaborative activities involving teams with varying expertise and knowledge. From past experience we have found that the quality of this information can vary greatly both within and between projects. This is particularly so for larger projects where problems can arise when the amount of textual data that has to be processed increases. The volume and variety of the data and the need for collaboration creates the significant challenge of managing the content, keeping up the textual readability, format and consistency.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #424242; font-family: "PT Sans"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.62; margin-bottom: 20px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
What we are currently working on is a tool that automatically assesses the ‘quality’ of a risk log. The intention is that the tool can be used to monitor the quality of a hazard log in ‘real’ time or at least at regular intervals during a project or for checking the output from critical risk workshop sessions. The tool uses Natural Language Processing and machine learning to assess the quality of a hazard log, based solely on the textual content in the log. The method includes text classification and term frequency-inversion to identify important keywords on different textual elements to represent quality indicators.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #424242; font-family: "PT Sans"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.62; margin-bottom: 20px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
The intention is not to replace a human expert, but rather to support assessments by providing an early indication of the textual data in the log. This involves checking for signs of imprecise and unclear writing and identifying issues that may make it hard for readers to fully interpret accident sequences. The tool has been built around the CENELEC standards to aid compliance with both the standards and risk management best practice in general.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #424242; font-family: "PT Sans"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.62; margin-bottom: 20px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
A preliminary study in collaboration with Lancaster University has been undertaken to prove the method. Results from this study have demonstrated the power of using textural analysis in this arena. We have identified a number of hazard log quality indicators and developed demonstrator software which performed well against a manual evaluation of a sample data set. In general, the tool can help the users by saving time and effort by helping in the review of entries in the log. It can also help clarify thinking around accident sequences by highlighting ambiguous or multi-content entries.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #424242; font-family: "PT Sans"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.62; margin-bottom: 20px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
The results of this study will be presented at the Transport Research Arena conference in April 2018 in Vienna.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #424242; font-family: "PT Sans"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.62; margin-bottom: 20px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://www.traconference.eu/" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #559cbe; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="howard8" class="wp-image-324 alignleft" height="120" sizes="(max-width: 281px) 100vw, 281px" src="http://www.digitalrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/howard8.png" srcset="http://www.digitalrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/howard8-300x128.png 300w, http://www.digitalrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/howard8.png 442w" style="border: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 10px 18px 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" width="281" /></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #424242; font-family: "PT Sans"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.62; margin-bottom: 20px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://www.traconference.eu/" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #559cbe; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.traconference.eu/</a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #424242; font-family: "PT Sans"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.62; margin-bottom: 20px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
(post reproduced from http://www.digitalrail.co.uk/working-it-out-in-logs/)</div>
Oldbamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05220911700892934936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830266363114761729.post-65473076406187429362016-03-24T01:43:00.001-07:002016-03-24T01:43:31.421-07:00ELBowTie - use of big data in safety analysisThe first of 3 papers has hit the streets!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJKtCHKfHV69ruQn4s1b549SoYWx-mwDSjq11o4yDkuNISWr0WwdgONVF39Fs8dxlC4A-HERnYJxK2JbEnu36UnrXx2WpsfVPpPhgjHOijTYLi8YDq1hp81U3JYU7xOM-9gtdLLoMNVNiA/s1600/chrome_2016-01-28_14-25-24.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJKtCHKfHV69ruQn4s1b549SoYWx-mwDSjq11o4yDkuNISWr0WwdgONVF39Fs8dxlC4A-HERnYJxK2JbEnu36UnrXx2WpsfVPpPhgjHOijTYLi8YDq1hp81U3JYU7xOM-9gtdLLoMNVNiA/s320/chrome_2016-01-28_14-25-24.png" width="320" /></a><br />
<a href="https://lnkd.in/eaAge_u">https://lnkd.in/eaAge_u</a><br />
<br />
Definition of big data for use in safety assessments utilising - ELBowTie for managing real time safety analysis.Oldbamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05220911700892934936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830266363114761729.post-51050393483768648302016-01-28T23:38:00.001-08:002016-01-28T23:38:07.485-08:00Minecraft training <p dir="ltr">Today's the day for attending a Minecraft training day at the University of Manchester!</p>
<p dir="ltr">Fact finding session thoughts begin.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Before going in my thoughts are:</p>
<p dir="ltr">1 I've seen my lads playing this game and it looks pretty simple. It seems to be a bit like Lego on steroids. </p>
<p dir="ltr">2 So you can construct great structures. I can see how this could be used to aid some sort of design process. Something akin to VR but  using blocks?</p>
<p dir="ltr">3 What I want to find out is can it be used for non construction training. Say for example safety engineering training, risk assessments and the like?</p>
<p dir="ltr">Okay here we go:</p>
<p dir="ltr">What a brilliant day! Got much more out of it than anticipated. Especially when the Internet connection dropped out giving more time to bombard the organisers with questions. </p>
<p dir="ltr">In answer to Q3 above the answer is yes. We had ideas of building for example a level crossing and injecting in guidance on design standards to aid knowledge based learning. Another idea was to inject failure rates into parts of the design to aid appreciation on safety and reliability effects.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The big idea was however to look to get youngsters involved in the railway arena through the design of their local station. Then to look for improvements and risks associated with the design. Needs a bit of through on exactly how to make this entertaining but we all though that it would be doable through the primary school tech programmes.</p>
<p dir="ltr">All in all - very impressed - off to learn how to programme in Python!<br>
</p>
Oldbamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05220911700892934936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830266363114761729.post-21785666380663585092016-01-03T10:02:00.001-08:002016-01-03T10:02:55.134-08:002015 start of a new era<p dir="ltr">Well 2015 all in all was a bit of a blast. Not only did it herald in the start of my new business NTTX Advisory and winning a couple of sizeable contract it also saw me getting back to a bit of research.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The business is now up and running with things moving a lot faster that I originally intended. Which hasn't done much for my early semi-retirement plan but has been great fun and given me a reboot on a number of fronts.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The research and development has resulted in 2 papers both to be presented this year. One in Sardinia and the other in Brussels. Both on the use of 'big data' in risk assessment. On the back of this work we are developing a software product called ELBowTie which will implement the approach by integrating enterprise data into a living risk management tool. All very exciting! Well done to the Dev team of Alex, Richardsthe and Ray in getting this off the ground while not being paid for any of it! It is a bootstrap startup after all!</p>
<p dir="ltr">A lot of code designing went on last year - which is a step in the right direction with respect to the revival plan.</p>
<p dir="ltr">HAPPY NEW <u>YEAR</u></p>
Oldbamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05220911700892934936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830266363114761729.post-11380678095291485422015-11-20T00:14:00.000-08:002015-11-20T00:18:35.185-08:00Hackathons - the rise!Corporate led hackathons are what I'm mulling over.<br />
<br />
Hackathon or Exploitathon - that's all I have to say.Oldbamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05220911700892934936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830266363114761729.post-74690626710197321112015-11-08T23:01:00.003-08:002015-11-08T23:01:55.730-08:00The Potential for Using Big Data Analytics to Predict Safety Risks by Analysing Rail Accidents<div class="dtitle" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'MS sans serif'; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center;">
Railways 2016</div>
<div class="ctitle" style="background-color: white; color: #000099; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'MS sans serif'; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 15px; padding-top: 5px; text-align: center;">
The Third International Conference on<br />Railway Technology:<br />Research, Development and Maintenance</div>
<div class="ctext" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'MS sans serif'; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-right: 5px; text-align: center;">
Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy<br />5-8 April 2016</div>
<div class="ctext" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'MS sans serif'; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-right: 5px; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="ctext" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'MS sans serif'; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-right: 5px; text-align: left;">
My first research paper in over 25 years will be presented at the above conference! </div>
<div class="ctext" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'MS sans serif'; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-right: 5px; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="ctext" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'MS sans serif'; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-right: 5px; text-align: left;">
Big Data what does it mean for safety management.<span style="font-size: 13px;"> </span></div>
<div class="ctext" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'MS sans serif'; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-right: 5px; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="ctext" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-right: 5px; text-align: left;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'MS sans serif'; font-size: 13px;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-language: DE;">The Potential for Using
Big Data Analytics to Predict Safety Risks by Analysing Rail Accidents</span></b><b><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'MS sans serif'; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-language: DE;">Dr Howard Parkinson CEng
FIMechE MIRSE<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'MS sans serif'; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-language: DE;">Rail System Engineering
Limited<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'MS sans serif'; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-language: DE;">Dr Gary Bamford FBCS, CEng,
CITP<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'MS sans serif'; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-language: DE;">NTTX Advisory Limited<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'MS sans serif'; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-language: DE;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Plus we have 'invented' a new safety product, plus the conference is in Sardinia - can't wait. It's all top-secret until next April of course.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now working on the follow on paper ..... onward and upward!</span></div>
</div>
<div class="ctext" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'MS sans serif'; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-right: 5px; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="ctext" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'MS sans serif'; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-right: 5px; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Oldbamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05220911700892934936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830266363114761729.post-74889423460488455632015-07-02T23:15:00.001-07:002015-07-02T23:15:08.419-07:00Big Data accidentsI am getting to hate the term but appear to be being dragged into the 'Big Data' foray. Everyone seems to be rabbiting on about it so though I may as well have a go too.<br />
<br />
I'm running the risk of letting the cat out of the bag here as myself and a colleague Howard Parkinson (contact site <a href="http://www.railsystems.org/" target="_blank">http://www.railsystems.org</a>) are in the process of writing a couple of papers on the subject. Both papers have a focus on its use in the management of safety within the rail industry.<br />
<br />
The idea is to investigate how 'Big Data' and it's sidekick 'Analytics' can be used to help prevent accidents.<br />
<br />
One thorny issue which has come up right at the start relates to the collection of personal data. We have generated a safety data taxonomy - business, operational, asset, social, personal etc, as part of the study. Of course safety management has a focus on the people and a large fraction of accidents are caused by - people. So, our study may be a short one if the data that matters for the 'analytics bit' is driven by staff related information. Not sure the rail industry is ready for that one with all its security and privacy issues.<br />
<br />
We shall see - more later ......<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Oldbamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05220911700892934936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830266363114761729.post-85884734329377229912015-05-26T11:50:00.000-07:002015-05-27T02:42:23.472-07:00Safety Risk Management TrainingAnother phase of the revival involves training provision!<br />
<br />
Just released an overview of our safety risk management training courses - see following link.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/oldbam/factsheets/safety-and-risk-management-training" target="_blank">https://sites.google.com/site/oldbam/factsheets/safety-and-risk-management-training</a><br />
<br />
<i>There are big elements of system design and software simulation in all this so make sure you know what your doing (see previous posts).</i><br />
<br />
Hopefully the training pack will help bring through some new physics/engineering/computing talent.Oldbamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05220911700892934936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830266363114761729.post-24002935917638645602015-03-30T23:29:00.001-07:002015-05-19T13:09:21.212-07:00Do you value innovation?<p dir="ltr">So the past few months have been extremely interesting on the work front.</p>
<p dir="ltr">One of the activities I've been involved in is building innovation ideas for a major rail client.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The transport industry in the UK has gone mad with innovation. All sorts of 'innovative' schemes are hitting the streets for all and sundry to bid for. Which in itself it's not a problem provided the value of submissions can be evaluated appropriately. However, therein lies the problem. Just how do you value an innovation idea. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I suppose it's relatively easy if the idea is well advanced and the value can be measured in a business generated manner. However, the ideas we came up with are potentially major game changers. Value gone bonkers but not easy to demonstrate when what's needed is a period of research to prove the idea has legs. Not easy to show what the return on investment is.</p>
<p dir="ltr">To get these ideas off the ground there is a need to be able to play around and try out things to develop proof of concept or a demonstrator. However, not everyone views this 'playing' the same - one classic comment was 'well they are great ideas to fund student beer drinking for a year'. Fortunately, they (eventually) saw the potential value was worth funding the beer for a while ;)</p>
<p dir="ltr">Bigger organisations appear to be more comfortable with incremental change rather than radical new ideas, as most have ready made processes in place for evaluating and funding them. The radical changes need to be part of a research and development approach. R and D does not sit well in most of these organisations. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Our solution ..... see future posts <u>on</u> how things work out.</p>
Oldbamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05220911700892934936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830266363114761729.post-26973733878336355322015-01-29T06:56:00.001-08:002015-01-29T06:56:50.131-08:00Big Data StoriesWondering what big data is all about?<br /><br />
<br /><br />
A few examples of 'big data' projects recently - published on my asset management Scoop.it topic area.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<a href="http://www.scoop.it/t/asset-management-engineering">Asset Management Engineering | Scoop.it</a>Oldbamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05220911700892934936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830266363114761729.post-36125515065167895922014-12-23T07:53:00.001-08:002014-12-23T07:53:35.983-08:002014 theme parkThe aim for 2014 was to get back into some form of programming in some way. Which I did manage to some extent.<br />
<br />
Had and excursion into IFTTT programming (if you can call it that) - probably the sign of 'the internet of things' to come I would imagine. Anyway it turned out to be ridiculously easy. Must come up with a better challenge for 2015!<br />
<br />
I also got to actually look at the workings of some code as part of a software QA review. It was related to a cock up that cost a lot (and I mean a lot) of money to plaster over the cracks. Was an interesting activity all the same. Showed in gory detail how easy it is to slip into the trap of thinking you know what you are doing on code creation until the complexity of it all - like boiling a frog - takes you into no-mans land. Result being that you haven't a clue what the thing is doing and have no way of checking if its right - belief system engineering.<br />
<br />
In fact I have just seen a recent post in Forbes magazine about learning to program in 6 months. Only slightly made my blood boil. I dread to think what level of programmer is being churned out. More work for the ones who can sort out the mess, so shouldn't complain.<br />
<br />
Agile was another theme for 2014. I was pleased that I managed to actually figure out how to publish a book on Amazon (Agile Random Walks - check it out) - which was again ridiculously easy. Now just need to start work on the next one!<br />
<br />
All in all a good year for me for touching base with what really matters.<br />
<br />
Onward and upward ....Oldbamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05220911700892934936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830266363114761729.post-89646643770013156372014-10-14T04:22:00.001-07:002014-10-14T04:22:51.175-07:00Agile strategy development and random walkingAll this is seeming very topical at the moment with a recent Times newspaper whole Raconteur supplement on the subject (14th Sept 2014 edition - <i>not on the site for downloading just yet</i>). So I thought I would expand a bit on the thinking and linking - well more linking than thinking actually (more in line with an agile approach)!<br />
<br />
How does the agile strategy development link to the concepts presented in the 'Agile Random Walks' monograph (ref: <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/AGILE-random-walks-Random-walk-ebook/dp/B00NF5J4C2" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.co.uk/AGILE-random-walks-Random-walk-ebook/dp/B00NF5J4C2</a> )?<br />
<br />
If I could draw this in a diagram I would (<b>Random Walk no. 3</b> concept) - but I can't, so this will have to do - sorry ;)<br />
<br />
Element 1 - Blue Sky thinking. This effectively relates to defining the <u>end states</u> for your 'equifinality' approach (<b>Random Walk no.14</b> concept) coupled with 'viewpoints' of the future business (<b>RW no. 15</b> concept)<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Element 2 - Horizon planning. Making links to your blue sky thinking 'touchpoints' which covers a bit of <b>RW no 3</b> and a bit of<b> RW no. 7</b> and a bit of <b>RW no. 10</b> and a bit of <b>RW no. 13</b>.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Element 3 - Roadmap for the year. Development of more tangible activities for the 'touchpoint' areas which covers <b>RW no. 2</b>, <b>RW no. 5</b>, definitely <b>RW no. 7.</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Element 4 - Immediate plans which covers <b>RW no. 4</b>, <b>RW no. 6</b> (if you must), <b>RW no. 8</b> (absolutely), <b>RW no. 11</b>, and finally <b>RW no. 12</b>.<br />
<br />
I think that stacks up as an approach?<br />
<br />
Moving on .....<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Oldbamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05220911700892934936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830266363114761729.post-58025704998436537682014-10-06T04:33:00.000-07:002014-10-12T03:07:28.960-07:004-Elements of developing an agile strategy!The proposed elements of an agile business plan look a little bit like those of a traditional business plan. The main differences are around the timescale for delivery (or failure) of initiatives and the ability to trial a business option RIGHT NOW!<br />
<br />
So what do the 4 elements look like - note the following steps need to be drawn as a diagram not written up as as loads of words - not very agile that!<br />
<br />
<b>Element 1:</b> 'Blue sky' thinking (beyond 5-years) - what does the target market look like with unconstrained thinking - new tech, new processes, new people, new information .... whatever. Your change to have fun predicting the future vision for the market sector.<br />
<br />
<b>Element 2: </b>Horizon planning (up to 5-years) - identify areas of your service/product that has the ability to 'touch' this sky. You don't need any detail - its still horizon planning - just think through areas which have a link to the sky. Draw in the 'touchpoints' (links) on the diagram.<br />
<br />
<b>Element 3:</b> Roadmap for the Year (6-12 months hence) - bit of chicken and egg thinking - taking the touchpoint areas and identify what you need in your toolkit to get into these areas. Do you need to re-vamp (pivoted) any current services to address the touchpoints? Do you need supporting infrastructure to access the touchpoints? Do you need new skill sets to enter the touchpoints effectively? etc. <br />
<br />
<b>Element 4:</b> Hear and now planning (0-3 months hence) - these 'Do you needs' are your RIGHT NOW initiatives. Where possible start small and grow into them. The key ingredient is starting something RIGHT NOW to begin entry. Maybe you have some existing projects that can help build credibility and capability in the touchpoint areas - get people on them RIGHT NOW. These projects should be aimed at delivering something in the touchpoint area within a timescale of at most 1 month. No long-term projects where people can hide for months on end only to find out it doesn't work at the end. UP - RUNNING - RIGHT NOW - QUICK - RESULTS. Fail = move on to the next project. Pass = push for the next stage of the initiative, follow on work, product development etc.<br />
(p.s. don't take your eye off the day job - try and integrate the RIGHT NOW projects into the day-to-day as much as possible.)<br />
<br />
If you can't do the 'RIGHT NOW' bit then forget even trying to be agile in your planning. If you find yourself in the 'lets put together a business case for presentation to blah blah ....' then you have already lost the plot before you even start. Make sure the organisation ready for such rapid fire or you will fail.<br />
<br />
How to run a RIGHT NOW project ......<br />
<br />
<br />Oldbamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05220911700892934936noreply@blogger.com0