Abstract
This paper presents a low cost, modular, configurable and fully protected education tool based on a generic electronic converter to be used by students, providing them with skills regarding power electronics and converters, and enabling them to learn from experience the most important issues concerning DC and AC electric drives.

Abstract
This paper describes a surveillance system for forest environments and protected natural areas with capacity for detecting fires and other ecological crimes. This system uses a digital camera that is controlled remotely by a system operator. Using the software the operator may chose to zoom a special spot or even take measures to place a strategy to fight the lire right before it becomes uncontrollable. Since that this system has to operate in the middle of forests, aspects like effectiveness, robustness and reliability are crucial. To make the positioning of camera, the system uses a stepper motor to the vertical movement of the camera, and a DC motor to the horizontal movement. The system also captures information about the temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction. All the processing is realized by a PIC16f877 microcontroller.

Abstract
In this paper a new method of estimation of the induction motor electric parameters is presented and discussed. The proposed method uses the indirect approach that consists in estimating the continuous-time parameters by first fitting a discrete-time model to the data and then converting this model to a continuous-time version. The main contribution is that by using a polynomial pre-filter it is possible to compute the induction motor equivalent circuit parameters via an inverse transformation between the discrete-time and the continuous-time models. The procedure is potentially useful for the design of self-commissioning drives and may provide initial estimates to extended Kalman filtering type of procedures. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by simulated tests and results of the method are discussed.

Abstract
This paper proposes a design of a sliding mode controller for direct torque control of an induction motor drive. The design includes the hardware structure, the control laws for torque control and rotor flux control. The modulation is defined as part of the variable structure control algorithm which enables an optimum choice of output voltage of the static converter. The validity and robustness of the proposed control system were verified by simulation. The simulation results are presented to demonstrate their agreement with theoretical predictions of the proposed controller. Copyright (C) 1998 IFAC.

Abstract
Simulation is a useful tool which can significantly reduce resources invested during product development. The present paper describes the development of the Vector Control Signal Processing (VCSP) blockset for use with MATLAB/Simuhnk(R). The originality of this blockset consists on the extension of Simulink for design, simulation and prototyping of signal processing algorithms in power conversion systems. The VCSP blockset, consists on a number of newly developed blocks. Together with Real-Time WorkshopTM and a number of other generally available blocks, it takes advantage of the inherent visual programming techniques of Simulink to reach the above goals. Due to its open and flexible nature, this approach is also very useful as a tool for teaching. The work is focused on modelling and simulation for power conversion systems use in the drive of rotating AC machines with vector control methods. By concept, a simulation environment can be examined at different abstraction or hierarchy levels. The approach in this paper is so the formulation of a simulation task at different levels: component level, electric circuit level, functional description and implementation description. The basic blockset functions are presented and some examples of modelling techniques for both simple and complex drive structures are included. Simulation results are presented and discussed as well.

Abstract
The phasor visualizer presented in this paper is performs real time calculation in steady-state and transient conditions of simultaneous electromagnetic torque, magnetic flux, voltages and currents of an induction motor supplied with sinusoidal voltages or through frequency converters and provide an oscillographic display. The phasor visualizer is an instrument for analysis, investigations and teaching of AC machine drives. The instruments needs no shaft position or speed sensor, it uses exclusively the acquired stator currents and voltages. The main fields of application are: element of a monitoring system, integration in a control unit, research tool for induction motor drives, and test shop. Practical results of the implementation are be presented and discussed.