PyzoFlex: a printed piezoelectric pressure sensing foil for human machine interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zirkl, M.; Scheipl, G.; Stadlober, B.; Rendl, C.; Greindl, P.; Haller, M.; Hartmann, P.

2013-09-01

Ferroelectric material supports both pyro- and piezoelectric effects that can be used for sensing pressures on large, bended surfaces. We present PyzoFlex, a pressure-sensing input device that is based on a ferroelectric material (PVDF:TrFE). It is constructed by a sandwich structure of four layers that can easily be printed on any substrate. The PyzoFlex foil is sensitive to pressure- and temperature changes, bendable, energy-efficient, and it can easily be produced by a screen-printing routine. Even a hovering input-mode is feasible due to its pyroelectric effect. In this paper, we introduce this novel, fully printed input technology and discuss its benefits and limitations.

High temperature fiber optic microphone having a pressure-sensing reflective membrane under tensile stress

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zuckerwar, Allan J. (Inventor); Cuomo, Frank W. (Inventor); Robbins, William E. (Inventor); Hopson, Purnell, Jr. (Inventor)

1992-01-01

A fiber optic microphone is provided for measuring fluctuating pressures. An optical fiber probe having at least one transmitting fiber for transmitting light to a pressure-sensing membrane and at least one receiving fiber for receiving light reflected from a stretched membrane is provided. The pressure-sensing membrane may be stretched for high frequency response. Further, a reflecting surface of the pressure-sensing membrane may have dimensions which substantially correspond to dimensions of a cross section of the optical fiber probe. Further, the fiber optic microphone can be made of materials for use in high temperature environments, for example greater than 1000 F. A fiber optic probe is also provided with a backplate for damping membrane motion. The backplate further provides a means for on-line calibration of the microphone.

Soft, Transparent, Electronic Skin for Distributed and Multiple Pressure Sensing

PubMed Central

Levi, Alessandro; Piovanelli, Matteo; Furlan, Silvano; Mazzolai, Barbara; Beccai, Lucia

2013-01-01

In this paper we present a new optical, flexible pressure sensor that can be applied as smart skin to a robot or to consumer electronic devices. We describe a mechano-optical transduction principle that can allow the encoding of information related to an externally applied mechanical stimulus, e.g., contact, pressure and shape of contact. The physical embodiment that we present in this work is an electronic skin consisting of eight infrared emitters and eight photo-detectors coupled together and embedded in a planar PDMS waveguide of 5.5 cm diameter. When a contact occurs on the sensing area, the optical signals reaching the peripheral detectors experience a loss because of the Frustrated Total Internal Reflection and deformation of the material. The light signal is converted to electrical signal through an electronic system and a reconstruction algorithm running on a computer reconstructs the pressure map. Pilot experiments are performed to validate the tactile sensing principle by applying external pressures up to 160 kPa. Moreover, the capabilities of the electronic skin to detect contact pressure at multiple subsequent positions, as well as its function on curved surfaces, are validated. A weight sensitivity of 0.193 gr−1 was recorded, thus making the electronic skin suitable to detect pressures in the order of few grams. PMID:23686140

Social Factors in Aesthetics: Social Conformity Pressure and a Sense of Being Watched Affect Aesthetic Judgments

PubMed Central

Carbon, Claus-Christian; Hecht, Heiko

2017-01-01

The present study is a first attempt to experimentally test the impact of two specific social factors, namely social conformity pressure and a sense of being watched, on participants’ judgments of the artistic quality of aesthetic objects. We manipulated conformity pressure with a test form in which a photograph of each stimulus was presented together with unanimously low (downward pressure) or high quality ratings (upward pressure) of three would-be previous raters. Participants’ sense of being watched was manipulated by testing each of them in two settings, one of which contained an eyespots stimulus. Both social factors significantly affected the participants’ judgments—unexpectedly, however, with conformity pressure only working in the downward direction and eyespots leading to an overall downward shift in participants’ judgments. Our findings indicate the relevance of including explicit and implicit social factors in aesthetics research, thus also reminding us of the limitations of overly reductionist approaches to investigating aesthetic perception and experience. PMID:29201336

Social Factors in Aesthetics: Social Conformity Pressure and a Sense of Being Watched Affect Aesthetic Judgments.

PubMed

Hesslinger, Vera M; Carbon, Claus-Christian; Hecht, Heiko

2017-01-01

The present study is a first attempt to experimentally test the impact of two specific social factors, namely social conformity pressure and a sense of being watched, on participants' judgments of the artistic quality of aesthetic objects. We manipulated conformity pressure with a test form in which a photograph of each stimulus was presented together with unanimously low (downward pressure) or high quality ratings (upward pressure) of three would-be previous raters. Participants' sense of being watched was manipulated by testing each of them in two settings, one of which contained an eyespots stimulus. Both social factors significantly affected the participants' judgments-unexpectedly, however, with conformity pressure only working in the downward direction and eyespots leading to an overall downward shift in participants' judgments. Our findings indicate the relevance of including explicit and implicit social factors in aesthetics research, thus also reminding us of the limitations of overly reductionist approaches to investigating aesthetic perception and experience.

Design of pressure-sensing diaphragm for MEMS capacitance diaphragm gauge considering size effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Gang; Li, Detian; Cheng, Yongjun; Sun, Wenjun; Han, Xiaodong; Wang, Chengxiang

2018-03-01

MEMS capacitance diaphragm gauge with a full range of (1˜1000) Pa is considered for its wide application prospect. The design of pressure-sensing diaphragm is the key to achieve balanced performance for this kind of gauges. The optimization process of the pressure-sensing diaphragm with island design of a capacitance diaphragm gauge based on MEMS technique has been reported in this work. For micro-components in micro scale range, mechanical properties are very different from that in the macro scale range, so the size effect should not be ignored. The modified strain gradient elasticity theory considering size effect has been applied to determine the bending rigidity of the pressure-sensing diaphragm, which is then used in the numerical model to calculate the deflection-pressure relation of the diaphragm. According to the deflection curves, capacitance variation can be determined by integrating over the radius of the diaphragm. At last, the design of the diaphragm has been optimized based on three parameters: sensitivity, linearity and ground capacitance. With this design, a full range of (1˜1000) Pa can be achieved, meanwhile, balanced sensitivity, resolution and linearity can be kept.

Pressure-sensing performance of upright cylinders in a Mach 10 boundary-layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Steven; Murphy, Kelly

1994-01-01

An experimental research program to provide basic knowledge of the pressure-sensing performance of upright, flushported cylinders in a hypersonic boundary layer is described. Three upright cylinders of 0.25-, 0.5- and l.0-in. diameters and a conventional rake were placed in the test section sidewall boundary layer of the 31 Inch Mach 10 Wind Tunnel at NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. Boundary-layer pressures from these cylinders were compared to those measured with a conventional rake. A boundary-layer thickness-to-cylinder-diameter ratio of 8 proved sufficient to accurately measure an overall pressure profile and ascertain the boundary-layer thickness. Effects of Reynolds number, flow angularity, and shock wave impingement on pressure measurement were also investigated. Although Reynolds number effects were negligible at the conditions studied, flow angularity above 10 deg significantly affects the measured pressures. Shock wave impingement was used to investigate orifice-to-orifice pressure crosstalk. No crosstalk was measured. The lower pressure measured above the oblique shock wave impingement showed no influence of the higher pressure generated at the lower port locations.

Fiber optic microphone having a pressure sensing reflective membrane and a voltage source for calibration purpose

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zuckerwar, Allan J. (Inventor); Cuomo, Frank W. (Inventor); Robbins, William E. (Inventor)

1993-01-01

A fiber optic microphone is provided for measuring fluctuating pressures. An optical fiber probe having at least one transmitting fiber for transmitting light to a pressure-sensing membrane and at least one receiving fiber for receiving light reflected from a stretched membrane is provided. The pressure-sensing membrane may be stretched for high frequency response. Further, a reflecting surface of the pressure-sensing membrane may have dimensions which substantially correspond to dimensions of a cross section of the optical fiber probe. Further, the fiber optic microphone can be made of materials for use in high temperature environments, for example greater than 1000 F. A fiber optic probe is also provided with a back plate for damping membrane motion. The back plate further provides a means for on-line calibration of the microphone.

Ultrasoft Electronics for Hyperelastic Strain, Pressure, and Direct Curvature Sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majidi, Carmel; Kramer, Rebecca; Wood, Robert

2011-03-01

Progress in soft robotics, wearable computing, and programmable matter demands a new class of ultrasoft electronics for tactile control, contact detection, and deformation mapping. This next generation of sensors will remain electrically functional under extreme deformation without influencing the natural mechanics of the host system. Ultrasoft strain and pressure sensing has previously been demonstrated with elastomer sheets (eg. PDMS, silicone rubber) embedded with microchannels of conductive liquid (mercury, eGaIn). Building on these efforts, we introduce a novel method for direct curvature sensing that registers the location and intensity of surface curvature. An elastomer sheet is embedded with micropatterned cavities and microchannels of conductive liquid. Bending the elastomer or placing it on a curved surface leads to a change in channel cross-section and a corresponding change in its electrical resistance. In contrast to conventional methods of curvature sensing, this approach does not depend on semi-rigid components or differential strain measurement. Direct curvature sensing completes the portfolio of sensing elements required to completely map hyperelastic deformation for future soft robotics and computing. NSF MRSEC DMR-0820484.

Tuning the sensing range of silicon pressure sensor by trench etching technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chou, Yu-Tuan; Lin, Hung-Yi; Hu, Hsin-Hua

2006-01-01

The silicon pressure sensor has been developed for over thirty years and widely used in automobiles, medical instruments, commercial electronics, etc. There are many different specifications of silicon pressure sensors that cover a very large sensing range, from less than 1 psi to as high as 1000 psi. The key elements of the silicon pressure sensor are a square membrane and the piezoresistive strain gages near the boundary of the membrane. The dimensions of the membrane determine the full sensing range and the sensitivity of the silicon sensor, including thickness and in-plane length. Unfortunately, in order to change the sensing range, the manufacturers need to order a customized epi wafer to get the desired thickness. All masks (usually six) have to be re-laid and re-fabricated for different membrane sizes. The existing technology requires at least three months to deliver the prototype for specific customer requests or the new application market. This research proposes a new approach to dramatically reduce the prototyping time from three months to one week. The concept is to tune the rigidity of the sensing membrane by modifying the boundary conditions without changing the plenary size. An extra mask is utilized to define the geometry and location of deep-RIE trenches and all other masks remain the same. Membranes with different depths and different patterns of trenches are designed for different full sensing ranges. The simulation results show that for a 17um thick and 750um wide membrane, the adjustable range by tuning trench depth is about 45% (from 5um to 10um), and can go to as high as 100% by tuning both the pattern and depth of the trenches. Based on an actual test in a product fabrication line, we verified that the total delivery time can be minimized to one week to make the prototyping very effective and cost-efficient.

Optimizing a remote sensing instrument to measure atmospheric surface pressure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peckham, G. E.; Gatley, C.; Flower, D. A.

1983-01-01

Atmospheric surface pressure can be remotely sensed from a satellite by an active instrument which measures return echoes from the ocean at frequencies near the 60 GHz oxygen absorption band. The instrument is optimized by selecting its frequencies of operation, transmitter powers and antenna size through a new procedure baesd on numerical simulation which maximizes the retrieval accuracy. The predicted standard deviation error in the retrieved surface pressure is 1 mb. In addition the measurements can be used to retrieve water vapor, cloud liquid water and sea state, which is related to wind speed.

High Pressure Sensing and Dynamics Using High Speed Fiber Bragg Grating Interrogation Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rodriguez, G.; Sandberg, R. L.; Lalone, B. M.

2014-06-01

Fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) are developing into useful sensing tools for measuring high pressure dynamics in extreme environments under shock loading conditions. Approaches using traditional diode array coupled FBG interrogation systems are often limited to readout speeds in the sub-MHz range. For shock wave physics, required detection speeds approaching 100 MHz are desired. We explore the use of two types of FBG sensing systems that are aimed at applying this technology as embedded high pressure probes for transient shock events. Both approaches measure time resolved spectral shifts in the return light from short (few mm long) uniform FBGs at 1550more » nm. In the first approach, we use a fiber coupled spectrometer to demultiplex spectral channels into an array (up to 12) of single element InGaAs photoreceivers. By monitoring the detectors during a shock impact event with high speed recording, we are able to track the pressure induced spectral shifting in FBG down to a time resolution of 20 ns. In the second approach, developed at the Special Technologies Lab, a coherent mode-locked fiber laser is used to illuminate the FBG sensor. After the sensor, wavelength-to-time mapping is accomplished with a chromatic dispersive element, and entire spectra are sampled using a single detector at the modelocked laser repetition rate of 50 MHz. By sampling with a 12 GHz InGaAs detector, direct wavelength mapping in time is recorded, and the pressure induced FBG spectral shift is sampled at 50 MHz. Here, the sensing systems are used to monitor the spectral shifts of FBGs that are immersed into liquid water and shock compressed using explosives. In this configuration, the gratings survive to pressures approaching 50 kbar. We describe both approaches and present the measured spectral shifts from the shock experiments.« less

Antiresonant reflecting guidance mechanism in hollow-core fiber for gas pressure sensing.

PubMed

Hou, Maoxiang; Zhu, Feng; Wang, Ying; Wang, Yiping; Liao, Changrui; Liu, Shen; Lu, Peixiang

2016-11-28

A gas pressure sensor based on an antiresonant reflecting guidance mechanism in a hollow-core fiber (HCF) with an open microchannel is experimentally demonstrated for gas pressure sensing. The microchannel was created on the ring cladding of the HCF by femtosecond laser drilling to provide an air-core pressure equivalent to the external environment. The HCF cladding functions as an antiresonant reflecting waveguide, which induces sharp periodic lossy dips in the transmission spectrum. The proposed sensor exhibits a high pressure sensitivity of 3.592 nm/MPa and a low temperature cross-sensitivity of 7.5 kPa/°C. Theoretical analysis indicates that the observed high gas pressure sensitivity originates from the pressure induced refractive index change of the air in the hollow-core. The good operation durability and fabrication simplicity make the device an attractive candidate for reliable and highly sensitive gas pressure measurement in harsh environments.

MEMS Fabry-Perot sensor interrogated by optical system-on-a-chip for simultaneous pressure and temperature sensing.

PubMed

Pang, Cheng; Bae, Hyungdae; Gupta, Ashwani; Bryden, Kenneth; Yu, Miao

2013-09-23

We present a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) based Fabry-Perot (FP) sensor along with an optical system-on-a-chip (SOC) interrogator for simultaneous pressure and temperature sensing. The sensor employs a simple structure with an air-backed silicon membrane cross-axially bonded to a 45° polished optical fiber. This structure renders two cascaded FP cavities, enabling simultaneous pressure and temperature sensing in close proximity along the optical axis. The optical SOC consists of a broadband source, a MEMS FP tunable filter, a photodetector, and the supporting circuitry, serving as a miniature spectrometer for retrieving the two FP cavity lengths. Within the measured pressure and temperature ranges, experimental results demonstrate that the sensor exhibits a good linear response to external pressure and temperature changes.

The immediate effects of lidocaine iontophoresis using interferential current on pressure sense threshold and tactile sensation.

PubMed

Yoosefinejad, Amin Kordi; Motealleh, Alireza; Abbasnia, Keramatollah

2016-01-01

Iontophoresis is the noninvasive delivery of ions using direct current. The direct current has some disadvantages such as skin burning. Interferential current is a kind of alternating current without limitations of direct current; so the purpose of this study is to investigate and compare the effects of lidocaine, interferential current and lidocaine iontophoresis using interferential current. 30 healthy women aged 20-24 years participated in this randomized clinical trial study. Pressure, tactile and pain thresholds were evaluated before and after the application of treatment methods. Pressure, tactile and pain sensitivity increased significantly after the application of lidocaine alone (p < 0.005) and lidocaine iontophoresis using interferential current (p < 0.0001). Lidocaine iontophoresis using interferential current can increase perception threshold of pain, tactile stimulus and pressure sense more significantly than lidocaine and interferential current alone.

Pressure sensing of Fabry-Perot interferometer with a microchannel demodulated by a FBG

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Yongqin; Chen, Xue; Huang, Quandong; Du, Chenlin; Ruan, Shuangchen

2015-07-01

A novel and compact fiber-probe pressure sensor was demonstrated based on micro Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI). The device was fabricated by splicing both ends of a short section simplified hollow-core photonic crystal fiber (SHCPCF) with single mode fibers (SMFs), and then a micro channel was drilled by femtosecond laser micromachining in the SHC-PCF to significantly enhance the pressure sensitivity. The pressure sensing characteristics based on micro-FPI have been investigated by measuring the signals through the demodulation of phase since the external signal imposing on the interferometer will induce the phase change of interference signal. Then a FBG was cascaded to demodulate the signal. A micro FPI demonstrates a maximum pressure sensitivity of 32 dB/MPa, while a low temperature cross-sensitivity of 0.27 KPa/°C. Hence it may have potential for pressure applications in harsh environment.

Randomized crossover trial of a pressure sensing visual feedback system to improve mask fitting in noninvasive ventilation.

PubMed

Brill, Anne-Kathrin; Moghal, Mohammad; Morrell, Mary J; Simonds, Anita K

2017-10-01

A good mask fit, avoiding air leaks and pressure effects on the skin are key elements for a successful noninvasive ventilation (NIV). However, delivering practical training for NIV is challenging, and it takes time to build experience and competency. This study investigated whether a pressure sensing system with real-time visual feedback improved mask fitting. During an NIV training session, 30 healthcare professionals (14 trained in mask fitting and 16 untrained) performed two mask fittings on the same healthy volunteer in a randomized order: one using standard mask-fitting procedures and one with additional visual feedback on mask pressure on the nasal bridge. Participants were required to achieve a mask fit with low mask pressure and minimal air leak (<10 L/min). Pressure exerted on the nasal bridge, perceived comfort of mask fit and staff- confidence were measured. Compared with standard mask fitting, a lower pressure was exerted on the nasal bridge using the feedback system (71.1 ± 17.6 mm Hg vs 63.2 ± 14.6 mm Hg, P < 0.001). Both untrained and trained healthcare professionals were able to reduce the pressure on the nasal bridge (74.5 ± 21.2 mm Hg vs 66.1 ± 17.4 mm Hg, P = 0.023 and 67 ± 12.1 mm Hg vs 60 ± 10.6 mm Hg, P = 0.002, respectively) using the feedback system and self-rated confidence increased in the untrained group. Real-time visual feedback using pressure sensing technology supported healthcare professionals during mask-fitting training, resulted in a lower pressure on the skin and better mask fit for the volunteer, with increased staff confidence. © 2017 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.

Fabrication and performance of pressure-sensing device consisting of electret film and organic semiconductor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kodzasa, Takehito; Nobeshima, Daiki; Kuribara, Kazunori; Uemura, Sei; Yoshida, Manabu

2017-04-01

We propose a new concept of a pressure-sensitive device that consists of an organic electret film and an organic semiconductor. This device exhibits high sensitivity and selectivity against various types of pressure. The sensing mechanism of this device originates from a modulation of the electric conductivity of the organic semiconductor film induced by the interaction between the semiconductor film and the charged electret film placed face to face. It is expected that a complicated sensor array will be fabricated by using a roll-to-roll manufacturing system, because this device can be prepared by an all-printing and simple lamination process without high-level positional adjustment for printing processes. This also shows that this device with a simple structure is suitable for application to a highly flexible device array sheet for an Internet of Things (IoT) or wearable sensing system.

Use of remotely sensed data to evaluate the relationship between living environment and blood pressure.

PubMed

Estes, Maurice G; Al-Hamdan, Mohammad Z; Crosson, William; Estes, Sue M; Quattrochi, Dale; Kent, Shia; McClure, Leslie Ain

2009-12-01

Urbanization has been correlated with hypertension (HTN) in developing countries undergoing rapid economic and environmental transitions. We examined the relationships among living environment (urban, suburban, and rural), day/night land surface temperatures (LST), and blood pressure in selected regions from the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) cohort. Also, the linking of data on blood pressure from REGARDS with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) science data is relevant to NASA's strategic goals and missions, particularly as a primary focus of the agency's Applied Sciences Program. REGARDS is a national cohort of 30,228 people from the 48 contiguous United States with self-reported and measured blood pressure levels. Four metropolitan regions (Philadelphia, PA; Atlanta, GA; Minneapolis, MN; and Chicago, IL) with varying geographic and health characteristics were selected for study. Satellite remotely sensed data were used to characterize the LST and land cover/land use (LCLU) environment for each area. We developed a method for characterizing participants as living in urban, suburban, or rural living environments, using the LCLU data. These data were compiled on a 1-km grid for each region and linked with the REGARDS data via an algorithm using geocoding information. REGARDS participants in urban areas have higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure than do those in suburban or rural areas, and also a higher incidence of HTN. In univariate models, living environment is associated with HTN, but after adjustment for known HTN risk factors, the relationship was no longer present. Further study regarding the relationship between HTN and living environment should focus on additional environmental characteristics, such as air pollution. The living environment classification method using remotely sensed data has the potential to facilitate additional research linking environmental variables to public health concerns.

Use of Remotely Sensed Data to Evaluate the Relationship between Living Environment and Blood Pressure

PubMed Central

Estes, Maurice G.; Al-Hamdan, Mohammad Z.; Crosson, William; Estes, Sue M.; Quattrochi, Dale; Kent, Shia; McClure, Leslie Ain

2009-01-01

Background Urbanization has been correlated with hypertension (HTN) in developing countries undergoing rapid economic and environmental transitions. Objectives We examined the relationships among living environment (urban, suburban, and rural), day/night land surface temperatures (LST), and blood pressure in selected regions from the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) cohort. Also, the linking of data on blood pressure from REGARDS with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) science data is relevant to NASA’s strategic goals and missions, particularly as a primary focus of the agency’s Applied Sciences Program. Methods REGARDS is a national cohort of 30,228 people from the 48 contiguous United States with self-reported and measured blood pressure levels. Four metropolitan regions (Philadelphia, PA; Atlanta, GA; Minneapolis, MN; and Chicago, IL) with varying geographic and health characteristics were selected for study. Satellite remotely sensed data were used to characterize the LST and land cover/land use (LCLU) environment for each area. We developed a method for characterizing participants as living in urban, suburban, or rural living environments, using the LCLU data. These data were compiled on a 1-km grid for each region and linked with the REGARDS data via an algorithm using geocoding information. Results REGARDS participants in urban areas have higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure than do those in suburban or rural areas, and also a higher incidence of HTN. In univariate models, living environment is associated with HTN, but after adjustment for known HTN risk factors, the relationship was no longer present. Conclusion Further study regarding the relationship between HTN and living environment should focus on additional environmental characteristics, such as air pollution. The living environment classification method using remotely sensed data has the potential to facilitate additional research

A study on gaseous extinguishing agent sensing with a simple measurement method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guan, Yu; Lu, Song; Yuan, Wei; Qian, Hanjie

2018-03-01

As research on the concentration distribution for evaluating the effectiveness of a gas fire extinguisher system is quite important, the proper sensing technology is necessary. Here, a simple method used for measuring the concentration of agent is introduced, and the manufacture of the sensing part is described clearly. The sensing unit is composed of a pressure reducing structure and pressure sensor element. The detection was achieved by sensing the change of pressure difference caused by gas flow. In order to verify the theory and characterize the sensing performance, two types of fire extinguishing agents, bromotrifluoromethane (CBrF3) and heptafluoropropane (C3HF7), were used in the experiments. The results showed a high sensitivity from 0 to 100%, good repeatability and fast response/recovery time. Furthermore, the effect of operating temperature, humidity and geometric structure on the response were investigated. Measurements showed, for CBrF3, that the temperature had a linear impact on the response and the influence of humidity in the sensor was negligible. Through the analysis of the geometry parameter, it was found that the sensing performance could be greatly improved through adjusting the geometry structure. This technique provides a low-cost and highly reliable sensor for the detection of gaseous extinguishing agent that can be easily fabricated.

PRESSURE SENSING DEVICE

DOEpatents

Pope, K.E.

1959-12-15

This device is primarily useful as a switch which is selectively operable to actuate in response to either absolute or differential predetermined pressures. The device generally comprises a pressure-tight housing divided by a movable impermeable diaphragm into two chambers, a reference pressure chamber and a bulb chamber containing the switching means and otherwise filled with an incompressible non-conducting fluid. The switch means comprises a normally collapsed bulb having an electrically conductive outer surface and a vent tube leading to the housing exterior. The normally collapsed bulb is disposed such that upon its inflation, respensive to air inflow from the vent, two contacts fixed within the bulb chamber are adapted to be electrically shorted by the conducting outer surface of the bulb.

An Insertable Passive LC Pressure Sensor Based on an Alumina Ceramic for In Situ Pressure Sensing in High-Temperature Environments.

PubMed

Xiong, Jijun; Li, Chen; Jia, Pinggang; Chen, Xiaoyong; Zhang, Wendong; Liu, Jun; Xue, Chenyang; Tan, Qiulin

2015-08-31

Pressure measurements in high-temperature applications, including compressors, turbines, and others, have become increasingly critical. This paper proposes an implantable passive LC pressure sensor based on an alumina ceramic material for in situ pressure sensing in high-temperature environments. The inductance and capacitance elements of the sensor were designed independently and separated by a thermally insulating material, which is conducive to reducing the influence of the temperature on the inductance element and improving the quality factor of the sensor. In addition, the sensor was fabricated using thick film integrated technology from high-temperature materials that ensure stable operation of the sensor in high-temperature environments. Experimental results showed that the sensor accurately monitored pressures from 0 bar to 2 bar at temperatures up to 800 °C. The sensitivity, linearity, repeatability error, and hysteretic error of the sensor were 0.225 MHz/bar, 95.3%, 5.5%, and 6.2%, respectively.

High Sensitivity, Wearable, Piezoresistive Pressure Sensors Based on Irregular Microhump Structures and Its Applications in Body Motion Sensing.

PubMed

Wang, Zongrong; Wang, Shan; Zeng, Jifang; Ren, Xiaochen; Chee, Adrian J Y; Yiu, Billy Y S; Chung, Wai Choi; Yang, Yong; Yu, Alfred C H; Roberts, Robert C; Tsang, Anderson C O; Chow, Kwok Wing; Chan, Paddy K L

2016-07-01

A pressure sensor based on irregular microhump patterns has been proposed and developed. The devices show high sensitivity and broad operating pressure regime while comparing with regular micropattern devices. Finite element analysis (FEA) is utilized to confirm the sensing mechanism and predict the performance of the pressure sensor based on the microhump structures. Silicon carbide sandpaper is employed as the mold to develop polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microhump patterns with various sizes. The active layer of the piezoresistive pressure sensor is developed by spin coating PSS on top of the patterned PDMS. The devices show an averaged sensitivity as high as 851 kPa(-1) , broad operating pressure range (20 kPa), low operating power (100 nW), and fast response speed (6.7 kHz). Owing to their flexible properties, the devices are applied to human body motion sensing and radial artery pulse. These flexible high sensitivity devices show great potential in the next generation of smart sensors for robotics, real-time health monitoring, and biomedical applications. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Coherent pulse interrogation system for fiber Bragg grating sensing of strain and pressure in dynamic extremes of materials.

PubMed

Rodriguez, George; Jaime, Marcelo; Balakirev, Fedor; Mielke, Chuck H; Azad, Abul; Marshall, Bruce; La Lone, Brandon M; Henson, Bryan; Smilowitz, Laura

2015-06-01

A 100 MHz fiber Bragg grating (FBG) interrogation system is described and applied to strain and pressure sensing. The approach relies on coherent pulse illumination of the FBG sensor with a broadband short pulse from a femtosecond modelocked erbium fiber laser. After interrogation of the FBG sensor, a long multi-kilometer run of single mode fiber is used for chromatic dispersion to temporally stretch the spectral components of the reflected pulse from the FBG sensor. Dynamic strain or pressure induced spectral shifts in the FBG sensor are detected as a pulsed time domain waveform shift after encoding by the chromatic dispersive line. Signals are recorded using a single 35 GHz photodetector and a 50 G Samples per second, 25 GHz bandwidth, digitizing oscilloscope. Application of this approach to high-speed strain sensing in magnetic materials in pulsed magnetic fields to ~150 T is demonstrated. The FBG wavelength shifts are used to study magnetic field driven magnetostriction effects in LaCoO₃. A sub-microsecond temporal shift in the FBG sensor wavelength attached to the sample under first order phase change appears as a fractional length change (strain: ΔL/L<10^-4) in the material. A second application used FBG sensing of pressure dynamics to nearly 2 GPa in the thermal ignition of the high explosive PBX-9501 is also demonstrated. Both applications demonstrate the use of this FBG interrogation system in dynamical extreme conditions that would otherwise not be possible using traditional FBG interrogation approaches that are deemed too slow to resolve such events.

Coherent pulse interrogation system for fiber Bragg grating sensing of strain and pressure in dynamic extremes of materials

DOE PAGES

Rodriguez, George; Jaime, Marcelo; Balakirev, Fedor; ...

2015-05-21

A 100 MHz fiber Bragg grating (FBG) interrogation system is described and applied to strain and pressure sensing. The approach relies on coherent pulse illumination of the FBG sensor with a broadband short pulse from a femtosecond modelocked erbium fiber laser. After interrogation of the FBG sensor, a long multi-kilometer run of single mode fiber is used for chromatic dispersion to temporally stretch the spectral components of the reflected pulse from the FBG sensor. Dynamic strain or pressure induced spectral shifts in the FBG sensor are detected as a pulsed time domain waveform shift after encoding by the chromatic dispersivemore » line. Signals are recorded using a single 35 GHz photodetector and a 50 GSamples per second, 25 GHz bandwidth, digitizing oscilloscope. Application of this approach to high-speed strain sensing in magnetic materials in pulsed magnetic fields to ~150 T is demonstrated. The FBG wavelength shifts are used to study magnetic field driven magnetostriction effects in LaCoO₃. A sub-microsecond temporal shift in the FBG sensor wavelength attached to the sample under first order phase change appears as a fractional length change (strain: ΔL/L<10⁻⁴) in the material. A second application used FBG sensing of pressure dynamics to nearly 2 GPa in the thermal ignition of the high explosive PBX-9501 is also demonstrated. In conclusion, both applications demonstrate the use of this FBG interrogation system in dynamical extreme conditions that would otherwise not be possible using traditional FBG interrogation approaches that are deemed too slow to resolve such events.« less

An Insertable Passive LC Pressure Sensor Based on an Alumina Ceramic for In Situ Pressure Sensing in High-Temperature Environments

PubMed Central

Xiong, Jijun; Li, Chen; Jia, Pinggang; Chen, Xiaoyong; Zhang, Wendong; Liu, Jun; Xue, Chenyang; Tan, Qiulin

2015-01-01

Pressure measurements in high-temperature applications, including compressors, turbines, and others, have become increasingly critical. This paper proposes an implantable passive LC pressure sensor based on an alumina ceramic material for in situ pressure sensing in high-temperature environments. The inductance and capacitance elements of the sensor were designed independently and separated by a thermally insulating material, which is conducive to reducing the influence of the temperature on the inductance element and improving the quality factor of the sensor. In addition, the sensor was fabricated using thick film integrated technology from high-temperature materials that ensure stable operation of the sensor in high-temperature environments. Experimental results showed that the sensor accurately monitored pressures from 0 bar to 2 bar at temperatures up to 800 °C. The sensitivity, linearity, repeatability error, and hysteretic error of the sensor were 0.225 MHz/bar, 95.3%, 5.5%, and 6.2%, respectively. PMID:26334279

Efficacy of a pressure-sensing mattress cover system for reducing interface pressure: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Wong, Holly; Kaufman, Jaime; Baylis, Barry; Conly, John M; Hogan, David B; Stelfox, Henry T; Southern, Danielle A; Ghali, William A; Ho, Chester H

2015-09-29

Interface pressure is a key risk factor in the development of pressure ulcers. Visual feedback of continuous interface pressure between the body and support surface could inform clinicians on repositioning strategies and play a key role in an overall strategy for the prevention and management of pressure ulcers. A parallel two-group randomized controlled clinical trial will be conducted to study the effect of continuous pressure imaging on reducing interface pressure and on the incidence of pressure ulcers in vulnerable hospital patients. A total of 678 eligible consenting inpatients at risk of pressure ulcer development in a tertiary acute care institution will be randomly allocated to either having the ForeSite PT™ system with the liquid-crystal display monitor turned on to provide visual feedback to the clinicians while also collecting continuous interface pressure data (intervention group) or to having the ForeSite PT™ system with monitor turned off (that is, not providing visual feedback) but still collecting continuous interface pressure data (control group), in a ratio of 1:1. Continuous interface pressure data will be collected in both groups for 3 days (72 h). Data collection will continue until discharge for a subset of approximately 60 patients. The primary outcome will be the differences in the two groups' interface pressure analysis. Interface pressure readings will be collected through hourly samplings of continuous interface pressure recordings. Secondary outcomes will be the differences between the two groups in pressure-related skin and soft tissue changes in areas at risk of pressure ulcer (obtained at baseline within 24 h of admission) and on the third day of the trial or at discharge and perceptions of the intervention by patients and clinicians (obtained on the third day or at discharge). This will be the first randomized controlled trial to investigate the effect of visual feedback with continuous interface pressure of vulnerable hospital

Fiber in-line Mach-Zehnder interferometer based on an inner air-cavity for high-pressure sensing.

PubMed

Talataisong, W; Wang, D N; Chitaree, R; Liao, C R; Wang, C

2015-04-01

We demonstrate a fiber in-line Mach-Zehnder interferometer based on an inner air-cavity with open micro-channel for high-pressure sensing applications. The inner air-cavity is fabricated by combining femtosecond laser micromachining and the fusion splicing technique. The micro-channel is drilled on the top of the inner air-cavity to allow the high-pressure gas to flow in. The fiber in-line device is miniature, robust, and stable in operation and exhibits a high pressure sensitivity of ∼8,239  pm/MPa.

Thin and Flexible Carbon Nanotube-Based Pressure Sensors with Ultra-wide Sensing Range.

PubMed

Doshi, Sagar M; Thostenson, Erik T

2018-06-26

A scalable electrophoretic deposition (EPD) approach is used to create novel thin, flexible and lightweight carbon nanotube-based textile pressure sensors. The pressure sensors can be produced using an extensive variety of natural and synthetic fibers. These piezoresistive sensors are sensitive to pressures ranging from the tactile range (< 10 kPa), in the body weight range (~ 500 kPa), and very high pressures (~40 MPa). The EPD technique enables the creation of a uniform carbon nanotube-based nanocomposite coating, in the range of 250-750 nm thick, of polyethyleneimine (PEI) functionalized carbon nanotubes on non-conductive fibers. In this work, non-woven aramid fibers are coated by EPD onto a backing electrode followed by film formation onto the fibers creating a conductive network. The electrically conductive nanocomposite coating is firmly bonded to the fiber surface and shows piezoresistive electrical/mechanical coupling. The pressure sensor displays a large in-plane change in electrical conductivity with applied out-of-plane pressure. In-plane conductivity change results from fiber/fiber contact as well as the formation of a sponge-like piezoresistive nanocomposite "interphase" between the fibers. The resilience of the nanocomposite interphase enables sensing of high pressures without permanent changes to the sensor response, showing high repeatability.

BreathSens: A Continuous On-Bed Respiratory Monitoring System With Torso Localization Using an Unobtrusive Pressure Sensing Array.

PubMed

Liu, Jason J; Huang, Ming-Chun; Xu, Wenyao; Zhang, Xiaoyi; Stevens, Luke; Alshurafa, Nabil; Sarrafzadeh, Majid

2015-09-01

The ability to continuously monitor respiration rates of patients in homecare or in clinics is an important goal. Past research showed that monitoring patient breathing can lower the associated mortality rates for long-term bedridden patients. Nowadays, in-bed sensors consisting of pressure sensitive arrays are unobtrusive and are suitable for deployment in a wide range of settings. Such systems aim to extract respiratory signals from time-series pressure sequences. However, variance of movements, such as unpredictable extremities activities, affect the quality of the extracted respiratory signals. BreathSens, a high-density pressure sensing system made of e-Textile, profiles the underbody pressure distribution and localizes torso area based on the high-resolution pressure images. With a robust bodyparts localization algorithm, respiratory signals extracted from the localized torso area are insensitive to arbitrary extremities movements. In a study of 12 subjects, BreathSens demonstrated its respiratory monitoring capability with variations of sleep postures, locations, and commonly tilted clinical bed conditions.

Stretchable Dual-Capacitor Multi-Sensor for Touch-Curvature-Pressure-Strain Sensing.

PubMed

Jin, Hanbyul; Jung, Sungchul; Kim, Junhyung; Heo, Sanghyun; Lim, Jaeik; Park, Wonsang; Chu, Hye Yong; Bien, Franklin; Park, Kibog

2017-09-07

We introduce a new type of multi-functional capacitive sensor that can sense several different external stimuli. It is fabricated only with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) films and silver nanowire electrodes by using selective oxygen plasma treatment method without photolithography and etching processes. Differently from the conventional single-capacitor multi-functional sensors, our new multi-functional sensor is composed of two vertically-stacked capacitors (dual-capacitor). The unique dual-capacitor structure can detect the type and strength of external stimuli including curvature, pressure, strain, and touch with clear distinction, and it can also detect the surface-normal directionality of curvature, pressure, and touch. Meanwhile, the conventional single-capacitor sensor has ambiguity in distinguishing curvature and pressure and it can detect only the strength of external stimulus. The type, directionality, and strength of external stimulus can be determined based on the relative capacitance changes of the two stacked capacitors. Additionally, the logical flow reflected on a tree structure with its branches reaching the direction and strength of the corresponding external stimulus unambiguously is devised. This logical flow can be readily implemented in the sensor driving circuit if the dual-capacitor sensor is commercialized actually in the future.

Fourier analysis for hydrostatic pressure sensing in a polarization-maintaining photonic crystal fiber.

PubMed

Childs, Paul; Wong, Allan C L; Fu, H Y; Liao, Yanbiao; Tam, Hwayaw; Lu, Chao; Wai, P K A

2010-12-20

We measured the hydrostatic pressure dependence of the birefringence and birefringent dispersion of a Sagnac interferometric sensor incorporating a length of highly birefringent photonic crystal fiber using Fourier analysis. Sensitivity of both the phase and chirp spectra to hydrostatic pressure is demonstrated. Using this analysis, phase-based measurements showed a good linearity with an effective sensitivity of 9.45 nm/MPa and an accuracy of ±7.8 kPa using wavelength-encoded data and an effective sensitivity of -55.7 cm(-1)/MPa and an accuracy of ±4.4 kPa using wavenumber-encoded data. Chirp-based measurements, though nonlinear in response, showed an improvement in accuracy at certain pressure ranges with an accuracy of ±5.5 kPa for the full range of measured pressures using wavelength-encoded data and dropping to within ±2.5 kPa in the range of 0.17 to 0.4 MPa using wavenumber-encoded data. Improvements of the accuracy demonstrated the usefulness of implementing chirp-based analysis for sensing purposes.

Experimental validation of a millimeter wave radar technique to remotely sense atmospheric pressure at the Earth's surface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flower, D. A.; Peckham, G. E.; Bradford, W. J.

1984-01-01

Experiments with a millimeter wave radar operating on the NASA CV-990 aircraft which validate the technique for remotely sensing atmospheric pressure at the Earth's surface are described. Measurements show that the precise millimeter wave observations needed to deduce pressure from space with an accuracy of 1 mb are possible, that sea surface reflection properties agree with theory and that the measured variation of differential absorption with altitude corresponds to that expected from spectroscopic models.

Applications of tunable high energy/pressure pulsed lasers to atmospheric transmission and remote sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, R. V.; Seals, R. K.

1974-01-01

Atmospheric transmission of high energy C12 O2(16) lasers were improved by pulsed high pressure operation which, due to pressure broadening of laser lines, permits tuning the laser 'off' atmospheric C12 O2(16) absorption lines. Pronounced improvement is shown for horizontal transmission at altitudes above several kilometers, and for vertical transmission through the entire atmosphere. The atmospheric transmission of tuned C12 O2(16) lasers compares favorably with C12 O2(18) isotope lasers and CO lasers. The advantages of tunable, high energy, high pressure pulsed lasers over tunable diode lasers and waveguide lasers, in combining high energies with a large tuning range, are evaluated for certain applications to remote sensing of atmospheric constituents and pollutants. Pulsed operation considerably increases the signal to noise ratio without seriously affecting the high spectral resolution of signal detection obtained with laser heterodyning.

Pressure sensor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mee, David K.; Ripley, Edward B.; Nienstedt, Zachary C.

Disclosed is a passive, in-situ pressure sensor. The sensor includes a sensing element having a ferromagnetic metal and a tension inducing mechanism coupled to the ferromagnetic metal. The tension inducing mechanism is operable to change a tensile stress upon the ferromagnetic metal based on a change in pressure in the sensing element. Changes in pressure are detected based on changes in the magnetic switching characteristics of the ferromagnetic metal when subjected to an alternating magnetic field caused by the change in the tensile stress. The sensing element is embeddable in a closed system for detecting pressure changes without the needmore » for any penetrations of the system for power or data acquisition by detecting changes in the magnetic switching characteristics of the ferromagnetic metal caused by the tensile stress.« less

Method and Apparatus for Characterizing Pressure Sensors using Modulated Light Beam Pressure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Youngquist, Robert C. (Inventor)

2003-01-01

Embodiments of apparatuses and methods are provided that use light sources instead of sound sources for characterizing and calibrating sensors for measuring small pressures to mitigate many of the problems with using sound sources. In one embodiment an apparatus has a light source for directing a beam of light on a sensing surface of a pressure sensor for exerting a force on the sensing surface. The pressure sensor generates an electrical signal indicative of the force exerted on the sensing surface. A modulator modulates the beam of light. A signal processor is electrically coupled to the pressure sensor for receiving the electrical signal.

Compressive sensing based machine learning strategy for characterizing the flow around a cylinder with limited pressure measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bright, Ido; Lin, Guang; Kutz, J. Nathan

2013-12-01

Compressive sensing is used to determine the flow characteristics around a cylinder (Reynolds number and pressure/flow field) from a sparse number of pressure measurements on the cylinder. Using a supervised machine learning strategy, library elements encoding the dimensionally reduced dynamics are computed for various Reynolds numbers. Convex L1 optimization is then used with a limited number of pressure measurements on the cylinder to reconstruct, or decode, the full pressure field and the resulting flow field around the cylinder. Aside from the highly turbulent regime (large Reynolds number) where only the Reynolds number can be identified, accurate reconstruction of the pressure field and Reynolds number is achieved. The proposed data-driven strategy thus achieves encoding of the fluid dynamics using the L2 norm, and robust decoding (flow field reconstruction) using the sparsity promoting L1 norm.

Integrated electrofluidic circuits: pressure sensing with analog and digital operation functionalities for microfluidics.

PubMed

Wu, Chueh-Yu; Lu, Jau-Ching; Liu, Man-Chi; Tung, Yi-Chung

2012-10-21

Microfluidic technology plays an essential role in various lab on a chip devices due to its desired advantages. An automated microfluidic system integrated with actuators and sensors can further achieve better controllability. A number of microfluidic actuation schemes have been well developed. In contrast, most of the existing sensing methods still heavily rely on optical observations and external transducers, which have drawbacks including: costly instrumentation, professional operation, tedious interfacing, and difficulties of scaling up and further signal processing. This paper reports the concept of electrofluidic circuits - electrical circuits which are constructed using ionic liquid (IL)-filled fluidic channels. The developed electrofluidic circuits can be fabricated using a well-developed multi-layer soft lithography (MSL) process with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic channels. Electrofluidic circuits allow seamless integration of pressure sensors with analog and digital operation functions into microfluidic systems and provide electrical readouts for further signal processing. In the experiments, the analog operation device is constructed based on electrofluidic Wheatstone bridge circuits with electrical outputs of the addition and subtraction results of the applied pressures. The digital operation (AND, OR, and XOR) devices are constructed using the electrofluidic pressure controlled switches, and output electrical signals of digital operations of the applied pressures. The experimental results demonstrate the designed functions for analog and digital operations of applied pressures are successfully achieved using the developed electrofluidic circuits, making them promising to develop integrated microfluidic systems with capabilities of precise pressure monitoring and further feedback control for advanced lab on a chip applications.

Elastomeric Sensing of Pressure with Liquid Metal and Wireless Inductive Coupling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dick, Jacob; Zou, Xiyue; Hogan, Ben; Tumalle, Jonathan; Etikyala, Sowmith; Fung, Diego; Charles, Watley; Gu, Tianye; Hull, Patrick V.; Mazzeo, Aaron D.

2017-01-01

This project describes resistance-based soft sensors filled with liquid metal, which permit measurements of large strains (0 percent to 110 percent), associated with small forces of less than 30 Newtons. This work also demonstrates a methodology for wireless transfer of these strain measurements without connected electrodes. These sensors allow intermittent detection of pressure on soft membranes with low force. Adapting these sensors for passive wireless pressure sensing will eliminate the need for embedded batteries, and will allow the sensors to transmit pressure data through non-conductive materials including glass and acrylic. The absence of batteries allows us to embed these sensors into materials for long-term use because the sensors only use passive analog circuit elements. We found the oxidation of the liquid metal (eutectic gallium indium) plays a role in the repeatability of the soft sensors. We investigated how the oxidation layer affected the behavior of the sensor by encapsulating materials (silicone, fluorosilicone, and PVC) with varied permeabilities to oxygen. We measured the effects of mechanical loading on the oxidation layer and the effects of wireless inductive coupling on the oxidation layer. We concluded our research by investigating the effects of embedding self-resonant circuits into polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Efforts to design engineered systems with soft materials are a growing field with progress in soft robotics, epidermal electronics, and wearable electronics. In the field of soft robotics, PDMS-based grippers are capable of picking up delicate objects because their form-fitting properties allow them to conform to the shape of objects more easily than conventional robotic grippers. Epidermal devices also use PDMS as a substrate to hold electronic components such as radios, sensors, and power supply circuits. Additionally, PDMS-based soft sensors can monitor human motion with liquid metal embedded within micro-channels. Passive

A Graphene-Based Resistive Pressure Sensor with Record-High Sensitivity in a Wide Pressure Range

PubMed Central

Tian, He; Shu, Yi; Wang, Xue-Feng; Mohammad, Mohammad Ali; Bie, Zhi; Xie, Qian-Yi; Li, Cheng; Mi, Wen-Tian; Yang, Yi; Ren, Tian-Ling

2015-01-01

Pressure sensors are a key component in electronic skin (e-skin) sensing systems. Most reported resistive pressure sensors have a high sensitivity at low pressures (<5 kPa) to enable ultra-sensitive detection. However, the sensitivity drops significantly at high pressures (>5 kPa), which is inadequate for practical applications. For example, actions like a gentle touch and object manipulation have pressures below 10 kPa, and 10–100 kPa, respectively. Maintaining a high sensitivity in a wide pressure range is in great demand. Here, a flexible, wide range and ultra-sensitive resistive pressure sensor with a foam-like structure based on laser-scribed graphene (LSG) is demonstrated. Benefitting from the large spacing between graphene layers and the unique v-shaped microstructure of the LSG, the sensitivity of the pressure sensor is as high as 0.96 kPa−1 in a wide pressure range (0 ~ 50 kPa). Considering both sensitivity and pressure sensing range, the pressure sensor developed in this work is the best among all reported pressure sensors to date. A model of the LSG pressure sensor is also established, which agrees well with the experimental results. This work indicates that laser scribed flexible graphene pressure sensors could be widely used for artificial e-skin, medical-sensing, bio-sensing and many other areas. PMID:25721159

Use of a pressure sensing sheath: comparison with standard means of blood pressure monitoring in catheterization procedures

PubMed Central

Purdy, Phillip D; South, Charles; Klucznik, Richard P; Liu, Kenneth C; Novakovic, Robin L; Puri, Ajit S; Pride, G Lee; Aagaard-Kienitz, Beverly; Ray, Abishek; Elliott, Alan C

2017-01-01

Purpose Monitoring of blood pressure (BP) during procedures is variable, depending on multiple factors. Common methods include sphygmomanometer (BP cuff), separate radial artery catheterization, and side port monitoring of an indwelling sheath. Each means of monitoring has disadvantages, including time consumption, added risk, and signal dampening due to multiple factors. We sought an alternative approach to monitoring during procedures in the catheterization laboratory. Methods A new technology involving a 330 µm fiberoptic sensor embedded in the wall of a sheath structure was tested against both radial artery catheter and sphygmomanometer readings obtained simultaneous with readings recorded from the pressure sensing system (PSS). Correlations and Bland–Altman analysis were used to determine whether use of the PSS could substitute for these standard techniques. Results The results indicated highly significant correlations in systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressures (MAP) when compared against radial artery catheterization (p<0.0001), and MAP means differed by <4%. Bland–Altman analysis of the data suggested that the sheath measurements can replace a separate radial artery catheter. While less striking, significant correlations were seen when PSS readings were compared against BP cuff readings. Conclusions The PSS has competitive functionality to that seen with a dedicated radial artery catheter for BP monitoring and is available immediately on sheath insertion without the added risk of radial catheterization. The sensor is structurally separated from the primary sheath lumen and readings are unaffected by device introduction through the primary lumen. Time delays and potential complications from radial artery catheterization are avoided. PMID:27422970

Ultrafast Dynamic Pressure Sensors Based on Graphene Hybrid Structure.

PubMed

Liu, Shanbiao; Wu, Xing; Zhang, Dongdong; Guo, Congwei; Wang, Peng; Hu, Weida; Li, Xinming; Zhou, Xiaofeng; Xu, Hejun; Luo, Chen; Zhang, Jian; Chu, Junhao

2017-07-19

Mechanical flexible electronic skin has been focused on sensing various physical parameters, such as pressure and temperature. The studies of material design and array-accessible devices are the building blocks of strain sensors for subtle pressure sensing. Here, we report a new and facile preparation of a graphene hybrid structure with an ultrafast dynamic pressure response. Graphene oxide nanosheets are used as a surfactant to prevent graphene restacking in aqueous solution. This graphene hybrid structure exhibits a frequency-independent pressure resistive sensing property. Exceeding natural skin, such pressure sensors, can provide transient responses from static up to 10 000 Hz dynamic frequencies. Integrated by the controlling system, the array-accessible sensors can manipulate a robot arm and self-rectify the temperature of a heating blanket. This may pave a path toward the future application of graphene-based wearable electronics.

Research study of pressure instrumentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoogenboom, L.; Hull-Allen, G.

1984-01-01

To obtain a more vibration resistant pressure sensor for use on the Space Shuttle Main Engine, a proximity probe based, diaphragm type pressure sensor breadboard was developed. A fiber optic proximity probe was selected as the sensor. In combination with existing electronics, a thermal stability evaluation of the entire probe system was made. Based upon the results, a breadboard design of the pressure sensor and electronics was made and fabricated. A brief series of functional experiments was made with the breadboard to calibrate, thermally compensate, and linearize its response. In these experiments, the performance obtained in the temperature range of -320 F (liquid N2) to +200 F was comparable to that of the strain gage based sensor presently in use on the engine. In tests at NASA-Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), after some time at or near liquid nitrogen temperatures, the sensor output varied over the entire output range. These large spurious signals were attributed to condensation of air in the sensing gap. In the next phase of development of this sensor, an evaluation of fabrication techniques toward greater thermal and mechanical stability of the fiber probe assembly must be made. In addition to this, a positive optics to metal seal must be developed to withstand the pressure that would result from a diaphragm failure.

Use of a pressure sensing sheath: comparison with standard means of blood pressure monitoring in catheterization procedures.

PubMed

Purdy, Phillip D; South, Charles; Klucznik, Richard P; Liu, Kenneth C; Novakovic, Robin L; Puri, Ajit S; Pride, G Lee; Aagaard-Kienitz, Beverly; Ray, Abishek; Elliott, Alan C

2017-08-01

Monitoring of blood pressure (BP) during procedures is variable, depending on multiple factors. Common methods include sphygmomanometer (BP cuff), separate radial artery catheterization, and side port monitoring of an indwelling sheath. Each means of monitoring has disadvantages, including time consumption, added risk, and signal dampening due to multiple factors. We sought an alternative approach to monitoring during procedures in the catheterization laboratory. A new technology involving a 330 µm fiberoptic sensor embedded in the wall of a sheath structure was tested against both radial artery catheter and sphygmomanometer readings obtained simultaneous with readings recorded from the pressure sensing system (PSS). Correlations and Bland-Altman analysis were used to determine whether use of the PSS could substitute for these standard techniques. The results indicated highly significant correlations in systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressures (MAP) when compared against radial artery catheterization (p<0.0001), and MAP means differed by <4%. Bland-Altman analysis of the data suggested that the sheath measurements can replace a separate radial artery catheter. While less striking, significant correlations were seen when PSS readings were compared against BP cuff readings. The PSS has competitive functionality to that seen with a dedicated radial artery catheter for BP monitoring and is available immediately on sheath insertion without the added risk of radial catheterization. The sensor is structurally separated from the primary sheath lumen and readings are unaffected by device introduction through the primary lumen. Time delays and potential complications from radial artery catheterization are avoided. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

TOPICAL REVIEW: GaN-based diodes and transistors for chemical, gas, biological and pressure sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pearton, S. J.; Kang, B. S.; Kim, Suku; Ren, F.; Gila, B. P.; Abernathy, C. R.; Lin, Jenshan; Chu, S. N. G.

2004-07-01

There is renewed emphasis on development of robust solid-state sensors capable of uncooled operation in harsh environments. The sensors should be capable of detecting chemical, gas, biological or radiation releases as well as sending signals to central monitoring locations. We discuss the advances in use of GaN-based solid-state sensors for these applications. AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) show a strong dependence of source/drain current on the piezoelectric polarization-induced two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG). Furthermore, spontaneous and piezoelectric polarization-induced surface and interface charges can be used to develop very sensitive but robust sensors to detect gases, polar liquids and mechanical pressure. AlGaN/GaN HEMT structures have been demonstrated to exhibit large changes in source-drain current upon exposing the gate region to various block co-polymer solutions. Pt-gated GaN Schottky diodes and Sc2O3/AlGaN/GaN metal-oxide semiconductor diodes also show large change in forward currents upon exposure to H2. Of particular interest is detection of ethylene (C2H4), which has strong double bonds and hence is difficult to dissociate at modest temperatures. Apart from combustion gas sensing, the AlGaN/GaN heterostructure devices can be used as sensitive detectors of pressure changes. In addition, large changes in source-drain current of the AlGaN/GaN HEMT sensors can be detected upon adsorption of biological species on the semiconductor surface. Finally, the nitrides provide an ideal platform for fabrication of surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices. The GaN-based devices thus appear promising for a wide range of chemical, biological, combustion gas, polar liquid, strain and high temperature pressure-sensing applications. In addition, the sensors are compatible with high bit-rate wireless communication systems that facilitate their use in remote arrays.

A novel hydrogel based piezoresistive pressure sensor platform for chemical sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orthner, Michael P.

New hydrogel-based micropressure sensor arrays for use in the fields of chemical sensing, physiological monitoring, and medical diagnostics are developed and demonstrated. This sensor technology provides reliable, linear, and accurate measurements of hydrogel swelling pressures, a function of ambient chemical concentrations. For the first time, perforations were implemented into the pressure sensors piezoresistive diaphragms, used to simultaneously increase sensor sensitivity and permit diffusion of analytes into the hydrogel cavity. It was shown through analytical and numerical (finite element) methods that pore shape, location, and size can be used to modify the diaphragm mechanics and concentrate stress within the piezoresistors, thus improving electrical output (sensitivity). An optimized pore pattern was chosen based on these numerical calculations. Fabrication was performed using a 14-step semiconductor fabrication process implementing a combination of potassium hydroxide (KOH) and deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) to create perforations. The sensor arrays (2x2) measure approximately 3 x 5 mm2 and used to measure full scale pressures of 50, 25, and 5 kPa, respectively. These specifications were defined by the various swelling pressures of ionic strength, pH and glucose specific hydrogels that were targeted in this work. Initial characterization of the sensor arrays was performed using a custom built bulge testing apparatus that simultaneously measured deflection (optical profilometry), pressure, and electrical output. The new perforated diaphragm sensors were found to be fully functional with sensitivities ranging from 23 to 252 muV/V-kPa with full scale output (FSO) ranging from 5 to 80 mV. To demonstrate proof of concept, hydrogels sensitive to changes in ionic strength were synthesized using hydroxypropyl-methacrylate (HPMA), N,N-dimethylaminoethyl-methacrylate (DMA) and a tetra-ethyleneglycol-dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) crosslinker. This hydrogel quickly and

Wavelength modulation spectroscopy near 5 μm for carbon monoxide sensing in a high-pressure kerosene-fueled liquid rocket combustor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Daniel D.; Bendana, Fabio A.; Schumaker, S. Alexander; Spearrin, R. Mitchell

2018-05-01

A laser absorption sensor was developed for carbon monoxide (CO) sensing in high-pressure, fuel-rich combustion gases associated with the internal conditions of hydrocarbon-fueled liquid bipropellant rockets. An absorption feature near 4.98 μm, comprised primarily of two rovibrational lines from the P-branch of the fundamental band, was selected to minimize temperature sensitivity and spectral interference with other combustion gas species at the extreme temperatures (> 3000 K) and pressures (> 50 atm) in the combustion chamber environment. A scanned wavelength modulation spectroscopy technique (1 f-normalized 2 f detection) is utilized to infer species concentration from CO absorption, and mitigate the influence of non-absorption transmission losses and noise associated with the harsh sooting combustor environment. To implement the sensing strategy, a continuous-wave distributed-feedback (DFB) quantum cascade laser (QCL) was coupled to a hollow-core optical fiber for remote mid-infrared light delivery to the test article, with high-bandwidth light detection by a direct-mounted photovoltaic detector. The method was demonstrated to measure time-resolved CO mole fraction over a range of oxidizer-to-fuel ratios and pressures (20-70 atm) in a single-element-injector RP-2-GOx rocket combustor.

Mississippi Sound Remote Sensing Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atwell, B. H.

1973-01-01

The Mississippi Sound Remote Sensing Study was initiated as part of the research program of the NASA Earth Resources Laboratory. The objective of this study is development of remote sensing techniques to study near-shore marine waters. Included within this general objective are the following: (1) evaluate existing techniques and instruments used for remote measurement of parameters of interest within these waters; (2) develop methods for interpretation of state-of-the-art remote sensing data which are most meaningful to an understanding of processes taking place within near-shore waters; (3) define hardware development requirements and/or system specifications; (4) develop a system combining data from remote and surface measurements which will most efficiently assess conditions in near-shore waters; (5) conduct projects in coordination with appropriate operating agencies to demonstrate applicability of this research to environmental and economic problems.

Review on pressure sensors for structural health monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sikarwar, Samiksha; Satyendra; Singh, Shakti; Yadav, Bal Chandra

2017-12-01

This paper reports the state of art in a variety of pressure and the detailed study of various matrix based pressure sensors. The performances of the bridges, buildings, etc. are threatened by earthquakes, material degradations, and other environmental effects. Structural health monitoring (SHM) is crucial to protect the people and also for assets planning. This study is a contribution in developing the knowledge about self-sensing smart materials and structures for the construction industry. It deals with the study of self-sensing as well as mechanical and electrical properties of different matrices based on pressure sensors. The relationships among the compression, tensile strain, and crack length with electrical resistance change are also reviewed.

Integration of piezo-capacitive and piezo-electric nanoweb based pressure sensors for imaging of static and dynamic pressure distribution.

PubMed

Jeong, Y J; Oh, T I; Woo, E J; Kim, K J

2017-07-01

Recently, highly flexible and soft pressure distribution imaging sensor is in great demand for tactile sensing, gait analysis, ubiquitous life-care based on activity recognition, and therapeutics. In this study, we integrate the piezo-capacitive and piezo-electric nanowebs with the conductive fabric sheets for detecting static and dynamic pressure distributions on a large sensing area. Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) and electric source imaging are applied for reconstructing pressure distribution images from measured current-voltage data on the boundary of the hybrid fabric sensor. We evaluated the piezo-capacitive nanoweb sensor, piezo-electric nanoweb sensor, and hybrid fabric sensor. The results show the feasibility of static and dynamic pressure distribution imaging from the boundary measurements of the fabric sensors.

Flow compensating pressure regulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baehr, E. F. (Inventor)

1978-01-01

An apparatus for regulating pressure of treatment fluid during ophthalmic procedures is described. Flow sensing and pressure regulating diaphragms are used to modulate a flow control valve. The pressure regulating diaphragm is connected to the flow control valve to urge the valve to an open position due to pressure being applied to the diaphragm by bias means such as a spring. The flow sensing diaphragm is mechanically connected to the flow control valve and urges it to an opened position because of the differential pressure on the diaphragm generated by a flow of incoming treatment fluid through an orifice in the diaphragm. A bypass connection with a variable restriction is connected in parallel relationship to the orifice to provide for adjusting the sensitivity of the flow sensing diaphragm. A multiple lever linkage system is utilized between the center of the second diaphragm and the flow control valve to multiply the force applied to the valve by the other diaphragm and reverse the direction of the force.

Orifice-induced pressure error studies in Langley 7- by 10-foot high-speed tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Plentovich, E. B.; Gloss, B. B.

1986-01-01

For some time it has been known that the presence of a static pressure measuring hole will disturb the local flow field in such a way that the sensed static pressure will be in error. The results of previous studies aimed at studying the error induced by the pressure orifice were for relatively low Reynolds number flows. Because of the advent of high Reynolds number transonic wind tunnels, a study was undertaken to assess the magnitude of this error at high Reynolds numbers than previously published and to study a possible method of eliminating this pressure error. This study was conducted in the Langley 7- by 10-Foot High-Speed Tunnel on a flat plate. The model was tested at Mach numbers from 0.40 to 0.72 and at Reynolds numbers from 7.7 x 1,000,000 to 11 x 1,000,000 per meter (2.3 x 1,000,000 to 3.4 x 1,000,000 per foot), respectively. The results indicated that as orifice size increased, the pressure error also increased but that a porous metal (sintered metal) plug inserted in an orifice could greatly reduce the pressure error induced by the orifice.

Microfluidic pressure sensing using trapped air compression.

PubMed

Srivastava, Nimisha; Burns, Mark A

2007-05-01

We have developed a microfluidic method for measuring the fluid pressure head experienced at any location inside a microchannel. The principal component is a microfabricated sealed chamber with a single inlet and no exit; the entrance to the single inlet is positioned at the location where pressure is to be measured. The pressure measurement is then based on monitoring the movement of a liquid-air interface as it compresses air trapped inside the microfabricated sealed chamber and calculating the pressure using the ideal gas law. The method has been used to measure the pressure of the air stream and continuous liquid flow inside microfluidic channels (d approximately 50 microm). Further, a pressure drop has also been measured using multiple microfabricated sealed chambers. For air pressure, a resolution of 700 Pa within a full-scale range of 700-100 kPa was obtained. For liquids, pressure drops as low as 70 Pa were obtained in an operating range from 70 Pa to 10 kPa. Since the method primarily uses a microfluidic sealed chamber, it does not require additional fabrication steps and may easily be incorporated in several lab-on-a-chip fluidic applications for laminar as well as turbulent flow conditions.

Microfluidic pressure sensing using trapped air compression

PubMed Central

Srivastava, Nimisha; Burns, Mark A.

2010-01-01

We have developed a microfluidic method for measuring the fluid pressure head experienced at any location inside a microchannel. The principal component is a microfabricated sealed chamber with a single inlet and no exit; the entrance to the single inlet is positioned at the location where pressure is to be measured. The pressure measurement is then based on monitoring the movement of a liquid–air interface as it compresses air trapped inside the microfabricated sealed chamber and calculating the pressure using the ideal gas law. The method has been used to measure the pressure of the air stream and continuous liquid flow inside microfluidic channels (d ~ 50 μm). Further, a pressure drop has also been measured using multiple microfabricated sealed chambers. For air pressure, a resolution of 700 Pa within a full-scale range of 700–100 kPa was obtained. For liquids, pressure drops as low as 70 Pa were obtained in an operating range from 70 Pa to 10 kPa. Since the method primarily uses a microfluidic sealed chamber, it does not require additional fabrication steps and may easily be incorporated in several lab-on-a-chip fluidic applications for laminar as well as turbulent flow conditions. PMID:17476384

Touch Sensor Responds to Contact Pressure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bejczy, A. K.

1982-01-01

Optical tactile sensor for mechanical hands senses contact pressure via change in light reflected from an elastic covering. Pressure against a cell cover causes distortion, which changes internal reflection of light. Change is sensed by detector, and output signal informs operator of contact. The greater the pressure and distortion, the greater the change in light reflection.

Flexible and self-powered temperature-pressure dual-parameter sensors using microstructure-frame-supported organic thermoelectric materials.

PubMed

Zhang, Fengjiao; Zang, Yaping; Huang, Dazhen; Di, Chong-an; Zhu, Daoben

2015-09-21

Skin-like temperature- and pressure-sensing capabilities are essential features for the next generation of artificial intelligent products. Previous studies of e-skin and smart elements have focused on flexible pressure sensors, whereas the simultaneous and sensitive detection of temperature and pressure with a single device remains a challenge. Here we report developing flexible dual-parameter temperature-pressure sensors based on microstructure-frame-supported organic thermoelectric (MFSOTE) materials. The effective transduction of temperature and pressure stimuli into two independent electrical signals permits the instantaneous sensing of temperature and pressure with an accurate temperature resolution of <0.1 K and a high-pressure-sensing sensitivity of up to 28.9 kPa(-1). More importantly, these dual-parameter sensors can be self-powered with outstanding sensing performance. The excellent sensing properties of MFSOTE-based devices, together with their unique advantages of low cost and large-area fabrication, make MFSOTE materials possess promising applications in e-skin and health-monitoring elements.

Flexible and self-powered temperature-pressure dual-parameter sensors using microstructure-frame-supported organic thermoelectric materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Fengjiao; Zang, Yaping; Huang, Dazhen; di, Chong-An; Zhu, Daoben

2015-09-01

Skin-like temperature- and pressure-sensing capabilities are essential features for the next generation of artificial intelligent products. Previous studies of e-skin and smart elements have focused on flexible pressure sensors, whereas the simultaneous and sensitive detection of temperature and pressure with a single device remains a challenge. Here we report developing flexible dual-parameter temperature-pressure sensors based on microstructure-frame-supported organic thermoelectric (MFSOTE) materials. The effective transduction of temperature and pressure stimuli into two independent electrical signals permits the instantaneous sensing of temperature and pressure with an accurate temperature resolution of <0.1 K and a high-pressure-sensing sensitivity of up to 28.9 kPa-1. More importantly, these dual-parameter sensors can be self-powered with outstanding sensing performance. The excellent sensing properties of MFSOTE-based devices, together with their unique advantages of low cost and large-area fabrication, make MFSOTE materials possess promising applications in e-skin and health-monitoring elements.

Pressure-sensing properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes covered with a corona-poled piezoelectric polymer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ikawa, Takeshi; Tabata, Hiroshi, E-mail: tabata@eei.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp; Yoshizawa, Takeshi

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have been studied extensively as sensing elements for chemical and biochemical sensors because of their excellent electrical properties, their ultrahigh ratio of surface area to volume, and the consequent extremely high sensitivity of their surface to the surrounding environment. The extremely high sensitivity indicates that SWNTs can operate as excellent transducers when combined with piezoelectric materials. In this paper, we present a touch sensor based on SWNT thin-film transistors (SWNT-TFTs) covered with a thin film of the piezoelectric polymer poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)). Devices were fabricated by spin-coating a P(VDF-TrFE) layer on an SWNT-TFT, which was followedmore » by in situ corona poling to polarize the P(VDF-TrFE) layer. We studied the effect of the corona polarity on the device characteristics and revealed that poling with a negative corona discharge induced a large amount of hole doping in the SWNTs and improved the touch-sensing performance of the devices, while a positive discharge had a negligible effect. The poled devices exhibited regular, stable, and positive drain current modulation in response to intermittent pressing, and the response was proportional to the magnitude of the applied pressure, suggesting that it was caused by the piezoelectric effect of the polarized P(VDF-TrFE) layer. Furthermore, we also fabricated a device using horizontally aligned SWNTs with a lower SWNT density as an alternative transducer to an SWNT thin film, which demonstrated sensitivity as high as 70%/MPa.« less

LWIR Microgrid Polarimeter for Remote Sensing Studies

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-02-28

Polarimeter for Remote Sensing Studies 5b. GRANT NUMBER FA9550-08-1-0295 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 1. Scott Tyo 5e. TASK...and tested at the University of Arizona, and preliminary images are shown in this final report. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Remote Sensing , polarimetry 16...7.0 LWIR Microgrid Polarimeter for Remote Sensing Studies J. Scott Tyo College of Optical Sciences University of Arizona Tucson, AZ, 85721 tyo

Chlorine-trapped CVD bilayer graphene for resistive pressure sensor with high detection limit and high sensitivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phuong Pham, Viet; Triet Nguyen, Minh; Park, Jin Woo; Kwak, Sung Soo; Nguyen, Dieu Hien Thi; Kyeom Mun, Mu; Danh Phan, Hoang; San Kim, Doo; Kim, Ki Hyun; Lee, Nae-Eung; Yeom, Geun Young

2017-06-01

Pressure sensing is one of the key functions for smart electronics. Considerably more effort is required to achieve the fabrication of pressure sensors that can imitate and overcome the sophisticated pressure sensing characteristics in nature and industry, especially in the innovation of materials and structures. Almost all of the pressure sensors reported until now have a high sensitivity at a low-pressure detection limit (<10 kPa). While the exploration of a pressure sensor with a high sensitivity and a high responsivity at a high-pressure is challenging, it is required for next generation smart electronics. Here, we report an exotic heterostructure pressure sensor based on ZnO/chlorine radical-trap doped bilayer graphene (ZGClG) as an ideal channel for pressure sensors. Using this ZGClG as the channel, this study shows the possibility of forming a pressure sensor with a high sensitivity (0.19 kPa-1) and a high responsivity (0.575 s) at V  =  1 V on glass substrate. Further, the pressure detection limit of this device was as high as 98 kPa. The investigation of the sensing mechanism under pressure has revealed that the significant improved sensing effect is related to the heavy p-type chlorine trap doping in the channel graphene with chlorine radicals without damaging the graphene. This work indicates that the ZGClG channel used for the pressure sensing device could also provide a simple and essential sensing platform for chemical-, medical-, and biological-sensing for future smart electronics.

The Study of Number Sense and Teaching Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsao, Yea-Ling; Lin, Yi-Chung

2011-01-01

The goal of this study was to investigate understanding of inservice elementary school teachers in Taiwan about number sense, teaching strategies of number sense and the development of number sense of students; and the profile of integrating number sense into mathematical instruction , and teaching practice. Data was gathered through interviews of…

Shock sensing dual mode warhead

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shamblen, M.; Walchak, M.T.; Richmond, L.

1980-12-31

A shock sensing dual mode warhead is provided for use against both soft and hard targets and is capable of sensing which type of target has been struck. The warhead comprises a casing made of a ductile material containing an explosive charge and a fuze assembly. The ductile warhead casing will mushroom upon striking a hard target while still confining the explosive. Proper ductility and confinement are necessary for fuze shock sensing. The fuze assembly contains a pair of parallel firing trains, one initiated only by dynamic pressure caused high impact deceleration and one initiated by low impact deceleration. Themore » firing train actuated by high impact deceleration senses dynamic pressure transmitted, during deformation of the warhead, through the explosive filler which is employed as a fuzing signature. The firing train actuated by low impact deceleration contains a pyrotechnic delay to allow penetration of soft targets.« less

Intracranial pressure monitoring (image)

MedlinePlus

Intracranial pressure monitoring is performed by inserting a catheter into the head with a sensing device to monitor the pressure around the brain. An increase in intracranial pressure can cause a decrease in blood flow to ...

Pressure Wire Compared to Microcatheter Sensing for Coronary Fractional Flow Reserve: The PERFORM Study.

PubMed

Ali, Ziad A; Parviz, Yasir; Brinkman, Matthew; Matsumura, Mitsuaki; Redfors, Björn; Brogno, David A; Corral, Maria D; Fall, Khady N; Mintz, Gary S; Stone, Gregg W; Maehara, Akiko; Jeremias, Allen; Kirtane, Ajay J

2018-05-15

Among technologies used to assess FFR, a monorail, sensor-tipped micro pressure catheter (PC) may be advantageous for delivery and re-assessment. We sought to determine whether the larger cross-sectional area of the PC influences FFR measurements compared to the pressure wire. PERFORM was a single-center, prospective study designed to determine the precision and accuracy of the PC compared with the pressure wire (PW) for measurement of FFR. Eligible patients had native coronary artery target lesions with visually estimated diameter stenosis of 40-90%. The independently adjudicated primary endpoint was the difference in hyperemic PW-determined minimal FFR with and without the PC distal to the stenosis. Seventy-four patients (95 lesions) were prospectively analyzed between December 2015 and December 2016. Median hyperemic FFR was 0.84 [IQR 0.78, 0.89] with the PW and 0.79 [IQR 0.73, 0.85] with the PC distal to the stenosis (p<0.001). Such differences led to clinical discordance, whereby the PC decreased the hyperemic PW-determined FFR from >0.80 to ≤0.80 in 17 of 95 measurements (19%). Median resting Pd/Pa was lower following introduction of the PC compared with the PW alone (0.93 [IQR 0.90, 0.97] versus 0.90 [IQR 0.86, 0.95], p<0.001). Median pressure drift was not different between the PW and the PC (0.01 [IQR -0.01, 0.05] versus 0.01 [IQR 0.00, 0.02], p=0.38). Introduction of the PC reduced device success and both hyperemic FFR and resting Pd/Pa compared with the PW alone, leading to re-classifying physiological significance to below ischemic threshold in one out of five assessments.

A Compressed Sensing Based Method for Reducing the Sampling Time of A High Resolution Pressure Sensor Array System

PubMed Central

Sun, Chenglu; Li, Wei; Chen, Wei

2017-01-01

For extracting the pressure distribution image and respiratory waveform unobtrusively and comfortably, we proposed a smart mat which utilized a flexible pressure sensor array, printed electrodes and novel soft seven-layer structure to monitor those physiological information. However, in order to obtain high-resolution pressure distribution and more accurate respiratory waveform, it needs more time to acquire the pressure signal of all the pressure sensors embedded in the smart mat. In order to reduce the sampling time while keeping the same resolution and accuracy, a novel method based on compressed sensing (CS) theory was proposed. By utilizing the CS based method, 40% of the sampling time can be decreased by means of acquiring nearly one-third of original sampling points. Then several experiments were carried out to validate the performance of the CS based method. While less than one-third of original sampling points were measured, the correlation degree coefficient between reconstructed respiratory waveform and original waveform can achieve 0.9078, and the accuracy of the respiratory rate (RR) extracted from the reconstructed respiratory waveform can reach 95.54%. The experimental results demonstrated that the novel method can fit the high resolution smart mat system and be a viable option for reducing the sampling time of the pressure sensor array. PMID:28796188

Global versus local mechanisms of temperature sensing in ion channels.

PubMed

Arrigoni, Cristina; Minor, Daniel L

2018-05-01

Ion channels turn diverse types of inputs, ranging from neurotransmitters to physical forces, into electrical signals. Channel responses to ligands generally rely on binding to discrete sensor domains that are coupled to the portion of the channel responsible for ion permeation. By contrast, sensing physical cues such as voltage, pressure, and temperature arises from more varied mechanisms. Voltage is commonly sensed by a local, domain-based strategy, whereas the predominant paradigm for pressure sensing employs a global response in channel structure to membrane tension changes. Temperature sensing has been the most challenging response to understand and whether discrete sensor domains exist for pressure and temperature has been the subject of much investigation and debate. Recent exciting advances have uncovered discrete sensor modules for pressure and temperature in force-sensitive and thermal-sensitive ion channels, respectively. In particular, characterization of bacterial voltage-gated sodium channel (BacNa V ) thermal responses has identified a coiled-coil thermosensor that controls channel function through a temperature-dependent unfolding event. This coiled-coil thermosensor blueprint recurs in other temperature sensitive ion channels and thermosensitive proteins. Together with the identification of ion channel pressure sensing domains, these examples demonstrate that "local" domain-based solutions for sensing force and temperature exist and highlight the diversity of both global and local strategies that channels use to sense physical inputs. The modular nature of these newly discovered physical signal sensors provides opportunities to engineer novel pressure-sensitive and thermosensitive proteins and raises new questions about how such modular sensors may have evolved and empowered ion channel pores with new sensibilities.

Investigating Low-Cost Optical Spectroscopy for Sensing Pressure Ulcers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirchandani, Smruti Suresh

Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy has been used widely to characterize tissue properties for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. This thesis focuses on the use of spectroscopy for early pressure ulcer detection. The most common early diagnosis technique for pressure ulcers is a blanch test. A major issue with a blanch test is that it is purely visual and cannot be visibly observed on dark skinned individuals. Studies have already proven that spectroscopy can be used to detect blanch response in skin across light and dark skinned individuals. The portable reflectance spectroscopy setup showed that pressure changes to the skin can be detected spectroscopically. Some work on an iPhone based spectrometer was also done to have a low-cost spectroscopy alternative to the usual DRS equipment. This study failed to develop an iPhone based spectrometer but various factors that can be changed to better this research have been mentioned in this thesis.

Continuous blood pressure recordings simultaneously with functional brain imaging: studies of the glymphatic system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zienkiewicz, Aleksandra; Huotari, Niko; Raitamaa, Lauri; Raatikainen, Ville; Ferdinando, Hany; Vihriälä, Erkki; Korhonen, Vesa; Myllylä, Teemu; Kiviniemi, Vesa

2017-03-01

The lymph system is responsible for cleaning the tissues of metabolic waste products, soluble proteins and other harmful fluids etc. Lymph flow in the body is driven by body movements and muscle contractions. Moreover, it is indirectly dependent on the cardiovascular system, where the heart beat and blood pressure maintain force of pressure in lymphatic channels. Over the last few years, studies revealed that the brain contains the so-called glymphatic system, which is the counterpart of the systemic lymphatic system in the brain. Similarly, the flow in the glymphatic system is assumed to be mostly driven by physiological pulsations such as cardiovascular pulses. Thus, continuous measurement of blood pressure and heart function simultaneously with functional brain imaging is of great interest, particularly in studies of the glymphatic system. We present our MRI compatible optics based sensing system for continuous blood pressure measurement and show our current results on the effects of blood pressure variations on cerebral brain dynamics, with a focus on the glymphatic system. Blood pressure was measured simultaneously with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) combined with an ultrafast functional brain imaging (fMRI) sequence magnetic resonance encephalography (MREG, 3D brain 10 Hz sampling rate).

Prospective Evaluation of Noninvasive HeadSense Intracranial Pressure Monitor in Traumatic Brain Injury Patients Undergoing Invasive Intracranial Pressure Monitoring.

PubMed

Herklots, Martin W; Moudrous, Walid; Oldenbeuving, Annemarie; Roks, Gerwin; Mourtzoukos, Stylianos; Schoonman, Guus G; Ganslandt, Oliver

2017-10-01

Currently, intracranial pressure (ICP) is measured by invasive methods with a significant risk of infectious and hemorrhagic complications. Because of these high risks, there is a need for a noninvasive ICP (nICP) monitor with an accuracy similar to that of an invasive ICP (iICP) monitor. We sought to assess prospectively the accuracy and precision of an nICP monitor compared with iICP measurement in severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. Participants were ICP-monitored patients who had sustained TBI. In parallel with the standard invasive ICP measurements, nICP was measured by the HeadSense HS-1000, which is based on sound propagation. The device generated an acoustic signal using a small transmitter, placed in the patient's ear, and picked up by an acoustic sensor placed in the other ear. The signal is then analyzed using proprietary algorithms, and the ICP value is calculated in millimeter of mercury (mm Hg). Analysis of 2911 paired iICP and nICP measurements from 14 severe TBI patients showed a good accuracy of the nICP monitor indicated by a mean difference of 0.5 mm Hg. The precision was also good with a standard deviation of 3.9 mm Hg. The Pearson r correlation was 0.604 (P < 0.001). The HeadSense HS-1000 nICP monitor seems sufficiently accurate to measure the ICP in severe TBI patients, is patient friendly, and has minimal risk of complications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Integration of a capacitive pressure sensing system into the outer catheter wall for coronary artery FFR measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stam, Frank; Kuisma, Heikki; Gao, Feng; Saarilahti, Jaakko; Gomes Martins, David; Kärkkäinen, Anu; Marrinan, Brendan; Pintal, Sebastian

2017-05-01

The deadliest disease in the world is coronary artery disease (CAD), which is related to a narrowing (stenosis) of blood vessels due to fatty deposits, plaque, on the arterial walls. The level of stenosis in the coronary arteries can be assessed by Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) measurements. This involves determining the ratio between the maximum achievable blood flow in a diseased coronary artery and the theoretical maximum flow in a normal coronary artery. The blood flow is represented by a pressure drop, thus a pressure wire or pressure sensor integrated in a catheter can be used to calculate the ratio between the coronary pressure distal to the stenosis and the normal coronary pressure. A 2 Fr (0.67mm) outer diameter catheter was used, which required a high level of microelectronics miniaturisation to fit a pressure sensing system into the outer wall. The catheter has an eccentric guidewire lumen with a diameter of 0.43mm, which implies that the thickest catheter wall section provides less than 210 microns height for flex assembly integration consisting of two dies, a capacitive MEMS pressure sensor and an ASIC. In order to achieve this a very thin circuit flex was used, and the two chips were thinned down to 75 microns and flip chip mounted face down on the flex. Many challenges were involved in obtaining a flex layout that could wrap into a small tube without getting the dies damaged, while still maintaining enough flexibility for the catheter to navigate the arterial system.

Actively Perceiving and Responsive Soft Robots Enabled by Self-Powered, Highly Extensible, and Highly Sensitive Triboelectric Proximity- and Pressure-Sensing Skins.

PubMed

Lai, Ying-Chih; Deng, Jianan; Liu, Ruiyuan; Hsiao, Yung-Chi; Zhang, Steven L; Peng, Wenbo; Wu, Hsing-Mei; Wang, Xingfu; Wang, Zhong Lin

2018-06-04

Robots that can move, feel, and respond like organisms will bring revolutionary impact to today's technologies. Soft robots with organism-like adaptive bodies have shown great potential in vast robot-human and robot-environment applications. Developing skin-like sensory devices allows them to naturally sense and interact with environment. Also, it would be better if the capabilities to feel can be active, like real skin. However, challenges in the complicated structures, incompatible moduli, poor stretchability and sensitivity, large driving voltage, and power dissipation hinder applicability of conventional technologies. Here, various actively perceivable and responsive soft robots are enabled by self-powered active triboelectric robotic skins (tribo-skins) that simultaneously possess excellent stretchability and excellent sensitivity in the low-pressure regime. The tribo-skins can actively sense proximity, contact, and pressure to external stimuli via self-generating electricity. The driving energy comes from a natural triboelectrification effect involving the cooperation of contact electrification and electrostatic induction. The perfect integration of the tribo-skins and soft actuators enables soft robots to perform various actively sensing and interactive tasks including actively perceiving their muscle motions, working states, textile's dampness, and even subtle human physiological signals. Moreover, the self-generating signals can drive optoelectronic devices for visual communication and be processed for diverse sophisticated uses. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Sensitivity enhancement of fiber loop cavity ring-down pressure sensor.

PubMed

Jiang, Yajun; Yang, Dexing; Tang, Daqing; Zhao, Jianlin

2009-11-10

We present a theoretical and experimental study on sensitivity enhancement of a fiber-loop cavity ring-down pressure sensor. The cladding of the sensing fiber is etched in hydrofluoric acid solution to enhance its sensitivity. The experimental results demonstrate that the pressure applied on the sensing fiber is linearly proportional to the difference between the reciprocals of the ring-down time with and without pressure, and the relative sensitivity exponentially increases with decreasing the cladding diameter. When the sensing fiber is etched to 41.15 microm, its sensitivity is about 36 times that of nonetched fiber in the range of 0 to 32.5 MPa. The measured relative standard deviation of the ring-down time is about 0.15% and, correspondingly, the least detectable loss is about 0.00069 dB.

Studies on Five Senses Treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Sadaka; Miao, Tiejun; Oyama-Higa, Mayumi

2011-06-01

This study proposed a therapy from complementary and alternative medicine to treat mental disorder by through interactions of five senses between therapist and patient. In this method sounding a certain six voices play an important role in healing and recovery. First, we studied effects of speaking using scalp- EEG measurement. Chaos analysis of EEG showed a largely enhanced largest Lyapunov exponent (LLE) during the speaking. In addition, EEG power spectrum showed an increase over most frequencies. Second, we performed case studies on mental disorder using the therapy. Running power spectrum of EEG of patients indicated decreasing power at end of treatment, implying five senses therapy induced relaxed and lowered energy in central neural system. The results agreed with patient's reports that there were considerable decline in anxiety and improvements in mood.

Energy efficiency in cognitive radio network: Study of cooperative sensing using different channel sensing methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Chenxuan

When cognitive radio (CR) operates, it starts by sensing spectrum and looking for idle bandwidth. There are several methods for CR to make a decision on either the channel is occupied or idle, for example, energy detection scheme, cyclostationary detection scheme and matching filtering detection scheme [1]. Among them, the most common method is energy detection scheme because of its algorithm and implementation simplicities [2]. There are two major methods for sensing, the first one is to sense single channel slot with varying bandwidth, whereas the second one is to sense multiple channels and each with same bandwidth. After sensing periods, samples are compared with a preset detection threshold and a decision is made on either the primary user (PU) is transmitting or not. Sometimes the sensing and decision results can be erroneous, for example, false alarm error and misdetection error may occur. In order to better control error probabilities and improve CR network performance (i.e. energy efficiency), we introduce cooperative sensing; in which several CR within a certain range detect and make decisions on channel availability together. The decisions are transmitted to and analyzed by a data fusion center (DFC) to make a final decision on channel availability. After the final decision is been made, DFC sends back the decision to the CRs in order to tell them to stay idle or start to transmit data to secondary receiver (SR) within a preset transmission time. After the transmission, a new cycle starts again with sensing. This thesis report is organized as followed: Chapter II review some of the papers on optimizing CR energy efficiency. In Chapter III, we study how to achieve maximal energy efficiency when CR senses single channel with changing bandwidth and with constrain on misdetection threshold in order to protect PU; furthermore, a case study is given and we calculate the energy efficiency. In Chapter IV, we study how to achieve maximal energy efficiency when CR

High-Temperature Piezoelectric Sensing

PubMed Central

Jiang, Xiaoning; Kim, Kyungrim; Zhang, Shujun; Johnson, Joseph; Salazar, Giovanni

2014-01-01

Piezoelectric sensing is of increasing interest for high-temperature applications in aerospace, automotive, power plants and material processing due to its low cost, compact sensor size and simple signal conditioning, in comparison with other high-temperature sensing techniques. This paper presented an overview of high-temperature piezoelectric sensing techniques. Firstly, different types of high-temperature piezoelectric single crystals, electrode materials, and their pros and cons are discussed. Secondly, recent work on high-temperature piezoelectric sensors including accelerometer, surface acoustic wave sensor, ultrasound transducer, acoustic emission sensor, gas sensor, and pressure sensor for temperatures up to 1,250 °C were reviewed. Finally, discussions of existing challenges and future work for high-temperature piezoelectric sensing are presented. PMID:24361928

Formulation of a General Technique for Predicting Pneumatic Attenuation Errors in Airborne Pressure Sensing Devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmore, Stephen A.

1988-01-01

Presented is a mathematical model derived from the Navier-Stokes equations of momentum and continuity, which may be accurately used to predict the behavior of conventionally mounted pneumatic sensing systems subject to arbitrary pressure inputs. Numerical techniques for solving the general model are developed. Both step and frequency response lab tests were performed. These data are compared with solutions of the mathematical model and show excellent agreement. The procedures used to obtain the lab data are described. In-flight step and frequency response data were obtained. Comparisons with numerical solutions of the math model show good agreement. Procedures used to obtain the flight data are described. Difficulties encountered with obtaining the flight data are discussed.

An Analytical Explanation for the X-43A Flush Air Data Sensing System Pressure Mismatch Between Flight and Theory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ellsworth, Joel C.

2010-01-01

Following the successful Mach 7 flight test of the X-43A, unexpectedly low pressures were measured by the aft set of the onboard Flush Air Data Sensing System s pressure ports. These in-flight aft port readings were significantly lower below Mach 3.5 than was predicted by theory. The same lower readings were also seen in the Mach 10 flight of the X-43A and in wind-tunnel data. The pre-flight predictions were developed based on 2-dimensional wedge flow, which fails to predict some of the significant 3-dimensional flow features in this geometry at lower Mach numbers. Using Volterra s solution to the wave equation as a starting point, a three-dimensional finite wedge approximation to flow over the X-43A forebody is presented. The surface pressures from this approximation compare favorably with the measured wind tunnel and flight data at speeds of Mach 2.5 and 3.

Development of two-dimensional interdigitated center of pressure sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoo, Byungseok; Pines, Darryll J.

2017-12-01

This paper presents the development of a two-dimensional (2D) flexible patch sensor to detect and monitor the center of pressure (CoP) location and the total magnitude of a spatially distributed pressure to the specific surface areas of engineering structures. The CoP sensor with the contact mode induced by a pressure distribution was formulated by force sensitive resistor technology and was mainly composed of a thin conductive polymer layer, adhesive spacers, and two interdigitated patterned electrode films with unique sensing aperture shadings. By properly mapping the interdigitated electrode patterns to the top and bottom surfaces of the conductive polymer, the proposed sensor ideally enables to measure an overall applied pressure level and its centroid location within a predetermined sensing region in real-time. The CoP sensor containing 36 sensing sections within a dimension of around 3 × 3 inches was prototyped and experimentally investigated to verify its capability to identify the CoP location and magnitude due to the presence of a permanent magnet-based local pressure distribution. Only five electric wires connected to the CoP sensor to inspect the pressure-sensing positions of 36 segments. The evaluation results of the measured sensor data demonstrate good agreements with the actual test parameters such as the total pressure and its centroid position with about 5% locational error. However, to provide accurate information on the overall pressure range, the compensation factors must be determined and applied to the individual sensing sections of the sensor.

Pressure mapping with textile sensors for compression therapy monitoring.

PubMed

Baldoli, Ilaria; Mazzocchi, Tommaso; Paoletti, Clara; Ricotti, Leonardo; Salvo, Pietro; Dini, Valentina; Laschi, Cecilia; Francesco, Fabio Di; Menciassi, Arianna

2016-08-01

Compression therapy is the cornerstone of treatment in the case of venous leg ulcers. The therapy outcome is strictly dependent on the pressure distribution produced by bandages along the lower limb length. To date, pressure monitoring has been carried out using sensors that present considerable drawbacks, such as single point instead of distributed sensing, no shape conformability, bulkiness and constraints on patient's movements. In this work, matrix textile sensing technologies were explored in terms of their ability to measure the sub-bandage pressure with a suitable temporal and spatial resolution. A multilayered textile matrix based on a piezoresistive sensing principle was developed, calibrated and tested with human subjects, with the aim of assessing real-time distributed pressure sensing at the skin/bandage interface. Experimental tests were carried out on three healthy volunteers, using two different bandage types, from among those most commonly used. Such tests allowed the trends of pressure distribution to be evaluated over time, both at rest and during daily life activities. Results revealed that the proposed device enables the dynamic assessment of compression mapping, with a suitable spatial and temporal resolution (20 mm and 10 Hz, respectively). In addition, the sensor is flexible and conformable, thus well accepted by the patient. Overall, this study demonstrates the adequacy of the proposed piezoresistive textile sensor for the real-time monitoring of bandage-based therapeutic treatments. © IMechE 2016.

Method for sensing and measuring a concentration or partial pressure of a reactant used in a redox reaction

DOEpatents

Findl, E.

1984-12-21

A method for sensing or measuring the partial pressure or concentration of an electroactive species used in conjunction with an electrolyte, the method being characterized by providing a constant current between an anode and a cathode of an electrolyte-containing cell, while measuring changes in voltage that occur between either the anode and cathode or between a reference electrode and one of the main electrodes of the cell, thereby to determine the concentration or partial pressure of the electro-active species as a function of said measured voltage changes. The method of the invention can be practiced using either a cell having only an anode and a cathode, or using a cell having an anode and a cathode in combination with a reference electrode. Accurate measurements of small concentrations or partial pressures of electro-active species are obtainable with the method of the invention, by using constant currents of only a few microamperes between the anode and cathode of the cell, while the concentration-determining voltage is measured.

Absorption coefficients of CFC-11 and CFC-12 needed for atmospheric remote sensing and global warming studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Varanasi, Prasad

1992-01-01

Spectral absorption coefficients k(v) in the atmospheric window are reported for CFC-11 and CFC-12. Data obtained with a grating spectrometer are compared with NCAR cross sections and measurements of k(v) made with a tunable diode laser spectrometer at various temperature-pressure combinations representing tangent heights or layers in the atmosphere are presented. The results are suitable for atmospheric remote sensing and global warming studies.

Circumferential pressure probe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holmes, Harlan K. (Inventor); Moore, Thomas C. (Inventor); Fantl, Andrew J. (Inventor)

1989-01-01

A probe for measuring circumferential pressure inside a body cavity is disclosed. In the preferred embodiment, a urodynamic pressure measurement probe for evaluating human urinary sphincter function is disclosed. Along the length of the probe are disposed a multiplicity of deformable wall sensors which typically comprise support tube sections with flexible side wall areas. These are arranged along the length of the probe in two areas, one just proximal to the tip for the sensing of fluid pressure inside the bladder, and five in the sensing section which is positioned within the urethra at the point at which the urinary sphincter constricts to control the flow of urine. The remainder of the length of the probe comprises multiple rigid support tube sections interspersed with flexible support tube sections in the form of bellows to provide flexibility.

Comparison of temporospatial and kinetic variables of walking in small and large dogs on a pressure-sensing walkway.

PubMed

Kim, Jongmin; Kazmierczak, Kris A; Breur, Gert J

2011-09-01

To compare temporospatial variables (TSVs) and kinetic variables (KVs) for fore-limbs and hind limbs of small and large dogs of various breeds during walking and to determine associations among body weight (BW), TSVs, and KVs in these groups. 12 adult dogs with no evidence of lameness. Dogs (grouped according to BW as small [< 10 kg; n = 6] or large [> 25 kg; 6]) were walked in a straight line at their preferred velocity on a wooden platform with an embedded pressure-sensing walkway. Five valid trials were analyzed for each dog; mean TSVs and KVs were determined for each group. The TSVs and KVs for forelimbs and hind limbs were compared between groups, and correlations among BW, TSVs, and KVs were determined. Small dogs had significantly smaller TSVs and KVs than did large dogs. Temporal variables of small dogs and absolute vertical force variables of small and large dogs increased as BW increased. However, normalized peak vertical force and weight distribution values among the 4 limbs were similar between groups. Substantial similarities and differences were detected in gait characteristics between small and large dogs. Results indicated TSVs and KVs can be used for comparison of the walking gait between dogs or for comparison of variables between limbs in an individual dog. Use of the pressure-sensing walkway is a simple method for acquisition of TSVs and KVs for large and small dogs.

Natural Models for Autonomous Control of Spatial Navigation, Sensing, and Guidance

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-28

the opsins of deep-sea fishes , including their ability to withstand pressure, a significant study of how sensing proteins function in difficult...polarization sensing, we will gain insight concerning functional differences among materials which could have application for fabrication or design...have made excellent progress towards understanding how polarized-light receptors in animals function as well, including their function at the

Pressure and shear sensing based on microstrip antennas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammad, I.; Huang, H.

2012-04-01

A foot ulcer is the initiating factor in 85% of all diabetic amputations. Ulcer formation is believed to be contributed by both pressure and shear forces. There are commercially available instruments that can measure plantar pressure. However, instruments for plantar shear measurement are limited. In this paper, we investigate the application of antenna sensors for shear and pressure measurement. The principle of operation of both antenna sensors will be discussed first, followed by detailed descriptions on the antenna designs, sensor fabrication, experimental setup, procedure and results. Because the antenna sensors are small in size, can be wirelessly interrogated, and are frequency multiplexable, we plan to embed them in shoes for simultaneous mapping of plantar shear and pressure distributions in the future.

Feasibility study ASCS remote sensing/compliance determination system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duggan, I. E.; Minter, T. C., Jr.; Moore, B. H.; Nosworthy, C. T.

1973-01-01

A short-term technical study was performed by the MSC Earth Observations Division to determine the feasibility of the proposed Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service Automatic Remote Sensing/Compliance Determination System. For the study, the term automatic was interpreted as applying to an automated remote-sensing system that includes data acquisition, processing, and management.

Development of a Pressure Sensitive Paint System with Correction for Temperature Variation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simmons, Kantis A.

1995-01-01

Pressure Sensitive Paint (PSP) is known to provide a global image of pressure over a model surface. However, improvements in its accuracy and reliability are needed. Several factors contribute to the inaccuracy of PSP. One major factor is that luminescence is temperature dependent. To correct the luminescence of the pressure sensing component for changes in temperature, a temperature sensitive luminophore incorporated in the paint allows the user to measure both pressure and temperature simultaneously on the surface of a model. Magnesium Octaethylporphine (MgOEP) was used as a temperature sensing luminophore, with the pressure sensing luminophore, Platinum Octaethylporphine (PtOEP), to correct for temperature variations in model surface pressure measurements.

Whispering gallery resonators for optical sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madugani, Ramgopal; Kasumie, Sho; Yang, Yong; Ward, Jonathan; Lei, Fuchuan; Nic Chormaic, Síle

2017-04-01

In recent years, whispering gallery mode devices have extended their functionality across a number of research fields from photonics to sensing applications. Here, we will discuss environmental sensing applications, such as pressure, flow, and temperature using ultrahigh Q-factor microspheres fabricated from ultrathin optical fiber and microbubbles fabricated from pretapered glass capillary. We will discuss device fabrication and the different types of sensing that can be pursued using such systems. Finally, we will introduce the concept of using cavity ring-up spectroscopy to perform dispersive transient sensing, whereby a perturbation to the environment leads to a frequency mode shift, and dissipative transient sensing, which can lead to broadening of the mode, in a whispering gallery mode resonator.

Flexible Ferroelectric Sensors with Ultrahigh Pressure Sensitivity and Linear Response over Exceptionally Broad Pressure Range.

PubMed

Lee, Youngoh; Park, Jonghwa; Cho, Soowon; Shin, Young-Eun; Lee, Hochan; Kim, Jinyoung; Myoung, Jinyoung; Cho, Seungse; Kang, Saewon; Baig, Chunggi; Ko, Hyunhyub

2018-04-24

Flexible pressure sensors with a high sensitivity over a broad linear range can simplify wearable sensing systems without additional signal processing for the linear output, enabling device miniaturization and low power consumption. Here, we demonstrate a flexible ferroelectric sensor with ultrahigh pressure sensitivity and linear response over an exceptionally broad pressure range based on the material and structural design of ferroelectric composites with a multilayer interlocked microdome geometry. Due to the stress concentration between interlocked microdome arrays and increased contact area in the multilayer design, the flexible ferroelectric sensors could perceive static/dynamic pressure with high sensitivity (47.7 kPa -1 , 1.3 Pa minimum detection). In addition, efficient stress distribution between stacked multilayers enables linear sensing over exceptionally broad pressure range (0.0013-353 kPa) with fast response time (20 ms) and high reliability over 5000 repetitive cycles even at an extremely high pressure of 272 kPa. Our sensor can be used to monitor diverse stimuli from a low to a high pressure range including weak gas flow, acoustic sound, wrist pulse pressure, respiration, and foot pressure with a single device.

In-shoe plantar pressure measurement and analysis system based on fabric pressure sensing array.

PubMed

Shu, Lin; Hua, Tao; Wang, Yangyong; Qiao Li, Qiao; Feng, David Dagan; Tao, Xiaoming

2010-05-01

Spatial and temporal plantar pressure distributions are important and useful measures in footwear evaluation, athletic training, clinical gait analysis, and pathology foot diagnosis. However, present plantar pressure measurement and analysis systems are more or less uncomfortable to wear and expensive. This paper presents an in-shoe plantar pressure measurement and analysis system based on a textile fabric sensor array, which is soft, light, and has a high-pressure sensitivity and a long service life. The sensors are connected with a soft polymeric board through conductive yarns and integrated into an insole. A stable data acquisition system interfaces with the insole, wirelessly transmits the acquired data to remote receiver through Bluetooth path. Three configuration modes are incorporated to gain connection with desktop, laptop, or smart phone, which can be configured to comfortably work in research laboratories, clinics, sport ground, and other outdoor environments. A real-time display and analysis software is presented to calculate parameters such as mean pressure, peak pressure, center of pressure (COP), and shift speed of COP. Experimental results show that this system has stable performance in both static and dynamic measurements.

Acrylic Plastic Spherical Pressure Hull for Continental Shelf Depths

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-03-01

the con- l and secure conduit for the instrumentation leads at cave surface of the sphere (figure 26). The meridi- any external pressure to which the...constant pressure monitoring. In-line pressure CEA-06-1 25WT-120 with a gage factor of 2.11, transducers sense chamber pressures and send a bonded to the...wired to a strain gage conditioner that sensed strain as an analog FINDINGS voltage corresponding to the change in resistance occuring in each gage as it

Pressure-sensitive optrode

DOEpatents

Hirschfeld, T.B.

1985-04-09

An apparatus and method are disclosed for sensing changes in pressure and for generating optical signals related to changes in pressure. Light from a fiber optic is directed to a movable surface which is coated with a light-responsive material, and which moves relative to the end of the fiber optic in response to changes in pressure. The same fiber optic collects a portion of the reflected or emitted light from the movable surface. Changes in pressure are determined by measuring changes in the amount of light collected. 5 figs.

Failure detection and fault management techniques for flush airdata sensing systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmore, Stephen A.; Moes, Timothy R.; Leondes, Cornelius T.

1992-01-01

A high-angle-of-attack flush airdata sensing system was installed and flight tested on the F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle at NASA-Dryden. This system uses a matrix of pressure orifices arranged in concentric circles on the nose of the vehicle to determine angles of attack, angles of sideslip, dynamic pressure, and static pressure as well as other airdata parameters. Results presented use an arrangement of 11 symmetrically distributed ports on the aircraft nose. Experience with this sensing system data indicates that the primary concern for real-time implementation is the detection and management of overall system and individual pressure sensor failures. The multiple port sensing system is more tolerant to small disturbances in the measured pressure data than conventional probe-based intrusive airdata systems. However, under adverse circumstances, large undetected failures in individual pressure ports can result in algorithm divergence and catastrophic failure of the entire system. How system and individual port failures may be detected using chi sq. analysis is shown. Once identified, the effects of failures are eliminated using weighted least squares.

Fiber-linked interferometric pressure sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beheim, G.; Fritsch, K.; Poorman, R. N.

1987-01-01

A fiber-optic pressure sensor is described which uses a diaphragm to modulate the mirror separation of a Fabry-Perot cavity (the sensing cavity). A multimode optical fiber delivers broadband light to the sensing cavity and returns the spectrally modulated light which the cavity reflects. The sensor's output spectrum is analyzed using a tunable Fabry-Perot cavity (the reference cavity) to determine the mismatch in the mirror separations of the two cavities. An electronic servo control uses this result to cause the mirror separation of the reference cavity to equal that of the sensing cavity. The displacement of the pressure-sensing diaphragm is then obtained by measuring the capacitance of the reference cavity's metal-coated mirrors. Relative to other fiber-optic sensors, an important advantage of this instrument is its high immunity to the effects of variations in both the transmissivity of the fiber link and the wavelength of the optical source.

Hydrostatic pressure mimics gravitational pressure in characean cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Staves, M. P.; Wayne, R.; Leopold, A. C.

1992-01-01

Hydrostatic pressure applied to one end of a horizontal Chara cell induces a polarity of cytoplasmic streaming, thus mimicking the effect of gravity. A positive hydrostatic pressure induces a more rapid streaming away from the applied pressure and a slower streaming toward the applied pressure. In contrast, a negative pressure induces a more rapid streaming toward and a slower streaming away from the applied pressure. Both the hydrostatic pressure-induced and gravity-induced polarity of cytoplasmic streaming respond identically to cell ligation, UV microbeam irradiation, external Ca2+ concentrations, osmotic pressure, neutral red, TEA Cl-, and the Ca2+ channel blockers nifedipine and LaCl3. In addition, hydrostatic pressure applied to the bottom of a vertically-oriented cell can abolish and even reverse the gravity-induced polarity of cytoplasmic streaming. These data indicate that both gravity and hydrostatic pressure act at the same point of the signal transduction chain leading to the induction of a polarity of cytoplasmic streaming and support the hypothesis that characean cells respond to gravity by sensing a gravity-induced pressure differential between the cell ends.

Hydrostatic pressure mimics gravitational pressure in characean cells.

PubMed

Staves, M P; Wayne, R; Leopold, A C

1992-01-01

Hydrostatic pressure applied to one end of a horizontal Chara cell induces a polarity of cytoplasmic streaming, thus mimicking the effect of gravity. A positive hydrostatic pressure induces a more rapid streaming away from the applied pressure and a slower streaming toward the applied pressure. In contrast, a negative pressure induces a more rapid streaming toward and a slower streaming away from the applied pressure. Both the hydrostatic pressure-induced and gravity-induced polarity of cytoplasmic streaming respond identically to cell ligation, UV microbeam irradiation, external Ca2+ concentrations, osmotic pressure, neutral red, TEA Cl-, and the Ca2+ channel blockers nifedipine and LaCl3. In addition, hydrostatic pressure applied to the bottom of a vertically-oriented cell can abolish and even reverse the gravity-induced polarity of cytoplasmic streaming. These data indicate that both gravity and hydrostatic pressure act at the same point of the signal transduction chain leading to the induction of a polarity of cytoplasmic streaming and support the hypothesis that characean cells respond to gravity by sensing a gravity-induced pressure differential between the cell ends.

Technology study of quantum remote sensing imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bi, Siwen; Lin, Xuling; Yang, Song; Wu, Zhiqiang

2016-02-01

According to remote sensing science and technology development and application requirements, quantum remote sensing is proposed. First on the background of quantum remote sensing, quantum remote sensing theory, information mechanism, imaging experiments and prototype principle prototype research situation, related research at home and abroad are briefly introduced. Then we expounds compress operator of the quantum remote sensing radiation field and the basic principles of single-mode compression operator, quantum quantum light field of remote sensing image compression experiment preparation and optical imaging, the quantum remote sensing imaging principle prototype, Quantum remote sensing spaceborne active imaging technology is brought forward, mainly including quantum remote sensing spaceborne active imaging system composition and working principle, preparation and injection compression light active imaging device and quantum noise amplification device. Finally, the summary of quantum remote sensing research in the past 15 years work and future development are introduced.

Cryogenic High Pressure Sensor Module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chapman, John J. (Inventor); Shams, Qamar A. (Inventor); Powers, William T. (Inventor)

1999-01-01

A pressure sensor is provided for cryogenic, high pressure applications. A highly doped silicon piezoresistive pressure sensor is bonded to a silicon substrate in an absolute pressure sensing configuration. The absolute pressure sensor is bonded to an aluminum nitride substrate. Aluminum nitride has appropriate coefficient of thermal expansion for use with highly doped silicon at cryogenic temperatures. A group of sensors, either two sensors on two substrates or four sensors on a single substrate are packaged in a pressure vessel.

Cryogenic, Absolute, High Pressure Sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chapman, John J. (Inventor); Shams. Qamar A. (Inventor); Powers, William T. (Inventor)

2001-01-01

A pressure sensor is provided for cryogenic, high pressure applications. A highly doped silicon piezoresistive pressure sensor is bonded to a silicon substrate in an absolute pressure sensing configuration. The absolute pressure sensor is bonded to an aluminum nitride substrate. Aluminum nitride has appropriate coefficient of thermal expansion for use with highly doped silicon at cryogenic temperatures. A group of sensors, either two sensors on two substrates or four sensors on a single substrate are packaged in a pressure vessel.

Capacitive Micro Pressure Sensor Integrated with a Ring Oscillator Circuit on Chip

PubMed Central

Dai, Ching-Liang; Lu, Po-Wei; Chang, Chienliu; Liu, Cheng-Yang

2009-01-01

The study investigates a capacitive micro pressure sensor integrated with a ring oscillator circuit on a chip. The integrated capacitive pressure sensor is fabricated using the commercial CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) process and a post-process. The ring oscillator is employed to convert the capacitance of the pressure sensor into the frequency output. The pressure sensor consists of 16 sensing cells in parallel. Each sensing cell contains a top electrode and a lower electrode, and the top electrode is a sandwich membrane. The pressure sensor needs a post-CMOS process to release the membranes after completion of the CMOS process. The post-process uses etchants to etch the sacrificial layers, and to release the membranes. The advantages of the post-process include easy execution and low cost. Experimental results reveal that the pressure sensor has a high sensitivity of 7 Hz/Pa in the pressure range of 0–300 kPa. PMID:22303167

Capacitive micro pressure sensor integrated with a ring oscillator circuit on chip.

PubMed

Dai, Ching-Liang; Lu, Po-Wei; Chang, Chienliu; Liu, Cheng-Yang

2009-01-01

The study investigates a capacitive micro pressure sensor integrated with a ring oscillator circuit on a chip. The integrated capacitive pressure sensor is fabricated using the commercial CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) process and a post-process. The ring oscillator is employed to convert the capacitance of the pressure sensor into the frequency output. The pressure sensor consists of 16 sensing cells in parallel. Each sensing cell contains a top electrode and a lower electrode, and the top electrode is a sandwich membrane. The pressure sensor needs a post-CMOS process to release the membranes after completion of the CMOS process. The post-process uses etchants to etch the sacrificial layers, and to release the membranes. The advantages of the post-process include easy execution and low cost. Experimental results reveal that the pressure sensor has a high sensitivity of 7 Hz/Pa in the pressure range of 0-300 kPa.

Flexible pressure sensors for burnt skin patient monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Gwang-Wook; Kim, Se-Hoon; Kim, Joo-Hyung

2015-04-01

To monitor hypertrophic scars in burnt skin we proposed and demonstrated a hybrid polymer/carbon tube-based flexible pressure sensor. To monitor the pressure on skin by measurement, we were focusing on the fabrication of a well-defined hybrid polydimethylsiloxsane/functionalized multi-walled carbon tube array formed on the patterned interdigital transducer in a controllable way for the application of flexible pressure sensing devices. As a result, the detection at the pressure of 20 mmHg is achieved, which is a suggested optimal value of resistance for sensing pressure. It should be noted that the achieved value of resistance at the pressure of 20 mmHg is highly desirable for the further development of sensitive flexible pressure sensors. In addition we demonstrate a feasibility of a wearable pressure sensor which can be in real-time detection of local pressure by wireless communication module. Keywords:

Noninvasive blood pressure measurement scheme based on optical fiber sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xianxuan; Yuan, Xueguang; Zhang, Yangan

2016-10-01

Optical fiber sensing has many advantages, such as volume small, light quality, low loss, strong in anti-jamming. Since the invention of the optical fiber sensing technology in 1977, optical fiber sensing technology has been applied in the military, national defense, aerospace, industrial, medical and other fields in recent years, and made a great contribution to parameter measurement in the environment under the limited condition .With the rapid development of computer, network system, the intelligent optical fiber sensing technology, the sensor technology, the combination of computer and communication technology , the detection, diagnosis and analysis can be automatically and efficiently completed. In this work, we proposed a noninvasive blood pressure detection and analysis scheme which uses optical fiber sensor. Optical fiber sensing system mainly includes the light source, optical fiber, optical detector, optical modulator, the signal processing module and so on. wavelength optical signals were led into the optical fiber sensor and the signals reflected by the human body surface were detected. By comparing actual testing data with the data got by traditional way to measure the blood pressure we can establish models for predicting the blood pressure and achieve noninvasive blood pressure measurement by using spectrum analysis technology. Blood pressure measurement method based on optical fiber sensing system is faster and more convenient than traditional way, and it can get accurate analysis results in a shorter period of time than before, so it can efficiently reduce the time cost and manpower cost.

Applications of Remote Sensing to Alien Invasive Plant Studies

PubMed Central

Huang, Cho-ying; Asner, Gregory P.

2009-01-01

Biological invasions can affect ecosystems across a wide spectrum of bioclimatic conditions. Therefore, it is often important to systematically monitor the spread of species over a broad region. Remote sensing has been an important tool for large-scale ecological studies in the past three decades, but it was not commonly used to study alien invasive plants until the mid 1990s. We synthesize previous research efforts on remote sensing of invasive plants from spatial, temporal and spectral perspectives. We also highlight a recently developed state-of-the-art image fusion technique that integrates passive and active energies concurrently collected by an imaging spectrometer and a scanning-waveform light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system, respectively. This approach provides a means to detect the structure and functional properties of invasive plants of different canopy levels. Finally, we summarize regional studies of biological invasions using remote sensing, discuss the limitations of remote sensing approaches, and highlight current research needs and future directions. PMID:22408558

Building Kindergartners' Number Sense: A Randomized Controlled Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jordan, Nancy C.; Glutting, Joseph; Dyson, Nancy; Hassinger-Das, Brenna; Irwin, Casey

2012-01-01

Math achievement in elementary school is mediated by performance and growth in number sense during kindergarten. The aim of the present study was to test the effectiveness of a targeted small-group number sense intervention for high-risk kindergartners from low-income communities. Children were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups (n = 44 in each…

A comparative study of MOEM pressure sensors using MZI, DC, and racetrack resonator IO structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selvarajan, A.; Pattnaik, Prasant Kumar; Badrinarayana, T.; Srinivas, T.

2006-03-01

In recent years micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) sensors have drawn considerable attention due to their attraction in terms of miniaturization, batch fabrication and ease of integration with the required electronics circuitry. Micro-opto-electro-mechanical (MOEM) devices and systems, based on the principles of integrated optics and micromachining technology on silicon have immense potential for sensor applications. Employing optical techniques have important advantages such as functionality, large bandwidth and higher sensitivity. Pressure sensing is currently the most lucrative market for solid-state micro sensors. Pressure sensing using micromachined structures utilize the changes induced in either the resistive or capacitive properties of the electro-mechanical structure by the impressed pressure. Integrated optical pressure sensors can utilize the changes to the amplitude, phase, refractive index profile, optical path length, or polarization of the lightwave by the external pressure. In this paper we compare the performance characteristics of three types of MOEM pressure sensors based on Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (MZI), Directional Coupler (DC) and racetrack resonator (RR) integrated optical geometries. The first two configurations measure the pressure changes through a change in optical intensity while the third one measures the same in terms of frequency or wavelength change. The analysis of each sensors has been carried out in terms of mechanical and optical models and their interrelationship through optomechanical coupling. For a typical diaphragm of size 2mm × 1mm × 20 μm, normalized pressure sensitivity of 18.35 μW/mW/kPa, 29.37 μW/mW/kPa and 2.26 pm/kPa in case of MZI, DC and RR devices have been obtained respectively. The noise performance of these devices are also presented.

Distortion Of Pressure Signals In Pneumatic Tubes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmore, Stephen A.; Gilyard, Glenn B.; Curry, Robert; Lindsey, William

1993-01-01

NASA technical memorandum describes experimental investigation of distorting effects of propagation of pressure signals along narrow pneumatic tubes from pressure-sensing orifices on surfaces of models or aircraft to pressure sensors distant from orifices. Pressure signals distorted principally by frictional damping along walls of tubes and by reflections at orifice and sensor ends.

Building Kindergartners' Number Sense: A Randomized Controlled Study.

PubMed

Jordan, Nancy C; Glutting, Joseph; Dyson, Nancy; Hassinger-Das, Brenna; Irwin, Casey

2012-08-01

Math achievement in elementary school is mediated by performance and growth in number sense during kindergarten. The aim of the present study was to test the effectiveness of a targeted small group number sense intervention for high-risk kindergartners from low-income communities. Children were randomly assigned to one of three groups ( n = 44 in each group): a number sense intervention group, a language intervention group, or a business as usual control group. Accounting for initial skill level in mathematical knowledge, children who received the number sense intervention performed better than controls at immediate post test, with meaningful effects on measures of number competencies and general math achievement. Many of the effects held eight weeks after the intervention was completed, suggesting that children internalized what they had learned. There were no differences between the language and control groups on any math-related measures.

Battery-Free Smart Sock for Abnormal Relative Plantar Pressure Monitoring.

PubMed

Lin, Xiaoyou; Seet, Boon-Chong

2017-04-01

This paper presents a new design of a wearable plantar pressure monitoring system in the form of a smart sock for sensing abnormal relative pressure changes. One advantage of this approach is that with a battery-free design, this system can be powered solely by radio frequency (RF) energy harvested from a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader unit hosted on a smartphone of the wearer. At the same time, this RFID reader can read foot pressure values from an embedded sensor-tag in the sock. A pressure sensing matrix made of conductive fabric and flexible piezo-resistive material is integrated into the sock during the knitting process. Sensed foot pressures are digitized and stored in the memory of a sensor-tag, thus allowing relative foot pressure values to be tracked. The control unit of the smart sock is assembled on a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) that can be strapped to the lower limb and detached easily when it is not in use. Experiments show that the system can operate reliably in both tasks of RF energy harvesting and pressure measurement.

Particle-based optical pressure sensors for 3D pressure mapping.

PubMed

Banerjee, Niladri; Xie, Yan; Chalaseni, Sandeep; Mastrangelo, Carlos H

2015-10-01

This paper presents particle-based optical pressure sensors for in-flow pressure sensing, especially for microfluidic environments. Three generations of pressure sensitive particles have been developed- flat planar particles, particles with integrated retroreflectors and spherical microballoon particles. The first two versions suffer from pressure measurement dependence on particles orientation in 3D space and angle of interrogation. The third generation of microspherical particles with spherical symmetry solves these problems making particle-based manometry in microfluidic environment a viable and efficient methodology. Static and dynamic pressure measurements have been performed in liquid medium for long periods of time in a pressure range of atmospheric to 40 psi. Spherical particles with radius of 12 μm and balloon-wall thickness of 0.5 μm are effective for more than 5 h in this pressure range with an error of less than 5%.

Elevation correction factor for absolute pressure measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Panek, Joseph W.; Sorrells, Mark R.

1996-01-01

With the arrival of highly accurate multi-port pressure measurement systems, conditions that previously did not affect overall system accuracy must now be scrutinized closely. Errors caused by elevation differences between pressure sensing elements and model pressure taps can be quantified and corrected. With multi-port pressure measurement systems, the sensing elements are connected to pressure taps that may be many feet away. The measurement system may be at a different elevation than the pressure taps due to laboratory space or test article constraints. This difference produces a pressure gradient that is inversely proportional to height within the interface tube. The pressure at the bottom of the tube will be higher than the pressure at the top due to the weight of the tube's column of air. Tubes with higher pressures will exhibit larger absolute errors due to the higher air density. The above effect is well documented but has generally been taken into account with large elevations only. With error analysis techniques, the loss in accuracy from elevation can be easily quantified. Correction factors can be applied to maintain the high accuracies of new pressure measurement systems.

Differential pressure sensing system for airfoils usable in turbine engines

DOEpatents

Yang, Wen-Ching; Stampahar, Maria E.

2005-09-13

A detection system for identifying airfoils having a cooling systems with orifices that are plugged with contaminants or with showerheads having a portion burned off. The detection system measures pressures at different locations and calculates or measures a differential pressure. The differential pressure may be compared with a known benchmark value to determine whether the differential pressure has changed. Changes in the differential pressure may indicate that one or more of the orifices in a cooling system of an airfoil are plugged or that portions of, or all of, a showerhead has burned off.

Dynamic tire pressure sensor for measuring ground vibration.

PubMed

Wang, Qi; McDaniel, James Gregory; Wang, Ming L

2012-11-07

This work presents a convenient and non-contact acoustic sensing approach for measuring ground vibration. This approach, which uses an instantaneous dynamic tire pressure sensor (DTPS), possesses the capability to replace the accelerometer or directional microphone currently being used for inspecting pavement conditions. By measuring dynamic pressure changes inside the tire, ground vibration can be amplified and isolated from environmental noise. In this work, verifications of the DTPS concept of sensing inside the tire have been carried out. In addition, comparisons between a DTPS, ground-mounted accelerometer, and directional microphone are made. A data analysis algorithm has been developed and optimized to reconstruct ground acceleration from DTPS data. Numerical and experimental studies of this DTPS reveal a strong potential for measuring ground vibration caused by a moving vehicle. A calibration of transfer function between dynamic tire pressure change and ground acceleration may be needed for different tire system or for more accurate application.

Dynamic Tire Pressure Sensor for Measuring Ground Vibration

PubMed Central

Wang, Qi; McDaniel, James Gregory; Wang, Ming L.

2012-01-01

This work presents a convenient and non-contact acoustic sensing approach for measuring ground vibration. This approach, which uses an instantaneous dynamic tire pressure sensor (DTPS), possesses the capability to replace the accelerometer or directional microphone currently being used for inspecting pavement conditions. By measuring dynamic pressure changes inside the tire, ground vibration can be amplified and isolated from environmental noise. In this work, verifications of the DTPS concept of sensing inside the tire have been carried out. In addition, comparisons between a DTPS, ground-mounted accelerometer, and directional microphone are made. A data analysis algorithm has been developed and optimized to reconstruct ground acceleration from DTPS data. Numerical and experimental studies of this DTPS reveal a strong potential for measuring ground vibration caused by a moving vehicle. A calibration of transfer function between dynamic tire pressure change and ground acceleration may be needed for different tire system or for more accurate application. PMID:23202206

Remote sensing for studying atmospheric aerosols in Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanniah, Kasturi D.; Kamarul Zaman, Nurul A. F.

2015-10-01

The aerosol system is Southeast Asia is complex and the high concentrations are due to population growth, rapid urbanization and development of SEA countries. Nevertheless, only a few studies have been carried out especially at large spatial extent and on a continuous basis to study atmospheric aerosols in Malaysia. In this review paper we report the use of remote sensing data to study atmospheric aerosols in Malaysia and document gaps and recommend further studies to bridge the gaps. Satellite data have been used to study the spatial and seasonal patterns of aerosol optical depth (AOD) in Malaysia. Satellite data combined with AERONET data were used to delineate different types and sizes of aerosols and to identify the sources of aerosols in Malaysia. Most of the aerosol studies performed in Malaysia was based on station-based PM10 data that have limited spatial coverage. Thus, satellite data have been used to extrapolate and retrieve PM10 data over large areas by correlating remotely sensed AOD with ground-based PM10. Realising the critical role of aerosols on radiative forcing numerous studies have been conducted worldwide to assess the aerosol radiative forcing (ARF). Such studies are yet to be conducted in Malaysia. Although the only source of aerosol data covering large region in Malaysia is remote sensing, satellite observations are limited by cloud cover, orbital gaps of satellite track, etc. In addition, relatively less understanding is achieved on how the atmospheric aerosol interacts with the regional climate system. These gaps can be bridged by conducting more studies using integrated approach of remote sensing, AERONET and ground based measurements.

Pressure Sensing in High-Refractive-Index Liquids Using Long-Period Gratings Nanocoated with Silicon Nitride

PubMed Central

Smietana, Mateusz; Bock, Wojtek J.; Mikulic, Predrag; Chen, Jiahua

2010-01-01

The paper presents a novel pressure sensor based on a silicon nitride (SiNx) nanocoated long-period grating (LPG). The high-temperature, radio-frequency plasma-enhanced chemical-vapor-deposited (RF PECVD) SiNx nanocoating was applied to tune the sensitivity of the LPG to the external refractive index. The technique allows for deposition of good quality, hard and wear-resistant nanofilms as required for optical sensors. Thanks to the SiNx nanocoating it is possible to overcome a limitation of working in the external-refractive-index range, which for a bare fiber cannot be close to that of the cladding. The nanocoated LPG-based sensing structure we developed is functional in high-refractive-index liquids (nd > 1.46) such as oil or gasoline, with pressure sensitivity as high as when water is used as a working liquid. The nanocoating developed for this experiment not only has the highest refractive index ever achieved in LPGs (n > 2.2 at λ = 1,550 nm), but is also the thinnest (<100 nm) able to tune the external-refractive-index sensitivity of the gratings. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time a nanocoating has been applied on LPGs that is able to simultaneously tune the refractive-index sensitivity and to enable measurements of other parameters. PMID:22163527

Pressure sensing in high-refractive-index liquids using long-period gratings nanocoated with silicon nitride.

PubMed

Smietana, Mateusz; Bock, Wojtek J; Mikulic, Predrag; Chen, Jiahua

2010-01-01

The paper presents a novel pressure sensor based on a silicon nitride (SiNx) nanocoated long-period grating (LPG). The high-temperature, radio-frequency plasma-enhanced chemical-vapor-deposited (RF PECVD) SiNx nanocoating was applied to tune the sensitivity of the LPG to the external refractive index. The technique allows for deposition of good quality, hard and wear-resistant nanofilms as required for optical sensors. Thanks to the SiNx nanocoating it is possible to overcome a limitation of working in the external-refractive-index range, which for a bare fiber cannot be close to that of the cladding. The nanocoated LPG-based sensing structure we developed is functional in high-refractive-index liquids (nD>1.46) such as oil or gasoline, with pressure sensitivity as high as when water is used as a working liquid. The nanocoating developed for this experiment not only has the highest refractive index ever achieved in LPGs (n>2.2 at λ=1,550 nm), but is also the thinnest (<100 nm) able to tune the external-refractive-index sensitivity of the gratings. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time a nanocoating has been applied on LPGs that is able to simultaneously tune the refractive-index sensitivity and to enable measurements of other parameters.

TRPC5 channels participate in pressure-sensing in aortic baroreceptors

PubMed Central

Lau, On-Chai; Shen, Bing; Wong, Ching-On; Tjong, Yung-Wui; Lo, Chun-Yin; Wang, Hui-Chuan; Huang, Yu; Yung, Wing-Ho; Chen, Yang-Chao; Fung, Man-Lung; Rudd, John Anthony; Yao, Xiaoqiang

2016-01-01

Blood pressure is maintained within a normal physiological range by a sophisticated regulatory mechanism. Baroreceptors serve as a frontline sensor to detect the change in blood pressure. Nerve signals are then sent to the cardiovascular control centre in the brain in order to stimulate baroreflex responses. Here, we identify TRPC5 channels as a mechanical sensor in aortic baroreceptors. In Trpc5 knockout mice, the pressure-induced action potential firings in the afferent nerve and the baroreflex-mediated heart rate reduction are attenuated. Telemetric measurements of blood pressure demonstrate that Trpc5 knockout mice display severe daily blood pressure fluctuation. Our results suggest that TRPC5 channels represent a key pressure transducer in the baroreceptors and play an important role in maintaining blood pressure stability. Because baroreceptor dysfunction contributes to a variety of cardiovascular diseases including hypertension, heart failure and myocardial infarction, our findings may have important future clinical implications. PMID:27411851

Cervical joint position sense in neck pain. Immediate effects of muscle vibration versus mental training interventions: a RCT.

PubMed

Beinert, K; Preiss, S; Huber, M; Taube, W

2015-12-01

Impaired cervical joint position sense is a feature of chronic neck pain and is commonly argued to rely on abnormal cervical input. If true, muscle vibration, altering afferent input, but not mental interventions, should have an effect on head repositioning acuity and neck pain perception. The aim of the present study was to determine the short-term effects of neck muscle vibration, motor imagery, and action observation on cervical joint position sense and pressure pain threshold in people with chronic neck pain. Forty-five blinded participants with neck pain received concealed allocation and were randomized in three treatment groups. A blinded assessor performed pre- and post-test measurement. Patients were recruited from secondary outpatient clinics in the southwest of Germany. Chronic, non specific neck pain patients without arm pain were recruited for this study. A single intervention session of 5 minutes was delivered to each blinded participant. Patients were either allocated to one of the following three interventions: (1) neck muscle vibration; (2) motor imagery; (3) action observation. Primary outcomes were cervical joint position sense acuity and pressure pain threshold. Repeated measures ANOVAs were used to evaluate differences between groups and subjects. Repositioning acuity displayed significant time effects for vibration, motor imagery, and action observation (all P<0.05), but revealed no time*group effect. Pressure pain threshold demonstrated a time*group effect (P=0.042) as only vibration significantly increased pressure pain threshold (P=0.01). Although motor imagery and action observation did not modulate proprioceptive, afferent input, they nevertheless improved cervical joint position sense acuity. This indicates that, against the common opinion, changes in proprioceptive input are not prerequisite to improve joint repositioning performance. However, the short-term applications of these cognitive treatments had no effect on pressure pain

Building Kindergartners’ Number Sense: A Randomized Controlled Study

PubMed Central

Jordan, Nancy C.; Glutting, Joseph; Dyson, Nancy; Hassinger-Das, Brenna; Irwin, Casey

2015-01-01

Math achievement in elementary school is mediated by performance and growth in number sense during kindergarten. The aim of the present study was to test the effectiveness of a targeted small group number sense intervention for high-risk kindergartners from low-income communities. Children were randomly assigned to one of three groups (n = 44 in each group): a number sense intervention group, a language intervention group, or a business as usual control group. Accounting for initial skill level in mathematical knowledge, children who received the number sense intervention performed better than controls at immediate post test, with meaningful effects on measures of number competencies and general math achievement. Many of the effects held eight weeks after the intervention was completed, suggesting that children internalized what they had learned. There were no differences between the language and control groups on any math-related measures. PMID:25866417

Tire pressure special study : methodology

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-08-01

Tire Pressure Special Study: Methodology is the : first in a series of research notes pertaining to the : Tire Pressure Special Study (TPSS) conducted by : the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration : (NHTSA). Upcoming research notes wi...

The application of remote sensing techniques to the study of ophiolites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Shuhab D.; Mahmood, Khalid

2008-08-01

Satellite remote sensing methods are a powerful tool for detailed geologic analysis, especially in inaccessible regions of the earth's surface. Short-wave infrared (SWIR) bands are shown to provide spectral information bearing on the lithologic, structural, and geochemical character of rock bodies such as ophiolites, allowing for a more comprehensive assessment of the lithologies present, their stratigraphic relationships, and geochemical character. Most remote sensing data are widely available for little or no cost, along with user-friendly software for non-specialists. In this paper we review common remote sensing systems and methods that allow for the discrimination of solid rock (lithologic) components of ophiolite complexes and their structural relationships. Ophiolites are enigmatic rock bodies which associated with most, if not all, plate collision sutures. Ophiolites are ideal for remote sensing given their widely recognized diversity of lithologic types and structural relationships. Accordingly, as a basis for demonstrating the utility of remote sensing techniques, we briefly review typical ophiolites in the Tethyan tectonic belt. As a case study, we apply integrated remote sensing studies of a well-studied example, the Muslim Bagh ophiolite, located in Balochistan, western Pakistan. On this basis, we attempt to demonstrate how remote sensing data can validate and reconcile existing information obtained from field studies. The lithologic and geochemical diversity of Muslim Bagh are representative of Tethyan ophiolites. Despite it's remote location it has been extensively mapped and characterized by structural and geochemical studies, and is virtually free of vegetative cover. Moreover, integrating the remote sensing data with 'ground truth' information thus offers the potential of an improved template for interpreting remote sensing data sets of other ophiolites for which little or no field information is available.

Integrated Optical Interferometers with Micromachined Diaphragms for Pressure Sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeBrabander, Gregory N.; Boyd, Joseph T.

1996-01-01

Optical pressure sensors have been fabricated which use an integrated optical channel waveguide that is part of an interferometer to measure the pressure-induced strain in a micromachined silicon diaphragm. A silicon substrate is etched from the back of the wafer leaving a rectangular diaphragm. On the opposite side of the wafer, ring resonator and Mach-Zehnder interferometers are formed with optical channel waveguides made from a low pressure chemical vapor deposited film of silicon oxynitride. The interferometer's phase is altered by pressure-induced stress in a channel segment positioned over the long edge of the diaphragm. The phase change in the ring resonator is monitored using a link-insensitive swept frequency laser diode, while in the Mach-Zehnder it is determined using a broad band super luminescent diode with subsequent wavelength separation. The ring resonator was found to be highly temperature sensitive, while the Mach-Zehnder, which had a smaller optical path length difference, was proportionally less so. The quasi-TM mode was more sensitive to pressure, in accord with calculations. Waveguide and sensor theory, sensitivity calculations, a fabrication sequence, and experimental results are presented.

Effects of cyclic hydraulic pressure on osteocytes.

PubMed

Liu, Chao; Zhao, Yan; Cheung, Wing-Yee; Gandhi, Ronak; Wang, Liyun; You, Lidan

2010-05-01

Bone is able to adapt its composition and structure in order to suit its mechanical environment. Osteocytes, bone cells embedded in the calcified matrix, are believed to be the mechanosensors and responsible for orchestrating the bone remodeling process. Recent in vitro studies have shown that osteocytes are able to sense and respond to substrate strain and fluid shear. However the capacity of osteocytes to sense cyclic hydraulic pressure (CHP) associated with physiological mechanical loading is not well understood. In this study, we subjected osteocyte-like MLO-Y4 cells to controlled CHP of 68 kPa at 0.5 Hz, and investigated the effects of CHP on intracellular calcium concentration, cytoskeleton organization, mRNA expression of genes related to bone remodeling, and osteocyte apoptosis. We found that osteocytes were able to sense CHP and respond by increased intracellular calcium concentration, altered microtubule organization, a time-dependent increase in COX-2 mRNA level and RANKL/OPG mRNA ratio, and decreased apoptosis. These findings support the hypothesis that loading induced cyclic hydraulic pressure in bone serves as a mechanical stimulus to osteocytes and may play a role in regulating bone remodeling in vivo. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dynamic Pressure Probes Developed for Supersonic Flow-Field Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Porro, A. Robert

2001-01-01

A series of dynamic flow-field pressure probes were developed for use in large-scale supersonic wind tunnels at the NASA Glenn Research Center. These flow-field probes include pitot and static pressure probes that can capture fast-acting flow-field pressure transients occurring on a millisecond timescale. The pitot and static probes can be used to determine local Mach number time histories during a transient event. The flow-field pressure probe contains four major components: 1) Static pressure aerodynamic tip; 2) Pressure-sensing cartridge assembly; 3) Pitot pressure aerodynamic tip; 4) Mounting stem. This modular design allows for a variety of probe tips to be used for a specific application. Here, the focus is on flow-field pressure measurements in supersonic flows, so we developed a cone-cylinder static pressure tip and a pitot pressure tip. Alternatively, probe tips optimized for subsonic and transonic flows could be used with this design. The pressure-sensing cartridge assembly allows the simultaneous measurement of steady-state and transient pressure which allows continuous calibration of the dynamic pressure transducer.

Flexible hemispheric microarrays of highly pressure-sensitive sensors based on breath figure method.

PubMed

Wang, Zhihui; Zhang, Ling; Liu, Jin; Jiang, Hao; Li, Chunzhong

2018-05-30

Recently, flexible pressure sensors featuring high sensitivity, broad sensing range and real-time detection have aroused great attention owing to their crucial role in the development of artificial intelligent devices and healthcare systems. Herein, highly sensitive pressure sensors based on hemisphere-microarray flexible substrates are fabricated via inversely templating honeycomb structures deriving from a facile and static breath figure process. The interlocked and subtle microstructures greatly improve the sensing characteristics and compressibility of the as-prepared pressure sensor, endowing it a sensitivity as high as 196 kPa-1 and a wide pressure sensing range (0-100 kPa), as well as other superior performance, including a lower detection limit of 0.5 Pa, fast response time (<26 ms) and high reversibility (>10 000 cycles). Based on the outstanding sensing performance, the potential capability of our pressure sensor in capturing physiological information and recognizing speech signals has been demonstrated, indicating promising application in wearable and intelligent electronics.

Localised strain sensing of dielectric elastomers in a stretchable soft-touch musical keyboard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Daniel; Tairych, Andreas; Anderson, Iain A.

2015-04-01

We present a new sensing method that can measure the strain at different locations in a dielectric elastomer. The method uses multiple sensing frequencies to target different regions of the same dielectric elastomer to simultaneously detect position and pressure using only a single pair of connections. The dielectric elastomer is modelled as an RC transmission line and its internal voltage and current distribution used to determine localised capacitance changes resulting from contact and pressure. This sensing method greatly simplifies high degree of freedom systems and does not require any modifications to the dielectric elastomer or sensing hardware. It is demonstrated on a multi-touch musical keyboard made from a single low cost carbon-based dielectric elastomer with 4 distinct musical tones mapped along a length of 0.1m. Loudness was controlled by the amount of pressure applied to each of these 4 positions.

Validity and Usefulness of `Wearable Blood Pressure Sensing' for Detection of Inappropriate Short-Term Blood Pressure Variability in the Elderly

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iijima, Katsuya; Kameyama, Yumi; Akishita, Masahiro; Ouchi, Yasuyoshi; Yanagimoto, Shintaro; Imai, Yasushi; Yahagi, Naoki; Lopez, Guillaume; Shuzo, Masaki; Yamada, Ichiro

An increase in short-term blood pressure (BP) variability is a characteristic feature in the elderly. It makes the management of hemodynamics more difficult, because it is frequently seen disturbed baro-reflex function and increased arterial stiffness, leading to isolated systolic hypertension. Large BP variability aggravates hypertensive target organ damage and is an independent risk factor for the cardiovascular (CV) events in elderly hypertensive patients. Therefore, appropriate control in BP is indispensable to manage lifestyle-related diseases and to prevent subsequent CV events. In addition, accumulating recent reports show that excessive BP variability is also associated with a decline in cognitive function and fall in the elderly. In the clinical settings, we usually evaluate their health condition, mainly with single point BP measurement using cuff inflation. However, unfortunately we are not able to find the close changes in BP by the traditional way. Here, we can show our advantageous approach of continuous BP monitoring using newly developing device `wearable BP sensing' without a cuff stress in the elderly. The new device could reflect systolic BP and its detailed changes, in consistent with cuff-based BP measurement. Our new challenge suggests new possibility of its clinical application with high accuracy.

POFBG-Embedded Cork Insole for Plantar Pressure Monitoring

PubMed Central

Vilarinho, Débora; Theodosiou, Antreas; Domingues, Maria de Fátima; André, Paulo; Marques, Carlos

2017-01-01

We propose a novel polymer optical fiber (POF) sensing system based on fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) to measure foot plantar pressure. The plantar pressure signals are detected by five FBGs, in the same piece of cyclic transparent optical polymer (CYTOP) fiber, which are embedded in a cork insole for the dynamic monitoring of gait. The calibration and measurements performed with the suggested system are presented, and the results obtained demonstrate the accuracy and reliability of the sensing platform to monitor the foot plantar pressure distribution during gait motion and the application of pressure. This architecture does not compromise the patient’s mobility nor interfere in their daily activities. The results using the CYTOP fiber showed a very good response when compared with solutions using silica optical fibers, resulting in a sensitivity almost twice as high, with excellent repeatability and ease of handling. The advantages of POF (e.g., high flexibility and robustness) proved that this is a viable solution for this type of application, since POF’s high fracture toughness enables its application in monitoring patients with higher body mass compared with similar systems based on silica fiber. This study has demonstrated the viability of the proposed system based on POF technology as a useful alternative for plantar pressure detection systems. PMID:29258166

POFBG-Embedded Cork Insole for Plantar Pressure Monitoring.

PubMed

Vilarinho, Débora; Theodosiou, Antreas; Leitão, Cátia; Leal-Junior, Arnaldo G; Domingues, Maria de Fátima; Kalli, Kyriacos; André, Paulo; Antunes, Paulo; Marques, Carlos

2017-12-16

We propose a novel polymer optical fiber (POF) sensing system based on fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) to measure foot plantar pressure. The plantar pressure signals are detected by five FBGs, in the same piece of cyclic transparent optical polymer (CYTOP) fiber, which are embedded in a cork insole for the dynamic monitoring of gait. The calibration and measurements performed with the suggested system are presented, and the results obtained demonstrate the accuracy and reliability of the sensing platform to monitor the foot plantar pressure distribution during gait motion and the application of pressure. This architecture does not compromise the patient's mobility nor interfere in their daily activities. The results using the CYTOP fiber showed a very good response when compared with solutions using silica optical fibers, resulting in a sensitivity almost twice as high, with excellent repeatability and ease of handling. The advantages of POF (e.g., high flexibility and robustness) proved that this is a viable solution for this type of application, since POF's high fracture toughness enables its application in monitoring patients with higher body mass compared with similar systems based on silica fiber. This study has demonstrated the viability of the proposed system based on POF technology as a useful alternative for plantar pressure detection systems.

Demonstration of a Packaged Capacitive Pressure Sensor System Suitable for Jet Turbofan Engine Health Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scardelletti, Maximilian C.; Jordan, Jennifer L.; Meredith, Roger D.; Harsh, Kevin; Pilant, Evan; Usrey, Michael W.; Beheim, Glenn M.; Hunter, Gary W.; Zorman, Christian A.

2016-01-01

In this paper, the development and characterization of a packaged pressure sensor system suitable for jet engine health monitoring is demonstrated. The sensing system operates from 97 to 117 MHz over a pressure range from 0 to 350 psi and a temperature range from 25 to 500 deg. The sensing system consists of a Clapp-type oscillator that is fabricated on an alumina substrate and is comprised of a Cree SiC MESFET, MIM capacitors, a wire-wound inductor, chip resistors and a SiCN capacitive pressure sensor. The pressure sensor is located in the LC tank circuit of the oscillator so that a change in pressure causes a change in capacitance, thus changing the resonant frequency of the sensing system. The chip resistors, wire-wound inductors and MIM capacitors have all been characterized at temperature and operational frequency, and perform with less than 5% variance in electrical performance. The measured capacitive pressure sensing system agrees very well with simulated results. The packaged pressure sensing system is specifically designed to measure the pressure on a jet turbofan engine. The packaged system can be installed by way of borescope plug adaptor fitted to a borescope port exposed to the gas path of a turbofan engine.

Pressure and protective factors influencing nursing students' self-esteem: A content analysis study.

PubMed

Valizadeh, Leila; Zamanzadeh, Vahid; Gargari, Rahim Badri; Ghahramanian, Akram; Tabrizi, Faranak Jabbarzadeh; Keogh, Brian

2016-01-01

A review of the literature shows that the range of self-esteem in nursing students ranges from normal to low. It is hypothesized that different contextual factors could affect levels of self-esteem. The main aim of this study was to explore these factors from the viewpoint of Iranian nursing students using a qualitative approach. A qualitative content analysis study. Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, 2014. Fourteen student nurses and two qualified nurses. This study has been applied to various depths of interpretation. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect the data. Fourteen student nurses and two qualified nurses were interviewed. Two main themes of the "pressure factors" with subthemes: low self-efficacy, sense of triviality, ineffective instructor-student interaction, low self-confidence and "protective factors" with subthemes: knowledge acquisition, mirror of valuability, professional autonomy, religious beliefs, and choosing the nursing field with interest was extracted in this study. Results showed that these themes have interaction with each other like a seesaw, as pressure factors decrease, the effect of protective factors on the self-esteem are increased. Nurse educators not only should try to improve the students' skills and knowledge, but should also try to enhance the protective factors and decrease pressure factors by enhancing the nursing students' feeling of being important, using participatory teaching methods, considering students' feedback, and attempting to improve facilities at the clinics are also recommended. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Pressure sensitivity analysis of fiber Bragg grating sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mrad, Nezih; Sridharan, Vasant; Kazemi, Alex

2014-09-01

Recent development in fiber optic sensing technology has mainly focused on discrete sensing, particularly, sensing systems with potential multiplexing and multi-parameter capabilities. Bragg grating fiber optic sensors have emerged as the non-disputed champion for multiplexing and simultaneous multi-parameter sensing for emerging high value structural components, advanced processing and manufacturing capabilities and increased critical infrastructure resilience applications. Although the number of potential applications for this sensing technology is large and spans the domains of medicine, manufacturing, aerospace, and public safety; critical issues such as fatigue life, sensitivity, accuracy, embeddability, material/sensor interface integrity, and universal demodulation systems still need to be addressed. The purpose of this paper is to primarily evaluate Commercial-Of-The-Shelf (COTS) Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors' sensitivity to pressure, often neglected in several applications. The COTS fiber sensitivity to pressure is further evaluated for two types of coatings (Polyimide and Acrylate), and different arrangements (arrayed and single).

Techniques of Force and Pressure Measurement in the Small Joints of the Wrist.

PubMed

Schreck, Michael J; Kelly, Meghan; Canham, Colin D; Elfar, John C

2018-01-01

The alteration of forces across joints can result in instability and subsequent disability. Previous methods of force measurements such as pressure-sensitive films, load cells, and pressure-sensing transducers have been utilized to estimate biomechanical forces across joints and more recent studies have utilized a nondestructive method that allows for assessment of joint forces under ligamentous restraints. A comprehensive review of the literature was performed to explore the numerous biomechanical methods utilized to estimate intra-articular forces. Methods of biomechanical force measurements in joints are reviewed. Methods such as pressure-sensitive films, load cells, and pressure-sensing transducers require significant intra-articular disruption and thus may result in inaccurate measurements, especially in small joints such as those within the wrist and hand. Non-destructive methods of joint force measurements either utilizing distraction-based joint reaction force methods or finite element analysis may offer a more accurate assessment; however, given their recent inception, further studies are needed to improve and validate their use.

Hydrostatic Pressure Sensing with High Birefringence Photonic Crystal Fibers

PubMed Central

Fávero, Fernando C.; Quintero, Sully M. M.; Martelli, Cicero; Braga, Arthur M.B.; Silva, Vinícius V.; Carvalho, Isabel C. S.; Llerena, Roberth W. A.; Valente, Luiz C. G.

2010-01-01

The effect of hydrostatic pressure on the waveguiding properties of high birefringence photonic crystal fibers (HiBi PCF) is evaluated both numerically and experimentally. A fiber design presenting form birefringence induced by two enlarged holes in the innermost ring defining the fiber core is investigated. Numerical results show that modal sensitivity to the applied pressure depends on the diameters of the holes, and can be tailored by independently varying the sizes of the large or small holes. Numerical and experimental results are compared showing excellent agreement. A hydrostatic pressure sensor is proposed and demonstrated using an in-fiber modal interferometer where the two orthogonally polarized modes of a HiBi PCF generate fringes over the optical spectrum of a broad band source. From the analysis of experimental results, it is concluded that, in principle, an operating limit of 92 MPa in pressure could be achieved with 0.0003% of full scale resolution. PMID:22163435

The effects of pressure sensor acoustics on airdata derived from a High-angle-of-attack Flush Airdata Sensing (HI-FADS) system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmore, Stephen A.; Moes, Timothy R.

1991-01-01

The accuracy of a nonintrusive high angle-of-attack flush airdata sensing (HI-FADS) system was verified for quasi-steady flight conditions up to 55 deg angle of attack during the F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV) Program. The system is a matrix of nine pressure ports arranged in annular rings on the aircraft nose. The complete airdata set is estimated using nonlinear regression. Satisfactory frequency response was verified to the system Nyquist frequency (12.5 Hz). The effects of acoustical distortions within the individual pressure sensors of the nonintrusive pressure matrix on overall system performance are addressed. To quantify these effects, a frequency-response model describing the dynamics of acoustical distortion is developed and simple design criteria are derived. The model adjusts measured HI-FADS pressure data for the acoustical distortion and quantifies the effects of internal sensor geometries on system performance. Analysis results indicate that sensor frequency response characteristics very greatly with altitude, thus it is difficult to select satisfactory sensor geometry for all altitudes. The solution used presample filtering to eliminate resonance effects, and short pneumatic tubing sections to reduce lag effects. Without presample signal conditioning the system designer must use the pneumatic transmission line to attenuate the resonances and accept the resulting altitude variability.

Patch-clamp, ion-sensing, and glutamate-sensing techniques to study glutamate transport in isolated retinal glial cells.

PubMed

Billups, B; Szatkowski, M; Rossi, D; Attwell, D

1998-01-01

We have described how a combination of electrical, ion-sensing, and glutamate-sensing techniques has advanced our understanding of glutamate uptake into isolated salamander retinal glial cells. The next steps in understanding glutamate transport will inevitably depend strongly on molecular biological methods, as described elsewhere in this book, but will also require more detailed study of transporters in their normal environment, perhaps by using patch-clamping or imaging techniques to study cells in situ.

The Young Scientist: Sense-sational Sensors!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Carol

1991-01-01

Human and electronic sensors that can indicate the presence of light, sound, temperature, pressure, and movement are discussed. Activities that investigate the human senses are described. Directions for making an electronic touch sensor are provided. (KR)

Pressure sensor based on pristine multi-walled carbon nanotubes forest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yasar, M.; Mohamed, N. M.; Hamid, N. H.; Shuaib, M.

2016-11-01

In the course of the most recent decade, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been developed as alternate material for many sensing applications because of their interesting properties. Their outstanding electromechanical properties make them suitable for pressure/strain sensing application. Other than in view of their structure and number of walls (i.e. Single-Walled CNTs and MultiWalled CNTs), carbon nanotubes can likewise be classified based on their orientation and combined arrangement. One such classification is vertically aligned Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (VA-MWCNTs), regularly termed as CNTs arrays, foam or forest which is macro scale form of CNTs. Elastic behavior alongside exceptional electromechanical (high gauge factor) make it suitable for pressure sensing applications. This paper presents pressure sensor based on such carbon nanotubes forest in pristine form which enables it to perform over wider temperature range as compared to pressure sensors based on conventional materials such as Silicon.

Thickness Dependency of Thin Film Samaria Doped Ceria for Oxygen Sensing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sanghavi, Rahul P.; Nandasiri, Manjula I.; Kuchibhatla, Satyanarayana V N T

High temperature oxygen sensors are widely used for exhaust gas monitoring in automobiles. This particular study explores the use of thin film single crystalline samaria doped ceria as the oxygen sensing material. Desired signal to noise ratio can be achieved in a material system with high conductivity. From previous studies it is established that 6 atomic percent samarium doping is the optimum concentration for thin film samaria doped ceria to achieve high ionic conductivity. In this study, the conductivity of the 6 atomic percent samaria doped ceria thin film is measured as a function of the sensing film thickness. Hysteresismore » and dynamic response of this sensing platform is tested for a range of oxygen pressures from 0.001 Torr to 100 Torr for temperatures above 673 K. An attempt has been made to understand the physics behind the thickness dependent conductivity behavior of this sensing platform by developing a hypothetical operating model and through COMSOL simulations. This study can be used to identify the parameters required to construct a fast, reliable and compact high temperature oxygen sensor.« less

Non-destructive residual pressure self-measurement method for the sensing chip of optical Fabry-Perot pressure sensor.

PubMed

Wang, Xue; Wang, Shuang; Jiang, Junfeng; Liu, Kun; Zhang, Xuezhi; Xiao, Mengnan; Xiao, Hai; Liu, Tiegen

2017-12-11

We introduce a simple residual pressure self-measurement method for the Fabry-Perot (F-P) cavity of optical MEMS pressure sensor. No extra installation is required and the structure of the sensor is unchanged. In the method, the relationship between residual pressure and external pressure under the same diaphragm deflection condition at different temperatures is analyzed by using the deflection formula of the circular plate with clamped edges and the ideal gas law. Based on this, the residual pressure under the flat condition can be obtained by pressure scanning process and calculation process. We carried out the experiment to compare the residual pressures of two batches MEMS sensors fabricated by two kinds of bonding process. The measurement result indicates that our approach is reliable enough for the measurement.

An Experimental Study of the Effects of External Physiological Parameters on the Photoplethysmography Signals in the Context of Local Blood Pressure (Hydrostatic Pressure Changes).

PubMed

Yuan, Hongwei; Poeggel, Sven; Newe, Thomas; Lewis, Elfed; Viphavakit, Charusluk; Leen, Gabriel

2017-03-10

A comprehensive study of the effect of a wide range of controlled human subject motion on Photoplethysmographic signals is reported. The investigation includes testing of two separate groups of 5 and 18 subjects who were asked to undertake set exercises whilst simultaneously monitoring a wide range of physiological parameters including Breathing Rate, Heart Rate and Localised Blood Pressure using commercial clinical sensing systems. The unique finger mounted PPG probe equipped with miniature three axis accelerometers for undertaking this investigation was a purpose built in-house version which is designed to facilitate reproducible application to a wide range of human subjects and the study of motion. The subjects were required to undertake several motion based exercises including standing, sitting and lying down and transitions between these states. They were also required to undertake set arm movements including arm-swinging and wrist rotation. A comprehensive set of experimental results corresponding to all motion inducing exercises have been recorded and analysed including the baseline (BL) value (DC component) and the amplitude of the oscillation of the PPG. All physiological parameters were also recorded as a simultaneous time varying waveform. The effects of the motion and specifically the localised Blood Pressure (BP) have been studied and related to possible influences of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) and hemodynamic pressure variations. It is envisaged that a comprehensive study of the effect of motion and the localised pressure fluctuations will provide valuable information for the future minimisation of motion artefact effect on the PPG signals of this probe and allow the accurate assessment of total haemoglobin concentration which is the primary function of the probe.

Sense of Place and Health in Hamilton, Ontario: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Allison; Kitchen, Peter

2012-01-01

The concept of sense of place has received considerable attention by social scientists in recent years. Research has indicated that a person's sense of place is influenced by a number of factors including the built environment, socio-economic status (SES), well-being and health. Relatively few studies have examined sense of place at the…

Blood pulse wave velocity and pressure sensing via fiber based and free space based optical sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sirkis, Talia; Beiderman, Yevgeny; Agdarov, Sergey; Beiderman, Yafim; Zalevsky, Zeev

2017-02-01

Continuous noninvasive measurement of vital bio-signs, such as cardiopulmonary parameters, is an important tool in evaluation of the patient's physiological condition and health monitoring. On the demand of new enabling technologies, some works have been done in continuous monitoring of blood pressure and pulse wave velocity. In this paper, we introduce two techniques for non-contact sensing of vital bio signs. In the first approach the optical sensor is based on single mode in-fibers Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) to detect heartbeat, respiration and pulse wave velocity (PWV). The introduced interferometer is based on a new implanted scheme. It replaces the conventional MZI realized by inserting of discontinuities in the fiber to break the total internal reflection and scatter/collect light. The proposed fiber sensor was successfully incorporated into shirt to produce smart clothing. The measurements obtained from the smart clothing could be obtained in comfortable manner and there is no need to have an initial calibration or a direct contact between the sensor and the skin of the tested individual. In the second concept we show a remote noncontact blood pulse wave velocity and pressure measurement based on tracking the temporal changes of reflected secondary speckle patterns produced in human skin when illuminated by a laser beams. In both concept experimental validation of the proposed schemes is shown and analyzed.

Satellite remote sensing in epidemiological studies.

PubMed

Sorek-Hamer, Meytar; Just, Allan C; Kloog, Itai

2016-04-01

Particulate matter air pollution is a ubiquitous exposure linked with multiple adverse health outcomes for children and across the life course. The recent development of satellite-based remote-sensing models for air pollution enables the quantification of these risks and addresses many limitations of previous air pollution research strategies. We review the recent literature on the applications of satellite remote sensing in air quality research, with a focus on their use in epidemiological studies. Aerosol optical depth (AOD) is a focus of this review and a significant number of studies show that ground-level particulate matter can be estimated from columnar AOD. Satellite measurements have been found to be an important source of data for particulate matter model-based exposure estimates, and recently have been used in health studies to increase the spatial breadth and temporal resolution of these estimates. It is suggested that satellite-based models improve our understanding of the spatial characteristics of air quality. Although the adoption of satellite-based measures of air quality in health studies is in its infancy, it is rapidly growing. Nevertheless, further investigation is still needed in order to have a better understanding of the AOD contribution to these prediction models in order to use them with higher accuracy in epidemiological studies.

Infrared/Terahertz Double Resonance for Chemical Remote Sensing: Signatures and Performance Predictions

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

remote sensing , such as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, has limited recognition specificity because of atmospheric pressure broadening. Active interrogation techniques promise much greater chemical recognition that can overcome the limits imposed by atmospheric pressure broadening. Here we introduce infrared - terahertz (IR/THz) double resonance spectroscopy as an active means of chemical remote sensing that retains recognition specificity through rare, molecule-unique coincidences between IR molecular absorption and a line-tunable CO2

The Impact of Culture on Filipino American Students' Sense of Belonging

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Museus, Samuel D.; Maramba, Dina C.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of cultural factors on Filipino American students' sense of belonging in college. The authors utilized structural equation modeling techniques to analyze a single-institution sample of 143 Filipino American undergraduates and estimate the impact of pressure to commit "cultural…

Multiparameter fiber optic sensing system for monitoring enhanced geothermal systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Challener, William A

2014-12-04

The goal of this project was to design, fabricate and test an optical fiber cable which supports multiple sensing modalities for measurements in the harsh environment of enhanced geothermal systems. To accomplish this task, optical fiber was tested at both high temperatures and strains for mechanical integrity, and in the presence of hydrogen for resistance to darkening. Both single mode (SM) and multimode (MM) commercially available optical fiber were identified and selected for the cable based on the results of these tests. The cable was designed and fabricated using a tube-within-tube construction containing two MM fibers and one SM fiber,more » and without supporting gel that is not suitable for high temperature environments. Commercial fiber optic sensing instruments using Raman DTS (distributed temperature sensing), Brillouin DTSS (distributed temperature and strain sensing), and Raleigh COTDR (coherent optical time domain reflectometry) were selected for field testing. A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) pressure sensor was designed, fabricated, packaged, and calibrated for high pressure measurements at high temperatures and spliced to the cable. A fiber Bragg grating (FBG) temperature sensor was also spliced to the cable. A geothermal well was selected and its temperature and pressure were logged. The cable was then deployed in the well in two separate field tests and measurements were made on these different sensing modalities. Raman DTS measurements were found to be accurate to ±5°C, even with some residual hydrogen darkening. Brillouin DTSS measurements were in good agreement with the Raman results. The Rayleigh COTDR instrument was able to detect some acoustic signatures, but was generally disappointing. The FBG sensor was used to determine the effects of hydrogen darkening, but drift over time made it unreliable as a temperature or pressure sensor. The MEMS sensor was found to be highly stable and accurate to better than its 0.1% calibration.« less

Endomorphins potentiate acid-sensing ion channel currents and enhance the lactic acid-mediated increase in arterial blood pressure: effects amplified in hindlimb ischaemia.

PubMed

Farrag, Mohamed; Drobish, Julie K; Puhl, Henry L; Kim, Joyce S; Herold, Paul B; Kaufman, Marc P; Ruiz-Velasco, Victor

2017-12-01

Chronic limb ischaemia, characterized by inflammatory mediator release and a low extracellular pH, leads to acid-sensing ion channel (ASIC) activation and reflexively increases mean arterial pressure; endomorphin release is also increased under inflammatory conditions. We examined the modulation of ASIC currents by endomorphins in sensory neurons from rats with freely perfused and ligated femoral arteries: peripheral artery disease (PAD) model. Endomorphins potentiated sustained ASIC currents in both groups of dorsal root ganglion neurons, independent of mu opioid receptor stimulation or G protein activation. Intra-arterial administration of lactic acid (to simulate exercising muscle and evoke a pressor reflex), endomorphin-2 and naloxone resulted in a significantly greater pressor response than lactic acid alone, while administration of APETx2 inhibited endomorphin's enhancing effect in both groups. These results suggest a novel role for endomorphins in modulating ASIC function to effect lactic acid-mediated reflex increase in arterial pressure in patients with PAD. Chronic muscle ischaemia leads to accumulation of lactic acid and other inflammatory mediators with a subsequent drop in interstitial pH. Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs), expressed in thin muscle afferents, sense the decrease in pH and evoke a pressor reflex known to increase mean arterial pressure. The naturally occurring endomorphins are also released by primary afferents under ischaemic conditions. We examined whether high affinity mu opioid receptor (MOR) agonists, endomorphin-1 (E-1) and -2 (E-2), modulate ASIC currents and the lactic acid-mediated pressor reflex. In rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, exposure to E-2 in acidic solutions significantly potentiated ASIC currents when compared to acidic solutions alone. The potentiation was significantly greater in DRG neurons isolated from rats whose femoral arteries were ligated for 72 h. Sustained ASIC current potentiation was also observed

14 CFR 25.841 - Pressurized cabins.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... differentials up to the maximum relief valve setting in combination with landing loads. (8) The pressure sensors... located and the sensing system designed so that, in the event of loss of cabin pressure in any passenger... increase the hazards resulting from decompression. [Doc. No. 5066, 29 FR 18291, Dec. 24, 1964, as amended...

14 CFR 25.841 - Pressurized cabins.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... differentials up to the maximum relief valve setting in combination with landing loads. (8) The pressure sensors... located and the sensing system designed so that, in the event of loss of cabin pressure in any passenger... increase the hazards resulting from decompression. [Doc. No. 5066, 29 FR 18291, Dec. 24, 1964, as amended...

14 CFR 25.841 - Pressurized cabins.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... differentials up to the maximum relief valve setting in combination with landing loads. (8) The pressure sensors... located and the sensing system designed so that, in the event of loss of cabin pressure in any passenger... increase the hazards resulting from decompression. [Doc. No. 5066, 29 FR 18291, Dec. 24, 1964, as amended...

14 CFR 25.841 - Pressurized cabins.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... differentials up to the maximum relief valve setting in combination with landing loads. (8) The pressure sensors... located and the sensing system designed so that, in the event of loss of cabin pressure in any passenger... increase the hazards resulting from decompression. [Doc. No. 5066, 29 FR 18291, Dec. 24, 1964, as amended...

14 CFR 25.841 - Pressurized cabins.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... differentials up to the maximum relief valve setting in combination with landing loads. (8) The pressure sensors... located and the sensing system designed so that, in the event of loss of cabin pressure in any passenger... increase the hazards resulting from decompression. [Doc. No. 5066, 29 FR 18291, Dec. 24, 1964, as amended...

Use of a torsional pendulum as a high-pressure gage and determination of viscosity of helium gas at high pressures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maisel, J. E.; Webeler, R. W. H.; Grimes, H. H.

1973-01-01

Three torsional crystal parameters were examined for suitability in sensing pressure in gases up to 131 million newtons per square meter. The best parameters were found to be the change in crystal decrement at resonance and the change in crystal electrical resistance at resonance. The change in crystal resonant frequency did not appear to be a reliable pressure measuring parameter. Pure argon and pure helium gases were studied for use as working fluids. Helium functioned better over a wider pressure range. Calibration of the gage also provided a measure of the viscosity-density product of the gas as a function of pressure. These data, together with known extrapolated density data, permitted the determination of the viscosity of helium to 131 million N/square meter.

Parabolic flight - Loss of sense of orientation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lackner, J. R.; Graybiel, A.

1979-01-01

On the earth, or in level flight, a blindfolded subject being rotated at constant velocity about his recumbent long body axis experiences illusory orbital motion of his body in the opposite direction. By contrast, during comparable rotation in the free-fall phase of parabolic flight, no body motion is perceived and all sense of external orientation may be lost; when touch and pressure stimulation is applied to the body surface, a sense of orientation is reestablished immediately. The increased gravitoinertial force period of a parabola produces an exaggeration of the orbital motion experienced in level flight. These observations reveal an important influence of touch, pressure, and kinesthetic information on spatial orientation and provide a basis for understanding many of the postural illusions reported by astronauts in space flight.

Non-invasive method and apparatus for measuring pressure within a pliable vessel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shimizu, M. (Inventor)

1983-01-01

A non-invasive method and apparatus is disclosed for measuring pressure within a pliable vessel such as a blood vessel. The blood vessel is clamped by means of a clamping structure having a first portion housing a pressure sensor and a second portion extending over the remote side of the blood vessel for pressing the blood vessel into engagement with the pressure sensing device. The pressure sensing device includes a flat deflectable diaphragm portion arranged to engage a portion of the blood vessel flattened against the diaphragm by means of the clamp structure. In one embodiment, the clamp structure includes first and second semicylindrical members held together by retaining rings. In a second embodiment the clamp structure is of one piece construction having a solid semicylindrical portion and a hollow semicylindrical portion with a longitudinal slot in the follow semicylindrical portion through which a slip the blood vessel. In a third embodiment, an elastic strap is employed for clamping the blood vessel against the pressure sensing device.

Pressure balance cross-calibration method using a pressure transducer as transfer standard

PubMed Central

Olson, D; Driver, R. G.; Yang, Y

2016-01-01

Piston gauges or pressure balances are widely used to realize the SI unit of pressure, the pascal, and to calibrate pressure sensing devices. However, their calibration is time consuming and requires a lot of technical expertise. In this paper, we propose an alternate method of performing a piston gauge cross calibration that incorporates a pressure transducer as an immediate in-situ transfer standard. For a sufficiently linear transducer, the requirement to exactly balance the weights on the two pressure gauges under consideration is greatly relaxed. Our results indicate that this method can be employed without a significant increase in measurement uncertainty. Indeed, in the test case explored here, our results agreed with the traditional method within standard uncertainty, which was less than 6 parts per million. PMID:28303167

A Study on the Influence of Speed on Road Roughness Sensing: The SmartRoadSense Case †

PubMed Central

Alessandroni, Giacomo; Carini, Alberto; Lattanzi, Emanuele; Freschi, Valerio; Bogliolo, Alessandro

2017-01-01

SmartRoadSense is a crowdsensing project aimed at monitoring the conditions of the road surface. Using the sensors of a smartphone, SmartRoadSense monitors the vertical accelerations inside a vehicle traveling the road and extracts a roughness index conveying information about the road conditions. The roughness index and the smartphone GPS data are periodically sent to a central server where they are processed, associated with the specific road, and aggregated with data measured by other smartphones. This paper studies how the smartphone vertical accelerations and the roughness index are related to the vehicle speed. It is shown that the dependence can be locally approximated with a gamma (power) law. Extensive experimental results using data extracted from SmartRoadSense database confirm the gamma law relationship between the roughness index and the vehicle speed. The gamma law is then used for improving the SmartRoadSense data aggregation accounting for the effect of vehicle speed. PMID:28178224

Feedback Regulation of Intracellular Hydrostatic Pressure in Surface Cells of the Lens

PubMed Central

Gao, Junyuan; Sun, Xiurong; White, Thomas W.; Delamere, Nicholas A.; Mathias, Richard T.

2015-01-01

In wild-type lenses from various species, an intracellular hydrostatic pressure gradient goes from ∼340 mmHg in central fiber cells to 0 mmHg in surface cells. This gradient drives a center-to-surface flow of intracellular fluid. In lenses in which gap-junction coupling is increased, the central pressure is lower, whereas if gap-junction coupling is reduced, the central pressure is higher but surface pressure is always zero. Recently, we found that surface cell pressure was elevated in PTEN null lenses. This suggested disruption of a feedback control system that normally maintained zero surface cell pressure. Our purpose in this study was to investigate and characterize this feedback control system. We measured intracellular hydrostatic pressures in mouse lenses using a microelectrode/manometer-based system. We found that all feedback went through transport by the Na/K ATPase, which adjusted surface cell osmolarity such that pressure was maintained at zero. We traced the regulation of Na/K ATPase activity back to either TRPV4, which sensed positive pressure and stimulated activity, or TRPV1, which sensed negative pressure and inhibited activity. The inhibitory effect of TRPV1 on Na/K pumps was shown to signal through activation of the PI3K/AKT axis. The stimulatory effect of TRPV4 was shown in previous studies to go through a different signal transduction path. Thus, there is a local two-legged feedback control system for pressure in lens surface cells. The surface pressure provides a pedestal on which the pressure gradient sits, so surface pressure determines the absolute value of pressure at each radial location. We speculate that the absolute value of intracellular pressure may set the radial gradient in the refractive index, which is essential for visual acuity. PMID:26536260

Hydrogen gas sensing feature of polyaniline/titania (rutile) nanocomposite at environmental conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milani Moghaddam, Hossain; Nasirian, Shahruz

2014-10-01

The resistance-based sensors of polyaniline/titania (rutile) nanocomposite (TPNC) were prepared by spin coating technique onto an epoxy glass substrate with Cu-interdigited electrodes to study their hydrogen (H2) gas sensing features. Our findings are that the change of the surface morphology, porosity and wt% of titania in TPNCs have a significant effect on H2 gas sensing of sensors. All of the sensors had a reproducibility response toward 0.8 vol% H2 gas at room temperature, air pressure and 50% relative humidity. A sensor with 40 wt% of titania nanoparticles had better response/recovery time and the response than other sensors. Moreover, H2 gas sensing mechanism of TPNC sensors based contact areas and the correlation of energy levels between PANI chains and the titania grains were studied.

Exploring microdischarges for portable sensing applications.

PubMed

Gianchandani, Y B; Wright, S A; Eun, C K; Wilson, C G; Mitra, B

2009-10-01

This paper describes the use of microdischarges as transducing elements in sensors and detectors. Chemical and physical sensing of gases, chemical sensing of liquids, and radiation detection are described. These applications are explored from the perspective of their use in portable microsystems, with emphasis on compactness, power consumption, the ability to operate at or near atmospheric pressure (to reduce pumping challenges), and the ability to operate in an air ambient (to reduce the need for reservoirs of carrier gases). Manufacturing methods and performance results are described for selected examples.

Sensing fluid pressure during plucking events in a natural bedrock channel and experimental flume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilkinson, C.; Harbor, D. J.; Keel, D.; Levy, S.; Kuehner, J. P.

2016-12-01

River channel erosion by plucking is believed to be the dominant erosional process in channels with fractured or jointed bedrock. However, despite its significance as an erosional mechanism, plucking is poorly studied in both laboratory and natural channels. In previous flume studies, model bedrock was plucked by fluid forces alone in nonuniform flow near jumps and waves even where blocks do not protrude into the flow. Here we develop sensor systems to test the hypothesis that bed fluid pressure gradients lift "pluckable" bedrock blocks in a natural field setting and a hydraulic flume. The field setting closely mimics the previous flume setup; the instrumented block is downstream of a roughly 1m step and exhibits no protrusion into the flow. The presence of the step promotes nonuniform flow which changes pressure in the bedrock crack network; slabs of bedrock that have slid downstream and sediment that has been pushed upstream 3-4 m under the bed and in the cracks suggest the influence of pressure differences throughout the crack network and below the bed. In this initial deployment, we evaluate a sensor that monitors movement and simultaneous pressure above and below the block. Sensors are emplaced in a 26kg, 45-cm-long, 20-cm-wide block broken from a 4.5-m-long, 11-cm-thick sandstone bed with a dense network of cracks nearly parallel to flow direction and include a tri-axial accelerometer/gyroscope and two fluid pressure sensors. The electronics are housed in a custom-designed 3D-printed ABS waterproof capsule that is mounted in a vertical hole through the rock. A concurrent flume study develops the sensors necessary to investigate the longitudinal pressure difference below a step using multiple analog sensors (0-1 psi gauge pressure) mounted flush to a false floor under the center of a 30x14-cm test zone. The 15-mm-wide sensors are aligned along the flow centerline and are placed under 25 1-cm-thick "pluckable" bedrock blocks constructed with a proprietary

Active Sensing Air Pressure Using Differential Absorption Barometric Radar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, B.

2016-12-01

Tropical storms and other severe weathers cause huge life losses and property damages and have major impacts on public safety and national security. Their observations and predictions need to be significantly improved. This effort tries to develop a feasible active microwave approach that measures surface air pressure, especially over open seas, from space using a Differential-absorption BArometric Radar (DiBAR) operating at 50-55 GHz O2 absorption band in order to constrain assimilated dynamic fields of numerical weather Prediction (NWP) models close to actual conditions. Air pressure is the most important variable that drives atmospheric dynamics, and currently can only be measured by limited in-situ observations over oceans. Even over land there is no uniform coverage of surface air pressure measurements. Analyses show that with the proposed space radar the errors in instantaneous (averaged) pressure estimates can be as low as 4mb ( 1mb) under all weather conditions. NASA Langley research team has made substantial progresses in advancing the DiBAR concept. The feasibility assessment clearly shows the potential of surface barometry using existing radar technologies. The team has also developed a DiBAR system design, fabricated a Prototype-DiBAR (P-DiBAR) for proof-of-concept, conducted laboratory, ground and airborne P-DiBAR tests. The flight test results are consistent with the instrumentation goals. The precision and accuracy of radar surface pressure measurements are within the range of the theoretical analysis of the DiBAR concept. Observational system simulation experiments for space DiBAR performance based on the existing DiBAR technology and capability show substantial improvements in tropical storm predictions, not only for the hurricane track and position but also for the hurricane intensity. DiBAR measurements will provide us an unprecedented level of the prediction and knowledge on global extreme weather and climate conditions.

Electrochemical Sensing for a Rapidly Evolving World

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mullen, Max Robertson

This dissertation focuses on three projects involving the development of harsh environment gas sensors. The first project discusses the development of a multipurpose oxygen sensor electrode for use in sealing with the common electrolyte yttria stabilized zirconia. The purpose of the sealing function is to produce an internal reference environment maintained by a metal/metal oxide mixture, a criteria for miniaturization of potentiometric oxygen sensing technology. This sensor measures a potential between the internal reference and a sensing environment. The second project discusses the miniaturization of an oxygen sensor and the fabrication of a more generalized electrochemical sensing platform. The third project discusses the discovery of a new mechanism in the electrochemical sensing of ammonia through molecular recognition and the utilization of a sensor taking advantage of the new mechanism. An initial study involving the development of a microwave synthesized La0.8Sr0.2Al0.9Mn0.1O3 sensor electrode material illustrates the ability of the material developed to meet ionic and electronic conducting requirements for effective and Nernstian oxygen sensing. In addition the material deforms plastically under hot isostatic pressing conditions in a similar temperature and pressure regime with yttria stabilized zirconia to produce a seal and survive temperatures up to 1350 °C. In the second project we show novel methods to seal an oxygen environment inside a device cavity to produce an electrochemical sensor body using room temperature plasma-activated bonding and low temperature and pressure assisted plasma-activated bonding with silicon bodies, both in a clean room environment. The evolution from isostatic hot pressing methods towards room temperature complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) compatible technologies using single crystal silicon substrates in the clean room allows the sealing of devices on a much larger scale. Through this evolution in bonding

Sense of Place and Health in Hamilton, Ontario: A Case Study.

PubMed

Williams, Allison; Kitchen, Peter

2012-09-01

The concept of sense of place has received considerable attention by social scientists in recent years. Research has indicated that a person's sense of place is influenced by a number of factors including the built environment, socio-economic status (SES), well-being and health. Relatively few studies have examined sense of place at the neighbourhood level, particularly among communities exhibiting different levels of SES. This article investigates sense of place among three neighbourhood groups in Hamilton, Ontario representing areas of low, mixed and high SES. It analyses data from a 16-point sense of place scale derived from the Hamilton Household Quality of Life Survey carried out in 2010-2011 among 1,002 respondents. The paper found that sense of place was highest among residents of the high SES neighbourhood group as well as among home owners, people residing in single-detached homes, retired residents and those living in their neighbourhood for more than 10 years. From a health perspective, the paper found that a strong association existed between sense of place and self-perceived mental health across the three neighbourhood groups. Furthermore, by way of regression modeling, the paper examined the factors influencing health-related sense of place. Among the sample of respondents, a strong connection was found between housing, particularly home ownership, and high levels of health-related sense of place.

A high throughput geocomputing system for remote sensing quantitative retrieval and a case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, Yong; Chen, Ziqiang; Xu, Hui; Ai, Jianwen; Jiang, Shuzheng; Li, Yingjie; Wang, Ying; Guang, Jie; Mei, Linlu; Jiao, Xijuan; He, Xingwei; Hou, Tingting

2011-12-01

The quality and accuracy of remote sensing instruments have been improved significantly, however, rapid processing of large-scale remote sensing data becomes the bottleneck for remote sensing quantitative retrieval applications. The remote sensing quantitative retrieval is a data-intensive computation application, which is one of the research issues of high throughput computation. The remote sensing quantitative retrieval Grid workflow is a high-level core component of remote sensing Grid, which is used to support the modeling, reconstruction and implementation of large-scale complex applications of remote sensing science. In this paper, we intend to study middleware components of the remote sensing Grid - the dynamic Grid workflow based on the remote sensing quantitative retrieval application on Grid platform. We designed a novel architecture for the remote sensing Grid workflow. According to this architecture, we constructed the Remote Sensing Information Service Grid Node (RSSN) with Condor. We developed a graphic user interface (GUI) tools to compose remote sensing processing Grid workflows, and took the aerosol optical depth (AOD) retrieval as an example. The case study showed that significant improvement in the system performance could be achieved with this implementation. The results also give a perspective on the potential of applying Grid workflow practices to remote sensing quantitative retrieval problems using commodity class PCs.

[Pressure sores unit--a one year study].

PubMed

Jaul, E

2001-10-01

The phenomenon of pressure sores in the elderly patient often requires an alternative management policy to that of the standard treatment. In general, the therapeutic approach to pressure sores in the elderly should be different to that in younger patients. This modification is due to the accompanying comorbidity so often associated with aging. Due to accompanying illnesses, the aging population is at high risk and more predisposed to the development of pressure sores. The importance of the establishment of a unit for pressure sores arises from the specific geriatric team approach to the patient and the need to focus carefully on the pressure sores. The management of this special Pressure Sores Unit with a permanent capable staff requires skilled treatment, both localized and systemic, since pressure sores are very often a result of systemic failure or an indication of a terminal condition in the elderly patient. Over six months we followed-up on the number and location of the pressure sores in 47 patients in addition to other functional and nutritional parameters, in order to investigate any connection between the pressure sores and nutritional parameters. The results of the study indicate that the nutritional state of the patients admitted for pressure sores was very poor. Two thirds of the patients suffered from either dementia or stroke, and 90 percent were bedridden, incontinent and enterally fed. Despite the poor general condition of the patient, the study shows improvement in the pressure sores with a reduction from an average of 2.8 to 1.8 pressure sores per patient. The improvement in the pressure sore located on the legs was three times greater than those located in the pelvic area. By the end of the study, 50% of the patients had died, 33% of the original patients who were still in the unit showed improvement in the pressure sores and 15% were discharged showing complete recovery from the sores. No significant correlation was found between changes in the

Downhole fiber optic sensing: the oilfield service provider's perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skinner, Neal G.; Maida, John L., Jr.

2004-12-01

There is increasing interest in the petroleum industry in the application of fiber-optic sensing techniques. In this paper, we review which sensing technologies are being adopted downhole and the drivers for this deployment. We describe the performance expectations (accuracy, resolution, stability and operational lifetime) that the oil companies and the oil service companies have for fiber-optic sensing systems. We also describe the environmental conditions (high hydrostatic pressures, high temperatures, shock, vibration, crush, and chemical attack) that these systems must tolerate in order to provide reliable and economically attractive reservoir-performance monitoring solutions.

DEVICE FOR CONTROL OF OXYGEN PARTIAL PRESSURE

DOEpatents

Bradner, H.; Gordon, H.S.

1957-12-24

A device is described that can sense changes in oxygen partial pressure and cause a corresponding mechanical displacement sufficient to actuate meters, valves and similar devices. A piston and cylinder arrangement contains a charge of crystalline metal chelate pellets which have the peculiar property of responding to variations in the oxygen content of the ambient atmosphere by undergoing a change in dimension. A lever system amplifies the relative displacement of the piston in the cylinder, and actuates the controlled valving device. This partial pressure oxygen sensing device is useful in controlled chemical reactions or in respiratory devices such as the oxygen demand meters for high altitude aircraft.

MEMS sensing and control: an aerospace perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schoess, Jeffrey N.; Arch, David K.; Yang, Wei; Cabuz, Cleopatra; Hocker, Ben; Johnson, Burgess R.; Wilson, Mark L.

2000-06-01

Future advanced fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, launch vehicles, and spacecraft will incorporate smart microsensors to monitor flight integrity and provide flight control inputs. This paper provides an overview of Honeywell's MEMS technologies for aerospace applications of sensing and control. A unique second-generation polysilicon resonant microbeam sensor design is described. It incorporates a micron-level vacuum-encapsulated microbeam to optically sense aerodynamic parameters and to optically excite the sensor pick off: optically excited self-resonant microbeams form the basis for a new class of versatile, high- performance, low-cost MEMS sensors that uniquely combine silicon microfabrication technology with optoelectronic technology that can sense dynamic pressure, acceleration forces, acoustic emission, and many other aerospace parameters of interest. Honeywell's recent work in MEMS tuning fork gyros for inertial sensing and a MEMS free- piston engine are also described.

Research on pressure sensors for biomedical instruments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Angell, J. B.

1975-01-01

The development of a piezo-resistive pressure transducer is discussed suitable for recording pressures typically encountered in biomedical applications. The pressure transducer consists of a thin silicon diaphragm containing four strain-sensitive resistors, and is fabricated using silicon monolithic integrated-circuit technology. The pressure transducers can be as small as 0.7 mm outer diameter, and are, as a result, suitable for mounting at the tip of a catheter. Pressure-induced stress in the diaphragm is sensed by the resistors, which are interconnected to form a Wheatstone bridge.

Pressure sensor for sealed containers

DOEpatents

Hodges, Franklin R.

2001-01-01

A magnetic pressure sensor for sensing a pressure change inside a sealed container. The sensor includes a sealed deformable vessel having a first end attachable to an interior surface of the sealed container, and a second end. A magnet mounted to the vessel second end defining a distance away from the container surface provides an externally detectable magnetic field. A pressure change inside the sealed container causes deformation of the vessel changing the distance of the magnet away from the container surface, and thus the detectable intensity of the magnetic field.

A Bioinspired Mineral Hydrogel as a Self-Healable, Mechanically Adaptable Ionic Skin for Highly Sensitive Pressure Sensing.

PubMed

Lei, Zhouyue; Wang, Quankang; Sun, Shengtong; Zhu, Wencheng; Wu, Peiyi

2017-06-01

In the past two decades, artificial skin-like materials have received increasing research interests for their broad applications in artificial intelligence, wearable devices, and soft robotics. However, profound challenges remain in terms of imitating human skin because of its unique combination of mechanical and sensory properties. In this work, a bioinspired mineral hydrogel is developed to fabricate a novel type of mechanically adaptable ionic skin sensor. Due to its unique viscoelastic properties, the hydrogel-based capacitive sensor is compliant, self-healable, and can sense subtle pressure changes, such as a gentle finger touch, human motion, or even small water droplets. It might not only show great potential in applications such as artificial intelligence, human/machine interactions, personal healthcare, and wearable devices, but also promote the development of next-generation mechanically adaptable intelligent skin-like devices. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Indirect Blood Pressure Measuring Device

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hum, L.; Cole, C. E.

1973-01-01

Design and performance of a blood pressure recording device for pediatric use are reported. A strain gage transducer with a copper-beryllium strip as force sensing element is used to monitor skin movements and to convert them into electrical signals proportional to those displacements. Experimental tests with this device in recording of force developed above the left femoral artery of a dog accurately produced a blood pressure curve.

Ultrahigh Temperature Capacitive Pressure Sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harsh, Kevin

2014-01-01

Robust, miniaturized sensing systems are needed to improve performance, increase efficiency, and track system health status and failure modes of advanced propulsion systems. Because microsensors must operate in extremely harsh environments, there are many technical challenges involved in developing reliable systems. In addition to high temperatures and pressures, sensing systems are exposed to oxidation, corrosion, thermal shock, fatigue, fouling, and abrasive wear. In these harsh conditions, sensors must be able to withstand high flow rates, vibration, jet fuel, and exhaust. In order for existing and future aeropropulsion turbine engines to improve safety and reduce cost and emissions while controlling engine instabilities, more accurate and complete sensor information is necessary. High-temperature (300 to 1,350 C) capacitive pressure sensors are of particular interest due to their high measurement bandwidth and inherent suitability for wireless readout schemes. The objective of this project is to develop a capacitive pressure sensor based on silicon carbon nitride (SiCN), a new class of high-temperature ceramic materials, which possesses excellent mechanical and electric properties at temperatures up to 1,600 C.

A Quad-Cantilevered Plate micro-sensor for intracranial pressure measurement.

PubMed

Lalkov, Vasko; Qasaimeh, Mohammad A

2017-07-01

This paper proposes a new design for pressure-sensing micro-plate platform to bring higher sensitivity to a pressure sensor based on piezoresistive MEMS sensing mechanism. The proposed design is composed of a suspended plate having four stepped cantilever beams connected to its corners, and thus defined as Quad-Cantilevered Plate (QCP). Finite element analysis was performed to determine the optimal design for sensitivity and structural stability under a range of applied forces. Furthermore, a piezoresistive analysis was performed to calculate sensor sensitivity. Both the maximum stress and the change in resistance of the piezoresistor associated with the QCP were found to be higher compared to previously published designs, and linearly related to the applied pressure as desired. Therefore, the QCP demonstrates greater sensitivity, and could be potentially used as an efficient pressure sensor for intracranial pressure measurement.

Demodulation System for Fiber Optic Bragg Grating Dynamic Pressure Sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lekki, John D.; Adamovsky, Grigory; Floyd, Bertram

2001-01-01

Fiber optic Bragg gratings have been used for years to measure quasi-static phenomena. In aircraft engine applications there is a need to measure dynamic signals such as variable pressures. In order to monitor these pressures a detection system with broad dynamic range is needed. This paper describes an interferometric demodulator that was developed and optimized for this particular application. The signal to noise ratio was maximized through temporal coherence analysis. The demodulator was incorporated in a laboratory system that simulates conditions to be measured. Several pressure sensor configurations incorporating a fiber optic Bragg grating were also explored. The results of the experiments are reported in this paper.

Plant-Derived Natural Products as Sources of Anti-Quorum Sensing Compounds

PubMed Central

Koh, Chong-Lek; Sam, Choon-Kook; Yin, Wai-Fong; Tan, Li Ying; Krishnan, Thiba; Chong, Yee Meng; Chan, Kok-Gan

2013-01-01

Quorum sensing is a system of stimuli and responses in relation to bacterial cell population density that regulates gene expression, including virulence determinants. Consequently, quorum sensing has been an attractive target for the development of novel anti-infective measures that do not rely on the use of antibiotics. Anti-quorum sensing has been a promising strategy to combat bacterial infections as it is unlikely to develop multidrug resistant pathogens since it does not impose any selection pressure. A number of anti-quorum sensing approaches have been documented and plant-based natural products have been extensively studied in this context. Plant matter is one of the major sources of chemicals in use today in various industries, ranging from the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food biotechnology to the textile industries. Just like animals and humans, plants are constantly exposed to bacterial infections, it is therefore logical to expect that plants have developed sophisticated of chemical mechanisms to combat pathogens. In this review, we have surveyed the various types of plant-based natural products that exhibit anti-quorum sensing properties and their anti-quorum sensing mechanisms. PMID:23669710

Flight Test Evaluation of Airborne Tire Pressure Indicating Systems.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-09-01

System (Concept J, Part I Report) This system employs a wheel This system was the best mounted pressure switch the thought out and implemented state of...which is detected across system of its type with an air gap by a rotating coil excellent electror.ic and passing by a statiorery coil pressure switch designs...Pressure Low tire pressure is sensed by a The supplier of this pressure switch in wheel. hardware built a four wheel Pressure switch shorts secondary

High pressure studies of potassium perchlorate

DOE PAGES

Pravica, Michael; Wang, Yonggang; Sneed, Daniel; ...

2016-07-29

Two experiments are reported on KClO 4 at extreme conditions. A static high pressure Raman study was first conducted to 18.9 GPa. Evidence for at least two new phases was observed: one between 2.4 and 7.7 GPa (possibly sluggish), and the second near 11.7 GPa. Then, the X-ray induced decomposition rate of potassium perchlorate (KClO 4 hv→ KCl + 2O 2) was studied up to 15.2 GPa. The time-dependent growth of KCl and O 2 was monitored. The decomposition rate slowed at higher pressures. As a result, we present the first direct evidence for O 2 crystallization at higher pressures,more » demonstrating that O 2 molecules aggregate at high pressure.« less

Pressure-relieving properties of a intra-operative warming device.

PubMed

Baker, E A; Leaper, D J

2003-04-01

The primary objective of this study was to determine differences in interface pressure between four mattress combinations: a standard operating table mattress, a pressure-relieving gel pad and an under-patient warming device set at 38 degrees C (Pegasus Inditherm System) and at ambient temperature. The secondary objective was to determine whether the warming device remains stable in extreme surgical positions. Interface pressures obtained with all four combinations were measured in 10 healthy volunteers using force sensing array technology. The warming device demonstrated better or equivalent pressure relief when compared with the standard gel pad. There was no significant difference in subject position 'shift' between the mattress, the gel pad and the warming device for either the Trendelenberg or reverse Trendelenberg positions. Both pressure-relieving mattresses and warming reduce intra-operative pressure damage. A mattress with both properties may further reduce pressure damage postoperatively. The warming device used in this study appears stable--subject 'slippage' was minimal in extreme positions. Research needs to be conducted among real anaesthetised patients to support these conclusions.

Preliminary feasibility analysis of a pressure modulator radiometer for remote sensing of tropospheric constituents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orr, H. D., III; Rarig, P. L.

1981-01-01

A pressure modulator radiometer operated in a nadir viewing mode from the top of a midlatitude summer model of the atmosphere was theoretically studied for monitoring the mean volumetric mixing ratio of carbon monoxide in the troposphere. The mechanical characteristics of the instrument on the Nimbus 7 stratospheric and mesospheric sounder experiment are assumed and CO is assumed to be the only infrared active constituent. A line by line radiative transfer computer program is used to simulate the upwelling radiation reaching the top of the atmosphere. The performance of the instrument is examined as a function of the mean pressure in and the length of the instrument gas correlation cell. Instrument sensitivity is described in terms of signal to noise ratio for a 10 percent change in CO mixing ratio. Sensitivity to mixing ratio changes is also studied. It is concluded that tropospheric monitoring requires a pressure modulator drive having a larger swept volume and producing higher compression ratios at higher mean cell pressures than the Nimbus 7 design.

Glucose sensing in the peritoneal space offers faster kinetics than sensing in the subcutaneous space.

PubMed

Burnett, Daniel R; Huyett, Lauren M; Zisser, Howard C; Doyle, Francis J; Mensh, Brett D

2014-07-01

The paramount goal in the treatment of type 1 diabetes is the maintenance of normoglycemia. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technologies enable frequent sensing of glucose to inform exogenous insulin delivery timing and dosages. The most commonly available CGMs are limited by the physiology of the subcutaneous space in which they reside. The very same advantages of this minimally invasive approach are disadvantages with respect to speed. Because subcutaneous blood flow is sensitive to local fluctuations (e.g., temperature, mechanical pressure), subcutaneous sensing can be slow and variable. We propose the use of a more central, physiologically stable body space for CGM: the intraperitoneal space. We compared the temporal response characteristics of simultaneously placed subcutaneous and intraperitoneal sensors during intravenous glucose tolerance tests in eight swine. Using compartmental modeling based on simultaneous intravenous sensing, blood draws, and intraarterial sensing, we found that intraperitoneal kinetics were more than twice as fast as subcutaneous kinetics (mean time constant of 5.6 min for intraperitoneal vs. 12.4 min for subcutaneous). Combined with the known faster kinetics of intraperitoneal insulin delivery over subcutaneous delivery, our findings suggest that artificial pancreas technologies may be optimized by sensing glucose and delivering insulin in the intraperitoneal space. © 2014 by the American Diabetes Association.

Glucose Sensing in the Peritoneal Space Offers Faster Kinetics Than Sensing in the Subcutaneous Space

PubMed Central

Burnett, Daniel R.; Huyett, Lauren M.; Zisser, Howard C.; Doyle, Francis J.

2014-01-01

The paramount goal in the treatment of type 1 diabetes is the maintenance of normoglycemia. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technologies enable frequent sensing of glucose to inform exogenous insulin delivery timing and dosages. The most commonly available CGMs are limited by the physiology of the subcutaneous space in which they reside. The very same advantages of this minimally invasive approach are disadvantages with respect to speed. Because subcutaneous blood flow is sensitive to local fluctuations (e.g., temperature, mechanical pressure), subcutaneous sensing can be slow and variable. We propose the use of a more central, physiologically stable body space for CGM: the intraperitoneal space. We compared the temporal response characteristics of simultaneously placed subcutaneous and intraperitoneal sensors during intravenous glucose tolerance tests in eight swine. Using compartmental modeling based on simultaneous intravenous sensing, blood draws, and intraarterial sensing, we found that intraperitoneal kinetics were more than twice as fast as subcutaneous kinetics (mean time constant of 5.6 min for intraperitoneal vs. 12.4 min for subcutaneous). Combined with the known faster kinetics of intraperitoneal insulin delivery over subcutaneous delivery, our findings suggest that artificial pancreas technologies may be optimized by sensing glucose and delivering insulin in the intraperitoneal space. PMID:24622798

Blood Pressure, Perfusion Pressure, and Open-Angle Glaucoma: The Los Angeles Latino Eye Study

PubMed Central

Memarzadeh, Farnaz; Ying-Lai, Mei; Chung, Jessica; Azen, Stanley P.

2010-01-01

Purpose. To examine the cross-sectional relationship between blood pressure, perfusion pressure, and prevalence of open angle glaucoma (OAG) in an adult Latino population. Methods. Participants aged 40 years and older (N = 6130) from the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study (LALES), a large, population-based study of self-identified adult Latinos, underwent an interviewer-administered questionnaire and a complete ocular and clinical examination. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the covariate-adjusted association of OAG with systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressures and perfusion pressures. Covariates included age, intraocular pressure, history of glaucoma treatment including medications and surgery, and history of blood pressure and treatment of blood pressure including use of medications. Results. Low systolic (odds ratio [OR] = 2.5), diastolic (OR = 1.9), and mean (OR = 3.6) perfusion pressures and low diastolic blood pressure (OR = 1.9) were associated with a higher prevalence of OAG in LALES participants. Higher systolic blood pressure and mean arterial blood pressure were associated with a higher prevalence of OAG. There was no relationship between the prevalence of OAG and the presence of a history of cardiovascular disease. Conclusions. Low diastolic, systolic and mean perfusion pressures, low diastolic blood pressure, and high systolic and mean arterial blood pressures are associated with a higher prevalence of OAG in adult Latinos. PMID:20089880

Sense of life worth living (ikigai) and mortality in Japan: Ohsaki Study.

PubMed

Sone, Toshimasa; Nakaya, Naoki; Ohmori, Kaori; Shimazu, Taichi; Higashiguchi, Mizuka; Kakizaki, Masako; Kikuchi, Nobutaka; Kuriyama, Shinichi; Tsuji, Ichiro

2008-07-01

To investigate the association between the sense of "life worth living (ikigai)" and the cause-specific mortality risk. The psychological factors play important roles in morbidity and mortality risks. However, the association between the negative psychological factors and the risk of mortality is inconclusive. The Ohsaki Study, a prospective cohort study, was initiated on 43,391 Japanese adults. To assess if the subjects found a sense of ikigai, they were asked the question, "Do you have ikigai in your life?" We used Cox regression analysis to calculate the hazard ratio of the all-cause and cause-specific mortality according to the sense of ikigai categories. Over 7 years' follow-up, 3048 of the subjects died. The risk of all-cause mortality was significantly higher among the subjects who did not find a sense of ikigai as compared with that in the subjects who found a sense of ikigai; the multivariate adjusted hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) was 1.5 (1.3-1.7). As for the cause-specific mortality, subjects who did not find a sense of ikigai were significantly associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (1.6; 1.3-2.0) and external cause mortality (1.9; 1.1-3.3), but not of the cancer mortality (1.3; 1.0-1.6). In this prospective cohort study, subjects who did not find a sense of ikigai were associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality. The increase in mortality risk was attributable to cardiovascular disease and external causes, but not cancer.

Brady's Geothermal Field - Analysis of Pressure Data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lim, David

*This submission provides corrections to GDR Submissions 844 and 845* Poroelastic Tomography (PoroTomo) by Adjoint Inverse Modeling of Data from Hydrology. The 3 *csv files containing pressure data are the corrected versions of the pressure dataset found in Submission 844. The dataset has been corrected in the sense that the atmospheric pressure has been subtracted from the total pressure measured in the well. Also, the transducers used at wells 56A-1 and SP-2 are sensitive to surface temperature fluctuations. These temperature effects have been removed from the corrected datasets. The 4th *csv file contains corrected version of the pumping data foundmore » in Submission 845. The data has been corrected in the sense that the data from several wells that were used during the PoroTomo deployment pumping tests that were not included in the original dataset has been added. In addition, several other minor changes have been made to the pumping records due to flow rate instrument calibration issues that were discovered.« less

Feasibility of Locating Leakages in Sewage Pressure Pipes Using the Distributed Temperature Sensing Technology.

PubMed

Apperl, Benjamin; Pressl, Alexander; Schulz, Karsten

2017-01-01

The cost effective maintenance of underwater pressure pipes for sewage disposal in Austria requires the detection and localization of leakages. Extrusion of wastewater in lakes can heavily influence the water and bathing quality of surrounding waters. The Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) technology is a widely used technique for oil and gas pipeline leakage detection. While in pipeline leakage detection, fiber optic cables are installed permanently at the outside or within the protective sheathing of the pipe; this paper aims at testing the feasibility of detecting leakages with temporary introduced fiber optic cable inside the pipe. The detection and localization were tested in a laboratory experiment. The intrusion of water from leakages into the pipe, producing a local temperature drop, served as indicator for leakages. Measurements were taken under varying measurement conditions, including the number of leakages as well as the positioning of the fiber optic cable. Experiments showed that leakages could be detected accurately with the proposed methodology, when measuring resolution, temperature gradient and measurement time were properly selected. Despite the successful application of DTS for leakage detection in this lab environment, challenges in real system applications may arise from temperature gradients within the pipe system over longer distances and the placement of the cable into the real pipe system.

High resolution skin-like sensor capable of sensing and visualizing various sensations and three dimensional shape.

PubMed

Xu, Tianbai; Wang, Wenbo; Bian, Xiaolei; Wang, Xiaoxue; Wang, Xiaozhi; Luo, J K; Dong, Shurong

2015-08-13

Human skin contains multiple receptors, and is able to sense various stimuli such as temperature, pressure, force, corrosion etc, and to feel pains and the shape of objects. The development of skin-like sensors capable of sensing these stimuli is of great importance for various applications such as robots, touch detection, temperature monitoring, strain gauges etc. Great efforts have been made to develop high performance skin-like sensors, but they are far from perfect and much inferior to human skin as most of them can only sense one stimulus with focus on pressure (strain) or temperature, and are unable to visualize sensations and shape of objects. Here we report a skin-like sensor which imitates real skin with multiple receptors, and a new concept of pain sensation. The sensor with very high resolution not only has multiple sensations for touch, pressure, temperature, but also is able to sense various pains and reproduce the three dimensional shape of an object in contact.

Water column correction for coral reef studies by remote sensing.

PubMed

Zoffoli, Maria Laura; Frouin, Robert; Kampel, Milton

2014-09-11

Human activity and natural climate trends constitute a major threat to coral reefs worldwide. Models predict a significant reduction in reef spatial extension together with a decline in biodiversity in the relatively near future. In this context, monitoring programs to detect changes in reef ecosystems are essential. In recent years, coral reef mapping using remote sensing data has benefited from instruments with better resolution and computational advances in storage and processing capabilities. However, the water column represents an additional complexity when extracting information from submerged substrates by remote sensing that demands a correction of its effect. In this article, the basic concepts of bottom substrate remote sensing and water column interference are presented. A compendium of methodologies developed to reduce water column effects in coral ecosystems studied by remote sensing that include their salient features, advantages and drawbacks is provided. Finally, algorithms to retrieve the bottom reflectance are applied to simulated data and actual remote sensing imagery and their performance is compared. The available methods are not able to completely eliminate the water column effect, but they can minimize its influence. Choosing the best method depends on the marine environment, available input data and desired outcome or scientific application.

Sensing textile seam-line for wearable multimodal physiological monitoring.

PubMed

McKnight, M; Agcayazi, T; Kausche, H; Ghosh, T; Bozkurt, A

2016-08-01

This paper investigates a novel multimodal sensing method by forming seam-lines of conductive textile fibers into commercially available fabrics. The proposed ultra-low cost micro-electro-mechanical sensor would provide, wearable, flexible, textile based biopotential signal recording, wetness detection and tactile sensing simultaneously. Three types of fibers are evaluated for their array-based sensing capability, including a 3D printed conductive fiber, a multiwall carbon nanotube based fiber, and a commercially available stainless steel conductive thread. The sensors were shown to have a correlation between capacitance and pressure; impedance and wetness; and recorded potential and ECG waveforms.

Failure detection and fault management techniques for flush airdata sensing systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmore, Stephen A.; Moes, Timothy R.; Leondes, Cornelius T.

1992-01-01

Methods based on chi-squared analysis are presented for detecting system and individual-port failures in the high-angle-of-attack flush airdata sensing system on the NASA F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle. The HI-FADS hardware is introduced, and the aerodynamic model describes measured pressure in terms of dynamic pressure, angle of attack, angle of sideslip, and static pressure. Chi-squared analysis is described in the presentation of the concept for failure detection and fault management which includes nominal, iteration, and fault-management modes. A matrix of pressure orifices arranged in concentric circles on the nose of the aircraft indicate the parameters which are applied to the regression algorithms. The sensing techniques are applied to the F-18 flight data, and two examples are given of the computed angle-of-attack time histories. The failure-detection and fault-management techniques permit the matrix to be multiply redundant, and the chi-squared analysis is shown to be useful in the detection of failures.

Study on a new self-sensing magnetorheological elastomer bearing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Rui; Zhou, Mengjiao; Wang, Minglian; Yang, Ping-an

2018-06-01

The complexity of a semi-active vibration isolation system results in the difficulty of realizing its role on impact load effectively. Thus, a new self-sensing bearing based on modified anisotropic magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) is proposed in this study. This self-sensing bearing was fabricated by dispersed multi-walled carbon nanotubes and carbonyl iron particles into polydimethylsiloxane matrix under a magnetic field. The working conditions of the bearing were analyzed and decoupled. An optimal structure size of the bearing was selected and used for setting up the experiment test system. The self-sensing characteristic of the MRE bearing under the multi-field coupling of load and magnetic fields was then investigated by this test system. Results showed that the resistance of the modified MRE, in which a preload was applied by the bearing, could change approximately 28%-56% under extrusion force, mechanical force, and external magnetic field. The vibration isolation performance was tested based on the self-sensing characteristic. The bearing had excellent mechanical properties, which could reduce at least 30% of vibration. Thus, the modified MRE of the magnetorheological elastomer bearing could be simultaneously used as an actuator and a sensor.

Remote Blood Pressure Waveform Sensing Method and Apparatus

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-02

test the effects of drugs, exercise, or other stimuli, whereby an increase or decrease in the ratio may indicate an improvement or worsening of systolic...even though high blood pressure in animals can be symptomatic of a variety of diseases including chronic renal failure, hyperthyroidism , Cushing’s

Exploiting pressure to induce a "guest-blocked" spin transition in a framework material

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sciortino, Natasha F.; Ragon, Florence; Zenere, Katrina A.

A new functionalized 1,2,4-trizole ligand 4-[(E)-2-(5-methyl-2-thienyl)vinyl]-1,2,4-triazole (thiome) was prepared to assess the structural and magnetic consequence of ligand steric bulk in the resultant framework material [FeIIPd(CN)4(thiome)2]·2(H2O) (A·2(H2O)). Structural studies reveal that the pore size is smaller than realted 2-D Hofmann-type materials and that the water molecules can be reversibly removed with retention of the porous host framework. Magnetic measurements show ‘on-off’ sensing to the presence of water. The hydrated phase is spin crossover (SCO) inactive whereas the dehydrated phase undergoes an abrupt and hysteretic one-step spin transition. Partial dehydration (A·n(H2O), 0 ≤ n ≤ 2) leads to systematically varying spinmore » transition temperatures further demonstrating qualitative sensing. These studies suggest that the SCO properties are governed by internal lattice pressure effects. Variable pressure structure and magnetic studies on the hydrated phase, A·2(H2O), reveal that such internal guest pressure effects can be overcome with moderate external pressure application (0 – 0.68 GPa) resulting in a two-step spin transition at ambient temperatures at 0.68 GPa.« less

Liquid crystalline fiber optic colorimeter for hydrostatic pressure measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolinski, Tomasz R.; Bajdecki, Waldemar K.; Domanski, Andrzej W.; Karpierz, Miroslaw A.; Konopka, Witold; Nasilowski, T.; Sierakowski, Marek W.; Swillo, Marcin; Dabrowski, Roman S.; Nowinowski-Kruszelnicki, Edward; Wasowski, Janusz

2001-08-01

This paper presents results of tests performed on a fiber optic system of liquid crystalline transducer for hydrostatic pressure monitoring based on properties of colorimetry. The system employs pressure-induced deformations occurring in liquid crystalline (LC) cells configured in a homogeneous Frederiks geometry. The sensor is compared of a round LC cell placed inside a specially designed pressure chamber. As a light source we used a typical diode operating at red wavelength and modulated using standard techniques. The pressure transducer was connected to a computer with a specially designed interface built on the bas of advanced ADAM modules. Results indicate that the system offers high response to pressure with reduced temperature sensitivity and, depending on the LC cell used, can be adjusted for monitoring of low hydrostatic pressures up to 6 MPa. These studies have demonstrated the feasibility of fiber optic liquid crystal colorimeter for hydrostatic pressure sensing specially dedicated to pipe- lines, mining instrumentation, and process-control technologies.

A simultaneous pressure and temperature sensor based on a superstructure fiber grating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Chia-Min; Liu, Wen-Fung; Fu, Ming-Yue; Sheng, Hao-Jan; Bor, Sheau-Shung; Tien, Chuen-Lin

2004-12-01

We demonstrated that a high-sensitivity fiber sensor based on a superstructure fiber grating (SFG) can simultaneously measure the pressure and temperature by encapsulating the grating in a polymer-half-filled metal cylinder, in which there are two openings on opposite sides of the wall filled with the polymer to sense the pressure. The mechanism of sensing pressure is to transfer the pressure into the axial extended-strain. According to the optical characteristics of an SFG composed of a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) and long period grating (LPG), the various pressure and temperature will cause the variation of the center-wavelength and reflection simultaneously. Thus, the sensor can be used for the measurement both of the pressure and temperature. The pressure sensitivity of 2.28×10-2MPa-1 and the temperature sensitivity both of 0.015nm/°C and -0.143dB/°C are obtained.

Fabrications and Performance of Wireless LC Pressure Sensors through LTCC Technology.

PubMed

Lin, Lin; Ma, Mingsheng; Zhang, Faqiang; Liu, Feng; Liu, Zhifu; Li, Yongxiang

2018-01-25

This paper presents a kind of passive wireless pressure sensor comprised of a planar spiral inductor and a cavity parallel plate capacitor fabricated through low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) technology. The LTCC material with a low Young's modulus of ~65 GPa prepared by our laboratory was used to obtain high sensitivity. A three-step lamination process was applied to construct a high quality cavity structure without using any sacrificial materials. The effects of the thickness of the sensing membranes on the sensitivity and detection range of the pressure sensors were investigated. The sensor with a 148 μm sensing membrane showed the highest sensitivity of 3.76 kHz/kPa, and the sensor with a 432 μm sensing membrane presented a high detection limit of 2660 kPa. The tunable sensitivity and detection limit of the wireless pressure sensors can meet the requirements of different scenes.

Use of Nanocomposites for Flexible Pressure Sensors =

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sepulveda, Alexandra Conceicao Teixeira

Polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) are defined as polymers bonded with nanoparticles to create materiais with improved properties. The development of this type of material is rapidly emerging as a multidisciplinary research activity, since their final properties can benefit many different fields of application, namely in the development of electrical devices as studied herein. A fabrication technique to produce conductive PNCs was developed in this work and used to fabricate flexible capacitive pressure sensors. The process is based on vertically aligned-carbon nanotubes (A-CNTs) embedded in a flexible and biocompatible matrix of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Thin A-CNTs/PDMS nanocomposite films ( 400 mum) were produced using wetting of as-grown A-CNTs with uncured PDMS and the resulting nanocomposites were used to fabricate flexible pressure sensors. The sensing capability of this A-CNTs/PDMS nanocomposite is attributed to the distinctive combination of mechanical flexibility and electrical properties. The fabricated nanocomposites were characterized and mechanical and electrical properties evaluated. The PDMS is significantly modified by the reinforcing A-CNT fibers, demonstrating non-isotropic (as opposed to the isotropic neat PDMS) elastic properties ali different than the PDMS (Young's modulus of 0.8 MPa), including an anisotropy ratio of 4.8 and increases in the modulus of A-CNTs/PDMS nanocomposites over PDMS by more than 900 % and 100 %, in the CNTs longitudinal and transverse directions, respectively. Regarding the electrical measurements, A-CNTs/PDMS nanocomposites presented an electrical conductivity of 0.35 Sim. The rather low conductivity does not compromise the developed capacitive sensor, but since passive telemetry is required to measure and power the sensor, solutions to overcome this problem were also studied. The configuration of the developed flexible sensor is similar to typical silicon-based capacitive pressure sensors. It is composed of three thin

Differential pressure pin discharge apparatus

DOEpatents

Oakley, David J.

1987-02-03

Disclosed is a discharge assembly for allowing elongate pins to be discharged from an area of relatively low pressure to an area of relatively greater pressure. The discharge assembly includes a duck valve having a lip piece made of flexible material. The flexible lip piece responds to a fluctuating pressure created downstream by an aspirator. The aspirator reduces the downstream pressure sensed by the duck valve when the discharge assembly is in the open position. This allows elongate pins to be moved through the duck valve with no backflow because the aspirator pressure is less than the pressure in the low pressure area from which the pins originate. Closure of the assembly causes the aspirator static pressure to force the flexible duck valve lip piece into a tightly sealed position also preventing backflow. The discharge assembly can be easily controlled using a single control valve which blocks the flow of aspirator gas and closes the pin passageway extending through the assembly.

Differential pressure pin discharge apparatus

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oakley, D.J.

Disclosed is a discharge assembly for allowing elongate pins to be discharged from an area of relatively low pressure to an area of relatively greater pressure. The discharge assembly includes a duck valve having a lip piece made of flexible material. The flexible lip piece responds to a fluctuating pressure created downstream by an aspirator. The aspirator reduces the downstream pressure sensed by the duck valve when the discharge assembly is in the open position. This allows elongate pins to be moved through the duck valve with no backflow because the aspirator pressure is less than the pressure in themore » low pressure area from which the pins originate. Closure of the assembly causes the aspirator static pressure to force the flexible duck valve lip piece into a tightly sealed position also preventing backflow. The discharge assembly can be easily controlled using a single control valve which blocks the flow of aspirator gas and closes the pins passageway extending through the assembly.« less

Differential pressure pin discharge apparatus

DOEpatents

Oakley, D.J.

1984-05-30

Disclosed is a discharge assembly for allowing elongate pins to be discharged from an area of relatively low pressure to an area of relatively greater pressure. The discharge assembly includes a duck valve having a lip piece made of flexible material. The flexible lip piece responds to a fluctuating pressure created downstream by an aspirator. The aspirator reduces the downstream pressure sensed by the duck valve when the discharge assembly is in the open position. This allows elongate pins to be moved through the duck valve with no backflow because the aspirator pressure is less than the pressure in the low pressure area from which the pins originate. Closure of the assembly causes the aspirator static pressure to force the flexible duck valve lip piece into a tightly sealed position also preventing backflow. The discharge assembly can be easily controlled using a single control valve which blocks the flow of aspirator gas and closes the pins passageway extending through the assembly.

Differential pressure pin discharge apparatus

DOEpatents

Oakley, David J.

1987-01-01

Disclosed is a discharge assembly for allowing elongate pins to be discharged from an area of relatively low pressure to an area of relatively greater pressure. The discharge assembly includes a duck valve having a lip piece made of flexible material. The flexible lip piece responds to a fluctuating pressure created downstream by an aspirator. The aspirator reduces the downstream pressure sensed by the duck valve when the discharge assembly is in the open position. This allows elongate pins to be moved through the duck valve with no backflow because the aspirator pressure is less than the pressure in the low pressure area from which the pins originate. Closure of the assembly causes the aspirator static pressure to force the flexible duck valve lip piece into a tightly sealed position also preventing backflow. The discharge assembly can be easily controlled using a single control valve which blocks the flow of aspirator gas and closes the pin passageway extending through the assembly.

Flexible, Highly Sensitive, and Wearable Pressure and Strain Sensors with Graphene Porous Network Structure.

PubMed

Pang, Yu; Tian, He; Tao, Luqi; Li, Yuxing; Wang, Xuefeng; Deng, Ningqin; Yang, Yi; Ren, Tian-Ling

2016-10-03

A mechanical sensor with graphene porous network (GPN) combined with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is demonstrated by the first time. Using the nickel foam as template and chemically etching method, the GPN can be created in the PDMS-nickel foam coated with graphene, which can achieve both pressure and strain sensing properties. Because of the pores in the GPN, the composite as pressure and strain sensor exhibit wide pressure sensing range and highest sensitivity among the graphene foam-based sensors, respectively. In addition, it shows potential applications in monitoring or even recognize the walking states, finger bending degree, and wrist blood pressure.

Self-correcting electronically scanned pressure sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gross, C. (Inventor)

1983-01-01

A multiple channel high data rate pressure sensing device is disclosed for use in wind tunnels, spacecraft, airborne, process control, automotive, etc., pressure measurements. Data rates in excess of 100,000 measurements per second are offered with inaccuracies from temperature shifts less than 0.25% (nominal) of full scale over a temperature span of 55 C. The device consists of thirty-two solid state sensors, signal multiplexing electronics to electronically address each sensor, and digital electronic circuitry to automatically correct the inherent thermal shift errors of the pressure sensors and their associated electronics.

Water Column Correction for Coral Reef Studies by Remote Sensing

PubMed Central

Zoffoli, Maria Laura; Frouin, Robert; Kampel, Milton

2014-01-01

Human activity and natural climate trends constitute a major threat to coral reefs worldwide. Models predict a significant reduction in reef spatial extension together with a decline in biodiversity in the relatively near future. In this context, monitoring programs to detect changes in reef ecosystems are essential. In recent years, coral reef mapping using remote sensing data has benefited from instruments with better resolution and computational advances in storage and processing capabilities. However, the water column represents an additional complexity when extracting information from submerged substrates by remote sensing that demands a correction of its effect. In this article, the basic concepts of bottom substrate remote sensing and water column interference are presented. A compendium of methodologies developed to reduce water column effects in coral ecosystems studied by remote sensing that include their salient features, advantages and drawbacks is provided. Finally, algorithms to retrieve the bottom reflectance are applied to simulated data and actual remote sensing imagery and their performance is compared. The available methods are not able to completely eliminate the water column effect, but they can minimize its influence. Choosing the best method depends on the marine environment, available input data and desired outcome or scientific application. PMID:25215941

Monitoring pressure profiles across an airfoil with a fiber Bragg grating sensor array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papageorgiou, Anthony W.; Parkinson, Luke A.; Karas, Andrew R.; Hansen, Kristy L.; Arkwright, John W.

2018-02-01

Fluid flow over an airfoil section creates a pressure difference across the upper and lower surfaces, thus generating lift. Successful wing design is a combination of engineering design and experience in the field, with subtleties in design and manufacture having significant impact on the amount of lift produced. Current methods of airfoil optimization and validation typically involve computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and extensive wind tunnel testing with pressure sensors embedded into the airfoil to measure the pressure over the wing. Monitoring pressure along an airfoil in a wind tunnel is typically achieved using surface pressure taps that consist of hollow tubes running from the surface of the airfoil to individual pressure sensors external to the tunnel. These pressure taps are complex to configure and not ideal for in-flight testing. Fiber Bragg grating (FBG) pressure sensing arrays provide a highly viable option for both wind tunnel and inflight pressure measurement. We present a fiber optic sensor array that can detect positive and negative pressure suitable for validating CFD models of airfoil profile sections. The sensing array presented here consists of 6 independent sensing elements, each capable of a pressure resolution of less than 10 Pa over the range of 70 kPa to 120 kPa. The device has been tested with the sensor array attached to a 90mm chord length airfoil section subjected to low velocity flow. Results show that the arrays are capable of accurately detecting variations of the pressure profile along the airfoil as the angle of attack is varied from zero to the point at which stall occurs.

Implantable ultra-low pulmonary pressure monitoring system for fetal surgery.

PubMed

Etemadi, Mozziyar; Heller, J Alex; Schecter, Samuel C; Shue, Eveline H; Miniati, Doug; Roy, Shuvo

2012-11-01

Congenital pulmonary hypoplasia is a devastating condition affecting fetal and newborn pulmonary physiology, resulting in great morbidity and mortality. The fetal lung develops in a fluid-filled environment. In this work, we describe a novel, implantable pressure sensing and recording device which we use to study the pressures present in the fetal pulmonary tree throughout gestation. The system achieves 0.18 cm H2O resolution and can record for twenty one days continuously at 256 Hz. Sample tracings of in vivo fetal lamb recordings are shown.

Vortex Sensing Tests at Logan and Kennedy Airports

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1972-12-01

The report describes a series of tests of wake vortex sensing systems at Logan and Kennedy Airports. Two systems, a pulsed acoustic radar (acdar) and an array of ground level pressure sensors, were tested. Site restrictions limited the Logan work to ...

Study of blood flow sensing with microwave radiometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Porter, R. A.; Wentz, F. J., III

1973-01-01

A study and experimental investigation has been performed to determine the feasibility of measuring regional blood flow and volume in man by means of microwave radiometry. An indication was expected of regional blood flow from measurement of surface and subsurface temperatures with a sensitive radiometer. Following theoretical modeling of biological tissue, to determine the optimum operating frequency for adequate sensing depth, a sensitive microwave radiometer was designed for operation at 793 MHz. A temperature sensitivity of of 0.06 K rms was realized in this equipment. Measurements performed on phantom tissue models, consisting of beef fat and lean beefsteak showed that the radiometer was capable of sensing temperatures from a depth between 3.8 and 5.1 cm. Radiometric and thermodynamic temperature measurements were also performed on the hind thighs of large dogs. These showed that the radiometer could sense subsurface temperatures from a depth of, at least, 1.3 cm. Delays caused by externally-generated RF interference, coupled with the lack of reliable blood flow measurement equipment, prevented correlation of radiometer readings with reginal blood flow. For the same reasons, it was not possible to extend the radiometric observations to human subjects.

Natural Resource Information System. Remote Sensing Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leachtenauer, J.; And Others

A major design objective of the Natural Resource Information System entailed the use of remote sensing data as an input to the system. Potential applications of remote sensing data were therefore reviewed and available imagery interpreted to provide input to a demonstration data base. A literature review was conducted to determine the types and…

Applications for fiber optic sensing in the upstream oil and gas industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baldwin, Chris S.

2015-05-01

Fiber optic sensing has been used in an increasing number of applications in the upstream oil and gas industry over the past 20 years. In some cases, fiber optic sensing is providing measurements where traditional measurement technologies could not. This paper will provide a general overview of these applications and describe how the use of fiber optic sensing is enabling these applications. Technologies such as Bragg gratings, distributed temperature and acoustic sensing, interferometric sensing, and Brillouin scattering will be discussed. Applications for optic sensing include a range of possibilities from a single pressure measurement point in the wellbore to multizone pressure and flow monitoring. Some applications make use of fully distributed measurements including thermal profiling of the well. Outside of the wellbore, fiber optic sensors are used in applications for flowline and pipeline monitoring and for riser integrity monitoring. Applications to be described in this paper include in-flow profiling, well integrity, production monitoring, and steam chamber growth. These applications will cover well types such as injectors, producers, hydraulic fracturing, and thermal recovery. Many of these applications use the measurements provided by fiber optic sensing to improve enhanced oil recovery operations. The growing use of fiber optic sensors is providing improved measurement capabilities leading to the generation of actionable data for enhanced production optimization. This not only increases the recovered amount of production fluids but can also enhance wellbore integrity and safety.

Intraoperative Endotracheal Cuff Pressure Study: How Education and Availability of Manometers Help Guide Safer Pressures.

PubMed

Stevens, Gregory J; Warfel, Joel W; Aden, James K; Blackwell, Scott D

2018-02-13

Endotracheal intubation is a medical procedure that is often indicated in both the perioperative and critical care environments. Cuffed endotracheal tubes (ETT) allow for safer and more efficient delivery of positive pressure ventilation, as well as create a barrier to reduce the risk of micro-aspiration and anesthetic pollution in the operating room environment. Over-inflation of the endotracheal cuff can lead to serious and harmful sequelae. This study aimed to assess if departmental education paired with ready access to a manometer to assess cuff pressure would result in an improvement in the proportion of ETT cuff pressures in the goal range. A quality improvement study was conducted at the San Antonio Military Medical Center (SAMMC; Department of Defense hospital in San Antonio, TX). The initiative was divided into three key periods: pre-implementation, implementation, and post-implementation. During the pre-implementation period, ETT cuff pressures were obtained to assess the baseline state of ETT cuff pressures for patients in the operating room; the proportion of in-range (20-30 cmH2O) pressures was calculated. During the implementation phase, operating rooms were equipped with manometers and anesthesia departmental education was performed regarding the use of the manometers. Three months later, post-implementation cuff pressures were measured in the OR, and the proportion of in-range pressures was again calculated. The pre-implementation data showed an average cuff pressure of 48.92 cmH2O and a median of 38.5 cmH2O. Of the 100 pre-implementation pressures, 20 were in the goal range. Post-implementation data had an average cuff pressure of 41.96 cmH2O and a median of 30 cmH2O. A chi-squared test of pressures in the safe range from the pre-implementation versus post-implementation values yielded a highly significant p-value of 0.0003. The data from this study clearly demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in the proportion of in-range cuff

A hybrid electronically scanned pressure module for cryogenic environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chapman, J. J.; Hopson, P., Jr.; Kruse, N.

1995-01-01

Pressure is one of the most important parameters measured when testing models in wind tunnels. For models tested in the cryogenic environment of the National Transonic Facility at NASA Langley Research Center, the technique of utilizing commercially available multichannel pressure modules inside the models is difficult due to the small internal volume of the models and the requirement of keeping the pressure transducer modules within an acceptable temperature range well above the -173 degrees C tunnel temperature. A prototype multichannel pressure transducer module has been designed and fabricated with stable, repeatable sensors and materials optimized for reliable performance in the cryogenic environment. The module has 16 single crystal silicon piezoresistive pressure sensors electrostatically bonded to a metalized Pyrex substrate for sensing the wind tunnel model pressures. An integral temperature sensor mounted on each silicon micromachined pressure sensor senses real-time temperature fluctuations to within 0.1 degrees C to correct for thermally induced non-random sensor drift. The data presented here are from a prototype sensor module tested in the 0.3 M cryogenic tunnel and thermal equilibrium conditions in an environmental chamber which approximates the thermal environment (-173 degrees C to +60 degrees C) of the National Transonic Facility.

Hyperspectral remote sensing study of harmful algal blooms in the Chesapeake Bay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nie, Yixiang

Recent development of hyperspectral remote sensing provides capability to identify and classify harmful algal blooms beyond the estimation of chlorophyll concentrations. This study uses hyperspectral data to extract spectral signatures, classify algal blooms, and map the spatial distribution of the algal blooms in the upper Chesapeake Bay. Furthermore, water quality parameters from ground stations have been used together with remote sensing data to provide better understanding of the formation and transformation of the life cycle of harmful algal blooms, and the cause of their outbreaks in the upper Chesapeake Bay. The present results show a strong and significant positive correlation between chlorophyll concentrations and total organic nitrogen concentrations. This relation suggests that total organic nitrogen played an important role in triggering the harmful algal blooms in the upper Chesapeake Bay in this study. This study establishes an integrated approach which combines hyperspectral imaging with multispectral ocean color remote sensing data and traditional water quality monitoring system in the study of harmful algal blooms in small water bodies such as the Chesapeake Bay. Presently, remote sensing is well integrated into the research community, but is less commonly used by resource managers. This dissertation couples remote sensing technologies with specific monitoring programs. The present results will help natural resource managers, local authorities, and the public to utilize an integrated approach in order to better understand, evaluate, preserve, and restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay waters and habitats.

Pressure Measurement Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1990-01-01

System 8400 is an advanced system for measurement of gas and liquid pressure, along with a variety of other parameters, including voltage, frequency and digital inputs. System 8400 offers exceptionally high speed data acquisition through parallel processing, and its modular design allows expansion from a relatively inexpensive entry level system by the addition of modular Input Units that can be installed or removed in minutes. Douglas Juanarena was on the team of engineers that developed a new technology known as ESP (electronically scanned pressure). The Langley ESP measurement system was based on miniature integrated circuit pressure-sensing transducers that communicated pressure information to a minicomputer. In 1977, Juanarena formed PSI to exploit the NASA technology. In 1978 he left Langley, obtained a NASA license for the technology, introduced the first commercial product, the 780B pressure measurement system. PSI developed a pressure scanner for automation of industrial processes. Now in its second design generation, the DPT-6400 is capable of making 2,000 measurements a second and has 64 channels by addition of slave units. New system 8400 represents PSI's bid to further exploit the 600 million U.S. industrial pressure measurement market. It is geared to provide a turnkey solution to physical measurement.

Studies on droplet evaporation and combustion in high pressures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sato, J.

1993-01-01

High pressure droplet evaporation and combustion have been studied up to 15 MPa under normal and microgravity fields. From the evaporation studies, it has been found that in the supercritical environments, the droplet evaporation rate and lifetime take a maximum and a minimum at an ambient pressure over the critical pressure. Its maximum and minimum points move toward the lower ambient pressures if the ambient temperature is increased. It has been found from the combustion studies that the burning life time takes a minimum at an ambient pressure being equal to the critical pressure. It is attributable to both the pressure dependency of the diffusion rate and the droplet evaporation characteristics described above.

Damage detection and isolation via autocorrelation: a step toward passive sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Y. S.; Yuan, F. G.

2018-03-01

Passive sensing technique may eliminate the need of expending power from actuators and thus provide a means of developing a compact and simple structural health monitoring system. More importantly, it may provide a solution for monitoring the aircraft subjected to environmental loading from air flow during operation. In this paper, a non-contact auto-correlation based technique is exploited as a feasibility study for passive sensing application to detect damage and isolate the damage location. Its theoretical basis bears some resemblance to reconstructing Green's function from diffusive wavefield through cross-correlation. Localized high pressure air from air compressor are randomly and continuously applied on the one side surface of the aluminum panels through the air blow gun. A laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV) was used to scan a 90 mm × 90 mm area to create a 6 × 6 2D-array signals from the opposite side of the panels. The scanned signals were auto-correlated to reconstruct a "selfimpulse response" (or Green's function). The premise for stably reconstructing the accurate Green's function requires long sensing times. For a 609.6 mm × 609.6 mm flat aluminum panel, the sensing times roughly at least four seconds is sufficient to establish converged Green's function through correlation. For the integral stiffened aluminum panel, the geometrical features of the panel expedite the formation of the diffusive wavefield and thus shorten the sensing times. The damage is simulated by gluing a magnet onto the panels. Reconstructed Green's functions (RGFs) are used for damage detection and damage isolation based on an imaging condition with mean square deviation of the RGFs from the pristine and the damaged structure and the results are shown in color maps. The auto-correlation based technique is shown to consistently detect the simulated damage, image and isolate the damage in the structure subjected to high pressure air excitation. This technique may be transformed into

Piezotronic Effect: An Emerging Mechanism for Sensing Applications

PubMed Central

Jenkins, Kory; Nguyen, Vu; Zhu, Ren; Yang, Rusen

2015-01-01

Strain-induced polarization charges in a piezoelectric semiconductor effectively modulate the band structure near the interface and charge carrier transport. Fundamental investigation of the piezotronic effect has attracted broad interest, and various sensing applications have been demonstrated. This brief review discusses the fundamentals of the piezotronic effect, followed by a review highlighting important applications for strain sensors, pressure sensors, chemical sensors, photodetectors, humidity sensors and temperature sensors. Finally, the review offers some perspectives and outlook for this new field of multi-functional sensing enabled by the piezotronic effect. PMID:26378536

Oxygen partial pressure sensor

DOEpatents

Dees, D.W.

1994-09-06

A method for detecting oxygen partial pressure and an oxygen partial pressure sensor are provided. The method for measuring oxygen partial pressure includes contacting oxygen to a solid oxide electrolyte and measuring the subsequent change in electrical conductivity of the solid oxide electrolyte. A solid oxide electrolyte is utilized that contacts both a porous electrode and a nonporous electrode. The electrical conductivity of the solid oxide electrolyte is affected when oxygen from an exhaust stream permeates through the porous electrode to establish an equilibrium of oxygen anions in the electrolyte, thereby displacing electrons throughout the electrolyte to form an electron gradient. By adapting the two electrodes to sense a voltage potential between them, the change in electrolyte conductivity due to oxygen presence can be measured. 1 fig.

Oxygen partial pressure sensor

DOEpatents

Dees, Dennis W.

1994-01-01

A method for detecting oxygen partial pressure and an oxygen partial pressure sensor are provided. The method for measuring oxygen partial pressure includes contacting oxygen to a solid oxide electrolyte and measuring the subsequent change in electrical conductivity of the solid oxide electrolyte. A solid oxide electrolyte is utilized that contacts both a porous electrode and a nonporous electrode. The electrical conductivity of the solid oxide electrolyte is affected when oxygen from an exhaust stream permeates through the porous electrode to establish an equilibrium of oxygen anions in the electrolyte, thereby displacing electrons throughout the electrolyte to form an electron gradient. By adapting the two electrodes to sense a voltage potential between them, the change in electrolyte conductivity due to oxygen presence can be measured.

Growth And Gas Sensing Properties Of Dielectrophoretically Isolated CuO-W{sub 18}O{sub 49} Heterostructures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jain, Chhavi; Mukund, Vignesh; Kaur, Manmeet

2010-12-01

Hierarchical heterostructures consisting of W{sub 18}O{sub 49} nanowires grown on CuO nanowires have been prepared and studied for their gas sensing properties. SEM images show that W{sub 18}O{sub 49} initially grow as an shell over core CuO nanowire with protusion like branches whose thickness depends on oxygen partial pressure. These CuO:W{sub 18}O{sub 49} structures were dielectrophoretically isolated and studied for their gas sensing properties. The results show potential of use of tailored hierarchical heterostructures for the fabrication of gas sensors.

Fluid dynamic modelling of renal pelvic pressure during endoscopic stone removal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oratis, Alexandros; Subasic, John; Bird, James; Eisner, Brian

2015-11-01

Endoscopic kidney stone removal procedures are known to increase internal pressure in the renal pelvis, the kidney's urinary collecting system. High renal pelvic pressure incites systemic absorption of irrigation fluid, which can increase the risk of postoperative fever and sepsis or the unwanted absorption of electrolytes. Urologists choose the appropriate surgical procedure based on patient history and kidney stone size. However, no study has been conducted to compare the pressure profiles of each procedure, nor is there a precise sense of how the renal pelvic pressure scales with various operational parameters. Here we develop physical models for the flow rates and renal pelvic pressure for various procedures. We show that the results of our models are consistent with existing urological data on each procedure and that the models can predict pressure profiles where data is unavailable.

Integrated arrays of air-dielectric graphene transistors as transparent active-matrix pressure sensors for wide pressure ranges.

PubMed

Shin, Sung-Ho; Ji, Sangyoon; Choi, Seiho; Pyo, Kyoung-Hee; Wan An, Byeong; Park, Jihun; Kim, Joohee; Kim, Ju-Young; Lee, Ki-Suk; Kwon, Soon-Yong; Heo, Jaeyeong; Park, Byong-Guk; Park, Jang-Ung

2017-03-31

Integrated electronic circuitries with pressure sensors have been extensively researched as a key component for emerging electronics applications such as electronic skins and health-monitoring devices. Although existing pressure sensors display high sensitivities, they can only be used for specific purposes due to the narrow range of detectable pressure (under tens of kPa) and the difficulty of forming highly integrated arrays. However, it is essential to develop tactile pressure sensors with a wide pressure range in order to use them for diverse application areas including medical diagnosis, robotics or automotive electronics. Here we report an unconventional approach for fabricating fully integrated active-matrix arrays of pressure-sensitive graphene transistors with air-dielectric layers simply formed by folding two opposing panels. Furthermore, this realizes a wide tactile pressure sensing range from 250 Pa to ∼3 MPa. Additionally, fabrication of pressure sensor arrays and transparent pressure sensors are demonstrated, suggesting their substantial promise as next-generation electronics.

Integrated arrays of air-dielectric graphene transistors as transparent active-matrix pressure sensors for wide pressure ranges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Sung-Ho; Ji, Sangyoon; Choi, Seiho; Pyo, Kyoung-Hee; Wan An, Byeong; Park, Jihun; Kim, Joohee; Kim, Ju-Young; Lee, Ki-Suk; Kwon, Soon-Yong; Heo, Jaeyeong; Park, Byong-Guk; Park, Jang-Ung

2017-03-01

Integrated electronic circuitries with pressure sensors have been extensively researched as a key component for emerging electronics applications such as electronic skins and health-monitoring devices. Although existing pressure sensors display high sensitivities, they can only be used for specific purposes due to the narrow range of detectable pressure (under tens of kPa) and the difficulty of forming highly integrated arrays. However, it is essential to develop tactile pressure sensors with a wide pressure range in order to use them for diverse application areas including medical diagnosis, robotics or automotive electronics. Here we report an unconventional approach for fabricating fully integrated active-matrix arrays of pressure-sensitive graphene transistors with air-dielectric layers simply formed by folding two opposing panels. Furthermore, this realizes a wide tactile pressure sensing range from 250 Pa to ~3 MPa. Additionally, fabrication of pressure sensor arrays and transparent pressure sensors are demonstrated, suggesting their substantial promise as next-generation electronics.

Integrated arrays of air-dielectric graphene transistors as transparent active-matrix pressure sensors for wide pressure ranges

PubMed Central

Shin, Sung-Ho; Ji, Sangyoon; Choi, Seiho; Pyo, Kyoung-Hee; Wan An, Byeong; Park, Jihun; Kim, Joohee; Kim, Ju-Young; Lee, Ki-Suk; Kwon, Soon-Yong; Heo, Jaeyeong; Park, Byong-Guk; Park, Jang-Ung

2017-01-01

Integrated electronic circuitries with pressure sensors have been extensively researched as a key component for emerging electronics applications such as electronic skins and health-monitoring devices. Although existing pressure sensors display high sensitivities, they can only be used for specific purposes due to the narrow range of detectable pressure (under tens of kPa) and the difficulty of forming highly integrated arrays. However, it is essential to develop tactile pressure sensors with a wide pressure range in order to use them for diverse application areas including medical diagnosis, robotics or automotive electronics. Here we report an unconventional approach for fabricating fully integrated active-matrix arrays of pressure-sensitive graphene transistors with air-dielectric layers simply formed by folding two opposing panels. Furthermore, this realizes a wide tactile pressure sensing range from 250 Pa to ∼3 MPa. Additionally, fabrication of pressure sensor arrays and transparent pressure sensors are demonstrated, suggesting their substantial promise as next-generation electronics. PMID:28361867

High Pressure Strength Study on NaCl

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mi, Z.; Shieh, S. R.; High Pressure Mineral Physics Group

2010-12-01

Yield strength is regarded as one important property related to rheological characteristics of minerals in the Earth’s interior. The strength study of NaCl, a popular pressure medium in static high pressure experiments, has been carried out under non-hydrostatic conditions in a diamond anvil cell up to 43 GPa at room temperature using radial energy dispersive X-ray diffraction technique. Phase transformation from B1 (rock salt structure) to B2 (CsCl structure) starts at 29.4 GPa, and is complete at 32.1 GPa. Bulk modulus obtained by third order Birch-Manurgham equation of state is 25.5 GPa with pressure derivative 4.6 for B1 phase, and 30.78 GPa with pressure derivative 4.32 GPa for B2 phase, which are in a good agreement with previous studies. The differential stress of NaCl B1 phase shows very gentle increase with pressure, which indicates that NaCl is a very good pressure-transmitting medium at pressure below 30 GPa. However, the differential stress increases more abruptly for B2 phase and this may imply that NaCl can no longer be regarded as a “soft” pressure medium at very high pressures. For B1 phase, (111) is the strongest plane and (200) is the weakest plane, while (200) becomes the strongest plane in B2 phase. Pure NaCl is weaker than mixture MgO and NaCl, which indicates that soft material become stronger when mixed with hard material. The yield strength of B2 obtained through energy dispersive X-ray diffraction technique increase linearly, while the value derived by pressure gradient method shows jagged trend.

Surface plasmon resonance study on the optical sensing properties of tin oxide (SnO2) films to NH3 gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paliwal, Ayushi; Sharma, Anjali; Tomar, Monika; Gupta, Vinay

2016-04-01

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique is an easy and reliable method for detecting very low concentration of toxic gases at room temperature using a gas sensitive thin film layer. In the present work, a room temperature operated NH3 gas sensor has been developed using a laboratory assembled SPR measurement setup utilising a p-polarized He-Ne laser and prism coupling technique. A semiconducting gas sensitive tin oxide (SnO2) layer has been deposited under varying growth conditions (i.e., by varying deposition pressure) over the gold coated prism (BK-7) to excite the surface plasmon modes in Kretschmann configuration. The SPR reflectance curves for prism/Au/SnO2/air system for SnO2 thin films prepared at different sputtering pressure were measured, and the SnO2 film deposited at 10 mT pressure is found to exhibit a sharp SPR reflectance curve with minimum reflectance (0.32) at the resonance angle of 44.7° which is further used for sensing NH3 gas of different concentration at room temperature. The SPR reflectance curve shows a significant shift in resonance angle from 45.05° to 58.55° on interacting with NH3. The prepared sensor is found to give high sensing response (0.11) with high selectivity towards very low concentration of NH3 (0.5 ppm) and quick response time at room temperature.

A dynamic pressure calibration standard

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schutte, P. C.; Cate, K. H.; Young, S. D.

1985-01-01

A dynamic pressure calibration standard has been developed for calibrating flush diaphragm mounted pressure transducers. Pressures up to 20 kPa (3 psi) have been accurately generated over a frequency range of 50 to 1800 hz. The uncertainty of the standard is +/-5 pct to 5kPa (.75 psi) and +/-10 pct from 5 kPa (.75 psi) to 20 kPa (3 psi). The system consists of two conically shaped, aluminum columns, one 5 cm (2 in.) high for low pressures and another 11 cm (4.3 in.) high for higher pressures, each filled with a viscous fluid. A column is mounted on the armature of a vibration exciter which imparts a sinusoidally varying acceleration to the fluid column. Two pressure transducers mounted at the base of the column sense the sinusoidally varying pressure. This pressure is determined from measurements of the density of the fluid, the height of the fluid, and the acceleration of the column. A section of the taller column is filled with steel balls to control the damping of the fluid to extend its useful frequency range.

Flexible suspended gate organic thin-film transistors for ultra-sensitive pressure detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zang, Yaping; Zhang, Fengjiao; Huang, Dazhen; Gao, Xike; di, Chong-An; Zhu, Daoben

2015-03-01

The utilization of organic devices as pressure-sensing elements in artificial intelligence and healthcare applications represents a fascinating opportunity for the next-generation electronic products. To satisfy the critical requirements of these promising applications, the low-cost construction of large-area ultra-sensitive organic pressure devices with outstanding flexibility is highly desired. Here we present flexible suspended gate organic thin-film transistors (SGOTFTs) as a model platform that enables ultra-sensitive pressure detection. More importantly, the unique device geometry of SGOTFTs allows the fine-tuning of their sensitivity by the suspended gate. An unprecedented sensitivity of 192 kPa-1, a low limit-of-detection pressure of <0.5 Pa and a short response time of 10 ms were successfully realized, allowing the real-time detection of acoustic waves. These excellent sensing properties of SGOTFTs, together with their advantages of facile large-area fabrication and versatility in detecting various pressure signals, make SGOTFTs a powerful strategy for spatial pressure mapping in practical applications.

Smoke Sense Study Supported by Citizen Scientists Fact Sheet

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA researchers are conducting a citizen science study called Smoke Sense to determine the extent to which exposure to wildland fire smoke affects health and productivity, and develop health risk communication strategies that protect public health.

Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) Data for Periodic Hydraulic Tests

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Coleman, Thomas; Becker, Matthew

California State University Long Beach evaluated hydraulic connectivity among geothermal wells using Periodic Hydraulic Testing (PHT) and Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS). The principal was to create a pressure signal in one well and observe the responding pressure signals in one or more observation wells to assess the permeability and storage of the fracture network that connects the two wells. DAS measured strain at mHz frequency in monitoring wells in response to PHT.

Tri-axial tactile sensing element

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castellanos-Ramos, Julián.; Navas-González, Rafael; Vidal-Verdú, F.

2013-05-01

A 13 x 13 square millimetre tri-axial taxel is presented which is suitable for some medical applications, for instance in assistive robotics that involves contact with humans or in prosthetics. Finite Element Analysis is carried out to determine what structure is the best to obtain a uniform distribution of pressure on the sensing areas underneath the structure. This structure has been fabricated in plastic with a 3D printer and a commercial tactile sensor has been used to implement the sensing areas. A three axis linear motorized translation stage with a tri-axial precision force sensor is used to find the parameters of the linear regression model and characterize the proposed taxel. The results are analysed to see to what extent the goal has been reached in this specific implementation.

Wireless, Ultra-Low-Power Implantable Sensor for Chronic Bladder Pressure Monitoring.

PubMed

Majerus, Steve J A; Garverick, Steven L; Suster, Michael A; Fletter, Paul C; Damaser, Margot S

2012-06-01

The wireless implantable/intracavity micromanometer (WIMM) system was designed to fulfill the unmet need for a chronic bladder pressure sensing device in urological fields such as urodynamics for diagnosis and neuromodulation for bladder control. Neuromodulation in particular would benefit from a wireless bladder pressure sensor which could provide real-time pressure feedback to an implanted stimulator, resulting in greater bladder capacity while using less power. The WIMM uses custom integrated circuitry, a MEMS transducer, and a wireless antenna to transmit pressure telemetry at a rate of 10 Hz. Aggressive power management techniques yield an average current draw of 9 μ A from a 3.6-Volt micro-battery, which minimizes the implant size. Automatic pressure offset cancellation circuits maximize the sensing dynamic range to account for drifting pressure offset due to environmental factors, and a custom telemetry protocol allows transmission with minimum overhead. Wireless operation of the WIMM has demonstrated that the external receiver can receive the telemetry packets, and the low power consumption allows for at least 24 hours of operation with a 4-hour wireless recharge session.

Wireless, Ultra-Low-Power Implantable Sensor for Chronic Bladder Pressure Monitoring

PubMed Central

MAJERUS, STEVE J. A.; GARVERICK, STEVEN L.; SUSTER, MICHAEL A.; FLETTER, PAUL C.; DAMASER, MARGOT S.

2015-01-01

The wireless implantable/intracavity micromanometer (WIMM) system was designed to fulfill the unmet need for a chronic bladder pressure sensing device in urological fields such as urodynamics for diagnosis and neuromodulation for bladder control. Neuromodulation in particular would benefit from a wireless bladder pressure sensor which could provide real-time pressure feedback to an implanted stimulator, resulting in greater bladder capacity while using less power. The WIMM uses custom integrated circuitry, a MEMS transducer, and a wireless antenna to transmit pressure telemetry at a rate of 10 Hz. Aggressive power management techniques yield an average current draw of 9 μA from a 3.6-Volt micro-battery, which minimizes the implant size. Automatic pressure offset cancellation circuits maximize the sensing dynamic range to account for drifting pressure offset due to environmental factors, and a custom telemetry protocol allows transmission with minimum overhead. Wireless operation of the WIMM has demonstrated that the external receiver can receive the telemetry packets, and the low power consumption allows for at least 24 hours of operation with a 4-hour wireless recharge session. PMID:26778926

Studies on pressure-gain combustion engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsutomi, Yu

Various aspects of the pressure-gain combustion engine are investigated analytically and experimentally in the current study. A lumped parameter model is developed to characterize the operation of a valveless pulse detonation engine. The model identified the function of flame quenching process through gas dynamic process. By adjusting fuel manifold pressure and geometries, the duration of the air buffer can be effectively varied. The parametric study with the lumped parameter model has shown that engine frequency of up to approximately 15 Hz is attainable. However, requirements for upstream air pressure increases significantly with higher engine frequency. The higher pressure requirement indicates pressure loss in the system and lower overall engine performance. The loss of performance due to the pressure loss is a critical issue for the integrated pressure-gain combustors. Two types of transitional methods are examined using entropy-based models. An accumulator based transition has obvious loss due to sudden area expansion, but it can be minimized by utilizing the gas dynamics in the combustion tube. An ejector type transition has potential to achieve performance beyond the limit specified by a single flow path Humphrey cycle. The performance of an ejector was discussed in terms of apparent entropy and mixed flow entropy. Through an ideal ejector, the apparent part of entropy increases due to the reduction in flow unsteadiness, but entropy of the mixed flow remains constant. The method is applied to a CFD simulation with a simple manifold for qualitative evaluation. The operation of the wave rotor constant volume combustion rig is experimentally examined. The rig has shown versatility of operation for wide range of conditions. Large pressure rise in the rotor channel and in a section of the exhaust duct are observed even with relatively large leakage gaps on the rotor. The simplified analysis indicated that inconsistent combustion is likely due to insufficient

Sub-bandage sensing system for remote monitoring of chronic wounds in healthcare

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hariz, Alex; Mehmood, Nasir; Voelcker, Nico

2015-12-01

Chronic wounds, such as venous leg ulcers, can be monitored non-invasively by using modern sensing devices and wireless technologies. The development of such wireless diagnostic tools may improve chronic wound management by providing evidence on efficacy of treatments being provided. In this paper we present a low-power portable telemetric system for wound condition sensing and monitoring. The system aims at measuring and transmitting real-time information of wound-site temperature, sub-bandage pressure and moisture level from within the wound dressing. The system comprises commercially available non-invasive temperature, moisture, and pressure sensors, which are interfaced with a telemetry device on a flexible 0.15 mm thick printed circuit material, making up a lightweight biocompatible sensing device. The real-time data obtained is transmitted wirelessly to a portable receiver which displays the measured values. The performance of the whole telemetric sensing system is validated on a mannequin leg using commercial compression bandages and dressings. A number of trials on a healthy human volunteer are performed where treatment conditions were emulated using various compression bandage configurations. A reliable and repeatable performance of the system is achieved under compression bandage and with minimal discomfort to the volunteer. The system is capable of reporting instantaneous changes in bandage pressure, moisture level and local temperature at wound site with average measurement resolutions of 0.5 mmHg, 3.0 %RH, and 0.2 °C respectively. Effective range of data transmission is 4-5 m in an open environment.

High pressure gas laser technology for atmospheric remote sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Javan, A.

1980-01-01

The development of a fixed frequency chirp-free and highly stable intense pulsed laser made for Doppler wind velocity measurements with accurate ranging is described. Energy extraction from a high pressure CO2 laser at a tunable single mode frequency is also examined.

Propagation Limitations in Remote Sensing.

DTIC Science & Technology

Contents: Multi-sensors and systems in remote sensing ; Radar sensing systems over land; Remote sensing techniques in oceanography; Influence of...propagation media and background; Infrared techniques in remote sensing ; Photography in remote sensing ; Analytical studies in remote sensing .

Ultra-Sensitive Magnetoresistive Displacement Sensing Device

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olivas, John D. (Inventor); Lairson, Bruce M. (Inventor); Ramesham, Rajeshuni (Inventor)

2003-01-01

An ultrasensitive displacement sensing device for use in accelerometers, pressure gauges, temperature transducers, and the like, comprises a sputter deposited, multilayer, magnetoresistive field sensor with a variable electrical resistance based on an imposed magnetic field. The device detects displacement by sensing changes in the local magnetic field about the magnetoresistive field sensor caused by the displacement of a hard magnetic film on a movable microstructure. The microstructure, which may be a cantilever, membrane, bridge, or other microelement, moves under the influence of an acceleration a known displacement predicted by the configuration and materials selected, and the resulting change in the electrical resistance of the MR sensor can be used to calculate the displacement. Using a micromachining approach, very thin silicon and silicon nitride membranes are fabricated in one preferred embodiment by means of anisotropic etching of silicon wafers. Other approaches include reactive ion etching of silicon on insulator (SOI), or Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition of silicon nitride films over silicon substrates. The device is found to be improved with the use of giant magnetoresistive elements to detect changes in the local magnetic field.

An Exploratory Study of a Story Problem Assessment: Understanding Children's Number Sense

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shumway, Jessica F.; Westenskow, Arla; Moyer-Packenham, Patricia S.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify and describe students' use of number sense as they solved story problem tasks. Three 8- and 9-year-old students participated in clinical interviews. Through a process of holistic and qualitative coding, researchers used the number sense view as a theoretical framework for exploring how students' number…

Sensors with centroid-based common sensing scheme and their multiplexing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berkcan, Ertugrul; Tiemann, Jerome J.; Brooksby, Glen W.

1993-03-01

The ability to multiplex sensors with different measurands but with a common sensing scheme is of importance in aircraft and aircraft engine applications; this unification of the sensors into a common interface has major implications for weight, cost, and reliability. A new class of sensors based on a common sensing scheme and their E/O Interface has been developed. The approach detects the location of the centroid of a beam of light; the set of fiber optic sensors with this sensing scheme include linear and rotary position, temperature, pressure, as well as duct Mach number. The sensing scheme provides immunity to intensity variations of the source or due to environmental effects on the fiber. A detector spatially multiplexed common electro-optic interface for the sensors has been demonstrated with a position and a temperature sensor.

A chameleon-inspired stretchable electronic skin with interactive colour changing controlled by tactile sensing

PubMed Central

Chou, Ho-Hsiu; Nguyen, Amanda; Chortos, Alex; To, John W.F.; Lu, Chien; Mei, Jianguo; Kurosawa, Tadanori; Bae, Won-Gyu; Tok, Jeffrey B.-H.; Bao, Zhenan

2015-01-01

Some animals, such as the chameleon and cephalopod, have the remarkable capability to change their skin colour. This unique characteristic has long inspired scientists to develop materials and devices to mimic such a function. However, it requires the complex integration of stretchability, colour-changing and tactile sensing. Here we show an all-solution processed chameleon-inspired stretchable electronic skin (e-skin), in which the e-skin colour can easily be controlled through varying the applied pressure along with the applied pressure duration. As such, the e-skin's colour change can also be in turn utilized to distinguish the pressure applied. The integration of the stretchable, highly tunable resistive pressure sensor and the fully stretchable organic electrochromic device enables the demonstration of a stretchable electrochromically active e-skin with tactile-sensing control. This system will have wide range applications such as interactive wearable devices, artificial prosthetics and smart robots. PMID:26300307

A chameleon-inspired stretchable electronic skin with interactive colour changing controlled by tactile sensing.

PubMed

Chou, Ho-Hsiu; Nguyen, Amanda; Chortos, Alex; To, John W F; Lu, Chien; Mei, Jianguo; Kurosawa, Tadanori; Bae, Won-Gyu; Tok, Jeffrey B-H; Bao, Zhenan

2015-08-24

Some animals, such as the chameleon and cephalopod, have the remarkable capability to change their skin colour. This unique characteristic has long inspired scientists to develop materials and devices to mimic such a function. However, it requires the complex integration of stretchability, colour-changing and tactile sensing. Here we show an all-solution processed chameleon-inspired stretchable electronic skin (e-skin), in which the e-skin colour can easily be controlled through varying the applied pressure along with the applied pressure duration. As such, the e-skin's colour change can also be in turn utilized to distinguish the pressure applied. The integration of the stretchable, highly tunable resistive pressure sensor and the fully stretchable organic electrochromic device enables the demonstration of a stretchable electrochromically active e-skin with tactile-sensing control. This system will have wide range applications such as interactive wearable devices, artificial prosthetics and smart robots.

Inhibition of bacterial quorum sensing and biofilm formation by extracts of neotropical rainforest plants.

PubMed

Ta, Chieu Anh; Freundorfer, Marie; Mah, Thien-Fah; Otárola-Rojas, Marco; Garcia, Mario; Sanchez-Vindas, Pablo; Poveda, Luis; Maschek, J Alan; Baker, Bill J; Adonizio, Allison L; Downum, Kelsey; Durst, Tony; Arnason, John T

2014-03-01

Bacterial biofilms are responsible for many persistent infections by many clinically relevant pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Biofilms are much more resistant to conventional antibiotics than their planktonic counterparts. Quorum sensing, an intercellular communication system, controls pathogenesis and biofilm formation in most bacterial species. Quorum sensing provides an important pharmacological target since its inhibition does not provide a selective pressure for resistance. In this study, we investigated the quorum sensing and biofilm inhibitory activities of 126 plant extracts from 71 species collected from neotropical rainforests in Costa Rica. Quorum sensing and biofilm interference were assessed using a modified disc diffusion bioassay with Chromobacterium violaceum ATCC 12,472 and a spectrophotometric bioassay with Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14, respectively. Species with significant anti-quorum sensing and/or anti-biofilm activities belonged to the Meliaceae, Melastomataceae, Lepidobotryaceae, Sapindaceae, and Simaroubaceae families. IC50 values ranged from 45 to 266 µg/mL. Extracts of these active species could lead to future development of botanical treatments for biofilm-associated infections. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Application and Optimization of Stiffness Abruption Structures for Pressure Sensors with High Sensitivity and Anti-Overload Ability

PubMed Central

Xu, Tingzhong; Lu, Dejiang; Zhao, Libo; Jiang, Zhuangde; Wang, Hongyan; Guo, Xin; Li, Zhikang; Zhou, Xiangyang; Zhao, Yulong

2017-01-01

The influence of diaphragm bending stiffness distribution on the stress concentration characteristics of a pressure sensing chip had been analyzed and discussed systematically. According to the analysis, a novel peninsula-island-based diaphragm structure was presented and applied to two differenet diaphragm shapes as sensing chips for pressure sensors. By well-designed bending stiffness distribution of the diaphragm, the elastic potential energy induced by diaphragm deformation was concentrated above the gap position, which remarkably increased the sensitivity of the sensing chip. An optimization method and the distribution pattern of the peninsula-island based diaphragm structure were also discussed. Two kinds of sensing chips combined with the peninsula-island structures distributing along the side edge and diagonal directions of rectangular diaphragm were fabricated and analyzed. By bonding the sensing chips with anti-overload glass bases, these two sensing chips were demonstrated by testing to achieve not only high sensitivity, but also good anti-overload ability. The experimental results showed that the proposed structures had the potential to measure ultra-low absolute pressures with high sensitivity and good anti-overload ability in an atmospheric environment. PMID:28846599

Pre-production Test Report for Transformer Abort Sensing and Control Unit.

DTIC Science & Technology

The purpose of the report is to describe the test equipment and procedure required for the pre-production testing of a transformer, pressure switch excitation, abort sensing and control unit. (Author)

Dynamic pressure sensor calibration techniques offering expanded bandwidth with increased resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wisniewiski, David

2015-03-01

Advancements in the aerospace, defense and energy markets are being made possible by increasingly more sophisticated systems and sub-systems which rely upon critical information to be conveyed from the physical environment being monitored through ever more specialized, extreme environment sensing components. One sensing parameter of particular interest is dynamic pressure measurement. Crossing the boundary of all three markets (i.e. aerospace, defense and energy) is dynamic pressure sensing which is used in research and development of gas turbine technology, and subsequently embedded into a control loop used for long-term monitoring. Applications include quantifying the effects of aircraft boundary layer ingestion into the engine inlet to provide a reliable and robust design. Another application includes optimization of combustor dynamics by "listening" to the acoustic signature so that fuel-to-air mixture can be adjusted in real-time to provide cost operating efficiencies and reduced NOx emissions. With the vast majority of pressure sensors supplied today being calibrated either statically or "quasi" statically, the dynamic response characterization of the frequency dependent sensitivity (i.e. transfer function) of the pressure sensor is noticeably absent. The shock tube has been shown to be an efficient vehicle to provide frequency response of pressure sensors from extremely high frequencies down to 500 Hz. Recent development activity has lowered this starting frequency; thereby augmenting the calibration bandwidth with increased frequency resolution so that as the pressure sensor is used in an actual test application, more understanding of the physical measurement can be ascertained by the end-user.

Glycine Insertion Makes Yellow Fluorescent Protein Sensitive to Hydrostatic Pressure

PubMed Central

Watanabe, Tomonobu M.; Imada, Katsumi; Yoshizawa, Keiko; Nishiyama, Masayoshi; Kato, Chiaki; Abe, Fumiyoshi; Morikawa, Takamitsu J.; Kinoshita, Miki; Fujita, Hideaki; Yanagida, Toshio

2013-01-01

Fluorescent protein-based indicators for intracellular environment conditions such as pH and ion concentrations are commonly used to study the status and dynamics of living cells. Despite being an important factor in many biological processes, the development of an indicator for the physicochemical state of water, such as pressure, viscosity and temperature, however, has been neglected. We here found a novel mutation that dramatically enhances the pressure dependency of the yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) by inserting several glycines into it. The crystal structure of the mutant showed that the tyrosine near the chromophore flipped toward the outside of the β-can structure, resulting in the entry of a few water molecules near the chromophore. In response to changes in hydrostatic pressure, a spectrum shift and an intensity change of the fluorescence were observed. By measuring the fluorescence of the YFP mutant, we succeeded in measuring the intracellular pressure change in living cell. This study shows a new strategy of design to engineer fluorescent protein indicators to sense hydrostatic pressure. PMID:24014139

Ultrahigh-Sensitivity Piezoresistive Pressure Sensors for Detection of Tiny Pressure.

PubMed

Li, Hongwei; Wu, Kunjie; Xu, Zeyang; Wang, Zhongwu; Meng, Yancheng; Li, Liqiang

2018-06-20

High-sensitivity pressure sensors are crucial for the ultrasensitive touch technology and E-skin, especially at the tiny-pressure range below 100 Pa. However, it is highly challenging to substantially promote sensitivity beyond the current level at several to 200 kPa -1 and to improve the detection limit lower than 0.1 Pa, which is significant for the development of pressure sensors toward ultrasensitive and highly precise detection. Here, we develop an efficient strategy to greatly improve the sensitivity near to 2000 kPa -1 using short-channel coplanar device structure and sharp microstructure, which is systematically proposed for the first time and rationalized by the mathematic calculation and analysis. Significantly, benefiting from the ultrahigh sensitivity, the detection limit is improved to be as small as 0.075 Pa. The sensitivity and detection limit are both superior to the current levels and far surpass the function of human skin. Furthermore, the sensor shows fast response time (50 μs), excellent reproducibility and stability, and low power consumption. Remarkably, the sensor shows excellent detection capacity in the tiny-pressure range, including light-emitting diode switching with a pressure of 7 Pa, ringtone (2-20 Pa) recognition, and ultrasensitive (0.1 Pa) electronic glove. This work represents a performance and strategic progress in the field of pressure sensing.

Study on Elastic Helical TDR Sensing Cable for Distributed Deformation Detection

PubMed Central

Tong, Renyuan; Li, Ming; Li, Qing

2012-01-01

In order to detect distributed ground surface deformation, an elastic helical structure Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) sensing cable is shown in this paper. This special sensing cable consists of three parts: a silicone rubber rope in the center; a couple of parallel wires coiling around the rope; a silicone rubber pipe covering the sensing cable. By analyzing the relationship between the impedance and the structure of the sensing cable, the impedance model shows that the sensing cable impedance will increase when the cable is stretched. This specific characteristic is verified in the cable stretching experiment which is the base of TDR sensing technology. The TDR experiment shows that a positive reflected signal is created at the stretching deformation point on the sensing cable. The results show that the deformation section length and the stretching elongation will both affect the amplitude of the reflected signal. Finally, the deformation locating experiments show that the sensing cable can accurately detect the deformation point position on the sensing cable. PMID:23012560

The study of active tectonic based on hyperspectral remote sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, J.; Zhang, S.; Zhang, J.; Shen, X.; Ding, R.; Xu, S.

2017-12-01

As of the latest technical methods, hyperspectral remote sensing technology has been widely used in each brach of the geosciences. However, it is still a blank for using the hyperspectral remote sensing to study the active structrure. Hyperspectral remote sensing, with high spectral resolution, continuous spectrum, continuous spatial data, low cost, etc, has great potentialities in the areas of stratum division and fault identification. Blind fault identification in plains and invisible fault discrimination in loess strata are the two hot problems in the current active fault research. Thus, the study of active fault based on the hyperspectral technology has great theoretical significance and practical value. Magnetic susceptibility (MS) records could reflect the rhythm alteration of the formation. Previous study shown that MS has correlation with spectral feature. In this study, the Emaokou section, located to the northwest of the town of Huairen, in Shanxi Province, has been chosen for invisible fault study. We collected data from the Emaokou section, including spectral data, hyperspectral image, MS data. MS models based on spectral features were established and applied to the UHD185 image for MS mapping. The results shown that MS map corresponded well to the loess sequences. It can recognize the stratum which can not identity by naked eyes. Invisible fault has been found in this section, which is useful for paleoearthquake analysis. The faults act as the conduit for migration of terrestrial gases, the fault zones, especially the structurally weak zones such as inrtersections or bends of fault, may has different material composition. We take Xiadian fault for study. Several samples cross-fault were collected and these samples were measured by ASD Field Spec 3 spectrometer. Spectral classification method has been used for spectral analysis, we found that the spectrum of the fault zone have four special spectral region(550-580nm, 600-700nm, 700-800nm and 800-900nm

Seafloor Pressure Array Studies at Ultra-Low Frequencies

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-01

broadband instrument design and deployment. In order to measure broadband noise routinely, a low frequency pressure gauge designed for deep ocean...below the microseism band (Moore et al, 1981). A differential pressure gauge , developed for low frequency recordings by Cox et al (1984) and sensitive to...design differential pressure gauge (Cox et al, 1984) with a sensitivity -3- ULF Seafloor Pressure Array Studies range of 0.01-5 Hz. The high

Experimental characterization of the effects of pneumatic tubing on unsteady pressure measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmore, Stephen A.; Lindsey, William T.; Curry, Robert E.; Gilyard, Glenn B.

1990-01-01

Advances in aircraft control system designs have, with increasing frequency, required that air data be used as flight control feedback. This condition requires that these data be measured with accuracy and high fidelity. Most air data information is provided by pneumatic pressure measuring sensors. Typically unsteady pressure data provided by pneumatic sensing systems are distorted at high frequencies. The distortion is a result of the pressure being transmitted to the pressure sensor through a length of connective tubing. The pressure is distorted by frictional damping and wave reflection. As a result, air data provided all-flush, pneumatically sensed air data systems may not meet the frequency response requirements necessary for flight control augmentation. Both lab and flight test were performed at NASA-Ames to investigate the effects of this high frequency distortion in remotely located pressure measurement systems. Good qualitative agreement between lab and flight data are demonstrated. Results from these tests are used to describe the effects of pneumatic distortion in terms of a simple parametric model.

Flexible suspended gate organic thin-film transistors for ultra-sensitive pressure detection

PubMed Central

Zang, Yaping; Zhang, Fengjiao; Huang, Dazhen; Gao, Xike; Di, Chong-an; Zhu, Daoben

2015-01-01

The utilization of organic devices as pressure-sensing elements in artificial intelligence and healthcare applications represents a fascinating opportunity for the next-generation electronic products. To satisfy the critical requirements of these promising applications, the low-cost construction of large-area ultra-sensitive organic pressure devices with outstanding flexibility is highly desired. Here we present flexible suspended gate organic thin-film transistors (SGOTFTs) as a model platform that enables ultra-sensitive pressure detection. More importantly, the unique device geometry of SGOTFTs allows the fine-tuning of their sensitivity by the suspended gate. An unprecedented sensitivity of 192 kPa−1, a low limit-of-detection pressure of <0.5 Pa and a short response time of 10 ms were successfully realized, allowing the real-time detection of acoustic waves. These excellent sensing properties of SGOTFTs, together with their advantages of facile large-area fabrication and versatility in detecting various pressure signals, make SGOTFTs a powerful strategy for spatial pressure mapping in practical applications. PMID:25872157

Ultrasonic Sensing of Plant Water Needs for Agriculture

PubMed Central

Gómez Álvarez-Arenas, Tomas; Gil-Pelegrin, Eustaquio; Ealo Cuello, Joao; Fariñas, Maria Dolores; Sancho-Knapik, Domingo; Collazos Burbano, David Alejandro; Peguero-Pina, Jose Javier

2016-01-01

Fresh water is a key natural resource for food production, sanitation and industrial uses and has a high environmental value. The largest water use worldwide (~70%) corresponds to irrigation in agriculture, where use of water is becoming essential to maintain productivity. Efficient irrigation control largely depends on having access to reliable information about the actual plant water needs. Therefore, fast, portable and non-invasive sensing techniques able to measure water requirements directly on the plant are essential to face the huge challenge posed by the extensive water use in agriculture, the increasing water shortage and the impact of climate change. Non-contact resonant ultrasonic spectroscopy (NC-RUS) in the frequency range 0.1–1.2 MHz has revealed as an efficient and powerful non-destructive, non-invasive and in vivo sensing technique for leaves of different plant species. In particular, NC-RUS allows determining surface mass, thickness and elastic modulus of the leaves. Hence, valuable information can be obtained about water content and turgor pressure. This work analyzes and reviews the main requirements for sensors, electronics, signal processing and data analysis in order to develop a fast, portable, robust and non-invasive NC-RUS system to monitor variations in leaves water content or turgor pressure. A sensing prototype is proposed, described and, as application example, used to study two different species: Vitis vinifera and Coffea arabica, whose leaves present thickness resonances in two different frequency bands (400–900 kHz and 200–400 kHz, respectively), These species are representative of two different climates and are related to two high-added value agricultural products where efficient irrigation management can be critical. Moreover, the technique can also be applied to other species and similar results can be obtained. PMID:27428968

Ultrasonic Sensing of Plant Water Needs for Agriculture.

PubMed

Gómez Álvarez-Arenas, Tomas; Gil-Pelegrin, Eustaquio; Ealo Cuello, Joao; Fariñas, Maria Dolores; Sancho-Knapik, Domingo; Collazos Burbano, David Alejandro; Peguero-Pina, Jose Javier

2016-07-14

Fresh water is a key natural resource for food production, sanitation and industrial uses and has a high environmental value. The largest water use worldwide (~70%) corresponds to irrigation in agriculture, where use of water is becoming essential to maintain productivity. Efficient irrigation control largely depends on having access to reliable information about the actual plant water needs. Therefore, fast, portable and non-invasive sensing techniques able to measure water requirements directly on the plant are essential to face the huge challenge posed by the extensive water use in agriculture, the increasing water shortage and the impact of climate change. Non-contact resonant ultrasonic spectroscopy (NC-RUS) in the frequency range 0.1-1.2 MHz has revealed as an efficient and powerful non-destructive, non-invasive and in vivo sensing technique for leaves of different plant species. In particular, NC-RUS allows determining surface mass, thickness and elastic modulus of the leaves. Hence, valuable information can be obtained about water content and turgor pressure. This work analyzes and reviews the main requirements for sensors, electronics, signal processing and data analysis in order to develop a fast, portable, robust and non-invasive NC-RUS system to monitor variations in leaves water content or turgor pressure. A sensing prototype is proposed, described and, as application example, used to study two different species: Vitis vinifera and Coffea arabica, whose leaves present thickness resonances in two different frequency bands (400-900 kHz and 200-400 kHz, respectively), These species are representative of two different climates and are related to two high-added value agricultural products where efficient irrigation management can be critical. Moreover, the technique can also be applied to other species and similar results can be obtained.

Welding wire pressure sensor assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morris, Timothy B. (Inventor); Milly, Peter F., Sr. (Inventor); White, J. Kevin (Inventor)

1994-01-01

The present invention relates to a device which is used to monitor the position of a filler wire relative to a base material being welded as the filler wire is added to a welding pool. The device is applicable to automated welding systems wherein nonconsumable electrode arc welding processes are utilized in conjunction with a filler wire which is added to a weld pool created by the electrode arc. The invention senses pressure deviations from a predetermined pressure between the filler wire and the base material, and provides electrical signals responsive to the deviations for actuating control mechanisms in an automatic welding apparatus so as to minimize the pressure deviation and to prevent disengagement of the contact between the filler wire and the base material.

Enabling technologies for fiber optic sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibrahim, Selwan K.; Farnan, Martin; Karabacak, Devrez M.; Singer, Johannes M.

2016-04-01

In order for fiber optic sensors to compete with electrical sensors, several critical parameters need to be addressed such as performance, cost, size, reliability, etc. Relying on technologies developed in different industrial sectors helps to achieve this goal in a more efficient and cost effective way. FAZ Technology has developed a tunable laser based optical interrogator based on technologies developed in the telecommunication sector and optical transducer/sensors based on components sourced from the automotive market. Combining Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensing technology with the above, high speed, high precision, reliable quasi distributed optical sensing systems for temperature, pressure, acoustics, acceleration, etc. has been developed. Careful design needs to be considered to filter out any sources of measurement drifts/errors due to different effects e.g. polarization and birefringence, coating imperfections, sensor packaging etc. Also to achieve high speed and high performance optical sensing systems, combining and synchronizing multiple optical interrogators similar to what has been used with computer/processors to deliver super computing power is an attractive solution. This path can be achieved by using photonic integrated circuit (PIC) technology which opens the doors to scaling up and delivering powerful optical sensing systems in an efficient and cost effective way.

Study of Pressure Oscillations in Supersonic Parachute

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dahal, Nimesh; Fukiba, Katsuyoshi; Mizuta, Kazuki; Maru, Yusuke

2018-04-01

Supersonic parachutes are a critical element of planetary mission whose simple structure, light-weight characteristics together with high ratio of aerodynamic drag makes them the most suitable aerodynamic decelerators. The use of parachute in supersonic flow produces complex shock/shock and wake/shock interaction giving rise to dynamic pressure oscillations. The study of supersonic parachute is difficult, because parachute has very flexible structure which makes obtaining experimental pressure data difficult. In this study, a supersonic wind tunnel test using two rigid bodies is done. The wind tunnel test was done at Mach number 3 by varying the distance between the front and rear objects, and the distance of a bundle point which divides suspension lines and a riser. The analysis of Schlieren movies revealed shock wave oscillation which was repetitive and had large pressure variation. The pressure variation differed in each case of change in distance between the front and rear objects, and the change in distance between riser and the rear object. The causes of pressure oscillation are: interaction of wake caused by front object with the shock wave, fundamental harmonic vibration of suspension lines, interference between shock waves, and the boundary layer of suspension lines.

Fabrication and Performance of MEMS-Based Pressure Sensor Packages Using Patterned Ultra-Thick Photoresists

PubMed Central

Chen, Lung-Tai; Chang, Jin-Sheng; Hsu, Chung-Yi; Cheng, Wood-Hi

2009-01-01

A novel plastic packaging of a piezoresistive pressure sensor using a patterned ultra-thick photoresist is experimentally and theoretically investigated. Two pressure sensor packages of the sacrifice-replacement and dam-ring type were used in this study. The characteristics of the packaged pressure sensors were investigated by using a finite-element (FE) model and experimental measurements. The results show that the thermal signal drift of the packaged pressure sensor with a small sensing-channel opening or with a thin silicon membrane for the dam-ring approach had a high packaging induced thermal stress, leading to a high temperature coefficient of span (TCO) response of −0.19% span/°C. The results also show that the thermal signal drift of the packaged pressure sensors with a large sensing-channel opening for sacrifice-replacement approach significantly reduced packaging induced thermal stress, and hence a low TCO response of −0.065% span/°C. However, the packaged pressure sensors of both the sacrifice-replacement and dam-ring type still met the specification −0.2% span/°C of the unpackaged pressure sensor. In addition, the size of proposed packages was 4 × 4 × 1.5 mm3 which was about seven times less than the commercialized packages. With the same packaging requirement, the proposed packaging approaches may provide an adequate solution for use in other open-cavity sensors, such as gas sensors, image sensors, and humidity sensors. PMID:22454580

Pulsed Eddy Current Sensing for Critical Pipe Condition Assessment

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Pulsed Eddy Current (PEC) sensing is used for Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) of the structural integrity of metallic structures in the aircraft, railway, oil and gas sectors. Urban water utilities also have extensive large ferromagnetic structures in the form of critical pressure pipe systems made of grey cast iron, ductile cast iron and mild steel. The associated material properties render NDE of these pipes by means of electromagnetic sensing a necessity. In recent years PEC sensing has established itself as a state-of-the-art NDE technique in the critical water pipe sector. This paper presents advancements to PEC inspection in view of the specific information demanded from water utilities along with the challenges encountered in this sector. Operating principles of the sensor architecture suitable for application on critical pipes are presented with the associated sensor design and calibration strategy. A Gaussian process-based approach is applied to model a functional relationship between a PEC signal feature and critical pipe wall thickness. A case study demonstrates the sensor’s behaviour on a grey cast iron pipe and discusses the implications of the observed results and challenges relating to this application. PMID:28954392

Pulsed Eddy Current Sensing for Critical Pipe Condition Assessment.

PubMed

Ulapane, Nalika; Alempijevic, Alen; Vidal Calleja, Teresa; Valls Miro, Jaime

2017-09-26

Pulsed Eddy Current (PEC) sensing is used for Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) of the structural integrity of metallic structures in the aircraft, railway, oil and gas sectors. Urban water utilities also have extensive large ferromagnetic structures in the form of critical pressure pipe systems made of grey cast iron, ductile cast iron and mild steel. The associated material properties render NDE of these pipes by means of electromagnetic sensing a necessity. In recent years PEC sensing has established itself as a state-of-the-art NDE technique in the critical water pipe sector. This paper presents advancements to PEC inspection in view of the specific information demanded from water utilities along with the challenges encountered in this sector. Operating principles of the sensor architecture suitable for application on critical pipes are presented with the associated sensor design and calibration strategy. A Gaussian process-based approach is applied to model a functional relationship between a PEC signal feature and critical pipe wall thickness. A case study demonstrates the sensor's behaviour on a grey cast iron pipe and discusses the implications of the observed results and challenges relating to this application.

Self-Powered Viscosity and Pressure Sensing in Microfluidic Systems Based on the Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting of Flowing Droplets.

PubMed

Wang, Zhao; Tan, Lun; Pan, Xumin; Liu, Gao; He, Yahua; Jin, Wenchao; Li, Meng; Hu, Yongming; Gu, Haoshuang

2017-08-30

The rapid development of microscaled piezoelectric energy harvesters has provided a simple and highly efficient way for building self-powered sensor systems through harvesting the mechanical energy from the ambient environment. In this work, a self-powered microfluidic sensor that can harvest the mechanical energy of the fluid and simultaneously monitor their characteristics was fabricated by integrating the flexible piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) nanofibers with the well-designed microfluidic chips. Those devices could generate open-circuit high output voltage up to 1.8 V when a droplet of water is flowing past the suspended PVDF nanofibers and result in their periodical deformations. The impulsive output voltage signal allowed them to be utilized for droplets or bubbles counting in the microfluidic systems. Furthermore, the devices also exhibited self-powered sensing behavior due to the decreased voltage amplitude with increasing input pressure and liquid viscosity. The drop of output voltage could be attributed to the variation of flow condition and velocity of the droplets, leading to the reduced deformation of the piezoelectric PVDF layer and the decrease of the generated piezoelectric potential.

Evaluation of Flexible Force Sensors for Pressure Monitoring in Treatment of Chronic Venous Disorders.

PubMed

Parmar, Suresh; Khodasevych, Iryna; Troynikov, Olga

2017-08-21

The recent use of graduated compression therapy for treatment of chronic venous disorders such as leg ulcers and oedema has led to considerable research interest in flexible and low-cost force sensors. Properly applied low pressure during compression therapy can substantially improve the treatment of chronic venous disorders. However, achievement of the recommended low pressure levels and its accurate determination in real-life conditions is still a challenge. Several thin and flexible force sensors, which can also function as pressure sensors, are commercially available, but their real-life sensing performance has not been evaluated. Moreover, no researchers have reported information on sensor performance during static and dynamic loading within the realistic test conditions required for compression therapy. This research investigated the sensing performance of five low-cost commercial pressure sensors on a human-leg-like test apparatus and presents quantitative results on the accuracy and drift behaviour of these sensors in both static and dynamic conditions required for compression therapy. Extensive experimental work on this new human-leg-like test setup demonstrated its utility for evaluating the sensors. Results showed variation in static and dynamic sensing performance, including accuracy and drift characteristics. Only one commercially available pressure sensor was found to reliably deliver accuracy of 95% and above for all three test pressure points of 30, 50 and 70 mmHg.

Evaluation of Flexible Force Sensors for Pressure Monitoring in Treatment of Chronic Venous Disorders

PubMed Central

Parmar, Suresh; Khodasevych, Iryna; Troynikov, Olga

2017-01-01

The recent use of graduated compression therapy for treatment of chronic venous disorders such as leg ulcers and oedema has led to considerable research interest in flexible and low-cost force sensors. Properly applied low pressure during compression therapy can substantially improve the treatment of chronic venous disorders. However, achievement of the recommended low pressure levels and its accurate determination in real-life conditions is still a challenge. Several thin and flexible force sensors, which can also function as pressure sensors, are commercially available, but their real-life sensing performance has not been evaluated. Moreover, no researchers have reported information on sensor performance during static and dynamic loading within the realistic test conditions required for compression therapy. This research investigated the sensing performance of five low-cost commercial pressure sensors on a human-leg-like test apparatus and presents quantitative results on the accuracy and drift behaviour of these sensors in both static and dynamic conditions required for compression therapy. Extensive experimental work on this new human-leg-like test setup demonstrated its utility for evaluating the sensors. Results showed variation in static and dynamic sensing performance, including accuracy and drift characteristics. Only one commercially available pressure sensor was found to reliably deliver accuracy of 95% and above for all three test pressure points of 30, 50 and 70 mmHg. PMID:28825672

Recent Improvement of Medical Optical Fibre Pressure and Temperature Sensors.

PubMed

Poeggel, Sven; Duraibabu, Dineshbabu; Kalli, Kyriacos; Leen, Gabriel; Dooly, Gerard; Lewis, Elfed; Kelly, Jimmy; Munroe, Maria

2015-07-13

This investigation describes a detailed analysis of the fabrication and testing of optical fibre pressure and temperature sensors (OFPTS). The optical sensor of this research is based on an extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer (EFPI) with integrated fibre Bragg grating (FBG) for simultaneous pressure and temperature measurements. The sensor is fabricated exclusively in glass and with a small diameter of 0.2 mm, making it suitable for volume-restricted bio-medical applications. Diaphragm shrinking techniques based on polishing, hydrofluoric (HF) acid and femtosecond (FS) laser micro-machining are described and analysed. The presented sensors were examined carefully and demonstrated a pressure sensitivity in the range of sp = 2-10 nm/kPa and a resolution of better than ΔP = 10 Pa protect (0.1 cm H2O). A static pressure test in 38 cm H2O shows no drift of the sensor in a six-day period. Additionally, a dynamic pressure analysis demonstrated that the OFPTS never exceeded a drift of more than 130 Pa (1.3 cm H2O) in a 12-h measurement, carried out in a cardiovascular simulator. The temperature sensitivity is given by k = 10.7 pm/K, which results in a temperature resolution of better than ΔT = 0.1 K. Since the temperature sensing element is placed close to the pressure sensing element, the pressure sensor is insensitive to temperature changes.

Recent Improvement of Medical Optical Fibre Pressure and Temperature Sensors

PubMed Central

Poeggel, Sven; Duraibabu, Dineshbabu; Kalli, Kyriacos; Leen, Gabriel; Dooly, Gerard; Lewis, Elfed; Kelly, Jimmy; Munroe, Maria

2015-01-01

This investigation describes a detailed analysis of the fabrication and testing of optical fibre pressure and temperature sensors (OFPTS). The optical sensor of this research is based on an extrinsic Fabry–Perot interferometer (EFPI) with integrated fibre Bragg grating (FBG) for simultaneous pressure and temperature measurements. The sensor is fabricated exclusively in glass and with a small diameter of 0.2 mm, making it suitable for volume-restricted bio-medical applications. Diaphragm shrinking techniques based on polishing, hydrofluoric (HF) acid and femtosecond (FS) laser micro-machining are described and analysed. The presented sensors were examined carefully and demonstrated a pressure sensitivity in the range of sp = 2–10 nmkPa and a resolution of better than ΔP = 10 Pa (0.1 cm H2O). A static pressure test in 38 cmH2O shows no drift of the sensor in a six-day period. Additionally, a dynamic pressure analysis demonstrated that the OFPTS never exceeded a drift of more than 130 Pa (1.3 cm H2O) in a 12-h measurement, carried out in a cardiovascular simulator. The temperature sensitivity is given by k=10.7 pmK, which results in a temperature resolution of better than ΔT = 0.1 K. Since the temperature sensing element is placed close to the pressure sensing element, the pressure sensor is insensitive to temperature changes. PMID:26184331

Remote sensing applications for transportation and traffic engineering studies: A review of the literature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Epps, J. W.

1973-01-01

Current references were surveyed for the application of remote sensing to traffic and transportation studies. The major problems are presented that concern traffic engineers and transportation managers, and the literature references that discuss remote sensing applications are summarized.

Atmospheric Remote Sensing via Infrared-Submillimeter Double Resonance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srikantaiah, Sree; Holt, Jennifer; Neese, Christopher F.; Phillips, Dane; Everitt, Henry O.; De Lucia, Frank C.

2016-06-01

Specificity and sensitivity in atmospheric pressure remote sensing have always been big challenges. This is especially true for approaches that involve the submillimeter/terahertz (smm/THz) spectral region because atmospheric pressure broadening precludes taking advantage of the small Doppler broadening in the region. The Infrared-submillimeter (IR-smm) double resonance spectroscopic technique allows us to obtain a more specific two-dimensional signature as well as a means of modulating the molecular signal to enhance its separation from background and system variation. Applying this technique at atmospheric pressure presents a unique bandwidth requirement on the IR pump laser, and the smm/THz receiver. We will discuss the pump system comprising of a CO2 TEA laser, plasma switch and a free induction decay hot cell designed to produce fast IR pulses on the time scale of atmospheric pressure relaxation and a high bandwidth fast pulse smm/THz receiver. System diagnostics will also be discussed. Results as a function of pressure and pump pulse width will be presented.

Mapping migratory bird prevalence using remote sensing data fusion.

PubMed

Swatantran, Anu; Dubayah, Ralph; Goetz, Scott; Hofton, Michelle; Betts, Matthew G; Sun, Mindy; Simard, Marc; Holmes, Richard

2012-01-01

Improved maps of species distributions are important for effective management of wildlife under increasing anthropogenic pressures. Recent advances in lidar and radar remote sensing have shown considerable potential for mapping forest structure and habitat characteristics across landscapes. However, their relative efficacies and integrated use in habitat mapping remain largely unexplored. We evaluated the use of lidar, radar and multispectral remote sensing data in predicting multi-year bird detections or prevalence for 8 migratory songbird species in the unfragmented temperate deciduous forests of New Hampshire, USA. A set of 104 predictor variables describing vegetation vertical structure and variability from lidar, phenology from multispectral data and backscatter properties from radar data were derived. We tested the accuracies of these variables in predicting prevalence using Random Forests regression models. All data sets showed more than 30% predictive power with radar models having the lowest and multi-sensor synergy ("fusion") models having highest accuracies. Fusion explained between 54% and 75% variance in prevalence for all the birds considered. Stem density from discrete return lidar and phenology from multispectral data were among the best predictors. Further analysis revealed different relationships between the remote sensing metrics and bird prevalence. Spatial maps of prevalence were consistent with known habitat preferences for the bird species. Our results highlight the potential of integrating multiple remote sensing data sets using machine-learning methods to improve habitat mapping. Multi-dimensional habitat structure maps such as those generated from this study can significantly advance forest management and ecological research by facilitating fine-scale studies at both stand and landscape level.

Chemically Designed Metallic/Insulating Hybrid Nanostructures with Silver Nanocrystals for Highly Sensitive Wearable Pressure Sensors.

PubMed

Kim, Haneun; Lee, Seung-Wook; Joh, Hyungmok; Seong, Mingi; Lee, Woo Seok; Kang, Min Su; Pyo, Jun Beom; Oh, Soong Ju

2018-01-10

With the increase in interest in wearable tactile pressure sensors for e-skin, researches to make nanostructures to achieve high sensitivity have been actively conducted. However, limitations such as complex fabrication processes using expensive equipment still exist. Herein, simple lithography-free techniques to develop pyramid-like metal/insulator hybrid nanostructures utilizing nanocrystals (NCs) are demonstrated. Ligand-exchanged and unexchanged silver NC thin films are used as metallic and insulating components, respectively. The interfaces of each NC layer are chemically engineered to create discontinuous insulating layers, i.e., spacers for improved sensitivity, and eventually to realize fully solution-processed pressure sensors. Device performance analysis with structural, chemical, and electronic characterization and conductive atomic force microscopy study reveals that hybrid nanostructure based pressure sensor shows an enhanced sensitivity of higher than 500 kPa -1 , reliability, and low power consumption with a wide range of pressure sensing. Nano-/micro-hierarchical structures are also designed by combining hybrid nanostructures with conventional microstructures, exhibiting further enhanced sensing range and achieving a record sensitivity of 2.72 × 10 4 kPa -1 . Finally, all-solution-processed pressure sensor arrays with high pixel density, capable of detecting delicate signals with high spatial selectivity much better than the human tactile threshold, are introduced.

A silicon micromachined resonant pressure sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Zhangyang; Fan, Shangchun; Cai, Chenguang

2009-09-01

This paper describes the design, fabrication and test of a silicon micromachined resonant pressure sensor. A square membrane and a doubly clamped resonant beam constitute a compound structure. The former senses the pressure directly, while the latter changes its resonant frequency according to deformation of the membrane. The final output relation between the resonant frequency and the applied pressure is deducted according to the structure mechanical properties. Sensors are fabricated by micromachining technology, and then sealed in vaccum. These sensors are tested by open-loop and close-loop system designed on purpose. The experiment results demonstrate that the sensor has a sensitivity of 49.8Hz/kPa and repeatability of 0.08%.

Ethical implications of location and accelerometer measurement in health research studies with mobile sensing devices.

PubMed

Fuller, Daniel; Shareck, Martine; Stanley, Kevin

2017-10-01

Quantification of individual behaviours using mobile sensing devices, including physical activity and spatial location, is a rapidly growing field in both academic research and the corporate world. In this case study, we summarize the literature examining the ethical aspects of mobile sensing and argue that a robust discussion about the ethical implications of mobile sensing for research purposes has not occurred sufficiently in the literature. Based on our literature summary and guided by basic ethical principles set out in Canadian, US, and International Ethics documents we propose four areas where further discussion should occur: consent, privacy and confidentiality, mitigating risk, and consideration of vulnerable populations. We argue that ongoing consent is crucial for participants to be aware of the precision and volume of data that is collected with mobile sensing devices. Related to privacy we discuss that participants may not agree that anonymized data is sufficient for privacy and confidentiality when mobile sensing data are collected. There has been some discussion about mitigating risk in the literature. We highlight that the researchers' obligations toward mitigating risks that are not directly related to the study purpose are unclear and require considerable discussion. Finally, using mobile sensing devices to study vulnerable populations requires careful consideration, particularly with respect to balancing research needs with participant burden. Based on our discussion, we identify a broad set of unanswered questions about the ethics of mobile sensing that should be addressed by the research community. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Raman study of opal at high pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farfan, G.; Wang, S.; Mao, W. L.

2011-12-01

More commonly known for their beauty and lore as gemstones, opals are also intriguing geological materials which may have potential for materials science applications. Opal lacks a definite crystalline structure, and is composed of an amorphous packing of hydrated silica (SiO2) spheroids, which provides us with a unique nano-scaled mineraloid with properties unlike those of other amorphous materials like glass. Opals from different localities were studied at high pressure using a diamond anvil cell to apply pressure and Raman spectroscopy to look at changes in bonding as pressure was increased. We first tested different samples from Virgin Valley, NV, Spencer, ID, Juniper Ridge, OR, and Australia, which contain varying amounts of water at ambient conditions, using Raman spectroscopy to determine if they were opal-CT (semicrystalline cristobalite-trydimite volcanic origin) or opal-A (amorphous sedimentary origin). We then used x-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy in a diamond anvil cell to see how their bonding and structure changed under compression and to determine what effect water content had on their high pressure behavior. Comparison of our results on opal to other high pressure studies of amorphous materials like glass has implications from a geological and materials science standpoint.

Viscosity and compressibility of diacylglycerol under high pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malanowski, Aleksander; Rostocki, A. J.; Kiełczyński, P.; Szalewski, M.; Balcerzak, A.; Kościesza, R.; Tarakowski, R.; Ptasznik, S.; Siegoczyński, R. M.

2013-03-01

The influence of high pressure on viscosity and compressibility of diacylglycerol (DAG) oil has been presented in this paper. The investigated DAG oil was composed of 82% of DAGs and 18% TAGs (triacylglycerols). The dynamic viscosity of DAG was investigated as a function of the pressure up to 400 MPa. The viscosity was measured by means of the surface acoustic wave method, where the acoustic waveguides were used as sensing elements. As the pressure was rising, the larger ultrasonic wave attenuation was observed, whereas amplitude decreased with the liquid viscosity augmentation. Measured changes of physical properties were most significant in the pressure range near the phase transition. Deeper understanding of DAG viscosity and compressibility changes versus pressure could shed more light on thermodynamic properties of edible oils.

SenseLab

PubMed Central

Crasto, Chiquito J.; Marenco, Luis N.; Liu, Nian; Morse, Thomas M.; Cheung, Kei-Hoi; Lai, Peter C.; Bahl, Gautam; Masiar, Peter; Lam, Hugo Y.K.; Lim, Ernest; Chen, Huajin; Nadkarni, Prakash; Migliore, Michele; Miller, Perry L.; Shepherd, Gordon M.

2009-01-01

This article presents the latest developments in neuroscience information dissemination through the SenseLab suite of databases: NeuronDB, CellPropDB, ORDB, OdorDB, OdorMapDB, ModelDB and BrainPharm. These databases include information related to: (i) neuronal membrane properties and neuronal models, and (ii) genetics, genomics, proteomics and imaging studies of the olfactory system. We describe here: the new features for each database, the evolution of SenseLab’s unifying database architecture and instances of SenseLab database interoperation with other neuroscience online resources. PMID:17510162

Sensing Pressure Distribution on a Lower-Limb Exoskeleton Physical Human-Machine Interface

PubMed Central

De Rossi, Stefano Marco Maria; Vitiello, Nicola; Lenzi, Tommaso; Ronsse, Renaud; Koopman, Bram; Persichetti, Alessandro; Vecchi, Fabrizio; Ijspeert, Auke Jan; van der Kooij, Herman; Carrozza, Maria Chiara

2011-01-01

A sensory apparatus to monitor pressure distribution on the physical human-robot interface of lower-limb exoskeletons is presented. We propose a distributed measure of the interaction pressure over the whole contact area between the user and the machine as an alternative measurement method of human-robot interaction. To obtain this measure, an array of newly-developed soft silicone pressure sensors is inserted between the limb and the mechanical interface that connects the robot to the user, in direct contact with the wearer’s skin. Compared to state-of-the-art measures, the advantage of this approach is that it allows for a distributed measure of the interaction pressure, which could be useful for the assessment of safety and comfort of human-robot interaction. This paper presents the new sensor and its characterization, and the development of an interaction measurement apparatus, which is applied to a lower-limb rehabilitation robot. The system is calibrated, and an example its use during a prototypical gait training task is presented. PMID:22346574

Tuning the gas sensing performance of single PEDOT nanowire devices.

PubMed

Hangarter, Carlos M; Hernandez, Sandra C; He, Xueing; Chartuprayoon, Nicha; Choa, Yong Ho; Myung, Nosang V

2011-06-07

This paper reports the synthesis and dopant dependent electrical and sensing properties of single poly(ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) nanowire sensors. Dopant type (i.e. polystyrenesulfonate (PSS(-)) and perchlorate (ClO(4)(-))) and solvent (i.e. acetonitrile and 1 : 1 water-acetonitrile mixture) were adjusted to change the conjugation length and hydrophilicity of nanowires which resulted in change of the electrical properties and sensing performance. Temperature dependent coefficient of resistance (TCR) indicated that the electrical properties are greatly dependent on dopants and electrolyte where greater disorder was found in PSS(-) doped PEDOT nanowires compared to ClO(4)(-) doped nanowires. Upon exposure to different analytes including water vapor and volatile organic compounds, these nanowire devices displayed substantially different sensing characteristics. ClO(4)(-) doped PEDOT nanowires from an acetonitrile bath show superior sensing responses toward less electronegative analytes and followed a power law dependence on the analyte concentration at high partial pressures. These tunable sensing properties were attributed to variation in the conjugation lengths, dopant type and concentration of the wires which may be attributed to two distinct sensing mechanisms: swelling within the bulk of the nanowire and work function modulation of Schottky barrier junction between nanowire and electrodes.

Sense of Community in a Blended Technology Integration Course: A Design-Based Research Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, J. Buckley; West, Richard E.

2014-01-01

This design-based research study explored whether "sense of community" was maintained while flexibility in the course was increased through an adoption of a unique blended learning model. Data collected in this study show a significant drop in the sense of connectedness score from a mean of 50.8 out of 66 to a mean of 39.68 in the first…

Pressure-Relief Features of Fixed and Autotitrating Continuous Positive Airway Pressure May Impair Their Efficacy: Evaluation with a Respiratory Bench Model

PubMed Central

Zhu, Kaixian; Aouf, Sami; Roisman, Gabriel; Escourrou, Pierre

2016-01-01

Study Objectives: Pressure-relief features are aimed at improving the patient's comfort during continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of these therapy features on fixed CPAP and autotitrating CPAP (APAP) treatment efficacy. Methods: Seven pressure-relief features applied by three CPAP devices were included in our study (Remstar Auto: C-Flex 3, C-Flex+ 3, A-Flex 3, P-Flex; AirSense 10: EPR 3; Prisma 20A: SoftPAP 2 and 3). In fixed CPAP, the devices were subjected to a 10-min bench-simulated obstructive apnea sequence (initial apnea-hypopnea index, AHI = 60/h) with and without pressure-relief features. In APAP, the sequence was lengthened to 4.2 h (initial AHI = 58.6/h). The residual AHI and mean/median pressure were compared with and without pressure-relief features. Results: Compared to conventional CPAP, where pressure was adjusted to be just sufficient to control the simulated obstructive events, C-Flex+ 3, P-Flex, and EPR 3 failed to normalize the breathing flow and did not reduce the AHI. The mean pressures with the three features, respectively, were 1.8, 2.6, and 2.6 cmH2O lower than the conventional CPAP. Compared to conventional APAP, similar levels of control were observed with pressure-relief features, apart from P-Flex where the delivered mean pressure was lower and residual AHI greater. The device-reported mean/median pressures in APAP with A-Flex 3, P-Flex, EPR 3, and SoftPAP 3 were higher than that measured on the bench. Conclusions: Pressure-relief features may attenuate CPAP efficacy if not adjusted for at the time of their introduction. In clinical practice, efficacy can be ensured by increasing the therapeutic pressure delivered by fixed CPAP or by enabling the pressure-relief features prior to initial pressure titration. Device-reported pressures in APAP devices with pressure relief activated may overstate delivered pressures. Citation: Zhu K, Aouf S

Impact reactivity of materials at very high oxygen pressure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Connor, H. W.; Minchey, J. G.; Crowder, R.; Davidson, R.

1983-01-01

The requirements for impact testing of materials in an oxygen atmosphere at pressures from 82.7 MPa (12,000 psi) to 172 MPa (25,000 psi) were evaluated. The impact tester system was evaluated for potential pressure increases from 69 MPa (10,000 psi) to 82.7 MPa (12,000 psi). The low pressure oxygen and nitrogen systems, the impact tower, the impact test cell, and the high pressure oxygen system were evaluated individually. Although the structural integrity of the impact test cell and the compressor were sufficient for operation at 82.7 MPa (12,000 psi), studies revealed possible material incompatibility at that pressure and above. It was recommended that if a component should be replaced for 82.7 MPa (12,000 psi) operation the replacement should meet the final objectives of 172 MPa (25,000 psi). Recommended changes in the system include; use of Monel 400 for pressures above 82.7 MPa (12,000 psi), use of bellows to replace the seal in the impact tester, use of a sapphire window attached to a fiber optic for event sensing, and use of a three diaphragm compressor.

Is an Ideal Sense of Humor Gendered? A Cross-National Study.

PubMed

Tosun, Sümeyra; Faghihi, Nafiseh; Vaid, Jyotsna

2018-01-01

To explore lay conceptions of characteristics of an ideal sense of humor as embodied in a known individual, our study examined elicited written narratives by male and female participants from three different countries of origin: United States, Iran, and Turkey. As reported in an earlier previous study with United States-based participants (Crawford and Gressley, 1991), our study also found that the embodiment of an ideal sense of humor was predominantly a male figure. This effect was more pronounced for male than for female participants but did not differ by country. Relative mention of specific humor characteristics differed by participant gender and by country of origin. Whereas all groups mentioned creativity most often as a component of an ideal sense of humor, this attribute was mentioned significantly more often by Americans than by the other two groups; hostility/sarcasm was also mentioned significantly more often by Americans than Turkish participants who mentioned it more often than Iranian participants. Caring was mentioned significantly more often by Americans and Iranians than by Turkish participants. These findings show a shared pattern of humor characteristics by gender but group differences in the relative prominence given to specific humor characteristics. Further work is needed to corroborate the group differences observed and to pinpoint their source.

Commercial use of remote sensing in agriculture: a case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gnauck, Gary E.

1999-12-01

Over 25 years of research have clearly shown that an analysis of remote sensing imagery can provide information on agricultural crops. Most of this research has been funded by and directed toward the needs of government agencies. Commercial use of agricultural remote sensing has been limited to very small-scale operations supplying remote sensing services to a few selected customers. Datron/Transco Inc. undertook an internally funded remote sensing program directed toward the California cash crop industry (strawberries, lettuce, tomatoes, other fresh vegetables and cotton). The objectives of this program were twofold: (1) to assess the need and readiness of agricultural land managers to adopt remote sensing as a management tool, and (2) determine what technical barriers exist to large-scale implementation of this technology on a commercial basis. The program was divided into three phases: Planning, Engineering Test and Evaluation, and Commercial Operations. Findings: Remote sensing technology can deliver high resolution multispectral imagery with rapid turnaround, that can provide information on crop stress insects, disease and various soil parameters. The limiting factors to the use of remote sensing in agriculture are a lack of familiarization by the land managers, difficulty in translating 'information' into increased revenue or reduced cost for the land manager, and the large economies of scale needed to make the venture commercially viable.

Modelling of resonant MEMS magnetic field sensor with electromagnetic induction sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Song; Xu, Huaying; Xu, Dehui; Xiong, Bin

2017-06-01

This paper presents an analytical model of resonant MEMS magnetic field sensor with electromagnetic induction sensing. The resonant structure vibrates in square extensional (SE) mode. By analyzing the vibration amplitude and quality factor of the resonant structure, the magnetic field sensitivity as a function of device structure parameters and encapsulation pressure is established. The developed analytical model has been verified by comparing calculated results with experiment results and the deviation between them is only 10.25%, which shows the feasibility of the proposed device model. The model can provide theoretical guidance for further design optimization of the sensor. Moreover, a quantitative study of the magnetic field sensitivity is conducted with respect to the structure parameters and encapsulation pressure based on the proposed model.

An experimental study of high-pressure droplet combustion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norton, Chris M.; Litchford, Ron J.; Jeng, San-Mou

1990-01-01

The results are presented of an experimental study on suspended n-heptane droplet combustion in air for reduced pressures up to P(r) = 2.305. Transition to fully transient heat-up through the critical state is demonstrated above a threshold pressure corresponding to P(r) of roughly 1.4. A silhouette imaging technique resolves the droplet surface for reduced pressures up to about P(r) roughly 0.63, but soot formation conceals the surface at higher pressures. Images of the soot plumes do not show any sudden change in behavior indicative of critical transition. Mean burning rate constants are computed from the d-squared variation law using measured effective droplet diameters at ignition and measured burn times, and corrected burning times are computed for an effective initial droplet diameter. The results show that the burning rates increase as the fuel critical pressure is approached and decrease as the pressure exceeds the fuel critical pressure. Corrected burning times show inverse behavior.

An improved flexible telemetry system to autonomously monitor sub-bandage pressure and wound moisture.

PubMed

Mehmood, Nasir; Hariz, Alex; Templeton, Sue; Voelcker, Nicolas H

2014-11-18

This paper presents the development of an improved mobile-based telemetric dual mode sensing system to monitor pressure and moisture levels in compression bandages and dressings used for chronic wound management. The system is fabricated on a 0.2 mm thick flexible printed circuit material, and is capable of sensing pressure and moisture at two locations simultaneously within a compression bandage and wound dressing. The sensors are calibrated to sense both parameters accurately, and the data are then transmitted wirelessly to a receiver connected to a mobile device. An error-correction algorithm is developed to compensate the degradation in measurement quality due to battery power drop over time. An Android application is also implemented to automatically receive, process, and display the sensed wound parameters. The performance of the sensing system is first validated on a mannequin limb using a compression bandage and wound dressings, and then tested on a healthy volunteer to acquire real-time performance parameters. The results obtained here suggest that this dual mode sensor can perform reliably when placed on a human limb.

An Improved Flexible Telemetry System to Autonomously Monitor Sub-Bandage Pressure and Wound Moisture

PubMed Central

Mehmood, Nasir; Hariz, Alex; Templeton, Sue; Voelcker, Nicolas H.

2014-01-01

This paper presents the development of an improved mobile-based telemetric dual mode sensing system to monitor pressure and moisture levels in compression bandages and dressings used for chronic wound management. The system is fabricated on a 0.2 mm thick flexible printed circuit material, and is capable of sensing pressure and moisture at two locations simultaneously within a compression bandage and wound dressing. The sensors are calibrated to sense both parameters accurately, and the data are then transmitted wirelessly to a receiver connected to a mobile device. An error-correction algorithm is developed to compensate the degradation in measurement quality due to battery power drop over time. An Android application is also implemented to automatically receive, process, and display the sensed wound parameters. The performance of the sensing system is first validated on a mannequin limb using a compression bandage and wound dressings, and then tested on a healthy volunteer to acquire real-time performance parameters. The results obtained here suggest that this dual mode sensor can perform reliably when placed on a human limb. PMID:25412216

A feasibility study of using remotely sensed data for water resource models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruff, J. F.

1973-01-01

Remotely sensed data were collected to demonstrate the feasibility of applying the results to water resource problems. Photographs of the Wolf Creek watershed in southwestern Colorado were collected over a one year period. Cloud top temperatures were measured using a radiometer. Thermal imagery of the Wolf Creek Pass area was obtained during one pre-dawn flight. Remote sensing studies of water resource problems for user agencies were also conducted. The results indicated that: (1) remote sensing techniques could be used to assist in the solution of water resource problems; (2) photogrammetric determination of snow depths is feasible; (3) changes in turbidity or suspended material concentration can be observed; and (4) surface turbulence can be related to bed scour; and (5) thermal effluents into rivers can be monitored.

Low-power wireless micromanometer system for acute and chronic bladder-pressure monitoring.

PubMed

Majerus, Steve J A; Fletter, Paul C; Damaser, Margot S; Garverick, Steven L

2011-03-01

This letter describes the design, fabrication, and testing of a wireless bladder-pressure-sensing system for chronic, point-of-care applications, such as urodynamics or closed-loop neuromodulation. The system consists of a miniature implantable device and an external RF receiver and wireless battery charger. The implant is small enough to be cystoscopically implanted within the bladder wall, where it is securely held and shielded from the urine stream. The implant consists of a custom application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a pressure transducer, a rechargeable battery, and wireless telemetry and recharging antennas. The ASIC includes instrumentation, wireless transmission, and power-management circuitry, and on an average draws less than 9 μA from the 3.6-V battery. The battery charge can be wirelessly replenished with daily 6-h recharge periods that can occur during the periods of sleep. Acute in vivo evaluation of the pressure-sensing system in canine models has demonstrated that the system can accurately capture lumen pressure from a submucosal implant location.

Comparative study on a solving model and algorithm for a flush air data sensing system.

PubMed

Liu, Yanbin; Xiao, Dibo; Lu, Yuping

2014-05-23

With the development of high-performance aircraft, precise air data are necessary to complete challenging tasks such as flight maneuvering with large angles of attack and high speed. As a result, the flush air data sensing system (FADS) was developed to satisfy the stricter control demands. In this paper, comparative stuides on the solving model and algorithm for FADS are conducted. First, the basic principles of FADS are given to elucidate the nonlinear relations between the inputs and the outputs. Then, several different solving models and algorithms of FADS are provided to compute the air data, including the angle of attck, sideslip angle, dynamic pressure and static pressure. Afterwards, the evaluation criteria of the resulting models and algorithms are discussed to satisfy the real design demands. Futhermore, a simulation using these algorithms is performed to identify the properites of the distinct models and algorithms such as the measuring precision and real-time features. The advantages of these models and algorithms corresponding to the different flight conditions are also analyzed, furthermore, some suggestions on their engineering applications are proposed to help future research.

'Peer pressure' in larval Drosophila?

PubMed

Niewalda, Thomas; Jeske, Ines; Michels, Birgit; Gerber, Bertram

2014-06-06

Understanding social behaviour requires a study case that is simple enough to be tractable, yet complex enough to remain interesting. Do larval Drosophila meet these requirements? In a broad sense, this question can refer to effects of the mere presence of other larvae on the behaviour of a target individual. Here we focused in a more strict sense on 'peer pressure', that is on the question of whether the behaviour of a target individual larva is affected by what a surrounding group of larvae is doing. We found that innate olfactory preference of a target individual was neither affected (i) by the level of innate olfactory preference in the surrounding group nor (ii) by the expression of learned olfactory preference in the group. Likewise, learned olfactory preference of a target individual was neither affected (iii) by the level of innate olfactory preference of the surrounding group nor (iv) by the learned olfactory preference the group was expressing. We conclude that larval Drosophila thus do not take note of specifically what surrounding larvae are doing. This implies that in a strict sense, and to the extent tested, there is no social interaction between larvae. These results validate widely used en mass approaches to the behaviour of larval Drosophila. © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

The mechanism study between 3D Space-time deformation and injection or extraction of gas pressure change, the Hutubi Underground gas storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiaoqiang, W.; Li, J.; Daiqing, L.; Li, C.

2017-12-01

The surface deformation of underground gas reservoir with the change of injection pressure is an excellent opportunity to study the load response under the action of tectonic movement and controlled load. This paper mainly focuses on the elastic deformation of underground structure caused by the change of the pressure state of reservoir rock under the condition of the irregular change of pressure in the underground gas storage of Hutubi, the largest underground gas storage in Xinjiang, at the same time, it makes a fine study on the fault activities of reservoir and induced earthquakes along with the equilibrium instability caused by the reservoir. Based on the 34 deformation integrated observation points and 3 GPS continuous observation stations constructed in the underground gas storage area of Hutubi, using modern measurement techniques such as GPS observation, precise leveling survey, flow gravity observation and so on, combined with remote sensing technology such as InSAR, the 3d space-time sequence images of the surface of reservoir area under pressure change were obtained. Combined with gas well pressure, physical parameters and regional seismic geology and geophysical data, the numerical simulation and analysis of internal changes of reservoir were carried out by using elastic and viscoelastic model, the deformation mechanical relationship of reservoir was determined and the storage layer under controlled load was basically determined. This research is financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.41474016, 41474051, 41474097)

Imaging industry expectations for compressed sensing in MRI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, Kevin F.; Kanwischer, Adriana; Peters, Rob

2015-09-01

Compressed sensing requires compressible data, incoherent acquisition and a nonlinear reconstruction algorithm to force creation of a compressible image consistent with the acquired data. MRI images are compressible using various transforms (commonly total variation or wavelets). Incoherent acquisition of MRI data by appropriate selection of pseudo-random or non-Cartesian locations in k-space is straightforward. Increasingly, commercial scanners are sold with enough computing power to enable iterative reconstruction in reasonable times. Therefore integration of compressed sensing into commercial MRI products and clinical practice is beginning. MRI frequently requires the tradeoff of spatial resolution, temporal resolution and volume of spatial coverage to obtain reasonable scan times. Compressed sensing improves scan efficiency and reduces the need for this tradeoff. Benefits to the user will include shorter scans, greater patient comfort, better image quality, more contrast types per patient slot, the enabling of previously impractical applications, and higher throughput. Challenges to vendors include deciding which applications to prioritize, guaranteeing diagnostic image quality, maintaining acceptable usability and workflow, and acquisition and reconstruction algorithm details. Application choice depends on which customer needs the vendor wants to address. The changing healthcare environment is putting cost and productivity pressure on healthcare providers. The improved scan efficiency of compressed sensing can help alleviate some of this pressure. Image quality is strongly influenced by image compressibility and acceleration factor, which must be appropriately limited. Usability and workflow concerns include reconstruction time and user interface friendliness and response. Reconstruction times are limited to about one minute for acceptable workflow. The user interface should be designed to optimize workflow and minimize additional customer training. Algorithm

Research on distributed optical fiber sensing data processing method based on LabVIEW

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhonghu; Yang, Meifang; Wang, Luling; Wang, Jinming; Yan, Junhong; Zuo, Jing

2018-01-01

The pipeline leak detection and leak location problem have gotten extensive attention in the industry. In this paper, the distributed optical fiber sensing system is designed based on the heat supply pipeline. The data processing method of distributed optical fiber sensing based on LabVIEW is studied emphatically. The hardware system includes laser, sensing optical fiber, wavelength division multiplexer, photoelectric detector, data acquisition card and computer etc. The software system is developed using LabVIEW. The software system adopts wavelet denoising method to deal with the temperature information, which improved the SNR. By extracting the characteristic value of the fiber temperature information, the system can realize the functions of temperature measurement, leak location and measurement signal storage and inquiry etc. Compared with traditional negative pressure wave method or acoustic signal method, the distributed optical fiber temperature measuring system can measure several temperatures in one measurement and locate the leak point accurately. It has a broad application prospect.

Publication pressure and scientific misconduct in medical scientists.

PubMed

Tijdink, Joeri K; Verbeke, Reinout; Smulders, Yvo M

2014-12-01

There is increasing evidence that scientific misconduct is more common than previously thought. Strong emphasis on scientific productivity may increase the sense of publication pressure. We administered a nationwide survey to Flemish biomedical scientists on whether they had engaged in scientific misconduct and whether they had experienced publication pressure. A total of 315 scientists participated in the survey; 15% of the respondents admitted they had fabricated, falsified, plagiarized, or manipulated data in the past 3 years. Fraud was more common among younger scientists working in a university hospital. Furthermore, 72% rated publication pressure as "too high." Publication pressure was strongly and significantly associated with a composite scientific misconduct severity score. © The Author(s) 2014.

The Study of Graphic Sense and Its Effects on the Acquisition of Literacy. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hernandez-Chavez, Eduardo; Curtis, Jan

This report describes a study on the development of children's conceptualizations of written language, that is, their graphic sense. The study investigated three issues: (1) whether acquisition of literacy is a developmental process common to all normal children, (2) whether the levels of graphic sense tend to be associated with particular…

Hydrostatic pressure decreases membrane fluidity and lipid desaturase expression in chondrocyte progenitor cells.

PubMed

Montagne, Kevin; Uchiyama, Hiroki; Furukawa, Katsuko S; Ushida, Takashi

2014-01-22

Membrane biomechanical properties are critical in modulating nutrient and metabolite exchange as well as signal transduction. Biological membranes are predominantly composed of lipids, cholesterol and proteins, and their fluidity is tightly regulated by cholesterol and lipid desaturases. To determine whether such membrane fluidity regulation occurred in mammalian cells under pressure, we investigated the effects of pressure on membrane lipid order of mouse chondrogenic ATDC5 cells and desaturase gene expression. Hydrostatic pressure linearly increased membrane lipid packing and simultaneously repressed lipid desaturase gene expression. We also showed that cholesterol mimicked and cholesterol depletion reversed those effects, suggesting that desaturase gene expression was controlled by the membrane physical state itself. This study demonstrates a new effect of hydrostatic pressure on mammalian cells and may help to identify the molecular mechanisms involved in hydrostatic pressure sensing in chondrocytes. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous measurement of temperature and pressure with cascaded extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer and intrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yinan; Huang, Jie; Lan, Xinwei; Yuan, Lei; Xiao, Hai

2014-06-01

This paper presents an approach for simultaneous measurement of temperature and pressure using miniaturized fiber inline sensors. The approach utilizes the cascaded optical fiber inline intrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer and extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer as temperature and pressure sensing elements, respectively. A CO2 laser was used to create a loss between them to balance their reflection power levels. The multiplexed signals were demodulated using a Fast Fourier transform-based wavelength tracking method. Experimental results showed that the sensing system could measure temperature and pressure unambiguously in a pressure range of 0 to 6.895×105 Pa and a temperature range from 20°C to 700°C.

Concentric-electrode organic electrochemical transistors: case study for selective hydrazine sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pecqueur, S.; Lenfant, S.; Guérin, D.; Alibart, F.; Vuillaume, D.

2017-12-01

We report on hydrazine-sensing organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) with a design consisting in concentric annular electrodes. The design engineering of these OECTs was motivated by the great potential of using OECT sensing arrays in fields such as bioelectronics. In this work, PEDOT:PSS-based OECTs have been studied as aqueous sensors, specifically sensitive to the lethal hydrazine molecule. These amperometric sensors have many relevant features for the development of hydrazine sensors, such as a sensitivity down to 10-5 M of hydrazine in water, an order of magnitude higher selectivity for hydrazine than for 9 other water soluble common analytes, the capability to recover entirely its base signal after water flushing and a very low voltage operation. The specificity for hydrazine to be sensed by our OECTs is caused by its catalytic oxidation at the gate electrode and enables increasing the output current modulation of the devices. This has permitted the device-geometry study of the whole series of 80 micrometric OECT devices with sub-20-nm PEDOT:PSS layers, channel lengths down to 1 μm and a specific device geometry of coplanar and concentric electrodes. The numerous geometries unravel new aspects of the OECT mechanisms governing the electrochemical sensing behaviours of the device, more particularly the effect of the contacts which are inherent at the micro-scale. By lowering the device cross-talking, micrometric gate-integrated radial OECTs shall contribute to the diminishing of the readout invasiveness and therefore promotes further the development of OECT biosensors.

The association of remotely-sensed outdoor temperature with blood pressure levels in REGARDS: a cross-sectional study of a large, national cohort of African-American and white participants

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Evidence is mounting regarding the clinically significant effect of temperature on blood pressure. Methods In this cross-sectional study the authors obtained minimum and maximum temperatures and their respective previous week variances at the geographic locations of the self-reported residences of 26,018 participants from a national cohort of blacks and whites, aged 45+. Linear regression of data from 20,623 participants was used in final multivariable models to determine if these temperature measures were associated with levels of systolic or diastolic blood pressure, and whether these relations were modified by stroke-risk region, race, education, income, sex hypertensive medication status, or age. Results After adjustment for confounders, same-day maximum temperatures 20°F lower had significant associations with 1.4 mmHg (95% CI: 1.0, 1.9) higher systolic and 0.5 mmHg (95% CI: 0.3, 0.8) higher diastolic blood pressures. Same-day minimum temperatures 20°F lower had a significant association with 0.7 mmHg (95% CI: 0.3, 1.0) higher systolic blood pressures but no significant association with diastolic blood pressure differences. Maximum and minimum previous-week temperature variabilities showed significant but weak relationships with blood pressures. Parameter estimates showed effect modification of negligible magnitude. Conclusions This study found significant associations between outdoor temperature and blood pressure levels, which remained after adjustment for various confounders including season. This relationship showed negligible effect modification. PMID:21247466

High-resolution dynamic pressure sensor array based on piezo-phototronic effect tuned photoluminescence imaging.

PubMed

Peng, Mingzeng; Li, Zhou; Liu, Caihong; Zheng, Qiang; Shi, Xieqing; Song, Ming; Zhang, Yang; Du, Shiyu; Zhai, Junyi; Wang, Zhong Lin

2015-03-24

A high-resolution dynamic tactile/pressure display is indispensable to the comprehensive perception of force/mechanical stimulations such as electronic skin, biomechanical imaging/analysis, or personalized signatures. Here, we present a dynamic pressure sensor array based on pressure/strain tuned photoluminescence imaging without the need for electricity. Each sensor is a nanopillar that consists of InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells. Its photoluminescence intensity can be modulated dramatically and linearly by small strain (0-0.15%) owing to the piezo-phototronic effect. The sensor array has a high pixel density of 6350 dpi and exceptional small standard deviation of photoluminescence. High-quality tactile/pressure sensing distribution can be real-time recorded by parallel photoluminescence imaging without any cross-talk. The sensor array can be inexpensively fabricated over large areas by semiconductor product lines. The proposed dynamic all-optical pressure imaging with excellent resolution, high sensitivity, good uniformity, and ultrafast response time offers a suitable way for smart sensing, micro/nano-opto-electromechanical systems.

Tactile surface classification for limbed robots using a pressure sensitive robot skin.

PubMed

Shill, Jacob J; Collins, Emmanuel G; Coyle, Eric; Clark, Jonathan

2015-02-02

This paper describes an approach to terrain identification based on pressure images generated through direct surface contact using a robot skin constructed around a high-resolution pressure sensing array. Terrain signatures for classification are formulated from the magnitude frequency responses of the pressure images. The initial experimental results for statically obtained images show that the approach yields classification accuracies [Formula: see text]. The methodology is extended to accommodate the dynamic pressure images anticipated when a robot is walking or running. Experiments with a one-legged hopping robot yield similar identification accuracies [Formula: see text]. In addition, the accuracies are independent with respect to changing robot dynamics (i.e., when using different leg gaits). The paper further shows that the high-resolution capabilities of the sensor enables similarly textured surfaces to be distinguished. A correcting filter is developed to accommodate for failures or faults that inevitably occur within the sensing array with continued use. Experimental results show using the correcting filter can extend the effective operational lifespan of a high-resolution sensing array over 6x in the presence of sensor damage. The results presented suggest this methodology can be extended to autonomous field robots, providing a robot with crucial information about the environment that can be used to aid stable and efficient mobility over rough and varying terrains.

Virtual sensors for active noise control in acoustic-structural coupled enclosures using structural sensing: robust virtual sensor design.

PubMed

Halim, Dunant; Cheng, Li; Su, Zhongqing

2011-03-01

The work was aimed to develop a robust virtual sensing design methodology for sensing and active control applications of vibro-acoustic systems. The proposed virtual sensor was designed to estimate a broadband acoustic interior sound pressure using structural sensors, with robustness against certain dynamic uncertainties occurring in an acoustic-structural coupled enclosure. A convex combination of Kalman sub-filters was used during the design, accommodating different sets of perturbed dynamic model of the vibro-acoustic enclosure. A minimax optimization problem was set up to determine an optimal convex combination of Kalman sub-filters, ensuring an optimal worst-case virtual sensing performance. The virtual sensing and active noise control performance was numerically investigated on a rectangular panel-cavity system. It was demonstrated that the proposed virtual sensor could accurately estimate the interior sound pressure, particularly the one dominated by cavity-controlled modes, by using a structural sensor. With such a virtual sensing technique, effective active noise control performance was also obtained even for the worst-case dynamics. © 2011 Acoustical Society of America

Remote sensing and geologic studies of the planetary crusts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hawke, B. R.

1983-01-01

Dark haloed craters and regions of the Moon which were sites of ancient volcanism were remotely sensed as well as KREEP deposits in the Inbrium region. The relationship between geology and geochemistry in the Undarum/Spumans region was also examined. Results are summarized for observations of the Reiner Gamma formation, studies of impact cratering mechanics and processes, spectral variations of asteroidal surfaces, albedo and color variations on Ganymede, and studies of lunar impact structures.

River Sediment Monitoring Using Remote Sensing and GIS (case Study Karaj Watershed)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shafaie, M.; Ghodosi, H.; Mostofi, K. H.

2015-12-01

Whereas the tank volume and dehydrating digits from kinds of tanks are depended on repository sludge, so calculating the sediments is so important in tank planning and hydraulic structures. We are worry a lot about soil erosion in the basin area leading to deposit in rivers and lakes. It holds two reasons: firstly, because the surface soil of drainage would lose its fertility and secondly, the capacity of the tank decreases also it causes the decrease of water quality in downstream. Several studies have shown that we can estimate the rate of suspension sediments through remote sensing techniques. Whereas using remote sensing methods in contrast to the traditional and current techniques is faster and more accurate then they can be used as the effective techniques. The intent of this study has already been to estimate the rate of sediments in Karaj watershed through remote sensing and satellite images then comparing the gained results to the sediments data to use them in gauge-hydraulic station. We mean to recognize the remote sensing methods in calculating sediment and use them to determine the rate of river sediments so that identifying their accuracies. According to the results gained of the shown relations at this article, the amount of annual suspended sedimentary in KARAJ watershed have been 320490 Tones and in hydrologic method is about 350764 Tones .

Quorum sensing molecules in activated sludge could trigger microalgae lipid synthesis.

PubMed

Zhang, Chaofan; Li, Qingcheng; Fu, Liang; Zhou, Dandan; Crittenden, John C

2018-05-18

Cultivating microalgae using wastewater is an economical strategy to produce biofuel; however, microbial contamination has to be controlled strictly. Microalgae lipid accumulation can be triggered by environmental pressures, and here, we studied whether microbial contamination is the pressure for microalgae. We hypothesized this pressure was forced via cell-to-cell communication with quorum sensing molecules (QSMs). In this work, we verified the impacts of QSMs produced by activated sludge (wastewater-born microbial consortiums) on both lipid content and biomass production of the microalgae Chlorophyta sp., since in combination, they determined lipid productivity. With QSMs stress, the lipid content of Chlorophyta sp. increased by ∼84%, while biomass production decreased only slightly. Consistently, enzymes on the fatty acid synthesis pathways were generally up-regulated, while they were slightly down-regulated for DNA replication. In summary, the total lipid production improved by 86%. These results revealed the positive effects of microbial contamination on microalgae biofuel production. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Research pressure instrumentation for NASA space shuttle main engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, P. J.; Nussbaum, P.; Gustafson, G.

1985-01-01

The breadboard feasibility model of a silicon piezoresistive pressure transducer suitable for space shuttle main engine (SSME) applications was demonstrated. The development of pressure instrumentation for the SSME was examined. The objective is to develop prototype pressure transducers which are targeted to meet the SSME performance design goals and to fabricate, test and deliver a total of 10 prototype units. Effective utilization of the many advantages of silicon piezoresistive strain sensing technology to achieve the objectives of advanced state-of-the-art pressure sensors for reliability, accuracy and ease of manufacture is analyzed. Integration of multiple functions on a single chip is the key attribute of the technology.

Functional photonic crystal fiber sensing devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villatoro, Joel; Finazzi, Vittoria; Pruneri, Valerio

2011-12-01

We report on a functional, highly reproducible and cost effective sensing platform based on photonic crystal fibers (PCFs). The platform consists of a centimeter-length segment of an index-guiding PCF fusion spliced to standard single mode fibers (SMFs). The voids of the PCF are intentionally sealed over an adequate length in the PCF-SMF interfaces. A microscopic collapsed region in the PCF induces a mode field mismatch which combined with the axial symmetry of the structure allow the efficient excitation and recombination or overlapping of azimuthal symmetric modes in the PCF. The transmission or reflection spectrum of the devices exhibits a high-visibility interference pattern or a single, profound and narrow notch. The interference pattern or the notch position shifts when the length of the PCF experiences microelongations or when liquids or coatings are present on the PCF surface. Thus, the platform here proposed can be useful for sensing diverse parameters such as strain, vibration, pressure, humidity, refractive index, gases, etc. Unlike other PCF-based sensing platforms the multiplexing of the devices here proposed is simple for which it is possible to implement PCF-based sensor arrays or networks.

Interferometric fiber-optic sensor embedded in a spark plug for in-cylinder pressure measurement in engines.

PubMed

Bae, Taehan; Atkins, Robert A; Taylor, Henry F; Gibler, William N

2003-02-20

Pressure sensing in an internal combustion engine with an intrinsic fiber Fabry-Perot interferometer (FFPI) integrated with a spark plug is demonstrated for the first time. The spark plug was used for the ignition of the cylinder in which it was mounted. The FFPI element, protected with a copper/gold coating, was embedded in a groove in the spark-plug housing. Gas pressure inthe engine induced longitudinal strain in this housing, which was also experienced by the fiber-optic sensing element. The sensor was monitored with a signal conditioning unit containing a chirped distributed-feedback laser. Pressure sensitivities as high as 0.00339 radians round-trip phase shift per pounds per square inch of pressure were observed. Measured pressure versus time traces showed good agreement with those from a piezoelectric reference sensor mounted in the same engine cylinder.

Interferometric Fiber-Optic Sensor Embedded in a Spark Plug for In-Cylinder Pressure Measurement in Engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bae, Taehan; Atkins, Robert A.; Taylor, Henry F.; Gibler, William N.

2003-02-01

Pressure sensing in an internal combustion engine with an intrinsic fiber Fabry-Perot interferometer (FFPI) integrated with a spark plug is demonstrated for the first time. The spark plug was used for the ignition of the cylinder in which it was mounted. The FFPI element, protected with a copper /gold coating, was embedded in a groove in the spark-plug housing. Gas pressure in the engine induced longitudinal strain in this housing, which was also experienced by the fiber-optic sensing element. The sensor was monitored with a signal conditioning unit containing a chirped distributed-feedback laser. Pressure sensitivities as high as 0.00339 radians round-trip phase shift per pounds per square inch of pressure were observed. Measured pressure versus time traces showed good agreement with those from a piezoelectric reference sensor mounted in the same engine cylinder.

Distributed multifunctional sensor network for composite structural state sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qing, Xinlin P.; Wang, Yishou; Gao, Limin; Kumar, Amrita

2012-04-01

Advanced fiber reinforced composite materials are becoming the main structural materials of next generation of aircraft because of their high strength and stiffness to weight ratios, and strong designability. In order to take full advantages of composite materials, there is a need to develop an embeddable multifunctional sensing system to allow a structure to "feel" and "think" its structural state. In this paper, the concept of multifunctional sensor network integrated with a structure, similar to the human nervous system, has been developed. Different types of network sensors are permanently integrated within a composite structure to sense structural strain, temperature, moisture, aerodynamic pressure; monitor external impact on the structure; and detect structural damages. Utilizing this revolutionary concept, future composite structures can be designed and manufactured to provide multiple modes of information, so that the structures have the capabilities for intelligent sensing, environmental adaptation and multi-functionality. The challenges for building such a structural state sensing system and some solutions to address the challenges are also discussed in the paper.

Mapping Migratory Bird Prevalence Using Remote Sensing Data Fusion

PubMed Central

Swatantran, Anu; Dubayah, Ralph; Goetz, Scott; Hofton, Michelle; Betts, Matthew G.; Sun, Mindy; Simard, Marc; Holmes, Richard

2012-01-01

Background Improved maps of species distributions are important for effective management of wildlife under increasing anthropogenic pressures. Recent advances in lidar and radar remote sensing have shown considerable potential for mapping forest structure and habitat characteristics across landscapes. However, their relative efficacies and integrated use in habitat mapping remain largely unexplored. We evaluated the use of lidar, radar and multispectral remote sensing data in predicting multi-year bird detections or prevalence for 8 migratory songbird species in the unfragmented temperate deciduous forests of New Hampshire, USA. Methodology and Principal Findings A set of 104 predictor variables describing vegetation vertical structure and variability from lidar, phenology from multispectral data and backscatter properties from radar data were derived. We tested the accuracies of these variables in predicting prevalence using Random Forests regression models. All data sets showed more than 30% predictive power with radar models having the lowest and multi-sensor synergy (“fusion”) models having highest accuracies. Fusion explained between 54% and 75% variance in prevalence for all the birds considered. Stem density from discrete return lidar and phenology from multispectral data were among the best predictors. Further analysis revealed different relationships between the remote sensing metrics and bird prevalence. Spatial maps of prevalence were consistent with known habitat preferences for the bird species. Conclusion and Significance Our results highlight the potential of integrating multiple remote sensing data sets using machine-learning methods to improve habitat mapping. Multi-dimensional habitat structure maps such as those generated from this study can significantly advance forest management and ecological research by facilitating fine-scale studies at both stand and landscape level. PMID:22235254

Baseline pressure errors (BPEs) extensively influence intracranial pressure scores: results of a prospective observational study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Monitoring of intracranial pressure (ICP) is a cornerstone in the surveillance of neurosurgical patients. The ICP is measured against a baseline pressure (i.e. zero - or reference pressure). We have previously reported that baseline pressure errors (BPEs), manifested as spontaneous shift or drifts in baseline pressure, cause erroneous readings of mean ICP in individual patients. The objective of this study was to monitor the frequency and severity of BPEs. To this end, we performed a prospective, observational study monitoring the ICP from two separate ICP sensors (Sensors 1 and 2) placed in close proximity in the brain. We characterized BPEs as differences in mean ICP despite near to identical ICP waveform in Sensors 1 and 2. Methods The study enrolled patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage in need of continuous ICP monitoring as part of their intensive care management. The two sensors were placed close to each other in the brain parenchyma via the same burr hole. The monitoring was performed as long as needed from a clinical perspective and the ICP recordings were stored digitally for analysis. For every patient the mean ICP as well as the various ICP wave parameters of the two sensors were compared. Results Sixteen patients were monitored median 164 hours (ranges 70 – 364 hours). Major BPEs, as defined by marked differences in mean ICP despite similar ICP waveform, were seen in 9 of them (56%). The BPEs were of magnitudes that had the potential to alter patient management. Conclusions Baseline Pressure Errors (BPEs) occur in a significant number of patients undergoing continuous ICP monitoring and they may alter patient management. The current practice of measuring ICP against a baseline pressure does not comply with the concept of State of the Art. Monitoring of the ICP waves ought to become the new State of the Art as they are not influenced by BPEs. PMID:24472296

High Resolution and Large Dynamic Range Resonant Pressure Sensor Based on Q-Factor Measurement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gutierrez, Roman C. (Inventor); Stell, Christopher B. (Inventor); Tang, Tony K. (Inventor); Vorperian, Vatche (Inventor); Wilcox, Jaroslava (Inventor); Shcheglov, Kirill (Inventor); Kaiser, William J. (Inventor)

2000-01-01

A pressure sensor has a high degree of accuracy over a wide range of pressures. Using a pressure sensor relying upon resonant oscillations to determine pressure, a driving circuit drives such a pressure sensor at resonance and tracks resonant frequency and amplitude shifts with changes in pressure. Pressure changes affect the Q-factor of the resonating portion of the pressure sensor. Such Q-factor changes are detected by the driving/sensing circuit which in turn tracks the changes in resonant frequency to maintain the pressure sensor at resonance. Changes in the Q-factor are reflected in changes of amplitude of the resonating pressure sensor. In response, upon sensing the changes in the amplitude, the driving circuit changes the force or strength of the electrostatic driving signal to maintain the resonator at constant amplitude. The amplitude of the driving signals become a direct measure of the changes in pressure as the operating characteristics of the resonator give rise to a linear response curve for the amplitude of the driving signal. Pressure change resolution is on the order of 10(exp -6) torr over a range spanning from 7,600 torr to 10(exp -6) torr. No temperature compensation for the pressure sensor of the present invention is foreseen. Power requirements for the pressure sensor are generally minimal due to the low-loss mechanical design of the resonating pressure sensor and the simple control electronics.

A wearable pressure sensor based on ultra-violet/ozone microstructured carbon nanotube/polydimethylsiloxane arrays for electronic skins.

PubMed

Yu, Guohui; Hu, Jingdong; Tan, Jianping; Gao, Yang; Lu, Yongfeng; Xuan, Fuzhen

2018-03-16

Pressure sensors with high performance (e.g., a broad pressure sensing range, high sensitivities, rapid response/relaxation speeds, temperature-stable sensing), as well as a cost-effective and highly efficient fabrication method are highly desired for electronic skins. In this research, a high-performance pressure sensor based on microstructured carbon nanotube/polydimethylsiloxane arrays was fabricated using an ultra-violet/ozone (UV/O 3 ) microengineering technique. The UV/O 3 microengineering technique is controllable, cost-effective, and highly efficient since it is conducted at room temperature in an ambient environment. The pressure sensor offers a broad pressure sensing range (7 Pa-50 kPa), a sensitivity of ∼ -0.101 ± 0.005 kPa -1 (<1 kPa), a fast response/relaxation speed of ∼10 ms, a small dependence on temperature variation, and a good cycling stability (>5000 cycles), which is attributed to the UV/O 3 engineered microstructures that amplify and transfer external applied forces and rapidly store/release the energy during the PDMS deformation. The sensors developed show the capability to detect external forces and monitor human health conditions, promising for the potential applications in electronic skin.

A wearable pressure sensor based on ultra-violet/ozone microstructured carbon nanotube/polydimethylsiloxane arrays for electronic skins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Guohui; Hu, Jingdong; Tan, Jianping; Gao, Yang; Lu, Yongfeng; Xuan, Fuzhen

2018-03-01

Pressure sensors with high performance (e.g., a broad pressure sensing range, high sensitivities, rapid response/relaxation speeds, temperature-stable sensing), as well as a cost-effective and highly efficient fabrication method are highly desired for electronic skins. In this research, a high-performance pressure sensor based on microstructured carbon nanotube/polydimethylsiloxane arrays was fabricated using an ultra-violet/ozone (UV/O3) microengineering technique. The UV/O3 microengineering technique is controllable, cost-effective, and highly efficient since it is conducted at room temperature in an ambient environment. The pressure sensor offers a broad pressure sensing range (7 Pa-50 kPa), a sensitivity of ˜ -0.101 ± 0.005 kPa-1 (<1 kPa), a fast response/relaxation speed of ˜10 ms, a small dependence on temperature variation, and a good cycling stability (>5000 cycles), which is attributed to the UV/O3 engineered microstructures that amplify and transfer external applied forces and rapidly store/release the energy during the PDMS deformation. The sensors developed show the capability to detect external forces and monitor human health conditions, promising for the potential applications in electronic skin.

A Wearable Microfluidic Sensing Patch for Dynamic Sweat Secretion Analysis.

PubMed

Nyein, Hnin Yin Yin; Tai, Li-Chia; Ngo, Quynh Phuong; Chao, Minghan; Zhang, George B; Gao, Wei; Bariya, Mallika; Bullock, James; Kim, Hyungjin; Fahad, Hossain M; Javey, Ali

2018-05-25

Wearable sweat sensing is a rapidly rising research area driven by its promising potential in health, fitness, and diagnostic applications. Despite the growth in the field, major challenges in relation to sweat metrics remain to be addressed. These challenges include sweat rate monitoring for its complex relation with sweat compositions and sweat sampling for sweat dynamics studies. In this work, we present a flexible microfluidic sweat sensing patch that enhances real-time electrochemical sensing and sweat rate analysis via sweat sampling. The device contains a spiral-patterned microfluidic component that is embedded with ion-selective sensors and an electrical impedance-based sweat rate sensor on a flexible plastic substrate. The patch is enabled to autonomously perform sweat analysis by interfacing the sensing component with a printed circuit board that is capable of on-site signal conditioning, analysis, and transmission. Progressive sweat flow in the microfluidic device, governed by the pressure induced by the secreted sweat, enhances sweat sampling and electrochemical detection via a defined sweat collection chamber and a directed sweat route. The characteristic of the sweat rate sensor is validated through a theoretical simulation, and the precision and accuracy of the flow rate is verified with a commercial syringe pump and a Macroduct sweat collector. On-body simultaneous monitoring of ion (H + , Na + , K + , Cl - ) concentration and sweat rate is also demonstrated for sensor functionality. This sweat sensing patch provides an integrated platform for a comprehensive sweat secretion analysis and facilitates physiological and clinical investigations by closely monitoring interrelated sweat parameters.

The Use of Satellite Remote Sensing in Epidemiological Studies

PubMed Central

Sorek-Hamer, Meytar; Just, Allan C.; Kloog, Itai

2016-01-01

Purpose of review Particulate matter (PM) air pollution is a ubiquitous exposure linked with multiple adverse health outcomes for children and across the life course. The recent development of satellite based remote sensing models for air pollution enables the quantification of these risks and addresses many limitations of previous air pollution research strategies. We review the recent literature on the applications of satellite remote sensing in air quality research, with a focus on their use in epidemiological studies. Recent findings Aerosol optical depth (AOD) is a focus of this review and a significant number of studies show that ground-level PM can be estimated from columnar AOD. Satellite measurements have been found to be an important source of data for PM model-based exposure estimates, and recently have been used in health studies to increase the spatial breadth and temporal resolution of these estimates. Summary It is suggested that satellite-based models improve our understanding of the spatial characteristics of air quality. Although the adoption of satellite-based measures of air quality in health studies is in its infancy, it is rapidly growing. Nevertheless, further investigation is still needed in order to have a better understanding of the AOD contribution to these prediction models in order to use them with higher accuracy in epidemiological studies. PMID:26859287

Microseismicity Induced by Fluid Pressure Drop (Laboratory Study)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turuntaev, Sergey; Zenchenko, Evgeny; Melchaeva, Olga

2013-04-01

Pore pressure change in saturated porous rocks may result in its fracturing (Maury et Fourmaintraux, 1993) and corresponding microseismic event occurrences. Microseismicity due to fluid injection is considered in numerous papers (Maxwell, 2010, Shapiro et al., 2005). Another type of the porous medium fracturing is related with rapid pore pressure drop at some boundary. The mechanism of such fracturing was considered by (Khristianovich, 1985) as a model of sudden coal blowing and by (Alidibirov, Panov, 1998) as a model of volcano eruptions. If the porous saturated medium has a boundary where it directly contacted with fluid under the high pressure (in a hydraulic fracture or in a borehole), and the pressure at that boundary is dropped, the conditions for tensile cracks can be achieved at some distance from the boundary. In the paper, the results of experimental study of saturated porous sample fracturing due to pore pressure rapid drop are discussed. The samples (82 mm high, ∅60 mm) were made of quartz sand, which was cemented by "liquid glass" glue with mass fraction 1%. The sample (porosity 35%, uniaxial unconfined compression strength 2.5 MPa) was placed in a mould and saturated by oil. The upper end of the sample contacted with the mould upper lid, the lower end contacted with fluid. The fluid pressure was increased to 10 MPa and then discharged through the bottom nipple. The pressure increases/drops were repeated 30-50 times. Pore pressure and acoustic emission (AE) were registered by transducers mounted into upper and bottom lids of the mould. It was found, that AE sources (corresponded to microfracturing) were spreading from the open end to the closed end of the sample, and that maximal number of AE events was registered at some distance from the opened end. The number of AE pulses increased with every next pressure drop, meanwhile the number of pulses with high amplitudes diminished. It was found that AE maximal rate corresponded to the fluid pressure

Stable Algorithm For Estimating Airdata From Flush Surface Pressure Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmore, Stephen, A. (Inventor); Cobleigh, Brent R. (Inventor); Haering, Edward A., Jr. (Inventor)

2001-01-01

An airdata estimation and evaluation system and method, including a stable algorithm for estimating airdata from nonintrusive surface pressure measurements. The airdata estimation and evaluation system is preferably implemented in a flush airdata sensing (FADS) system. The system and method of the present invention take a flow model equation and transform it into a triples formulation equation. The triples formulation equation eliminates the pressure related states from the flow model equation by strategically taking the differences of three surface pressures, known as triples. This triples formulation equation is then used to accurately estimate and compute vital airdata from nonintrusive surface pressure measurements.

Sensing Properties of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Grown in MW Plasma Torch: Electronic and Electrochemical Behavior, Gas Sensing, Field Emission, IR Absorption

PubMed Central

Majzlíková, Petra; Sedláček, Jiří; Prášek, Jan; Pekárek, Jan; Svatoš, Vojtěch; Bannov, Alexander G.; Jašek, Ondřej; Synek, Petr; Eliáš, Marek; Zajíčková, Lenka; Hubálek, Jaromír

2015-01-01

Vertically aligned multi-walled carbon nanotubes (VA-MWCNTs) with an average diameter below 80 nm and a thickness of the uniform VA-MWCNT layer of about 16 μm were grown in microwave plasma torch and tested for selected functional properties. IR absorption important for a construction of bolometers was studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Basic electrochemical characterization was performed by cyclic voltammetry. Comparing the obtained results with the standard or MWCNT‐modified screen-printed electrodes, the prepared VA-MWCNT electrodes indicated their high potential for the construction of electrochemical sensors. Resistive CNT gas sensor revealed a good sensitivity to ammonia taking into account room temperature operation. Field emission detected from CNTs was suitable for the pressure sensing application based on the measurement of emission current in the diode structure with bending diaphragm. The advantages of microwave plasma torch growth of CNTs, i.e., fast processing and versatility of the process, can be therefore fully exploited for the integration of surface-bound grown CNTs into various sensing structures. PMID:25629702

Pressure ulcer prevention knowledge among Jordanian nurses: a cross- sectional study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Pressure ulcer remains a significant problem in the healthcare system. In addition to the suffering it causes patients, it bears a growing financial burden. Although pressure ulcer prevention and care have improved in recent years, pressure ulcer still exists and occurs in both hospital and community settings. In Jordan, there are a handful of studies on pressure ulcer. This study aims to explore levels of knowledge and knowledge sources about pressure ulcer prevention, as well as barriers to implementing pressure ulcer prevention guidelines among Jordanian nurses. Methods Using a cross-sectional study design and a self-administered questionnaire, data was collected from 194 baccalaureate and master’s level staff nurses working in eight Jordanian hospitals. From September to October of 2011, their knowledge levels about pressure ulcer prevention and the sources of this knowledge were assessed, along with the barriers which reduce successful pressure ulcer care and prevention. ANOVA and t-test analysis were used to test the differences in nurses’ knowledge according to participants’ characteristics. Means, standard deviation, and frequencies were used to describe nurses’ knowledge levels, knowledge sources, and barriers to pressure ulcer prevention. Results The majority (73%, n = 141) of nurses had inadequate knowledge about pressure ulcer prevention. The mean scores of the test for all participants was 10.84 out of 26 (SD = 2.3, range = 5–17), with the lowest score in themes related to PU etiology, preventive measures to reduce amount of pressure/shear, and risk assessment. In-service training was the second source of education on pressure ulcer, coming after university training. Shortage of staff and lack of time were the most frequently cited barriers to carrying out pressure ulcer risk assessment, documentation, and prevention. Conclusions This study highlights concerns about Jordanian nurses’ knowledge of pressure ulcer prevention. The

Long-term monitoring for conservation management: Lessons from a case study integrating remote sensing and field approaches in floodplain forests.

PubMed

Rodríguez-González, Patricia María; Albuquerque, António; Martínez-Almarza, Miguel; Díaz-Delgado, Ricardo

2017-11-01

Implementing long-term monitoring programs that effectively inform conservation plans is a top priority in environmental management. In floodplain forests, historical pressures interplay with the complex multiscale dynamics of fluvial systems and require integrative approaches to pinpoint drivers for their deterioration and ecosystem services loss. Combining a conceptual framework such as the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) with the development of valid biological indicators can contribute to the analysis of the driving forces and their effects on the ecosystem in order to formulate coordinated conservation measures. In the present study, we evaluate the initial results of a decade (2004-2014) of floodplain forest monitoring. We adopted the DPSIR framework to summarize the main drivers in land use and environmental change, analyzed the effects on biological indicators of foundation trees and compared the consistency of the main drivers and their effects at two spatial scales. The monitoring program was conducted in one of the largest and best preserved floodplain forests in SW Europe located within Doñana National Park (Spain) which is dominated by Salix atrocinerea and Fraxinus angustifolia. The program combined field (in situ) surveys on a network of permanent plots with several remote sensing sources. The accuracy obtained in spectral classifications allowed shifts in species cover across the whole forest to be detected and assessed. However, remote sensing did not reflect the ecological status of forest populations. The field survey revealed a general decline in Salix populations, especially in the first five years of sampling -a factor probably associated with a lag effect from past human impact on the hydrology of the catchment and recent extreme climatic episodes (drought). In spite of much reduced seed regeneration, a resprouting strategy allows long-lived Salix individuals to persist in complex spatial dynamics. This suggests the beginning

The Rise and Fall of Boot Camps: A Case Study in Common-Sense Corrections

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cullen, Francis T.; Blevins, Kristie R.; Trager, Jennifer S.; Gendreau, Paul

2005-01-01

"Common sense" is often used as a powerful rationale for implementing correctional programs that have no basis in criminology and virtually no hope of reducing recidivism. Within this context, we undertake a case study in "common-sense' corrections by showing how the rise of boot camps, although having multiple causes, was ultimately legitimized…

Genome-wide association study identifies six new loci influencing pulse pressure and mean arterial pressure

PubMed Central

Wain, Louise V; Verwoert, Germaine C; O’Reilly, Paul F; Shi, Gang; Johnson, Toby; Johnson, Andrew D; Bochud, Murielle; Rice, Kenneth M; Henneman, Peter; Smith, Albert V; Ehret, Georg B; Amin, Najaf; Larson, Martin G; Mooser, Vincent; Hadley, David; Dörr, Marcus; Bis, Joshua C; Aspelund, Thor; Esko, Tõnu; Janssens, A Cecile JW; Zhao, Jing Hua; Heath, Simon; Laan, Maris; Fu, Jingyuan; Pistis, Giorgio; Luan, Jian’an; Arora, Pankaj; Lucas, Gavin; Pirastu, Nicola; Pichler, Irene; Jackson, Anne U; Webster, Rebecca J; Zhang, Feng; Peden, John F; Schmidt, Helena; Tanaka, Toshiko; Campbell, Harry; Igl, Wilmar; Milaneschi, Yuri; Hotteng, Jouke-Jan; Vitart, Veronique; Chasman, Daniel I; Trompet, Stella; Bragg-Gresham, Jennifer L; Alizadeh, Behrooz Z; Chambers, John C; Guo, Xiuqing; Lehtimäki, Terho; Kühnel, Brigitte; Lopez, Lorna M; Polašek, Ozren; Boban, Mladen; Nelson, Christopher P; Morrison, Alanna C; Pihur, Vasyl; Ganesh, Santhi K; Hofman, Albert; Kundu, Suman; Mattace-Raso, Francesco US; Rivadeneira, Fernando; Sijbrands, Eric JG; Uitterlinden, Andre G; Hwang, Shih-Jen; Vasan, Ramachandran S; Wang, Thomas J; Bergmann, Sven; Vollenweider, Peter; Waeber, Gérard; Laitinen, Jaana; Pouta, Anneli; Zitting, Paavo; McArdle, Wendy L; Kroemer, Heyo K; Völker, Uwe; Völzke, Henry; Glazer, Nicole L; Taylor, Kent D; Harris, Tamara B; Alavere, Helene; Haller, Toomas; Keis, Aime; Tammesoo, Mari-Liis; Aulchenko, Yurii; Barroso, Inês; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Galan, Pilar; Hercberg, Serge; Lathrop, Mark; Eyheramendy, Susana; Org, Elin; Sõber, Siim; Lu, Xiaowen; Nolte, Ilja M; Penninx, Brenda W; Corre, Tanguy; Masciullo, Corrado; Sala, Cinzia; Groop, Leif; Voight, Benjamin F; Melander, Olle; O’Donnell, Christopher J; Salomaa, Veikko; d’Adamo, Adamo Pio; Fabretto, Antonella; Faletra, Flavio; Ulivi, Sheila; Del Greco, M Fabiola; Facheris, Maurizio; Collins, Francis S; Bergman, Richard N; Beilby, John P; Hung, Joseph; Musk, A William; Mangino, Massimo; Shin, So-Youn; Soranzo, Nicole; Watkins, Hugh; Goel, Anuj; Hamsten, Anders; Gider, Pierre; Loitfelder, Marisa; Zeginigg, Marion; Hernandez, Dena; Najjar, Samer S; Navarro, Pau; Wild, Sarah H; Corsi, Anna Maria; Singleton, Andrew; de Geus, Eco JC; Willemsen, Gonneke; Parker, Alex N; Rose, Lynda M; Buckley, Brendan; Stott, David; Orru, Marco; Uda, Manuela; van der Klauw, Melanie M; Zhang, Weihua; Li, Xinzhong; Scott, James; Chen, Yii-Der Ida; Burke, Gregory L; Kähönen, Mika; Viikari, Jorma; Döring, Angela; Meitinger, Thomas; Davies, Gail; Starr, John M; Emilsson, Valur; Plump, Andrew; Lindeman, Jan H; ’t Hoen, Peter AC; König, Inke R; Felix, Janine F; Clarke, Robert; Hopewell, Jemma C; Ongen, Halit; Breteler, Monique; Debette, Stéphanie; DeStefano, Anita L; Fornage, Myriam; Mitchell, Gary F; Smith, Nicholas L; Holm, Hilma; Stefansson, Kari; Thorleifsson, Gudmar; Thorsteinsdottir, Unnur; Samani, Nilesh J; Preuss, Michael; Rudan, Igor; Hayward, Caroline; Deary, Ian J; Wichmann, H-Erich; Raitakari, Olli T; Palmas, Walter; Kooner, Jaspal S; Stolk, Ronald P; Jukema, J Wouter; Wright, Alan F; Boomsma, Dorret I; Bandinelli, Stefania; Gyllensten, Ulf B; Wilson, James F; Ferrucci, Luigi; Schmidt, Reinhold; Farrall, Martin; Spector, Tim D; Palmer, Lyle J; Tuomilehto, Jaakko; Pfeufer, Arne; Gasparini, Paolo; Siscovick, David; Altshuler, David; Loos, Ruth JF; Toniolo, Daniela; Snieder, Harold; Gieger, Christian; Meneton, Pierre; Wareham, Nicholas J; Oostra, Ben A; Metspalu, Andres; Launer, Lenore; Rettig, Rainer; Strachan, David P; Beckmann, Jacques S; Witteman, Jacqueline CM; Erdmann, Jeanette; van Dijk, Ko Willems; Boerwinkle, Eric; Boehnke, Michael; Ridker, Paul M; Jarvelin, Marjo-Riitta; Chakravarti, Aravinda; Abecasis, Goncalo R; Gudnason, Vilmundur; Newton-Cheh, Christopher; Levy, Daniel; Munroe, Patricia B; Psaty, Bruce M; Caulfield, Mark J; Rao, Dabeeru C

2012-01-01

Numerous genetic loci influence systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in Europeans 1-3. We now report genome-wide association studies of pulse pressure (PP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP). In discovery (N=74,064) and follow-up studies (N=48,607), we identified at genome-wide significance (P= 2.7×10-8 to P=2.3×10-13) four novel PP loci (at 4q12 near CHIC2/PDGFRAI, 7q22.3 near PIK3CG, 8q24.12 in NOV, 11q24.3 near ADAMTS-8), two novel MAP loci (3p21.31 in MAP4, 10q25.3 near ADRB1) and one locus associated with both traits (2q24.3 near FIGN) which has recently been associated with SBP in east Asians. For three of the novel PP signals, the estimated effect for SBP was opposite to that for DBP, in contrast to the majority of common SBP- and DBP-associated variants which show concordant effects on both traits. These findings indicate novel genetic mechanisms underlying blood pressure variation, including pathways that may differentially influence SBP and DBP. PMID:21909110

Nanostructure Sensing and Transmission of Gas Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Jing (Inventor)

2011-01-01

A system for receiving, analyzing and communicating results of sensing chemical and/or physical parameter values, using wireless transmission of the data. Presence or absence of one or more of a group of selected chemicals in a gas or vapor is determined, using suitably functionalized carbon nanostructures that are exposed to the gas. One or more physical parameter values, such as temperature, vapor pressure, relative humidity and distance from a reference location, are also sensed for the gas, using nanostructures and/or microstructures. All parameter values are transmitted wirelessly to a data processing site or to a control site, using an interleaving pattern for data received from different sensor groups, using I.E.E.E. 802.11 or 802.15 protocol, for example. Methods for estimating chemical concentration are discussed.

Engineering a laser remote sensor for atmospheric pressure and temperature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalshoven, J. E., Jr.; Korb, C. L.

1978-01-01

A system for the remote sensing of atmospheric pressure and temperature is described. Resonant lines in the 7600 Angstrom oxygen A band region are used and an organic dye laser beam is tuned to measure line absorption changes with temperature or pressure. A reference beam outside this band is also transmitted for calibration. Using lidar techniques, profiling of these parameters with altitude can be accomplished.

Remote Sensing of Water Quality in Multipurpose Reservoirs: Case Study Applications in Indonesia, Mexico, and Uruguay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miralles-Wilhelm, F.; Serrat-Capdevila, A.; Rodriguez, D.

2017-12-01

This research is focused on development of remote sensing methods to assess surface water pollution issues, particularly in multipurpose reservoirs. Three case study applications are presented to comparatively analyze remote sensing techniquesforo detection of nutrient related pollution, i.e., Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Chlorophyll, as this is a major water quality issue that has been identified in terms of pollution of major water sources around the country. This assessment will contribute to a better understanding of options for nutrient remote sensing capabilities and needs and assist water agencies in identifying the appropriate remote sensing tools and devise an application strategy to provide information needed to support decision-making regarding the targeting and monitoring of nutrient pollution prevention and mitigation measures. A detailed review of the water quality data available from ground based measurements was conducted in order to determine their suitability for a case study application of remote sensing. In the first case study, the Valle de Bravo reservoir in Mexico City reservoir offers a larger database of water quality which may be used to better calibrate and validate the algorithms required to obtain water quality data from remote sensing raw data. In the second case study application, the relatively data scarce Lake Toba in Indonesia can be useful to illustrate the value added of remote sensing data in locations where water quality data is deficient or inexistent. The third case study in the Paso Severino reservoir in Uruguay offers a combination of data scarcity and persistent development of harmful algae blooms. Landsat-TM data was obteined for the 3 study sites and algorithms for three key water quality parameters that are related to nutrient pollution: Chlorophyll-a, Total Nitrogen, and Total Phosphorus were calibrated and validated at the study sites. The three case study applications were developed into capacity building/training workshops

Novel sensing technology in fall risk assessment in older adults: a systematic review.

PubMed

Sun, Ruopeng; Sosnoff, Jacob J

2018-01-16

Falls are a major health problem for older adults with significant physical and psychological consequences. A first step of successful fall prevention is to identify those at risk of falling. Recent advancement in sensing technology offers the possibility of objective, low-cost and easy-to-implement fall risk assessment. The objective of this systematic review is to assess the current state of sensing technology on providing objective fall risk assessment in older adults. A systematic review was conducted in accordance to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis statement (PRISMA). Twenty-two studies out of 855 articles were systematically identified and included in this review. Pertinent methodological features (sensing technique, assessment activities, outcome variables, and fall discrimination/prediction models) were extracted from each article. Four major sensing technologies (inertial sensors, video/depth camera, pressure sensing platform and laser sensing) were reported to provide accurate fall risk diagnostic in older adults. Steady state walking, static/dynamic balance, and functional mobility were used as the assessment activity. A diverse range of diagnostic accuracy across studies (47.9% - 100%) were reported, due to variation in measured kinematic/kinetic parameters and modelling techniques. A wide range of sensor technologies have been utilized in fall risk assessment in older adults. Overall, these devices have the potential to provide an accurate, inexpensive, and easy-to-implement fall risk assessment. However, the variation in measured parameters, assessment tools, sensor sites, movement tasks, and modelling techniques, precludes a firm conclusion on their ability to predict future falls. Future work is needed to determine a clinical meaningful and easy to interpret fall risk diagnosis utilizing sensing technology. Additionally, the gap between functional evaluation and user experience to technology should be addressed.

Blood-Pressure Measuring System Gives Accurate Graphic Output

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1965-01-01

The problem: To develop an instrument that will provide an external (indirect) measurement of arterial blood pressure in the form of an easily interpreted graphic trace that can be correlated with standard clinical blood-pressure measurements. From sphygmograms produced by conventional sphygmographs, it is very difficult to differentiate the systolic and diastolic blood-pressure pulses and to correlate these indices with the standard clinical values. It is nearly impossible to determine these indices when the subject is under physical or emotional stress. The solution: An electronic blood-pressure system, basically similar to conventional ausculatory sphygmomanometers, employing a standard occluding cuff, a gas-pressure source, and a gas-pressure regulator and valve. An electrical output transducer senses cuff pressure, and a microphone positioned on the brachial artery under the occluding cuff monitors the Korotkoff sounds from this artery. The output signals present the conventional systolic and diastolic indices in a clear, graphical display. The complete system also includes an electronic timer and cycle-control circuit.

[Aerodynamics study on pressure changes inside pressure-type whole-body plethysmograph produced by flowing air].

PubMed

Xu, Wei-Hua; Shen, Hua-Hao

2010-02-25

When using pressure-type plethysmography to test lung function of rodents, calculation of lung volume is always based on Boyle's law. The precondition of Boyle's law is that perfect air is static. However, air in the chamber is flowing continuously when a rodent breathes inside the chamber. Therefore, Boyle's law, a principle of air statics, may not be appropriate for measuring pressure changes of flowing air. In this study, we deduced equations for pressure changes inside pressure-type plethysmograph and then designed three experiments to testify the theoretic deduction. The results of theoretic deduction indicated that increased pressure was generated from two sources: one was based on Boyle's law, and the other was based on the law of conservation of momentum. In the first experiment, after injecting 0.1 mL, 0.2 mL, 0.4 mL of air into the plethysmograph, the pressure inside the chamber increased sharply to a peak value, then promptly decreased to horizontal pressure. Peak values were significantly higher than the horizontal values (P<0.001). This observation revealed that flowing air made an extra effect on air pressure in the plethysmograph. In the second experiment, the same volume of air was injected into the plethysmograph at different frequencies (0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3 Hz) and pressure changes inside were measured. The results showed that, with increasing frequencies, the pressure changes in the chamber became significantly higher (P<0.001). In the third experiment, small animal ventilator and pipette were used to make two types of airflow with different functions of time. The pressure changes produced by the ventilator were significantly greater than those produced by the pipette (P<0.001). Based on the data obtained, we draw the conclusion that, the flow of air plays a role in pressure changes inside the plethysmograph, and the faster the airflow is, the higher the pressure changes reach. Furthermore, the type of airflow also influences the pressure changes.

Research of pressure sensor based on the fiber Bragg grating for permanent downwell monitoring application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Lina; Long, Pin; Liu, Tiegen

2004-11-01

Timely, accurate and reliable pressure information about how the reservoir is performing is an important component to optimizing oil yield and production rates. This paper reviews the use of fiber optical pressure sensor for downhole monitoring in the oil industry. Several types of pressure transducer with different characteristics have been introduced. Due to their multiplexing capabilities and versatility ,the use of Bragg grating sensors appears to be particularly suited for this application. A sensor for accurate and long term fluid pressure monitoring based on optical fiber Bragg gratings(FBGs) is developed. The sensor converts fluid pressure into optical fiber strain by means of a mechanical transducer to enhance its sensitivity to pressure. It can also implement distributed or multiplexed sensing. The sensor operation is studied at pressure up to 100 Mpa(1000bar) and the tested temperature to ~175°. It is possible to be used in the well.

Pressure Measurement Based on Thermocouples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomsen, K.

2010-12-01

Measuring gas pressures reliably in a harsh radiation environment was confirmed to be tricky during operation of the liquid spallation target of MEGAPIE at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI). Severe drift of calibration and the loss of a sensor were experienced. At the same time, the only instrumentation that worked flawlessly in the system were thermocouples. Motivated by this experience, a novel pressure sensor for application in high radiation fields has been developed, which is based on temperature measurement. The new sensor takes advantage of the fact that the thermal conductivity over a mechanical joint exhibits a strong dependence on the contact pressure. In the novel sensor heating is applied at one point and temperatures are measured at different specific locations of the pressure gage; in particular, the temperatures on the two sides of a mechanical contact are monitored. From the observed temperature distribution the gas pressure can be derived. By choosing specific mechanical details in the lay-out, it is possible to tailor the useful measurement range. In addition to yielding pressure values, the new sensor concept admits for obtaining a measure for the accuracy of the result. This is done by continuous self monitoring of the device. The health status and based thereupon the plausibility of the indicated pressure value can be deducted by comparing sensed temperatures to expectation values for any given heating power. Malfunctioning of the pressure gage is reliably detected from the diverse readings of only one device; this can be seen as providing internal redundancy while at the same time immunity to common mode failure. After some analytical and finite element studies to verify the concept in principle, a first prototype of such a novel pressure sensor has been built at PSI. Initial measurement campaigns demonstrated the correct operation of the device as anticipated. Further potential for optimization, like designing a gage for high temperature

The major influence of the atmosphere on intracranial pressure: an observational study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herbowski, Leszek

2017-01-01

The impact of the atmosphere on human physiology has been studied widely within the last years. In practice, intracranial pressure is a pressure difference between intracranial compartments and the surrounding atmosphere. This means that gauge intracranial pressure uses atmospheric pressure as its zero point, and therefore, this method of pressure measurement excludes the effects of barometric pressure's fluctuation. The comparison of these two physical quantities can only take place through their absolute value relationship. The aim of this study is to investigate the direct effect of barometric pressure on the absolute intracranial pressure homeostasis. A prospective observational cross-sectional open study was conducted in Szczecin, Poland. In 28 neurosurgical patients with suspected normal-pressure hydrocephalus, intracranial intraventricular pressure was monitored in a sitting position. A total of 168 intracranial pressure and atmospheric pressure measurements were performed. Absolute atmospheric pressure was recorded directly. All values of intracranial gauge pressure were converted to absolute pressure (the sum of gauge intracranial pressure and local absolute atmospheric pressure). The average absolute mean intracranial pressure in the patients is 1006.6 hPa (95 % CI 1004.5 to 1008.8 hPa, SEM 1.1), and the mean absolute atmospheric pressure is 1007.9 hPa (95 % CI 1006.3 to 1009.6 hPa, SEM 0.8). The observed association between atmospheric and intracranial pressure is strongly significant (Spearman correlation r = 0.87, p < 0.05) and all the measurements are perfectly reliable (Bland-Altman coefficient is 4.8 %). It appears from this study that changes in absolute intracranial pressure are related to seasonal variation. Absolute intracranial pressure is shown to be impacted positively by atmospheric pressure.

A minimally invasive in-fiber Bragg grating sensor for intervertebral disc pressure measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dennison, Christopher R.; Wild, Peter M.; Wilson, David R.; Cripton, Peter A.

2008-08-01

We present an in-fiber Bragg grating (FBG) based intervertebral disc (IVD) pressure sensor that has pressure sensitivity seven times greater than that of a bare fiber, and a major diameter and sensing area of only 400 µm and 0.03 mm2, respectively. This is the only optical, the smallest and the most mechanically compliant disc pressure sensor reported in the literature. This is also an improvement over other FBG pressure sensors that achieve increased sensitivity through mechanical amplification schemes, usually resulting in major diameters and sensing lengths of many millimeters. Sensor sensitivity is predicted using numerical models, and the predicted sensitivity is verified through experimental calibrations. The sensor is validated by conducting IVD pressure measurements in porcine discs and comparing the FBG measurements to those obtained using the current standard sensor for IVD pressure. The predicted sensitivity of the FBG sensor matched with that measured experimentally. IVD pressure measurements showed excellent repeatability and agreement with those obtained from the standard sensor. Unlike the current larger sensors, the FBG sensor could be used in discs with small disc height (i.e. cervical or degenerated discs). Therefore, there is potential to conduct new measurements that could lead to new understanding of the biomechanics.

The paradox of negative pressure wound therapy--in vitro studies.

PubMed

Kairinos, Nicolas; Solomons, Michael; Hudson, Donald A

2010-01-01

Negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has revolutionised wound care. Yet, it is still not understood how hypobaric tissue pressure accelerates wound healing. There is very little reported on the relevant physics of any substance subjected to suction in this manner. The common assumption is that applying suction to a substance is likely to result in a reduction of pressure in that substance. Although more than 250 research articles have been published on NPWT, there are little data verifying whether suction increases or decreases the pressure of the substance it is applied to. Clarifying this basic question of physics is the first step in understanding the mechanism of action of these dressings. In this study, pressure changes were recorded in soft plasticene and processed meat, using an intracranial tissue pressure microsensor. Circumferential, non-circumferential and cavity NPWT dressings were applied, and pressure changes within the underlying substance were recorded at different suction pressures. Pressures were also measured at 1cm, 2 cm and 3 cm from the NPWT placed in a cavity. In all three types of NPWT dressings, the underlying substance pressure was increased (hyperbaric) as suction pressure increased. Although there was a substantial pressure increase at 1cm, the rise in pressure at the 2-cm and 3-cm intervals was minimal. Substance pressure beneath all types of NPWT dressing is hyperbaric in inanimate substances. Higher suction pressures generate greater substance pressures; however, the increased pressure rapidly dissipates as the distance from the dressing is increased. The findings of this study on inanimate objects suggest that we may need to review our current perception of the physics underlying NPWT dressings. Further research of this type on living tissues is warranted. Copyright (c) 2009 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of a compliant multi-layer system for tactile sensing with enhanced sensitivity and range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Ying; Yu, Miao; Bruck, Hugh A.; Smela, Elisabeth

2018-06-01

To allow robots to interact with humans via touch, new sensing concepts are needed that can detect a wide range of potential interactions and cover the body of a robot. In this paper, a skin-inspired multi-layer tactile sensing architecture is presented and characterized. The structure consists of stretchable piezoresistive strain-sensing layers over foam layers of different stiffness, allowing for both sufficient sensitivity and pressure range for human contacts. Strip-shaped sensors were used in this architecture to produce a deformation response proportional to pressure. The roles of the foam layers were elucidated by changing their stiffness and thickness, allowing the development of a geometric model to account for indenter interactions with the structure. The advantage of this architecture over other approaches is the ability to easily tune performance by adjusting the stiffness or thickness of the foams to tailor the response for different applications. Since viscoelastic materials were used, the temporal effects were also investigated.

Study of Zn-Cu Ferrite Nanoparticles for LPG Sensing

PubMed Central

Jain, Anuj; Baranwal, Ravi Kant; Bharti, Ajaya; Vakil, Z.; Prajapati, C. S.

2013-01-01

Nanostructured zinc-copper mixed ferrite was synthesized using sol-gel method. XRD patterns of different compositions of zinc-copper ferrite, Zn(1−x)CuxFe2O4 (x = 0.0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75), revealed single phase inverse spinel ferrite in all the samples synthesized. With increasing copper concentration, the crystallite size was found to be increased from 28 nm to 47 nm. The surface morphology of all the samples studied by the Scanning Electron Microscopy there exhibits porous structure of particles throughout the samples. The pellets of the samples are prepared for LPG sensing characteristics. The sensing is carried out at different operating temperatures (200, 225, and 250°C) with the variation of LPG concentrations (0.2, 0.4, and 0.6 vol%). The maximum sensitivity of 55.33% is observed at 250°C operating for the 0.6 vol% LPG. PMID:23864833

Studies of Methane Counterflow Flames at Low Pressures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burrell, Robert Roe

Methane is the smallest hydrocarbon molecule, the fuel most widely studied in fundamental flame structure studies, and a major component of natural gas. Despite many decades of research into the fundamental chemical kinetics involved in methane oxidation, ongoing advancements in research suggest that more progress can be made. Though practical combustors of industrial and commercial significance operate at high pressures and turbulent flow conditions, fundamental understanding of combustion chemistry in flames is more readily obtained for low pressure and laminar flow conditions. Measurements were performed from 1 to 0.1 atmospheres for premixed methane/air and non-premixed methane-nitrogen/oxygen flames in a counterflow. Comparative modeling with quasi-one-dimensional strained flame codes revealed bias-induced errors in measured velocities up to 8% at 0.1 atmospheres due to tracer particle phase velocity slip in the low density gas reacting flow. To address this, a numerically-assisted correction scheme consisting of direct simulation of the particle phase dynamics in counterflow was implemented. Addition of reactions describing the prompt dissociation of formyl radicals to an otherwise unmodified USC Mech II kinetic model was found to enhance computed flame reactivity and substantially improve the predictive capability of computed results for measurements at the lowest pressures studied. Yet, the same modifications lead to overprediction of flame data at 1 atmosphere where results from the unmodified USC Mech II kinetic mechanism agreed well with ambient pressure flame data. The apparent failure of a single kinetic model to capture pressure dependence in methane flames motivates continued skepticism regarding the current understanding of pressure dependence in kinetic models, even for the simplest fuels.

The major influence of the atmosphere on intracranial pressure: an observational study.

PubMed

Herbowski, Leszek

2017-01-01

The impact of the atmosphere on human physiology has been studied widely within the last years. In practice, intracranial pressure is a pressure difference between intracranial compartments and the surrounding atmosphere. This means that gauge intracranial pressure uses atmospheric pressure as its zero point, and therefore, this method of pressure measurement excludes the effects of barometric pressure's fluctuation. The comparison of these two physical quantities can only take place through their absolute value relationship. The aim of this study is to investigate the direct effect of barometric pressure on the absolute intracranial pressure homeostasis. A prospective observational cross-sectional open study was conducted in Szczecin, Poland. In 28 neurosurgical patients with suspected normal-pressure hydrocephalus, intracranial intraventricular pressure was monitored in a sitting position. A total of 168 intracranial pressure and atmospheric pressure measurements were performed. Absolute atmospheric pressure was recorded directly. All values of intracranial gauge pressure were converted to absolute pressure (the sum of gauge intracranial pressure and local absolute atmospheric pressure). The average absolute mean intracranial pressure in the patients is 1006.6 hPa (95 % CI 1004.5 to 1008.8 hPa, SEM 1.1), and the mean absolute atmospheric pressure is 1007.9 hPa (95 % CI 1006.3 to 1009.6 hPa, SEM 0.8). The observed association between atmospheric and intracranial pressure is strongly significant (Spearman correlation r = 0.87, p < 0.05) and all the measurements are perfectly reliable (Bland-Altman coefficient is 4.8 %). It appears from this study that changes in absolute intracranial pressure are related to seasonal variation. Absolute intracranial pressure is shown to be impacted positively by atmospheric pressure.

Studies in remote sensing of Southern California and related environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowden, L. W.

1971-01-01

A summary is presented of the research activities in southern California to determine whether meaningful geographic information was obtainable by use of remote sensing in an area already well documented or if the techniques and methodology could be transferred to related environments. Several broad characteristics of the regional geography were investigated with regards to their feasibility to be studied by aircraft and spacecraft sensors to improve the inventory and understanding of resources and environmental circumstances and to serve as models for future geographic analysis of other regions when using remote sensing devices. Sample activities are described in detail and three experiments producing worthwhile results are highlighted: mapping montane vegetation with color IR imagery, analysis of urban residual environment using color IR aerial photography, and regional agricultural land use mapping tested against color IR photography.

Smoke Sense Study: A Citizen Science Project Using a Mobile App

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA researchers are planning a citizen science study called Smoke Sense to determine the extent to which exposure to wildland fire smoke affects health and productivity, and to develop health risk communication strategies that protect public health.

Flush Airdata Sensing (FADS) System Calibration Procedures and Results for Blunt Forebodies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cobleigh, Brent R.; Whitmore, Stephen A.; Haering, Edward A., Jr.; Borrer, Jerry; Roback, V. Eric

1999-01-01

Blunt-forebody pressure data are used to study the behavior of the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center flush airdata sensing (FADS) pressure model and solution algorithm. The model relates surface pressure measurements to the airdata state. Spliced from the potential flow solution for uniform flow over a sphere and the modified Newtonian impact theory, the model was shown to apply to a wide range of blunt-forebody shapes and Mach numbers. Calibrations of a sphere, spherical cones, a Rankine half body, and the F-14, F/A-18, X-33, X-34, and X-38 configurations are shown. The three calibration parameters are well-behaved from Mach 0.25 to Mach 5.0, an angle-of-attack range extending to greater than 30 deg, and an angle-of-sideslip range extending to greater than 15 deg. Contrary to the sharp calibration changes found on traditional pitot-static systems at transonic speeds, the FADS calibrations are smooth, monotonic functions of Mach number and effective angles of attack and sideslip. Because the FADS calibration is sensitive to pressure port location, detailed measurements of the actual pressure port locations on the flight vehicle are required and the wind-tunnel calibration model should have pressure ports in similar locations. The procedure for calibrating a FADS system is outlined.

Changes of pressure and humidity affect olfactory function.

PubMed

Kuehn, Michael; Welsch, Heiko; Zahnert, Thomas; Hummel, Thomas

2008-03-01

The present study aimed at investigating the question whether olfactory function changes in relation to barometric pressure and humidity. Using climate chambers, odor threshold and discrimination for butanol were tested in 75 healthy volunteers under hypobaric and hyperbaric, and different humidity conditions. Among other effects, olfactory sensitivity at threshold level, but not suprathreshold odor discrimination, was impaired in a hypobaric compared to a hyperbaric milieu, and thresholds were lower in humid, compared to relatively dry conditions. In conclusion, environmental conditions modulate the sense of smell, and may, consecutively, influence results from olfactory tests.

Physiologic Pressure and Flow Changes During Parabolic Flight (Pilot Study)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pantalos, George; Sharp, M. Keith; Mathias, John R.; Hargens, Alan R.; Watenpaugh, Donald E.; Buckey, Jay C.

1999-01-01

The objective of this study was to obtain measurement of cutaneous tissue perfusion central and peripheral venous pressure, and esophageal and abdominal pressure in human test subjects during parabolic flight. Hemodynamic data recorded during SLS-I and SLS-2 missions have resulted in the paradoxical finding of increased cardiac stroke volume in the presence of a decreased central venous pressure (CVP) following entry in weightlessness. The investigators have proposed that in the absence of gravity, acceleration-induced peripheral vascular compression is relieved, increasing peripheral vascular capacity and flow while reducing central and peripheral venous pressure, This pilot study seeks to measure blood pressure and flow in human test subjects during parabolic flight for different postures.

Tunnel-Site Selection by Remote Sensing Techniques

DTIC Science & Technology

A study of the role of remote sensing for geologic reconnaissance for tunnel-site selection was commenced. For this study, remote sensing was defined...conventional remote sensing . Future research directions are suggested, and the extension of remote sensing to include airborne passive microwave

Characterization of Thick and Thin Film SiCN for Pressure Sensing at High Temperatures

PubMed Central

Leo, Alfin; Andronenko, Sergey; Stiharu, Ion; Bhat, Rama B.

2010-01-01

Pressure measurement in high temperature environments is important in many applications to provide valuable information for performance studies. Information on pressure patterns is highly desirable for improving performance, condition monitoring and accurate prediction of the remaining life of systems that operate in extremely high temperature environments, such as gas turbine engines. A number of technologies have been recently investigated, however these technologies target specific applications and they are limited by the maximum operating temperature. Thick and thin films of SiCN can withstand high temperatures. SiCN is a polymer-derived ceramic with liquid phase polymer as its starting material. This provides the advantage that it can be molded to any shape. CERASET™ also yields itself for photolithography, with the addition of photo initiator 2, 2-Dimethoxy-2-phenyl-acetophenone (DMPA), thereby enabling photolithographical patterning of the pre-ceramic polymer using UV lithography. SiCN fabrication includes thermosetting, crosslinking and pyrolysis. The technology is still under investigation for stability and improved performance. This work presents the preparation of SiCN films to be used as the body of a sensor for pressure measurements in high temperature environments. The sensor employs the phenomenon of drag effect. The pressure sensor consists of a slender sensitive element and a thick blocking element. The dimensions and thickness of the films depend on the intended application of the sensors. Fabrication methods of SiCN ceramics both as thin (about 40–60 μm) and thick (about 2–3 mm) films for high temperature applications are discussed. In addition, the influence of thermosetting and annealing processes on mechanical properties is investigated. PMID:22205871

Comparative Study on a Solving Model and Algorithm for a Flush Air Data Sensing System

PubMed Central

Liu, Yanbin; Xiao, Dibo; Lu, Yuping

2014-01-01

With the development of high-performance aircraft, precise air data are necessary to complete challenging tasks such as flight maneuvering with large angles of attack and high speed. As a result, the flush air data sensing system (FADS) was developed to satisfy the stricter control demands. In this paper, comparative stuides on the solving model and algorithm for FADS are conducted. First, the basic principles of FADS are given to elucidate the nonlinear relations between the inputs and the outputs. Then, several different solving models and algorithms of FADS are provided to compute the air data, including the angle of attck, sideslip angle, dynamic pressure and static pressure. Afterwards, the evaluation criteria of the resulting models and algorithms are discussed to satisfy the real design demands. Futhermore, a simulation using these algorithms is performed to identify the properites of the distinct models and algorithms such as the measuring precision and real-time features. The advantages of these models and algorithms corresponding to the different flight conditions are also analyzed, furthermore, some suggestions on their engineering applications are proposed to help future research. PMID:24859025

An experimental study of graph connectivity for unsupervised word sense disambiguation.

PubMed

Navigli, Roberto; Lapata, Mirella

2010-04-01

Word sense disambiguation (WSD), the task of identifying the intended meanings (senses) of words in context, has been a long-standing research objective for natural language processing. In this paper, we are concerned with graph-based algorithms for large-scale WSD. Under this framework, finding the right sense for a given word amounts to identifying the most "important" node among the set of graph nodes representing its senses. We introduce a graph-based WSD algorithm which has few parameters and does not require sense-annotated data for training. Using this algorithm, we investigate several measures of graph connectivity with the aim of identifying those best suited for WSD. We also examine how the chosen lexicon and its connectivity influences WSD performance. We report results on standard data sets and show that our graph-based approach performs comparably to the state of the art.

Research pressure instrumentation for NASA Space Shuttle main engine, modification no. 5

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, P. J.; Nussbaum, P.; Gustafson, G.

1984-01-01

The purpose of Modification No. 5 of this contract is to expand the scope of work (Task C) of this research study effort to develop pressure instrumentation for the SSME. The objective of this contract (Task C) is to direct Honeywell's Solid State Electronics Division's (SSED) extensive experience and expertise in solid state sensor technology to develop prototype pressure transducers which are targeted to meet the SSME performance design goals and to fabricate, test and deliver a total of 10 prototype units. SSED's basic approach is to effectively utilize the many advantages of silicon piezoresistive strain sensing technology to achieve the objectives of advanced state-of-the-art pressure sensors in terms of reliability, accuracy and ease of manufacture. More specifically, integration of multiple functions on a single chip is the key attribute of this technology which will be exploited during this research study.

A hydrostatic leak test for water pipeline by using distributed optical fiber vibration sensing system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Huijuan; Sun, Zhenshi; Qian, Ya; Zhang, Tao; Rao, Yunjiang

2015-07-01

A hydrostatic leak test for water pipeline with a distributed optical fiber vibration sensing (DOVS) system based on the phase-sensitive OTDR technology is studied in this paper. By monitoring one end of a common communication optical fiber cable, which is laid in the inner wall of the pipe, we can detect and locate the water leakages easily. Different apertures under different pressures are tested and it shows that the DOVS has good responses when the aperture is equal or larger than 4 mm and the inner pressure reaches 0.2 Mpa for a steel pipe with DN 91cm×EN 2cm.

Lipid decorated liquid crystal pressure sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lopatkina, Tetiana; Popov, Piotr; Honaker, Lawrence; Jakli, Antal; Mann, Elizabeth; Mann's Group Collaboration; Jakli's Group Collaboration

Surfactants usually promote the alignment of liquid crystal (LC) director parallel to the surfactant chains, and thus on average normal to the substrate (homeotropic), whereas water promotes tangential (planar) alignment. A water-LC interface is therefore very sensitive to the presence of surfactants, such as lipids: this is the principle of LC-based chemical and biological sensing introduced by Abbott et al.Using a modified configuration, we found that at higher than 10 micro molar lipid concentration, the uniformly dark texture seen for homeotropic alignment between left-, and right-handed circular polarizers becomes unstable and slowly brightens again. This texture shows extreme sensitivity to external air pressure variations offering its use for sensitive pressure sensors. Our analysis indicates an osmotic pressure induced bending of the suspended films explaining both the birefringence and pressure sensitivity. In the talk we will discuss the experimental details of these effects. This work was financially supported by NSF DMR No. DMR-0907055.

Deployable pressurized cell structure for a micrometeoroid detector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kinard, W. H. (Inventor)

1974-01-01

This disclosure comprises a plurality of individual pressurized cells which are caused to leak in response to a micrometeoroid penetration, the leak being sensed by appropriate instrumentation. The plurality of cells may be rolled into a compact arrangement such that the volume of the micrometeoroid detector is small and therefore readily packed in a payload of a launch vehicle. Once the payload is placed in orbit, the rolled up cells can be released, pressurized and provide a relatively rigid, large surface area for detecting micrometeoroid penetration.

Intelligent telemetric stent for wireless monitoring of intravascular pressure and its in vivo testing.

PubMed

Chen, Xing; Brox, Daniel; Assadsangabi, Babak; Hsiang, York; Takahata, Kenichi

2014-10-01

This paper reports a sensor-integrated telemetric stent targeted at wireless detection and monitoring of restenosis, a common vascular complication induced by stent implantation. The developed "smart" stent incorporates the design and fabrication approaches that raise the practicality of the device, being tested in an in vivo study that validates its operating principle. The stent is produced to have a gold-coated helical-like structure that serves as a high-performance inductor/antenna and integrated with a novel capacitive pressure sensor chip, all based on medical-grade stainless steel. The stent device forms an inductor-capacitor resonant tank that enables radio-frequency (RF) wireless pressure sensing in an operating frequency range of 30-80 MHz. With an overall length of 20 mm, the device is designed to be compatible with standard balloon catheters and necessary crimping process. The balloon-expanded devices are characterized in saline and blood to determine selective coating of passivation layer, Parylene C, with tailored thicknesses in order to maximize both RF and sensing abilities. In vitro testing of the devices reveals a frequency sensitivity up to 146 ppm/mmHg over a pressure range of 250 mmHg. Tests in pig models show wireless detection of device's resonance and frequency response to variations in local blood pressure, the targeted function of the device.

Research pressure instrumentation for NASA Space Shuttle main engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, P. J.; Nussbaum, P.; Gustafson, G.

1984-01-01

The development of prototype pressure transducers which are targeted to meet the Space Shuttle Main Engine SSME performance design goals is discussed. The fabrication, testing and delivery of 10 prototype units is examined. Silicon piezoresistive strain sensing technology is used to achieve the objectives of advanced state-of-the-art pressure sensors in terms of reliability, accuracy and ease of manufacture. Integration of multiple functions on a single chip is the key attribute of this technology.

Self-sensing in Bacillus subtilis quorum-sensing systems

PubMed Central

Bareia, Tasneem; Pollak, Shaul; Eldar, Avigdor

2017-01-01

Bacterial cell-cell signaling, or quorum sensing, is characterized by the secretion and group-wide detection of small diffusible signal molecules called autoinducers. This mechanism allows cells to coordinate their behavior in a density-dependent manner. A quorum-sensing cell may directly respond to the autoinducers it produces in a cell-autonomous and quorum-independent manner, but the strength of such self-sensing effect and its impact on bacterial physiology are unclear. Here, we explored the existence and impact of self-sensing in the Bacillus subtilis ComQXP and Rap-Phr quorum-sensing systems. By comparing the quorum-sensing response of autoinducer-secreting and non-secreting cells in co-culture, we found that secreting cells consistently showed a stronger response than non-secreting cells. Combining genetic and quantitative analyses, we demonstrated this effect to be a direct result of self-sensing and ruled out an indirect regulatory effect of the autoinducer production genes on response sensitivity. In addition, self-sensing in the ComQXP system affected persistence to antibiotic treatment. Together, these findings indicate the existence of self-sensing in the two most common designs of quorum-sensing systems of Gram-positive bacteria. PMID:29038467

Design and Development of a Pressure Transducer for High Hydrostatic Pressure Measurements up to 200 MPa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Anuj; Yadav, Sanjay; Agarwal, Ravinder

2017-08-01

A number of pressure transducers, based on strain gauge, capacitance/inductance type, frequency resonators, are commercially available and are being used for sensing and producing an electrical output proportional to applied pressure. These sensors have their own advantages and limitations due to operational ease, measurement uncertainty and the costs. Strain gauge type transducers are now well established devices for accurate and precise measurement of pressure within measurement uncertainty up to 0.1 % of full scale. In the present research work, an indigenous strain gauge pressure transducer has been designed, developed, tested and calibrated for pressure measurement up to 200 MPa. The measurement uncertainty estimated using the pressure transducer was found better than 0.1 % of full scale. This transducer was developed using four foil type strain gauges, bonded, two in axial direction while other two in radial direction, to the controlled stress zones of a tubular maraging steel active cylinder working also as diaphragm. The strain gages were then connected to a Wheatstone bridge arrangement to measure stress generated strains. The pressure was applied through matching connector designed in the same tubular transducer active element. The threaded unique design in a single piece through collar, ferule and tubing arrangement provides leak proof pressure connections with external devices without using additional seals. The calibration and performance checking of the pressure transducer was carried out using dead weight type national pressure standard using the internationally accepted calibration procedure.

The National Research Council study: "Making sense of ballistic missile defense"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilkening, Dean A.

2014-05-01

This chapter explains and summarizes the main findings of a recent National Research Council study entitled Making Sense of Ballistic Missile Defense: An Assessment of Concepts and Systems for U.S. Boost-Phase Missile Defense in Comparison to Other Alternatives.

Miniaturized neural sensing and optogenetic stimulation system for behavioral studies in the rat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Min Hyuck; Nam, Ilho; Ryu, Youngki; Wellman, Laurie W.; Sanford, Larry D.; Yoon, Hargsoon

2015-04-01

Real time sensing of localized electrophysiological and neurochemical signals associated with spontaneous and evoked neural activity is critically important for understanding neural networks in the brain. Our goal is to enhance the functionality and flexibility of a neural sensing and stimulation system for the observation of brain activity that will enable better understanding from the level of individual cells to that of global structures. We have thus developed a miniaturized electronic system for in-vivo neurotransmitter sensing and optogenetic stimulation amenable to behavioral studies in the rat. The system contains a potentiostat, a data acquisition unit, a control unit, and a wireless data transfer unit. For the potentiostat, we applied embedded op-amps to build single potential amperometry for electrochemical sensing of dopamine. A light emitting diode is controlled by a microcontroller and pulse width modulation utilized to control optogenetic stimulation within a sub-millisecond level. In addition, this proto-typed electronic system contains a Bluetooth module for wireless data communication. In the future, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) will be designed for further miniaturization of the system.

Remote sensing of atmospheric pressure and sea state using laser altimeters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gardner, C. S.

1985-01-01

Short-pulse multicolor laser ranging systems are currently being developed for satellite ranging applications. These systems use Q-switched pulsed lasers and streak-tube cameras to provide timing accuracies approaching a few picoseconds. Satellite laser ranging systems have been used to evaluate many important geophysical phenomena such as fault motion, polar motion and solid earth tides, by measuring the orbital perturbations of retroreflector equipped satellites. Some existing operational systems provide range resolution approaching a few millimeters. There is currently considerable interest in adapting these highly accurate systems for use as airborne and satellite based altimeters. Potential applications include the measurement of sea state, ground topography and atmospheric pressure. This paper reviews recent progress in the development of multicolor laser altimeters for use in monitoring sea state and atmospheric pressure.

Remote sensing program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Philipson, W. R. (Principal Investigator)

1983-01-01

Built on Cornell's thirty years of experience in aerial photographic studies, the NASA-sponsored remote sensing program strengthened instruction and research in remote sensing, established communication links within and beyond the university community, and conducted research projects for or with town, county, state, federal, and private organizations in New York State. The 43 completed applied research projects are listed as well as 13 spinoff grants/contracts. The curriculum offered, consultations provided, and data processing facilities available are described. Publications engendered are listed including the thesis of graduates in the remote sensing program.

Impact of SenseCam on memory, identity and mood in Korsakoff's syndrome: a single case experimental design study.

PubMed

Svanberg, Jenny; Evans, Jonathan J

2014-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the impact of SenseCam, a wearable, automatic camera, on subjective mood and identity in a patient with severe memory impairment due to Korsakoff's syndrome. It was hypothesised that SenseCam would improve Ms A's mood and identity through enhancing recall of autobiographical memories of recent events, therefore supporting a coherent sense of self; the lack of which was contributing to Ms A's mood deterioration. An ABA single case experimental design investigated whether using SenseCam to record regular activities impacted on Ms A's mood and identity. Ms A experienced improved recall for events recorded using SenseCam, and showed improvement on subjective ratings of identity. However, a corresponding improvement in mood was not seen, and the study was ended early at Ms A's request. Qualitative information was gathered to explore Ms A's experience of the study, and investigate psychosocial factors that may have impacted on the use of SenseCam. SenseCam may be of significant use as a compensatory memory aid for people with Korsakoff's syndrome and other types of alcohol-related brain damage (ARBD), but acceptance of memory impairment and consistent support may be among the factors required to support the use of such assistive technologies in a community setting.

Microstructure actuation and gas sensing by the Knudsen thermal force

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Strongrich, Andrew; Alexeenko, Alina, E-mail: alexeenk@purdue.edu

2015-11-09

The generation of forces and moments on structures immersed in rarefied non-isothermal gas flows has received limited practical implementation since first being discovered over a century ago. The formation of significant thermal stresses requires both large thermal gradients and characteristic dimensions which are comparable to the gas molecular mean free path. For macroscopic geometries, this necessitates impractically high temperatures and very low pressures. At the microscale, however, these conditions are easily achieved, allowing the effects to be exploited, namely, for gas-property sensing and microstructure actuation. In this letter, we introduce and experimentally evaluate performance of a microelectromechanical in-plane Knudsen radiometricmore » actuator, a self-contained device having Knudsen thermal force generation, sensing, and tuning mechanisms integrated onto the same platform. Sensitivity to ambient pressure, temperature gradient, as well as gas composition is demonstrated. Results are presented in terms of a non-dimensional force coefficient, allowing measurements to be directly compared to the previous experimental and computational data on out-of-plane cantilevered configurations.« less

Real-time contaminant sensing and control in civil infrastructure systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rimer, Sara; Katopodes, Nikolaos

2014-11-01

A laboratory-scale prototype has been designed and implemented to test the feasibility of real-time contaminant sensing and control in civil infrastructure systems. A blower wind tunnel is the basis of the prototype design, with propylene glycol smoke as the ``contaminant.'' A camera sensor and compressed-air vacuum nozzle system is set up at the test section portion of the prototype to visually sense and then control the contaminant; a real-time controller is programmed to read in data from the camera sensor and administer pressure to regulators controlling the compressed air operating the vacuum nozzles. A computational fluid dynamics model is being integrated in with this prototype to inform the correct pressure to supply to the regulators in order to optimally control the contaminant's removal from the prototype. The performance of the prototype has been evaluated against the computational fluid dynamics model and is discussed in this presentation. Furthermore, the initial performance of the sensor-control system implemented in the test section of the prototype is discussed. NSF-CMMI 0856438.

Variable pressure power cycle and control system

DOEpatents

Goldsberry, Fred L.

1984-11-27

A variable pressure power cycle and control system that is adjustable to a variable heat source is disclosed. The power cycle adjusts itself to the heat source so that a minimal temperature difference is maintained between the heat source fluid and the power cycle working fluid, thereby substantially matching the thermodynamic envelope of the power cycle to the thermodynamic envelope of the heat source. Adjustments are made by sensing the inlet temperature of the heat source fluid and then setting a superheated vapor temperature and pressure to achieve a minimum temperature difference between the heat source fluid and the working fluid.

High-pressure studies on heavy fermion systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Chen; Zongfa, Weng; Smidman, Michael; Xin, Lu; Huiqiu, Yuan

2016-07-01

In this review article, we give a brief overview of heavy fermions, which are prototype examples of strongly correlated electron systems. We introduce the application of physical pressure in heavy fermion systems to construct their pressure phase diagrams and to study the close relationship between superconductivity (SC) and other electronic instabilities, such as antiferromagnetism (AFM), ferromagnetism (FM), and valence transitions. Field-angle dependent heat capacity and point-contact spectroscopic measurements under pressure are taken as examples to illustrate their ability to investigate novel physical properties of the emergent electronic states. Project supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2011CBA00103), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11174245 and 11374257), the Science Challenge Program of China, and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China.

Application of remote sensing to monitoring and studying dispersion in ocean dumping

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, R. W.; Ohlhorst, C. W.

1981-01-01

Remotely sensed wide area synoptic data provides information on ocean dumping that is not readily available by other means. A qualitative approach has been used to map features, such as river plumes. Results of quantitative analyses have been used to develop maps showing quantitative distributions of one or more water quality parameters, such as suspended solids or chlorophyll a. Joint NASA/NOAA experiments have been conducted at designated dump areas in the U.S. coastal zones to determine the applicability of aircraft remote sensing systems to map plumes resulting from ocean dumping of sewage sludge and industrial wastes. A second objective is related to the evaluation of previously developed quantitative analysis techniques for studying dispersion of materials in these plumes. It was found that plumes resulting from dumping of four waste materials have distinctive spectral characteristics. The development of a technology for use in a routine monitoring system, based on remote sensing techniques, is discussed.

Study on temperature and damage sensing capability of Portland cement paste through the thermoelectric measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hou, Tsung-Chin; Tai, Ko-Hung; Su, Yu-Min

2017-04-01

This study attempted to investigate the self-sensing capability of Portland cement composites in sensing temperature and detecting damages through the measurements of materials' thermoelectric properties. Specimens were made of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) with the water to cement ratio of 0.4. Temperature sensing property was characterized at various ages of the specimens from 28 to 49 days and at dried/moisturized conditions. It was found there exists an approximately linear relationship between temperature differences (ΔT) and the measured thermoelectric potentials, which is known as the Seebeck effect. This linearity was observed to be varied but able to be characterized for cement pastes at different ages and water saturation conditions. Mechanical loading that introduced different types and degrees of damages also translated into the variations of thermoelectric properties. Specifically, different types of compressive loads were tested for comparison. The study results have shown that Seebeck coefficient dropped with introduced damages, and restored with the subsequent re-curing as well as the continued cement hydration. Mild and moderate damages can be partially or fully restored, while severe damages that have resulted in significant drop of the Seebeck coefficients would restrain the self-restoration. Determination of the damage threshold was not yet revealed in this study, while it was shown obviously there existed one. Our investigation results indicated that characterizing the self-sensing capability of Portland cement composites is achievable through the measurements of thermoelectric properties. This study, in particular, has showcased the temperature sensing and damage detection capability.

Fuel cell system shutdown with anode pressure control

DOEpatents

Clingerman, Bruce J.; Doan, Tien M.; Keskula, Donald H.

2002-01-01

A venting methodology and pressure sensing and vent valving arrangement for monitoring anode bypass valve operating during the normal shutdown of a fuel cell apparatus of the type used in vehicle propulsion systems. During a normal shutdown routine, the pressure differential between the anode inlet and anode outlet is monitored in real time in a period corresponding to the normal closing speed of the anode bypass valve and the pressure differential at the end of the closing cycle of the anode bypass valve is compared to the pressure differential at the beginning of the closing cycle. If the difference in pressure differential at the beginning and end of the anode bypass closing cycle indicates that the anode bypass valve has not properly closed, a system controller switches from a normal shutdown mode to a rapid shutdown mode in which the anode inlet is instantaneously vented by rapid vents.

Etched Polymer Fibre Bragg Gratings and Their Biomedical Sensing Applications

PubMed Central

Rajan, Ginu; Bhowmik, Kishore; Xi, Jiangtao; Peng, Gang-Ding

2017-01-01

Bragg gratings in etched polymer fibres and their unique properties and characteristics are discussed in this paper. Due to the change in material and mechanical properties of the polymer fibre through etching, Bragg gratings inscribed in such fibres show high reflectivity and enhanced intrinsic sensitivity towards strain, temperature, and pressure. The short-term and long-term stability of the gratings and the effect of hysteresis on the dynamic characteristics are also discussed. The unique properties and enhanced intrinsic sensitivity of etched polymer fibre Bragg grating are ideal for the development of high-sensitivity sensors for biomedical applications. To demonstrate their biomedical sensing capabilities, a high-sensitivity pressure transducer that operates in the blood pressure range, and a breathing rate monitoring device are developed and presented. PMID:29027945

Thermogravimetric study of vapor pressure of TATP synthesized without recrystallization.

PubMed

Mbah, Jonathan; Knott, Debra; Steward, Scott

2014-11-01

This study aims at characterizing the vapor pressure signatures generated by triacetone triperoxide (TATP) that was synthesized without recrystallization by thermogravimmetric analysis (TGA) for exploitation by standoff detection technologies of explosive devices. The thermal behavior of the nonrecrystallized sample was compared with reported values. Any phase change, melting point and decomposition identification were studied by differential scanning calorimeter. Vapor pressures were estimated by the Langmuir method of evaporation from an open surface in a vacuum. Vapor pressures of TATP at different temperatures were calculated using the linear logarithmic relationship obtained from benzoic acid reference standard. Sublimation of TATP was found to follow apparent zero-order kinetics and sublimes at steady rates at 298 K and above. While the enthalpy of sublimation found, 71.7 kJ mol(-1), is in agreement with reported values the vapor pressures deviated significantly. The differences in the vapor pressures behavior are attributable to the synthesis pathway chosen in this study. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Wavelength modulation diode laser absorption spectroscopy for high-pressure gas sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, K.; Chao, X.; Sur, R.; Jeffries, J. B.; Hanson, R. K.

2013-03-01

A general model for 1 f-normalized wavelength modulation absorption spectroscopy with nf detection (i.e., WMS- nf) is presented that considers the performance of injection-current-tuned diode lasers and the reflective interference produced by other optical components on the line-of-sight (LOS) transmission intensity. This model explores the optimization of sensitive detection of optical absorption by species with structured spectra at elevated pressures. Predictions have been validated by comparison with measurements of the 1 f-normalized WMS- nf (for n = 2-6) lineshape of the R(11) transition in the 1st overtone band of CO near 2.3 μm at four different pressures ranging from 5 to 20 atm, all at room temperature. The CO mole fractions measured by 1 f-normalized WMS-2 f, 3 f, and 4 f techniques agree with calibrated mixtures within 2.0 %. At conditions where absorption features are significantly broadened and large modulation depths are required, uncertainties in the WMS background signals due to reflective interference in the optical path can produce significant error in gas mole fraction measurements by 1 f-normalized WMS-2 f. However, such potential errors can be greatly reduced by using the higher harmonics, i.e., 1 f-normalized WMS- nf with n > 2. In addition, less interference from pressure-broadened neighboring transitions has been observed for WMS with higher harmonics than for WMS-2 f.

Stand Alone Pressure Measurement Device (SAPMD) for the space shuttle Orbiter, part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tomlinson, Bill

1989-01-01

The specifications for the Stand Alone Pressure Measurement Device (SAPMD) are as follows: the SAPMD shall measure ambient pressure at the surface of the Orbiter TPS in the range of 0 to 15 pounds per square inch absolute (PSIA). Measurement will begin at solid rocket booster (SRB) ignition as sensed by appropriate vibration sensing elements in the SAPMD. Pressure and corresponding real-time data are to be recorded every one tenth second for 140 seconds and at the end of the recording period, the operation will be discontinued with the data preserved for interrogation subsequent to Orbiter re-entry and landing. The type and size of the battery shall be such as to allow the vibration sensing elements and a real-time clock to be initialized a minimum of 30 day prior to launch and still provide power as necessary to perform the 140 second data recording period after SRB ignition. Battery installation shall be in such a manner as to allow battery replacement without removing the SAPMD from its position or removing more than one TPS tile. The SAPMD must be mounted in specific locations under tile of the TPS. To accommodate such mounting, the absolute maximum physical dimensions much not exceed 6.0 inches in length, 1.5 inches in width, and 0.4 inches in height, and the device shall be of such configuration that it can be bonded to the Orbiter skin at the joint line of two TPS tiles with the pressure sensing port at the surface of the tile. The SAPMD must remain operational in the temperature range of -40 to +85 C and survive storage temperature of -55 to +125 C. The pressure port must withstand 934 C without causing damage to the TPS during entry and must remain functional at 262 C during ascent. The accuracy of the pressure measurement must be plus or minus one-half PSIA over a temperature range of 0 to +36 C. All the specifications were met and verified by prototype testing and documented in the enclosed test data. Four flight-qualified models were fabricated and of

Geographic techniques and recent applications of remote sensing to landscape-water quality studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Griffith, J.A.

2002-01-01

This article overviews recent advances in studies of landscape-water quality relationships using remote sensing techniques. With the increasing feasibility of using remotely-sensed data, landscape-water quality studies can now be more easily performed on regional, multi-state scales. The traditional method of relating land use and land cover to water quality has been extended to include landscape pattern and other landscape information derived from satellite data. Three items are focused on in this article: 1) the increasing recognition of the importance of larger-scale studies of regional water quality that require a landscape perspective; 2) the increasing importance of remotely sensed data, such as the imagery-derived normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and vegetation phenological metrics derived from time-series NDVI data; and 3) landscape pattern. In some studies, using landscape pattern metrics explained some of the variation in water quality not explained by land use/cover. However, in some other studies, the NDVI metrics were even more highly correlated to certain water quality parameters than either landscape pattern metrics or land use/cover proportions. Although studies relating landscape pattern metrics to water quality have had mixed results, this recent body of work applying these landscape measures and satellite-derived metrics to water quality analysis has demonstrated their potential usefulness in monitoring watershed conditions across large regions.

Wireless Capacitive Pressure Sensor With Directional RF Chip Antenna for High Temperature Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scardelletti, M. C.; Jordan, J. L.; Ponchak, G. E.; Zorman, C. A.

2015-01-01

This paper presents the design, fabrication and characterization of a wireless capacitive pressure sensor with directional RF chip antenna that is envisioned for the health monitoring of aircraft engines operating in harsh environments. The sensing system is characterized from room temperature (25 C) to 300 C for a pressure range from 0 to 100 psi. The wireless pressure system consists of a Clapp-type oscillator design with a capacitive MEMS pressure sensor located in the LC-tank circuit of the oscillator. Therefore, as the pressure of the aircraft engine changes, so does the output resonant frequency of the sensing system. A chip antenna is integrated to transmit the system output to a receive antenna 10 m away.The design frequency of the wireless pressure sensor is 127 MHz and a 2 increase in resonant frequency over the temperature range of 25 to 300 C from 0 to 100 psi is observed. The phase noise is less than minus 30 dBcHz at the 1 kHz offset and decreases to less than minus 80 dBcHz at 10 kHz over the entire temperature range. The RF radiation patterns for two cuts of the wireless system have been measured and show that the system is highly directional and the MEMS pressure sensor is extremely linear from 0 to 100 psi.

Integrated dynamic and static tactile sensor: focus on static force sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wettels, Nicholas; Pletner, Baruch

2012-04-01

Object grasping by robotic hands in unstructured environments demands a sensor that is durable, compliant, and responsive to static and dynamic force conditions. In order for a tactile sensor to be useful for grasp control in these, it should have the following properties: tri-axial force sensing (two shear plus normal component), dynamic event sensing across slip frequencies, compliant surface for grip, wide dynamic range (depending on application), insensitivity to environmental conditions, ability to withstand abuse and good sensing behavior (e.g. low hysteresis, high repeatability). These features can be combined in a novel multimodal tactile sensor. This sensor combines commercial-off-the-shelf MEMS technology with two proprietary force sensors: a high bandwidth device based on PZT technology and low bandwidth device based on elastomers and optics. In this study, we focus on the latter transduction mechanism and the proposed architecture of the completed device. In this study, an embedded LED was utilized to produce a constant light source throughout a layer of silicon rubber which covered a plastic mandrel containing a set of sensitive phototransistors. Features about the contacted object such as center of pressure and force vectors can be extracted from the information in the changing patterns of light. The voltage versus force relationship obtained with this molded humanlike finger had a wide dynamic range that coincided with forces relevant for most human grip tasks.

Successful factors to prevent pressure ulcers - an interview study.

PubMed

Hommel, Ami; Gunningberg, Lena; Idvall, Ewa; Bååth, Carina

2017-01-01

To explore successful factors to prevent pressure ulcers in hospital settings. Pressure ulcer prevalence has been recognised as a quality indicator for both patient safety and quality of care in hospital and community settings. Most pressure ulcer can be prevented if effective measures are implemented and evaluated. The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions initiated nationwide pressure ulcer prevalence studies in 2011. In 2014, after four years of measurement, the prevalence was still unacceptably high on a national level. The mean prevalence of pressure ulcer in the spring of 2014 was 14% in hospital settings with a range from 2·7-36·4%. Qualitative semistructured interviews were conducted. A qualitative content analysis, in addition to Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services frameworks, was used in the analysis of the data text. Individual interviews and focus groups were used to create opportunities for both individual responses and group interactions. The study was conducted at six hospitals during the fall of 2014. Three main categories were identified as successful factors to prevent pressure ulcer in hospitals: creating a good organisation, maintaining persistent awareness and realising the benefits for patients. The goal for all healthcare personnel must be delivering high-quality, sustainable care to patients. Prevention of pressure ulcer is crucial in this work. It seems to be easier for small hospitals (with a low number of units/beds) to develop and sustain an effective organisation in prevention work. The nurse managers' attitude and engagement are crucial to enable the personnel to work actively with pressure ulcer prevention. Strategies are proposed to advance clinical leadership, knowledge, skills and abilities for the crucial implementation of pressure ulcer prevention. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Comparison of water and air charged transducer catheter pressures in the evaluation of cystometrogram and voiding pressure studies.

PubMed

McKinney, Timothy B; Babin, Elizabeth A; Ciolfi, Veronica; McKinney, Cynthia R; Shah, Nima

2018-04-01

Air-charged (AC) and water-perfused (WP) catheters have been evaluated for differences in measuring pressures for voiding dysfunction. Typically, a two-catheter system was used. We believe that simultaneous pressure measurements with AC and WP in a single catheter will provide analogous pressures for coughs, Valsalvas, and maximum pressures in voiding pressure studies (VPS). This IRB approved prospective study included 50 women over age 21. AC dual TDOC catheters were utilized. The water-filling channel served as the bladder filler and the water pressure readings. Patients were evaluated with empty bladders and at volumes of 50-100 mL, 200 mL, and maximum capacity with cough and Valsalva maneuvers. Comparative analysis was performed on maximum stress peak pressures. At maximum bladder capacity, VPS was done and maximum voiding pressure was recorded. Comparing coughs and Valsalva maneuvers pressures, there was significant increase in variability between AC and WP measurements with less than 50 mL volume (P < 0.001). Significant correlations were observed between AC and WP measurements for coughs and Valsalvas with bladder volume over 50 mL. Visual impression showed virtually identical tracings. Cough measurements had an average difference of 0.25 cmH 2 O (±8.81) and Valsalva measurements had an average difference of 3.15 cmH 2 O (±4.72). Thirty-eight women had usable maximum voiding pressure measurements and had a strong correlation. Cystometrogram and maximum voiding pressure measurements done with either water or air charged catheters will yield similarly accurate results and are comparable. Results suggest more variability at low bladder volumes <50 mL. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

High hydrostatic pressure induces pro-osteoarthritic changes in cartilage precursor cells: A transcriptome analysis.

PubMed

Montagne, Kevin; Onuma, Yasuko; Ito, Yuzuru; Aiki, Yasuhiko; Furukawa, Katsuko S; Ushida, Takashi

2017-01-01

Due to the high water content of cartilage, hydrostatic pressure is likely one of the main physical stimuli sensed by chondrocytes. Whereas, in the physiological range (0 to around 10 MPa), hydrostatic pressure exerts mostly pro-chondrogenic effects in chondrocyte models, excessive pressures have been reported to induce detrimental effects on cartilage, such as increased apoptosis and inflammation, and decreased cartilage marker expression. Though some genes modulated by high pressure have been identified, the effects of high pressure on the global gene expression pattern have still not been investigated. In this study, using microarray technology and real-time PCR validation, we analyzed the transcriptome of ATDC5 chondrocyte progenitors submitted to a continuous pressure of 25 MPa for up to 24 h. Several hundreds of genes were found to be modulated by pressure, including some not previously known to be mechano-sensitive. High pressure markedly increased the expression of stress-related genes, apoptosis-related genes and decreased that of cartilage matrix genes. Furthermore, a large set of genes involved in the progression of osteoarthritis were also induced by high pressure, suggesting that hydrostatic pressure could partly mimic in vitro some of the genetic alterations occurring in osteoarthritis.

Sense of Place in Environmental Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kudryavtsev, Alex; Stedman, Richard C.; Krasny, Marianne E.

2012-01-01

Although environmental education research has embraced the idea of sense of place, it has rarely taken into account environmental psychology-based sense of place literature whose theory and empirical studies can enhance related studies in the education context. This article contributes to research on sense of place in environmental education from…

Grid workflow validation using ontology-based tacit knowledge: A case study for quantitative remote sensing applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jia; Liu, Longli; Xue, Yong; Dong, Jing; Hu, Yingcui; Hill, Richard; Guang, Jie; Li, Chi

2017-01-01

Workflow for remote sensing quantitative retrieval is the ;bridge; between Grid services and Grid-enabled application of remote sensing quantitative retrieval. Workflow averts low-level implementation details of the Grid and hence enables users to focus on higher levels of application. The workflow for remote sensing quantitative retrieval plays an important role in remote sensing Grid and Cloud computing services, which can support the modelling, construction and implementation of large-scale complicated applications of remote sensing science. The validation of workflow is important in order to support the large-scale sophisticated scientific computation processes with enhanced performance and to minimize potential waste of time and resources. To research the semantic correctness of user-defined workflows, in this paper, we propose a workflow validation method based on tacit knowledge research in the remote sensing domain. We first discuss the remote sensing model and metadata. Through detailed analysis, we then discuss the method of extracting the domain tacit knowledge and expressing the knowledge with ontology. Additionally, we construct the domain ontology with Protégé. Through our experimental study, we verify the validity of this method in two ways, namely data source consistency error validation and parameters matching error validation.

Regulation of Carotid Body Oxygen Sensing by Hypoxia-Inducible Factors

PubMed Central

Prabhakar, Nanduri R.; Semenza, Gregg L.

2015-01-01

Oxygen (O2) sensing by the carotid body and its chemosensory reflex is critical for homeostatic regulation of breathing and blood pressure. Carotid body responses to hypoxia are not uniform but instead exhibit remarkable inter-individual variations. The molecular mechanisms underlying variations in carotid body O2 sensing are not known. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) and HIF-2 mediate transcriptional responses to hypoxia. This article reviews the emerging evidence that proper expression of the HIF-α isoforms is a key molecular determinant for carotid body O2 sensing. HIF-1α deficiency leads to a blunted carotid body hypoxic response, which is due to increased abundance of HIF-2α, elevated anti-oxidant enzyme activity, and a reduced intracellular redox state. Conversely, HIF-2α deficiency results in augmented carotid body sensitivity to hypoxia, which is due to increased abundance of HIF-1α, elevated pro-oxidant enzyme activity, and an oxidized intracellular redox state. Double heterozygous mice with equally reduced HIF-1α and HIF-2α showed no abnormality in redox state or carotid body O2 sensing. Thus, mutual antagonism between HIF-α isoforms determines the redox state and thereby establishes the set point for hypoxic sensing by the carotid body. PMID:26265380

Optical fiber pressure sensor based on fiber Bragg grating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Dongcao

In oil field, it is important to measure the high pressure and temperature for down-hole oil exploration and well-logging, the available traditional electronic sensor is challenged due to the harsh, flammable environment. Recently, applications based on fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor in the oil industry have become a popular research because of its distinguishing advantages such as electrically passive operation, immunity to electromagnetic interference, high resolution, insensitivity to optical power fluctuation etc. This thesis is divided into two main sections. In the first section, the design of high pressure sensor based on FBG is described. Several sensing elements based on FBG for high pressure measurements have been proposed, for example bulk-modulus or free elastic modulus. But the structure of bulk-modulus and free elastic modulus is relatively complex and not easy to fabricate. In addition, the pressure sensitivity is not high and the repeatability of the structure has not been investigated. In this thesis, a novel host material of carbon fiber laminated composite (CFLC) for high pressure sensing is proposed. The mechanical characteristics including principal moduli in three directions and the shape repeatability are investigated. Because of it's Young's modulus in one direction and anisotropic characteristics, the pressure sensor made by CFLC has excellent sensitivity. This said structure can be used in very high pressure measurement due to carbon fiber composite's excellent shape repetition even under high pressure. The experimental results show high pressure sensitivity of 0.101nm/MPa and high pressure measurement up to 70MPa. A pressure sensor based on CFLC and FBG with temperature compensation has been designed. In the second section, the design of low pressure sensor based on FBG is demonstrated. Due to the trade off between measurement range and sensitivity, a sensor for lower pressure range needs more sensitivity. A novel material of carbon

Recent studies on nanosecond-timescale pressurized gas discharges

DOE PAGES

Yatom, S.; Shlapakovski, A.; Beilin, L.; ...

2016-10-05

The results of recent experimental and numerical studies of nanosecond high-voltage discharges in pressurized gases are reviewed. The discharges were ignited in a diode filled by different gases within a wide range of pressures by an applied pulsed voltage or by a laser pulse in the gas-filled charged resonant microwave cavity. Fast-framing imaging of light emission, optical emission spectroscopy, X-ray foil spectrometry and coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering were used to study temporal and spatial evolution of the discharge plasma density and temperature, energy distribution function of runaway electrons and dynamics of the electric field in the plasma channel. The resultsmore » obtained allow a deeper understanding of discharge dynamical properties in the nanosecond timescale, which is important for various applications of these types of discharges in pressurized gases.« less

Method for making a dynamic pressure sensor and a pressure sensor made according to the method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zuckerwar, Allan J. (Inventor); Robbins, William E. (Inventor); Robins, Glenn M. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

A method for providing a perfectly flat top with a sharp edge on a dynamic pressure sensor using a cup-shaped stretched membrane as a sensing element is described. First, metal is deposited on the membrane and surrounding areas. Next, the side wall of the pressure sensor with the deposited metal is machined to a predetermined size. Finally, deposited metal is removed from the top of the membrane in small steps, by machining or lapping while the pressure sensor is mounted in a jig or the wall of a test object, until the true top surface of the membrane appears. A thin indicator layer having a color contrasting with the color of the membrane may be applied to the top of the membrane before metal is deposited to facilitate the determination of when to stop metal removal from the top surface of the membrane.

Study on Calculation Model of Culvert Soil Pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jing; Tian, Xiao-yan; Gao, Xiao-mei

2017-09-01

Culvert diseases are prevalent in highway engineering. There are many factors involved in the occurrence of the disease, and the problem is complex. However, the design cannot accurately determine the role of the soil pressure on the culvert is the main reason to the disease. Based on the theoretical analysis and field test, this paper studies the characteristics of the stress and deformation of the culvert-soil structure. According to the theory of soil mechanics, the calculation model of vertical soil pressure at the top of culvert is determined, and the formula of vertical soil pressure at the top of culvert is deduced. Through the field test of the vertical soil pressure at the top of culvert of several engineering examples, the calculation formula of this paper is verified, which can provide reference for future practical engineering.

Remote sensing of on-road vehicle emissions: Mechanism, applications and a case study from Hong Kong

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Yuhan; Organ, Bruce; Zhou, John L.; Surawski, Nic C.; Hong, Guang; Chan, Edward F. C.; Yam, Yat Shing

2018-06-01

Vehicle emissions are a major contributor to air pollution in cities and have serious health impacts to their inhabitants. On-road remote sensing is an effective and economic tool to monitor and control vehicle emissions. In this review, the mechanism, accuracy, advantages and limitations of remote sensing were introduced. Then the applications and major findings of remote sensing were critically reviewed. It was revealed that the emission distribution of on-road vehicles was highly skewed so that the dirtiest 10% vehicles accounted for over half of the total fleet emissions. Such findings highlighted the importance and effectiveness of using remote sensing for in situ identification of high-emitting vehicles for further inspection and maintenance programs. However, the accuracy and number of vehicles affected by screening programs were greatly dependent on the screening criteria. Remote sensing studies showed that the emissions of gasoline and diesel vehicles were significantly reduced in recent years, with the exception of NOx emissions of diesel vehicles in spite of greatly tightened automotive emission regulations. Thirdly, the experience and issues of using remote sensing for identifying high-emitting vehicles in Hong Kong (where remote sensing is a legislative instrument for enforcement purposes) were reported. That was followed by the first time ever identification and discussion of the issue of frequent false detection of diesel high-emitters using remote sensing. Finally, the challenges and future research directions of on-road remote sensing were elaborated.

Association of social support with gratitude and sense of coherence in Japanese young women: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Fujitani, Tomoko; Ohara, Kumiko; Kouda, Katsuyasu; Mase, Tomoki; Miyawaki, Chiemi; Momoi, Katsumasa; Okita, Yoshimitsu; Furutani, Maki; Nakamura, Harunobu

2017-01-01

Purpose Recent studies have shown that perceived social support is associated with gratitude and sense of coherence, but evidence for this concept remains scarce. In the present study, we investigated relationships between social support, gratitude, and sense of coherence, focusing on the construct of and source of social support among young women. Methods The study was conducted in 2014 in Japan. Participants comprised 208 female university students (aged 19.9 ± 1.1 years), who completed a self-administered anonymous questionnaire regarding perceived social support, gratitude, and sense of coherence. Results Emotional and instrumental social support from acquaintances were found to be lower than those from family and friends. Gratitude was positively correlated with all forms of social support except instrumental social support from acquaintances. However, sense of coherence was positively correlated with both emotional and instrumental social support from family and only emotional social support from acquaintances. Multiple regression analysis showed that emotional support from family and emotional support from acquaintances were positively associated with gratitude whereas emotional support from family was associated with sense of coherence. Conclusion These results indicate that emotional social support from family was related to both gratitude and sense of coherence. PMID:28721109

Association of social support with gratitude and sense of coherence in Japanese young women: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Fujitani, Tomoko; Ohara, Kumiko; Kouda, Katsuyasu; Mase, Tomoki; Miyawaki, Chiemi; Momoi, Katsumasa; Okita, Yoshimitsu; Furutani, Maki; Nakamura, Harunobu

2017-01-01

Recent studies have shown that perceived social support is associated with gratitude and sense of coherence, but evidence for this concept remains scarce. In the present study, we investigated relationships between social support, gratitude, and sense of coherence, focusing on the construct of and source of social support among young women. The study was conducted in 2014 in Japan. Participants comprised 208 female university students (aged 19.9 ± 1.1 years), who completed a self-administered anonymous questionnaire regarding perceived social support, gratitude, and sense of coherence. Emotional and instrumental social support from acquaintances were found to be lower than those from family and friends. Gratitude was positively correlated with all forms of social support except instrumental social support from acquaintances. However, sense of coherence was positively correlated with both emotional and instrumental social support from family and only emotional social support from acquaintances. Multiple regression analysis showed that emotional support from family and emotional support from acquaintances were positively associated with gratitude whereas emotional support from family was associated with sense of coherence. These results indicate that emotional social support from family was related to both gratitude and sense of coherence.