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No. 16/2022 (April 18, 2022)
Artificial fingertips feel like the real thing.
A group of researchers at the Bristol University have created the equivalent of the human tactile nerve system in the form of an artificial fingertip. Soft micro tips imitate a layer of human skin that transmits information about the surfaces being touched. The artificial fingertips are created using advanced 3D printers that can mix materials of different textures, allowing soft material to be applied to the skeleton of a moving artificial hand. Amazingly, the synthetic tip generates neural signals that are comparable to the records created for real hands as far back as 40 years ago. The differences are at a level of detail that was impossible to study before.
Artificial robotic hand
Human nerve endings, called mechanoreceptors, are found all over the skin, but their distribution is not uniform – the fingers, among others, show the highest density. There are several types of receptors, some are less sensitive, others more, but all respond to mechanical stimuli such as touch, vibration, and stretching. They generate electrical signals when stimulated. In the artificial fingertip, the role of mechanoreceptors is played by micro tips. Although the similarity to the real signal is high, the artificial receptors are not sensitive enough to small details. Scientists believe this has to do with the difference in thickness between the natural and printed skin structures.
Artificial fingertips
Modern robots have trouble interacting with physical objects. Picking up an object gently yet quickly is not possible. Thanks to artificial fingertips robots will become more agile, they will be able to grasp an object more easily while exploring its structure. The findings of the researchers will also contribute to the production of better prosthetic hands.
Motion detection v2.0 in Hikvision TurboHD DVRs.
The most important task of a motion detection system is to detect the entry of a person or a vehicle to the monitored area. Each motion detection can generate an alarm event (e.g. notification to the user, guard or operator) and start video recording.Traditional motion detection was based on changes in the light intensity reaching a pixel sensor(or larger clusters of pixels). Each change of light triggered detection so the system also caught the movement of objects that are not important from the point of view of security. It was sensitive to, for example, leaves moved by wind, flying insects, birds, shadows or precipitation.
The motion detection system 2.0 can analyze detection events in terms of human or vehicle detection. Thanks to that, alarm notifications are filtered and unnecessary alarms are blocked. Recordings can be filtered for human or vehicle detection. The function is supported by TurboHD 5.0 DVRs with Acusense.
Playback bar of recordings (iVMS-4200) from DVR with Acusense function. Continuous recording in blue, turning on the people detection function adds detection markers (orange). Pink marks the detected motion recording.
Cable flammability rating – thick smoke emission.
Cables, as well as other products used in construction industry are subject to evaluation in terms of their reaction to fire. It is estimated that from 60% to 80% of all fire deaths are caused by poisoning, suffocation or inability to quickly evacuate the place of danger. It is required that the materials used for the furnishings of the building, including wires, cables and other elements associated with the electrical and telecommunications systems, work properly under normal conditions of the building use as well as under emergency conditions. One of the key parameters that determine the fire rating of a cable is its ability not to emit opaque, corrosive and toxic smoke. This is crucial for avoiding intoxication and effective evacuation in case of fire.The diagram below shows the results of experiments involving the relationship between light transmission and burning time of a cable and the resultant smoke. The tests were performed for LSOH halogen-free sheath cables (flammability rating D, among others) and standard indoor cables in PVC sheath (flammability rating E).
Comparison of the emission of dense smoke in cables with LSZH (LS0H) and PVC sheaths. The graph shows the light transmittance (%) to the dense smoke emission time (min).
source: Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya,
BarcelonaTech Department of Engineering and Nautical Science.
The graph clearly shows that for the widely used PVC sheathed indoor cables, after only a few minutes the visibility drops practically to a few percent making evacuation impossible and causing a high risk of fatal intoxication. Cables class D or above will be much safer in this respect – after 30 minutes the amount of smoke emitted is so small that visibility drops by only 10%.
Cable flammability rating depending on the building or zone fire rating
| Building type | Single-family buildings up to 3 storeys | Residential | |
| buildings or fire zones ZL I-V | escape routes | ||
| cable fire class | basic Eca E1015 TRISET | low-flammability Dca-s2, d1, a1 E1016 TRISET PLUS | non-flammable B2ca-s1a, d1, a1 E1020 TRISET B2CA |
Use of one twisted pair cable to connect two devices.
Note! The following is a last resort solution during installation and should not be considered a standard. In system s with only one twisted pair cable between two points and requiring to connect two devices, e.g. IP cameras, there is the need for appropriate extension of the cable.Below, there is an example how to do such an installation. Data transmission in FastEthernet network (100 Mbps) uses the 1, 2, 3, 6 conductors. Therefore, proper connection of conductors to RJ-45 connectors will allow to connect two devices. It is worth mentioning the PoE power supply which can also be provided on the same pins as the data (the camera has to support 802.3af option A).
Unfortunately, such a solution does not always work due to the length of the twisted pair cable, as well as the need for considerable extension of conductors at the end of the cable. It is an emergency solution when there is only one twisted pair cable available and it is impossible to use a switch (e.g. N29810).
Connecting two devices to one UTP cable
Overview of optical tv receivers available – things to consider when choosing one.
Fiber optic cable should be considered when transmitting TV sinal to longer distances is required. It requires to use a set of devices: transmitter + receiver, because TV antennas, headends and TV amplifiers are not equipped with optical outputs. So the medium has to be changed from copper to optical, and then vice versa.DIPOL offers several models of optical receivers. Find out more about their basic specifications here:
- Optical input sensitivity – the range of signal power, expressed in dBm, that can be fed to the input of the receiver without using attenuators or amplifiers. Lower sensitivity (higher number with "-" sign) means the possibility of building more extensive networks – greater split, longer cables, as the receiver will improve reception of low-power signals. Larger "plus" range gives a chance to install the receiver near the transmitter, without the need for additional signal attenuators. So, choose the receivers with as low a sensitivity as possible, while having a wide range of input levels (high versatility).
- RF output bandwidth – the range of supported TV signals, expressed in MHz. Basically there are 3 variants here: standard TV band: 47-862 MHz, extended band: 47-ca.1000 MHz (such band is often used by cable networks), 47-2400 MHz (signal from a satellite dish can be transmitted). The last option is useful in headend systems based on IF/IF converters.
- Maximum signal level at RF output – expressed in dBμV. Nodes providing output power above 100 dBμV allow to build extensive, multi-receiver TV network without a need of using additional amplifiers. The output level of 80 dBμV allows to build a small network with a several outputs, or supply a single TV set. Receivers with high output level should be equipped with adjustable signal attenuators, as well as equalizers affecting the attenuation.
- External dimensions and power supply – due to size we can distinguish small subscriber receivers and nodes used as a signal source for a larger number of devices. The selected models of receivers can be powered from USB port, e.g. from TV set, which makes them extremely convenient to install.
Terra OD-006 receiver – the most popular model of the optical receiver as it can be supplied via the USB port
The table below lists the available models. Values of the above specifications are listed.
| Product | OD-003 | OD-004A | OD-005P | OD-006 | OD-007 |
| Code | R81728 | R81717 | R81760 | R81762 | R81764 |
| Sensitivity [dBm] | -10...3 | -15...-6 / -8...0 | -6...0 | -6...0 | -15...0 |
| Frequency band [MHz] | 47...1002 | 47...2400 | 47...862 | 47...1006 | 47...2400 |
| Max. output level RF [dBμV] | 80 | 80 | 107 | 80 | 80 |
| Type/size | Network/subscriber | Network/subscriber | Network | Subscriber | Subscriber |
| Power supply | Network | Network | Network | USB | Via RF |
Triggering the license plate reading in Hikvision DS-2CD2A25G0/P-IZS ANPR camera.
The Hikvision DS-2CD2A25G0/P-IZS K05906 camera is dedicated to license plate identification. It can operate autonomously or in conjunction with a DVR, e.g. to control an entrance barrier at a housing estate. For the system to work properly, it is important to install the camera and configure it properly.When configuring the camera the user should use yellow lines to mark the area of detection. Drawing a blue line allows to determine the moment of reading the license plate, so the reading will be performed in the place where the installer has precisely defined the optimal camera settings to ensure proper operation (zoom, focus, etc.). The camera can also set to trigger reading of the license plate when an alarm input is violated, e.g. from an external system.
The yellow lines indicate the detection area and the blue lines indicate the moment when a reading is triggered
 | Terminator set N70511 for FORSCHER FS-8117 N7051 cable tester that allows to test UTP/STP cables: cable quality, attenuation, length, distance to failure, short-circuit, improperly crimped connectors, Ping test, correct connection to the router, PoE voltage test, scan of active IPs in the network. | |
 | AWT682 TRZ60VA/18V/20V transformer G6753 rated at 60 VA is primarily designed for supplying Satel from Versa, Perfecta and Integra series control panels. Output voltages: 18V/3.3 A and 20V/3.0 A. | |
 | The TP-Link TL-SG1048 48xGE N299391 switch is perfect for small, medium community computer networks. It has Auto MDI/MDIX function that allows the installer to forget about the problem of "straight" or "cross" connections. The switching capacity is 96Gbps so that maximum link bandwidth is utilized. MAC address table of 16000 addresses provides scalability even in large networks. | |
Worth reading
***Building a house – what cabling for the/ inf_dipo_2022_15.htm# 03*** Given the progressive development of technology, changes in the offerings of service providers, as well as technical innovations appearing on the market, the recommended method of building cabling is very different from that of a few years ago.
Facing the task of designing Internet cabling, while planning the installation, you have to take into account several factors that may influence the final layout of the cables. Laying too few cables or choosing wrong type of cable can cause significant limitations in the future. On the other hand, it is important to consider the economic factor and not to plan too many cables that will never be used. So how do you currently wire your home correctly?... >>>more
Facing the task of designing Internet cabling, while planning the installation, you have to take into account several factors that may influence the final layout of the cables. Laying too few cables or choosing wrong type of cable can cause significant limitations in the future. On the other hand, it is important to consider the economic factor and not to plan too many cables that will never be used. So how do you currently wire your home correctly?... >>>more
Cabling solution for a home LAN
![Coaxial Cable (75 ohm, class A++): TRISET B2CA 120 dB 1.05/4.6/6.9 [500m]](https://static.dipol.com.pl/images/banners_top/banner_top_129.jpg)
Coaxial cable for emergency exits
