Welcome To
David-Barr.co.uk
 
Who am I? My Research Publications APRON Software YouTube Channel OneLoneCoder
 
Who am I?
 
Name: Dr. David R W Barr (PhD, MEng)
Job: Senior Systems Engineer
Location: UK
Contact:
 
My Research (University of Manchester, UK)
Job: Research Associate (2008 - 2013)
Location: D2, Sackville Street Building
My research at the University of Manchester was quite diverse, but the following topics were all covered:
  • APRON Development
  • Software Engineering
  • FPGA Design
  • Compiler Design
  • High-Speed Image Processing
  • Vision Systems
  • Topographic Networks
  • Robotics
  • Array Processing
  • Graphics Card Processing (GPGPU & CUDA)
  • Biologically Inspired Neural Systems
  • Vision-Chip Development
  • Simulation Tool Development
APRON - Array Processing enviRONment
APRON is a simulation tool that has been in development for two and a half years, and provides flexible, high-speed simulation of array based computations. For example Image Processing and Topographic Neural Networks. The APRON architecture allows custom extensions to the simulator for the addition of in-house functionality. I've been using APRON as an interface to FPGAs, GPUs, Robot Arms, Vision Sensors and Pan & Tilt units. The high-speed simulation allows the integration of many components in "interactive-time", allowing for the development of robotic applications. This website provides all the documentation, binaries and tutorials for the APRON software. APRON is award winning (!) winning the "Best Student Paper" award at the Cellular Neural Networks and their Applications (CNNA) Workshop 2008, in Santiago De Compostella.

 
Publications
PAPERS:
 
[---] S.J.Carey, D.R.W.Barr and P.Dudek, "Low Power High-Performance Smart Camera System based on SCAMP Vision Sensor". Journal of Systems Architecture
 
[---] S.J.Carey, D.R.W.Barr, A.Lopich and P.Dudek, "A 100,000 fps Vision Sensor with Embedded 535 GOPS/W 256x256 SIMD Processor Array", VLSI Circuits Symposium, Kyoto, Japan, 12-14 June 2013
 
[---] S.J.Carey, D.R.W.Barr, B.Wang, A.Lopich and P.Dudek, "Mixed signal SIMD cellular processor array vision chip operating at 30,000 fps", IEEE International Conference on Electronics, Circuits and Systems, ICECS 2012, pp. 324-327, December 2012
 
[---] S.J.Carey, D.R.W.Barr and P.Dudek, "Low Power Image Processing System using a SCAMP3 Vision Chip", ACM/IEEE International Conference on Distributed Smart Cameras, ICDSC 2011, 22-25 August 2011, Ghent
 
[---] S.J.Carey, D.R.W.Barr, B.Wang, A.Lopich and P.Dudek, "Locating High Speed Multiple Objects using a SCAMP-5 Vision-Chip", IEEE Workshop on Cellular Nanoscale Networks and Applications, CNNA 2012, Turin, August 2012
 
[---] S.J.Carey, D.R.W.Barr and P.Dudek, "Demonstration of a Low Power Image Processing System using a SCAMP3 Vision Chip", ACM/IEEE International Conference on Distributed Smart Cameras, ICDSC 2011, 22-25 August 2011, Ghent
 
[---] D.R.W.Barr, S.J.Carey and P.Dudek, "Low Power Multiple Object Tracking and Counting using a SCAMP Cellular Processor Array", IEEE Workshop on Cellular Nanoscale Networks and Applications, CNNA 2012, Turin, August 2012
 
[---] A.Lopich, D.Barr, B.Wang and P.Dudek, "Real-Time Image Processing on ASPA2 Vision System", IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems, ISCAS 2011, 16-18 May 2011, Rio de Janeiro (Best Demo Award)
 
[---] A.Cope, J.Chambers, D.Barr, P.Dudek and K.Gurney, "Systems level model integration and embodiment: a case study with gaze control", Bernstein Conference on Computational Neuroscience, BCCN 2010, Berlin, September 2010
 
[PDF] D.R.W.Barr and P.Dudek, "APRON: A Cellular Processor Array Simulation and Hardware Design Tool", EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing, vol. 2009
 
[PDF] D.R.W.Barr and P.Dudek, "A Cellular Processor Array Simulation and Hardware Prototyping Tool", IEEE Workshop on Cellular Neural Networks and their Applications, CNNA 2008, pp.213-218, July 2008 (Best Paper Award)
 
[PDF] D.R.W.Barr and P.Dudek, "Demonstration of the APRON Processor Array Simulation Software",  IEEE Workshop on Cellular Neural Networks and their Applications, CNNA 2008, pp.2-2, July 2008
 
[PDF] M.Huelse, D.R.W.Barr and P.Dudek, "Cellular Automata and Non-static Image Processing for Embodied Robot Systems on a Massively Parallel Processor Array", Automata-2008, Theory and Applications of Cellular Automata, pp.504-513, Luniver Press, 2008.
 
[PDF] D.R.W.Barr, P.Dudek, J.Chambers and K.Gurney, "Implementation of Multi-layer Leaky Integrator Networks on a Cellular Processor Array", International Joint Conference on Neural Networks, IJCNN 2007, Orlando, Florida, August 2007
 
[PDF] D.R.W.Barr, S.J.Carey, A.Lopich and P.Dudek, "A Control System for a Cellular Processor Array", IEEE International Workshop on Cellular Neural Networks and their Applications, CNNA 2006, pp.176-181, Istanbul, August 2006
 
[PDF] P.Dudek, D.R.W.Barr, A.Lopich and S.J. Carey, "Demonstration of real-time image processing on the SCAMP-3 vision system", IEEE International Workshop on Cellular Neural Networks and their Applications, CNNA 2006, pp.13-13, Istanbul, August 2006

POSTERS:
 
[IMAGE] "Implementation of Multi-layer Leaky Integrator Networks on a Cellular Processor Array", IJCNN 2007, Orlando
 
[IMAGE] "Biologically Plausible Topographic Network Simulation on Fine-Grained Processing Systems", Manchester SE&EE, 2008



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APRON Software
The APRON Software, some documentation and examples can be found here: http://www.apronsoft.co.uk

 All material contained on this website is copyright of David R W Barr, 2004-2013