Pittsburgh Section Bulletin March 2019 Volume 68, No. 3
Included in this issue:
Chair’s Corner ...... 2 Linear Accelerator Introduction & Demonstration ...... 3 Product Design to Meet Standards: “Whose Job Is It?” ...... 4 Advanced signal processing and AI for biomedical wearable sensing ...... 5 2018 Pittsburgh Section Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Award - Call for Nominations 6 2019 PES Chapter Outstanding Engineer Award ...... 7 Health Care Options For Consulting Engineers ...... 7 IEEE Pittsburgh Section Annual History and Awards Dinner ...... 8 Covestro Pittsburgh Regional Science and Engineering Fair 2019 – Call for Judges ...... 9
Editor: Philip Cox, [email protected]; Contributors: Jim Beck, George Crawford, Tom Dionise, Steve Mozelewski, Mike Oliver, and Dave Vaglia
All announcements for publication in a particular month’s bulletin are due to the Editor by the 20th of the previous month. The accuracy of the published material is not guaranteed. If there is any error, please bring it to the Editor’s attention. The Section’s web site, http://sites.ieee.org/pittsburgh, has recent issues of the bulletin and lots of other useful information.
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Section Chair’s Corner Chair - Dave Vaglia, [email protected]
To those of you who have paid you your IEEE dues Vice Chair -- Ted Zyra, [email protected]
over the years, but feel you aren’t getting your $$ Treasurer – Evan Watson, [email protected] Asst. Treasurer –Joe Schaad worth, I want to say to you “Get Involved.” Consider Secretary - Haifeng Wang, [email protected] doing one or more of the following: Immediate Past Chair – Dan Wilson, [email protected]
Special Events Chair – Dr. Kal Sen, [email protected]
Volunteer Webmaster – Gerry Kumnik, [email protected] Attend a meeting UpperMon Subsection
Attend and/or Help with upcoming IEEE Chair: Dr. Gianfranco Doretto, USA Conference in August [email protected]
Give a presentation Chapters Write a paper Communications Society – Chair: Dr. Balaji Palanisamy, [email protected]; Sec: Phil Cox, [email protected] Get involved in Standards Development Computer Society – Chair: Dr. Ralph Sprang, Network with other professionals [email protected]
in your local/geographic area, or Electronics Packaging/Electron Devices Societies – Chair: John Mazurowski - [email protected] within a specific technical interest Engineering In Medicine & Biology Society Meet with our young members and help Chair: Steve Mozelewski, [email protected]
mentor the next generation of engineers Electromagnetic Compatibility Society - Chair: Michael J. Oliver, [email protected] (814) 763-3211
Magnetics Society – Chair: Vincent Sokalsky, The IEEE is your forum to keep you current/ [email protected]
continuously learning, interacting, collaborating, and Nanotechnology Society: Guangyong Li - [email protected]
innovating. Power Electronics Society – Chair Sid Pant - [email protected]
Power & Energy & Industry Applications Societies Stay Current and Get Ahead: The IEEE provides access Chair: Steve Dobos, [email protected]; Vice-Chair: Julie Clark; Treas.: Dave Vaglia, [email protected] to the largest library of electrical engineering, computer Robotics Society – Chair: Joseph Giampapa, [email protected] science, electronics technical literature and latest Signal Processing Society – Chair: Nicholas.O’Donoughue technology trends [email protected]
Society on Social Implications of Technology Chair: Dr. Kal Sen, [email protected]; Vice Chair: Joe As IEEE members, we have access to a network of Kalasky, P.E., [email protected] 724-244-1609
professionals, experts, and advisors that can help shape Council of Electronic Design Automation Chair: Baris Taskin, [email protected] our careers and advance our professional development. Take advantage of the opportunities to become Affinity Groups involved and receive recognition. You will be Young Professionals (formerly GOLD) – Chair: Matthew Rehder [email protected]
rewarded. Women In Engineering – Chair: Mey Sen, [email protected]
Life Members: Joe Kalasky, P.E., [email protected] Just an email or phone call away! Committees Consultant network: George Crawford - [email protected] Dave Vaglia [email protected] Professional/Career Activities (PACE) Chair: Joe Cioletti, P.E. [email protected]
Student Activities – open; student reps: Chair:, Sam Talkington, [email protected]; Regional Student Rep: Will Howard, [email protected];
Membership Development – Steve Mozelewski, [email protected]
Publicity – Chair: Thomas Dionise, P.E. [email protected] (724) 779-5864
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Linear Accelerator Introduction & Demonstration
Presenters: M. Saiful Huq, PhD, FAAPM, FInstP – Director of Medical Physics Division, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Ron Lalonde, PhD – Associate Director, Medical Physics Division and Chief Medical Physicist, UPMC Shadyside Min-Sig Hwang, PhD – Staff Medical Physicist, UPMC Shadyside Date: Monday, March 25, 2019 Time: 6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Dinner (sandwiches, salads; BYO) 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Presentation and Q&A Location: Mary Hillman Jennings Radiation Oncology Center at UPMC Shadyside 5230 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15237 Meeting point: Meet inside the Main entrance of UPMC Shadyside Hospital 5230 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15237 Parking: Aiken Avenue parking lot, 520 S Aiken Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15232 Registration: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/192719 Deadline: Register by March 22, 2019 Event Sponsor: Engineering In Medicine & Biology Society
Abstract: External Beam Radiation therapy usually refers to the use of a linear accelerator, or “linac”, that directs radiation to a tumor. The linac accelerates electrons to a high speed by subjecting them to a series of oscillating electric potentials, creating a high energy electron beam that can be used to generate high energy x-rays. The accelerator is mounted on a rotating gantry that allows the physician to customize the radiation delivery to each patient, to better treat the tumor while sparing the surrounding organs. Linear accelerator-based radiation therapy for cancer treatment began in the early 1950s and today there are many versions available each with various advantages and disadvantages.
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center is one of the largest integrated cancer center networks in the United States, with more than 60 locations in Pennsylvania and Ohio. It is also the region’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Care Center and is consistently ranked by US News & World Report for excellence in cancer care.
During this presentation, we will review the various types of linear accelerators, including the Varian Halcyon™ system, the most advanced radiation therapy system now available. The Halcyon™ has significantly decreased patient treatment time and delivers the treatment with pinpoint accuracy and precision.
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Product Design to Meet Standards: “Whose Job Is It?”
Guest Presenter: Mrs. Louann Melkodaj Date: March 26, 2019 Time: Dinner 6:30 PM, Presentation starts at 7:00 PM Location: Westinghouse Electric Company Headquarters, Cranberry Township, PA. Conference Room 176A in Building 1 Sponsors: EMC and PES/IAS Societies Attendance/Cost: Free to IEEE members and guests. RSVP: Required by Friday March 22, 2019. Please register online at the following link: https://meetings.vtools.ieee.org/m/188292
“Visitor Access Paperwork Needed for Westinghouse HQ IEEE Meeting Members and Guests, Please see below: New visitors to Westinghouse HQ will have to fill out escort access paperwork before access is granted to the Westinghouse HQ grounds. Please contact Dan Wilson ([email protected]) with your phone number and email address. Let Dan know that you need access paperwork and Dan will contact you with the access paperwork to fill out and bring with you to the meeting. Please be sure to bring a form of photo ID also”
If you would like to receive PDHs, please bring a copy of this announcement for verification of your attendance. A non-Member who would like to receive PDHs is required to pay $10 to IEEE Pittsburgh Section. A Member who would like to receive PDH is required to show membership ID.
Abstract: The objective of business is to provide products that meet customer needs. Defining requirements to meet those needs and satisfy markets are clearly important. Markets also have regulatory requirements to be met, and manufacturers need to assure that products continue to meet those requirements as they are mass-produced. This presentation discusses the need for product engineers to know regulatory standards and how to maintain compliance with those standards as the product is developed, manufactured, and marketed. Statistical tools and manufacturing limits are put to use to maintain standards compliance, and it requires a collaborative effort among designers, testers, and manufacturers.
Biography:Louann Melkodaj currently works for Shure Inc located in Niles, Illinois (just outside of Chicago) as a Project Digital Wireless Engineer and holds 2 US Patents and several foreign patents. She received a BSEE and MSEE from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2005 and 2010 respectively, and has been a RF engineer for 12+ years in the wireless and electromagnetic industry. Louann has been an IEEE member for over 10 years, and active within the IEEE EMC Chicago Chapter during those years with promoting the local Chapter and educational activities at the local level. Most recently she was elected to be the 2018 IEEE EMC Young Professional representative for the EMC Society.
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Directions to Westinghouse Headquarters Cranberry Woods Directions from the South: Take 79 North to the route 228 east exit. Stay in right lane and drive by Marriott Hotel (on right). Turn right into Cranberry Woods facility and stay in left lane. Make first left into Westinghouse Headquarters and drive straight through roundabout. Park in visitors parking places that are located on either side of the entry road.
Directions from the East: Take the PA Turnpike (I-76) West following signs for Ohio / I-76 W. Take Exit 28 and follow I-79 N toward Erie. Stay in the entrance lane (right lane) and immediately take Exit 78, PA- 228 Cranberry/Mars. Turn right onto PA-228 E toward Mars. Turn right onto Cranberry Woods Drive. Take immediate left at Westinghouse sign and drive straight through roundabout. Park in visitors parking places that are located on either side of the entry road.
Advanced signal processing and AI for biomedical wearable sensing
Presenter: Brian Telfer, PhD Date: Tuesday, April 9, 2019 Time: 6:30 PM – 7:00 PM Dinner 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM Presentation and Q&A Location: Benedum Hall Parking: Soldiers & Sailors Hall Room 102 4101 Fifth Ave. University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA 15260 3700 O’Hara St. Pittsburgh, PA 15261 Registration: https://meetings.vtools.ieee.org/m/191372 Deadline: Register by April 5, 2019 Event Sponsor: Engineering In Medicine & Biology Society
Summary: Wearable sensing for consumers has become ubiquitous. However, these sensors do not meet the needs of workers in extreme environments, including firefighters and other first responders, astronauts, pilots, divers, and military service members. These groups need devices to stay safe and maximize human performance while carrying heavy loads, wearing protective clothing, and operating in extremes of temperature at prolonged, high workloads. Since these users are already physically overburdened, it is critical that devices be “wear and forget” with low size, weight and power. Extracting useful information from wearable sensing in these environments poses challenges beyond those experienced in clinical and laboratory settings: motion artifacts can be severe and must be mitigated, sensor data are often more limited in order to preserve battery life, and computing power is limited for real-time implementation.
Wearable monitoring systems are being prototyped to detect early degradation due to a variety of biomedical conditions. Several of these applications will be highlighted, as well as motion artifact mitigation: A motion artifact mitigation algorithm based on time-frequency analysis of optical sensors and accelerometry has improved the accuracy of ambulatory heart rate measurements, compared to a state-of-the-art device.
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A machine-learning model has been developed to provide early warning of viral or bacterial infection from ECG and other raw waveform vital sign data measured from an animal model. Mean early warning of 46 hours, prior to onset of fever, has been demonstrated. For gait monitoring, an algorithm based on eigenspectral analysis of raw accelerometry has been shown to track well with increasing asymmetry along with gait and neuromotor incoordination. For early detection and tracking of neurocognitive conditions, markers of vocal and facial neuromotor coordination have been applied to several neurocognitive conditions and disorders, resulting in top-scores in international competitions.
Bio: Brian A. Telfer is a Senior Staff Member in the Bioengineering Systems and Technologies Group at MIT Lincoln Laboratory. He received a BS in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Tech and an MS and PhD in electrical engineering from Carnegie Mellon. After working at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, where he was funded with an Office of Naval Research Young Scientist Award, he joined Lincoln Laboratory in 1995. His contributions have been in the areas of signal processing, machine learning, artificial intelligence and systems analysis, initially for ballistic missile defense and for the past seven years for bioengineering, particularly for physiological status monitoring. The focus of this work has been on prototyping and technology transition, with successful transitions leading to government contracts to industry for several hundred million dollars, as well as for smaller industrial contracts that have resulted in several hundred (and growing) physiological monitoring units. Dr. Telfer has organized body sensor network workshops and has served as Technical Program Co-Chair for the International Body Sensor Networks Conference in 2013 and 2015. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) and a member of the IEEE Technical Committee on Wearable Devices. He has been a member of several MIT Lincoln Laboratory internal funding selection boards, as well as technical lead for MIT LL’s Introduction to Radar Systems course and other radar courses. He has led several studies for senior leaders in the U.S. Government and has co- authored over 70 publications.
2018 IEEE Pittsburgh Section Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Award -- Call for Nominations
Dear members at large, we are seeking nominations for the 2018 IEEE Pittsburgh Section Outstanding Volunteer of the year award. This award seeks to honor an IEEE member or members who have demonstrated exemplary levels of dedication and service to IEEE in general and the Pittsburgh Section in particular over the 2018 calendar year. In order to qualify, the recipient must be an active IEEE member or student member volunteer that has contributed to IEEE in a demonstrable way. To nominate someone, please submit their name, IEEE number and a brief summary (250 words or less) highlighting
IEEE Pittsburgh Section Bulletin March 2019, Volume 68 No. 3 Page 6 of 10 their service and contributions in 2018. Nominations may be submitted via email to: [email protected]. The cutoff date for nominations has been extended -- March 31, 2019. All nominations will be reviewed by the awards committee, and the recipient will be honored at the 2019 IEEE Pittsburgh Section's annual history and awards dinner which will be held next Spring (details to follow). The 2018 awards committee is: Jim Beck (chair), Joe Kalasky and Joe Cioletti.
2019 PES Chapter Outstanding Engineer Award
The IEEE Power & Energy Society Chapter of the Pittsburgh Section is seeking nominations from the local PES members for the 2019 PES Chapter Outstanding Engineer Award. The Outstanding Engineer Award is designed to recognize members of the Pittsburgh PES Chapter who have made outstanding contributions to their profession through their technical abilities and service to IEEE. The nominees will be judged mainly on the basis of their activities during the past two calendar years (2017 and 2018). Please nominate yourself or someone else by providing the following information:
Name/IEEE Grade/IEEE Membership Number Professional Affiliations Description of technical contributions Service to IEEE Patents/proprietary designs/papers/technical presentations Service to the engineering profession outside IEEE Recognition through other honors
Nominations should be submitted to the Chapter Award Committee (Immediate Past Chair Dave Vaglia ([email protected]) no later than February 28, 2019. The decision of the Award Committee is final. The winner will be recognized at the Pittsburgh Section’s History
Health Care Options For Consulting Engineers
One of the largest operating costs for Consulting Engineers is health care costs for themselves and their dependents. In fact, we know of a number of Consulting Engineers that have taken jobs in industry to escape the costs of health care. The Consultants Network has located an independent person in the health care industry that is preparing a presentation on that subject for us. The speaker’s name is Aaron Zoldrod and he is President and a Licensed Agent of The Health Insurance Store.
Current plans are for a meeting at 7:00PM on April 11th to address that topic. The meeting will be held at the Sewickley Public Library. The address is 500 Thorn Street, Sewickley, PA 15143. There is a parking lot at the rear of the library and parking on the streets of Sewickley is free after 6:00PM. This is a joint meeting with the IEEE Life Members group. For more information: email George Crawford at [email protected].
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IEEE Pittsburgh Section Annual History and Awards Dinner
Date: Friday, May 10, 2019 Time: 5:30 PM: Arrival 6:00 PM: Dinner 6:45 PM: Keynote speech and Q&A 8:00 PM: Awards Presentations Speaker: Louise Sturgess, Executive Director, Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation Place: BRAVO! Cucina Italiana 20001 Route 19, Cranberry Township, PA 16066 Phone: (724) 772-8150 Cost: $30 per member; $50 member plus guest (Cash Bar is available) Organizer: IEEE Pittsburgh Section. RSVP: Required by May 1st, 2019. Register at: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/194070. Please pay by credit card online, or send your check, payable to “IEEE Pittsburgh Section,” to Philip Cox, 343 Partridge Run Rd., Gibsonia, PA 15044. Please provide the name of your guest, if any. For any question, please write to Phil at [email protected].
Title: Pittsburgh: Quirks and All
This PowerPoint presentation reveals the quirks of fate and quirky physical characteristics that have made—and make—Pittsburgh the unique city that it is. A brief historical introduction about “getting here” is followed by a brief section on “getting around.” Then, the presentation focuses on quirky places in Downtown Pittsburgh and in several city neighborhoods. After a few quick references to our four seasons and weather, the presentation ends with a nod to the continuing significance of steel (and the Steelers) to this region, and finishes with the “pop” and point of Pittsburgh.
A fifth-‐generation Pittsburgher and graduate of Bucknell University (English/Economics), Louise Sturgess has worked for the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation (PHLF) since 1981. As executive director, she is primarily responsible for PHLF’s educational programs, serving more than 12,000 people each year. On any given day, Louise is a fundraiser, editor, program organizer, lecturer, or tour guide. Through her work Louise promotes the value of historic preservation and reveals the national importance of Pittsburgh’s history and architecture. The History Channel, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Pennsylvania Council for the Social Studies, Preservation Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission, and Pittsburgh City Council are among those who have recognized PHLF for its innovative education programs.
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Covestro Pittsburgh Regional Science and Engineering Fair 2019 – Call for Judges
Once again, volunteers are needed to represent the IEEE Pittsburgh Section as Judges at the 2019 Covestro Pittsburgh Regional Science and Engineering Fair (PSREF) on Friday, March 29, 2019 at Heinz Field. The Covestro PRSEF will celebrate its 80th year of open competition of research projects in the fields of science, mathematics, and engineering. The goal of the Science Fair coincides with one of the missions of the IEEE, that is to foster an interest in the engineering profession.
IEEE Judges Michael Driver and Judith Speck IEEE Judges Jimmy Chen and Ed Joyce with a with a 2018 IEEE Sponsor Award Winner 2018 IEEE Sponsor Award Winner
IEEE Judges Jimmy Chen and Ed Joyce with a IEEE Judges Tom Dionise and Dan Parks with a 2018 IEEE Sponsor Award Winner 2018 IEEE Sponsor Award Winner
As in past years, the half-day event begins with lunch at noon, followed by judging of Junior, Intermediate and Senior Division projects, and concludes with presentation of four IEEE sponsor awards at approximately 4 PM. To volunteer to be an IEEE judge for Covestro PRSEF, just email [email protected], and you will be given information on registration and included in future mailings.
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2019 Calendar – Meetings of IEEE Pittsburgh Section Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July August Sept Oct Nov Dec Executive 17 Galleria 21 Panera 21 Panera 18 Panera 16 Panera 20 Panera 18 Panera 15 Panera 19 Panera 17 WVU 21 Panera 19 TBD Committee Mt. Lebanon Robinson McCandless Galleria/Mt. Robinson Penn Galleria/Mt. Robinson Wexford TBD Robinson (AdCom) Lebanon Center Lebanon Section 10 History Dinner Communic ations Computer EMBS 25 Linear 9 Sig. Proc. & Accel. AI EMCS 26 Product Design Power 24 BPS Electronics PES/IAS 24 BPS 26 Product Design Magnetics Robotics Sig. Processing CPMT/ED 27 Foam Social Impl Technology Upper Mon 11 Control & Opt. Women in Eng’ing Young Pros Life Members PACE Student Act * Meeting was not announced in the Bulletin
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