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News and Views
The Resolution Adopted
at the Conclusion of the National Consultative Peace Jirga
June 2- 4, 2010
Loya Jirga Tent, Kabul
The National Consultative Peace Jirga (NCPJ) participated by 1,600 delegates representing the suffering nation of Afghanistan from all walks of life including from both Houses of the Parliament, Provincial Councils, religious scholars, tribal leaders, civil society organizations, Afghan refugees residing in Iran and Pakistan (Invitees had been divided into 13 categories) was held for consultation on seeking ways out for the insecurity and for a lasting peace in the country. Professor Burhanuddin Rabani was selected to chair the Jirga.
Over the past three days, the delegates divided within various smaller working sessions debated proposals and details of each items of agenda and then took the issues to the general session and hereby agreed on the following:
- Recognizing our religious and national obligations and the need for peace as a vital and righteous demand of every Afghan citizen, we, the participants of the NCPJ fully support President Hamid Karzai's commitment and initiative to consult the nation to reach through peaceful means to a lasting peace and end to the conflict and bloodshed.
- We recognize and thank the Muslim people of Afghanistan for the resilience, tolerance, patience and sacrifices they have made for a sustainable peace and public prosperity.
- The People of Afghanistan highly value the support by the international community and the United States in particular and for their help to rebuild our state institutions and infrastructure and call for their continued effective and institutional support and assistance.
- We express our gratitude for the sincere efforts by the Muslim countries especially by Saudi King (the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques) and Republic of Turkey to help ensure peace in our war stricken country and want that the efforts continue, speed up and expand.
- We the participants of the NCPJ have taken the following decisions and call on the government of Afghanistan and the parties in conflict to take all sincere, immediate and practical measures for its implementation:
Understanding, Negotiation and Agreement for Sustainable Peace
We, the participants of the NCPJ demand from all the parties engaged in conflict to act and comply by the teachings of Islam and respect the aspiration of the people of Afghanistan for lasting peace and ending war and fratricide through understanding and negotiations. The peace and reconciliation initiative shall be for and among Afghans only and does not include in anyway foreign extremist elements and international terrorist networks.
The government should develop a comprehensive program to follow up the peace process based on decisions by the NCPJ and change it into a national and standing strategy.
No peace efforts should bring to question the achievements made so far and its legal values and should not lead to a new crisis in the country.
For a sustainable peace to be ensured, strong and sincere commitments by all the parties concerned is a must. We, the participants seriously request that the aspiration of the people and of the Jirga members and their decisions be respected and put to practice, any action otherwise would be a major harm to the traditional value of the Jirga.
We call on all the parties involved to avoid setting such conditions that can make it impossible for the understanding and negotiations to start, but rather express their goodwill by taking constructive and flexible approaches for the dialogue to begin.
Avoiding any issues that can inflame ethnical, regional, linguistic, party, religious and political sensitivities and can strain the national unity must be placed as top working priorities for all parties concerned.
Providing for investment that can lead to economic, human resources and infrastructure development aimed at creating employment, poverty reduction and building capacity for Islamic and general education should be placed as top government programs.
Framework for Talks with the Disaffected
We call upon the government of Afghanistan and the international troops stationed in the country:
- as a gesture of a goodwill, to take immediate and solid action in freeing from various prisons those detained based on inaccurate information or unsubstantiated allegations;
- The government in agreement with the international community should take serious action in getting the names of those in opposition removed from the consolidated blacklist;
- The government and the international forces should guarantee security and safety for those who join the peace process and should provide for a safe return of those in armed opposition;
- International and Afghan forces are strongly requested to seriously avoid any unnecessary arrests and arbitrary searches of houses as well as aerial bombardment of residential areas that lead to civilian casualties;
- The government should take all required measures to be able to lead military operations and coordination among international forces operating in Afghanistan;
- The disaffected in armed opposition should renounce violence and all other activities that result in killing our people and destroying the infrastructure and should dissociate themselves from Alqaeda and other terrorist groups;
- The international community is suggested to expedite the process of equipping, training and strengthening Afghan national security forces, so they can get the capability in taking responsibility to provide security for their own country and people;
- We want and urge for a long-term international commitment, so Afghanistan does not become again a playground for regional conflicts, and that external interferences can be averted and thus space for stronger regional cooperation can be provided;
- We call on the international community to support the peace process led by the government of Afghanistan;
- The government with public support should take every necessary step to deliver good governance, make sure appointments are made on the basis of merits, and fight administrative and moral corruption as well as illegal property possession at national and provincial level. This is the key in boosting public confidence to the government and for a successful peace process;
- People of Afghanistan demand a just peace which can guarantee the rights of its all citizens including women and children. For the purpose of social justice, the Jirga urges that laws be applied equally on all citizens of the country;
we the participants of the Jirga call on scholars and clerics in mosques and the mass media including audio visual and print to fulfill their duties in promoting peace and preaching against violence;
We, the participants of the Jirga call upon our Muslim nation to join hands with the Government to bring an end to the current insecurity and instability and help make the process a success. The Government with cooperation from the people should take all required measures to ensure security and prevent destructive terrorist acts.
Developing Mechanism for Negotiation with the Disaffected
A high Peace Council or Commission should be created to follow up on the recommendations made by the Jirga and the Peace Process. The Commission would create by the passage of time its local offices at district and provincial levels and would be represented by different people including our patriotic brothers and sisters, religious scholars, tribal elders, a representative from each House of the parliament, and a person to represent the militants who have given up violence. The Commission shall form a special committee to handle the issues related to the release and return to normal life of the prisoners.
We, the participants of the Jirga commit ourselves to act as messengers of peace and take the message of the Jirga to our communities and our people in our areas and to cooperate with the local authorities, tribal elders, youth and the women for the objective of ensuring peace.
To win the international community's support to the Jirga decisions, the Government of Afghanistan should include the Resolution in the agenda for the Kabul Conference.
The Government is responsible to continuously and transparently communicate to public any progress achieved in the peace process through a mechanism to be established.
The recommendations by the 28 Committees of the Jirga are attached to this resolution to be used in developing the Action Plan and Peace Strategy.
In conclusion, the Peace Jirga on behalf of the Muslim nation of Afghanistan strongly denounce the latest brutal raid by Israeli forces on a flotilla of humanitarian aid in the international waters aimed at breaking the blockade in Gaza for the oppressed Palestinians and express its heartfelt condolences and deep sympathies to the families of the victims and to the wounded. We call on the United Nations and the international community to end the oppressing blockade of Gaza.


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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – President Barack Obama has issued a disaster declaration for Colorado, releasing federal funds to help areas affected by two deadly and destructive wildfires.
Obama's declaration Thursday makes federal funds available for emergency protective measures for areas affected by the High Park fire in northern Colorado and the Waldo Canyon fire near Colorado Springs. Federal funds also are available for crisis counseling and disaster unemployment assistance for affected residents in El Paso and Larimer counties.
Colorado Springs officials say the Waldo Canyon person has left one person dead and has destroyed an estimated 346 homes.
The High Park fire has killed one person and has destroyed 257 homes.

subset: commoncrawl


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This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Paul Kruger's University of Utah coaches always wondered what he might have become in his fourth year in the program. The answer is being played out in Baltimore.
In his fourth season with the Ravens, Kruger has developed into a pass-rushing force. The linebacker was involved in all three sacks of Indianapolis quarterback Andrew Luck in an AFC playoff victory Sunday, highlighted by a strip leading to Baltimore's fumble recovery.
Kruger always did have a knack for timing. As a Ute sophomore, he produced one of his big-impact games in the win over BYU that sent the Utes to the Sugar Bowl and followed with a solid performance in the upset of Alabama, positioning him as an eventual second-round draft choice.
And now that he's about to become a free agent, Kruger's emergence is even more rewarding. "That dude is making money, man," Ravens safety Bernard Pollard told the team's website.
It took him most of four seasons to truly find a home in the Ravens' lineup and become consistently productive, but it's happening now. Kruger led the team with nine sacks in the regular season, tying a franchise record with at least one sack in five straight games. That makes his $615,000 salary a bargain.
Fueled by the emotion of playing alongside Ray Lewis in the legendary linebacker's final home game, Kruger accelerated his pass-rushing ability in the playoff game. Now comes a much more difficult assignment: chasing Peyton Manning.
The Broncos' quarterback absorbed only 21 sacks in the regular season, the second-fewest in the NFL. Kruger will have to be quicker and stronger than ever to put any pressure on Manning and give the Ravens a chance of advancing beyond Saturday's divisional playoff game in Denver.
At the very least, Kruger will make Broncos left guard Zane Beadles, his former Ute teammate, and the rest of the offensive line account for him on every passing play.
Kruger's pro success reinforces what a phenomenal defense the Utes fielded in 2008. Kruger and teammates Stevenson Sylvester, Sean Smith, R.J. Stanford, Koa Misi, Robert Johnson, Brice McCain and Derrick Shelby all have made NFL rosters. No wonder the Utes beat Alabama.
As Ute defensive coordinator Kalani Sitake, then the team's linebackers coach, said, "You should have one of the best defenses in the country, shouldn't you?"
Kruger has gone on to become one of the most successful quarterbacks the Utes ever recruited. Former coach Urban Meyer signed him as a QB from Timpanogos High School in Orem, then Kyle Whittingham moved Kruger to defense when he returned from a church mission.
Having played quarterback, "His knowledge of offensive football is a huge plus for him," Sitake said.
Because of the mission, Kruger was eligible for the NFL Draft following his sophomore season. While leaving school at that time seemed somewhat risky, the Ravens validated his decision in the second round.
Kruger's development came in spurts, with a total of 6.5 sacks in three seasons as he played various positions. In the middle of 2012, he found his spot as a right outside linebacker, freeing him to rush the passer.
Utah's coaches "knew there were going to be really good times to come" with Kruger, Sitake said. Whittingham pitched the idea that all three Kruger brothers could play together on Utah's defensive line in 2010, but Paul was ready to leave after '08.
Dave has finished his four-year career and Joe is entering the NFL Draft after his junior year. Next summer, the Krugers (plus Oakland offensive lineman Tony Bergstrom, their brother-in-law) will be in NFL training camps.
None of the brothers knows where he'll end up, exactly including Paul. But he'll be very well-paid, regardless.
Twitter: @tribkurt


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In November 2011, UNESCO adopted a new standard-setting text called the Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape. It is the first normative text by UNESCO dedicated specifically to cities, and UNESCO's first normative text on conservation in 35 years.
The goal of this instrument is to revise current approaches to urban conservation, taking into account all new concepts that have developed in recent decades in the area of conservation (cultural landscapes, cultural diversity, intangible heritage, etc.). The Recommendation also seeks to integrate a vision of sustainable development into urban conservation, and to combine the heritage conservation and development practices of the contemporary city.
The conference will be led by Francesco Bandarin, Assistant Director General for Culture at UNESCO, followed by a round table led by architect/urbanist Jade Tabet, with Albert Dubler, President of the International Union of Architects, Benjamin Mouton, Vice President of ICOMOS International and associate professor at the École de Chaillot, and Lorenzo Diez, Director of ENSA in Nancy and associate professor at the École de Chaillot.
Entry is free, with online registration at www.citechaillot.fr


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Reese Witherspoon is making her first foray into the world of unscripted television with the half-hour series "Shine On With Reese" where she'll interview trailblazing women about their journey to success. The series will find a home on a new video on demand network created for Witherspoon's media company, Hello Sunshine. It will premiere exclusive content on DirecTV, DirecTV Now and U-verse. "Shine On With Reese," which premieres July 17, will celebrate "the stories of extraordinary women who have created their own unique paths to success," according to a press release, with host Witherspoon leading conversations about "their perspectives on ambition, work, family and hopes for the future."
Editorial credit: Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com


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Emergency Care
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MILWAUKEE -- Left-handed hitter Gerardo Parra is bringing a little balance to a Milwaukee Brewers lineup stacked with right-handed bats.
The two-time Gold Glove winning outfielder was acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks for a pair of minor leaguers Thursday ahead of the non-waiver trade deadline. The NL Central-leading Brewers sent outfielder Mitch Haniger and left-hander Anthony Banda to Arizona.
Parra was hitting .259, about 25 points lower than his career average, with six homers and 30 RBIs. The Brewers could use him in a platoon with righty bat Khris Davis, who is hitting just .232 against right-handers.
Parra is hitting .271 against righties, and .429 overall since July 23.
The Brewers were off Thursday, spending much of the day in St. Petersburg, Florida, after losing two of three to the Tampa Bay Rays. Milwaukee begins a three-game series Friday against division rival St. Louis, which added right-handed starters Justin Masterson and John Lackey at the trade deadline.
Parra was expected to join the team Friday in St. Louis. Gomez, Jonathan Lucroy, Ryan Braun and Aramis Ramirez - all right-handed hitters - lead the Brewers' lineup.
"Welcome to the family to the Brewers," Gomez said Thursday afternoon on Twitter.
Scooter Gennett is hitting .302 with eight homers as the left-handed half of a platoon at second base with Rickie Weeks. Lyle Overbay, who is hitting .232 with four homers, is the only other left-handed hitter who plays with any regularity.
The addition of Parra gives Milwaukee another top glove in the outfield to join center fielder Carlos Gomez. Outfielder Logan Schafer will be optioned to Triple-A Nashville to make room for Parra, the team said.
The 23-year-old Haniger was playing for Double-A Huntsville. He was Milwaukee's No. 3 prospect, according to Baseball America. He was hitting .255 with 10 homers and 34 RBIs.
Banda, 20, was 6-6 with a 3.66 ERA for Class A Wisconsin.


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TUESDAY, July 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Most therapies for autism focus on the child, but new research suggests the child's stressed-out parents could benefit from treatments designed specifically for them.
Mothers of autistic children who took part in a coping skills program found they connected better with their child and felt less stress, anxiety and depression, report researchers at Vanderbilt University, in Nashville.
"Interventions have, for good reasons, been focused on the child, but what was missing was directly addressing parents' own well-being and health," said study author Elisabeth Dykens, a professor of psychology at Vanderbilt. "It's really important to provide them with the tools they can use to manage their stress, and continue to grow as a parent."
Mothers of children with developmental disabilities like autism tend to experience more stress and poorer health, as well as psychiatric problems like depression. This can harm their ability to care for their child, the study authors said in background information.
The Vanderbilt researchers created two programs that could potentially help mothers of kids with autism, and recruited 243 mothers to participate in one or the other.
Two-thirds of the moms had a child with autism, while the remaining third had a child with another type of developmental disability. At the beginning, 85 percent of the mothers had elevated stress levels, 48 percent were clinically depressed and 41 percent suffered from anxiety.
One program focused on meditation, breathing exercises and mind/body practices like yoga, said Dykens, associate director of the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development.
The other focused on positive psychology, in which mothers were taught to focus on the positive aspects of their lives. "It really flips traditional psychology, because we think about what's right about people and do what we can to boost that," Dykens said.
All participants took part in weekly hour-and-a-half sessions over the course of six weeks. Graduate students provided free child care so parents could relax and enjoy the group. Researchers then tracked their progress for up to six months afterward.
The programs are designed to teach skills that parents can use throughout their day. "If you're committed to really practicing these skills, it's the kind of thing where when you're at a red light you could practice your deep belly breathing, or you could count blessings or think about forgiveness while folding laundry," she said.
The researchers found that both programs led to significant reductions in stress, depression and anxiety. The mothers also reported improved sleep and better satisfaction with life.
The mindfulness program in particular helped mothers, leading to greater improvements than the positive psychology program, the study found.
The findings were published online July 21 and in the August print issue of Pediatrics.
One strength of the federally funded program came from the people who led the classes, Dykens said.
The research team hired mothers of kids with autism to act as peer-mentors, who then passed on the coping skills they learned to other moms in their situation.
"There's a certain rapport that parents have with each other. There's an automatic connection, if you will," she said. "Using that peer-mentor model really may be a way to go, particularly with the shortage of professionals who would be willing to take up such work."
Dr. Paul Wang, senior vice president and head of medical research for Autism Speaks, praised the use of other parents to lead these coping classes.
"Parents naturally trust other people who have been in their shoes, who know where they are coming from and can speak from experience," Wang said. "We know there aren't enough professionals. It can be hard to get appointments. So when you find an intervention that can be provided by other parents, that extends its usefulness."
These specific programs are not yet widely available, as they were developed by the Vanderbilt researchers for this study, Dykens said.
However Vanderbilt is preparing to make the program manual available online for parents and support groups to purchase and use, she added.
More information
For more information on family resources for autism, visit Autism Speaks.
This article: Copyright © 2014 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


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This document aims at getting the novice user up and running with RTLinux in as painless a manner as possible.
This document is meant for all those who wish to know the working of a realtime kernel. For those of you already familiar with module programming, the document wouldn't appear as a difficult one. And for others, you needn't worry; since only the basic concepts of module programming are required, which we would indeed discuss, as and when required.
First of all I would like to thank my advisor, Pramode C. E, for his encouragement and help. Also I express my sincere appreciation to Victor Yodaiken. This document would not have been possible without all the information gathered from different papers contributed by Victor Yodaiken. I am also grateful to Michael Barabanov for his thesis on "A Linux-base Real-Time Operating System".
Any doubt or comment about this document, is always welcome. Please feel free to email me. If there is any mistake in this document, please let me know so that I can correct it in the next revision. Thanks.
Copyright (C)2002 Dinil Divakaran.
This document is free; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
This document is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.
The first step in the compilation of RTLinux kernel, is to download a pre-patched kernel 2.2.18 (x86 only) 2.2.18 (x86 only) or 2.4.0-test1 (x86, PowerPC, Alpha) into /usr/src/ and untar it. Also put a fresh copy of RTLinux kernel (version 3.0) from www.rtlinux.org in /usr/src/rtlinux/. (We will use $ to represent the prompt).
$ cd /usr/src/linux $ make config or $ make menuconfig or $ make xconfig
$ make dep $ make bzImage $ make modules $ make modules_install $ cp arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot/rtzImage
image=/boot/rtzImage label=rtl read-only root=/dev/hda1WARNING: replace /dev/hda1 in the above with your root filesystem. The easiest way to find out which filesystem it should be, take a look at the existing entry in your /etc/lilo.conf for "root=".
$ make config or $ make menuconfig or $ make xconfig
$ make $ make devices $ make install
The last step will create the directory:
/usr/rtlinux-xx (xx denotes the version)
which contains the default installation directory for RTLinux which is needed to create and compile user programs (that is, it contains the include files, utilities, and documentation). It will also create a symbolic link:
which points to /usr/rtlinux-xx. In order to maintain future compatibility, please make sure that all of your own RTLinux programs use /usr/rtlinux as its default path.
NOTE : If you change any Linux kernel options, please don't forget to do:
$ cd /usr/src/rtlinux $ make clean $ make $ make install
The reasons for the design of RTLinux can be understood by examining the working of the standard Linux kernel. The Linux kernel separates the hardware from the user-level tasks. The kernel uses scheduling algorithms and assigns priority to each task for providing good average performances or throughput. Thus the kernel has the ability to suspend any user-level task, once that task has outrun the time-slice allotted to it by the CPU. This scheduling algorithms along with device drivers, uninterruptible system calls, the use of interrupt disabling and virtual memory operations are sources of unpredictability. That is to say, these sources cause hindrance to the realtime performance of a task.
You might already be familiar with the non-realtime performance, say, when you are listening to the music played using 'mpg123' or any other player. After executing this process for a pre-determined time-slice, the standard Linux kernel could preempt the task and give the CPU to another one (e.g. one that boots up the X server or Netscape). Consequently, the continuity of the music is lost. Thus, in trying to ensure fair distribution of CPU time among all processes, the kernel can prevent other events from occurring.
A realtime kernel should be able to guarantee the timing requirements of the processes under it. The RTLinux kernel accomplishes realtime performances by removing such sources of unpredictability as discussed above. We can consider the RTLinux kernel as sitting between the standard Linux kernel and the hardware. The Linux kernel sees the realtime layer as the actual hardware. Now, the user can both introduce and set priorities to each and every task. The user can achieve correct timing for the processes by deciding on the scheduling algorithms, priorities, frequency of execution etc. The RTLinux kernel assigns lowest priority to the standard Linux kernel. Thus the user-task will be executed in realtime.
The actual realtime performance is obtained by intercepting all hardware interrupts. Only for those interrupts that are related to the RTLinux, the appropriate interrupt service routine is run. All other interrupts are held and passed to the Linux kernel as software interrupts when the RTLinux kernel is idle and then the standard Linux kernel runs. The RTLinux executive is itself nonpreemptible.
Realtime tasks are privileged (that is, they have direct access to hardware), and they do not use virtual memory. Realtime tasks are written as special Linux modules that can be dynamically loaded into memory. The initialization code for a realtime tasks initializes the realtime task structure and informs RTLinux kernel of its deadline, period, and release-time constraints.
RTLinux co-exists along with the Linux kernel since it leaves the Linux kernel untouched. Via a set of relatively simple modifications, it manages to convert the existing Linux kernel into a hard realtime environment without hindering future Linux development.
So what are modules? A Linux module is nothing but an object file, usually created with the -c flag argument to gcc. The module itself is created by compiling an ordinary C language file without the main() function. Instead there will be a pair of init_module/cleanup_module functions:
Typically, init_module() either registers a handler for something with the kernel, or it replaces one of the kernel function with its own code (usually code to do something and then call the original function). The cleanup_module() function is supposed to undo whatever init_module() did, so the module can be unloaded safely.
For example, if you have written a C file called module.c (with init_module() and cleanup_module() replacing the main() function), the code can be converted into a module by typing :
$ gcc -c {SOME-FLAGS} my_module.c
This command creates a module file named module.o, which can now be inserted into the kernel by using the 'insmod' command :
$ insmod module.o
Similarly, for removing the module, you can use the 'rmmod' command :
$ rmmod module
A realtime application is usually composed of several ``threads'' of execution. Threads are light-weight processes which share a common address space. In RTLinux, all threads share the Linux kernel address space. The advantage of using threads is that switching between threads is quite inexpensive when compared with context switch. We can have complete control over the execution of a thread by using different functions as will be shown in the examples following.
The best way to understand the working of a thread is to trace a realtime program. For example, the program shown below will execute once every second, and during each iteration it will print 'Hello World'.
The Program code (file - hello.c) :
#include <rtl.h> #include <time.h> #include <pthread.h> pthread_t thread; void * thread_code(void) { pthread_make_periodic_np(pthread_self(), gethrtime(), 1000000000); while (1) { pthread_wait_np (); rtl_printf("Hello World\n"); } return 0; } int init_module(void) { return pthread_create(&thread, NULL, thread_code, NULL); } void cleanup_module(void) { pthread_delete_np(thread); }
So, let us start with the init_module(). The init_module() invokes pthread_create(). This is for creating a new thread that executes concurrently with the calling thread. This function must only be called from the Linux kernel thread (i.e., using init_module()).
int pthread_create(pthread_t * thread, pthread_attr_t * attr, void * (*thread_code)(void *), void * arg);
The new thread created is of type pthread_t, defined in the header pthread.h. This thread executes the function thread_code(), passing it arg as its argument. The attr argument specifies thread attributes to be applied to the new thread. If attr is NULL, default attributes are used.
So here, thread_code() is invoked with no argument. thread_code has three components - initialization, run-time and termination.
In the initialization phase, is the call to pthread_make_periodic_np().
int pthread_make_periodic_np(pthread_t thread, hrtime_t start_time, hrtime_t period);
pthread_make_periodic_np marks the thread as ready for execution. The thread will start its execution at start_time and will run at intervals specified by period given in nanoseconds.
gethrtime returns the time in nanoseconds since the system bootup.
hrtime_t gethrtime(void);
This time is never reset or adjusted. gethrtime always gives monotonically increasing values. hrtime_t is a 64-bit signed integer.
By calling the function pthread_make_periodic_np(), the thread tells the scheduler to periodically execute this thread at a frequency of 1 Hz. This marks the end of the initialization section for the thread.
The while() loop begins with a call to the function pthread_wait_np(), which suspends execution of the currently running realtime thread until the start of the next period. The thread was previously marked for execution using pthread_make_periodic_np. Once the thread is called again, it executes the rest of the contents inside the while loop, until it encounters another call to pthread_wait_np().
Because we haven't included any way to exit the loop, this thread will continue to execute forever at a rate of 1Hz. The only way to stop the program is by removing it from the kernel with the rmmod command. This invokes the cleanup_module(), which calls pthread_delete_np() to cancel the thread and deallocate its resources.
In order to execute the program, hello.c, (after booting rtlinux, ofcourse) you must do the following :
include rtl.mk all: hello.o clean: rm -f *.o hello.o: hello.c $(CC) ${INCLUDE} ${CFLAGS} -c hello.c
$ make
$ rtlinux start hello
You should now be able to see your hello.o program printing its message every second. Depending on the configuration of your machine, you should either be able to see it directly in your console, or by typing:
$ dmesg
To stop the program, you need to remove it from the kernel. To do so, type:
$ rtlinux stop hello
Alternate ways for inserting and removing the module is to use insmod and rmmod respectively.
Here, we have made our example program too simple. Contrary to what we have seen, there may be multiple threads in a program. Priority can be set at thread creation or modified later. Also, we can select the scheduling algorithm that should be used. In fact, we can write our own scheduling algorithms!
In our example, we can set priority of the thread as 1, and select FIFO scheduling by inserting the following lines in the beginning of the function, thread_code() :
struct sched_param p; p . sched_priority = 1; pthread_setschedparam (pthread_self(), SCHED_FIFO, &p);
The example program that we have seen above is what is known as a realtime process. Not every part of a application program need be written in realtime. It is found that only that part of a program which requires precise time restrictions should be written as a realtime process. Others can be written and executed in user space. User spaces processes are often easier to write, execute and debug than realtime threads. But then, there should be a way to communicate between user space Linux processes and realtime thread.
There are several ways for inter-process communication. We will discuss the most important and common way of communication - the realtime FIFO.
Realtime FIFOs are unidirectional queues (First In First Out). So at one end a process writes data into the FIFO, and from the other end of the FIFO, information is read by another process. Usually, one of these processes is the realtime thread and the other is a user space process.
The Realtime FIFOs are actually character devices (/dev/rtf*) with a major number of 150. Realtime threads uses integers to refer to each FIFO (for example - 2 for /dev/rtf2). There is a limit to the number of FIFOs. There are functions such as rtf_create(), rtf_destroy(), rtf_get(), rtf_put() etc for handling the FIFOs.
On the other hand, the Linux user process sees the realtime FIFOs as normal character devices. Therefore the functions such as open(), close(), read() and write() can be used on these devices.
First, let us consider a simple C program (filename pcaudio.c) to play music (of just two tones) through the PC speaker. For the time being, let us assume that for playing the note, we need only write to the character device /dev/rtf3. (Later, we will see a realtime time process that reads from this FIFO (/dev/rtf3) and sends to the PC speaker)
#include <sys/types.h> #include <sys/stat.h> #include <fcntl.h> #include <unistd.h> #define DELAY 30000 void make_tone1(int fd) { static char buf = 0; write (fd, &buf, 1); } void make_tone2(int fd) { static char buf = 0xff; write (fd, &buf, 1); } main() { int i, fd = open ("/dev/rtf3", O_WRONLY); while (1) { for (i=0;i<DELAY;i++); make_tone1(fd); for (i=0;i<DELAY;i++); make_tone2(fd); } }
Now, if the above shown program (pcaudio.c) is compiled and run, it should create regular sound patters corresponding to a square wave. But before that we need a module for reading from '/dev/rtf3' and sending the corresponding data to the PC speaker. This realtime program can be found at the rtlinux source tree (/usr/src/rtlinux/examples/sound/) . Insert the module sound.o using the command 'insmod'.
Since we have inserted a module for reading from the device, we can now execute our program (compile using 'gcc' and then execute the corresponding 'a.out'. So the process produces somewhat regular tones, when there is no other (time consuming) process in the system. But, when the X server is started in another console, there comes more prolonged silence in the tone. Finally, when a 'find' command (for a file in /usr directory) is executed, the sound pattern is completely distorted. The reason behind this is that, we are writing the data onto the FIFO in non-realtime.
We will, now, see how to run this process in realtime, so that the sound is produced without any kind of disturbance. First, we will convert the above program into a realtime program. (Filename rtaudio.c)
#include <rtl.h> #include <pthread.h> #include <rtl_fifo.h> #include <time.h> #define FIFO_NO 3 #define DELAY 30000 pthread_t thread; void * sound_thread(int fd) { int i; static char buf = 0; while (1) { for(i=0; i<DELAY; i++); buf = 0xff; rtf_put(FIFO_NO, &buf, 1); for(i=0;i<DELAY;i++); buf = 0x0; rtf_put(FIFO_NO, &buf, 1); } return 0; } int init_module(void) { return pthread_create(&thread, NULL, sound_thread, NULL); } void cleanup_module(void) { pthread_delete_np(thread); }
If not already done, 'plug in' the module sound.o into the kernel. Compile the above program by writing a Makefile for it (as said earlier), thus producing the module 'rtaudio.o'. Before inserting this module, one more thing. Note that the above program runs into infinite loop. Since, we have not included code for the thread to sleep or stop, the thread will not cease its execution. In short, your PC speaker will go on producing the tone, and you will have to restart your computer for doing anything else.
So, let us change the code a little bit (only in the function sound_thread()) by asking the thread itself to make the delay between tones.
void * sound_thread(int fd) { static char buf = 0; pthread_make_periodic_np (pthread_self(), gethrtime(), 500000000); while (1) { pthread_wait_np(); buf = (int)buf^0xff; rtf_put(FIFO_NO, &buf, 1); } return 0; }
This time we can stop the process by just removing the module by using the 'rmmod' command.
Here, we have seen how realtime FIFOs can be used for inter-process communication. Also the real need for RTLinux can be understood from the above example.
This document has gone through the basics of programming in RTLinux. Once you have understood the basic concept it is not difficult to make steps by your own. So you can go through all other examples available along with the rtlinux source. Then you should be able to write modules and test them. For more information regarding module programming, you can refer to 'Linux Kernel Module Programming Guide' by Ori Pomerantz.


text:
I'm outraged that the Obama administration is supporting the RIAA on the case against Jammie Thomas, a single mother of four who has to pay them $1.92 million for downloading songs. That's more expensive than murder and six other crimes:
• Child abduction: Fine of $25,000 and up to three years in prison, which can be accounted as $50,233 per year (that was the median household income in 2007, probably down because of the economic crisis). Total: $175,699.
• Steal the CDs: A total of $275,000, $52,500 fine for the CDs.
• Steal a lawnmower from your neighbour: A total of $375,000.
• Burn someone's house while playing The Doors: Another $375,000.
• Stalk a Gizmodo editor (yes, you know who you are): A Class 4 felony that will result in just $175,000.
• Start a dogfighting ring: $50,000.
• Murder someone on the second degree, a Class 1 felony: $778,495, which accounts for a $25,000 fine and four to 15 years in prison.
Heck, you can do all these crimes, and the total amount will be only $2.2 million. Of course, you can't really quantify years spent in prison using dollars, but I don't care. The case of Jammie—and many like hers—is still absolutely outrageous.
Ms. Thomas got fined $1.92 million for downloading 1700 songs songs. For some reason, a popular jury thought that was fair. That's ok. There are mentally disturbed people everywhere. But I don't care if it's 1700 or 17000 songs, nobody can be punished like this for downloading songs. It may follow a draconian law to the last comma and period, but that doesn't make the verdict just. The law is what is at fault here, with a punishment that is not proportional to the magnitude of the "crime." This goes against the most basic sense of justice.
I know that el Señor Presidente has more serious issues to worry about that this case, but something needs to be done about it. Something drastic. Unfortunately, nothing will happen, given the "class" of people now at the Department of Justice:
What a crying shame. [Gapers Block]


text:
State Police Log: Waltham shooting under investigation
ADDISON COUNTY — Vermont State Police are looking into a shooting incident in Waltham.
On Wednesday, Sept. 26, at approximately 6:20 p.m. VSP and Vergennes police responded to 7441 Ethan Allen Highway in Waltham for a report of a house being shot at.
Upon arrival police found that the southwest door of the residence had been damaged by what appeared to be a .45 caliber pistol round. The bullet only penetrated one of the two panes of glass resulting in no injuries to the two people who were inside of the residence at the time.
Based on interviews and physical evidence located in an area south of the residence Senior Trooper Joseph Pregent said it appears the bullet that hit the house had been a missed shot during target practice.
This case remains under investigation, and police are withholding the names of the individuals thought to be responsible until the conclusion of the investigation.
In other recent activity, state police troopers:
• On Sept. 25 at approximately 9:04 a.m. responded to a complaint that sometime between 8 a.m. on Sept. 20 and 6 a.m. on Sept. 25 someone had stolen two Cannon manual fishing downriggers and 6-inch aluminum mounting bases from a boat docked in Lake Dunmore at a residence on Hooker Road in Leicester. The items are valued at approximately $700. Anyone with information is asked to contact the VSP at 802-388-4919. Information can also be submitted anonymously online at www.vtips.info or by texting "CRIMES" (274637) to keyword: VTIPS.
• On Sept. 25 at approximately 10 a.m. responded to a report of a theft of cash and jewelry from a car parked in Orwell.
• On Sept. 25 at 9:13 p.m. stopped a motor vehicle driven by Jessi Curavoo, 18, of Weybridge for speeding on Route 30 in Cornwall. During the stop, the trooper said he found that Curavoo and passenger Brittany Hathorn, 19, of Bristol had been drinking alcohol and were both under the age of 21. He cited them for consumption of alcohol by a minor and violation of conditions of release.
• On Sept. 25 at 10:08 p.m. responded to the intersection of Tyler Bridge Road and Turkey Lane in Monkton for a reported motorcycle crash. When troopers arrived they found that Monkton firefighters were on scene, directing traffic and assisting the Bristol Rescue Squad with the driver, Logan Ordway, 22, of Hinesburg. Preliminary investigation showed that Ordway was traveling east on a 2001 Honda motorcycle when he failed to negotiate the sharp curve and left the roadway. Ordway travelled through a deep culvert, crossed over Turkey Lane and came to a position of rest in a wood line adjacent to Turkey Lane. He was transported to Fletcher Allen Health Care for treatment of head and neck injuries. The motorcycle was considered a total loss. Trooper McNamara said Ordway's speed and consumption of alcohol were considered to be contributing factors of the crash. This crash remains under investigation.
• On Sept. 28 at 1:50 a.m. stopped a motor vehicle driven by Kristen A. Zagranski, 40, of Northfield on Route 7 in New Haven for speeding. Police cited Zagranski for driving under the influence of alcohol, refusal.
• On Sept. 28 at 6:18 p.m. stopped a motor vehicle driven by Jared L. Lilly, 51, of Hancock on Route 100 in Waitsfield for speeding. The trooper said he found 17.7 grams of marijuana in the vehicle, and he cited Lilly for possession of marijuana.
• On Sept. 28 at approximately 6:39 p.m. stopped a motor vehicle driven by Bridget A. Yantz, 21, of New Haven for speeding on Monkton Road in Bristol. Police cited Yantz for driving at an excessive speed.
• On Sept. 29 at 12:35 p.m. responded to a two-car accident on Route 7 at the intersection of Route 53 in Salisbury. Police described the weather as rainy and the road as wet. Police said both vehicles were southbound on Route 7 in Salisbury approaching the intersection when Aliza Rudinski, 19, of New Haven driving a 2002 Honda Accord collided into the back of a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu driven by Robbie Reyome, 41, of Essex Junction. The Accord went across Route 7, off the east side of the road, travelled approximately 400 feet, collided with a utility pole and rolled onto its roof and came to rest on Route 53. Reyome pulled over and stopped on the western shoulder. The Salisbury Fire Department responded to the scene and provided traffic control. Green Mountain Power also responded and handled the broken utility pole and downed lines. Rudinski, who was wearing a seat belt, reported soreness, but was not taken to the hospital. The Accord was totaled.
• On Sept. 29 at 1:22 p.m. received a report from a woman that 37-year-old Brian Booska, described by police as transient, had allegedly called the woman and used profane and harassing language during two telephone calls on separate days. Booska was located by troopers in Rutland, and he was cited into Addison District Court for violating an abuse prevention order.
• On Sept. 29 at approximately 9 p.m. stopped a motor vehicle for a moving violation, and cited the driver, Thomas M. Plantier, 25, of Bristol, for a criminal count of driving with a suspended license.
• On Sept. 29 at 10:59 p.m. cited Duane Laughlin, 21, of Brandon for driving under the influence. Police said Laughlin had stopped his vehicle behind a closed business in Killington to allow a passenger of his car to vomit. This drew the attention of a Liquor Control inspector, who assisted a trooper by stopping the vehicle on Killington Road.
• On Sept. 29 cited Taya Mahony, 29, of Ferrisburgh for driving with a criminally suspended license on Old Hollow Road in Ferrisburgh.
• On Sept. 29 and 30 received reports that someone had broken into Vermont Used Furniture twice over the past two weeks and had stolen several hundred dollars in cash from the register. Anyone with information is asked to contact VSP.
• On Oct. 1 at approximately 2:02 p.m. responded to a report of a burglary on Monkton Road in Ferrisburgh. The victim returned home to find her front door open; she reported that the house had been gone through but nothing was taken. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the VSP.
• On Oct. 1 began investigating a burglary that occurred that day between 8:25 a.m. and 4:40 p.m., when someone had kicked open the north door of a Pond Road home in Monkton.
Among the many items stolen was a pewter urn approximately 2.5 inches high in the shape of an upside down tear drop. The urn has black stripes and contains the ashes of the victim's deceased infant child.
Also missing is an oak jewelry box that is approximately six inches tall with two drawers, a flip-open top and three compartments. Inside the jewelry box are multiple pieces of jewelry, including an 18-inch herringbone necklace with matching earrings and a 14 karat gold mother's ring with a red garnet stone.
Police believe the thieves placed the above items into a lime green pillow case, which was also stolen from the residence.
Police withheld the specific address and names of the victims due to the extreme personal trauma this crime has caused.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the VSP at 802-388-4919. Information can also be submitted anonymously online at www.vtips.info or by texting "CRIMES" (274637) to keyword: VTIPS.
• On Oct. 1 at approximately 11:48 p.m. initiated a pursuit on an older truck on Plank Road in New Haven; the trooper said the vehicle was operating without its headlights and ran a stop sign at a high rate of speed. State police, Bristol police and Vergennes police pursued the vehicle for approximately 12 miles through New Haven, Bristol and Monkton before terminating the chase. Anyone with information is asked to contact the VSP at 802-388-4919. Information can also be submitted anonymously online at www.vtips.info or by texting "CRIMES" (274637) to keyword: VTIPS.
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text:
Solixon A-70-CU-2, class AAA 700 x 700 mmManufacturer website
To save time, we recommend to directly request the quotation from the manufacturer website.
Solar simulator compliant with IEC 60904-9:2020 ed.3 with spectral emission between 300 nm and 1'200 nm.
The Solixon A-70-CU-2 is a class AAA Steady State Solar simulator intended for continuous operation (24/7). This equipment also can work as a light soaker as it is intended for long duration operation.
This system is a complete current-voltage (I-V) measurement environment for the most demanding user.
All equipment is configured in our factory to reduce the setting costs at the customer site. The computer and software are fully installed and configured to be ready after unpacking and connecting.
The long lifetime Lumixo light engine from Lumartix generates a continuous light spectrum corresponding to a class A spectrum. This system is designed to illuminate any type of solar cell. The Lumixo light engine is illuminating the 70 x 70cm sample area with an irradiance non-uniformity within class Aand temporal stability within class A.
The system consists of a light engine fit into a reflector box (diffuse illuminating). A 15 mm to 200 mm wide access gap is granted between the sample area and the reflector bottom to accommodate any sample type. The illustration shows a simulator version with a small gap for thin samples.
The turnkey solution contains the following elements:
- 1 x Solixon A-70-CU-2 Steady State Solar Simulator
- 1 x I-V system Basic or I-V system Professional
- 1 x I-V Tracer software
- 1 x Calibrated Reference Si-solar cell
- 1 x PC computer under Windows 11 Pro English
Measurements capabilities
• Maximum power determination (MQT 02) according to IEC 61215-2
• Measurement of temperature coefficient test (MQT 04) according to IEC 60891
• Performance at STC and NMOT (MQT 06) according to IEC 61215-2
• Light soaking test according to IEC 61646
• Stabilization (MQT 19) according to IEC 61215-2
Solixon A-70-CU-2 - Illuminating unit specifications
Spectrum: Class A as per IEC 60904-9.
Irradiance: 700 to 1100 W/m2.
Irradiance uniformity: Class A as per IEC 60904-9.
Class AAA specification is guaranteed in the irradiance range from 800 to 1'100 W/m2. Lower irradiance settings may reduce the characteristics from class AAA to BBB.
Irradiance temporal stability: Class A as per IEC 60904-9, if the room temperature stays constant.
The characteristics are measured with the illuminator loaded with black material (e.g. «Rosco» black foil or wafers), if no optical load is provided by the customer.
Sample holder specifications
The sample holder contains:
- A drawer under the illuminating unit
- A thermostated table (sample holder) made of anodized aluminum plates having an internal water cooling system.
Tiny holes on the top surface are provided to form a vacuum chuck if connected to an external vacuum pump.
The vacuum pump is included.
Cooling capacity
The thermostated sample holder can be maintained at a constant temperature (+/- 2°C) between 20°C and 75°C when loaded with a light absorbing sample and the lamp power set to 1000 W/m2 irradiance.
Due to the vast variety of solar modules and encapsulation types possible, it is strongly recommended to provide us with actual samples, so finer temperature specifications may be given for the sample holder.
Absolute minimal specifications are the light-soaking test conditions as per IEC-61646: 50°C +/-10°C for a minimal illumination set to 600 W/m2.
Unless otherwise agreed in the acceptance tests, the module temperature is measured with PT100 sensors attached on the back side of the module. No thermal specifications can be given for a margin of 3 cm inwards to the panel rim, neither on the junction box area.
Detailed mechanical drawings of the test modules, or a representative sample, must be provided by the customer before order confirmation to ensure best equipment fitness.
Light engine
The light engine is based on plasma lamp.
This lamp equips the new generation of low OPEX Steady State Solar Simulator..
The advantages of plasma lamp are:
- Sun spectrum class A according IEC60904-9 without filter (Reduce maintenance cost)
- Life time up to 40'000 hours (warranty 20'000 hours) (Reduce maintenance cost)
- No shift spectrum (Increase quality test)
- No light flux reduction (Increase quality test)
Comprehensive documentation is provided with the system, including operation manual, software manual, and the necessary electrical and mechanical schematics for maintenance.
No safety means are necessary for system operation. Direct view to the light source is prevented by the system design. UV protection glass is provided with the system.
I-V System Basic
Our I-V System Basic is built around the well-known Keithley 2401 Source meter. This proven instrument has all it takes to measure I-V curves (both dark and illuminated) on solar cells. The available current range has a minimum of 10 pA and a maximum of 1A, where the voltage ranges from 1μV to 20V. Unlike the more expensive Keithley sourcemeters that interface by USB, this instrument can only be controlled by a GPIB interface. In our basic I-V System we include a GPIB/USB interface for computer connection of the sourcemeter.
When measuring solar cells, it is very important to use a thermostated sample holder, to avoid measurement due to thermal drift of the sample.
Another important parameter for solar cell metrology is the temperature. A high precision, class A Pt100 temperature sensor including computer interface (USB) is provided with this basic IV-System.
Please note that the Tracer I-V Curve Software is required to operate the I-V System Basic.
Key features
- Instrument for measuring I-V curves (both dark and illuminated)
- Current range min. 10pA and max. of 1A
- Voltage range 1μV to 20V
- Including GPIB interface
- Including class A Pt100 temperature sensor with USB computer interface
I-V System professional
Our I-V System Pro is built around the well-known Kepco Bop bi-polar power supply and 3 Agilent DMMs to realize high quality data acquisition on current, voltage and reference cell. These proven instruments have all it takes to measure IV-curves (both dark and illuminated) on solar cells and modules.
The current range is ±4A, where the voltage range is ±100V. Other ranges are available on request. When measuring solar cells, it is very important to use a thermostated sample holder, to avoid measurement due to thermal drift of the sample.
Another important parameter for solar cell metrology is the temperature. A high precision, class A Pt100 temperature sensor including computer interface (USB) is included with this professional I-V System.
Please note that the Tracer I-V Curve Software is required to operate the I-V System professional.
Key features
- Kepco Bop bi-polar power supply (electronic load)
- 3 x Agilent digital multi-meter (DMM)
- Instrument for measuring I-V curves (both dark and illuminated)
- Current ±1A (other ranges are available on request.)
- Voltage range ±100V (other ranges are available on request)
- Including GPIB interface
- Including class A Pt100 temperature sensor with USB computer interface
I-V Measurement Software
A powerful software named Tracer, controlling the electronic load, allows a user-friendly operation, going from simple current-voltage (I-V) plot tracing to more advanced device characterization. It seems logical for this measurement to use a standard power supply, because a power supply is normally used to provide a variable voltage and current. Unfortunately, this would not work for solar cells.
A solar cell generates current, so you will need to have a power supply that sinks this generated current instead of provide it. This can be done with a so called bi-polar power supply (or electronic load). This is a power supply that can sink and source current at both positive and negative voltages. There are many instruments on the market that can be used a such a bi-polar power supply. Some of them are just bi-polar power supplies while others integrate measurement and control capabilities as well.
Tracer will let you define and setup a system based on different instruments to measure your I-V curves. You can add multiplexers to automatically measure multiple cells by using one single measurement system, implement contact checking and measure monitoring solar cells.
Some examples of the supported hardware:
- Keithley 2400 series
- Keithley 2600 series
- HACKL Electronic Loads
- Kepco BOB
- B&K Electronic Loads
- Toellner loads info
- EKO MP-180 Curve Tracer
- National Instruments Data Acquisition
- MODBUS / Ethernet controlled instruments
Of course Tracer natively supports the control of all Keithley 2400 and 2600 series SourceMeters. These instruments have proven their strength over time for the measurement of solar cells. They range from 0.1fA – 20 Amperes.
Tracer is developed with the latest Microsoft.NET Technology, which resulted in a modern 'Microsoft Office' look and feel. A stable operation on the Microsoft Windows platform is guaranteed (Vista or higher).
Other popular platforms like Linux and MacOS will be supported in the future.
Solar cell probes
The High Resolution Solar Cell Probe is a precise probing unit enabling accurate current/voltage measurements on solar cells.
The High Resolution Probe is designed primarily for probing targets of approximately at least 13 microns in size at a 80 TPI resolution (320 μm per 360° turn). It is available with a magnetic base in either left or right hand models.
The 125 mm x 125 mm scanning area allows positioning on a broad range of solar cell materials. Each axis is spring loaded to prevent backlash, and the control knobs are conveniently placed at the rear of the micropositioner to allow one hand control over three axes at the same time. The probe mount is electrically isolated from positioner body.
Optional: 4-wires Kelvin Configuration
The High resolution Solar Probe can be used in a true 4-wire Kelvin configuration. This means that the possible voltage drop over the current wire is eliminated by measuring the voltage at the sample directly. The wires are electrically isolated from the body. To measure a solar cell in 4-wire Kelvin configuration a second Solar Cell Probe or a base plate with voltage sense is required.
Key Features
- Dedicated probing unit to enable high quality current/voltage measurements on solar cells
- High precision positioning
- Suitable for a broad range of solar cells
- 13 μm target
- Left-handed or right-handed models
- Suitable for substrate and superstrate measurements
- Standard configuration: incl. Tungsten probe, 25 um tip, 25mil shank
- Spring tip holder is very robust and accepts any of the available probe tips with shank diameters ranging in diameter from 10 to 25 mils.
- No special tools are required for loading and unloading the tip from the holder.
- 45° angle
- Including solid case
Reference Si solar cell
The standard crystalline silicon reference cell manufactured by ReRa is a high-quality precision sensor for the determination of solar simulator irradiance levels. ReRa uses the Radboud University Nijmegen PV Measurement Facility to calibrate the cells indoor. The calibration is done against an established set of reference cells calibrated at NREL and Fraunhofer ISE. These references are measured each year at the spectroradiometer and broadband intercomparison to ensure traceability.
Key features
- Lower cost reference cell
- Calibrated against traceable reference set
- Irradiance and temperature readout
- Protective Quartz (standard) or Schott KG glass window
- Compatible with the Tracer I-V software
- Open and shunted version available
- Several filter options (KG# window) to match spectral response, KG number to be specified at order.
- Including full calibration report (I-V curve plot, Isc, Voc, Impp, Vmpp, Fill Factor and Efficiency)
- Including cables to connect reference cell in a 4 wires configuration
- Including protective suitcase
- Shunted Silicon Reference Cell
- Open Silicon Reference Cell
All reference cells can be ordered with a KG3 or KG5 window for measurements of specific cell materials.
- KG3 window
- KG5 window
Ask for a quotation
Our engineering team is looking forward to receiving your inquiry, and is ready to assist you in determining the best equipment for your application. Send us a quotation request by clicking the "Ask For a Quotation" button above. Feel free to use the comment textfield for telling about your requirements.
- Unit type :
- Solar Simulator
- Light Spectrum :
- Class A
- Spectrum certification :
- By a laboratory accredited by the Swiss Accreditation Service
- Light Uniformity :
- Class A
- Light Stability :
- Class A
- Light Source :
- Lumixo light engine
- Lamp lifetime :
- up to 40'000 hours (20'000 hours warranty), serviceable
- Total illuminated area :
- -
- Sample type :
- All PV technologies
- Sample area :
- 700 x 700 mm sample area (4 x 4 silicon wafer 6'') on an extensible drawer
- Sample thickness :
- 1 to 10 mm thick samples
- Sample temperature target :
- 25°C to 75°C
- Illumination non-uniformity :
- <2% Class A
- Irradiance stability :
- <1% LTI, <0.5% STI, Class A
- Light engine cooling :
- Forced air ventilation
- Software :
- Lamp control and monitoring: lamp and sample holder temperature, light intensity
- Dimensions :
- 950 x 950 x 2'050 mm (drawer closed); 1'650 x 950 x 2'050 mm (drawer open)
- Mass :
- ~160 kg without refrigerated circulator; ~170 kg with refrigerated circulator
- Structure :
- -
- Electromagnetic compatibility :
- EN 61000-3-3, EN 60555-2 (2.45 GHz ISM Group 1, Class B Device)
- RoHS conformity :
- conforms with RoHS
- CE conformity :
- yes, the components and the whole system is in conformity with the CE regulations, the system is intended for industrial and laboratory use
- Warranty :
- 24 months
- Options :
- Chiller for sample holder cooling. Vacuum pump for samples positioning
- I-V Software :
- I-V measurement software with analysis functions and data exportation integrated
- Probes :
- Solar cell probes low and high resolution available in option
- I-V system basic :
- Based on Keithley source meter series (piloted by I-V software across GPIB interface)
- I-V system profesionnal :
- Based on 400W electronic load and 3 digital multimeters. Record simultaneously voltage, current, irradiance, temperature module or cell and temperature of reference cell
- Multiplexer system :
- Multiplexer and temperature measurement system (20 channels 1A, can be extended to 60 channels)


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[b]NASA's LCROSS Reveals Target Crater for Lunar South Pole Impacts[/b]
NASA has selected a final destination for its Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite, or LCROSS, after a journey of nearly 5.6 million miles that included several orbits around Earth and the moon. The mission team announced Wednesday that Cabeus A will be the target crater for the LCROSS dual impacts scheduled for 7:30 a.m. EDT on Oct. 9, 2009. The crater was selected after an extensive review as the optimal location for LCROSS' evaluation of whether water ice exists at the lunar south pole.
Credit: NASA
LCROSS will search for water ice by sending its spent upper-stage Centaur rocket to impact the permanently shadowed polar crater. The satellite will fly into the plume of dust left by the impact and measure the properties before also colliding with the lunar surface. The LCROSS team selected Cabeus A based on a set of conditions that include proper debris plume illumination for visibility from Earth, a high concentration of hydrogen, and mature crater features such as a flat floor, gentle slopes and the absence of large boulders.
"The selection of Cabeus A was a result of a vigorous debate within the lunar science community that included review of the latest data from Earth-based observatories and our fellow lunar missions Kaguya, Chandrayaan-1, and the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter," said Anthony Colaprete, LCROSS project scientist and principle investigator at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif. "The team is looking forward to the impacts and the wealth of information this unique mission will produce."
A cadre of professional astronomers using many of the Earth's most capable observatories is helping maximize the scientific return from the LCROSS impacts. These observatories include the Infrared Telescope Facility and Keck telescope in Hawaii; the Magdalena Ridge and Apache Ridge Observatories in New Mexico and the MMT Observatory in Arizona; the newly refurbished Hubble Space Telescope; and the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, among others.
"These and several other telescopes participating in the LCROSS Observation Campaign will provide observations from different vantage points using different types of measurement techniques," said Jennifer Heldmann, lead for the LCROSS Observation Campaign at Ames. "These multiple observations will complement the LCROSS spacecraft data to help determine whether or not water ice exists in Cabeus A."
During a media briefing Sept. 11, Daniel Andrews, LCROSS project manager at Ames, provided a mission status update indicating the spacecraft is healthy and has enough fuel to successfully accomplish all mission objectives. Andrews also announced the dedication of the LCROSS mission to the memory of legendary news anchor, Walter Cronkite, who provided coverage of NASA's missions from the beginning of America's manned space program to the age of the space shuttle.
"Dad would sure be proud to be part, if just in name, of getting humans back up to the moon and beyond," said Chip Cronkite, son of the famed news anchor.
The LCROSS mission was selected in April 2006 as a mission manifested with the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Both missions launched on June 18, 2009 on an Atlas V from Cape Canaveral, Fla. The LCROSS mission and science operations are managed at Ames.
"The LCROSS team has long been preparing for its final destination on the moon, and we're looking forward to October 9," Andrews said. "The next 28 days will undoubtedly be very exciting."
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