Funded Research Projects

Dr Naeem Awais

• “Brain Computer Interface Based Smart Home Control Using EEG Sensors” – National Grassroots ICT Research Initiative (NGIRI) 2014-15 grant – completed (as a PI)

This project describes the development of a Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) that allows individuals to record their brain activity and then utilize it for useful applications. The purpose of the project is to provide luxury to its user or facilitate the handicapped. Such systems provide an external channel for communicating and controlling various devices (e.g. mind controlled wheel chair, robotic arm). Recognizing the brain activity for certain thoughts and eye blinking patterns, we managed to correlate them with the switching and regulation of certain home appliances like fan, bulb, etc. We hereby present a prototype which will revolve around the use of an EEG (electroencephalogram) based BCI that uses steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEP) technique and measure the signals generated by the brain. This approach will be used to control the Smart Home. BCI based systems can yield the accuracy from (80 to 100) %.

• “Design and implementation of robust fault detection and augmentation scheme for safety critical plants” –  National Research Program for Universities (NRPU) 2014-15 grant under HEC – on going (as a Co-PI)

In this project, we have proposed a novel fault diagnosis and fault tolerant control allocation scheme on an existing feedback controller using only the primary actuators. Sliding mode controller will be used to introduce fault tolerance. The secondary controller will start its function upon the failure of the primary controller. The fault information are provided by the fault diagnosis module in order to proper distribution of control signals.