Introduction

Thailand is one of the ASEAN leaders in agriculture, automotive, and consumer electronics productions. To maintain the position and compete in the world stage, Embedded system technology is one of the key success factors. Embedded systems are employed to improve the efficiency, productivity, and product innovations. Therefore, Dr. Pansak Siriruchatapong, Director of NECTEC, had restructured the organization and the Embedded System Technology (EST) Laboratory was established in the October 2006. The members of EST Laboratory are from the two groups in the old structure, Electronics and Telecommunication Laboratory. The combined expertise increases the capability to provide solutions to fulfill the country's needs.

Currently, EST Laboratory focuses on the consumer electronics, automotive and agriculture sectors, which are parts of the NSTDA's focus areas (Software Microchip and Electronics, Automotive and Transport System, and Food and Agriculture). Moreover, our technologies also apply for disabled people and poverty reduction.

Our research topics include Embedded system platforms (high speed digital designs, real-time kernels, energy aware systems), Embedded system networking (protocol designs, wired and wireless transmissions) and Embedded system interfacing (sensors and actuators etc.) for each application area.

Missions

• To research for the advancement of the Embedded System technology with alignment to local industries and nation need.
• To support the NSTDA's clusters, which include consumer electronics, automotive and agriculture sectors and technology for disabled people and poverty reduction.
• To use the embedded system technology to link the strength of our industries to build the national competitiveness.

Research Strategies

• To research and develop the embedded system platform to lower the time to market and for future applications.
• To innovate new products and apply the technologies to increase the industry competency and productivity.
• To support the creation of the embedded system laboratory in the industry so there is a use and spread of the technology throughout the country.
• To collaborate with other research organizations, propose the direction, and offer integration of the partners' technologies to the industries or to solve nation's problems.

Funded Projects

• Development of Embedded Module for Appliances
• Development of Electronics Platform for Agriculture
• Environmental monitoring system
• Rural Wireless Broadband Access
• Mobile Network Service
• Electrical Control Unit for Diesel Dual Fuel Conversion Kit
• Development of Containing Equipments and Control Systems for Natural Gas Vehicle (NGV) kits
• Chassis Dynamometer service for Alternative fuel vehicles

Research Topics

• Platform for control and Monitoring Applications
• Sensors
• Power Efficiency in Electronics Appliances
• Engine control and management systems

Projects

Development of Embedded Module for Appliances

Today home appliance controls are changing from purely mechanical to fully electronic as microcontrollers are incorporated into the designs. The purposes of this project are to support and drive the growth of embedded system design in Thailand. The current focused appliances are digital rice cooker, water heater, lighting control and HVAC (Heating Ventilating and Air-Conditioning) system. The design will aim at energy-efficient, electromagnetic compatibility and reliable appliances with suited functionality for Thai consumers.

Objectives

• To support and knowledge transfer in embedded system design to local manufacturers, as well as to education institutes.
• To develop reference platform with software library for embedded system developer to help rapid jump-start in appliances design.

Deliverables

• Cooperative development with local manufacturer’s appliance designers.
• Reference controller design solution for major appliances.
• Reference platform with software library for embedded system appliances.
• Training of reference platform for appliance designers and educations.

Development of Electronics Platform for Agriculture

The goal of this project is to develop an electronics platform for agriculture. Thailand is long known as a leading agriculture exporting country. To maintain the position, Embedded System and ICT technologies are required to improve the production process. As these technologies are integrated, new markets for electronics industry are also developed.

Objectives

• To develop an electronics platform for agriculture to raise the standards so that Thailand's agriculture can be long lasting and competitive.
• To support and push the private sectors so that the electronics industry for agriculture in Thailand can begin with standards and efficiency.
• To support researchers, academicians and agriculturists in using electronics equipments to gather useful information for agriculture as well as using and spreading that information to the community.

Deliverables

• Alarm and monitoring System
• Irrigation System

Environmental monitoring system

This propose of this project is to design and develop networks of sensors for specific areas in remote monitoring, including water quality, air quality and weather condition. The project will cover both sensors development and system integration. The main target usage of this system will be in the areas of pollution monitoring and control, meteorology and smart agriculture.

Objectives

• To develop necessary technology for monitoring and tracking the changes of the quality of the environment.
• To develop the knowledge in sensor technology.
• To develop the knowledge in designing electronics circuits for assessing signals from instrument amplifiers.
• To develop the knowledge in remote sensing for assessing and displaying the results.
• To develop the measuring equipments, sensors and environmental monitoring system
• that is able to function and be controlled via a distant network.

Deliverables

• Water Quality Monitoring (WQM) System
• Agriculture Monitoring System (AMS)
• Land Slide Warning (LSW) Systems

Automotive Electronic Projects Group

The compression ignition engine with dual fuel technique is one of many solutions on the gaseous fuel in heavy duty engine. The engine maintains compression ignition characteristics with high thermal efficiency and ability to use liquid fuel. However, the knock problem in the engine is arisen due to the fumigation between air and gaseous fuel in the manifold. As a result, the mechanically gaseous controller cannot make up high gaseous fuel ratio. Furthermore, the problem leads the engine to fail. In this proposal, the electronic controller and control algorithm are proposed for the precisely gaseous operation and prevent engine failure. In addition, the engines testing facilities with measuring equipments are designed and constructed in order to develop the control algorithm for engine control unit (ECU) and analyze the performance parameters of the engine and the ECU. Finally, the expected results are; the ECU for controlling the gaseous fuel fumigation with higher fraction of gaseous fuel utilization than existing mechanically gaseous fuel controller in the market.

Currently, the automotive electronic activities of EST laboratory are in two projects, which are “Electrical Control Unit for Diesel Dual Fuel Conversion Kit”, “Development of Containing Equipments and Control Systems for Natural Gas Vehicle (NGV) kits”, and “Chassis Dynamometer service for Alternative fuel vehicles”.

Objectives

• To research and develop the most sophisticated embedded system for automotive.
• To support the automotive parts industry by focusing on the electronics control system and relevant software.
• To constantly strengthen our human resources.

Deliverables

• Electronic Control Unit for Injection Control System (Alternative Fuel)
• Electronic Control Unit for Ignition Control System (Alternative Fuel)
• Engine and Chassis Dynamometer Service Center (Alternative Fuel)
• Car Diagnostic Software
• Engine Simulator Module

Research Topics

In EST we have 4 research areas: 4 Platform for control and monitoring applications, Sensors, Power efficiency in electronics appliances, and Engine control and management system. The platform for control and monitoring applications and sensors research topics are required to manage the agricultural processes and environmental problems of the country. The issue about energy efficiency is the main research topic for the electrical appliance products. Finally, the engine control and management system is for our automotive industry to design an alternative fuel system. The brief information of each topic is given below.

Platform for control and Monitoring Applications

A platform is a crucial element in application development. It describes some sort of framework which allows applications to be built. In EST, we design and develop a wireless sensor network platform, specifically used for control and monitoring agriculture applications. The nature of wireless sensor networks has presented us with complex problems in communication among wireless nodes and limited power in many cases. Our research is, therefore, concerned with developing a platform that will embed communication protocols and power awareness. Communication protocols that are being studied and investigated are MAC and routing protocols. A real-time kernel with power awareness is being developed to manage the power usage of the communication protocols and applications.

Sensors

With the focus on agricultural and environmental applications, some sensors need to be developed for specific requirements (power requirement, working environment, portability, and cost). The soil moisture sensor, water quality sensors (pH, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity) are for examples. In designing the sensors, we usually collaborate with experts in the application domain to develop the sensing transducers. From the transducer, we have to research for the suitable techniques to convert the electrical properties into measurable electrical signal.

Power Efficiency in Electronics Appliances

As energy and environmental concerns take place today, the consumer demand of energy-efficient appliances is rapidly growing. In addition, consumer is also looking for the increased comfortability and functionality. Currently major appliances, digital rice cooker, lighting control and HVAC system, are being dealt with in our research. The digital rice cooker use load detection algorithm for optimum power usage. The human detection will be used in the room lighting control to eliminate energy waste. The power electronic drive and digital control algorithms for variable-speed motor control and power factor correction are being used in HVAC system.

Engine control and management system

We focus on the engine control unit for both spark ignition and compression ignition engine to consume alternative and renewal fuels. Therefore, these fuels can be managed to meet the expected power and emission standard. The applications of this ECU, available on gasoline passenger cars, are to convert the engines to consume between gasoline and either compressed natural gas or liquid petroleum gas. In heavy duty engine, the dedicated gas engine control unit has already been developed. Also, the dual-fuel engine control unit is under developing to convert the diesel engine to consume between diesel and compressed natural gas.