Synthesis of structures of electric small-sized radiators using impedance matching materials for millimeter waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klimov, Konstantin N.; Epaneshnikova, Irina K.; Belevtsev, Andrey M.; Godin, Andrey S.; Drize, Artemiy D.

2017-10-01

The usage of impedance matching materials for millimeters waves in antenna systems is a promising direction in the development of modern radar stations that allows unifying nomenclature of radiating elements. One of possible appliances of impedance matching materials is transfer of working frequencies of radiating elements to bands with greater wavelength. The usage of several impedance matching mediums, for example, with ɛr=μr=2, ɛr=μr=4, ɛr=μr=8, ɛr=μr=10 allows to extend waveband of the radiating element by 2, 4, 8 and 10 times.

Online tuning of impedance matching circuit for long pulse inductively coupled plasma source operation—An alternate approach

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

Sudhir, Dass; Bandyopadhyay, M., E-mail: mainak@ter-india.org; Chakraborty, A.

2014-01-15

Impedance matching circuit between radio frequency (RF) generator and the plasma load, placed between them, determines the RF power transfer from RF generator to the plasma load. The impedance of plasma load depends on the plasma parameters through skin depth and plasma conductivity or resistivity. Therefore, for long pulse operation of inductively coupled plasmas, particularly for high power (∼100 kW or more) where plasma load condition may vary due to different reasons (e.g., pressure, power, and thermal), online tuning of impedance matching circuit is necessary through feedback. In fusion grade ion source operation, such online methodology through feedback is notmore » present but offline remote tuning by adjusting the matching circuit capacitors and tuning the driving frequency of the RF generator between the ion source operation pulses is envisaged. The present model is an approach for remote impedance tuning methodology for long pulse operation and corresponding online impedance matching algorithm based on RF coil antenna current measurement or coil antenna calorimetric measurement may be useful in this regard.« less

A Spherically-Shaped PZT Thin Film Ultrasonic Transducer with an Acoustic Impedance Gradient Matching Layer Based on a Micromachined Periodically Structured Flexible Substrate

PubMed Central

Feng, Guo-Hua; Liu, Wei-Fan

2013-01-01

This paper presents the microfabrication of an acoustic impedance gradient matching layer on a spherically-shaped piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer. The acoustic matching layer can be designed to achieve higher acoustic energy transmission and operating bandwidth. Also included in this paper are a theoretical analysis of the device design and a micromachining technique to produce the novel transducer. Based on a design of a lead titanium zirconium (PZT) micropillar array, the constructed gradient acoustic matching layer has much better acoustic transmission efficiency within a 20–50 MHz operation range compared to a matching layer with a conventional quarter-wavelength thickness Parylene deposition. To construct the transducer, periodic microcavities are built on a flexible copper sheet, and then the sheet forms a designed curvature with a ball shaping. After PZT slurry deposition, the constructed PZT micropillar array is released onto a curved thin PZT layer. Following Parylene conformal coating on the processed PZT micropillars, the PZT micropillars and the surrounding Parylene comprise a matching layer with gradient acoustic impedance. By using the proposed technique, the fabricated transducer achieves a center frequency of 26 MHz and a −6 dB bandwidth of approximately 65%. PMID:24113683

A spherically-shaped PZT thin film ultrasonic transducer with an acoustic impedance gradient matching layer based on a micromachined periodically structured flexible substrate.

PubMed

Feng, Guo-Hua; Liu, Wei-Fan

2013-10-09

This paper presents the microfabrication of an acoustic impedance gradient matching layer on a spherically-shaped piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer. The acoustic matching layer can be designed to achieve higher acoustic energy transmission and operating bandwidth. Also included in this paper are a theoretical analysis of the device design and a micromachining technique to produce the novel transducer. Based on a design of a lead titanium zirconium (PZT) micropillar array, the constructed gradient acoustic matching layer has much better acoustic transmission efficiency within a 20-50 MHz operation range compared to a matching layer with a conventional quarter-wavelength thickness Parylene deposition. To construct the transducer, periodic microcavities are built on a flexible copper sheet, and then the sheet forms a designed curvature with a ball shaping. After PZT slurry deposition, the constructed PZT micropillar array is released onto a curved thin PZT layer. Following Parylene conformal coating on the processed PZT micropillars, the PZT micropillars and the surrounding Parylene comprise a matching layer with gradient acoustic impedance. By using the proposed technique, the fabricated transducer achieves a center frequency of 26 MHz and a -6 dB bandwidth of approximately 65%.

Impedance self-matching ultra-narrow linewidth fiber resonator by use of a tunable π-phase-shifted FBG.

PubMed

Jing, Mingyong; Yu, Bo; Hu, Jianyong; Hou, Huifang; Zhang, Guofeng; Xiao, Liantuan; Jia, Suotang

2017-05-15

In this paper, we present a novel ultra-narrow linewidth fiber resonator formed by a tunable polarization maintaining (PM) π-phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating and a PM uniform fiber Bragg grating with a certain length of PM single mode fiber patch cable between them. Theoretical prediction shows that this resonator has ultra-narrow linewidth resonant peaks and is easy to realize impedance matching. We experimentally obtain 3 MHz narrow linewidth impedance matched resonant peak in a 7.3 m ultra-long passive fiber cavity. The impedance self-matching characteristic of this resonator also makes itself particularly suitable for use in ultra-sensitive sensors, ultra-narrow band rejection optical filters and fiber lasers applications.

Impedance matched thin metamaterials make metals absorbing.

PubMed

Mattiucci, N; Bloemer, M J; Aközbek, N; D'Aguanno, G

2013-11-13

Metals are generally considered good reflectors over the entire electromagnetic spectrum up to their plasma frequency. Here we demonstrate an approach to tailor their absorbing characteristics based on the effective metamaterial properties of thin, periodic metallo-dielectric multilayers by exploiting a broadband, inherently non-resonant, surface impedance matching mechanism. Based on this mechanism, we design, fabricate and test omnidirectional, thin (<1 micron), polarization independent, extremely efficient absorbers (in principle being capable to reach A > 99%) over a frequency range spanning from the UV to the IR. Our approach opens new venues to design cost effective materials for many applications such as thermo-photovoltaic energy conversion devices, light harvesting for solar cells, flat panel display, infrared detectors, stray light reduction, stealth and others.

Antenna-load interactions at optical frequencies: impedance matching to quantum systems.

PubMed

Olmon, R L; Raschke, M B

2012-11-09

The goal of antenna design at optical frequencies is to deliver optical electromagnetic energy to loads in the form of, e.g., atoms, molecules or nanostructures, or to enhance the radiative emission from such structures, or both. A true optical antenna would, on a qualitatively new level, control the light-matter interaction on the nanoscale for controlled optical signal transduction, radiative decay engineering, quantum coherent control, and super-resolution microscopy, and provide unprecedented sensitivity in spectroscopy. Resonant metallic structures have successfully been designed to approach these goals. They are called optical antennas in analogy to radiofrequency (RF) antennas due to their capability to collect and control electromagnetic fields at optical frequencies. However, in contrast to the RF, where exact design rules for antennas, waveguides, and antenna-load matching in terms of their impedances are well established, substantial physical differences limit the simple extension of the RF concepts into the optical regime. Key distinctions include, for one, intrinsic material resonances including quantum state excitations (metals, metal oxides, semiconductor homo- and heterostructures) and extrinsic resonances (surface plasmon/phonon polaritons) at optical frequencies. Second, in the absence of discrete inductors, capacitors, and resistors, new design strategies must be developed to impedance match the antenna to the load, ultimately in the form of a vibrational, electronic, or spin excitation on the quantum level. Third, there is as yet a lack of standard performance metrics for characterizing, comparing and quantifying optical antenna performance. Therefore, optical antenna development is currently challenged at all the levels of design, fabrication, and characterization. Here we generalize the ideal antenna-load interaction at optical frequencies, characterized by three main steps: (i) far-field reception of a propagating mode exciting an antenna

Clean carbon nanotubes coupled to superconducting impedance-matching circuits.

PubMed

Ranjan, V; Puebla-Hellmann, G; Jung, M; Hasler, T; Nunnenkamp, A; Muoth, M; Hierold, C; Wallraff, A; Schönenberger, C

2015-05-15

Coupling carbon nanotube devices to microwave circuits offers a significant increase in bandwidth (BW) and signal-to-noise ratio. These facilitate fast non-invasive readouts important for quantum information processing, shot noise and correlation measurements. However, creation of a device that unites a low-disorder nanotube with a low-loss microwave resonator has so far remained a challenge, due to fabrication incompatibility of one with the other. Employing a mechanical transfer method, we successfully couple a nanotube to a gigahertz superconducting matching circuit and thereby retain pristine transport characteristics such as the control over formation of, and coupling strengths between, the quantum dots. Resonance response to changes in conductance and susceptance further enables quantitative parameter extraction. The achieved near matching is a step forward promising high-BW noise correlation measurements on high impedance devices such as quantum dot circuits.

Physics-electrical hybrid model for real time impedance matching and remote plasma characterization in RF plasma sources.

PubMed

Sudhir, Dass; Bandyopadhyay, M; Chakraborty, A

2016-02-01

Plasma characterization and impedance matching are an integral part of any radio frequency (RF) based plasma source. In long pulse operation, particularly in high power operation where plasma load may vary due to different reasons (e.g. pressure and power), online tuning of impedance matching circuit and remote plasma density estimation are very useful. In some cases, due to remote interfaces, radio activation and, due to maintenance issues, power probes are not allowed to be incorporated in the ion source design for plasma characterization. Therefore, for characterization and impedance matching, more remote schemes are envisaged. Two such schemes by the same authors are suggested in these regards, which are based on air core transformer model of inductive coupled plasma (ICP) [M. Bandyopadhyay et al., Nucl. Fusion 55, 033017 (2015); D. Sudhir et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 85, 013510 (2014)]. However, the influence of the RF field interaction with the plasma to determine its impedance, a physics code HELIC [D. Arnush, Phys. Plasmas 7, 3042 (2000)] is coupled with the transformer model. This model can be useful for both types of RF sources, i.e., ICP and helicon sources.

Physics-electrical hybrid model for real time impedance matching and remote plasma characterization in RF plasma sources

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

Sudhir, Dass, E-mail: dass.sudhir@iter-india.org; Bandyopadhyay, M.; Chakraborty, A.

2016-02-15

Plasma characterization and impedance matching are an integral part of any radio frequency (RF) based plasma source. In long pulse operation, particularly in high power operation where plasma load may vary due to different reasons (e.g. pressure and power), online tuning of impedance matching circuit and remote plasma density estimation are very useful. In some cases, due to remote interfaces, radio activation and, due to maintenance issues, power probes are not allowed to be incorporated in the ion source design for plasma characterization. Therefore, for characterization and impedance matching, more remote schemes are envisaged. Two such schemes by the samemore » authors are suggested in these regards, which are based on air core transformer model of inductive coupled plasma (ICP) [M. Bandyopadhyay et al., Nucl. Fusion 55, 033017 (2015); D. Sudhir et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 85, 013510 (2014)]. However, the influence of the RF field interaction with the plasma to determine its impedance, a physics code HELIC [D. Arnush, Phys. Plasmas 7, 3042 (2000)] is coupled with the transformer model. This model can be useful for both types of RF sources, i.e., ICP and helicon sources.« less

Estimation of fatigue life using electromechanical impedance technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, Yee Yan; Soh, Chee Kiong

2010-04-01

Fatigue induced damage is often progressive and gradual in nature. Structures subjected to large number of fatigue load cycles will encounter the process of progressive crack initiation, propagation and finally fracture. Monitoring of structural health, especially for the critical components, is therefore essential for early detection of potential harmful crack. Recent advent of smart materials such as piezo-impedance transducer adopting the electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique and wave propagation technique are well proven to be effective in incipient damage detection and characterization. Exceptional advantages such as autonomous, real-time and online, remote monitoring may provide a cost-effective alternative to the conventional structural health monitoring (SHM) techniques. In this study, the main focus is to investigate the feasibility of characterizing a propagating fatigue crack in a structure using the EMI technique as well as estimating its remaining fatigue life using the linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) approach. Uniaxial cyclic tensile load is applied on a lab-sized aluminum beam up to failure. Progressive shift in admittance signatures measured by the piezo-impedance transducer (PZT patch) corresponding to increase of loading cycles reflects effectiveness of the EMI technique in tracing the process of fatigue damage progression. With the use of LEFM, prediction of the remaining life of the structure at different cycles of loading is possible.

Mitigating voltage lead errors of an AC Josephson voltage standard by impedance matching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Dongsheng; van den Brom, Helko E.; Houtzager, Ernest

2017-09-01

A pulse-driven AC Josephson voltage standard (ACJVS) generates calculable AC voltage signals at low temperatures, whereas measurements are performed with a device under test (DUT) at room temperature. The voltage leads cause the output voltage to show deviations that scale with the frequency squared. Error correction mechanisms investigated so far allow the ACJVS to be operational for frequencies up to 100 kHz. In this paper, calculations are presented to deal with these errors in terms of reflected waves. Impedance matching at the source side of the system, which is loaded with a high-impedance DUT, is proposed as an accurate method to mitigate these errors for frequencies up to 1 MHz. Simulations show that the influence of non-ideal component characteristics, such as the tolerance of the matching resistor, the capacitance of the load input impedance, losses in the voltage leads, non-homogeneity in the voltage leads, a non-ideal on-chip connection and inductors between the Josephson junction array and the voltage leads, can be corrected for using the proposed procedures. The results show that an expanded uncertainty of 12 parts in 106 (k  =  2) at 1 MHz and 0.5 part in 106 (k  =  2) at 100 kHz is within reach.

Impedance Matching Antenna-Integrated High-Efficiency Energy Harvesting Circuit

PubMed Central

Shinki, Yuharu; Shibata, Kyohei; Mansour, Mohamed

2017-01-01

This paper describes the design of a high-efficiency energy harvesting circuit with an integrated antenna. The circuit is composed of series resonance and boost rectifier circuits for converting radio frequency power into boosted direct current (DC) voltage. The measured output DC voltage is 5.67 V for an input of 100 mV at 900 MHz. Antenna input impedance matching is optimized for greater efficiency and miniaturization. The measured efficiency of this antenna-integrated energy harvester is 60% for −4.85 dBm input power and a load resistance equal to 20 kΩ at 905 MHz. PMID:28763043

Impedance Matching Antenna-Integrated High-Efficiency Energy Harvesting Circuit.

PubMed

Shinki, Yuharu; Shibata, Kyohei; Mansour, Mohamed; Kanaya, Haruichi

2017-08-01

This paper describes the design of a high-efficiency energy harvesting circuit with an integrated antenna. The circuit is composed of series resonance and boost rectifier circuits for converting radio frequency power into boosted direct current (DC) voltage. The measured output DC voltage is 5.67 V for an input of 100 mV at 900 MHz. Antenna input impedance matching is optimized for greater efficiency and miniaturization. The measured efficiency of this antenna-integrated energy harvester is 60% for -4.85 dBm input power and a load resistance equal to 20 kΩ at 905 MHz.

New power sharing control for inverter-dominated microgrid based on impedance match concept.

PubMed

Gu, Herong; Wang, Deyu; Shen, Hong; Zhao, Wei; Guo, Xiaoqiang

2013-01-01

Power flow control is one of the most important issues for operating the inverter-dominated autonomous microgrid. A technical challenge is how to achieve the accurate active/reactive power sharing of inverters. P-F and Q-V droop control schemes have been widely used for power sharing in the past decades. But they suffer from the poor power sharing in the presence of unequal line impedance. In order to solve the problem, a comprehensive analysis of the power droop control is presented, and a new droop control based on the impedance match concept is proposed in this paper. In addition, the design guidelines of control coefficients and virtual impedance are provided. Finally, the performance evaluation is carried out, and the evaluation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.

New Power Sharing Control for Inverter-Dominated Microgrid Based on Impedance Match Concept

PubMed Central

Gu, Herong; Wang, Deyu; Shen, Hong; Zhao, Wei; Guo, Xiaoqiang

2013-01-01

Power flow control is one of the most important issues for operating the inverter-dominated autonomous microgrid. A technical challenge is how to achieve the accurate active/reactive power sharing of inverters. P-F and Q-V droop control schemes have been widely used for power sharing in the past decades. But they suffer from the poor power sharing in the presence of unequal line impedance. In order to solve the problem, a comprehensive analysis of the power droop control is presented, and a new droop control based on the impedance match concept is proposed in this paper. In addition, the design guidelines of control coefficients and virtual impedance are provided. Finally, the performance evaluation is carried out, and the evaluation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. PMID:24453910

Microwave impedance matching strategies of an applicator supplied by a bi-directional magnetron waveguide launcher.

PubMed

Roussy, Georges; Kongmark, Nils

2003-01-01

It is shown that a bi-directional waveguide launcher can be used advantageously for reducing the reflection coefficient mismatch of an input impedance of an applicator. In a simple bi-directional waveguide launcher, the magnetron is placed in the waveguide and generates a nominal field distribution with significant output impedance in both directions of the waveguide. If a standing wave is tolerated in the torus, which connects the launcher and the applicator, the power transfer from the magnetron to the applicator can be optimal, without using special matching devices. It is also possible to match the bi-directional launcher with two inductance stubs near the antenna of the magnetron and use them for supplying a two-input applicator without reflection.

The use of impedance matching capillaries for reducing resonance in rosette infrasonic spatial filters.

PubMed

Hedlin, Michael A H; Alcoverro, Benoit

2005-04-01

Rosette spatial filters are used at International Monitoring System infrasound array sites to reduce noise due to atmospheric turbulence. A rosette filter consists of several clusters, or rosettes, of low-impedance inlets. Acoustic energy entering each rosette of inlets is summed, acoustically, at a secondary summing manifold. Acoustic energy from the secondary manifolds are summed acoustically at a primary summing manifold before entering the microbarometer. Although rosette filters have been found to be effective at reducing infrasonic noise across a broad frequency band, resonance inside the filters reduces the effectiveness of the filters at high frequencies. This paper presents theoretical and observational evidence that the resonance inside these filters that is seen below 10 Hz is due to reflections occuring at impedance discontinuities at the primary and secondary summing manifolds. Resonance involving reflections at the inlets amplifies noise levels at frequencies above 10 Hz. This paper further reports results from theoretical and observational tests of impedance matching capillaries for removing the resonance problem. Almost total removal of resonant energy below 5 Hz was found by placing impedance matching capillaries adjacent to the secondary summing manifolds in the pipes leading to the primary summing manifold and the microbarometer. Theory and recorded data indicate that capillaries with resistance equal to the characteristic impedance of the pipe connecting the secondary and primary summing manifolds suppresses resonance but does not degrade the reception of acoustic signals. Capillaries at the inlets can be used to remove resonant energy at higher frequencies but are found to be less effective due to the high frequency of this energy outside the frequency band of interest.

Broadband gradient impedance matching using an acoustic metamaterial for ultrasonic transducers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zheng; Yang, Dan-Qing; Liu, Shi-Lei; Yu, Si-Yuan; Lu, Ming-Hui; Zhu, Jie; Zhang, Shan-Tao; Zhu, Ming-Wei; Guo, Xia-Sheng; Wu, Hao-Dong; Wang, Xin-Long; Chen, Yan-Feng

2017-02-01

High-quality broadband ultrasound transducers yield superior imaging performance in biomedical ultrasonography. However, proper design to perfectly bridge the energy between the active piezoelectric material and the target medium over the operating spectrum is still lacking. Here, we demonstrate a new anisotropic cone-structured acoustic metamaterial matching layer that acts as an inhomogeneous material with gradient acoustic impedance along the ultrasound propagation direction. When sandwiched between the piezoelectric material unit and the target medium, the acoustic metamaterial matching layer provides a broadband window to support extraordinary transmission of ultrasound over a wide frequency range. We fabricated the matching layer by etching the peeled silica optical fibre bundles with hydrofluoric acid solution. The experimental measurement of an ultrasound transducer equipped with this acoustic metamaterial matching layer shows that the corresponding -6 dB bandwidth is able to reach over 100%. This new material fully enables new high-end piezoelectric materials in the construction of high-performance ultrasound transducers and probes, leading to considerably improved resolutions in biomedical ultrasonography and compact harmonic imaging systems.

Investigation of an Anomaly Observed in Impedance Eduction Techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, W. R.; Jones, M. G.; Parrott, T. L.

2008-01-01

An intensive investigation into the cause of anomalous behavior commonly observed in impedance eduction techniques is performed. The investigation consists of grid refinement studies, detailed evaluation of results at and near anti-resonance frequencies, comparisons of different model results with synthesized and measured data, assessment or optimization techniques, and evaluation or boundary condition effects. Results show that the root cause of the anomalous behavior is the sensitivity of the educed impedance to small errors in the measured termination resistance at frequencies near anti-resonance or cut-on of a higher-order mode. Evidence is presented to show that the common usage of an anechoic, plane wave termination boundary condition in ducts where the "true" termination is reflective may act as a trigger for these anomalies. Replacing the exit impedance boundary condition by an exit pressure condition is shown to reduce the anomalous results.

Method to tune electrical impedance of LSMO/PMN-PT by nanocontact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Hao; Pei, Yongmao; Wang, Yaobing; Lei, Hongshuai

2018-01-01

Electromagnetic composites have wide application in the functional devices. For the best performance of devices, the regulation of the electrical impedance has been being desired for the impedance matching in service. However, the keeping of impedance matching in service is quite challenging. In the present work, a mechanical method for tuning the electrical impedance of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3/0.72Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.28PbTiO3 (LSMO/PMN-PT) based on the nanocontact technique is proposed. It is found that the electrical impedance reduces with the increase of the nanocontact load. A linear relationship is found between the square of impedance magnitude and the inverse of nanocontact depth. Furthermore, a method for predicting the contact-depth-dependent impedance magnitude of LSMO/PMN-PT is proposed.

Impedance matching for repetitive high voltage all-solid-state Marx generator and excimer DBD UV sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yonggang; Tong, Liqing; Liu, Kefu

2017-06-01

The purpose of impedance matching for a Marx generator and DBD lamp is to limit the output current of the Marx generator, provide a large discharge current at ignition, and obtain fast voltage rising/falling edges and large overshoot. In this paper, different impedance matching circuits (series inductor, parallel capacitor, and series inductor combined with parallel capacitor) are analyzed. It demonstrates that a series inductor could limit the Marx current. However, the discharge current is also limited. A parallel capacitor could provide a large discharge current, but the Marx current is also enlarged. A series inductor combined with a parallel capacitor takes full advantage of the inductor and capacitor, and avoids their shortcomings. Therefore, it is a good solution. Experimental results match the theoretical analysis well and show that both the series inductor and parallel capacitor improve the performance of the system. However, the series inductor combined with the parallel capacitor has the best performance. Compared with driving the DBD lamp with a Marx generator directly, an increase of 97.3% in radiant power and an increase of 59.3% in system efficiency are achieved using this matching circuit.

Phonon impedance matching: minimizing interfacial thermal resistance of thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polanco, Carlos; Zhang, Jingjie; Ghosh, Avik

2014-03-01

The challenge to minimize interfacial thermal resistance is to allow a broad band spectrum of phonons, with non-linear dispersion and well defined translational and rotational symmetries, to cross the interface. We explain how to minimize this resistance using a frequency dependent broadening matrix that generalizes the notion of acoustic impedance to the whole phonon spectrum including symmetries. We show how to ``match'' two given materials by joining them with a single atomic layer, with a multilayer material and with a graded superlattice. Atomic layer ``matching'' requires a layer with a mass close to the arithmetic mean (or spring constant close to the harmonic mean) to favor high frequency phonon transmission. For multilayer ``matching,'' we want a material with a broadening close to the geometric mean to maximize transmission peaks. For graded superlattices, a continuous sequence of geometric means translates to an exponentially varying broadening that generates a wide-band antireflection coating for both the coherent and incoherent limits. Our results are supported by ``first principles'' calculations of thermal conductance for GaAs / Gax Al1 - x As / AlAs thin films using the Non-Equilibrium Greens Function formalism coupled with Density Functional Perturbation Theory. NSF-CAREER (QMHP 1028883), NSF-IDR (CBET 1134311), XSEDE.

Transonic flight flutter tests of a control surface utilizing an impedance response technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mirowitz, L. I.

1975-01-01

Transonic flight flutter tests of the XF3H-1 Demon Airplane were conducted utilizing a frequency response technique in which the oscillating rudder provides the means of system excitation. These tests were conducted as a result of a rudder flutter incident in the transonic speed range. The technique employed is presented including a brief theoretical development of basic concepts. Test data obtained during the flight are included and the method of interpretation of these data is indicated. This method is based on an impedance matching technique. It is shown that an artificial stabilizing device, such as a damper, may be incorporated in the system for test purposes without complicating the interpretation of the test results of the normal configuration. Data are presented which define the margin of stability introduced to the originally unstable rudder by design changes which involve higher control system stiffness and external damper. It is concluded that this technique of flight flutter testing is a feasible means of obtaining flutter stability information in flight.

Determination of acoustic impedances of multi matching layers for narrowband ultrasonic airborne transducers at frequencies <2.5 MHz - Application of a genetic algorithm.

PubMed

Saffar, Saber; Abdullah, Amir

2012-01-01

The effective ultrasonic energy radiation into the air of piezoelectric transducers requires using multilayer matching systems with accurately selected acoustic impedances and the thickness of particular layers. One major problem of ultrasonic transducers, radiating acoustic energy into air, is to find the proper acoustic impedances of one or more matching layers. This work aims at developing an original solution to the acoustic impedance mismatch between transducer and air. If the acoustic impedance defences between transducer and air be more, then finding best matching layer(s) is harder. Therefore we consider PZT (lead zirconate titanate piezo electric) transducer and air that has huge acoustic impedance deference. The vibration source energy (PZT), which is used to generate the incident wave, consumes a part of the mechanical energy and converts it to an electrical one in theoretical calculation. After calculating matching layers, we consider the energy source as layer to design a transducer. However, this part of the mechanical energy will be neglected during the mathematical work. This approximation is correct only if the transducer is open-circuit. Since the possibilities of choosing material with required acoustic impedance are limited (the counted values cannot always be realized and applied in practice) it is necessary to correct the differences between theoretical values and the possibilities of practical application of given acoustic impedances. Such a correction can be done by manipulating other parameters of matching layers (e.g. by changing their thickness). The efficiency of the energy transmission from the piezoceramic transducer through different layers with different thickness and different attenuation enabling a compensation of non-ideal real values by changing their thickness was computer analyzed (base on genetic algorithm). Firstly, three theoretical solutions were investigated. Namely, Chebyshev, Desilets and Souquet theories. However, the

Broadband impedance-matched electromagnetic structured ferrite composite in the megahertz range

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

Parke, L.; Hibbins, A. P.; Sambles, J. R.

2014-06-02

A high refractive-index structured ferrite composite is designed to experimentally demonstrate broadband impedance matching to free-space. It consists of an array of ferrite cubes that are anisotropically spaced, thereby allowing for independent control of the effective complex permeability and permittivity. Despite having a refractive index of 9.5, the array gives less than 1% reflection and over 90% transmission of normally incident radiation up to 70 MHz for one of the orthogonal linear polarisations lying in a symmetry plane of the array. This result presents a route to the design of MHz-frequency ferrite composites with bespoke electromagnetic parameters for antenna miniaturisation.

Impedance matched, high-power, rf antenna for ion cyclotron resonance heating of a plasma

DOEpatents

Baity, Jr., Frederick W.; Hoffman, Daniel J.; Owens, Thomas L.

1988-01-01

A resonant double loop radio frequency (rf) antenna for radiating high-power rf energy into a magnetically confined plasma. An inductive element in the form of a large current strap, forming the radiating element, is connected between two variable capacitors to form a resonant circuit. A real input impedance results from tapping into the resonant circuit along the inductive element, generally near the midpoint thereof. The impedance can be matched to the source impedance by adjusting the separate capacitors for a given tap arrangement or by keeping the two capacitances fixed and adjustng the tap position. This results in a substantial reduction in the voltage and current in the transmission system to the antenna compared to unmatched antennas. Because the complete circuit loop consisting of the two capacitors and the inductive element is resonant, current flows in the same direction along the entire length of the radiating element and is approximately equal in each branch of the circuit. Unidirectional current flow permits excitation of low order poloidal modes which penetrate more deeply into the plasma.

Comparison of Acoustic Impedance Eduction Techniques for Locally-Reacting Liners

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, M. G.; Parrott, T. L.; Watson, W. R.

2003-01-01

Typical acoustic liners used in current aircraft inlets and aft-fan ducts consist of some type of perforated facesheet bonded to a honeycomb core. A number of techniques for determining the acoustic impedance of these locallyreacting liners have been developed over the last five decades. In addition, a number of models have been developed to predict the acoustic impedance of locallyreacting liners in the presence of grazing flow, and to use that information together with aeroacoustic propagation codes to assess the noise absorption provided by these liners. These prediction models have incorporated the results from databases acquired with specific impedance eduction techniques. Thus, while these prediction models are acceptable for liners that are similar to those tested in these databases, their application to new liner configurations must be viewed with caution. The primary purpose of this paper is to provide a comparison of impedance eduction techniques that have been implemented at various aerospace research laboratories in the United States (NASA Langley Research Center, General Electric Aircraft Engines, B. F. Goodrich and Boeing). A secondary purpose is to provide data for liner configurations that extend the porosity range beyond that which has been previously used in common aircraft engine nacelles. Two sets of liners were designed to study the effects of three parameters: perforate hole diameter, facesheet thickness and porosity. These two sets of liners were constructed for testing in each of the laboratories listed above. The first set of liners was designed to fit into the NASA Langley and Boeing test facilities. The second set was designed to fit into the General Electric Aircraft Engines and B. F. Goodrich test facilities. By using the same parent material, both sets of liners were identical to within the limits of material and fabrication variability. Baseline data were obtained in the normal incidence impedance tubes at NASA Langley and B. F

Improving Image Matching by Reducing Surface Reflections Using Polarising Filter Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conen, N.; Hastedt, H.; Kahmen, O.; Luhmann, T.

2018-05-01

In dense stereo matching applications surface reflections may lead to incorrect measurements and blunders in the resulting point cloud. To overcome the problem of disturbing reflexions polarising filters can be mounted on the camera lens and light source. Reflections in the images can be suppressed by crossing the polarising direction of the filters leading to homogeneous illuminated images and better matching results. However, the filter may influence the camera's orientation parameters as well as the measuring accuracy. To quantify these effects, a calibration and an accuracy analysis is conducted within a spatial test arrangement according to the German guideline VDI/VDE 2634.1 (2002) using a DSLR with and without polarising filter. In a second test, the interior orientation is analysed in more detail. The results do not show significant changes of the measuring accuracy in object space and only very small changes of the interior orientation (Δc ≤ 4 μm) with the polarising filter in use. Since in medical applications many tiny reflections are present and impede robust surface measurements, a prototypic trinocular endoscope is equipped with polarising technique. The interior and relative orientation is determined and analysed. The advantage of the polarising technique for medical image matching is shown in an experiment with a moistened pig kidney. The accuracy and completeness of the resulting point cloud can be improved clearly when using polarising filters. Furthermore, an accuracy analysis using a laser triangulation system is performed and the special reflection properties of metallic surfaces are presented.

Wave guide impedance matching method and apparatus

DOEpatents

Kronberg, James W.

1990-01-01

A technique for modifying the end portion of a wave guide, whether hollow or solid, carrying electromagnetic, acoustic or optical energy, to produce a gradual impedance change over the length of the end portion, comprising the cutting of longitudinal, V-shaped grooves that increase in width and depth from beginning of the end portion of the wave guide to the end of the guide so that, at the end of the guide, no guide material remains and no surfaces of the guide as modified are perpendicular to the direction of energy flow. For hollow guides, the grooves are cut beginning on the interior surface; for solid guides, the grooves are cut beginning on the exterior surface. One or more resistive, partially conductive or nonconductive sleeves can be placed over the exterior of the guide and through which the grooves are cut to smooth the transition to free space.

On the use of The Bio-Impedance technique for Body Composition Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huerta-Franco, R.; Vargas-Luna, M.; González-Solís, J. L.; Gutiérrez-Juárez, G.

2003-09-01

Reviewing the methods and physical principles used in body composition measurements (BCM), it is evident that more accurate, reliable, and easily handled methods are required. The use of bio-impedance analysis (BIA) has been very useful in BCM. This technique, in the single frequency mode, has some commercial versions to perform BCM. However these apparatus have significant variability in the BCM values. The multi-frequency option of the bio-impedance technique has still a lot of challenges to overcome. We studied the variability of the body impedance spectrum (from 1 Hz to 1 MHz) in a group of subjects compared to the values obtained from commercial apparatus. We compared different anatomical body regions, some of them with less subcutaneous body fat (frontal, anterior tibial, knee, and frontal regions); others with more subcutaneous body fat (pectoral, abdominal, and internal calf regions). In order to model the bio-impedance spectrum, we analyzed layered samples with different thickness and material composition.

Technique for measurement of characteristic impedance and propagation constant for porous materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Ki Won; Atchley, Anthony A.

2005-09-01

Knowledge of acoustic properties such as characteristic impedance and complex propagation constant is useful to characterize the acoustic behaviors of porous materials. Song and Bolton's four-microphone method [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 107, 1131-1152 (2000)] is one of the most widely employed techniques. In this method two microphones are used to determine the complex pressure amplitudes for each side of a sample. Muehleisen and Beamer [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 117, 536-544 (2005)] improved upon a four-microphone method by interchanging microphones to reduce errors due to uncertainties in microphone response. In this paper, a multiple microphone technique is investigated to reconstruct the pressure field inside an impedance tube. Measurements of the acoustic properties of a material having square cross-section pores is used to check the validity of the technique. The values of characteristic impedance and complex propagation constant extracted from the reconstruction agree well with predicted values. Furthermore, this technique is used in investigating the acoustic properties of reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) in the range of 250-1100 Hz.

Application of an impedance matching transformer to a plasma focus.

PubMed

Bures, B L; James, C; Krishnan, M; Adler, R

2011-10-01

A plasma focus was constructed using an impedance matching transformer to improve power transfer between the pulse power and the dynamic plasma load. The system relied on two switches and twelve transformer cores to produce a 100 kA pulse in short circuit on the secondary at 27 kV on the primary with 110 J stored. With the two transformer systems in parallel, the Thevenin equivalent circuit parameters on the secondary side of the driver are: C = 10.9 μF, V(0) = 4.5 kV, L = 17 nH, and R = 5 mΩ. An equivalent direct drive circuit would require a large number of switches in parallel, to achieve the same Thevenin equivalent. The benefits of this approach are replacement of consumable switches with non-consumable transformer cores, reduction of the driver inductance and resistance as viewed by the dynamic load, and reduction of the stored energy to produce a given peak current. The system is designed to operate at 100 Hz, so minimizing the stored energy results in less load on the thermal management system. When operated at 1 Hz, the neutron yield from the transformer matched plasma focus was similar to the neutron yield from a conventional (directly driven) plasma focus at the same peak current.

Fatigue life estimation of a 1D aluminum beam under mode-I loading using the electromechanical impedance technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, Yee Yan; Kiong Soh, Chee

2011-12-01

Structures in service are often subjected to fatigue loads. Cracks would develop and lead to failure if left unnoticed after a large number of cyclic loadings. Monitoring the process of fatigue crack propagation as well as estimating the remaining useful life of a structure is thus essential to prevent catastrophe while minimizing earlier-than-required replacement. The advent of smart materials such as piezo-impedance transducers (lead zirconate titanate, PZT) has ushered in a new era of structural health monitoring (SHM) based on non-destructive evaluation (NDE). This paper presents a series of investigative studies to evaluate the feasibility of fatigue crack monitoring and estimation of remaining useful life using the electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique employing a PZT transducer. Experimental tests were conducted to study the ability of the EMI technique in monitoring fatigue crack in 1D lab-sized aluminum beams. The experimental results prove that the EMI technique is very sensitive to fatigue crack propagation. A proof-of-concept semi-analytical damage model for fatigue life estimation has been developed by incorporating the linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) theory into the finite element (FE) model. The prediction of the model matches closely with the experiment, suggesting the possibility of replacing costly experiments in future.

Comparison of Point Matching Techniques for Road Network Matching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hackeloeer, A.; Klasing, K.; Krisp, J. M.; Meng, L.

2013-05-01

Map conflation investigates the unique identification of geographical entities across different maps depicting the same geographic region. It involves a matching process which aims to find commonalities between geographic features. A specific subdomain of conflation called Road Network Matching establishes correspondences between road networks of different maps on multiple layers of abstraction, ranging from elementary point locations to high-level structures such as road segments or even subgraphs derived from the induced graph of a road network. The process of identifying points located on different maps by means of geometrical, topological and semantical information is called point matching. This paper provides an overview of various techniques for point matching, which is a fundamental requirement for subsequent matching steps focusing on complex high-level entities in geospatial networks. Common point matching approaches as well as certain combinations of these are described, classified and evaluated. Furthermore, a novel similarity metric called the Exact Angular Index is introduced, which considers both topological and geometrical aspects. The results offer a basis for further research on a bottom-up matching process for complex map features, which must rely upon findings derived from suitable point matching algorithms. In the context of Road Network Matching, reliable point matches provide an immediate starting point for finding matches between line segments describing the geometry and topology of road networks, which may in turn be used for performing a structural high-level matching on the network level.

Guidelines for selecting matching techniques for ride sharing.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1982-01-01

Several matching techniques for ride sharing are available to serve a wide range of operating conditions. There is a need for guidelines to aid ride-sharing agencies in Virginia in selecting the most appropriate matching technique. The objective of t...

Configurable impedance matching to maximise power extraction for enabling self-powered system based-on photovoltaic cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahman, Airul Azha Abd; Jamil, Wan Adil Wan; Umar, Akrajas Ali

2016-07-01

Multivariate energy harvesting system, solar and thermal energies, with configurable impedance matching features is presented. The system consists of a tuneable mechanism for peak performance tracking. The inputs are voltages ranging from 20 mV to 3.1 V. The matching load is individually tuned for photovoltaic and thermoelectric power efficiency not less than 80% and 50% of the open circuit voltage respectively. Of experimentation and analysis has been done, the time it takes to fully charge up to 3.4 V is 23 minutes with the rate of charging is 1.8 mV/sec. Empirical data is presented. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Modified coaxial wire method for measurement of transfer impedance of beam position monitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Mukesh; Babbar, L. K.; Deo, R. K.; Puntambekar, T. A.; Senecha, V. K.

2018-05-01

The transfer impedance is a very important parameter of a beam position monitor (BPM) which relates its output signal with the beam current. The coaxial wire method is a standard technique to measure transfer impedance of the BPM. The conventional coaxial wire method requires impedance matching between coaxial wire and external circuits (vector network analyzer and associated cables). This paper presents a modified coaxial wire method for bench measurement of the transfer impedance of capacitive pickups like button electrodes and shoe box BPMs. Unlike the conventional coaxial wire method, in the modified coaxial wire method no impedance matching elements have been used between the device under test and the external circuit. The effect of impedance mismatch has been solved mathematically and a new expression of transfer impedance has been derived. The proposed method is verified through simulation of a button electrode BPM using cst studio suite. The new method is also applied to measure transfer impedance of a button electrode BPM developed for insertion devices of Indus-2 and the results are also compared with its simulations. Close agreement between measured and simulation results suggests that the modified coaxial wire setup can be exploited for the measurement of transfer impedance of capacitive BPMs like button electrodes and shoe box BPM.

Detection of microbial concentration in ice-cream using the impedance technique.

PubMed

Grossi, M; Lanzoni, M; Pompei, A; Lazzarini, R; Matteuzzi, D; Riccò, B

2008-06-15

The detection of microbial concentration, essential for safe and high quality food products, is traditionally made with the plate count technique, that is reliable, but also slow and not easily realized in the automatic form, as required for direct use in industrial machines. To this purpose, the method based on impedance measurements represents an attractive alternative since it can produce results in about 10h, instead of the 24-48h needed by standard plate counts and can be easily realized in automatic form. In this paper such a method has been experimentally studied in the case of ice-cream products. In particular, all main ice-cream compositions of real interest have been considered and no nutrient media has been used to dilute the samples. A measurement set-up has been realized using benchtop instruments for impedance measurements on samples whose bacteria concentration was independently measured by means of standard plate counts. The obtained results clearly indicate that impedance measurement represents a feasible and reliable technique to detect total microbial concentration in ice-cream, suitable to be implemented as an embedded system for industrial machines.

Classification of breast tumour using electrical impedance and machine learning techniques.

PubMed

Al Amin, Abdullah; Parvin, Shahnaj; Kadir, M A; Tahmid, Tasmia; Alam, S Kaisar; Siddique-e Rabbani, K

2014-06-01

When a breast lump is detected through palpation, mammography or ultrasonography, the final test for characterization of the tumour, whether it is malignant or benign, is biopsy. This is invasive and carries hazards associated with any surgical procedures. The present work was undertaken to study the feasibility for such characterization using non-invasive electrical impedance measurements and machine learning techniques. Because of changes in cell morphology of malignant and benign tumours, changes are expected in impedance at a fixed frequency, and versus frequency of measurement. Tetrapolar impedance measurement (TPIM) using four electrodes at the corners of a square region of sides 4 cm was used for zone localization. Data of impedance in two orthogonal directions, measured at 5 and 200 kHz from 19 subjects, and their respective slopes with frequency were subjected to machine learning procedures through the use of feature plots. These patients had single or multiple tumours of various types in one or both breasts, and four of them had malignant tumours, as diagnosed by core biopsy. Although size and depth of the tumours are expected to affect the measurements, this preliminary work ignored these effects. Selecting 12 features from the above measurements, feature plots were drawn for the 19 patients, which displayed considerable overlap between malignant and benign cases. However, based on observed qualitative trend of the measured values, when all the feature values were divided by respective ages, the two types of tumours separated out reasonably well. Using K-NN classification method the results obtained are, positive prediction value: 60%, negative prediction value: 93%, sensitivity: 75%, specificity: 87% and efficacy: 84%, which are very good for such a test on a small sample size. Study on a larger sample is expected to give confidence in this technique, and further improvement of the technique may have the ability to replace biopsy.

Matching network for RF plasma source

DOEpatents

Pickard, Daniel S.; Leung, Ka-Ngo

2007-11-20

A compact matching network couples an RF power supply to an RF antenna in a plasma generator. The simple and compact impedance matching network matches the plasma load to the impedance of a coaxial transmission line and the output impedance of an RF amplifier at radio frequencies. The matching network is formed of a resonantly tuned circuit formed of a variable capacitor and an inductor in a series resonance configuration, and a ferrite core transformer coupled to the resonantly tuned circuit. This matching network is compact enough to fit in existing compact focused ion beam systems.

Implementation of In-Situ Impedance Techniques on a Full Scale Aero-Engine System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaeta, R. J.; Mendoza, J. M.; Jones, M. G.

2007-01-01

Determination of acoustic liner impedance for jet engine applications remains a challenge for the designer. Although suitable models have been developed that take account of source amplitude and the local flow environment experienced by the liner, experimental validation of these models has been difficult. This is primarily due to the inability of researchers to faithfully mimic the environment in jet engine nacelles in the laboratory. An in-situ measurement technique, one that can be implemented in an actual engine, is desirable so an accurate impedance can be determined for future modeling and quality control. This paper documents the implementation of such a local acoustic impedance measurement technique that is used under controlled laboratory conditions as well as on full scale turbine engine liner test article. The objective for these series of in-situ measurements is to substantiate treatment design, provide understanding of flow effects on installed liner performance, and provide modeling input for fan noise propagation computations. A series of acoustic liner evaluation tests are performed that includes normal incidence tube, grazing incidence tube, and finally testing on a full scale engine on a static test stand. Lab tests were intended to provide insight and guidance for accurately measuring the impedance of the liner housed in the inlet of a Honeywell Tech7000 turbofan. Results have shown that one can acquire very reasonable liner impedance data for a full scale engine under realistic test conditions. Furthermore, higher fidelity results can be obtained by using a three-microphone coherence technique that can enhance signal-to-noise ratio at high engine power settings. This research has also confirmed the limitations of this particular type of in-situ measurement. This is most evident in the installation of instrumentation and its effect on what is being measured.

Phased array antenna matching: Simulation and optimization of a planar phased array of circular waveguide elements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dudgeon, J. E.

1972-01-01

A computerized simulation of a planar phased array of circular waveguide elements is reported using mutual coupling and wide angle impedance matching in phased arrays. Special emphasis is given to circular polarization. The aforementioned computer program has as variable inputs: frequency, polarization, grid geometry, element size, dielectric waveguide fill, dielectric plugs in the waveguide for impedance matching, and dielectric sheets covering the array surface for the purpose of wide angle impedance matching. Parameter combinations are found which produce reflection peaks interior to grating lobes, while dielectric cover sheets are successfully employed to extend the usable scan range of a phased array. The most exciting results came from the application of computer aided optimization techniques to the design of this type of array.

An Adaptive Impedance Matching Network with Closed Loop Control Algorithm for Inductive Wireless Power Transfer

PubMed Central

Miao, Zhidong; Liu, Dake

2017-01-01

For an inductive wireless power transfer (IWPT) system, maintaining a reasonable power transfer efficiency and a stable output power are two most challenging design issues, especially when coil distance varies. To solve these issues, this paper presents a novel adaptive impedance matching network (IMN) for IWPT system. In our adaptive IMN IWPT system, the IMN is automatically reconfigured to keep matching with the coils and to adjust the output power adapting to coil distance variation. A closed loop control algorithm is used to change the capacitors continually, which can compensate mismatches and adjust output power simultaneously. The proposed adaptive IMN IWPT system is working at 125 kHz for 2 W power delivered to load. Comparing with the series resonant IWPT system and fixed IMN IWPT system, the power transfer efficiency of our system increases up to 31.79% and 60% when the coupling coefficient varies in a large range from 0.05 to 0.8 for 2 W output power. PMID:28763011

An Adaptive Impedance Matching Network with Closed Loop Control Algorithm for Inductive Wireless Power Transfer.

PubMed

Miao, Zhidong; Liu, Dake; Gong, Chen

2017-08-01

For an inductive wireless power transfer (IWPT) system, maintaining a reasonable power transfer efficiency and a stable output power are two most challenging design issues, especially when coil distance varies. To solve these issues, this paper presents a novel adaptive impedance matching network (IMN) for IWPT system. In our adaptive IMN IWPT system, the IMN is automatically reconfigured to keep matching with the coils and to adjust the output power adapting to coil distance variation. A closed loop control algorithm is used to change the capacitors continually, which can compensate mismatches and adjust output power simultaneously. The proposed adaptive IMN IWPT system is working at 125 kHz for 2 W power delivered to load. Comparing with the series resonant IWPT system and fixed IMN IWPT system, the power transfer efficiency of our system increases up to 31.79% and 60% when the coupling coefficient varies in a large range from 0.05 to 0.8 for 2 W output power.

A new experimental device to evaluate eye ulcers using a multispectral electrical impedance technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellotti, Mariela I.; Bast, Walter; Berra, Alejandro; Bonetto, Fabián J.

2011-07-01

We present a novel experimental technique to determine eye ulcers in animals using a spectral electrical impedance technique. We expect that this technique will be useful in dry eye syndrome. We used a sensor that is basically a platinum (Pt) microelectrode electrically insulated by glass from a cylindrical stainless steel counter-electrode. This sensor was applied to the naked eye of New Zealand rabbits (2.0-3.5 kg in weight). Whereas half of the eyes were normal (control), we applied to the remainder a few drops of 20% (v/v) alcohol to produce an ulcer in the eye. Using a multispectral electrical impedance system we measured ulcerated and control eyes and observed significant difference between normal and pathological samples. We also investigated the effects of different applied pressures and natural degradation of initially normal eyes as a function of time. We believe that this technique could be sufficiently sensitive and repetitive to help diagnose ocular surface diseases such as dry eye syndrome.

A new experimental device to evaluate eye ulcers using a multispectral electrical impedance technique.

PubMed

Bellotti, Mariela I; Bast, Walter; Berra, Alejandro; Bonetto, Fabián J

2011-07-01

We present a novel experimental technique to determine eye ulcers in animals using a spectral electrical impedance technique. We expect that this technique will be useful in dry eye syndrome. We used a sensor that is basically a platinum (Pt) microelectrode electrically insulated by glass from a cylindrical stainless steel counter-electrode. This sensor was applied to the naked eye of New Zealand rabbits (2.0-3.5 kg in weight). Whereas half of the eyes were normal (control), we applied to the remainder a few drops of 20% (v/v) alcohol to produce an ulcer in the eye. Using a multispectral electrical impedance system we measured ulcerated and control eyes and observed significant difference between normal and pathological samples. We also investigated the effects of different applied pressures and natural degradation of initially normal eyes as a function of time. We believe that this technique could be sufficiently sensitive and repetitive to help diagnose ocular surface diseases such as dry eye syndrome.

Power supply and impedance matching to drive technological radio-frequency plasmas with customized voltage waveforms.

PubMed

Franek, James; Brandt, Steven; Berger, Birk; Liese, Martin; Barthel, Matthias; Schüngel, Edmund; Schulze, Julian

2015-05-01

We present a novel radio-frequency (RF) power supply and impedance matching to drive technological plasmas with customized voltage waveforms. It is based on a system of phase-locked RF generators that output single frequency voltage waveforms corresponding to multiple consecutive harmonics of a fundamental frequency. These signals are matched individually and combined to drive a RF plasma. Electrical filters are used to prevent parasitic interactions between the matching branches. By adjusting the harmonics' phases and voltage amplitudes individually, any voltage waveform can be approximated as a customized finite Fourier series. This RF supply system is easily adaptable to any technological plasma for industrial applications and allows the commercial utilization of process optimization based on voltage waveform tailoring for the first time. Here, this system is tested on a capacitive discharge based on three consecutive harmonics of 13.56 MHz. According to the Electrical Asymmetry Effect, tuning the phases between the applied harmonics results in an electrical control of the DC self-bias and the mean ion energy at almost constant ion flux. A comparison with the reference case of an electrically asymmetric dual-frequency discharge reveals that the control range of the mean ion energy can be significantly enlarged by using more than two consecutive harmonics.

Implementation and Validation of an Impedance Eduction Technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, Willie R.; Jones, Michael G.; Gerhold, Carl H.

2011-01-01

Implementation of a pressure gradient method of impedance eduction in two NASA Langley flow ducts is described. The Grazing Flow Impedance Tube only supports plane-wave sources, while the Curved Duct Test Rig supports sources that contain higher-order modes. Multiple exercises are used to validate this new impedance eduction method. First, synthesized data for a hard wall insert and a conventional liner mounted in the Grazing Flow Impedance Tube are used as input to the two impedance eduction methods, the pressure gradient method and a previously validated wall pressure method. Comparisons between the two results are excellent. Next, data measured in the Grazing Flow Impedance Tube are used as input to both methods. Results from the two methods compare quite favorably for sufficiently low Mach numbers but this comparison degrades at Mach 0.5, especially when the hard wall insert is used. Finally, data measured with a hard wall insert mounted in the Curved Duct Test Rig are used as input to the pressure gradient method. Significant deviation from the known solution is observed, which is believed to be largely due to 3-D effects in this flow duct. Potential solutions to this issue are currently being explored.

Recent trends in reinforcement corrosion assessment using piezo sensors via electro mechanical impedance technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Visalakshi, Talakokula; Bhalla, Suresh; Gupta, Ashok; Bhattacharjee, Bishwajit

2014-03-01

Reinforced concrete (RC) is an economical, versatile and successful construction material as it can be moulded into a variety of shapes and finishes. In most cases, it is durable and strong, performing well throughout its service life. However, in some cases, it does not perform adequately due to various reasons, one of which is the corrosion of the embedded steel bars used as reinforcement. . Although the electro-mechanical impedance (EMI) technique is well established for damage detection and quantification of civil, mechanical and aerospace structures, only limited studies have been reported of its application for rebar corrosion detection in RC structures. This paper presents the recent trends in corrosion assessment based on the model derived from the equivalent structural parameters extracted from the impedance spectrum of concrete-rebar system using the lead zirconate titanate (PZT) sensors via EMI technique.

Image Reconstruction Under Contact Impedance Effect in Micro Electrical Impedance Tomography Sensors.

PubMed

Liu, Xiayi; Yao, Jiafeng; Zhao, Tong; Obara, Hiromichi; Cui, Yahui; Takei, Masahiro

2018-06-01

Contact impedance has an important effect on micro electrical impedance tomography (EIT) sensors compared to conventional macro sensors. In the present work, a complex contact impedance effect ratio ξ is defined to quantitatively evaluate the effect of the contact impedance on the accuracy of the reconstructed images by micro EIT. Quality of the reconstructed image under various ξ is estimated by the phantom simulation to find the optimum algorithm. The generalized vector sampled pattern matching (GVSPM) method reveals the best image quality and the best tolerance to ξ. Moreover, the images of yeast cells sedimentary distribution in a multilayered microchannel are reconstructed by the GVSPM method under various mean magnitudes of contact impedance effect ratio |ξ|. The result shows that the best image quality that has the smallest voltage error U E = 0.581 is achieved with measurement frequency f = 1 MHz and mean magnitude |ξ| = 26. In addition, the reconstructed images of cells distribution become improper while f < 10 kHz and mean value of |ξ| > 2400.

A Comparative Study of Data Mining Techniques on Football Match Prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosli, Che Mohamad Firdaus Che Mohd; Zainuri Saringat, Mohd; Razali, Nazim; Mustapha, Aida

2018-05-01

Data prediction have become a trend in today’s business or organization. This paper is set to predict match outcomes for association football from the perspective of football club managers and coaches. This paper explored different data mining techniques used for predicting the match outcomes where the target class is win, draw and lose. The main objective of this research is to find the most accurate data mining technique that fits the nature of football data. The techniques tested are Decision Trees, Neural Networks, Bayesian Network, and k-Nearest Neighbors. The results from the comparative experiments showed that Decision Trees produced the highest average prediction accuracy in the domain of football match prediction by 99.56%.

Comparison of three rf plasma impedance monitors on a high phase angle planar inductively coupled plasma source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchiyama, H.; Watanabe, M.; Shaw, D. M.; Bahia, J. E.; Collins, G. J.

1999-10-01

Accurate measurement of plasma source impedance is important for verification of plasma circuit models, as well as for plasma process characterization and endpoint detection. Most impedance measurement techniques depend in some manner on the cosine of the phase angle to determine the impedance of the plasma load. Inductively coupled plasmas are generally highly inductive, with the phase angle between the applied rf voltage and the rf current in the range of 88 to near 90 degrees. A small measurement error in this phase angle range results in a large error in the calculated cosine of the angle, introducing large impedance measurement variations. In this work, we have compared the measured impedance of a planar inductively coupled plasma using three commercial plasma impedance monitors (ENI V/I probe, Advanced Energy RFZ60 and Advanced Energy Z-Scan). The plasma impedance is independently verified using a specially designed match network and a calibrated load, representing the plasma, to provide a measurement standard.

I/O impedance controller

DOEpatents

Ruesch, Rodney; Jenkins, Philip N.; Ma, Nan

2004-03-09

There is disclosed apparatus and apparatus for impedance control to provide for controlling the impedance of a communication circuit using an all-digital impedance control circuit wherein one or more control bits are used to tune the output impedance. In one example embodiment, the impedance control circuit is fabricated using circuit components found in a standard macro library of a computer aided design system. According to another example embodiment, there is provided a control for an output driver on an integrated circuit ("IC") device to provide for forming a resistor divider network with the output driver and a resistor off the IC device so that the divider network produces an output voltage, comparing the output voltage of the divider network with a reference voltage, and adjusting the output impedance of the output driver to attempt to match the output voltage of the divider network and the reference voltage. Also disclosed is over-sampling the divider network voltage, storing the results of the over sampling, repeating the over-sampling and storing, averaging the results of multiple over sampling operations, controlling the impedance with a plurality of bits forming a word, and updating the value of the word by only one least significant bit at a time.

Whole-body impedance--what does it measure?

PubMed

Foster, K R; Lukaski, H C

1996-09-01

Although the bioelectrical impedance technique is widely used in human nutrition and clinical research, an integrated summary of the biophysical and bioelectrical bases of this approach is lacking. We summarize the pertinent electrical phenomena relevant to the application of the impedance technique in vivo and discuss the relations between electrical measurements and biological conductor volumes. Key terms in the derivation of bioelectrical impedance analysis are described and the relation between the electrical properties of tissues and tissue structure is discussed. The relation between the impedance of an object and its geometry, scale, and intrinsic electrical properties is also discussed. Correlations between whole-body impedance measurements and various bioconductor volumes, such as total body water and fat-free mass, are experimentally well established; however, the reason for the success of the impedence technique is much less clear. The bioengineering basis for the technique is critically presented and considerations are proposed that might help to clarify the method and potentially improve its sensitivity.

A study on transmission characteristics and specific absorption rate using impedance-matched electrodes for various human body communication.

PubMed

Machida, Yuta; Yamamoto, Takahiko; Koshiji, Kohji

2013-01-01

Human body communication (HBC) is a new communication technology that has presented potential applications in health care and elderly support systems in recent years. In this study, which is focused on a wearable transmitter and receiver for HBC in a body area network (BAN), we performed electromagnetic field analysis and simulation using the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method with various models of the human body. Further we redesigned a number of impedance-matched electrodes to allow transmission without stubs or transformers. The specific absorption rate (SAR) and transmission characteristics S21 of these electrode structures were compared for several models.

3D matching techniques using OCT fingerprint point clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gutierrez da Costa, Henrique S.; Silva, Luciano; Bellon, Olga R. P.; Bowden, Audrey K.; Czovny, Raphael K.

2017-02-01

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) makes viable acquisition of 3D fingerprints from both dermis and epidermis skin layers and their interfaces, exposing features that can be explored to improve biometric identification such as the curvatures and distinctive 3D regions. Scanned images from eleven volunteers allowed the construction of the first OCT 3D fingerprint database, to our knowledge, containing epidermal and dermal fingerprints. 3D dermal fingerprints can be used to overcome cases of Failure to Enroll (FTE) due to poor ridge image quality and skin alterations, cases that affect 2D matching performance. We evaluate three matching techniques, including the well-established Iterative Closest Points algorithm (ICP), Surface Interpenetration Measure (SIM) and the well-known KH Curvature Maps, all assessed using a 3D OCT fingerprint database, the first one for this purpose. Two of these techniques are based on registration techniques and one on curvatures. These were evaluated, compared and the fusion of matching scores assessed. We applied a sequence of steps to extract regions of interest named (ROI) minutiae clouds, representing small regions around distinctive minutia, usually located at ridges/valleys endings or bifurcations. The obtained ROI is acquired from the epidermis and dermis-epidermis interface by OCT imaging. A comparative analysis of identification accuracy was explored using different scenarios and the obtained results shows improvements for biometric identification. A comparison against 2D fingerprint matching algorithms is also presented to assess the improvements.

Object matching using a locally affine invariant and linear programming techniques.

PubMed

Li, Hongsheng; Huang, Xiaolei; He, Lei

2013-02-01

In this paper, we introduce a new matching method based on a novel locally affine-invariant geometric constraint and linear programming techniques. To model and solve the matching problem in a linear programming formulation, all geometric constraints should be able to be exactly or approximately reformulated into a linear form. This is a major difficulty for this kind of matching algorithm. We propose a novel locally affine-invariant constraint which can be exactly linearized and requires a lot fewer auxiliary variables than other linear programming-based methods do. The key idea behind it is that each point in the template point set can be exactly represented by an affine combination of its neighboring points, whose weights can be solved easily by least squares. Errors of reconstructing each matched point using such weights are used to penalize the disagreement of geometric relationships between the template points and the matched points. The resulting overall objective function can be solved efficiently by linear programming techniques. Our experimental results on both rigid and nonrigid object matching show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

Broadband metamaterial for nonresonant matching of acoustic waves

PubMed Central

D’Aguanno, G.; Le, K. Q.; Trimm, R.; Alù, A.; Mattiucci, N.; Mathias, A. D.; Aközbek, N.; Bloemer, M. J.

2012-01-01

Unity transmittance at an interface between bulk media is quite common for polarized electromagnetic waves incident at the Brewster angle, but it is rarely observed for sound waves at any angle of incidence. In the following, we theoretically and experimentally demonstrate an acoustic metamaterial possessing a Brewster-like angle that is completely transparent to sound waves over an ultra-broadband frequency range with >100% bandwidth. The metamaterial, consisting of a hard metal with subwavelength apertures, provides a surface impedance matching mechanism that can be arbitrarily tailored to specific media. The nonresonant nature of the impedance matching effectively decouples the front and back surfaces of the metamaterial allowing one to independently tailor the acoustic impedance at each interface. On the contrary, traditional methods for acoustic impedance matching, for example in medical imaging, rely on resonant tunneling through a thin antireflection layer, which is inherently narrowband and angle specific. PMID:22468227

Development of in vivo impedance spectroscopy techniques for measurement of micropore formation following microneedle insertion

PubMed Central

Brogden, Nicole K.; Ghosh, Priyanka; Hardi, Lucia; Crofford, Leslie J.; Stinchcomb, Audra L.

2013-01-01

Microneedles provide a minimally invasive means to enhance skin permeability by creating micron-scale channels (micropores) that provide a drug delivery pathway. Adequate formation of the micropores is critical to the success of this unique drug delivery technique. The objective of these studies was to develop sensitive and reproducible impedance spectroscopy techniques to monitor micropore formation in animal models and human subjects. Hairless guinea pigs, a Yucatan miniature pig, and human volunteers were treated with 100 microneedle insertions per site following an overnight pre-hydration period. Repeated measurements were made pre- and post-microneedle treatment using dry and gel Ag/AgCl electrodes applied with light vs. direct pressure to hold the electrode to the skin surface. Impedance measurements dropped significantly post-microneedle application at all sites (p < 0.05, irrespective of electrode type or gel application), confirming micropore formation. In the Yucatan pig and human subjects, gel electrodes with direct pressure yielded the lowest variability (demonstrated by lower %RSD), whereas dry electrodes with direct pressure were superior in the guinea pigs. These studies confirm that impedance measurements are suitable for use in both clinical and animal research environments to monitor formation of new micropores that will allow for drug delivery through the impermeable skin layers. PMID:23589356

Optimization and Control of Acoustic Liner Impedance with Bias Flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wood, Houston; Follet, Jesse

2000-01-01

Because communities are impacted by steady increases in aircraft traffic, aircraft noise continues to be a growing problem for the growth of commercial aviation. Research has focused on improving the design of specific high noise source areas of aircraft and on noise control measures to alleviate noise radiated from aircraft to the surrounding environment. Engine duct liners have long been a principal means of attenuating engine noise. The ability to control in-situ the acoustic impedance of a liner would provide a valuable tool to improve the performance of liners. The acoustic impedance of a liner is directly related to the sound absorption qualities of that liner. Increased attenuation rates, the ability to change liner acoustic impedance to match various operating conditions, or the ability to tune a liner to more precisely match design impedance represent some ways that in-situ impedance control could be useful. With this in mind, the research to be investigated will focus on improvements in the ability to control liner impedance using a mean flow through the liner which is referred to as bias flow.

Bond-slip detection of concrete-encased composite structure using electro-mechanical impedance technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Yabin; Li, Dongsheng; Parvasi, Seyed Mohammad; Kong, Qingzhao; Lim, Ing; Song, Gangbing

2016-09-01

Concrete-encased composite structure is a type of structure that takes the advantages of both steel and concrete materials, showing improved strength, ductility, and fire resistance compared to traditional reinforced concrete structures. The interface between concrete and steel profiles governs the interaction between these two materials under loading, however, debonding damage between these two materials may lead to severe degradation of the load transferring capacity which will affect the structural performance significantly. In this paper, the electro-mechanical impedance (EMI) technique using piezoceramic transducers was experimentally investigated to detect the bond-slip occurrence of the concrete-encased composite structure. The root-mean-square deviation is used to quantify the variations of the impedance signatures due to the presence of the bond-slip damage. In order to verify the validity of the proposed method, finite element model analysis was performed to simulate the behavior of concrete-steel debonding based on a 3D finite element concrete-steel bond model. The computed impedance signatures from the numerical results are compared with the results obtained from the experimental study, and both the numerical and experimental studies verify the proposed EMI method to detect bond slip of a concrete-encased composite structure.

Influence of acoustic impedance of multilayer acoustic systems on the transfer function of ultrasonic airborne transducers.

PubMed

Gudra, Tadeusz; Opieliński, Krzysztof J

2002-05-01

In different solutions of ultrasonic transducers radiating acoustic energy into the air there occurs the problem of the proper selection of the acoustic impedance of one or more matching layers. The goal of this work was a computer analysis of the influence of acoustic impedance on the transfer function of piezoceramic transducers equipped with matching layers. Cases of resonance and non-resonance matching impedance in relation to the transfer function and the energy transmission coefficient for solid state-air systems were analysed. With stable thickness of matching layers the required shape of the transfer function can be obtained through proper choice of acoustic impedance were built (e.g. maximal flat function). The proper choice of acoustic impedance requires an elaboration of precise methods of synthesis of matching systems. Using the known matching criteria (Chebyshev's, DeSilets', Souquet's), the transfer function characteristics of transducers equipped with one, two, and three matching layers as well as the optimisation methods of the energy transmission coefficient were presented. The influence of the backside load of the transducer on the shape of transfer function was also analysed. The calculation results of this function for different loads of the transducer backside without and with the different matching layers were presented. The proper load selection allows us to obtain the desired shape of the transfer function, which determines the pulse shape generated by the transducer.

Development of in vivo impedance spectroscopy techniques for measurement of micropore formation following microneedle insertion.

PubMed

Brogden, Nicole K; Ghosh, Priyanka; Hardi, Lucia; Crofford, Leslie J; Stinchcomb, Audra L

2013-06-01

Microneedles (MNs) provide a minimally invasive means to enhance skin permeability by creating micron-scale channels (micropores) that provide a drug delivery pathway. Adequate formation of the micropores is critical to the success of this unique drug delivery technique. The objective of the current work was to develop sensitive and reproducible impedance spectroscopy techniques to monitor micropore formation in animal models and human subjects. Hairless guinea pigs, a Yucatan miniature pig, and human volunteers were treated with 100 MN insertions per site following an overnight prehydration period. Repeated measurements were made pre- and post-MN treatment using dry and gel Ag/AgCl electrodes applied with light verses direct pressure to hold the electrode to the skin surface. Impedance measurements dropped significantly post-MN application at all sites (p < 0.05, irrespective of electrode type or gel application), confirming micropore formation. In the Yucatan pig and human subjects, gel electrodes with direct pressure yielded the lowest variability (demonstrated by lower %relative standard deviation), whereas dry electrodes with direct pressure were superior in the guinea pigs. These studies confirm that impedance measurements are suitable for use in both clinical and animal research environments to monitor the formation of new micropores that will allow for drug delivery through the impermeable skin layers. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Superconducting active impedance converter

DOEpatents

Ginley, D.S.; Hietala, V.M.; Martens, J.S.

1993-11-16

A transimpedance amplifier for use with high temperature superconducting, other superconducting, and conventional semiconductors allows for appropriate signal amplification and impedance matching to processing electronics. The amplifier incorporates the superconducting flux flow transistor into a differential amplifier configuration which allows for operation over a wide temperature range, and is characterized by high gain, relatively low noise, and response times less than 200 picoseconds over at least a 10-80 K. temperature range. The invention is particularly useful when a signal derived from either far-IR focal plane detectors or from Josephson junctions is to be processed by higher signal/higher impedance electronics, such as conventional semiconductor technology. 12 figures.

Superconducting active impedance converter

DOEpatents

Ginley, David S.; Hietala, Vincent M.; Martens, Jon S.

1993-01-01

A transimpedance amplifier for use with high temperature superconducting, other superconducting, and conventional semiconductor allows for appropriate signal amplification and impedance matching to processing electronics. The amplifier incorporates the superconducting flux flow transistor into a differential amplifier configuration which allows for operation over a wide temperature range, and is characterized by high gain, relatively low noise, and response times less than 200 picoseconds over at least a 10-80 K. temperature range. The invention is particularly useful when a signal derived from either far-IR focal plane detectors or from Josephson junctions is to be processed by higher signal/higher impedance electronics, such as conventional semiconductor technology.

Impedance Based Detection of Delamination in Composite Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Djemana, M.; Hrairi, M.

2017-03-01

Nowadays commercial and military aircrafts are increasingly using composite materials to take advantage of their excellent specific strength and stiffness properties but impacts on composites due to bird-strike, hail-storm cause barely visible impact damage (BVID) that underscores the need for robust structural health monitoring methods. Hence, damage identification in composite materials is a widely researched area that has to deal with problems coming from the anisotropic nature of composites and the fact that much of the damage occurs beneath the top surface of the laminate. This paper focuses on understanding self-sensing piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS) to conduct electromechanical impedance (EMI) in glass fibre reinforced polymer composite to perform structural health monitoring. With the aid of a 3D ANSYS finite element model, an analysis of different techniques for the detection of position and size of a delamination in a composite structure using piezoelectric patches had been performed. The real part of the impedance is used because it is known to be more reactive to damage or changes in the structure’s integrity and less sensitive to ambient temperature changes compared to the imaginary part. Comparison with experimental results is presented to validate the FE results. The experimental setup utilizes as its main apparatus an impedance analyser HP4194 that reads the in-situ EMI of PWAS bonded to the monitored composite structure. A good match between experimental and numerical results has been observed for low and high frequencies. The analysis in this paper provides necessary basis for delamination detection in composite structures using EMI technique

Sub-Frequency Interval Approach in Electromechanical Impedance Technique for Concrete Structure Health Monitoring

PubMed Central

Yang, Yaowen; Divsholi, Bahador Sabet

2010-01-01

The electromechanical (EM) impedance technique using piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) transducers for structural health monitoring (SHM) has attracted considerable attention in various engineering fields. In the conventional EM impedance technique, the EM admittance of a PZT transducer is used as a damage indicator. Statistical analysis methods such as root mean square deviation (RMSD) have been employed to associate the damage level with the changes in the EM admittance signatures, but it is difficult to determine the location of damage using such methods. This paper proposes a new approach by dividing the large frequency (30–400 kHz) range into sub-frequency intervals and calculating their respective RMSD values. The RMSD of the sub-frequency intervals (RMSD-S) will be used to study the severity and location of damage. An experiment is carried out on a real size concrete structure subjected to artificial damage. It is observed that damage close to the PZT changes the high frequency range RMSD-S significantly, while the damage far away from the PZT changes the RMSD-S in the low frequency range significantly. The relationship between the frequency range and the PZT sensing region is also presented. Finally, a damage identification scheme is proposed to estimate the location and severity of damage in concrete structures. PMID:22163548

Process tool monitoring and matching using interferometry technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anberg, Doug; Owen, David M.; Mileham, Jeffrey; Lee, Byoung-Ho; Bouche, Eric

2016-03-01

The semiconductor industry makes dramatic device technology changes over short time periods. As the semiconductor industry advances towards to the 10 nm device node, more precise management and control of processing tools has become a significant manufacturing challenge. Some processes require multiple tool sets and some tools have multiple chambers for mass production. Tool and chamber matching has become a critical consideration for meeting today's manufacturing requirements. Additionally, process tools and chamber conditions have to be monitored to ensure uniform process performance across the tool and chamber fleet. There are many parameters for managing and monitoring tools and chambers. Particle defect monitoring is a well-known and established example where defect inspection tools can directly detect particles on the wafer surface. However, leading edge processes are driving the need to also monitor invisible defects, i.e. stress, contamination, etc., because some device failures cannot be directly correlated with traditional visualized defect maps or other known sources. Some failure maps show the same signatures as stress or contamination maps, which implies correlation to device performance or yield. In this paper we present process tool monitoring and matching using an interferometry technique. There are many types of interferometry techniques used for various process monitoring applications. We use a Coherent Gradient Sensing (CGS) interferometer which is self-referencing and enables high throughput measurements. Using this technique, we can quickly measure the topography of an entire wafer surface and obtain stress and displacement data from the topography measurement. For improved tool and chamber matching and reduced device failure, wafer stress measurements can be implemented as a regular tool or chamber monitoring test for either unpatterned or patterned wafers as a good criteria for improved process stability.

Design of matching layers for high-frequency ultrasonic transducers

PubMed Central

Fei, Chunlong; Ma, Jianguo; Chiu, Chi Tat; Williams, Jay A.; Fong, Wayne; Chen, Zeyu; Zhu, BenPeng; Xiong, Rui; Shi, Jing; Hsiai, Tzung K.; Shung, K. Kirk; Zhou, Qifa

2015-01-01

Matching the acoustic impedance of high-frequency (≥100 MHz) ultrasound transducers to an aqueous loading medium remains a challenge for fabricating high-frequency transducers. The traditional matching layer design has been problematic to establish high matching performance given requirements on both specific acoustic impedance and precise thickness. Based on both mass-spring scheme and microwave matching network analysis, we interfaced metal-polymer layers for the matching effects. Both methods hold promises for guiding the metal-polymer matching layer design. A 100 MHz LiNbO3 transducer was fabricated to validate the performance of the both matching layer designs. In the pulse-echo experiment, the transducer echo amplitude increased by 84.4% and its −6dB bandwidth increased from 30.2% to 58.3% comparing to the non-matched condition, demonstrating that the matching layer design method is effective for developing high-frequency ultrasonic transducers. PMID:26445518

Impedance analysis of acupuncture points and pathways

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teplan, Michal; Kukučka, Marek; Ondrejkovičová, Alena

2011-12-01

Investigation of impedance characteristics of acupuncture points from acoustic to radio frequency range is addressed. Discernment and localization of acupuncture points in initial single subject study was unsuccessfully attempted by impedance map technique. Vector impedance analyses determined possible resonant zones in MHz region.

Plasma Diagnostics by Antenna Impedance Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swenson, C. M.; Baker, K. D.; Pound, E.; Jensen, M. D.

1993-01-01

The impedance of an electrically short antenna immersed in a plasma provides an excellent in situ diagnostic tool for electron density and other plasma parameters. By electrically short we mean that the wavelength of the free-space electromagnetic wave that would be excited at the driving frequency is much longer than the physical size of the antenna. Probes using this impedance technique have had a long history with sounding rockets and satellites, stretching back to the early 1960s. This active technique could provide information on composition and temperature of plasmas for comet or planetary missions. Advantages of the impedance probe technique are discussed and two classes of instruments built and flown by SDL-USU for determining electron density (the capacitance and plasma frequency probes) are described.

An improved water-filled impedance tube.

PubMed

Wilson, Preston S; Roy, Ronald A; Carey, William M

2003-06-01

A water-filled impedance tube capable of improved measurement accuracy and precision is reported. The measurement instrument employs a variation of the standardized two-sensor transfer function technique. Performance improvements were achieved through minimization of elastic waveguide effects and through the use of sound-hard wall-mounted acoustic pressure sensors. Acoustic propagation inside the water-filled impedance tube was found to be well described by a plane wave model, which is a necessary condition for the technique. Measurements of the impedance of a pressure-release terminated transmission line, and the reflection coefficient from a water/air interface, were used to verify the system.

Feedback control impedance matching system using liquid stub tuner for ion cyclotron heating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nomura, G.; Yokota, M.; Kumazawa, R.; Takahashi, C.; Torii, Y.; Saito, K.; Yamamoto, T.; Takeuchi, N.; Shimpo, F.; Kato, A.; Seki, T.; Mutoh, T.; Watari, T.; Zhao, Y.

2001-10-01

A long pulse discharge more than 2 minutes was achieved using Ion Cyclotron Range of Frequency (ICRF) heating only on the Large Helical Device (LHD). The final goal is a steady state operation (30 minutes) at MW level. A liquid stub tuner was newly invented to cope with the long pulse discharge. The liquid surface level was shifted under a high RF voltage operation without breakdown. In the long pulse discharge the reflected power was observed to gradually increase. The shift of the liquid surface was thought to be inevitably required at the further longer discharge. An ICRF heating system consisting of a liquid stub tuner was fabricated to demonstrate a feedback control impedance matching. The required shift of the liquid surface was predicted using a forward and a reflected RF powers as well as the phase difference between them. A liquid stub tuner was controlled by the multiprocessing computer system with CINOS (CHS Integration No Operating System) methods. The prime objective was to improve the performance of data processing and controlling a signal response. By employing this method a number of the program steps was remarkably reduced. A real time feedback control was demonstrated in the system using a temporally changed electric resistance.

Positional dependence of particles in microfludic impedance cytometry.

PubMed

Spencer, Daniel; Morgan, Hywel

2011-04-07

Single cell impedance cytometry is a label-free electrical analysis method that requires minimal sample preparation and has been used to count and discriminate cells on the basis of their impedance properties. This paper shows experimental and numerically simulated impedance signals for test particles (6 μm diameter polystyrene) flowing through a microfluidic channel. The variation of impedance signal with particle position is mapped using numerical simulation and these results match closely with experimental data. We demonstrate that for a nominal 40 μm × 40 μm channel, the impedance signal is independent of position over the majority of the channel area, but shows large experimentally verifiable variation at extreme positions. The parabolic flow profile in the channel ensures that most of the sample flows through the area of uniform signal. At high flow rates inertial focusing is observed; the particles flow in equal numbers through two equilibrium positions reducing the coefficient of variance (CV) in the impedance signals to negligible values.

Input impedance of a probe-fed circular microstrip antenna with thick substrate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davidovitz, M.; Lo, Y. T.

1986-01-01

A method of computing the input impedance for the probe fed circular microstrip antenna with thick dielectric substrate is presented. Utilizing the framework of the cavity model, the fields under the microstrip patch are expanded in a set of modes satisfying the boundary conditions on the eccentrically located probe, as well as on the cavity magnetic wall. A mode-matching technique is used to solve for the electric field at the junction between the cavity and the coaxial feed cable. The reflection coefficient of the transverse electromagnetic (TEM) mode incident in the coaxial cable is determined, from which the input impedance of the antenna is computed. Measured data are presented to verify the theoretical calculations. Results of the computation of various losses for the circular printed antenna as a function of substrate thickness are also included.

Bioelectrical Impedance Methods for Noninvasive Health Monitoring: A Review

PubMed Central

Bera, Tushar Kanti

2014-01-01

Under the alternating electrical excitation, biological tissues produce a complex electrical impedance which depends on tissue composition, structures, health status, and applied signal frequency, and hence the bioelectrical impedance methods can be utilized for noninvasive tissue characterization. As the impedance responses of these tissue parameters vary with frequencies of the applied signal, the impedance analysis conducted over a wide frequency band provides more information about the tissue interiors which help us to better understand the biological tissues anatomy, physiology, and pathology. Over past few decades, a number of impedance based noninvasive tissue characterization techniques such as bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), electrical impedance plethysmography (IPG), impedance cardiography (ICG), and electrical impedance tomography (EIT) have been proposed and a lot of research works have been conducted on these methods for noninvasive tissue characterization and disease diagnosis. In this paper BIA, EIS, IPG, ICG, and EIT techniques and their applications in different fields have been reviewed and technical perspective of these impedance methods has been presented. The working principles, applications, merits, and demerits of these methods has been discussed in detail along with their other technical issues followed by present status and future trends. PMID:27006932

Mapping Diffuse Seismicity Using Empirical Matched Field Processing Techniques

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

Wang, J; Templeton, D C; Harris, D B

The objective of this project is to detect and locate more microearthquakes using the empirical matched field processing (MFP) method than can be detected using only conventional earthquake detection techniques. We propose that empirical MFP can complement existing catalogs and techniques. We test our method on continuous seismic data collected at the Salton Sea Geothermal Field during November 2009 and January 2010. In the Southern California Earthquake Data Center (SCEDC) earthquake catalog, 619 events were identified in our study area during this time frame and our MFP technique identified 1094 events. Therefore, we believe that the empirical MFP method combinedmore » with conventional methods significantly improves the network detection ability in an efficient matter.« less

Impedance measurement using a two-microphone, random-excitation method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seybert, A. F.; Parrott, T. L.

1978-01-01

The feasibility of using a two-microphone, random-excitation technique for the measurement of acoustic impedance was studied. Equations were developed, including the effect of mean flow, which show that acoustic impedance is related to the pressure ratio and phase difference between two points in a duct carrying plane waves only. The impedances of a honeycomb ceramic specimen and a Helmholtz resonator were measured and compared with impedances obtained using the conventional standing-wave method. Agreement between the two methods was generally good. A sensitivity analysis was performed to pinpoint possible error sources and recommendations were made for future study. The two-microphone approach evaluated in this study appears to have some advantages over other impedance measuring techniques.

Waveform-preserved unidirectional acoustic transmission based on impedance-matched acoustic metasurface and phononic crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Ai-Ling; Chen, Tian-Ning; Wang, Xiao-Peng; Wan, Le-Le

2016-08-01

The waveform distortion happens in most of the unidirectional acoustic transmission (UAT) devices proposed before. In this paper, a novel type of waveform-preserved UAT device composed of an impedance-matched acoustic metasurface (AMS) and a phononic crystal (PC) structure is proposed and numerically investigated. The acoustic pressure field distributions and transmittance are calculated by using the finite element method. The subwavelength AMS that can modulate the wavefront of the transmitted wave at will is designed and the band structure of the PC structure is calculated and analyzed. The sound pressure field distributions demonstrate that the unidirectional acoustic transmission can be realized by the proposed UAT device without changing the waveforms of the output waves, which is the distinctive feature compared with the previous UAT devices. The physical mechanism of the unidirectional acoustic transmission is discussed by analyzing the refraction angle changes and partial band gap map. The calculated transmission spectra show that the UAT device is valid within a relatively broad frequency range. The simulation results agree well with the theoretical predictions. The proposed UAT device provides a good reference for designing waveform-preserved UAT devices and has potential applications in many fields, such as medical ultrasound, acoustic rectifiers, and noise insulation.

Optimization of impedance spectroscopy techniques for measuring cutaneous micropore formation after microneedle treatment in an elderly population.

PubMed

Kelchen, Megan N; Holdren, Grant O; Farley, Matthew J; Zimmerman, M Bridget; Fairley, Janet A; Brogden, Nicole K

2014-12-01

The objective of this study was to optimize a reproducible impedance spectroscopy method in elderly subjects as a means to evaluate the effects of microneedles on aging skin. Human volunteers were treated with microneedles at six sites on the upper arm. Repeated impedance measurements were taken pre- and post-microneedle insertion. Two electrode types were evaluated (dry vs. gel), using either light or direct pressure to maintain contact between the electrode and skin surface. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) was measured as a complementary technique. Five control subjects and nine elderly subjects completed the study. Microneedle insertion produced a significant decrease in impedance from baseline in all subjects (p < 0.05, regardless of electrode type or pressure application), confirming micropore formation. This was supported by a complementary significant increase in TEWL (p < 0.05). The gel*direct condition produced the lowest variability between measurements, as demonstrated by a coefficient of variation of 3.8% and 3.5% (control and elderly subjects, respectively). This was lower than variation between TEWL measurements at the same sites: 19.8% and 21.6% (control and elderly subjects, respectively). Impedance spectroscopy reproducibly measures micropore formation in elderly subjects, which will be essential for future studies describing microneedle-assisted transdermal delivery in aging populations.

Efficiency Enhancement for an Inductive Wireless Power Transfer System by Optimizing the Impedance Matching Networks.

PubMed

Miao, Zhidong; Liu, Dake; Gong, Chen

2017-10-01

Inductive wireless power transfer (IWPT) is a promising power technology for implantable biomedical devices, where the power consumption is low and the efficiency is the most important consideration. In this paper, we propose an optimization method of impedance matching networks (IMN) to maximize the IWPT efficiency. The IMN at the load side is designed to achieve the optimal load, and the IMN at the source side is designed to deliver the required amount of power (no-more-no-less) from the power source to the load. The theoretical analyses and design procedure are given. An IWPT system for an implantable glaucoma therapeutic prototype is designed as an example. Compared with the efficiency of the resonant IWPT system, the efficiency of our optimized system increases with a factor of 1.73. Besides, the efficiency of our optimized IWPT system is 1.97 times higher than that of the IWPT system optimized by the traditional maximum power transfer method. All the discussions indicate that the optimization method proposed in this paper could achieve a high efficiency and long working time when the system is powered by a battery.

Growth of carbon nanotubes at low powers by impedance-matched microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition method.

PubMed

Chen, S Y; Chang, L W; Peng, C W; Miao, H Y; Lue, Juh-Tzeng

2005-11-01

A solo carbon nanotube (CNT) was successfully grown on nickel electrodes by a microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MPECVD) method equipped with an impedance-matched substrate holder with the reaction gases composed of hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide (CO2), and methane (CH4) mixtures. An introduction of carbon dioxide gas before CNTs growth, the substrate temperature can easily be reached above 610 degrees C even heated at a low microwave power. This can be enunciated from fact that carbon dioxide inherits with higher bond energy for molecular dissociation, lower thermal conductivity, and higher heat capacity in comparing to other gases. The electron field emissions for randomly aligned CNTs and well-aligned CNTs grown by MPECVD and by radio frequency assisted hot-filament methods, respectively, are measured and compared. The higher field emission characteristic of the randomly aligned CNTs is presumed to be due to the protruded CNTs, which inheriting with less screening effect and manifesting with defects are crucial to play the effective emission sites.

Electron Density Measurement on JUICE Mission by Mutual Impedance Technique: MIME Instrument as a Part of RPWI Consortium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rauch, J. L.; Henri, P.; Wahlund, J. E.; Le Duff, O.; Sene, O.; Colin, F.; Lagoutte, D.; Gilet, N.; Ahlen, L.; Bergman, J.; Gill, R.; Puccio, W.

2017-09-01

Mutual Impedance MEasurements (MIME) instrument is a part of the Radio Wave Plasma Investigation (RPWI) consortium which has been selected by European Space Agency (ESA) on the nest planetary mission JJUpiter ICy moons Exploer (JUICE) for a launch in 2022. The goals are to explore Jupiter and its potentially habitable icy moons and to study its plasma environment. Impedance probes, which are well known in geophysical prospection, in particular for ground permittivity investigations, have been successfully transposed to space plasmas diagnostic. Transmitting and receiving electrodes are used for measuring on open circuit the dynamic impedance of the system at several fixed frequencies over a range that includes characteristic frequencies of the ambient plasma. The measurements are then interpreted using a suitable theory and the values of plasma parameters, such as the electron density and possibly the temperature of the plasma can be deduced. To show how powerful this technique is, results obtained in the Earth's plasmasphere by the mutual impedance probe onboard ROSETTA are presented as example. MIME instrument proposal is then described and its ability to make valuable measurements in the Jupiter space environment and in particular around Europe, Callisto and Ganymede is investigated..

Characterization of DUT impedance in immunity test setups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassanpour Razavi, Seyyed Ali; Frei, Stephan

2016-09-01

Several immunity test procedures for narrowband radiated electromagnetic energy are available for automotive components. The ISO 11452 series describes the most commonly used test methods. The absorber line shielded enclosure (ALSE) is often considered as the most reliable method. However, testing with the bulk current injection (BCI) can be done with less efforts and is often preferred. As the test setup in both procedures is quite similar, there were several trials for finding appropriate modifications to the BCI in order to increase the matching to the ALSE. However, the lack of knowledge regarding the impedance of the tested component, makes it impossible to find the equivalent current to be injected by the BCI and a good match cannot be achieved. In this paper, three approaches are proposed to estimate the termination impedance indirectly by using different current probes.

Monitoring early hydration of reinforced concrete structures using structural parameters identified by piezo sensors via electromechanical impedance technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Talakokula, Visalakshi; Bhalla, Suresh; Gupta, Ashok

2018-01-01

Concrete is the most widely used material in civil engineering construction. Its life begins when the hydration process is activated after mixing the cement granulates with water. In this paper, a non-dimensional hydration parameter, obtained from piezoelectric ceramic (PZT) patches bonded to rebars embedded inside concrete, is employed to monitor the early age hydration of concrete. The non-dimensional hydration parameter is derived from the equivalent stiffness determined from the piezo-impedance transducers using the electro-mechanical impedance (EMI) technique. The focus of the study is to monitor the hydration process of cementitious materials commencing from the early hours and continue till 28 days using single non-dimensional parameter. The experimental results show that the proposed piezo-based non-dimensional hydration parameter is very effective in monitoring the early age hydration, as it has been derived from the refined structural impedance parameters, obtained by eliminating the PZT contribution, and using both the real and imaginary components of the admittance signature.

Monitoring the integrity of massive aluminum structures using PZT transducers and the technique of impedance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Costa, Rosalba; Maia, Joaquim M.; Assef, Amauri A.; Pichorim, Sergio F.; Costa, Eduardo T.; L. S. N. Button, Vera

2015-04-01

Safety, performance, economy and durability are essential items to qualify materials for the manufacturing of structures used in different areas. Generally, the materials used for this purpose are formed by composites and sometimes they can present failure during the manufacturing process. Such failures can also occur during use due to fatigue and wear, causing damage often difficult to be visually detected. In these cases, the use of non destructive testing (NDT) has proven to be a good choice for assessing the materials quality. The objective of this work was the electromechanical impedance evaluation of massive aluminum structures using ultrasonic transducers to detect discontinuities in the material. The tests have been done using an impedance analyzer (Agilent 4294A), an ultrasound transducer (1.6 MHz of central frequency), two types of PZT ceramics (0.267 mm and 1 mm thickness) and four aluminum samples (250 x 50 x 50 mm) with the transducer placed at three different regions. One sample was kept intact (reference) and the others were drilled in three positions with different sizes of holes (5 mm. 8 mm and 11 mm). The electromechanical impedance was recorded for each sample. The root mean square deviation index (RMSD) between the impedance magnitude of the reference and damaged samples was calculated and it was observed an increase in the RMSD due to the increase of the diameter of the holes (failures) in the samples completely drilled. The results show that the proposed methodology is suitable for monitoring the integrity of aluminum samples. The technique may be evaluated in characterizing other materials to be used in the construction of prostheses and orthoses.

Digital synthetic impedance for application in vibration damping.

PubMed

Nečásek, J; Václavík, J; Marton, P

2016-02-01

In this work we present construction details of a precision, standalone, and compact digital synthetic impedance for application in the field of vibration damping. The presented device is based on an embedded ARM microcontroller with external AD and DA converters and a special analog front-end. The performance of the device is tested by comparing the actually synthesized impedance with several prescribed impedances and shows very good match. Fine-tuning ability of the device, which is crucial for the considered application, is also demonstrated and reaches as small step as 0.1% for the most complicated impedance structure and drops below the level of direct measurability with less complex structures. The real application in vibration damping is demonstrated on a simple and well understood case of a one-dimensional vibrating spring-mass system with piezoelectric actuator embedded as the interface between source of vibrations and vibrating mass.

Digital synthetic impedance for application in vibration damping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nečásek, J.; Václavík, J.; Marton, P.

2016-02-01

In this work we present construction details of a precision, standalone, and compact digital synthetic impedance for application in the field of vibration damping. The presented device is based on an embedded ARM microcontroller with external AD and DA converters and a special analog front-end. The performance of the device is tested by comparing the actually synthesized impedance with several prescribed impedances and shows very good match. Fine-tuning ability of the device, which is crucial for the considered application, is also demonstrated and reaches as small step as 0.1% for the most complicated impedance structure and drops below the level of direct measurability with less complex structures. The real application in vibration damping is demonstrated on a simple and well understood case of a one-dimensional vibrating spring-mass system with piezoelectric actuator embedded as the interface between source of vibrations and vibrating mass.

Dynamic Deformation Behavior of Soft Material Using Shpb Technique and Pulse Shaper

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Ouk Sub; Cho, Kyu Sang; Kim, Sung Hyun; Han, Yong Hwan

This paper presents a modified Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) technique to obtain compressive stress strain data for NBR rubber materials. An experimental technique with a modified the conventional SHPB has been developed for measuring the compressive stress strain responses of materials with low mechanical impedance and low compressive strengths, such as the rubber and the polymeric material. This paper uses an aluminum pressure bar to achieve a closer impedance match between the pressure bar and the specimen materials. In addition, a pulse shaper is utilized to lengthen the rising time of the incident pulse to ensure dynamic stress equilibrium and homogeneous deformation of NBR rubber materials. It is found that the modified technique can determine the dynamic deformation behavior of rubbers more accurately.

Highly efficient all-dielectric optical tensor impedance metasurfaces for chiral polarization control.

PubMed

Kim, Minseok; Eleftheriades, George V

2016-10-15

We propose a highly efficient (nearly lossless and impedance-matched) all-dielectric optical tensor impedance metasurface that mimics chiral effects at optical wavelengths. By cascading an array of rotated crossed silicon nanoblocks, we realize chiral optical tensor impedance metasurfaces that operate as circular polarization selective surfaces. Their efficiencies are maximized through a nonlinear numerical optimization process in which the tensor impedance metasurfaces are modeled via multi-conductor transmission line theory. From rigorous full-wave simulations that include all material losses, we show field transmission efficiencies of 94% for right- and left-handed circular polarization selective surfaces at 800 nm.

The Role of Lattice Matching Techniques in the Characterization of Polymorphic Forms.

PubMed

Mighell, Alan D

2011-01-01

An inspection of the recent literature reveals that polymorphism is a frequently encountered phenomenon. The recognition of polymorphic forms plays a vital role in the materials sciences because such structures are characterized by different crystal packing and accordingly have different physical properties. In the pharmaceutical industry, recognition of polymorphic forms can be critical for, in certain cases, a polymorphic form of a drug may be an ineffective therapeutic agent due to its unfavorable physical properties. A check of the recent literature has revealed that in some cases new polymorphic forms are not recognized. In other instances, a supposedly new polymeric form is actually the result of an incorrect structure determination. Fortunately, lattice-matching techniques, which have proved invaluable in the identification and characterization of crystal structures, represent a powerful tool for analyzing polymorphic forms. These lattice-matching methods are based on either of two strategies: (a) the reduced cell strategy-the matching of reduced cells of the respective lattices or (b) the matrix strategy-the determination of a matrix or matrices relating the two lattices coupled with an analysis of the matrix elements. Herein, these techniques are applied to three typical cases-(a) the identification of a new polymorphic form, (b) the demonstration that a substance may not be a new polymorphic form due to missed symmetry, and (c) the evaluation of pseudo polymorphism because of a missed lattice. To identify new polymorphic forms and to prevent errors, it is recommended that these lattice matching techniques become an integral part of the editorial review process of crystallography journals.

Multiscale moment-based technique for object matching and recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thio, HweeLi; Chen, Liya; Teoh, Eam-Khwang

2000-03-01

A new method is proposed to extract features from an object for matching and recognition. The features proposed are a combination of local and global characteristics -- local characteristics from the 1-D signature function that is defined to each pixel on the object boundary, global characteristics from the moments that are generated from the signature function. The boundary of the object is first extracted, then the signature function is generated by computing the angle between two lines from every point on the boundary as a function of position along the boundary. This signature function is position, scale and rotation invariant (PSRI). The shape of the signature function is then described quantitatively by using moments. The moments of the signature function are the global characters of a local feature set. Using moments as the eventual features instead of the signature function reduces the time and complexity of an object matching application. Multiscale moments are implemented to produce several sets of moments that will generate more accurate matching. Basically multiscale technique is a coarse to fine procedure and makes the proposed method more robust to noise. This method is proposed to match and recognize objects under simple transformation, such as translation, scale changes, rotation and skewing. A simple logo indexing system is implemented to illustrate the performance of the proposed method.

Acoustic Emission Detected by Matched Filter Technique in Laboratory Earthquake Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, B.; Hou, J.; Xie, F.; Ren, Y.

2017-12-01

Acoustic Emission in laboratory earthquake experiment is a fundamental measures to study the mechanics of the earthquake for instance to characterize the aseismic, nucleation, as well as post seismic phase or in stick slip experiment. Compared to field earthquake, AEs are generally recorded when they are beyond threshold, so some weak signals may be missing. Here we conducted an experiment on a 1.1m×1.1m granite with a 1.5m fault and 13 receivers with the same sample rate of 3MHz are placed on the surface. We adopt continues record and a matched filter technique to detect low-SNR signals. We found there are too many signals around the stick-slip and the P- arrival picked by manual may be time-consuming. So, we combined the short-term average to long-tem-average ratio (STA/LTA) technique with Autoregressive-Akaike information criterion (AR-AIC) technique to pick the arrival automatically and found mostly of the P- arrival accuracy can satisfy our demand to locate signals. Furthermore, we will locate the signals and apply a matched filter technique to detect low-SNR signals. Then, we can see if there is something interesting in laboratory earthquake experiment. Detailed and updated results will be present in the meeting.

Impedance analysis of cultured cells: a mean-field electrical response model for electric cell-substrate impedance sensing technique.

PubMed

Urdapilleta, E; Bellotti, M; Bonetto, F J

2006-10-01

In this paper we present a model to describe the electrical properties of a confluent cell monolayer cultured on gold microelectrodes to be used with electric cell-substrate impedance sensing technique. This model was developed from microscopic considerations (distributed effects), and by assuming that the monolayer is an element with mean electrical characteristics (specific lumped parameters). No assumptions were made about cell morphology. The model has only three adjustable parameters. This model and other models currently used for data analysis are compared with data we obtained from electrical measurements of confluent monolayers of Madin-Darby Canine Kidney cells. One important parameter is the cell-substrate height and we found that estimates of this magnitude strongly differ depending on the model used for the analysis. We analyze the origin of the discrepancies, concluding that the estimates from the different models can be considered as limits for the true value of the cell-substrate height.

Acoustic impedance matched buffers enable separation of bacteria from blood cells at high cell concentrations.

PubMed

Ohlsson, Pelle; Petersson, Klara; Augustsson, Per; Laurell, Thomas

2018-06-14

Sepsis is a common and often deadly systemic response to an infection, usually caused by bacteria. The gold standard for finding the causing pathogen in a blood sample is blood culture, which may take hours to days. Shortening the time to diagnosis would significantly reduce mortality. To replace the time-consuming blood culture we are developing a method to directly separate bacteria from red and white blood cells to enable faster bacteria identification. The blood cells are moved from the sample flow into a parallel stream using acoustophoresis. Due to their smaller size, the bacteria are not affected by the acoustic field and therefore remain in the blood plasma flow and can be directed to a separate outlet. When optimizing for sample throughput, 1 ml of undiluted whole blood equivalent can be processed within 12.5 min, while maintaining the bacteria recovery at 90% and the blood cell removal above 99%. That makes this the fastest label-free microfluidic continuous flow method per channel to separate bacteria from blood with high bacteria recovery (>80%). The high throughput was achieved by matching the acoustic impedance of the parallel stream to that of the blood sample, to avoid that acoustic forces relocate the fluid streams.

Pattern matching techniques for correcting low-confidence OCR words in a known context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ford, Glenn; Hauser, Susan E.; Le, Daniel X.; Thoma, George R.

2000-12-01

A commercial OCR system is a key component of a system developed at the National Library of Medicine for the automated extraction of bibliographic fields from biomedical journals. This 5-engine OCR system, while exhibiting high performance overall, does not reliably convert very small characters, especially those that are in italics. As a result, the 'affiliations' field that typically contains such characters in most journals, is not captured accurately, and requires a disproportionately high manual input. To correct this problem, dictionaries have been created from words occurring in this field (e.g., university, department, street addresses, names of cities, etc.) from 230,000 articles already processed. The OCR output corresponding to the affiliation field is then matched against these dictionary entries by approximate string-matching techniques, and the ranked matches are presented to operators for verification. This paper outlines the techniques employed and the results of a comparative evaluation.

Practical issues in the implementation of electro-mechanical impedance technique for NDE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhalla, Suresh; Naidu, Akshay S. K.; Ong, Chin W.; Soh, Chee-Kiong

2002-11-01

The electro-mechanical impedance (EMI) technique, which utilizes "smart" piezoceramic (PZT) patches as collocated actuator-sensors, has recently emerged as a powerful technique for diagnosing incipient damages in structures and machines. This technique utilizes the electro-mechanical admittance of a PZT patch surface bonded to the structure as the diagnostic signature of the structure. The operating frequency is typically maintained in the kHz range for optimum sensitivity in damage detection. However, there are many impediments to the practical application of the technique for NDE of real-life structures, such as aerospace systems, machine parts, and civil-infrastructures like buildings and bridges. The main challenge lies in achieving consistent behavior of the bonded PZT patch over sufficiently long periods, typically of the order of years, under "harsh" environment. This necessitates protecting the PZT patch from environmental effects. This paper reports a dedicated investigation stretched over several months to ascertain the long-term consistency of the electro-mechanical admittance signatures of PZT patches. Possible protection of the patch by means of suitable covering layer as well as the effects of the layer on damage sensitivity of the patch are also investigated. It is found that a suitable cover is necessary to protect the PZT patch, especially against humidity and to ensure long life. It is also found that the patch exhibits a high sensitivity to damage even in the presence of the protection layer. The paper also includes a brief discussion on few recent applications of the EMI technique and possible use of multiplexing to optimize sensor interrogation time.

Effect of the Matching Circuit on the Electromechanical Characteristics of Sandwiched Piezoelectric Transducers.

PubMed

Lin, Shuyu; Xu, Jie

2017-02-10

The input electrical impedance behaves as a capacitive when a piezoelectric transducer is excited near its resonance frequency. In order to increase the energy transmission efficiency, a series or parallel inductor should be used to compensate the capacitive impedance of the piezoelectric transducer. In this paper, the effect of the series matching inductor on the electromechanical characteristics of the piezoelectric transducer is analyzed. The dependency of the resonance/anti-resonance frequency, the effective electromechanical coupling coefficient, the electrical quality factor and the electro-acoustical efficiency on the matching inductor is obtained. It is shown that apart from compensating the capacitive impedance of the piezoelectric transducer, the series matching inductor can also change the electromechanical characteristics of the piezoelectric transducer. When series matching inductor is increased, the resonance frequency is decreased and the anti-resonance unchanged; the effective electromechanical coupling coefficient is increased. For the electrical quality factor and the electroacoustic efficiency, the dependency on the matching inductor is different when the transducer is operated at the resonance and the anti-resonance frequency. The electromechanical characteristics of the piezoelectric transducer with series matching inductor are measured. It is shown that the theoretically predicted relationship between the electromechanical characteristics and the series matching inductor is in good agreement with the experimental results.

Effect of the Matching Circuit on the Electromechanical Characteristics of Sandwiched Piezoelectric Transducers

PubMed Central

Lin, Shuyu; Xu, Jie

2017-01-01

The input electrical impedance behaves as a capacitive when a piezoelectric transducer is excited near its resonance frequency. In order to increase the energy transmission efficiency, a series or parallel inductor should be used to compensate the capacitive impedance of the piezoelectric transducer. In this paper, the effect of the series matching inductor on the electromechanical characteristics of the piezoelectric transducer is analyzed. The dependency of the resonance/anti-resonance frequency, the effective electromechanical coupling coefficient, the electrical quality factor and the electro-acoustical efficiency on the matching inductor is obtained. It is shown that apart from compensating the capacitive impedance of the piezoelectric transducer, the series matching inductor can also change the electromechanical characteristics of the piezoelectric transducer. When series matching inductor is increased, the resonance frequency is decreased and the anti-resonance unchanged; the effective electromechanical coupling coefficient is increased. For the electrical quality factor and the electroacoustic efficiency, the dependency on the matching inductor is different when the transducer is operated at the resonance and the anti-resonance frequency. The electromechanical characteristics of the piezoelectric transducer with series matching inductor are measured. It is shown that the theoretically predicted relationship between the electromechanical characteristics and the series matching inductor is in good agreement with the experimental results. PMID:28208583

Impedance Measurement Box

ScienceCinema

Christophersen, Jon; Morrison, Bill

2018-02-14

Energy storage devices, primarily batteries, are now more important to consumers, industries and the military. With increasing technical complexity and higher user expectations, there is also a demand for highly accurate state-of-health battery assessment techniques. IMB incorporates patented, proprietary, and tested capabilities using control software and hardware that can be part of an embedded monitoring system. IMB directly measures the wideband impedance spectrum in seconds during battery operation with no significant impact on service life. It also can be applied to batteries prior to installation, confirming health before entering active service, as well as during regular maintenance. For more information about this project, visit http://www.inl.gov/rd100/2011/impedance-measurement-box/

Solid Micro Horn Array (SMIHA) for Acoustic Matching

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sherrit, S.; Bao, X.; Bar-Cohen, Y.

2008-01-01

Transduction of electrical signals to mechanical signals and vice-versa in piezoelectric materials is controlled by the material coupling coefficient. In general in a loss-less material the ratio of energy conversion per cycle is proportional to the square of the coupling coefficient. In practical transduction however the impedance mismatch between the piezoelectric material and the electrical drive circuitry or the mechanical structure can have a significant impact on the power transfer. This paper looks at novel methods of matching the acoustic impedance of structures to the piezoelectric material in an effort to increase power transmission and efficiency. In typical methods the density and acoustic velocity of the matching layer is adjusted to give good matching between the transducer and the load. The approach discussed in this paper utilizes solid micro horn arrays in the matching layer which channel the stress and increase the strain in the layer. This approach is found to have potential applications in energy harvesting, medical ultrasound and in liquid and gas coupled transducers.

Damage Assessment of Aerospace Structural Components by Impedance Based Health Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gyekenyesi, Andrew L.; Martin, Richard E.; Sawicki, Jerzy T.; Baaklini, George Y.

2005-01-01

This paper addresses recent efforts at the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field relating to the set-up and assessment of electro-mechanical (E/M) impedance based structural health monitoring. The overall aim is the application of the impedance based technique to aeronautic and space based structural components. As initial steps, a laboratory was created, software written, and experiments conducted on aluminum plates in undamaged and damaged states. A simulated crack, in the form of a narrow notch at various locations, was analyzed using piezoelectric-ceramic (PZT: lead, zirconate, titarate) patches as impedance measuring transducers. Descriptions of the impedance quantifying hardware and software are provided as well as experimental results. In summary, an impedance based health monitoring system was assembled and tested. The preliminary data showed that the impedance based technique was successful in recognizing the damage state of notched aluminum plates.

[Assessing nutritional status of severe malnutrition patients by bioelectrical impedance technique: a multicenter prospective study].

PubMed

Li, Qiang; Li, Xueni; Leng, Yuxin; Zhu, Xi; Yao, Gaiqi

2018-02-01

To assess the nutritional status of severe malnutrition patients with anorexia nervosa by multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance technique, and to provide the basis for nutritional support therapy. A prospective study was conducted. Twenty-six severe malnutrition patients with anorexia nervosa, body mass index (BMI) ≤ 16 kg/m 2 admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) of Peking University Third Hospital and general three ward of Peking University Sixth Hospital from June 1st to September 30th, 2017 were enrolled. The extracellular water (ECW), intracellular water (ICW), ECW/ICW ratio, adipose tissue mass (ATM), lean tissue mass (LTM), total body water/body weight (TBW/WT), ATM/WT, and LTM/WT were measured by multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance meter. Thirty-eighty healthy volunteers with normal nutritional status (23.0 kg/m 2 > BMI > 18.5 kg/m 2 ) matched by gender and height were enrolled as healthy control group. The predictive value of main body composition for nutritional status were analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. All the patients were female. There was no significant difference in height between two groups, but WT and BMI in the severe malnutrition group were significantly higher than those in the healthy control group [WT (kg): 38.1±4.9 vs. 54.2±3.3, BMI (kg/m 2 ): 13.6±2.5 vs. 21.2±1.1, both P < 0.01]. Compared with the healthy control group, the ECW, ICW, ATM, LTM, ATM/WT and LTM/WT were significantly decreased in the severe malnutrition group [ECW (L): 9.02±0.42 vs. 10.19±0.77, ICW (L): 12.6±0.9 vs.19.1±1.3, ATM (kg): 9.3±1.1 vs. 16.6±1.9, LTM (kg): 16.5±1.5 vs. 26.1±1.7, ATM/WT: 0.26±0.02 vs. 0.30±0.02, LTM/WT: 0.22±0.02 vs. 0.26±0.01, all P < 0.01], the ECW/ICW and TBW/WT were significantly increased in the severe malnutrition group (ECW/ICW: 0.72±0.06 vs. 0.54±0.06, TBW/WT: 0.58±0.02 vs. 0.52±0.02, both P < 0.01). It was shown by ROC curve analysis that the area under ROC curve (AUC) of TBW/WT, ATM

Depth estimation of features in video frames with improved feature matching technique using Kinect sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Kajal; Moon, Inkyu; Kim, Sung Gaun

2012-10-01

Estimating depth has long been a major issue in the field of computer vision and robotics. The Kinect sensor's active sensing strategy provides high-frame-rate depth maps and can recognize user gestures and human pose. This paper presents a technique to estimate the depth of features extracted from video frames, along with an improved feature-matching method. In this paper, we used the Kinect camera developed by Microsoft, which captured color and depth images for further processing. Feature detection and selection is an important task for robot navigation. Many feature-matching techniques have been proposed earlier, and this paper proposes an improved feature matching between successive video frames with the use of neural network methodology in order to reduce the computation time of feature matching. The features extracted are invariant to image scale and rotation, and different experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of feature matching between successive video frames. The extracted features are assigned distance based on the Kinect technology that can be used by the robot in order to determine the path of navigation, along with obstacle detection applications.

Mechanical Impedance Modeling of Human Arm: A survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puzi, A. Ahmad; Sidek, S. N.; Sado, F.

2017-03-01

Human arm mechanical impedance plays a vital role in describing motion ability of the upper limb. One of the impedance parameters is stiffness which is defined as the ratio of an applied force to the measured deformation of the muscle. The arm mechanical impedance modeling is useful in order to develop a better controller for system that interacts with human as such an automated robot-assisted platform for automated rehabilitation training. The aim of the survey is to summarize the existing mechanical impedance models of human upper limb so to justify the need to have an improved version of the arm model in order to facilitate the development of better controller of such systems with ever increase in complexity. In particular, the paper will address the following issue: Human motor control and motor learning, constant and variable impedance models, methods for measuring mechanical impedance and mechanical impedance modeling techniques.

Bioelectrical impedance analysis for bovine milk: Preliminary results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bertemes-Filho, P.; Valicheski, R.; Pereira, R. M.; Paterno, A. S.

2010-04-01

This work reports the investigation and analysis of bovine milk quality by using biological impedance measurements using electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The samples were distinguished by a first chemical analysis using Fourier transform midinfrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and flow citometry. A set of milk samples (100ml each) obtained from 17 different cows in lactation with and without mastitis were analyzed with the proposed technique using EIS. The samples were adulterated by adding distilled water and hydrogen peroxide in a controlled manner. FTIR spectroscopy and flow cytometry were performed, and impedance measurements were made in a frequency range from 500Hz up to 1MHz with an implemented EIS system. The system's phase shift was compensated by measuring saline solutions. It was possible to show that the results obtained with the Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) technique may detect changes in the milk caused by mastitis and the presence of water and hydrogen peroxide in the bovine milk.

Ultra-low output impedance RF power amplifier for parallel excitation.

PubMed

Chu, Xu; Yang, Xing; Liu, Yunfeng; Sabate, Juan; Zhu, Yudong

2009-04-01

Inductive coupling between coil elements of a transmit array is one of the key challenges faced by parallel RF transmission. An ultra-low output impedance RF power amplifier (PA) concept was introduced to address this challenge. In an example implementation, an output-matching network was designed to transform the drain-source impedance of the metallic oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) into a very low value for suppressing interelement coupling effect, and meanwhile, to match the input impedance of the coil to the optimum load of the MOSFET for maximizing the available output power. Two prototype amplifiers with 500-W output rating were developed accordingly, and were further evaluated with a transmit array in phantom experiments. Compared to the conventional 50-Omega sources, the new approach exhibited considerable effectiveness suppressing the effects of interelement coupling. The experiments further indicated that the isolation performance was comparable to that achieved by optimized overlap decoupling. The new approach, benefiting from a distinctive current-source characteristic, also exhibited a superior robustness against load variation. Feasibility of the new approach in high-field MR was demonstrated on a 3T clinical scanner.

Influence of MnO2 decorated Fe nano cauliflowers on microwave absorption and impedance matching of polyvinylbutyral (PVB) matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bora, Pritom J.; Porwal, Mayuri; Vinoy, K. J.; Ramamurthy, Praveen C.; Madras, Giridhar

2016-09-01

In this work, a promising, polyvinyl butryl (PVB)-MnO2 decorated Fe composite was synthesised and microwave absorption properties were studied for the most important frequency ranges i.e., X-band (8.2-12.4 GHz) and Ku-band (12.4-18 GHz). The microwave absorption of Fe nano cauliflower structure can be enhanced by MnO2 nanofiber coating. 10 wt% Fe-MnO2 nano cauliflower loaded PVB composite films (2 mm thick) shows an appreciable increase in microwave absorption properties. In X-band, the reflection loss (RL) of this composite decreases almost linearly to -7.5 dB, whereas in the Ku-band the minimum RL was found to be -15.7 dB at 14.7 GHz. Here it was observed that impedance matching is the primarily important factor responsible for enhanced microwave absorption. Further, enhancement of EM attenuation constant (α), dielectrics, scattering attenuation also bolsters the obtained results. This polymer composite can be considered as a novel microwave absorbing coating material.

An Improved Map-Matching Technique Based on the Fréchet Distance Approach for Pedestrian Navigation Services

PubMed Central

Bang, Yoonsik; Kim, Jiyoung; Yu, Kiyun

2016-01-01

Wearable and smartphone technology innovations have propelled the growth of Pedestrian Navigation Services (PNS). PNS need a map-matching process to project a user’s locations onto maps. Many map-matching techniques have been developed for vehicle navigation services. These techniques are inappropriate for PNS because pedestrians move, stop, and turn in different ways compared to vehicles. In addition, the base map data for pedestrians are more complicated than for vehicles. This article proposes a new map-matching method for locating Global Positioning System (GPS) trajectories of pedestrians onto road network datasets. The theory underlying this approach is based on the Fréchet distance, one of the measures of geometric similarity between two curves. The Fréchet distance approach can provide reasonable matching results because two linear trajectories are parameterized with the time variable. Then we improved the method to be adaptive to the positional error of the GPS signal. We used an adaptation coefficient to adjust the search range for every input signal, based on the assumption of auto-correlation between consecutive GPS points. To reduce errors in matching, the reliability index was evaluated in real time for each match. To test the proposed map-matching method, we applied it to GPS trajectories of pedestrians and the road network data. We then assessed the performance by comparing the results with reference datasets. Our proposed method performed better with test data when compared to a conventional map-matching technique for vehicles. PMID:27782091

Meandered-line antenna with integrated high-impedance surface.

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

Forman, Michael A.

2010-09-01

A reduced-volume antenna composed of a meandered-line dipole antenna over a finite-width, high-impedance surface is presented. The structure is novel in that the high-impedance surface is implemented with four Sievenpiper via-mushroom unit cells, whose area is optimized to match the meandered-line dipole antenna. The result is an antenna similar in performance to patch antenna but one fourth the area that can be deployed directly on the surface of a conductor. Simulations demonstrate a 3.5 cm ({lambda}/4) square antenna with a bandwidth of 4% and a gain of 4.8 dBi at 2.5 GHz.

Impedance-estimation methods, modeling methods, articles of manufacture, impedance-modeling devices, and estimated-impedance monitoring systems

DOEpatents

Richardson, John G [Idaho Falls, ID

2009-11-17

An impedance estimation method includes measuring three or more impedances of an object having a periphery using three or more probes coupled to the periphery. The three or more impedance measurements are made at a first frequency. Three or more additional impedance measurements of the object are made using the three or more probes. The three or more additional impedance measurements are made at a second frequency different from the first frequency. An impedance of the object at a point within the periphery is estimated based on the impedance measurements and the additional impedance measurements.

Utilization of bone impedance for age estimation in postmortem cases.

PubMed

Ishikawa, Noboru; Suganami, Hideki; Nishida, Atsushi; Miyamori, Daisuke; Kakiuchi, Yasuhiro; Yamada, Naotake; Wook-Cheol, Kim; Kubo, Toshikazu; Ikegaya, Hiroshi

2015-11-01

In the field of Forensic Medicine the number of unidentified cadavers has increased due to natural disasters and international terrorism. The age estimation is very important for identification of the victims. The degree of sagittal closure is one of such age estimation methods. However it is not widely accepted as a reliable method for age estimation. In this study, we have examined whether measuring impedance value (z-values) of the sagittal suture of the skull is related to the age in men and women and discussed the possibility to use bone impedance for age estimation. Bone impedance values increased with aging and decreased after the age of 64.5. Then we compared age estimation through the conventional visual method and the proposed bone impedance measurement technique. It is suggested that the bone impedance measuring technique may be of value to forensic science as a method of age estimation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Antenna pattern control using impedance surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balanis, Constantine A.; Liu, Kefeng

1992-01-01

During this research period, we have effectively transferred existing computer codes from CRAY supercomputer to work station based systems. The work station based version of our code preserved the accuracy of the numerical computations while giving a much better turn-around time than the CRAY supercomputer. Such a task relieved us of the heavy dependence of the supercomputer account budget and made codes developed in this research project more feasible for applications. The analysis of pyramidal horns with impedance surfaces was our major focus during this research period. Three different modeling algorithms in analyzing lossy impedance surfaces were investigated and compared with measured data. Through this investigation, we discovered that a hybrid Fourier transform technique, which uses the eigen mode in the stepped waveguide section and the Fourier transformed field distributions across the stepped discontinuities for lossy impedances coating, gives a better accuracy in analyzing lossy coatings. After a further refinement of the present technique, we will perform an accurate radiation pattern synthesis in the coming reporting period.

Association between respiratory impedance measured by forced oscillation technique and exacerbations in patients with COPD.

PubMed

Yamagami, Hitomi; Tanaka, Akihiko; Kishino, Yasunari; Mikuni, Hatsuko; Kawahara, Tomoko; Ohta, Shin; Yamamoto, Mayumi; Suzuki, Shintaro; Ohnishi, Tsukasa; Sagara, Hironori

2018-01-01

It is well known that increased airflow limitation as measured by spirometry is associated with the risk of exacerbation in patients with COPD. The forced oscillation technique (FOT) is a noninvasive method used to assess respiratory impedance (resistance and reactance) with minimal patient cooperation required. The clinical utility of the FOT in assessing the risk of exacerbations of COPD is yet to be determined. We examined the relationship between respiratory impedance as measured by FOT and exacerbations in patients with COPD. Among 310 patients with COPD (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease stages I-IV) who presented at the outpatient clinic of the Showa University Hospital from September 2014 through January 2015, 119 were collected and assigned into 2 groups according to their history of exacerbation: exacerbators and nonexacerbators. Respiratory resistance components and respiratory reactance components, as measured by FOT, were compared between the two groups. Exacerbators were significantly older and had a higher white blood cell count than nonexacerbators. Resistance at 20 Hz, reactance at 5 Hz (X5), resonant frequency (Fres), and area of low reactance (ALX) differed significantly between the two groups. In addition, among patients with stage II COPD, there were significant differences in X5, Fres, and ALX between the two groups despite no significant differences in respiratory function as assessed by spirometry. Finally, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that the reactance components rather than the resistance components were associated with the risk of exacerbation. There were significant differences in respiratory impedance between exacerbators and nonexacerbators in patients with moderate COPD. FOT is a promising tool for assessing future exacerbations in patients with COPD.

The Impedance Response of Semiconductors: An Electrochemical Engineering Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orazem, Mark E.

1990-01-01

Shows that the principles learned in the study of mass transport, thermodynamics, and kinetics associated with electrochemical systems can be applied to the transport and reaction processes taking place within a semiconductor. Describes impedance techniques and provides several graphs illustrating impedance data for diverse circuit systems. (YP)

A novel dynamic field-matching technique for treatment of patients with para-aortic node-positive cervical cancer: Clinical experience

PubMed Central

Baden, Craig; Whitley, Alexander; López-Araujo, Javier; Popple, Richard; Duan, Jun; Kim, Robert

2016-01-01

Aim To report outcomes for patients with para-aortic lymph node positive cervical cancer treated with a dynamic field-matching technique. Background PET staging of cervical cancer has increased identification of patients with para-aortic lymph node metastasis. IMRT enables dose escalation in this area, but matching IMRT fields with traditional whole pelvis fields presents a challenge. Materials and methods From 2003 to 2012, 20 patients with cervical cancer and para-aortic lymph node metastasis were treated utilizing the dynamic field-matching technique. As opposed to single-isocenter half-beam junction techniques, this technique employs wedge-shaped dose junctions for the abutment of fields. We reviewed the records of all patients who completed treatment with the technique and abstracted treatment, toxicity, and disease-related outcome data for analysis. Results Median prescribed dose to the whole pelvis field was 45 Gy and para-aortic IMRT field 50.4 Gy. All but 3 patients underwent HDR (13 pts) or LDR (4 pts) brachytherapy. All patients developed lower GI toxicity; 10 grade 1, 9 grade 2, and 1 grade 4 (enterovaginal fistula). Median DFS was 12.4 months with 1 and 2-year DFS 60.0% and 38.1%. One-year OS was 83.7% and 2-year OS, 64.4%. A total of 10 patients developed recurrence; none occurred at the matched junction. Conclusions The dynamic field-matching technique provides a means for joining conventional whole pelvis fields and para-aortic IMRT fields that substantially reduces dose deviations at the junction due to field mismatch. Treatment with the dynamic matching technique is simple, effective, and tolerated with no apparent increase in toxicity. PMID:26900356

An approximate solution to improve computational efficiency of impedance-type payload load prediction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, C. W.

1981-01-01

The computational efficiency of the impedance type loads prediction method was studied. Three goals were addressed: devise a method to make the impedance method operate more efficiently in the computer; assess the accuracy and convenience of the method for determining the effect of design changes; and investigate the use of the method to identify design changes for reduction of payload loads. The method is suitable for calculation of dynamic response in either the frequency or time domain. It is concluded that: the choice of an orthogonal coordinate system will allow the impedance method to operate more efficiently in the computer; the approximate mode impedance technique is adequate for determining the effect of design changes, and is applicable for both statically determinate and statically indeterminate payload attachments; and beneficial design changes to reduce payload loads can be identified by the combined application of impedance techniques and energy distribution review techniques.

A new registration method with voxel-matching technique for temporal subtraction images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Itai, Yoshinori; Kim, Hyoungseop; Ishikawa, Seiji; Katsuragawa, Shigehiko; Doi, Kunio

2008-03-01

A temporal subtraction image, which is obtained by subtraction of a previous image from a current one, can be used for enhancing interval changes on medical images by removing most of normal structures. One of the important problems in temporal subtraction is that subtraction images commonly include artifacts created by slight differences in the size, shape, and/or location of anatomical structures. In this paper, we developed a new registration method with voxel-matching technique for substantially removing the subtraction artifacts on the temporal subtraction image obtained from multiple-detector computed tomography (MDCT). With this technique, the voxel value in a warped (or non-warped) previous image is replaced by a voxel value within a kernel, such as a small cube centered at a given location, which would be closest (identical or nearly equal) to the voxel value in the corresponding location in the current image. Our new method was examined on 16 clinical cases with MDCT images. Preliminary results indicated that interval changes on the subtraction images were enhanced considerably, with a substantial reduction of misregistration artifacts. The temporal subtraction images obtained by use of the voxel-matching technique would be very useful for radiologists in the detection of interval changes on MDCT images.

An iterative matching and locating technique for borehole microseismic monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, H.; Meng, X.; Niu, F.; Tang, Y.

2016-12-01

Microseismic monitoring has been proven to be an effective and valuable technology to image hydraulic fracture geometry. The success of hydraulic fracturing monitoring relies on the detection and characterization (i.e., location and focal mechanism estimation) of a maximum number of induced microseismic events. All the events are important to quantify the stimulated reservior volume (SRV) and characterize the newly created fracture network. Detecting and locating low magnitude events, however, are notoriously difficult, particularly at a high noisy production environment. Here we propose an iterative matching and locating technique (iMLT) to obtain a maximum detection of small events and the best determination of their locations from continuous data recorded by a single azimuth downhole geophone array. As the downhole array is located in one azimuth, the regular M&L using the P-wave cross-correlation only is not able to resolve the location of a matched event relative to the template event. We thus introduce the polarization direction in the matching, which significantly improve the lateral resolution of the M&L method based on numerical simulations with synthetic data. Our synthetic tests further indicate that the inclusion of S-wave cross-correlation data can help better constrain the focal depth of the matched events. We apply this method to a dataset recorded during hydraulic fracturing treatment of a pilot horizontal well within the shale play in southwest China. Our approach yields a more than fourfold increase in the number of located events, compared with the original event catalog from traditional downhole processing.

Protective matching polymer powder coating of piezoelectric element

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gavrilova, V. A.; Fazlyyyakhmatov, M. G.; Kashapov, N. F.

2013-12-01

Objects of research are coatings and technology of their applying to the piezoelectric elements for ultrasound. Acoustic impedance and thicknesses of matching layers for medical ultrasound transducers have been defined. In this paper performance characteristics of coating systems with predetermined properties have been selected. The conditions for selection of polymer powder paint for quarter wave matching layer have been determined. Conditions of forming polymer powder coatings have been proposed.

Direct matching methods for coils and preamplifiers in MRI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Xueming; Fischer, Elmar; Hennig, Jürgen; Zaitsev, Maxim

2018-05-01

In this paper, direct matching methods for coils and preamplifiers in receiver arrays are presented. Instead of compensating the reactance of the input impedance of preamplifiers, in our method, the reactance was used to resonate with the coil matching networks and thus to decouple the coils. Furthermore, coil matching networks and preamplifier input matching networks were combined, meaning the coil loop can be matched to the transistor in the preamplifier directly. These matching methods and, for comparison, the conventional matching method were implemented with custom-made preamplifiers and coils. Decoupling and noise-matching performance were compared between these three configurations. Phase shifting networks between coils and preamplifiers are not necessary in our matching methods. With fewer components, these matching networks showed lower noise factors, while similar preamplifier-decoupling performance was found for all three methods.

Evaluation of a multi-point method for determining acoustic impedance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Michael G.; Parrott, Tony L.

1988-01-01

An investigation was conducted to explore potential improvements provided by a Multi-Point Method (MPM) over the Standing Wave Method (SWM) and Two-Microphone Method (TMM) for determining acoustic impedance. A wave propagation model was developed to model the standing wave pattern in an impedance tube. The acoustic impedance of a test specimen was calculated from a best fit of this standing wave pattern to pressure measurements obtained along the impedance tube centerline. Three measurement spacing distributions were examined: uniform, random, and selective. Calculated standing wave patterns match the point pressure measurement distributions with good agreement for a reflection factor magnitude range of 0.004 to 0.999. Comparisons of results using 2, 3, 6, and 18 measurement points showed that the most consistent results are obtained when using at least 6 evenly spaced pressure measurements per half-wavelength. Also, data were acquired with broadband noise added to the discrete frequency noise and impedances were calculated using the MPM and TMM algorithms. The results indicate that the MPM will be superior to the TMM in the presence of significant broadband noise levels associated with mean flow.

Organic electrochemical transistors for cell-based impedance sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivnay, Jonathan; Ramuz, Marc; Leleux, Pierre; Hama, Adel; Huerta, Miriam; Owens, Roisin M.

2015-01-01

Electrical impedance sensing of biological systems, especially cultured epithelial cell layers, is now a common technique to monitor cell motion, morphology, and cell layer/tissue integrity for high throughput toxicology screening. Existing methods to measure electrical impedance most often rely on a two electrode configuration, where low frequency signals are challenging to obtain for small devices and for tissues with high resistance, due to low current. Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) are conducting polymer-based devices, which have been shown to efficiently transduce and amplify low-level ionic fluxes in biological systems into electronic output signals. In this work, we combine OECT-based drain current measurements with simultaneous measurement of more traditional impedance sensing using the gate current to produce complex impedance traces, which show low error at both low and high frequencies. We apply this technique in vitro to a model epithelial tissue layer and show that the data can be fit to an equivalent circuit model yielding trans-epithelial resistance and cell layer capacitance values in agreement with literature. Importantly, the combined measurement allows for low biases across the cell layer, while still maintaining good broadband signal.

Organic electrochemical transistors for cell-based impedance sensing

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

Rivnay, Jonathan, E-mail: rivnay@emse.fr, E-mail: owens@emse.fr; Ramuz, Marc; Hama, Adel

2015-01-26

Electrical impedance sensing of biological systems, especially cultured epithelial cell layers, is now a common technique to monitor cell motion, morphology, and cell layer/tissue integrity for high throughput toxicology screening. Existing methods to measure electrical impedance most often rely on a two electrode configuration, where low frequency signals are challenging to obtain for small devices and for tissues with high resistance, due to low current. Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) are conducting polymer-based devices, which have been shown to efficiently transduce and amplify low-level ionic fluxes in biological systems into electronic output signals. In this work, we combine OECT-based drain currentmore » measurements with simultaneous measurement of more traditional impedance sensing using the gate current to produce complex impedance traces, which show low error at both low and high frequencies. We apply this technique in vitro to a model epithelial tissue layer and show that the data can be fit to an equivalent circuit model yielding trans-epithelial resistance and cell layer capacitance values in agreement with literature. Importantly, the combined measurement allows for low biases across the cell layer, while still maintaining good broadband signal.« less

Measuring the multi-frequency electrical impedance of the mouse gastrocnemius muscle using a tetrapolar technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, J.; Fogerson, P. M.; Rutkove, S. B.

2010-04-01

Electrical impedance methods can be used to evaluate and monitor neuromuscular disease states. Recently, we have applied tetrapolar surface electrical impedance methods to the gastrocnemius muscle of the rat for this purpose and substantial changes in the impedance parameters after sciatic nerve crush can be identified. In order to be able to study additional animal models of nerve and muscle disease, however, it would highly desirable to be able to perform such impedance measurements in the mouse. Yet the small size of the mouse presents a substantial technical challenge. In this study, we evaluate a basic approach for performing such measurements. A series of thin, stainless steel strip electrodes affixed to the gastrocnemius and interfaced via a separate connector to the Imp SFB7® (Impedimed, Inc), provided an effective means for obtaining impedance data in the 20-500 kHz range. After two weeks, test-retest reproducibility was good, with intra-class correlation coefficients as high 0.84 and variability as low as 12.86 ± 6.18% in the 15 mice studied. Using this approach, it may now be possible to study impedance changes in a variety of mouse models of neuromuscular disease, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, spinal muscular atrophy, muscular dystrophy and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

Matching motivation enhancement treatment to client motivation: re-examining the Project MATCH motivation matching hypothesis.

PubMed

Witkiewitz, Katie; Hartzler, Bryan; Donovan, Dennis

2010-08-01

The current study was designed to re-examine the motivation matching hypothesis from Project MATCH using growth mixture modeling, an analytical technique that models variation in individual drinking patterns. Secondary data analyses of data from Project MATCH (n = 1726), a large multi-site alcoholism treatment-matching study. Percentage of drinking days was the primary outcome measure, assessed from 1 month to 12 months following treatment. Treatment assignment, alcohol dependence symptoms and baseline percentage of drinking days were included as covariates. The results provided support for the motivation matching hypothesis in the out-patient sample and among females in the aftercare sample: the majority of individuals with lower baseline motivation had better outcomes if assigned to motivation enhancement treatment (MET) compared to those assigned to cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT). In the aftercare sample there was a moderating effect of gender and alcohol dependence severity, whereby males with lower baseline motivation and greater alcohol dependence drank more frequently if assigned to MET compared to those assigned to CBT. Results from the current study lend partial support to the motivation-matching hypothesis and also demonstrated the importance of moderating influences on treatment matching effectiveness. Based upon these findings, individuals with low baseline motivation in out-patient settings and males with low levels of alcohol dependence or females in aftercare settings may benefit more from motivational enhancement techniques than from cognitive-behavioral techniques.

Damage Diagnosis in Semiconductive Materials Using Electrical Impedance Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ross, Richard W.; Hinton, Yolanda L.

2008-01-01

Recent aerospace industry trends have resulted in an increased demand for real-time, effective techniques for in-flight structural health monitoring. A promising technique for damage diagnosis uses electrical impedance measurements of semiconductive materials. By applying a small electrical current into a material specimen and measuring the corresponding voltages at various locations on the specimen, changes in the electrical characteristics due to the presence of damage can be assessed. An artificial neural network uses these changes in electrical properties to provide an inverse solution that estimates the location and magnitude of the damage. The advantage of the electrical impedance method over other damage diagnosis techniques is that it uses the material as the sensor. Simple voltage measurements can be used instead of discrete sensors, resulting in a reduction in weight and system complexity. This research effort extends previous work by employing finite element method models to improve accuracy of complex models with anisotropic conductivities and by enhancing the computational efficiency of the inverse techniques. The paper demonstrates a proof of concept of a damage diagnosis approach using electrical impedance methods and a neural network as an effective tool for in-flight diagnosis of structural damage to aircraft components.

Analysis of the Impedance Resonance of Piezoelectric Multi-Fiber Composite Stacks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sherrit, S.; Djrbashian, A.; Bradford, S C

2013-01-01

Multi-Fiber CompositesTM (MFC's) produced by Smart Materials Corp behave essentially like thin planar stacks where each piezoelectric layer is composed of a multitude of fibers. We investigate the suitability of using previously published inversion techniques for the impedance resonances of monolithic co-fired piezoelectric stacks to the MFCTM to determine the complex material constants from the impedance data. The impedance equations examined in this paper are those based on the derivation. The utility of resonance techniques to invert the impedance data to determine the small signal complex material constants are presented for a series of MFC's. The technique was applied to actuators with different geometries and the real coefficients were determined to be similar within changes of the boundary conditions due to change of geometry. The scatter in the imaginary coefficient was found to be larger. The technique was also applied to the same actuator type but manufactured in different batches with some design changes in the non active portion of the actuator and differences in the dielectric and the electromechanical coupling between the two batches were easily measureable. It is interesting to note that strain predicted by small signal impedance analysis is much lower than high field stains. Since the model is based on material properties rather than circuit constants, it could be used for the direct evaluation of specific aging or degradation mechanisms in the actuator as well as batch sorting and adjustment of manufacturing processes.

Application of plant impedance for diagnosing plant disease

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Huirong; Jiang, Xuesong; Zhu, Shengpan; Ying, Yibin

2006-10-01

Biological cells have components acting as electrical elements that maintain the health of the cell by regulation of the electrical charge content. Plant impedance is decided by the state of plant physiology and pathology. Plant physiology and pathology can be studies by measuring plant impedance. The effect of Cucumber Mosaic Virus red bean isolate (CMV-RB) on electrical resistance of tomato leaves was studied by the method of impedance measurement. It was found that the value of resistance of tomato leaves infected with CMV-RB was smaller than that in sound plant leaves. This decrease of impedances in leaf tissue was occurred with increased severity of disease. The decrease of resistance of tomato leaves infected with CMV-RB could be detected by electrical resistance detecting within 4 days after inoculation even though significant visible differences between the control and the infected plants were not noted, so that the technique for measurement of tomato leaf tissue impedance is a rapid, clever, simple method on diagnosis of plant disease.

Investigation of piezoelectric impedance-based health monitoring of structure interface debonding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Li; Chen, Guofeng; Chen, Xiaoming; Qu, Wenzhong

2016-04-01

Various damages might occur during the solid rocket motor (SRM) manufacturing/operational phase, and the debonding of propellant/insulator/composite case interfaces is one of damage types which determine the life of a motor. The detection of such interface debonding damage will be beneficial for developing techniques for reliable nondestructive evaluation (NDE) and structural health monitoring (SHM). Piezoelectric sensors are widely used for structural health monitoring technique. In particular, electromechanical impedance (EMI) techniques give simple and low-cost solutions for detecting damage in various structures. In this work, piezoelectric EMI structural health monitoring technique is applied to identify the debonding condition of propellant/insulator interface structure using finite element method and experimental investigation. A three-dimensional coupled field finite element model is developed using the software ANSYS and the harmonic analysis is conducted for high-frequency impedance analysis procedure. In the experimental study, the impedance signals were measured from PZT and MFC sensors outside attached to composite case monitoring the different debonding conditions between the propellant and insulator. Root mean square deviation (RMSD) based damage index is conducted to quantify the changes i n impedance for different de bonding conditions and frequency range. Simulation and experimental results confirmed that the EMI technique can be used effectively for detecting the debonding damage in SRM and is expected to be useful for future application of real SRM's SHM.

Microfluidic Impedance Flow Cytometry Enabling High-Throughput Single-Cell Electrical Property Characterization

PubMed Central

Chen, Jian; Xue, Chengcheng; Zhao, Yang; Chen, Deyong; Wu, Min-Hsien; Wang, Junbo

2015-01-01

This article reviews recent developments in microfluidic impedance flow cytometry for high-throughput electrical property characterization of single cells. Four major perspectives of microfluidic impedance flow cytometry for single-cell characterization are included in this review: (1) early developments of microfluidic impedance flow cytometry for single-cell electrical property characterization; (2) microfluidic impedance flow cytometry with enhanced sensitivity; (3) microfluidic impedance and optical flow cytometry for single-cell analysis and (4) integrated point of care system based on microfluidic impedance flow cytometry. We examine the advantages and limitations of each technique and discuss future research opportunities from the perspectives of both technical innovation and clinical applications. PMID:25938973

Sonic impedance technique detects flaws in polyurethane foam spray-on insulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haralson, H. S.; Haynes, J. L.

1970-01-01

Sonic impedance testing detects voids and unbonded regions as small as 1 inch in diameter by 0.03 inch thick. Measurements are made manually or by automatic scanning and the readout is made by meter or recorder.

Matching Condition of Direct THz-Signal Detection from On-Chip Resonating Antennas with CMOS Transistors in Non-resonant Plasma Wave Mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chai, S.; Lim, S.; Kim, C.-Y.; Hong, S.

2018-06-01

This paper presents matching condition for detector at THz frequencies, which directly read signals from an integrated antenna. We use direct THz-signal detections with CMOS transistors in non-resonant plasma wave mode, which are embedded in on-chip resonating antennas. The detector detects THz envelope signals directly from the side edges of the on-chip patch antennas. The signal detection mechanism is studied in the view of the impedance conditions of the antenna and the detector. The detectors are implemented with stacked transistors structures to achieve high responsivity. The measured responsivities of the detectors with antenna impedances that were simulated to be 599.7, 912.3, 1565, and 3190.6 Ω agree well with the calculated values. Moreover, the responsivity dependence on the detector impedance is shown with two different input impedances of the detectors. Since CMOS circuit models from foundry are not accurate at frequencies higher than f t , the matching guideline between the antenna and the detector is very useful in designing high responsivity detectors. This study found that a detector has to have a large input impedance conjugately matched to the antenna's impedance to have high responsivity.

Matching Condition of Direct THz-Signal Detection from On-Chip Resonating Antennas with CMOS Transistors in Non-resonant Plasma Wave Mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chai, S.; Lim, S.; Kim, C.-Y.; Hong, S.

2018-04-01

This paper presents matching condition for detector at THz frequencies, which directly read signals from an integrated antenna. We use direct THz-signal detections with CMOS transistors in non-resonant plasma wave mode, which are embedded in on-chip resonating antennas. The detector detects THz envelope signals directly from the side edges of the on-chip patch antennas. The signal detection mechanism is studied in the view of the impedance conditions of the antenna and the detector. The detectors are implemented with stacked transistors structures to achieve high responsivity. The measured responsivities of the detectors with antenna impedances that were simulated to be 599.7, 912.3, 1565, and 3190.6 Ω agree well with the calculated values. Moreover, the responsivity dependence on the detector impedance is shown with two different input impedances of the detectors. Since CMOS circuit models from foundry are not accurate at frequencies higher than f t , the matching guideline between the antenna and the detector is very useful in designing high responsivity detectors. This study found that a detector has to have a large input impedance conjugately matched to the antenna's impedance to have high responsivity.

Electrochemical Impedance Of Inorganic-Zinc-Coated Steel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macdowell, Louis G.

1992-01-01

Report describes preliminary experiments to evaluate both direct-current and alternating-current electrochemical impedance measurements as candidate techniques for use in accelerated corrosion testing of mild-steel panels coated with inorganic zinc-rich primers and exposed to seaside air. Basic idea behind experiments to compare electrochemical impedance measurements with anticorrosion performances of coating materials to determine whether measurements can be used to predict performances. Part of continuing program to identify anticorrosion coating materials protecting steel panels adequately for as long as 5 years and beyond.

Mechanical impedance and acoustic mobility measurement techniques of specifying vibration environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kao, G. C.

1973-01-01

Method has been developed for predicting interaction between components and corresponding support structures subjected to acoustic excitations. Force environments determined in spectral form are called force spectra. Force-spectra equation is determined based on one-dimensional structural impedance model.

Mass-spring matching layers for high-frequency ultrasound transducers: a new technique using vacuum deposition.

PubMed

Brown, Jeremy; Sharma, Srikanta; Leadbetter, Jeff; Cochran, Sandy; Adamson, Rob

2014-11-01

We have developed a technique of applying multiple matching layers to high-frequency (>30 MHz) imaging transducers, by using carefully controlled vacuum deposition alone. This technique uses a thin mass-spring matching layer approach that was previously described in a low-frequency (1 to 10 MHz) transducer design with epoxied layers. This mass- spring approach is more suitable to vacuum deposition in highfrequency transducers over the conventional quarter-wavelength resonant cavity approach, because thinner layers and more versatile material selection can be used, the difficulty in precisely lapping quarter-wavelength matching layers is avoided, the layers are less attenuating, and the layers can be applied to a curved surface. Two different 3-mm-diameter 45-MHz planar lithium niobate transducers and one geometrically curved 3-mm lithium niobate transducer were designed and fabricated using this matching layer approach with copper as the mass layer and parylene as the spring layer. The first planar lithium niobate transducer used a single mass-spring matching network, and the second planar lithium niobate transducer used a single mass-spring network to approximate the first layer in a dual quarter-wavelength matching layer system in addition to a conventional quarter-wavelength layer as the second matching layer. The curved lithium niobate transducer was press focused and used a similar mass-spring plus quarter-wavelength matching layer network. These transducers were then compared with identical transducers with no matching layers and the performance improvement was quantified. The bandwidth of the lithium niobate transducer with the single mass-spring layer was measured to be 46% and the insertion loss was measured to be -21.9 dB. The bandwidth and insertion loss of the lithium niobate transducer with the mass-spring network plus quarter-wavelength matching were measured to be 59% and -18.2 dB, respectively. These values were compared with the unmatched

Combining machine learning and matching techniques to improve causal inference in program evaluation.

PubMed

Linden, Ariel; Yarnold, Paul R

2016-12-01

Program evaluations often utilize various matching approaches to emulate the randomization process for group assignment in experimental studies. Typically, the matching strategy is implemented, and then covariate balance is assessed before estimating treatment effects. This paper introduces a novel analytic framework utilizing a machine learning algorithm called optimal discriminant analysis (ODA) for assessing covariate balance and estimating treatment effects, once the matching strategy has been implemented. This framework holds several key advantages over the conventional approach: application to any variable metric and number of groups; insensitivity to skewed data or outliers; and use of accuracy measures applicable to all prognostic analyses. Moreover, ODA accepts analytic weights, thereby extending the methodology to any study design where weights are used for covariate adjustment or more precise (differential) outcome measurement. One-to-one matching on the propensity score was used as the matching strategy. Covariate balance was assessed using standardized difference in means (conventional approach) and measures of classification accuracy (ODA). Treatment effects were estimated using ordinary least squares regression and ODA. Using empirical data, ODA produced results highly consistent with those obtained via the conventional methodology for assessing covariate balance and estimating treatment effects. When ODA is combined with matching techniques within a treatment effects framework, the results are consistent with conventional approaches. However, given that it provides additional dimensions and robustness to the analysis versus what can currently be achieved using conventional approaches, ODA offers an appealing alternative. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Three-dimensional electrical impedance tomography: a topology optimization approach.

PubMed

Mello, Luís Augusto Motta; de Lima, Cícero Ribeiro; Amato, Marcelo Britto Passos; Lima, Raul Gonzalez; Silva, Emílio Carlos Nelli

2008-02-01

Electrical impedance tomography is a technique to estimate the impedance distribution within a domain, based on measurements on its boundary. In other words, given the mathematical model of the domain, its geometry and boundary conditions, a nonlinear inverse problem of estimating the electric impedance distribution can be solved. Several impedance estimation algorithms have been proposed to solve this problem. In this paper, we present a three-dimensional algorithm, based on the topology optimization method, as an alternative. A sequence of linear programming problems, allowing for constraints, is solved utilizing this method. In each iteration, the finite element method provides the electric potential field within the model of the domain. An electrode model is also proposed (thus, increasing the accuracy of the finite element results). The algorithm is tested using numerically simulated data and also experimental data, and absolute resistivity values are obtained. These results, corresponding to phantoms with two different conductive materials, exhibit relatively well-defined boundaries between them, and show that this is a practical and potentially useful technique to be applied to monitor lung aeration, including the possibility of imaging a pneumothorax.

AC orbit bump method of local impedance measurement

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

Smaluk, Victor; Yang, Xi; Blednykh, Alexei

A fast and precise technique of local impedance measurement has been developed and tested at NSLS-II. This technique is based on in-phase sine-wave (AC) excitation of four fast correctors adjacent to the vacuum chamber section, impedance of which is measured. The beam position is measured using synchronous detection. Use of the narrow-band sine-wave signal allows us to improve significantly the accuracy of the orbit bump method. Beam excitation by fast correctors results in elimination of the systematic error caused by hysteresis effect. The systematic error caused by orbit drift is also eliminated because the measured signal is not affected bymore » the orbit motion outside the excitation frequency range. In this article, the measurement technique is described and the result of proof-of-principle experiment carried out at NSLS-II is presented.« less

AC orbit bump method of local impedance measurement

DOE PAGES

Smaluk, Victor; Yang, Xi; Blednykh, Alexei; ...

2017-08-04

A fast and precise technique of local impedance measurement has been developed and tested at NSLS-II. This technique is based on in-phase sine-wave (AC) excitation of four fast correctors adjacent to the vacuum chamber section, impedance of which is measured. The beam position is measured using synchronous detection. Use of the narrow-band sine-wave signal allows us to improve significantly the accuracy of the orbit bump method. Beam excitation by fast correctors results in elimination of the systematic error caused by hysteresis effect. The systematic error caused by orbit drift is also eliminated because the measured signal is not affected bymore » the orbit motion outside the excitation frequency range. In this article, the measurement technique is described and the result of proof-of-principle experiment carried out at NSLS-II is presented.« less

Adaptive Filtering to Enhance Noise Immunity of Impedance and Admittance Spectroscopy: Comparison with Fourier Transformation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stupin, Daniil D.; Koniakhin, Sergei V.; Verlov, Nikolay A.; Dubina, Michael V.

2017-05-01

The time-domain technique for impedance spectroscopy consists of computing the excitation voltage and current response Fourier images by fast or discrete Fourier transformation and calculating their relation. Here we propose an alternative method for excitation voltage and current response processing for deriving a system impedance spectrum based on a fast and flexible adaptive filtering method. We show the equivalence between the problem of adaptive filter learning and deriving the system impedance spectrum. To be specific, we express the impedance via the adaptive filter weight coefficients. The noise-canceling property of adaptive filtering is also justified. Using the RLC circuit as a model system, we experimentally show that adaptive filtering yields correct admittance spectra and elements ratings in the high-noise conditions when the Fourier-transform technique fails. Providing the additional sensitivity of impedance spectroscopy, adaptive filtering can be applied to otherwise impossible-to-interpret time-domain impedance data. The advantages of adaptive filtering are justified with practical living-cell impedance measurements.

Leveraging Disturbance Observer Based Torque Control for Improved Impedance Rendering with Series Elastic Actuators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mehling, Joshua S.; Holley, James; O'Malley, Marcia K.

2015-01-01

The fidelity with which series elastic actuators (SEAs) render desired impedances is important. Numerous approaches to SEA impedance control have been developed under the premise that high-precision actuator torque control is a prerequisite. Indeed, the design of an inner torque compensator has a significant impact on actuator impedance rendering. The disturbance observer (DOB) based torque control implemented in NASA's Valkyrie robot is considered here and a mathematical model of this torque control, cascaded with an outer impedance compensator, is constructed. While previous work has examined the impact a disturbance observer has on torque control performance, little has been done regarding DOBs and impedance rendering accuracy. Both simulation and a series of experiments are used to demonstrate the significant improvements possible in an SEA's ability to render desired dynamic behaviors when utilizing a DOB. Actuator transparency at low impedances is improved, closed loop hysteresis is reduced, and the actuator's dynamic response to both commands and interaction torques more faithfully matches that of the desired model. All of this is achieved by leveraging DOB based control rather than increasing compensator gains, thus making improved SEA impedance control easier to achieve in practice.

Optical Vector Near-Field Imaging for the Design of Impedance Matched Optical Antennas and Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olmon, Robert L.

Antennas control and confine electromagnetic energy, transforming free-space propagating modes to localized regions. This is not only true for the traditional classical radio antenna, but also for structures that interact resonantly at frequencies throughout the visible regime, that are on the micro- and nanometer size scales. The investigation of these optical antennas has increased dramatically in recent years. They promise to bring the transformative capabilities of radio antennas to the nanoscale in fields such as plasmonics, photonics, spectroscopy, and microscopy. However, designing optical antennas with desired properties is not straightforward due to different material properties and geometric considerations in the optical regime compared to the RF. New antenna characterization tools and techniques must be developed for the optical frequency range. Here, the optical analogue of the vector network analyzer, based on a scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscope, is described and demonstrated for the investigation of the electric and magnetic properties of optical antennas through their electromagnetic vector near-field. Specifically, bringing this microwave frequency tool to the optical regime enables the study of antenna resonant length scaling, optical frequency electromagnetic parameters including current density and impedance, optical antenna coupling to waveguides and nanoloads, local electric field enhancement, and electromagnetic duality of complementary optical antenna geometries.

Comparison of Two Acoustic Waveguide Methods for Determining Liner Impedance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Michael G.; Watson, Willie R.; Tracy, Maureen B.; Parrott, Tony L.

2001-01-01

Acoustic measurements taken in a flow impedance tube are used to assess the relative accuracy of two waveguide methods for impedance eduction in the presence of grazing flow. The aeroacoustic environment is assumed to contain forward and backward-traveling acoustic waves, consisting of multiple modes, and uniform mean flow. Both methods require a measurement of the complex acoustic pressure profile over the length of the test liner. The Single Mode Method assumes that the sound pressure level and phase decay-rates of a single progressive mode can be extracted from this measured complex acoustic pressure profile. No a priori assumptions are made in the Finite Element. Method regarding the modal or reflection content in the measured acoustic pressure profile. The integrity of each method is initially demonstrated by how well their no-flow impedances match those acquired in a normal incidence impedance tube. These tests were conducted using ceramic tubular and conventional perforate liners. Ceramic tubular liners were included because of their impedance insensitivity to mean flow effects. Conversely, the conventional perforate liner was included because its impedance is known to be sensitive to mean flow velocity effects. Excellent comparisons between impedance values educed with the two waveguide methods in the absence of mean flow and the corresponding values educed with the normal incident impedance tube were observed. The two methods are then compared for mean flow Mach numbers up to 0.5, and are shown to give consistent results for both types of test liners. The quality of the results indicates that the Single Mode Method should be used when the measured acoustic pressure profile is clearly dominated by a single progressive mode, and the Finite Element Method should be used for all other cases.

Improved Estimation of Electron Temperature from Rocket-borne Impedance Probes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rowland, D. E.; Wolfinger, K.; Stamm, J. D.

2017-12-01

The impedance probe technique is a well known method for determining high accuracy measurements of electron number density in the Earth's ionosphere. We present analysis of impedance probe data from several sounding rockets at low, mid-, and auroral latitudes, including high cadence estimates of the electron temperature, derived from analytical fits to the antenna impedance curves. These estimates compare favorably with independent estimates from Langmuir Probes, but at much higher temporal and spatial resolution, providing a capability to resolve small-scale temperature fluctuations. We also present some considerations for the design of impedance probes, including assessment of the effects of resonance damping due to rocket motion, effects of wake and spin modulation, and aspect angle to the magnetic field.

Impedance computations and beam-based measurements: A problem of discrepancy

DOE PAGES

Smaluk, Victor

2018-04-21

High intensity of particle beams is crucial for high-performance operation of modern electron-positron storage rings, both colliders and light sources. The beam intensity is limited by the interaction of the beam with self-induced electromagnetic fields (wake fields) proportional to the vacuum chamber impedance. For a new accelerator project, the total broadband impedance is computed by element-wise wake-field simulations using computer codes. For a machine in operation, the impedance can be measured experimentally using beam-based techniques. In this article, a comparative analysis of impedance computations and beam-based measurements is presented for 15 electron-positron storage rings. The measured data and the predictionsmore » based on the computed impedance budgets show a significant discrepancy. For this article, three possible reasons for the discrepancy are discussed: interference of the wake fields excited by a beam in adjacent components of the vacuum chamber, effect of computation mesh size, and effect of insufficient bandwidth of the computed impedance.« less

Impedance computations and beam-based measurements: A problem of discrepancy

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

Smaluk, Victor

High intensity of particle beams is crucial for high-performance operation of modern electron-positron storage rings, both colliders and light sources. The beam intensity is limited by the interaction of the beam with self-induced electromagnetic fields (wake fields) proportional to the vacuum chamber impedance. For a new accelerator project, the total broadband impedance is computed by element-wise wake-field simulations using computer codes. For a machine in operation, the impedance can be measured experimentally using beam-based techniques. In this article, a comparative analysis of impedance computations and beam-based measurements is presented for 15 electron-positron storage rings. The measured data and the predictionsmore » based on the computed impedance budgets show a significant discrepancy. For this article, three possible reasons for the discrepancy are discussed: interference of the wake fields excited by a beam in adjacent components of the vacuum chamber, effect of computation mesh size, and effect of insufficient bandwidth of the computed impedance.« less

Impedance computations and beam-based measurements: A problem of discrepancy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smaluk, Victor

2018-04-01

High intensity of particle beams is crucial for high-performance operation of modern electron-positron storage rings, both colliders and light sources. The beam intensity is limited by the interaction of the beam with self-induced electromagnetic fields (wake fields) proportional to the vacuum chamber impedance. For a new accelerator project, the total broadband impedance is computed by element-wise wake-field simulations using computer codes. For a machine in operation, the impedance can be measured experimentally using beam-based techniques. In this article, a comparative analysis of impedance computations and beam-based measurements is presented for 15 electron-positron storage rings. The measured data and the predictions based on the computed impedance budgets show a significant discrepancy. Three possible reasons for the discrepancy are discussed: interference of the wake fields excited by a beam in adjacent components of the vacuum chamber, effect of computation mesh size, and effect of insufficient bandwidth of the computed impedance.

Experimental investigation for an isolation technique on conducting the electromechanical impedance method in high-temperature pipeline facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Na, Wongi S.; Lee, Hyeonseok

2016-11-01

In general, the pipelines within a nuclear power plant facility may experience high temperatures up to several hundred degrees. Thus it is absolutely vital to monitor these pipes to prevent leakage of radioactive substances which may lead to a catastrophic outcome of the surrounding environment. Over the years, one of the structural health monitoring technique known as the electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique has been of great interests in various fields including civil infrastructures, mechanical and aerospace structures. Although it has one of the best advantages to be able for a single piezoelectric transducer to act as a sensor and an actuator, simultaneously, its low curie temperature makes it difficult for the EMI technique to be conducted at high temperature environment. To overcome this problem, this study shows a method to avoid attaching the piezoelectric transducer directly onto the target structure using a metal wire for damage detection at high temperature. By shifting the frequency to compensate the signature changes subjected to the variations in temperature, the experimental results indicate that damage identification is more successful above 200 oC, making the metal wire method suitable for the EMI technique at high temperature environment.

Simulating Reflex Induced Changes in the Acoustic Impedance of the Ear.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sirlin, Mindy W.; Levitt, Harry

1991-01-01

A simple procedure for measuring changes in the acoustic impedance of the ear is described. The technique has several applications, including simulation using a standard coupler of changes in real ear impedance produced by the acoustic reflex, and calibration of response time of an otoadmittance meter. (Author/DB)

Air-coupled piezoelectric transducers with active polypropylene foam matching layers.

PubMed

Gómez Alvarez-Arenas, Tomás E

2013-05-10

This work presents the design, construction and characterization of air-coupled piezoelectric transducers using 1-3 connectivity piezocomposite disks with a stack of matching layers being the outer one an active quarter wavelength layer made of polypropylene foam ferroelectret film. This kind of material has shown a stable piezoelectric response together with a very low acoustic impedance (<0.1 MRayl). These features make them a suitable candidate for the dual use or function proposed here: impedance matching layer and active material for air-coupled transduction. The transducer centre frequency is determined by the l/4 resonance of the polypropylene foam ferroelectret film (0.35 MHz), then, the rest of the transducer components (piezocomposite disk and passive intermediate matching layers) are all tuned to this frequency. The transducer has been tested in several working modes including pulse-echo and pitch-catch as well as wide and narrow band excitation. The performance of the proposed novel transducer is compared with that of a conventional air-coupled transducers operating in a similar frequency range.

Cost-effective broad-band electrical impedance spectroscopy measurement circuit and signal analysis for piezo-materials and ultrasound transducers

PubMed Central

Lewis, George K; Lewis, George K; Olbricht, William

2008-01-01

This paper explains the circuitry and signal processing to perform electrical impedance spectroscopy on piezoelectric materials and ultrasound transducers. Here, we measure and compare the impedance spectra of 2−5 MHz piezoelectrics, but the methodology applies for 700 kHz–20 MHz ultrasonic devices as well. Using a 12 ns wide 5 volt pulsing circuit as an impulse, we determine the electrical impedance curves experimentally using Ohm's law and fast Fourier transform (FFT), and compare results with mathematical models. The method allows for rapid impedance measurement for a range of frequencies using a narrow input pulse, digital oscilloscope and FFT techniques. The technique compares well to current methodologies such as network and impedance analyzers while providing additional versatility in the electrical impedance measurement. The technique is theoretically simple, easy to implement and completed with ordinary laboratory instrumentation for minimal cost. PMID:19081773

Impact of exacerbations on respiratory system impedance measured by a forced oscillation technique in COPD: a prospective observational study.

PubMed

Kamada, Takahiro; Kaneko, Masahiro; Tomioka, Hiromi

2017-01-01

Forced oscillation technique (FOT) has been reported to be useful in the evaluation and management of obstructive lung disease, including COPD. To date, no data are available concerning long-term changes in respiratory system impedance measured by FOT. Additionally, although exacerbations have been reported to be associated with excessive lung function decline in COPD, the impact of exacerbations on the results of FOT has not been demonstrated. The aim of this study was to investigate the longitudinal changes in respiratory system impedance and the influence of exacerbations thereon. Between March 2011 and March 2012, outpatients who attended Kobe City Medical Center West Hospital with a diagnosis of COPD were assessed for eligibility. Baseline patient characteristics (age, sex, body mass index, smoking history, current smoking status, COPD stage), lung function (post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV 1 ]), blood tests (neutrophils and eosinophils), FOT, and COPD assessment test results were collected at enrollment. Lung function and FOT were examined every 6 months until March 2016. Annual changes in FEV 1 and FOT parameters were obtained from the slope of the linear regression curve. The patients were divided into 2 groups based on exacerbation history. Fifty-one of 58 patients with COPD were enrolled in this study. The median follow-up period was 57 (52-59) months. Twenty-five (49%) patients experienced exacerbations. A significant annual decline in FEV 1 and respiratory system impedance were shown. Additionally, annual changes in FEV 1 , respiratory system resistance at 5 Hz, respiratory system reactance at 5 Hz, and resonant frequency were greater in patients with exacerbations than in those without exacerbations. Exacerbations of COPD lead not only to a decline in lung function but also to an increase in respiratory system impedance.

Multifrequency impedance measurement technique for wireless characterization of microbiological cell cultures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wissenwasser, J.; Vellekoop, M. J.; Kapferer, W.; Lepperdinger, G.; Heer, R.

2011-11-01

An impedance measurement system with probe signal frequencies up to 50 kHz with AC-probe voltages below 30 mV rms was integrated for wireless and battery-free monitoring of microbiological cell cultures. The here presented modular design and the use of state-of-the-art components greatly eases adoptions to a wide range of biotechnological applications without the need of bulky LCR-meters or potentiostats. The device had a power consumption of less than 2.5 mA at a 3.3 V single power supply and worked trouble-free within the humid environment of a cell culture incubator. Measurements on lumped RC-elements showed an error of less than 1% for absolute values and less than 1° regarding the phase of the complex impedance. The performance of sensor devices with interdigitated electrode structures for the measurement of adherent cell cultures was tested in the presence of phosphate-buffered saline solution in the humid atmosphere of an incubator for biological cell cultures.

Imaging fast electrical activity in the brain with electrical impedance tomography

PubMed Central

Aristovich, Kirill Y.; Packham, Brett C.; Koo, Hwan; Santos, Gustavo Sato dos; McEvoy, Andy; Holder, David S.

2016-01-01

Imaging of neuronal depolarization in the brain is a major goal in neuroscience, but no technique currently exists that could image neural activity over milliseconds throughout the whole brain. Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is an emerging medical imaging technique which can produce tomographic images of impedance changes with non-invasive surface electrodes. We report EIT imaging of impedance changes in rat somatosensory cerebral cortex with a resolution of 2 ms and < 200 μm during evoked potentials using epicortical arrays with 30 electrodes. Images were validated with local field potential recordings and current source-sink density analysis. Our results demonstrate that EIT can image neural activity in a volume 7 × 5 × 2 mm in somatosensory cerebral cortex with reduced invasiveness, greater resolution and imaging volume than other methods. Modeling indicates similar resolutions are feasible throughout the entire brain so this technique, uniquely, has the potential to image functional connectivity of cortical and subcortical structures. PMID:26348559

Impedance spectroscopy and microstructural characterization of the corrosion behavior of FeCrAl alloy in lead-bismuth eutectic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xiang; Haasch, Rick; Stubbins, James F.

2012-12-01

The corrosion behavior of FeCrAl alloy in Lead-Bismuth Eutectic (LBE) saturated with oxygen at 550 °C was investigated. Impedance Spectroscopy (IS) measurement was made continuously on one specimen during the entire LBE exposure test to characterize the corrosion kinetics. Various microanalysis techniques, including SEM, EDS, XRD, AES, and XPS were used to analyze the corrosion products of post-exposure specimens. It was found that a very thin, adherent alumina oxide layer formed on the specimen surface and was able to protect the alloy from the corrosion attack in LBE. The thickness of the alumina surface layer increased very slowly with time reaching about 837 nm in average thickness after exposure for 3600-h in LBE. The IS measurements match the microanalysis results in three respects: first, a non-zero impedance measurement agrees with the existence of a continuous surface oxide layer; second, a general increase of the impedance was observed during the real-time IS measurement which means that the IS measurements reflect the growth rate of the oxide layer; and third, the oxide film thickness derived from the IS data compares favorably with the SEM film thickness measurements which establishes the validity of using IS to monitor the real-time corrosion kinetics of alloys in LBE.

Improvement of the matching speed of AIMS for development of an automatic totally tuning system for hyperthermia treatment using a resonant cavity applicator.

PubMed

Shindo, Y; Kato, K; Tsuchiya, K; Hirashima, T; Suzuki, M

2009-01-01

In this paper, we discuss the improvement of the speed of AIMS (Automatic Impedance Matching System) to automatically make impedance matching for a re-entrant resonant cavity applicator for non-invasive deep brain tumors hyperthermia treatments. We have already discussed the effectiveness of the heating method using the AIMS, with experiments of heating agar phantoms. However, the operating time of AIMS was about 30 minutes. To develop the ATT System (Automatic Totally Tuning System) including the automatic frequency tuning system, we must improve this problem. Because, when using the ATTS, the AIMS is used repeatedly to find the resonant frequency. In order to improve the speed of impedance matching, we developed the new automatic impedance matching system program (AIMS2). In AIMS, the stepping motors were connected to the impedance matching unit's dials. These dials were turned to reduce the reflected power. AIMS consists of two phases: all range searching and detailed searching. We focused on the three factors affecting the operating speed and improved them. The first factor is the interval put between the turning of the motors and AD converter. The second factor is how the steps of the motor when operating all range searching. The third factor is the starting position of the motor when detail searching. We developed the simple ATT System (ATT-beta) based on the AIMS2. To evaluate the developed AIMS2 and ATT- beta, experiments with an agar phantom were performed. From these results, we found that the operating time of the AIMS2 is about 4 minutes, which was approximately 12% of AIMS. From ATT-beta results, it was shown that it is possible to tune frequency and automatically match impedance with the program based on the AIMS2.

Measuring impedance in congestive heart failure: Current options and clinical applications

PubMed Central

Tang, W. H. Wilson; Tong, Wilson

2011-01-01

Measurement of impedance is becoming increasingly available in the clinical setting as a tool for assessing hemodynamics and volume status in patients with heart failure. The 2 major categories of impedance assessment are the band electrode method and the implanted device lead method. The exact sources of the impedance signal are complex and can be influenced by physiologic effects such as blood volume, fluid, and positioning. This article provides a critical review of our current understanding and promises of impedance measurements, the techniques that have evolved, as well as the evidence and limitations regarding their clinical applications in the setting of heart failure management. PMID:19249408

Generating moment matching scenarios using optimization techniques

DOE PAGES

Mehrotra, Sanjay; Papp, Dávid

2013-05-16

An optimization based method is proposed to generate moment matching scenarios for numerical integration and its use in stochastic programming. The main advantage of the method is its flexibility: it can generate scenarios matching any prescribed set of moments of the underlying distribution rather than matching all moments up to a certain order, and the distribution can be defined over an arbitrary set. This allows for a reduction in the number of scenarios and allows the scenarios to be better tailored to the problem at hand. The method is based on a semi-infinite linear programming formulation of the problem thatmore » is shown to be solvable with polynomial iteration complexity. A practical column generation method is implemented. The column generation subproblems are polynomial optimization problems; however, they need not be solved to optimality. It is found that the columns in the column generation approach can be efficiently generated by random sampling. The number of scenarios generated matches a lower bound of Tchakaloff's. The rate of convergence of the approximation error is established for continuous integrands, and an improved bound is given for smooth integrands. Extensive numerical experiments are presented in which variants of the proposed method are compared to Monte Carlo and quasi-Monte Carlo methods on both numerical integration problems and stochastic optimization problems. The benefits of being able to match any prescribed set of moments, rather than all moments up to a certain order, is also demonstrated using optimization problems with 100-dimensional random vectors. Here, empirical results show that the proposed approach outperforms Monte Carlo and quasi-Monte Carlo based approaches on the tested problems.« less

[The functional assessment of the upper urinary tract by the methods of 2-frequency impedance measurement and multichannel impedance ureterography].

PubMed

Mudraia, I S; Kirpatovskiĭ, V I

1993-01-01

The paper describes impedance methods of investigating upper urinary tracts (UUT) which may serve adjuvants in the diagnosis of the urinary tract wall disturbances due to diseases caused by impaired urine evacuation from the kidney and which may prove helpful in the choice of therapeutic policy, evaluation of the postoperative period and outcomes prognosis. UUT impedance tests can be performed during endoscopic manipulations or under open operative interventions. Two-frequency impedancemetry allows rapid detection of non-functioning UUT parts or sclerosal sites of the UUT wall, relevant criteria being the ratio of basic impedances of the site under low and high scanning current. This value is computed by an urological two-frequency impedancemeter IDU-M. To assess the UUT wall functionally, use should be made of 6-channel urological rheograph REUR-6 providing multichannel registration of immediate impedance ureterograms. In this manner one can obtain qualitative and quantitative assessment of the ureteral peristalsis through its all length, the criteria being the amplitude of impedance ureterographic complexes, their shape, duration, frequency, rhythm, sequence and rate of distribution. Loading tests increase the accuracy of UUT impedance measurements, are able to define compensatory reserves of the wall contractility. The introduction of rheological methods in urological practice makes broader the armory of diagnostic techniques in urology, upgrade pathogenetic validity of surgical and therapeutic measures.

Impedance Eduction in Ducts with Higher-Order Modes and Flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, Willie R.; Jones, Michael G.

2009-01-01

An impedance eduction technique, previously validated for ducts with plane waves at the source and duct termination planes, has been extended to support higher-order modes at these locations. Inputs for this method are the acoustic pressures along the source and duct termination planes, and along a microphone array located in a wall either adjacent or opposite to the test liner. A second impedance eduction technique is then presented that eliminates the need for the microphone array. The integrity of both methods is tested using three sound sources, six Mach numbers, and six selected frequencies. Results are presented for both a hardwall and a test liner (with known impedance) consisting of a perforated plate bonded to a honeycomb core. The primary conclusion of the study is that the second method performs well in the presence of higher-order modes and flow. However, the first method performs poorly when most of the microphones are located near acoustic pressure nulls. The negative effects of the acoustic pressure nulls can be mitigated by a judicious choice of the mode structure in the sound source. The paper closes by using the first impedance eduction method to design a rectangular array of 32 microphones for accurate impedance eduction in the NASA LaRC Curved Duct Test Rig in the presence of expected measurement uncertainties, higher order modes, and mean flow.

ELECTRIC IMPEDANCE OF NITELLA DURING ACTIVITY

PubMed Central

Cole, Kenneth S.; Curtis, Howard J.

1938-01-01

The changes in the alternating current impedance which occur during activity of cells of the fresh water plant Nitella have been measured with the current flow normal to the cell axis, at eight frequencies from 0.05 to 20 kilocycles per second, and with simultaneous records of the action potential under the impedance electrodes. At each frequency the resting cell was balanced in a Wheatstone bridge with a cathode ray oscillograph, and after electrical stimulation at one end of the cell, the changes in the complex impedance were determined from the bridge unbalance recorded by motion pictures of the oscillograph figure. An extension of the previous technique of interpretation of the transverse impedance shows that the normal membrane capacity of 0.9 µf./cm.2 decreases about 15 per cent without change of phase angle, while the membrane resistance decreases from 105 ohm cm.2 to about 500 ohm cm.2 during the passage of the excitation wave. This membrane change occurs during the latter part of the rising phase of the action potential, and it is shown that the membrane electromotive force remains unchanged until nearly the same time. The part of the action potential preceding these membrane changes is probably a passive fall of potential ahead of a partial short circuit. PMID:19873091

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of supercapacitors: A novel analysis approach using evolutionary programming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oz, Alon; Hershkovitz, Shany; Tsur, Yoed

2014-11-01

In this contribution we present a novel approach to analyze impedance spectroscopy measurements of supercapacitors. Transforming the impedance data into frequency-dependent capacitance allows us to use Impedance Spectroscopy Genetic Programming (ISGP) in order to find the distribution function of relaxation times (DFRT) of the processes taking place in the tested device. Synthetic data was generated in order to demonstrate this technique and a model for supercapacitor ageing process has been obtained.

Development of a Perfectly Matched Layer Technique for a Discontinuous-Galerkin Spectral-Element Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garai, Anirban; Diosady, Laslo T.; Murman, Scott M.; Madavan, Nateri K.

2016-01-01

The perfectly matched layer (PML) technique is developed in the context of a high- order spectral-element Discontinuous-Galerkin (DG) method. The technique is applied to a range of test cases and is shown to be superior compared to other approaches, such as those based on using characteristic boundary conditions and sponge layers, for treating the inflow and outflow boundaries of computational domains. In general, the PML technique improves the quality of the numerical results for simulations of practical flow configurations, but it also exhibits some instabilities for large perturbations. A preliminary analysis that attempts to understand the source of these instabilities is discussed.

Matching Classroom Instruction with Reading Abilities: An Unmet Need.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Durkin, Dolores

1990-01-01

This article discusses a widespread failure of schools to match reading instruction to children's needs, identifying large class sizes, dependence on basal reader programs and questionable testing practices as contributing factors. Basal materials are seen as contributing to standardized curricula and impeding efforts to shift teacher behavior…

High Impedance Comparator for Monitoring Water Resistivity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holewinski, Paul K.

1984-01-01

A high-impedance comparator suitable for monitoring the resistivity of a deionized or distilled water line supplying water in the 50 Kohm/cm-2 Mohm/cm range is described. Includes information on required circuits (with diagrams), sensor probe assembly, and calibration techniques. (JN)

[A Digital System for Bioimpedance and Electrical Impedance Tomography Measurement System].

PubMed

Chen, Xiaoyan; Gao, Nana; Huang, Huafang

2015-06-01

A digital system for bioimpedance and electrical impedance tomography (EIT) measurement controlled by an ATmega16 microcontroller was constructed in our laboratory. There are eight digital electrodes using AD5933 to measure the impedance of the targets, and the data is transmitted to the computer wirelessly through nRF24L01. The structure of the system, circuit design, system testing, vitro measurements of animals' tissues and electrical impedance tomography are introduced specifically in this paper. The experimental results showed that the system relative error was 0.42%, and the signal noise ratio was 76.3 dB. The system not only can be used to measure the impedance by any two electrodes within the frequency of 1-100 kHz in a sweep scanning, but also can reconstruct the images of EIT. The animal experiments showed that the data was valid and plots were fitting with Cole-Cole theory. The testing verified the feasibility and effectiveness of the system. The images reconstructed of a salt-water tank are satisfactory and match with the actual distribution of the tank. The system improves the effectiveness of the front-end measuring signal and the stability of the system greatly.

A transcutaneous energy transmission system for artificial heart adapting to changing impedance.

PubMed

Fu, Yang; Hu, Liang; Ruan, Xiaodong; Fu, Xin

2015-04-01

This article presents a coil-coupling-based transcutaneous energy transmission system (TETS) for wirelessly powering an implanted artificial heart. Keeping high efficiency is especially important for TETS, which is usually difficult due to transmission impedance changes in practice, which are commonly caused by power requirement variation for different body movements and coil-couple malposition accompanying skin peristalsis. The TETS introduced in this article is designed based on a class-E power amplifier (E-PA), of which efficiency is over 95% when its load is kept in a certain range. A resonance matching and impedance compressing functions coupled network based on parallel-series capacitors is proposed in the design, to enhance the energy transmission efficiency and capacity of the coil-couple through resonating, and meanwhile compress the changing range of the transmission impedance to meet the load requirements of the E-PA and thus keep the high efficiency of TETS. An analytical model of the designed TETS is built to analyze the effect of the network and also provide bases for following parameters determination. Then, according algorithms are provided to determine the optimal parameters required in the TETS for good performance both in resonance matching and impedance compressing. The design is tested by a series of experiments, which validate that the TETS can transmit a wide range of power with a total efficiency of at least 70% and commonly beyond 80%, even when the coil-couple is seriously malpositioned. The design methodology proposed in this article can be applied to any existing TETS based on E-PA to improve their performance in actual applications. Copyright © 2014 International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Quiet PROPELLER MRI techniques match the quality of conventional PROPELLER brain imaging techniques.

PubMed

Corcuera-Solano, I; Doshi, A; Pawha, P S; Gui, D; Gaddipati, A; Tanenbaum, L

2015-06-01

Switching of magnetic field gradients is the primary source of acoustic noise in MR imaging. Sound pressure levels can run as high as 120 dB, capable of producing physical discomfort and at least temporary hearing loss, mandating hearing protection. New technology has made quieter techniques feasible, which range from as low as 80 dB to nearly silent. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the image quality of new commercially available quiet T2 and quiet FLAIR fast spin-echo PROPELLER acquisitions in comparison with equivalent conventional PROPELLER techniques in current day-to-day practice in imaging of the brain. Thirty-four consecutive patients were prospectively scanned with quiet T2 and quiet T2 FLAIR PROPELLER, in addition to spatial resolution-matched conventional T2 and T2 FLAIR PROPELLER imaging sequences on a clinical 1.5T MR imaging scanner. Measurement of sound pressure levels and qualitative evaluation of relative image quality was performed. Quiet T2 and quiet T2 FLAIR were comparable in image quality with conventional acquisitions, with sound levels of approximately 75 dB, a reduction in average sound pressure levels of up to 28.5 dB, with no significant trade-offs aside from longer scan times. Quiet FSE provides equivalent image quality at comfortable sound pressure levels at the cost of slightly longer scan times. The significant reduction in potentially injurious noise is particularly important in vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and the debilitated. Quiet techniques should be considered in these special situations for routine use in clinical practice. © 2015 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

A linear spectral matching technique for retrieving equivalent water thickness and biochemical constituents of green vegetation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gao, Bo-Cai; Goetz, Alexander F. H.

1992-01-01

Over the last decade, technological advances in airborne imaging spectrometers, having spectral resolution comparable with laboratory spectrometers, have made it possible to estimate biochemical constituents of vegetation canopies. Wessman estimated lignin concentration from data acquired with NASA's Airborne Imaging Spectrometer (AIS) over Blackhawk Island in Wisconsin. A stepwise linear regression technique was used to determine the single spectral channel or channels in the AIS data that best correlated with measured lignin contents using chemical methods. The regression technique does not take advantage of the spectral shape of the lignin reflectance feature as a diagnostic tool nor the increased discrimination among other leaf components with overlapping spectral features. A nonlinear least squares spectral matching technique was recently reported for deriving both the equivalent water thicknesses of surface vegetation and the amounts of water vapor in the atmosphere from contiguous spectra measured with the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS). The same technique was applied to a laboratory reflectance spectrum of fresh, green leaves. The result demonstrates that the fresh leaf spectrum in the 1.0-2.5 microns region consists of spectral components of dry leaves and the spectral component of liquid water. A linear least squares spectral matching technique for retrieving equivalent water thickness and biochemical components of green vegetation is described.

Experiments on the applicability of MAE techniques for predicting sound diffraction by irregular terrains. [Matched Asymptotic Expansion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berthelot, Yves H.; Pierce, Allan D.; Kearns, James A.

1987-01-01

The sound field diffracted by a single smooth hill of finite impedance is studied both analytically, within the context of the theory of Matched Asymptotic Expansions (MAE), and experimentally, under laboratory scale modeling conditions. Special attention is given to the sound field on the diffracting surface and throughout the transition region between the illuminated and the shadow zones. The MAE theory yields integral equations that are amenable to numerical computations. Experimental results are obtained with a spark source producing a pulse of 42 microsec duration and about 130 Pa at 1 m. The insertion loss of the hill is inferred from measurements of the acoustic signals at two locations in the field, with subsequent Fourier analysis on an IBM PC/AT. In general, experimental results support the predictions of the MAE theory, and provide a basis for the analysis of more complicated geometries.

Discriminating movements of liquid and gas in the rabbit colon with impedance manometry.

PubMed

Mohd Rosli, R; Leibbrandt, R E; Wiklendt, L; Costa, M; Wattchow, D A; Spencer, N J; Brookes, S J; Omari, T I; Dinning, P G

2018-05-01

High-resolution impedance manometry is a technique that is well established in esophageal motility studies for relating motor patterns to bolus flow. The use of this technique in the colon has not been established. In isolated segments of rabbit proximal colon, we recorded motor patterns and the movement of liquid or gas boluses with a high-resolution impedance manometry catheter. These detected movements were compared to video recorded changes in gut diameter. Using the characteristic shapes of the admittance (inverse of impedance) and pressure signals associated with gas or liquid flow we developed a computational algorithm for the automated detection of these events. Propagating contractions detected by video were also recorded by manometry and impedance. Neither pressure nor admittance signals alone could distinguish between liquid and gas transit, however the precise relationship between admittance and pressure signals during bolus flow could. Training our computational algorithm upon these characteristic shapes yielded a detection accuracy of 87.7% when compared to gas or liquid bolus events detected by manual analysis. Characterizing the relationship between both admittance and pressure recorded with high-resolution impedance manometry can not only help in detecting luminal transit in real time, but also distinguishes between liquid and gaseous content. This technique holds promise for determining the propulsive nature of human colonic motor patterns. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Comparative study of electromechanical impedance and Lamb wave techniques for fatigue crack detection and monitoring in metallic structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, Say Ian; Liu, Yu; Soh, Chee Kiong

2012-04-01

Fatigue cracks often initiate at the weld toes of welded steel connections. Usually, these cracks cannot be identified by the naked eyes. Existing identification methods like dye-penetration test and alternating current potential drop (ACPD) may be useful for detecting fatigue cracks at the weld toes. To apply these non-destructive evaluation (NDE) techniques, the potential sites have to be accessible during inspection. Therefore, there is a need to explore other detection and monitoring techniques for fatigue cracks especially when their locations are inaccessible or cost of access is uneconomical. Electro-mechanical Impedance (EMI) and Lamb wave techniques are two fast growing techniques in the Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) community. These techniques use piezoelectric ceramics (PZT) for actuation and sensing. Since the monitoring site is only needed to be accessed once for the instrumentation of the transducers, remote monitoring is made possible. The permanent locations of these transducers also translate to having consistent measurement for monitoring. The main focus of this study is to conduct a comparative investigation on the effectiveness and efficiency of the EMI technique and the Lamb wave technique for successful fatigue crack identification and monitoring of welded steel connections using piezoelectric transducers. A laboratory-sized non-load carrying fillet weld specimen is used in this study. The specimen is subjected to cyclic tensile load and data for both techniques are acquired at stipulated intervals. It can be concluded that the EMI technique is sensitive to the crack initiation phase while the Lamb wave technique correlates well with the crack propagation phase.

Impedance spectroscopy and electric modulus behavior of Molybdenum doped Cobalt-Zinc ferrite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pradhan, A. K.; Nath, T. K.; Saha, S.

2017-07-01

The complex impedance spectroscopy and the electric modulus of Mo doped Cobalt-Zinc inverse spinel ferrite has been investigated in detail. The conventional ceramic technique has been used to prepare the CZMO. The HRXRD technique has been used to study the structural analysis which confirms the inverse spinel structure of the material and also suggest the material have Fd3m space group. The complex impedance spectroscopic data and the electric modulus formalism have been used to understand the dielectric relaxation and conduction process. The contribution of grain and grain boundary in the electrical conduction process of CZMO has been confirmed from the Cole-Cole plot. The activation energy is calculated from both the IS (Impedance Spectroscopy) and electric modulus formalism and found to be nearly same for the materials.

An integrated microsystem with dielectrophoresis enrichment and impedance detection for detection of Escherichia coli

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

An integrated microsystem device with matched interdigitated microelectrode chip was fabricated for enrichment and detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7. The microsystem has integrated with positive dielectrophoresis (pDEP) enrichment and in situ impedance detection, whose total volume is only 3.0 ×...

PREFACE: XV International Conference on Electrical Bio-Impedance (ICEBI) & XIV Conference on Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pliquett, Uwe

2013-04-01

. Structures down to sub-micrometer range and complex impedance measurements tools integrated at single chips are now affordable. Moreover, the introduction of alternative signals and data processing algorithms focuses on very fast and parallel electrical characterization which in turn pushes this technique to new applications and markets. Electrical impedance tomography today yields pictures in real time with a resolution that was impossible 10 years ago. The XVth International Conference on Electrical Bio-Impedance in conjunction with the XIVth Electrical Impedance Tomography ICEBI/EIT 2013 organized by the Institute for Bioprocessing and Analytical Measurement Techniques, Heilbad Heiligenstadt, Germany, together with the EIT-group at the University of Göttingen, Germany, brings world leading scientists in these fields together. It is a platform to present the latest developments in instrumentation and signal processing but also points to new applications, especially in the field of biosensors and non-linear phenomena. Two Keynote lectures will extend the view of the participants above the mainstream of bio-impedance measurement. Friederich Kremer (University of Leipzig) delivers the plenary lecture on broad bandwidth dielectric spectroscopy. New achievements in the research of ligand gated ionic channels will be presented by Klaus Benndorf (University of Jena). Leading scientists in the field of bio-impedance measurement, such as, Sverre Grimnes, Orjan Martinsen, Andrea Robitzki, Richard Bayford, Jan Gimsa and Mart Min will give lectures for students but also more experienced scientists in a pre-conference tutorial which is a good opportunity to learn or refresh the basics. List of committees Conference Chair Dr Uwe Pliquett Professor Dieter Beckmann Institut für Bioprozess- und Analysenmesstechnik eV, Rosenhof, Heilbad Heiligenstadt, Germany Technical Program Chair Maik Hiller Conventus Congressmanagement & Marketing GmbH, Carl-Pulfrich-Str. 1 - 07745 Jena Pre

[Design of High Frequency Signal Detecting Circuit of Human Body Impedance Used for Ultrashort Wave Diathermy Apparatus].

PubMed

Fan, Xu; Wang, Yunguang; Cheng, Haiping; Chong, Xiaochen

2016-02-01

The present circuit was designed to apply to human tissue impedance tuning and matching device in ultra-short wave treatment equipment. In order to judge if the optimum status of circuit parameter between energy emitter circuit and accepter circuit is in well syntony, we designed a high frequency envelope detect circuit to coordinate with automatic adjust device of accepter circuit, which would achieve the function of human tissue impedance matching and tuning. Using the sampling coil to receive the signal of amplitude-modulated wave, we compared the voltage signal of envelope detect circuit with electric current of energy emitter circuit. The result of experimental study was that the signal, which was transformed by the envelope detect circuit, was stable and could be recognized by low speed Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) and was proportional to the electric current signal of energy emitter circuit. It could be concluded that the voltage, transformed by envelope detect circuit can mirror the real circuit state of syntony and realize the function of human tissue impedance collecting.

Quantification of temperature effect on impedance monitoring via PZT interface for prestressed tendon anchorage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huynh, Thanh-Canh; Kim, Jeong-Tae

2017-12-01

In this study, the quantification of temperature effect on impedance monitoring via a PZT interface for prestressed tendon-anchorage is presented. Firstly, a PZT interface-based impedance monitoring technique is selected to monitor impedance signatures by predetermining sensitive frequency bands. An analytical model is designed to represent coupled dynamic responses of the PZT interface-tendon anchorage system. Secondly, experiments on a lab-scaled tendon anchorage are described. Impedance signatures are measured via the PZT interface for a series of temperature and prestress-force changes. Thirdly, temperature effects on measured impedance responses of the tendon anchorage are estimated by quantifying relative changes in impedance features (such as RMSD and CCD indices) induced by temperature variation and prestress-force change. Finally, finite element analyses are conducted to investigate the mechanism of temperature variation and prestress-loss effects on the impedance responses of prestressed tendon anchorage. Temperature effects on impedance monitoring are filtered by effective frequency shift-based algorithm for distinguishing prestress-loss effects on impedance signatures.

The application of computer color matching techniques to the matching of target colors in a food substrate: a first step in the development of foods with customized appearance.

PubMed

Kim, Sandra; Golding, Matt; Archer, Richard H

2012-06-01

A predictive color matching model based on the colorimetric technique was developed and used to calculate the concentrations of primary food dyes needed in a model food substrate to match a set of standard tile colors. This research is the first stage in the development of novel three-dimensional (3D) foods in which color images or designs can be rapidly reproduced in 3D form. Absorption coefficients were derived for each dye, from a concentration series in the model substrate, a microwave-baked cake. When used in a linear, additive blending model these coefficients were able to predict cake color from selected dye blends to within 3 ΔE*(ab,10) color difference units, or within the limit of a visually acceptable match. Absorption coefficients were converted to pseudo X₁₀, Y₁₀, and Z₁₀ tri-stimulus values (X₁₀(P), Y₁₀(P), Z₁₀(P)) for colorimetric matching. The Allen algorithm was used to calculate dye concentrations to match the X₁₀(P), Y₁₀(P), and Z₁₀(P) values of each tile color. Several recipes for each color were computed with the tile specular component included or excluded, and tested in the cake. Some tile colors proved out-of-gamut, limited by legal dye concentrations; these were scaled to within legal range. Actual differences suggest reasonable visual matches could be achieved for within-gamut tile colors. The Allen algorithm, with appropriate adjustments of concentration outputs, could provide a sufficiently rapid and accurate calculation tool for 3D color food printing. The predictive color matching approach shows potential for use in a novel embodiment of 3D food printing in which a color image or design could be rendered within a food matrix through the selective blending of primary dyes to reproduce each color element. The on-demand nature of this food application requires rapid color outputs which could be provided by the color matching technique, currently used in nonfood industries, rather than by empirical food

Microfabricated 1-3 composite acoustic matching layers for 15 MHz transducers.

PubMed

Manh, Tung; Jensen, Geir Uri; Johansen, Tonni F; Hoff, Lars

2013-08-01

Medical ultrasound transducers require matching layers to couple energy from the piezoelectric ceramic into the tissue. Composites of type 0-3 are often used to obtain the desired acoustic impedances, but they introduce challenges at high frequencies, i.e. non-uniformity, attenuation, and dispersion. This paper presents novel acoustic matching layers made as silicon-polymer 1-3 composites, fabricated by deep reactive ion etch (DRIE). This fabrication method is well-established for high-volume production in the microtechnology industry. First estimates for the acoustic properties were found from the iso-strain theory, while the Finite Element Method (FEM) was employed for more accurate modeling. The composites were used as single matching layers in 15 MHz ultrasound transducers. Acoustic properties of the composite were estimated by fitting the electrical impedance measurements to the Mason model. Five composites were fabricated. All had period 16 μm, while the silicon width was varied to cover silicon volume fractions between 0.17 and 0.28. Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) wafers were used to get a controlled etch stop against the buried oxide layer at a defined depth, resulting in composites with thickness 83 μm. A slight tapering of the silicon side walls was observed; their widths were 0.9 μm smaller at the bottom than at the top, corresponding to a tapering angle of 0.3°. Acoustic parameters estimated from electrical impedance measurements were lower than predicted from the iso-strain model, but fitted within 5% to FEM simulations. The deviation was explained by dispersion caused by the finite dimensions of the composite and by the tapered walls. Pulse-echo measurements on a transducer with silicon volume fraction 0.17 showed a two-way -6 dB relative bandwidth of 50%. The pulse-echo measurements agreed with predictions from the Mason model when using material parameter values estimated from electrical impedance measurements. The results show the feasibility of

Skin impedance is not a factor in transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation effectiveness

PubMed Central

Vance, Carol GT; Rakel, Barbara A; Dailey, Dana L; Sluka, Kathleen A

2015-01-01

Objective Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a nonpharmacological intervention used to manage pain using skin surface electrodes. Optimal electrode placement is unclear. We hypothesized that better analgesia would occur if electrodes were placed over sites with lower skin impedance. Optimal site selection (OSS) and sham site selection (SSS) electrode sites on the forearm were identified using a standard clinical technique. Methods Experiment 1 measured skin impedance in the forearm at OSS and SSS. Experiment 2 was a crossover design double-blind randomized controlled trial comparing OSS-TENS, SSS-TENS, and placebo TENS (P-TENS) to confirm differences in skin impedance between OSS and SSS, and measure change in pressure pain threshold (PPT) following a 30-minute TENS treatment. Healthy volunteers were recruited (ten for Experiment 1 [five male, five female] and 24 for Experiment 2 [12 male, 12 female]). TENS was applied for 30 minutes at 100 Hz frequency, 100 µs pulse duration, and “strong but nonpainful” amplitude. Results Experiment 1 results demonstrate significantly higher impedance at SSS (17.69±1.24 Ω) compared to OSS (13.53±0.57 Ω) (P=0.007). For Experiment 2, electrode site impedance was significantly higher over SSS, with both the impedance meter (P=0.001) and the TENS unit (P=0.012) compared to OSS. PPT change was significantly greater for both OSS-TENS (P=0.024) and SSS-TENS (P=0.025) when compared to P-TENS. PPT did not differ between the two active TENS treatments (P=0.81). Conclusion Skin impedance is lower at sites characterized as optimal using the described technique of electrode site selection. When TENS is applied at adequate intensities, skin impedance is not a factor in attainment of hypoalgesia of the forearm in healthy subjects. Further investigation should include testing in patients presenting with painful conditions. PMID:26316808

Application of non-destructive impedance-based monitoring technique for cyclic fatigue evaluation of endodontic nickel-titanium rotary instruments.

PubMed

Chang, Yau-Zen; Liu, Mou-Chuan; Pai, Che-An; Lin, Chun-Li; Yen, Kuang-I

2011-06-01

This study investigates the application of non-destructive testing based on the impedance theory in the cyclic fatigue evaluation of endodontic Ni-Ti rotary instruments. Fifty Ni-Ti ProTaper instruments were divided into five groups (n=10 in Groups A to E). Groups A to D were subjected to cyclic fatigue within an artificial canal (Group E was the control group). The mean value of the total life limit (TLL), defined as the instrument being rotated until fracture occurred was found to be 104 s in Group A. Each rotary instrument in Groups B, C and D were rotated until the tested instruments reached 80% (84 s), 60% (62 s) and 40% (42 s) of the TLL. After fatigue testing, each rotary instrument was mounted onto a custom-developed non-destructive testing device to give the tip of the instrument a progressive sideways bend in four mutually perpendicular directions to measure the corresponding impedance value (including the resistance and the reactance). The results indicated that the impedance value showed the same trend as the resistance, implying that the impedance was primarily affected by the resistance. The impedance value for the instruments in the 80% and 60% TLL groups increased by about 6 mΩ (about 7.5%) more than that of the instruments in the intact and 40% TLL groups. The SEM analysis result showed that crack striations were only found at the tip of the thread on the cracked surface of the instrument, consistent with the impedance measurements that found the impedance value of the cracked surface to be significantly different from those in other surfaces. These findings indicate that the impedance value may represent an effective parameter for evaluating the micro-structural status of Ni-Ti rotary instruments subjected to fatigue loading. Copyright © 2010 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Versatile and Reproducible Multi-Frequency Electrical Impedance Tomography System

PubMed Central

Avery, James; Dowrick, Thomas; Faulkner, Mayo; Goren, Nir; Holder, David

2017-01-01

A highly versatile Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) system, nicknamed the ScouseTom, has been developed. The system allows control over current amplitude, frequency, number of electrodes, injection protocol and data processing. Current is injected using a Keithley 6221 current source, and voltages are recorded with a 24-bit EEG system with minimum bandwidth of 3.2 kHz. Custom PCBs interface with a PC to control the measurement process, electrode addressing and triggering of external stimuli. The performance of the system was characterised using resistor phantoms to represent human scalp recordings, with an SNR of 77.5 dB, stable across a four hour recording and 20 Hz to 20 kHz. In studies of both haeomorrhage using scalp electrodes, and evoked activity using epicortical electrode mats in rats, it was possible to reconstruct images matching established literature at known areas of onset. Data collected using scalp electrode in humans matched known tissue impedance spectra and was stable over frequency. The experimental procedure is software controlled and is readily adaptable to new paradigms. Where possible, commercial or open-source components were used, to minimise the complexity in reproduction. The hardware designs and software for the system have been released under an open source licence, encouraging contributions and allowing for rapid replication. PMID:28146122

In situ measurement of tissue impedance using an inductive coupling interface circuit.

PubMed

Chiu, Hung-Wei; Chuang, Jia-min; Lu, Chien-Chi; Lin, Wei-Tso; Lin, Chii-Wann; Lin, Mu-Lien

2013-06-01

In this work, a method of an inductive coupling impedance measurement (ICIM) is proposed for measuring the nerve impedance of a dorsal root ganglion (DRG) under PRF stimulation. ICIM provides a contactless interface for measuring the reflected impedance by an impedance analyzer with a low excitation voltage of 7 mV. The paper develops a calibration procedure involving a 50-Ω reference resistor to calibrate the reflected resistance for measuring resistance of the nerve in the test. A de-embedding technique to build the equivalent transformer circuit model for the ICIM circuit is also presented. A batteryless PRF stimulator with ICIM circuit demonstrated good accuracy for the acute measurement of DRG impedance both in situ and in vivo. Besides, an in vivo animal experiment was conducted to show that the effectiveness of pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) stimulation in relieving pain gradually declined as the impedance of the stimulated nerve increased. The experiment also revealed that the excitation voltage for measuring impedance below 25 mV can prevent the excitation of a nonlinear response of DRG.

Transition metal oxide as anode interface buffer for impedance spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Hui; Tang, Chao; Wang, Xu-Liang; Zhai, Wen-Juan; Liu, Rui-Lan; Rong, Zhou; Pang, Zong-Qiang; Jiang, Bing; Fan, Qu-Li; Huang, Wei

2015-12-01

Impedance spectroscopy is a strong method in electric measurement, which also shows powerful function in research of carrier dynamics in organic semiconductors when suitable mathematical physical models are used. Apart from this, another requirement is that the contact interface between the electrode and materials should at least be quasi-ohmic contact. So in this report, three different transitional metal oxides, V2O5, MoO3 and WO3 were used as hole injection buffer for interface of ITO/NPB. Through the impedance spectroscopy and PSO algorithm, the carrier mobilities and I-V characteristics of the NPB in different devices were measured. Then the data curves were compared with the single layer device without the interface layer in order to investigate the influence of transitional metal oxides on the carrier mobility. The careful research showed that when the work function (WF) of the buffer material was just between the work function of anode and the HOMO of the organic material, such interface material could work as a good bridge for carrier injection. Under such condition, the carrier mobility measured through impedance spectroscopy should be close to the intrinsic value. Considering that the HOMO (or LUMO) of most organic semiconductors did not match with the work function of the electrode, this report also provides a method for wide application of impedance spectroscopy to the research of carrier dynamics.

Constant current loop impedance measuring system that is immune to the effects of parasitic impedances

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Karl F. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

A constant current loop measuring system is provided for measuring a characteristic of an environment. The system comprises a first impedance positionable in the environment, a second impedance coupled in series with said first impedance and a parasitic impedance electrically coupled to the first and second impedances. A current generating device, electrically coupled in series with the first and second impedances, provides a constant current through the first and second impedances to produce first and second voltages across the first and second impedances, respectively, and a parasitic voltage across the parasitic impedance. A high impedance voltage measuring device measures a voltage difference between the first and second voltages independent of the parasitic voltage to produce a characteristic voltage representative of the characteristic of the environment.

A DEMO relevant fast wave current drive high harmonic antenna exploiting the high impedance technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milanesio, D.; Maggiora, R.

2015-12-01

Ion Cyclotron (IC) antennas are routinely adopted in most of the existing nuclear fusion experiments, even though their main goal, i.e. to couple high power to the plasma (MW), is often limited by rather severe drawbacks due to high fields on the antenna itself and on the unmatched part of the feeding lines. In addition to the well exploited auxiliary ion heating during the start-up phase, some non-ohmic current drive (CD) at the IC range of frequencies may be explored in view of the DEMO reactor. In this work, we suggest and describe a compact high frequency DEMO relevant antenna, based on the high impedance surfaces concept. High-impedance surfaces are periodic metallic structures (patches) usually displaced on top of a dielectric substrate and grounded by means of vertical posts embedded inside the dielectric, in a mushroom-like shape. These structures present a high impedance, within a given frequency band, such that the image currents are in-phase with the currents of the antenna itself, thus determining a significant efficiency increase. After a general introduction on the properties of high impedance surfaces, we analyze, by means of numerical codes, a dielectric based and a full metal solution optimized to be tested and benchmarked on the FTU experiment fed with generators at 433MHz.

A DEMO relevant fast wave current drive high harmonic antenna exploiting the high impedance technique

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

Milanesio, D., E-mail: daniele.milanesio@polito.it; Maggiora, R.

Ion Cyclotron (IC) antennas are routinely adopted in most of the existing nuclear fusion experiments, even though their main goal, i.e. to couple high power to the plasma (MW), is often limited by rather severe drawbacks due to high fields on the antenna itself and on the unmatched part of the feeding lines. In addition to the well exploited auxiliary ion heating during the start-up phase, some non-ohmic current drive (CD) at the IC range of frequencies may be explored in view of the DEMO reactor. In this work, we suggest and describe a compact high frequency DEMO relevant antenna,more » based on the high impedance surfaces concept. High-impedance surfaces are periodic metallic structures (patches) usually displaced on top of a dielectric substrate and grounded by means of vertical posts embedded inside the dielectric, in a mushroom-like shape. These structures present a high impedance, within a given frequency band, such that the image currents are in-phase with the currents of the antenna itself, thus determining a significant efficiency increase. After a general introduction on the properties of high impedance surfaces, we analyze, by means of numerical codes, a dielectric based and a full metal solution optimized to be tested and benchmarked on the FTU experiment fed with generators at 433MHz.« less

A High Performance Impedance-based Platform for Evaporation Rate Detection.

PubMed

Chou, Wei-Lung; Lee, Pee-Yew; Chen, Cheng-You; Lin, Yu-Hsin; Lin, Yung-Sheng

2016-10-17

This paper describes the method of a novel impedance-based platform for the detection of the evaporation rate. The model compound hyaluronic acid was employed here for demonstration purposes. Multiple evaporation tests on the model compound as a humectant with various concentrations in solutions were conducted for comparison purposes. A conventional weight loss approach is known as the most straightforward, but time-consuming, measurement technique for evaporation rate detection. Yet, a clear disadvantage is that a large volume of sample is required and multiple sample tests cannot be conducted at the same time. For the first time in literature, an electrical impedance sensing chip is successfully applied to a real-time evaporation investigation in a time sharing, continuous and automatic manner. Moreover, as little as 0.5 ml of test samples is required in this impedance-based apparatus, and a large impedance variation is demonstrated among various dilute solutions. The proposed high-sensitivity and fast-response impedance sensing system is found to outperform a conventional weight loss approach in terms of evaporation rate detection.

Impedance-Based Structural Health Monitoring for Composite Laminates at Cryogenic Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tseng, Kevin

2003-01-01

One of the important ways of increasing the payload in a reusable launch vehicle (RLV) is to replace heavy metallic materials by lightweight composite laminates. Among various parts and systems of the RLV, this project focuses on tanks containing cryogenic fuel. Historically, aluminum alloys have been used as the materials to construct fuel tanks for launch vehicles. To replace aluminum alloys with composite laminates or honeycomb materials, engineers have to make sure that the composites are free of defects before, during, and after launch. In addition to robust design and manufacturing procedures, the performance of the composite structures needs to be monitored constantly.In recent years, the impedance-based health monitoring technique has shown its promise in many applications. This technique makes use of the special properties of smart piezoelectric materials to identify the change of material properties due to the nucleation and progression of damage. The piezoceramic patch serves as a sensor and an actuator simultaneously. The piezoelectric patch is bonded onto an existing structure or embedded into a new structure and electrically excited at high frequencies. The signature (impedance or admittance) is extracted as a function of the exciting frequency and is compared with the baseline signature of the healthy state. The damage is quantified using root mean square deviation (RMSD) in the impedance signatures with respect to the baseline signature. A major advantage of this technique is that the procedure is nondestructive in nature and does not perturb the properties and performance of the materials and structures. This project aims at applying the impedance-based nondestructive testing technique to the damage identification of composite laminates at cryogenic temperature.

New Techniques For The Improvement Of The ICRH System ELM Tolerance On JET

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monakhov, I.; Blackman, T.; Walden, A.; Nightingale, M.; Whitehurst, A.; Durodie, F.; Jet Efda Contributors

2003-12-01

Two complementary improvements to the ELM tolerance of the existing A2 antennas on JET are being assessed. The use of external conjugate-T matching of straps of adjacent antenna arrays could reduce the VSWR levels at RF amplifier output during fast load perturbations. The scheme under consideration uses coaxial line-stretchers (trombones) for tuning the conjugate-T to low resistive impedance (3-6 Ohm) with subsequent stub/trombone circuit impedance transformation to 30 Ohms. Another technique is to modify the RF plant protection system logic to reduce the high VSWR trip duration to an absolute minimum corresponding to a typical ELM response (˜1-2ms) without compromising the plant safety. Both projects are presently being tested and could increase the average power delivered by RF plant into ELMy plasmas at JET.

Comparison of a Convected Helmholtz and Euler Model for Impedance Eduction in Flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, Willie R.; Jones, Michael G.

2006-01-01

Impedances educed from a well-tested convected Helmholtz model are compared to that of a recently developed linearized Euler model using two ceramic test liners under the assumed conditions or uniform flow and a plane wave source. The convected Helmholtz model is restricted to uniform mean flow whereas the linearized Euler model can account for the effect or the shear layer. Test data to educe the impedance is acquired from measurements obtained in the NASA Langley Research Center Grazing Incidence Tube for mean flow Mach numbers ranging from 0.0 to 0.5 and source frequencies ranging from 0.5 kHz to 3.0 kHz. The unknown impedance of the liner b educed by judiciously chooingth e impedance via an optimization method to match the measured acoustic pressure on the wall opposite the test liner. Results are presented on four spatial grids using three different optimization methods (contour deformation, Davidon-Fletcher Powell, and the Genetic Algorithm). All three optimization methods converge to the same impedance when used with the same model and to nearly identical impedances when used on different models. h anomaly was observed only at 0.5 kHz for high mean flow speeds. The anomaly is likely due to the use of measured data in a flow regime where shear layer effects are important but are neglected in the math models. Consistency between the impedances educed using the two models provides confidence that the linearized Euler model is ready For application to more realistic flows, such as those containing shear layers.

Impedance Discontinuity Reduction Between High-Speed Differential Connectors and PCB Interfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Navidi, Sal; Agdinaoay, Rodell; Walter, Keith

2013-01-01

High-speed serial communication (i.e., Gigabit Ethernet) requires differential transmission and controlled impedances. Impedance control is essential throughout cabling, connector, and circuit board construction. An impedance discontinuity arises at the interface of a high-speed quadrax and twinax connectors and the attached printed circuit board (PCB). This discontinuity usually is lower impedance since the relative dielectric constant of the board is higher (i.e., polyimide approx. = 4) than the connector (Teflon approx. = 2.25). The discontinuity can be observed in transmit or receive eye diagrams, and can reduce the effective link margin of serial data networks. High-speed serial data network transmission improvements can be made at the connector-to-board interfaces as well as improving differential via hole impedances. The impedance discontinuity was improved by 10 percent by drilling a 20-mil (approx. = 0.5-mm) hole in between the pin of a differential connector spaced 55 mils (approx. = 1.4 mm) apart as it is attached to the PCB. The effective dielectric constant of the board can be lowered by drilling holes into the board material between the differential lines in a quadrax or twinax connector attachment points. The differential impedance is inversely proportional to the square root of the relative dielectric constant. This increases the differential impedance and thus reduces the above described impedance discontinuity. The differential via hole impedance can also be increased in the same manner. This technique can be extended to multiple smaller drilled holes as well as tapered holes (i.e., big in the middle followed by smaller ones diagonally).

An investigation of matched index of refraction technique and its application in optical measurements of fluid flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amini, Noushin; Hassan, Yassin A.

2012-12-01

Optical distortions caused by non-uniformities of the refractive index within the measurement volume is a major impediment for all laser diagnostic imaging techniques applied in experimental fluid dynamic studies. Matching the refractive indices of the working fluid and the test section walls and interfaces provides an effective solution to this problem. The experimental set-ups designed to be used along with laser imaging techniques are typically constructed of transparent solid materials. In this investigation, different types of aqueous salt solutions and various organic fluids are studied for refractive index matching with acrylic and fused quartz, which are commonly used in construction of the test sections. One aqueous CaCl2·2H2O solution (63 % by weight) and two organic fluids, Dibutyl Phthalate and P-Cymene, are suggested for refractive index matching with fused quartz and acrylic, respectively. Moreover, the temperature dependence of the refractive indices of these fluids is investigated, and the Thermooptic Constant is calculated for each fluid. Finally, the fluid viscosity for different shear rates is measured as a function of temperature and is applied to characterize the physical behavior of the proposed fluids.

A systematic uncertainty analysis for liner impedance eduction technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Lin; Bodén, Hans

2015-11-01

The so-called impedance eduction technology is widely used for obtaining acoustic properties of liners used in aircraft engines. The measurement uncertainties for this technology are still not well understood though it is essential for data quality assessment and model validation. A systematic framework based on multivariate analysis is presented in this paper to provide 95 percent confidence interval uncertainty estimates in the process of impedance eduction. The analysis is made using a single mode straightforward method based on transmission coefficients involving the classic Ingard-Myers boundary condition. The multivariate technique makes it possible to obtain an uncertainty analysis for the possibly correlated real and imaginary parts of the complex quantities. The results show that the errors in impedance results at low frequency mainly depend on the variability of transmission coefficients, while the mean Mach number accuracy is the most important source of error at high frequencies. The effect of Mach numbers used in the wave dispersion equation and in the Ingard-Myers boundary condition has been separated for comparison of the outcome of impedance eduction. A local Mach number based on friction velocity is suggested as a way to reduce the inconsistencies found when estimating impedance using upstream and downstream acoustic excitation.

Monolithically compatible impedance measurement

DOEpatents

Ericson, Milton Nance; Holcomb, David Eugene

2002-01-01

A monolithic sensor includes a reference channel and at least one sensing channel. Each sensing channel has an oscillator and a counter driven by the oscillator. The reference channel and the at least one sensing channel being formed integrally with a substrate and intimately nested with one another on the substrate. Thus, the oscillator and the counter have matched component values and temperature coefficients. A frequency determining component of the sensing oscillator is formed integrally with the substrate and has an impedance parameter which varies with an environmental parameter to be measured by the sensor. A gating control is responsive to an output signal generated by the reference channel, for terminating counting in the at least one sensing channel at an output count, whereby the output count is indicative of the environmental parameter, and successive ones of the output counts are indicative of changes in the environmental parameter.

Baseline impedance measured during high-resolution esophageal impedance manometry reliably discriminates GERD patients.

PubMed

Ravi, K; Geno, D M; Vela, M F; Crowell, M D; Katzka, D A

2017-05-01

Baseline impedance measured with ambulatory impedance pH monitoring (MII-pH) and a mucosal impedance catheter detects gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). However, these tools are limited by cost or patient tolerance. We investigated whether baseline impedance measured during high-resolution impedance manometry (HRIM) distinguishes GERD patients from controls. Consecutive patients with clinical HRIM and MII-pH testing were identified. Gastroesophageal reflux disease was defined by esophageal pH <4 for ≥5% of both the supine and total study time, whereas controls had an esophageal pH <4 for ≤3% of the study performed off PPI. Baseline impedance was measured over 15 seconds during the landmark period of HRIM and over three 10 minute intervals during the overnight period of MII-pH. Among 29 GERD patients and 26 controls, GERD patients had a mean esophageal acid exposure time of 22.7% compared to 1.2% in controls (P<.0001). Mean baseline impedance during HRIM was lower in GERD (1061 Ω) than controls (2814 Ω) (P<.0001). Baseline mucosal impedance measured during HRIM and MII-pH correlated (r=0.59, P<.0001). High-resolution esophageal manometry baseline impedance had high diagnostic accuracy for GERD, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.931 on receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis. A HRIM baseline impedance threshold of 1582 Ω had a sensitivity of 86.2% and specificity of 88.5% for GERD, with a positive predictive value of 89.3% and negative predictive value of 85.2%. Baseline impedance measured during HRIM can reliably discriminate GERD patients with at least moderate esophageal acid exposure from controls. This diagnostic tool may represent an accurate, cost-effective, and less invasive test for GERD. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Overview Of Impedance Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abele, John E.

1989-08-01

Electrical impedance has been one of the many "tools of great promise" that physicians have employed in their quest to measure and/or monitor body function or physiologic events. So far, the expectations for its success have always exceeded its performance. In simplistic terms, physiologic impedance is a measure of the resistance in the volume between electrodes which changes as a function of changes in that volume, the relative impedance of that volume, or a combination of these two. The history and principles of electrical impedance are very nicely reviewed by Geddes and Baker in their textbook "Principles of Applied Biomedical Instrumentation". It is humbling, however, to note that Cremer recorded variations in electrical impedance in frog hearts as early as 1907. The list of potential applications includes the measurement of thyroid function, estrogen activity, galvanic skin reflex, respiration, blood flow by conductivity dilution, nervous activity and eye movement. Commercial devices employing impedance have been and are being used to measure respiration (pneumographs and apneamonitors), pulse volume (impedance phlebographs) and even noninvasive cardiac output.

Development on electromagnetic impedance function modeling and its estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sutarno, D.

2015-09-01

Today the Electromagnetic methods such as magnetotellurics (MT) and controlled sources audio MT (CSAMT) is used in a broad variety of applications. Its usefulness in poor seismic areas and its negligible environmental impact are integral parts of effective exploration at minimum cost. As exploration was forced into more difficult areas, the importance of MT and CSAMT, in conjunction with other techniques, has tended to grow continuously. However, there are obviously important and difficult problems remaining to be solved concerning our ability to collect process and interpret MT as well as CSAMT in complex 3D structural environments. This talk aim at reviewing and discussing the recent development on MT as well as CSAMT impedance functions modeling, and also some improvements on estimation procedures for the corresponding impedance functions. In MT impedance modeling, research efforts focus on developing numerical method for computing the impedance functions of three dimensionally (3-D) earth resistivity models. On that reason, 3-D finite elements numerical modeling for the impedances is developed based on edge element method. Whereas, in the CSAMT case, the efforts were focused to accomplish the non-plane wave problem in the corresponding impedance functions. Concerning estimation of MT and CSAMT impedance functions, researches were focused on improving quality of the estimates. On that objective, non-linear regression approach based on the robust M-estimators and the Hilbert transform operating on the causal transfer functions, were used to dealing with outliers (abnormal data) which are frequently superimposed on a normal ambient MT as well as CSAMT noise fields. As validated, the proposed MT impedance modeling method gives acceptable results for standard three dimensional resistivity models. Whilst, the full solution based modeling that accommodate the non-plane wave effect for CSAMT impedances is applied for all measurement zones, including near-, transition

Development on electromagnetic impedance function modeling and its estimation

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

Sutarno, D., E-mail: Sutarno@fi.itb.ac.id

2015-09-30

Today the Electromagnetic methods such as magnetotellurics (MT) and controlled sources audio MT (CSAMT) is used in a broad variety of applications. Its usefulness in poor seismic areas and its negligible environmental impact are integral parts of effective exploration at minimum cost. As exploration was forced into more difficult areas, the importance of MT and CSAMT, in conjunction with other techniques, has tended to grow continuously. However, there are obviously important and difficult problems remaining to be solved concerning our ability to collect process and interpret MT as well as CSAMT in complex 3D structural environments. This talk aim atmore » reviewing and discussing the recent development on MT as well as CSAMT impedance functions modeling, and also some improvements on estimation procedures for the corresponding impedance functions. In MT impedance modeling, research efforts focus on developing numerical method for computing the impedance functions of three dimensionally (3-D) earth resistivity models. On that reason, 3-D finite elements numerical modeling for the impedances is developed based on edge element method. Whereas, in the CSAMT case, the efforts were focused to accomplish the non-plane wave problem in the corresponding impedance functions. Concerning estimation of MT and CSAMT impedance functions, researches were focused on improving quality of the estimates. On that objective, non-linear regression approach based on the robust M-estimators and the Hilbert transform operating on the causal transfer functions, were used to dealing with outliers (abnormal data) which are frequently superimposed on a normal ambient MT as well as CSAMT noise fields. As validated, the proposed MT impedance modeling method gives acceptable results for standard three dimensional resistivity models. Whilst, the full solution based modeling that accommodate the non-plane wave effect for CSAMT impedances is applied for all measurement zones, including near

A Review of the Match Technique as Applied to AASE-2/EASOE and SOLVE/THESEO 2000

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morris, Gary A.; Bojkov, Bojan R.; Lait, Leslie R.; Schoeberl, Mark R.; Rex, Markus

2004-01-01

We apply the GSFC trajectory model with a series of ozonesondes to derive ozone loss rates in the lower stratosphere for the AASE-2/EASOE mission (January - March 1992) and for the SOLVE/THESEO 2000 mission (January - March 2000) in an approach similar to Match. Ozone loss rates are computed by comparing the ozone concentrations provided by ozonesondes launched at the beginning and end of the trajectories connecting the launches. We investigate the sensitivity of the Match results on the various parameters used to reject potential matches in the original Match technique and conclude that only a filter based on potential vorticity changes along the calculated back trajectory seems necessary. Our study also demonstrates that calculated ozone loss rates can vary by up to a factor of two depending upon the precise trajectory paths calculated for each trajectory. As a result an additional systematic error might need to be added to the statistical uncertainties published with previous Match results. The sensitivity to the trajectory path is particularly pronounced in the month of January, the month during which the largest ozone loss rate discrepancies between photochemical models and Match are found. For most of the two study periods, our ozone loss rates agree with those previously published. Notable exceptions are found for January 1992 at 475 K and late February/early March 2000 at 450 K, both periods during which we find less loss than the previous studies. Integrated ozone loss rates in both years compare well with those found in numerous other studies and in a potential vorticity/potential temperature approach shown previously and in this paper. Finally, we suggest an alternate approach to Match using trajectory mapping that appears to more accurately reflect the true uncertainties associated with Match and reduces the dependence upon filters that may bias the results of Match through the rejection of greater than or equal to 80% of the matched sonde pairs and >99

Estimation of Biochemical Constituents From Fresh, Green Leaves By Spectrum Matching Techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goetz, A. F. H.; Gao, B. C.; Wessman, C. A.; Bowman, W. D.

1990-01-01

Estimation of biochemical constituents in vegetation such as lignin, cellulose, starch, sugar and protein by remote sensing methods is an important goal in ecological research. The spectral reflectances of dried leaves exhibit diagnostic absorption features which can be used to estimate the abundance of important constituents. Lignin and nitrogen concentrations have been obtained from canopies by use of imaging spectrometry and multiple linear regression techniques. The difficulty in identifying individual spectra of leaf constituents in the region beyond 1 micrometer is that liquid water contained in the leaf dominates the spectral reflectance of leaves in this region. By use of spectrum matching techniques, originally used to quantify whole column water abundance in the atmosphere and equivalent liquid water thickness in leaves, we have been able to remove the liquid water contribution to the spectrum. The residual spectra resemble spectra for cellulose in the 1.1 micrometer region, lignin in the 1.7 micrometer region, and starch in the 2.0-2.3 micrometer region. In the entire 1.0-2.3 micrometer region each of the major constituents contributes to the spectrum. Quantitative estimates will require using unmixing techniques on the residual spectra.

Does Cholecystectomy Increase the Esophageal Alkaline Reflux? Evaluation by Impedance-pH Technique.

PubMed

Uyanikoglu, Ahmet; Akyuz, Filiz; Ermis, Fatih; Arici, Serpil; Bas, Gurhan; Cakirca, Mustafa; Baran, Bulent; Mungan, Zeynel

2012-04-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the reflux patterns in patients with galbladder stone and the change of reflux patterns after cholecystectomy in such patients. Fourteen patients with cholecystolithiasis and a control group including 10 healthy control subjects were enrolled in this prospective study. Demographical findings, reflux symptom score scale and 24-hour impedance pH values of the 14 cholecystolithiasis cases and the control group were evaluated. The impedance pH study was repeated 3 months after cholecystectomy. Age, gender, and BMI were not different between the two groups. Total and supine weakly alkaline reflux time (%) (1.0 vs 22.5, P = 0.028; 201.85 vs 9.65, P = 0.012), the longest episodes of total, upright and supine weakly alkaline reflux mediums (11 vs 2, P = 0.025; 8.5 vs 1.0, P = 0.035; 3 vs 0, P = 0.027), total and supine weakly alkaline reflux time in minutes (287.35 vs 75.10, P = 0.022; 62.5 vs 1.4, P = 0.017), the number of alkaline reflux episodes (162.5 vs 72.5, P = 0.022) were decreased with statistical significance. No statistically significant difference was found in the comparison of symptoms between the subjects in the control group and the patients with cholecystolithiasis, in preoperative, postoperative and postcholecystectomy status. Significant reflux symptoms did not occur after cholecystectomy. Post cholecystectomy weakly alkaline reflux was decreased, but it was determined that acid reflux increased after cholecystectomy by impedance pH-metry in the study group.

Characterisation of CFRP adhesive bonds by electromechanical impedance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malinowski, Pawel H.; Wandowski, Tomasz; Ostachowicz, Wieslaw M.

2014-03-01

In aircraft industry the Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) elements are joint using rivets and adhesive bonding. The reliability of the bonding limits the use of adhesive bonding for primary aircraft structures, therefore it is important to assess the bond quality. The performance of adhesive bonds depends on the physico-chemical properties of the adhered surfaces. The contamination leading to weak bonds may have various origin and be caused by moisture, release agent, hydraulic fluid, fuel, poor curing of adhesive and so on. In this research three different causes of possible weak bonds were selected for the investigation: 1. Weak bond due to release agent contamination, 2. Weak bond due to moisture contamination, 3. Weak bond due to poor curing of the adhesive. In order to assess the bond quality electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique was selected and investigation was focused on the influence of bond quality on electrical impedance of piezoelectric transducer. The piezoelectric transducer was mounted at the middle of each sample surface. Measurements were conducted using HIOKI Impedance Analyzer IM3570. Using the impedance analyzer the electrical parameters were measured for wide frequency band. Due to piezoelectric effect the electrical response of a piezoelectric transducer is related to mechanical response of the sample to which the transducers is attached. The impedance spectra were investigated in order to find indication of the weak bonds. These spectra were compared with measurements for reference sample using indexes proposed in order to assess the bond quality.

Ultrasonic technique for monitoring of liquid density variations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kazys, R.; Rekuviene, R.; Sliteris, R.; Mazeika, L.; Zukauskas, E.

2015-01-01

A novel ultrasonic measurement technique for density measurements of different liquids in extreme conditions has been developed. The proposed density measurement method is based on transformation of the acoustic impedance of the measured liquid. The higher accuracy of measurements is achieved by means of the λ/4 acoustic matching layer between the load and the ultrasonic waveguide transducer. Introduction of the matching layer enhances sensitivity of the measurement system. Sometimes, the density measurements must be performed in very complex conditions: high temperature (up to 200 °C), pressure (up to 10 MPa), and high chemical activity of the medium under measurement. In this case, the special geometry metal waveguides are proposed to use in order to protect the piezoelectric transducer surface from influence of a high temperature. The experimental set-up of technique was calibrated using the reference liquids with different densities: ethyl ether, ethyl alcohol, distilled water, and different concentration (20%, 40%, and 60%) sugar-water solutions. The uncertainty of measurements is less than 1%. The proposed measurement method was verified in real conditions by monitoring the density of a melted polypropylene during manufacturing process.

Comparison of different coil positions for ventilation monitoring with contact-less magnetic impedance measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cordes, A.; Pollig, D.; Leonhardt, S.

2010-04-01

For monitoring the health status of individuals, proper monitoring of ventilation is desirable. Therefore, a continuous measurement technique is an advantage for many patients since it allows personal home care scenarios. As an example, monitoring of elderly people at home could enable them to live in their familiar environment on their own with the safety of a continuous monitoring. Therefore, a measurement technique without the restriction of mobility is required. Since it is possible to monitor ventilation with magnetic impedance measurements without conductive contact, this technique is well suited for the mentioned scenario. Integrated in a chair, a person's health state could be monitored in many situations, e.g. during meals, while watching TV or reading a book. In this paper, we compare different positions of coil arrays for a magnetic impedance measurement system integrated in a chair in order to monitor ventilation continuously. For limiting the costs and technical complexity of the magnetic impedance measurement system, we have a focus on coil configurations with one RF channel. To limit the needed space and thickness of the array in the backrest, planar gradiometer coil setups are investigated. All measurements will be performed with a new developed portable magnetic impedance measurement system and a standard office chair.

Experimental Study on Damage Detection in Timber Specimens Based on an Electromechanical Impedance Technique and RMSD-Based Mahalanobis Distance

PubMed Central

Wang, Dansheng; Wang, Qinghua; Wang, Hao; Zhu, Hongping

2016-01-01

In the electromechanical impedance (EMI) method, the PZT patch performs the functions of both sensor and exciter. Due to the high frequency actuation and non-model based characteristics, the EMI method can be utilized to detect incipient structural damage. In recent years EMI techniques have been widely applied to monitor the health status of concrete and steel materials, however, studies on application to timber are limited. This paper will explore the feasibility of using the EMI technique for damage detection in timber specimens. In addition, the conventional damage index, namely root mean square deviation (RMSD) is employed to evaluate the level of damage. On that basis, a new damage index, Mahalanobis distance based on RMSD, is proposed to evaluate the damage severity of timber specimens. Experimental studies are implemented to detect notch and hole damage in the timber specimens. Experimental results verify the availability and robustness of the proposed damage index and its superiority over the RMSD indexes. PMID:27782088

Experimental Study on Damage Detection in Timber Specimens Based on an Electromechanical Impedance Technique and RMSD-Based Mahalanobis Distance.

PubMed

Wang, Dansheng; Wang, Qinghua; Wang, Hao; Zhu, Hongping

2016-10-22

In the electromechanical impedance (EMI) method, the PZT patch performs the functions of both sensor and exciter. Due to the high frequency actuation and non-model based characteristics, the EMI method can be utilized to detect incipient structural damage. In recent years EMI techniques have been widely applied to monitor the health status of concrete and steel materials, however, studies on application to timber are limited. This paper will explore the feasibility of using the EMI technique for damage detection in timber specimens. In addition, the conventional damage index, namely root mean square deviation (RMSD) is employed to evaluate the level of damage. On that basis, a new damage index, Mahalanobis distance based on RMSD, is proposed to evaluate the damage severity of timber specimens. Experimental studies are implemented to detect notch and hole damage in the timber specimens. Experimental results verify the availability and robustness of the proposed damage index and its superiority over the RMSD indexes.

Detection and quantification of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris by electrical impedance in apple juice.

PubMed

Fernández, Pilar; Gabaldón, José Antonio; Periago, Mª Jesús

2017-12-01

Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris is a thermotolerant bacterium able to grow in fruit juices and drinks, as the spoilage by Alicyclobacillus in the final product does not product any gas, but leads to a "medicine flavor" due to the formation of guaicol. Also, its detection is a challenge for the quality control departments, because it takes several days to get the results of traditional microbiology methods. This study aimed at developing a more accurate electrical impedance technique for the detection of A. acidoterrestris in concentrated apple juice. Samples of apple juice were inoculated with A. acidoterrestris spores isolated from a peach and grape juice. For the spore germination, several heat-shock treatments were tested (80 °C/10 min, 70 °C/20 min and 60 °C/30 min). Direct and indirect electrical impedance was applied to detect and quantify the microorganism in the inoculated apple juice, using BAT broth and Bimedia 002A (pH 4). The 80 °C/10 min treatment was selected for spore activation. The valid electrical impedance technique was the indirect method in BAT broth, which measured the changes in the impedance through the formation of CO 2 . In addition, a positive correlation (r = 0.98, R 2  = 0.97) was observed between the classical microbiology (BAM agar) and the indirect impedance method. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advanced Tie Feature Matching for the Registration of Mobile Mapping Imaging Data and Aerial Imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jende, P.; Peter, M.; Gerke, M.; Vosselman, G.

2016-06-01

Mobile Mapping's ability to acquire high-resolution ground data is opposing unreliable localisation capabilities of satellite-based positioning systems in urban areas. Buildings shape canyons impeding a direct line-of-sight to navigation satellites resulting in a deficiency to accurately estimate the mobile platform's position. Consequently, acquired data products' positioning quality is considerably diminished. This issue has been widely addressed in the literature and research projects. However, a consistent compliance of sub-decimetre accuracy as well as a correction of errors in height remain unsolved. We propose a novel approach to enhance Mobile Mapping (MM) image orientation based on the utilisation of highly accurate orientation parameters derived from aerial imagery. In addition to that, the diminished exterior orientation parameters of the MM platform will be utilised as they enable the application of accurate matching techniques needed to derive reliable tie information. This tie information will then be used within an adjustment solution to correct affected MM data. This paper presents an advanced feature matching procedure as a prerequisite to the aforementioned orientation update. MM data is ortho-projected to gain a higher resemblance to aerial nadir data simplifying the images' geometry for matching. By utilising MM exterior orientation parameters, search windows may be used in conjunction with a selective keypoint detection and template matching. Originating from different sensor systems, however, difficulties arise with respect to changes in illumination, radiometry and a different original perspective. To respond to these challenges for feature detection, the procedure relies on detecting keypoints in only one image. Initial tests indicate a considerable improvement in comparison to classic detector/descriptor approaches in this particular matching scenario. This method leads to a significant reduction of outliers due to the limited availability

Ultra-wideband impedance sensor

DOEpatents

McEwan, Thomas E.

1999-01-01

The ultra-wideband impedance sensor (UWBZ sensor, or Z-sensor) is implemented in differential and single-ended configurations. The differential UWBZ sensor employs a sub-nanosecond impulse to determine the balance of an impedance bridge. The bridge is configured as a differential sample-and-hold circuit that has a reference impedance side and an unknown impedance side. The unknown impedance side includes a short transmission line whose impedance is a function of the near proximity of objects. The single-ended UWBZ sensor eliminates the reference side of the bridge and is formed of a sample and hold circuit having a transmission line whose impedance is a function of the near proximity of objects. The sensing range of the transmission line is bounded by the two-way travel time of the impulse, thereby eliminating spurious Doppler modes from large distant objects that would occur in a microwave CW impedance bridge. Thus, the UWBZ sensor is a range-gated proximity sensor. The Z-sensor senses the near proximity of various materials such as metal, plastic, wood, petroleum products, and living tissue. It is much like a capacitance sensor, yet it is impervious to moisture. One broad application area is the general replacement of magnetic sensors, particularly where nonferrous materials need to be sensed. Another broad application area is sensing full/empty levels in tanks, vats and silos, e.g., a full/empty switch in water or petroleum tanks.

Ultra-wideband impedance sensor

DOEpatents

McEwan, T.E.

1999-03-16

The ultra-wideband impedance sensor (UWBZ sensor, or Z-sensor) is implemented in differential and single-ended configurations. The differential UWBZ sensor employs a sub-nanosecond impulse to determine the balance of an impedance bridge. The bridge is configured as a differential sample-and-hold circuit that has a reference impedance side and an unknown impedance side. The unknown impedance side includes a short transmission line whose impedance is a function of the near proximity of objects. The single-ended UWBZ sensor eliminates the reference side of the bridge and is formed of a sample and hold circuit having a transmission line whose impedance is a function of the near proximity of objects. The sensing range of the transmission line is bounded by the two-way travel time of the impulse, thereby eliminating spurious Doppler modes from large distant objects that would occur in a microwave CW impedance bridge. Thus, the UWBZ sensor is a range-gated proximity sensor. The Z-sensor senses the near proximity of various materials such as metal, plastic, wood, petroleum products, and living tissue. It is much like a capacitance sensor, yet it is impervious to moisture. One broad application area is the general replacement of magnetic sensors, particularly where nonferrous materials need to be sensed. Another broad application area is sensing full/empty levels in tanks, vats and silos, e.g., a full/empty switch in water or petroleum tanks. 2 figs.

IMPEDANCE MEASUREMENT OF VACUUM CHAMBER COMPONENTS FOR THE ADVANCE PHOTON SOURCE (APS) UPGRADE

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

Sangroula, M.; Lindberg, R.; Lill, R.

2017-06-16

The proposed Advance Photon Source Upgrade (APS-U) employs a multi-bend achromat (MBA) lattice to increase the photon brightness by two to three orders of magnitude. One of the main design challenges of the upgrade is to minimize rf heating and collective instabilities associated with the impedance of small-aperture vacuum components. As part of this effort, my research focuses on impedance measurement and simulation of various MBA vacuum components. Here, we present the summary of the impedance contributions for the APS-U and describe our planned impedance measurement technique, including some measurement results for the non-evaporative getter (NEG)-coated copper chamber and simulationmore » results for other critical components using a novel Goubau line (G-line) set up.« less

Impedance measurement of vacuum chamber components for the Advance Photon Source(APS) Upgrade

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

Sangroula, M.; Lindberg, R.; Lill, R.

2017-01-01

The proposed Advance Photon Source Upgrade (APS-U) employs a multi-bend achromat (MBA) lattice to increase the photon brightness by two to three orders of magnitude. One of the main design challenges of the upgrade is to minimize rf heating and collective instabilities associated with the impedance of small-aperture vacuum components. As part of this effort, my research focuses on impedance measurement and simulation of various MBA vacuum components. Here, we present the summary of the impedance contributions for the APS-U and describe our planned impedance measurement technique, including some measurement results for the non-evaporative getter (NEG)-coated copper chamber and simulationmore » results for other critical components using a novel Goubau line (G-line) set up.« less

Vibration Method for Tracking the Resonant Mode and Impedance of a Microwave Cavity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barmatz, M.; Iny, O.; Yiin, T.; Khan, I.

1995-01-01

A vibration technique his been developed to continuously maintain mode resonance and impedance much between a constant frequency magnetron source and resonant cavity. This method uses a vibrating metal rod to modulate the volume of the cavity in a manner equivalent to modulating an adjustable plunger. A similar vibrating metal rod attached to a stub tuner modulates the waveguide volume between the source and cavity. A phase sensitive detection scheme determines the optimum position of the adjustable plunger and stub turner during processing. The improved power transfer during the heating of a 99.8% pure alumina rod was demonstrated using this new technique. Temperature-time and reflected power-time heating curves are presented for the cases of no tracking, impedance tracker only, mode tracker only and simultaneous impedance and mode tracking. Controlled internal melting of an alumina rod near 2000 C using both tracking units was also demonstrated.

Differentiate low impedance media in closed steel tank using ultrasonic wave tunneling.

PubMed

Wang, Chunying; Chen, Zhaojiang; Cao, Wenwu

2018-01-01

Ultrasonic wave tunneling through seriously mismatched media, such as steel and water, is possible only when the frequency matches the resonance of the steel plate. But it is nearly impossible to realize continuous wave tunneling if the low acoustic impedance media is air because the transducer frequency cannot be made so accurate. The issue might be resolved using tone-burst signals. Using finite element simulations, we found that for air media when the cycle number is 20, the -6dB bandwidth of energy transmission increased from 0.001% to 5.9% compared with that of continuous waves. We show that the tunneling waves can give us enough information to distinguish low acoustic impedance media inside a steel tank. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Wave impedance selection for passivity-based bilateral teleoperation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Amore, Nicholas John

instantaneous conditions encountered. A Lyapunov-like analysis is presented demonstrating that time variation in wave impedance will not violate the passivity of the system. Experimental trials, both in simulation and on a haptic feedback device, are presented validating the technique. Consideration is also given to the case of an uncertain environment, in which an a priori impedance choice may not be possible.

Transmission-line model to design matching stage for light coupling into two-dimensional photonic crystals.

PubMed

Miri, Mehdi; Khavasi, Amin; Mehrany, Khashayar; Rashidian, Bizhan

2010-01-15

The transmission-line analogy of the planar electromagnetic reflection problem is exploited to obtain a transmission-line model that can be used to design effective, robust, and wideband interference-based matching stages. The proposed model based on a new definition for a scalar impedance is obtained by using the reflection coefficient of the zeroth-order diffracted plane wave outside the photonic crystal. It is shown to be accurate for in-band applications, where the normalized frequency is low enough to ensure that the zeroth-order diffracted plane wave is the most important factor in determining the overall reflection. The frequency limitation of employing the proposed approach is explored, highly dispersive photonic crystals are considered, and wideband matching stages based on binomial impedance transformers are designed to work at the first two photonic bands.

Study of the dopamine effect into cell solutions by impedance analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paivana, G.; Apostolou, T.; Kaltsas, G.; Kintzios, S.

2017-11-01

Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) has become a technique that is frequently used for biological assays. Impedance is defined as a complex - valued generalization of resistance and varies depending on its use per application field. In health sciences, bioimpedance is widely used as non-invasive and low cost alternative in many medical areas that provides valuable information about health status. This work focuses on assessing the effects of a bioactive substance applied to immobilized cells. Dopamine was used as a stimulant in order to implement impedance analysis with a specific type of cells. Dopamine constitutes one of the most important catecholamine neurotransmitters in both the mammalian central and peripheral nervous systems. The main purpose is to extract calibration curves at different frequencies with known dopamine concentrations in order to describe the behavior of cells applied to dopamine using an impedance measurement device. For comparison purposes, non-immobilized cells were tested for the same dopamine concentrations.

Impedance testing on cochlear implants after electroconvulsive therapy.

PubMed

McRackan, Theodore R; Rivas, Alejandro; Hedley-Williams, Andrea; Raj, Vidya; Dietrich, Mary S; Clark, Nathaniel K; Labadie, Robert F

2014-12-01

Cochlear implants (CI) are neural prostheses that restore hearing to individuals with profound sensorineural hearing loss. The surgically implanted component consists of an electrode array, which is threaded into the cochlea, and an electronic processor, which is buried under the skin behind the ear. The Food and Drug Administration and CI manufacturers contend that electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is contraindicated in CI recipients owing to risk of damage to the implant and/or the patient. We hypothesized that ECT does no electrical damage to CIs. Ten functional CIs were implanted in 5 fresh cadaveric human heads. Each head then received a consecutive series of 12 unilateral ECT sessions applying maximum full pulse-width energy settings. Electroconvulsive therapy was delivered contralaterally to 5 CIs and ipsilaterally to 5 CIs. Electrical integrity testing (impedance testing) of the electrode array was performed before and after CI insertion, and after the first, third, fifth, seventh, ninth, and 12th ECT sessions. Electroconvulsive therapy was performed by a staff psychiatrist experienced with the technique. Explanted CIs were sent back to the manufacturer for further integrity testing. No electrical damage was identified during impedance testing. Overall, there were statistically significant decreases in impedances (consistent with no electrical damage) when comparing pre-ECT impedance values to those after 12 sessions. There was no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) in impedance values comparing ipsilateral to contralateral ECT. Manufacturer testing revealed no other electrical damage to the CIs. Electroconvulsive therapy does not seem to cause any detectable electrical injury to CIs.

An electrical impedance tomography (EIT) multi-electrode needle-probe device for local assessment of heterogeneous tissue impeditivity.

PubMed

Meroni, Davide; Maglioli, Camilla Carpano; Bovio, Dario; Greco, Francesco G; Aliverti, Andrea

2017-07-01

Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) is an image reconstruction technique applied in medicine for the electrical imaging of living tissues. In literature there is the evidence that a large resistivity variation related to the differences of the human tissues exists. As a result of this interest for the electrical characterization of the biological samples, recently the attention is also focused on the identification and characterization of the human tissue, by studying the homogeneity of its structure. An 8 electrodes needle-probe device has been developed with the intent of identifying the structural inhomogeneities under the surface layers. Ex-vivo impeditivity measurements, by placing the needle-probe in 5 different patterns of fat and lean porcine tissue, were performed, and impeditivity maps were obtained by EIDORS open source software for image reconstruction in electrical impedance. The values composing the maps have been analyzed, pointing out a good tissue discrimination, and the conformity with the real images. We conclude that this device is able to perform impeditivity maps matching to reality for position and orientation. In all the five patterns presented is possible to identify and replicate correctly the heterogeneous tissue under test. This new procedure can be helpful to the medical staff to completely characterize the biological sample, in different unclear situations.

Speckle noise reduction technique for Lidar echo signal based on self-adaptive pulse-matching independent component analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Fan; Wang, Jiaxing; Zhu, Daiyin; Tu, Qi

2018-04-01

Speckle noise has always been a particularly tricky problem in improving the ranging capability and accuracy of Lidar system especially in harsh environment. Currently, effective speckle de-noising techniques are extremely scarce and should be further developed. In this study, a speckle noise reduction technique has been proposed based on independent component analysis (ICA). Since normally few changes happen in the shape of laser pulse itself, the authors employed the laser source as a reference pulse and executed the ICA decomposition to find the optimal matching position. In order to achieve the self-adaptability of algorithm, local Mean Square Error (MSE) has been defined as an appropriate criterion for investigating the iteration results. The obtained experimental results demonstrated that the self-adaptive pulse-matching ICA (PM-ICA) method could effectively decrease the speckle noise and recover the useful Lidar echo signal component with high quality. Especially, the proposed method achieves 4 dB more improvement of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) than a traditional homomorphic wavelet method.

Influence of the thickness of multilayer matching systems on the transfer function of ultrasonic airborne transducer.

PubMed

Opieliński, Krzysztof J; Gudra, Tadeusz

2002-05-01

The effective ultrasonic energy radiation into the air of piezoelectric transducers requires using multilayer matching systems with accurately selected acoustic impedances and the thickness of particular layers. This problem is of particular importance in the case of ultrasonic transducers working at a frequency above 1 MHz. Because the possibilities of choosing material with required acoustic impedance are limited (the counted values cannot always be realised and applied in practice) it is necessary to correct the differences between theoretical values and the possibilities of practical application of given acoustic impedances. Such a correction can be done by manipulating other parameters of matching layers (e.g. by changing their thickness). The efficiency of the energy transmission from the piezoceramic transducer through different layers with different thickness enabling a compensation of non-ideal real values by changing their thickness was computer analysed. The result of this analysis is the conclusion that from the technological point of view a layer with defined thickness is easier and faster to produce than elaboration of a new material with required acoustic parameter.

Micromachined 1-3 composites for ultrasonic air transducers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haller, M. I.; Khuri-Yakub, B. T.

1994-06-01

Airborne ultrasound has many applications, such as robotic sensing, NDE, and gas flow measurements. Coupling of ultrasound into air from plane piston piezoelectric transducers is inefficient because of the large impedance mismatch between the piezoelectric and air, and the lack of appropriate matching materials. Standard design practice requires the use of a matching layer material with an acoustic impedance of approximately 0.02 MRayls and a thickness of a quarter-wavelength. Such materials are not readily available. A method to manufacture low impedance materials using micromachining techniques for matching piezoelectrics into air are presented here. These materials are capped 1-3 composites of air and Kapton(R). The acoustic effect of the cap is significant and necessitates a modified design technique. This technique involves the use of two matching layers with inverted acoustic impedances. Using the new fabrication technology and the new design technique, an 860-kHz transducer was fabricated with a one-way insertion loss of 17 dB and a fractional 3 dB bandwidth of 6%. It is believed that, using this technology, a transducer with a one-way insertion loss of 10 dB and a fractional bandwidth of 10% is possible.

Equivalent circuit simulation of cylindrical monopole impedance measurements in ionospheric electron plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiraga, A.

Several common problems occur in measurement techniques and interpretation of plasma natural emissions and impedance data. Antenna characteristics are of prime importance in equivalent circuit analysis. Spacecraft - plasma interaction contributes to variability of equivalent circuit impedances and e.m.f. components and imposes constrains on usefulness of experimental data. In order to have independent, built in estimate of local plasma frequency and to get deeper insight into properties of equivalent circuit for wave diagnostics, impedance measurement was integrated with radio receivers on the ACTIVE, APEX and CORONAS satellites. Impedance measurements of 7.5m long monopole were performed in frequency range .1-10MHz with the frequency step of 50kHz, in voltage divider configuration. Due to high inclination of 82.5deg and altitude range of 500-3000km, data from very different plasmas were collected. Data can be split into quasi normal, disturbed and very disturbed measurements. Equivalent circuit structure evolved in attempt to m tcha even very disturbed measurements. For quasi normal measurements, satisfactory matching is obtained with computed gyrofrequency fc and fitted plasma frequency fn, stray capacitance Cs and capacitance Cv of phenomenological vacuum sheath. With Balmain formula for monopole impedance in cold magnetoplasma, two basic spectral structures are explained. For sufficiently magnetized plasma (roughly fn/fc<2 if Cs=20pF), circuit parallel resonance frequency Fr falls into upper hybrid band (max(fn,fc),fu), resonance amplitude is reduced by high antenna resistance and horn like absolute maximum points fu. For values of fn/fc ratio, greater then critical, Fr is less than fn and broad absolute maximum at Fr follows from low antenna resistance. Further increase of fn/fc results in increasing lag of Fr behind fn. Critical rati o fn/fc increases with decreasing stray capacitance Cs. It follows from data analysis that stray capacitance may change in

Simulated impedance of diffusion in porous media

DOE PAGES

Cooper, Samuel J.; Bertei, Antonio; Finegan, Donal P.; ...

2017-07-27

This paper describes the use of a frequency domain, finite-difference scheme to simulate the impedance spectra of diffusion in porous microstructures. We investigate both open and closed systems for a range of ideal geometries, as well as some randomly generated synthetic volumes and tomographically derived microstructural data. In many cases, the spectra deviate significantly from the conventional Warburg-type elements typically used to represent diffusion in equivalent circuit analysis. Furthermore, a key finding is that certain microstructures show multiple peaks in the complex plane, which may be misinterpreted as separate electrochemical processes in real impedance data. This is relevant to batterymore » electrode design as the techniques for nano-scale fabrication become more widespread. This simulation tool is provided as an open-source MatLab application and is freely available online as part of the TauFactor platform.« less

Method of Adjusting Acoustic Impedances for Impedance-Tunable Acoustic Segments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Kennie H (Inventor); Nark, Douglas M. (Inventor); Jones, Michael G. (Inventor); Parrott, Tony L. (Inventor); Lodding, Kenneth N. (Inventor)

2012-01-01

A method is provided for making localized decisions and taking localized actions to achieve a global solution. In an embodiment of the present invention, acoustic impedances for impedance-tunable acoustic segments are adjusted. A first acoustic segment through an N-th acoustic segment are defined. To start the process, the first acoustic segment is designated as a leader and a noise-reducing impedance is determined therefor. This is accomplished using (i) one or more metrics associated with the acoustic wave at the leader, and (ii) the metric(s) associated with the acoustic wave at the N-th acoustic segment. The leader, the N-th acoustic segment, and each of the acoustic segments exclusive of the leader and the N-th acoustic segment, are tuned to the noise-reducing impedance. The current leader is then excluded from subsequent processing steps. The designation of leader is then given one of the remaining acoustic segments, and the process is repeated for each of the acoustic segments through an (N-1)-th one of the acoustic segments.

Abdominal fat thickness measurement using Focused Impedance Method (FIM) - phantom study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haowlader, Salahuddin; Baig, Tanveer Noor; Siddique-e Rabbani, K.

2010-04-01

Abdominal fat thickness is a risk indicator of heart diseases, diabetes, etc., and its measurement is therefore important from the point of view of preventive care. Tetrapolar electrical impedance measurements (TPIM) could offer a simple and low cost alternative for such measurement compared to conventional techniques using CT scan and MRI, and has been tried by different groups. Focused Impedance Method (FIM) appears attractive as it can give localised information. An intuitive physical model was developed and experimental work was performed on a phantom designed to simulate abdominal subcutaneous fat layer in a body. TPIM measurements were performed with varying electrode separations. For small separations of current and potential electrodes, the measured impedance changed little, but started to decrease sharply beyond a certain separation, eventually diminishing gradually to negligible values. The finding could be explained using the intuitive physical model and gives an important practical information. TPIM and FIM may be useful for measurement of SFL thickness only if the electrode separations are within a certain specific range, and will fail to give reliable results if beyond this range. Further work, both analytical and experimental, are needed to establish this technique on a sound footing.

Stochastic estimation of human arm impedance under nonlinear friction in robot joints: a model study.

PubMed

Chang, Pyung Hun; Kang, Sang Hoon

2010-05-30

The basic assumption of stochastic human arm impedance estimation methods is that the human arm and robot behave linearly for small perturbations. In the present work, we have identified the degree of influence of nonlinear friction in robot joints to the stochastic human arm impedance estimation. Internal model based impedance control (IMBIC) is then proposed as a means to make the estimation accurate by compensating for the nonlinear friction. From simulations with a nonlinear Lugre friction model, it is observed that the reliability and accuracy of the estimation are severely degraded with nonlinear friction: below 2 Hz, multiple and partial coherence functions are far less than unity; estimated magnitudes and phases are severely deviated from that of a real human arm throughout the frequency range of interest; and the accuracy is not enhanced with an increase of magnitude of the force perturbations. In contrast, the combined use of stochastic estimation and IMBIC provides with accurate estimation results even with large friction: the multiple coherence functions are larger than 0.9 throughout the frequency range of interest and the estimated magnitudes and phases are well matched with that of a real human arm. Furthermore, the performance of suggested method is independent of human arm and robot posture, and human arm impedance. Therefore, the IMBIC will be useful in measuring human arm impedance with conventional robot, as well as in designing a spatial impedance measuring robot, which requires gearing. (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of a cost-effective loads approach. [shock spectra/impedance method for Viking Orbiter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garba, J. A.; Wada, B. K.; Bamford, R.; Trubert, M. R.

1976-01-01

A shock spectra/impedance method for loads predictions is used to estimate member loads for the Viking Orbiter, a 7800-lb interplanetary spacecraft that has been designed using transient loads analysis techniques. The transient loads analysis approach leads to a lightweight structure but requires complex and costly analyses. To reduce complexity and cost, a shock spectra/impedance method is currently being used to design the Mariner Jupiter Saturn spacecraft. This method has the advantage of using low-cost in-house loads analysis techniques and typically results in more conservative structural loads. The method is evaluated by comparing the increase in Viking member loads to the loads obtained by the transient loads analysis approach. An estimate of the weight penalty incurred by using this method is presented. The paper also compares the calculated flight loads from the transient loads analyses and the shock spectra/impedance method to measured flight data.

Experimental impedance investigation of an ultracapacitor at different conditions for electric vehicle applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lei; Hu, Xiaosong; Wang, Zhenpo; Sun, Fengchun; Dorrell, David G.

2015-08-01

Ultracapacitors (UCs) are being increasingly deployed as a short-term energy storage device in various energy systems including uninterruptable power supplies, electrified vehicles, renewable energy systems, and wireless communication. They exhibit excellent power density and energy efficiency. The dynamic behavior of a UC, however, strongly depends on its impedance characteristics. In this paper, the impedance characteristics of a commercial UC are experimentally investigated through the well-adopted Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) technique. The implications of the UC operating conditions (i.e., temperature and state of charge (SOC)) to the impedance are systematically examined. The results show that the impedance is highly sensitive to the temperature and SOC; and the temperature effect is more significant. In particular, the coupling effect between the temperature and SOC is illustrated, as well as the high-efficiency SOC window, which is highlighted. To further verify the reliability of the EIS-based investigation and to probe the sensitivity of UC parameters to the operating conditions, a dynamic model is characterized by fitting the collected impedance data. The interdependence of UC parameters (i.e., capacitance and resistance elements) on the temperature and SOC is quantitatively revealed. The impedance-based model is demonstrated to be accurate in two driving-cycle tests.

Impeded Dark Matter

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

Kopp, Joachim; Liu, Jia; Slatyer, Tracy

Here, we consider dark matter models in which the mass splitting between the dark matter particles and their annihilation products is tiny. Compared to the previously proposed Forbidden Dark Matter scenario, the mass splittings we consider are much smaller, and are allowed to be either positive or negative. To emphasize this modification, we dub our scenario \\Impeded Dark Matter". We also demonstrate that Impeded Dark Matter can be easily realized without requiring tuning of model parameters. For negative mass splitting, we demonstrate that the annihilation cross-section for Impeded Dark Matter depends linearly on the dark matter velocity or may evenmore » be kinematically forbidden, making this scenario almost insensitive to constraints from the cosmic microwave background and from observations of dwarf galaxies. Accordingly, it may be possible for Impeded Dark Matter to yield observable signals in clusters or the Galactic center, with no corresponding signal in dwarfs. Furthermore, for positive mass splitting, we show that the annihilation cross-section is suppressed by the small mass splitting, which helps light dark matter to survive increasingly stringent constraints from indirect searches. As specific realizations for Impeded Dark Matter, we introduce a model of vector dark matter from a hidden SU(2) sector, and a composite dark matter scenario based on a QCD-like dark sector.« less

Impeded Dark Matter

DOE PAGES

Kopp, Joachim; Liu, Jia; Slatyer, Tracy; ...

2016-12-12

Here, we consider dark matter models in which the mass splitting between the dark matter particles and their annihilation products is tiny. Compared to the previously proposed Forbidden Dark Matter scenario, the mass splittings we consider are much smaller, and are allowed to be either positive or negative. To emphasize this modification, we dub our scenario \\Impeded Dark Matter". We also demonstrate that Impeded Dark Matter can be easily realized without requiring tuning of model parameters. For negative mass splitting, we demonstrate that the annihilation cross-section for Impeded Dark Matter depends linearly on the dark matter velocity or may evenmore » be kinematically forbidden, making this scenario almost insensitive to constraints from the cosmic microwave background and from observations of dwarf galaxies. Accordingly, it may be possible for Impeded Dark Matter to yield observable signals in clusters or the Galactic center, with no corresponding signal in dwarfs. Furthermore, for positive mass splitting, we show that the annihilation cross-section is suppressed by the small mass splitting, which helps light dark matter to survive increasingly stringent constraints from indirect searches. As specific realizations for Impeded Dark Matter, we introduce a model of vector dark matter from a hidden SU(2) sector, and a composite dark matter scenario based on a QCD-like dark sector.« less

Efficient Direct-Matching Rectenna Design for RF Power Transfer Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keyrouz, Shady; Visser, Huib

2013-12-01

This paper presents the design, simulation, fabrication and measurements of a 50 ohm rectenna system. The paper investigates each part (in terms of input impedance) of the rectenna system starting from the antenna, followed by the matching network, to the rectifier. The system consists of an antenna, which captures the transmitted RF signal, connected to a rectifier which converts the AC captured signal into a DC power signal. For maximum power transfer, a matching network is designed between the rectifier and the antenna. At an input power level of -10 dBm, the system is able to achieve an RF/DC power conversion efficiency of 49.7%.

Probabilistic seismic history matching using binary images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davolio, Alessandra; Schiozer, Denis Jose

2018-02-01

Currently, the goal of history-matching procedures is not only to provide a model matching any observed data but also to generate multiple matched models to properly handle uncertainties. One such approach is a probabilistic history-matching methodology based on the discrete Latin Hypercube sampling algorithm, proposed in previous works, which was particularly efficient for matching well data (production rates and pressure). 4D seismic (4DS) data have been increasingly included into history-matching procedures. A key issue in seismic history matching (SHM) is to transfer data into a common domain: impedance, amplitude or pressure, and saturation. In any case, seismic inversions and/or modeling are required, which can be time consuming. An alternative to avoid these procedures is using binary images in SHM as they allow the shape, rather than the physical values, of observed anomalies to be matched. This work presents the incorporation of binary images in SHM within the aforementioned probabilistic history matching. The application was performed with real data from a segment of the Norne benchmark case that presents strong 4D anomalies, including softening signals due to pressure build up. The binary images are used to match the pressurized zones observed in time-lapse data. Three history matchings were conducted using: only well data, well and 4DS data, and only 4DS. The methodology is very flexible and successfully utilized the addition of binary images for seismic objective functions. Results proved the good convergence of the method in few iterations for all three cases. The matched models of the first two cases provided the best results, with similar well matching quality. The second case provided models presenting pore pressure changes according to the expected dynamic behavior (pressurized zones) observed on 4DS data. The use of binary images in SHM is relatively new with few examples in the literature. This work enriches this discussion by presenting a new

A More Accurate and Efficient Technique Developed for Using Computational Methods to Obtain Helical Traveling-Wave Tube Interaction Impedance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kory, Carol L.

1999-01-01

The phenomenal growth of commercial communications has created a great demand for traveling-wave tube (TWT) amplifiers. Although the helix slow-wave circuit remains the mainstay of the TWT industry because of its exceptionally wide bandwidth, until recently it has been impossible to accurately analyze a helical TWT using its exact dimensions because of the complexity of its geometrical structure. For the first time, an accurate three-dimensional helical model was developed that allows accurate prediction of TWT cold-test characteristics including operating frequency, interaction impedance, and attenuation. This computational model, which was developed at the NASA Lewis Research Center, allows TWT designers to obtain a more accurate value of interaction impedance than is possible using experimental methods. Obtaining helical slow-wave circuit interaction impedance is an important part of the design process for a TWT because it is related to the gain and efficiency of the tube. This impedance cannot be measured directly; thus, conventional methods involve perturbing a helical circuit with a cylindrical dielectric rod placed on the central axis of the circuit and obtaining the difference in resonant frequency between the perturbed and unperturbed circuits. A mathematical relationship has been derived between this frequency difference and the interaction impedance (ref. 1). However, because of the complex configuration of the helical circuit, deriving this relationship involves several approximations. In addition, this experimental procedure is time-consuming and expensive, but until recently it was widely accepted as the most accurate means of determining interaction impedance. The advent of an accurate three-dimensional helical circuit model (ref. 2) made it possible for Lewis researchers to fully investigate standard approximations made in deriving the relationship between measured perturbation data and interaction impedance. The most prominent approximations made

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy based MEMS sensors for phthalates detection in water and juices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zia, Asif I.; Mohd Syaifudin, A. R.; Mukhopadhyay, S. C.; Yu, P. L.; Al-Bahadly, I. H.; Gooneratne, Chinthaka P.; Kosel, Jǘrgen; Liao, Tai-Shan

2013-06-01

Phthalate esters are ubiquitous environmental and food pollutants well known as endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs). These developmental and reproductive toxicants pose a grave risk to the human health due to their unlimited use in consumer plastic industry. Detection of phthalates is strictly laboratory based time consuming and expensive process and requires expertise of highly qualified and skilled professionals. We present a real time, non-invasive, label free rapid detection technique to quantify phthalates' presence in deionized water and fruit juices. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique applied to a novel planar inter-digital (ID) capacitive sensor plays a vital role to explore the presence of phthalate esters in bulk fluid media. The ID sensor with multiple sensing gold electrodes was fabricated on silicon substrate using micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device fabrication technology. A thin film of parylene C polymer was coated as a passivation layer to enhance the capacitive sensing capabilities of the sensor and to reduce the magnitude of Faradic current flowing through the sensor. Various concentrations, 0.002ppm through to 2ppm of di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in deionized water, were exposed to the sensing system by dip testing method. Impedance spectra obtained was analysed to determine sample conductance which led to consequent evaluation of its dielectric properties. Electro-chemical impedance spectrum analyser algorithm was employed to model the experimentally obtained impedance spectra. Curve fitting technique was applied to deduce constant phase element (CPE) equivalent circuit based on Randle's equivalent circuit model. The sensing system was tested to detect different concentrations of DEHP in orange juice as a real world application. The result analysis indicated that our rapid testing technique is able to detect the presence of DEHP in all test samples distinctively.

Estimating surface acoustic impedance with the inverse method.

PubMed

Piechowicz, Janusz

2011-01-01

Sound field parameters are predicted with numerical methods in sound control systems, in acoustic designs of building and in sound field simulations. Those methods define the acoustic properties of surfaces, such as sound absorption coefficients or acoustic impedance, to determine boundary conditions. Several in situ measurement techniques were developed; one of them uses 2 microphones to measure direct and reflected sound over a planar test surface. Another approach is used in the inverse boundary elements method, in which estimating acoustic impedance of a surface is expressed as an inverse boundary problem. The boundary values can be found from multipoint sound pressure measurements in the interior of a room. This method can be applied to arbitrarily-shaped surfaces. This investigation is part of a research programme on using inverse methods in industrial room acoustics.

Method and device for bio-impedance measurement with hard-tissue applications.

PubMed

Guimerà, A; Calderón, E; Los, P; Christie, A M

2008-06-01

Bio-impedance measurements can be used to detect and monitor several properties of living hard-tissues, some of which include bone mineral density, bone fracture healing or dental caries detection. In this paper a simple method and hardware architecture for hard tissue bio-impedance measurement is proposed. The key design aspects of such architecture are discussed and a commercial handheld ac impedance device is presented that is fully certified to international medical standards. It includes a 4-channel multiplexer and is capable of measuring impedances from 10 kOmega to 10 MOmega across a frequency range of 100 Hz to 100 kHz with a maximum error of 5%. The device incorporates several user interface methods and a Bluetooth link for bi-directional wireless data transfer. Low-power design techniques have been implemented, ensuring the device exceeds 8 h of continuous use. Finally, bench test results using dummy cells consisting of parallel connected resistors and capacitors, from 10 kOmega to 10 MOmega and from 20 pF to 100 pF, are discussed.

Constraint-based stereo matching

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuan, D. T.

1987-01-01

The major difficulty in stereo vision is the correspondence problem that requires matching features in two stereo images. Researchers describe a constraint-based stereo matching technique using local geometric constraints among edge segments to limit the search space and to resolve matching ambiguity. Edge segments are used as image features for stereo matching. Epipolar constraint and individual edge properties are used to determine possible initial matches between edge segments in a stereo image pair. Local edge geometric attributes such as continuity, junction structure, and edge neighborhood relations are used as constraints to guide the stereo matching process. The result is a locally consistent set of edge segment correspondences between stereo images. These locally consistent matches are used to generate higher-level hypotheses on extended edge segments and junctions to form more global contexts to achieve global consistency.

Electrical impedance tomography spectroscopy method for characterising particles in solid-liquid phase

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

Zhao, Yanlin; Wang, Mi; Yao, Jun

2014-04-11

Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is one of the process tomography techniques to provide an on-line non-invasive imaging for multiphase flow measurement. With EIT measurements, the images of impedance real part, impedance imaginary part, phase angle, and magnitude can be obtained. However, most of the applications of EIT in the process industries rely on the conductivity difference between two phases in fluids to obtain the concentration profiles. It is not common to use the imaginary part or phase angle due to the dominant change in conductivity or complication in the use of other impedance information. In a solid-liquid two phases systemmore » involving nano- or submicro-particles, characterisation of particles (e.g. particle size and concentration) have to rely on the measurement of impedance phase angle or imaginary part. Particles in a solution usually have an electrical double layer associated with their surfaces and can form an induced electrical dipole moment due to the polarization of the electrical double layer under the influence of an alternating electric field. Similar to EIT, electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurement can record the electrical impedance data, including impedance real part, imaginary part and phase angle (θ), which are caused by the polarization of the electrical double layer. These impedance data are related to the particle characteristics e.g. particle size, particle and ionic concentrations in the aqueous medium, therefore EIS method provides a capability for characterising the particles in suspensions. Electrical impedance tomography based on EIS measurement or namely, electrical impedance tomography spectroscopy (EITS) could image the spatial distribution of particle characteristics. In this paper, a new method, including test set-up and data analysis, for characterisation of particles in suspensions are developed through the experimental approach. The experimental results on tomographic imaging of colloidal

Equivalent circuit models for interpreting impedance perturbation spectroscopy data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, R. Lowell

2004-07-01

As in-situ structural integrity monitoring disciplines mature, there is a growing need to process sensor/actuator data efficiently in real time. Although smaller, faster embedded processors will contribute to this, it is also important to develop straightforward, robust methods to reduce the overall computational burden for practical applications of interest. This paper addresses the use of equivalent circuit modeling techniques for inferring structure attributes monitored using impedance perturbation spectroscopy. In pioneering work about ten years ago significant progress was associated with the development of simple impedance models derived from the piezoelectric equations. Using mathematical modeling tools currently available from research in ultrasonics and impedance spectroscopy is expected to provide additional synergistic benefits. For purposes of structural health monitoring the objective is to use impedance spectroscopy data to infer the physical condition of structures to which small piezoelectric actuators are bonded. Features of interest include stiffness changes, mass loading, and damping or mechanical losses. Equivalent circuit models are typically simple enough to facilitate the development of practical analytical models of the actuator-structure interaction. This type of parametric structure model allows raw impedance/admittance data to be interpreted optimally using standard multiple, nonlinear regression analysis. One potential long-term outcome is the possibility of cataloging measured viscoelastic properties of the mechanical subsystems of interest as simple lists of attributes and their statistical uncertainties, whose evolution can be followed in time. Equivalent circuit models are well suited for addressing calibration and self-consistency issues such as temperature corrections, Poisson mode coupling, and distributed relaxation processes.

Monitoring of pipelines in nuclear power plants by measuring laser-based mechanical impedance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hyeonseok; Sohn, Hoon; Yang, Suyoung; Yang, Jinyeol

2014-06-01

Using laser-based mechanical impedance (LMI) measurement, this study proposes a damage detection technique that enables structural health monitoring of pipelines under the high temperature and radioactive environments of nuclear power plants (NPPs). The applications of conventional electromechanical impedance (EMI) based techniques to NPPs have been limited, mainly due to the contact nature of piezoelectric transducers, which cannot survive under the high temperature and high radiation environments of NPPs. The proposed LMI measurement technique aims to tackle the limitations of the EMI techniques by utilizing noncontact laser beams for both ultrasound generation and sensing. An Nd:Yag pulse laser is used for ultrasound generation, and a laser Doppler vibrometer is employed for the measurement of the corresponding ultrasound responses. For the monitoring of pipes covered by insulation layers, this study utilizes optical fibers to guide the laser beams to specific target locations. Then, an outlier analysis is adopted for autonomous damage diagnosis. Validation of the proposed LMI technique is carried out on a carbon steel pipe elbow under varying temperatures. A corrosion defect chemically engraved in the specimen is successfully detected.

Carrier Propagation Dependence on Applied Potentials in Pentacene Organic Field Effect Transistors Investigated by Impedance Spectroscopy and Electrical Time-of-Flight Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Jack; Weis, Martin; Taguchi, Dai; Manaka, Takaaki; Iwamoto, Mitsumasa

2011-04-01

Transient measurements of impedance spectroscopy and electrical time-of-flight (TOF) techniques were used for the evaluation of carrier propagation dependence on applied potentials in a pentacene organic field effect transistor (OFET). These techniques are based on carrier propagation, thus isolates the effect of charge density. The intrinsic mobility which is free from contact resistance effects was obtained by measurement of various channel lengths. The obtained intrinsic mobility shows good correspondence with steady-state current-voltage measurement's saturation mobility. However, their power law relations on mobility vs applied potential resulted in different exponents, suggesting different carrier propagation mechanisms, which is attributable to filling of traps or space charge field in the channel region. The hypothesis was verified by a modified electrical TOF experiment which demonstrated how the accumulated charges in the channel influence the effective mobility.

Piezo impedance sensors to monitor degradation of biological structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Annamdas, Kiran Kishore Kumar; Annamdas, Venu Gopal Madhav

2010-04-01

In some countries it is common to have wooden structures in their homes, especially Japan. However, metals and its alloys are the most widely used engineering materials in construction of any military or civil structure. Re-visiting natural disasters like the recent Haiti earthquake (12 Jan 2010) or Katrina (cyclones) reminds the necessity to have better housing infrastructure with robust monitoring systems. Traditionally wood (green material) was accepted as excellent rehabilitation material, after any disaster. In recent times, the recycling materials extracted from inorganic, biodegradable wastes are converted into blocks or sheets, and are also used to assist public in rehabilitation camps. The key issue which decreases the life of these rehabilitated structure including green materials (like wood) is unnecessary degradation or deterioration over time due to insect or acid attack or rain/ice fall. The recycling material also needs monitoring to protect them against acid or rain/ice attacks. Thus, a few health monitoring techniques have emerged in the recent past. Electromechanical Impedance technique is one such technique, which is simple but robust to detect variations in the integrity of structures. In this paper, impedance based piezoceramic sensor was bonded on wooden sample, which was subjected to degradation in presence of acids. Variations in mass of plank are studied.

Detection of Alzheimer’s disease amyloid-beta plaque deposition by deep brain impedance profiling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Béduer, Amélie; Joris, Pierre; Mosser, Sébastien; Fraering, Patrick C.; Renaud, Philippe

2015-04-01

Objective. Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common form of neurodegenerative disease in elderly people. Toxic brain amyloid-beta (Aß) aggregates and ensuing cell death are believed to play a central role in the pathogenesis of the disease. In this study, we investigated if we could monitor the presence of these aggregates by performing in situ electrical impedance spectroscopy measurements in AD model mice brains. Approach. In this study, electrical impedance spectroscopy measurements were performed post-mortem in APPPS1 transgenic mice brains. This transgenic model is commonly used to study amyloidogenesis, a pathological hallmark of AD. We used flexible probes with embedded micrometric electrodes array to demonstrate the feasibility of detecting senile plaques composed of Aß peptides by localized impedance measurements. Main results. We particularly focused on deep brain structures, such as the hippocampus. Ex vivo experiments using brains from young and old APPPS1 mice lead us to show that impedance measurements clearly correlate with the percentage of Aβ plaque load in the brain tissues. We could monitor the effects of aging in the AD APPPS1 mice model. Significance. We demonstrated that a localized electrical impedance measurement constitutes a valuable technique to monitor the presence of Aβ-plaques, which is complementary with existing imaging techniques. This method does not require prior Aβ staining, precluding the risk of variations in tissue uptake of dyes or tracers, and consequently ensuring reproducible data collection.

On a two-dimensional mode-matching technique for sound generation and transmission in axial-flow outlet guide vanes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouley, Simon; François, Benjamin; Roger, Michel; Posson, Hélène; Moreau, Stéphane

2017-09-01

The present work deals with the analytical modeling of two aspects of outlet guide vane aeroacoustics in axial-flow fan and compressor rotor-stator stages. The first addressed mechanism is the downstream transmission of rotor noise through the outlet guide vanes, the second one is the sound generation by the impingement of the rotor wakes on the vanes. The elementary prescribed excitation of the stator is an acoustic wave in the first case and a hydrodynamic gust in the second case. The solution for the response of the stator is derived using the same unified approach in both cases, within the scope of a linearized and compressible inviscid theory. It is provided by a mode-matching technique: modal expressions are written in the various sub-domains upstream and downstream of the stator as well as inside the inter-vane channels, and matched according to the conservation laws of fluid dynamics. This quite simple approach is uniformly valid in the whole range of subsonic Mach numbers and frequencies. It is presented for a two-dimensional rectilinear-cascade of zero-staggered flat-plate vanes and completed by the implementation of a Kutta condition. It is then validated in sound generation and transmission test cases by comparing with a previously reported model based on the Wiener-Hopf technique and with reference numerical simulations. Finally it is used to analyze the tonal rotor-stator interaction noise in a typical low-speed fan architecture. The interest of the mode-matching technique is that it could be easily transposed to a three-dimensional annular cascade in cylindrical coordinates in a future work. This makes it an attractive alternative to the classical strip-theory approach.

Variable frequency matching to a radiofrequency source immersed in vacuum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charles, C.; Boswell, R. W.; Bish, A.

2013-09-01

A low-weight (0.12 kg) low-volume fixed ceramic capacitor impedance matching system is developed for frequency agile tuning of a radiofrequency (rf) Helicon plasma thruster. Three fixed groups of capacitors are directly mounted onto a two loop rf antenna with the thruster immersed in a vacuum chamber. Optimum plasma tuning at the resonance frequency is demonstrated via measurements of the load impedance, power transfer efficiency and plasma density versus driving frequency in the 12.882-14.238 MHz range. The resonance frequency with the plasma on is higher than the resonance frequency in vacuum. The minimum rf power necessary for ignition decreases when the ignition frequency is shifted downwards from the resonance frequency. This development has direct applications in space qualification and space use of rf plasma thrusters.

Impedance based sensor technology to monitor stiffness of biological structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Annamdas, Venu Gopal Madhav; Annamdas, Kiran Kishore Kumar

2010-04-01

In countries like USA or Japan it is not so uncommon to have wooden structures in their homes. However, metals and its alloys are the most widely used engineering materials in construction of any military or civil structure. Revisiting natural disasters like the recent Haiti earthquake (12 Jan 2010) or Katrina (cyclones) reminds the necessity to have better housing infrastructure with robust monitoring systems. Traditionally wood is accepted as excellent rehabilitation material, after any disaster. The recycling materials extracted from in-organic, biodegradable wastes, also can be used for rehabilitation. The key issue which dampens the life of these rehabilitated structure including green materials (like wood) is unnecessary deposits (nails, screws, bolts etc)/damages due to insect attack. Thus, a few health monitoring techniques have emerged in the recent past. Electromechanical Impedance technique is one such technique, which is simple but robust to detect variations in the integrity of structures. In this paper, impedance based piezoceramic sensor was bonded on wooden sample, which was used to study changes due to metallic (steel nails) deposits at various locations. A study of weight deposits on aluminum plate was used for comparisons.

A dynamic system matching technique for improving the accuracy of MEMS gyroscopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stubberud, Peter A.; Stubberud, Stephen C.; Stubberud, Allen R.

2014-12-01

A classical MEMS gyro transforms angular rates into electrical values through Euler's equations of angular rotation. Production models of a MEMS gyroscope will have manufacturing errors in the coefficients of the differential equations. The output signal of a production gyroscope will be corrupted by noise, with a major component of the noise due to the manufacturing errors. As is the case of the components in an analog electronic circuit, one way of controlling the variability of a subsystem is to impose extremely tight control on the manufacturing process so that the coefficient values are within some specified bounds. This can be expensive and may even be impossible as is the case in certain applications of micro-electromechanical (MEMS) sensors. In a recent paper [2], the authors introduced a method for combining the measurements from several nominally equal MEMS gyroscopes using a technique based on a concept from electronic circuit design called dynamic element matching [1]. Because the method in this paper deals with systems rather than elements, it is called a dynamic system matching technique (DSMT). The DSMT generates a single output by randomly switching the outputs of several, nominally identical, MEMS gyros in and out of the switch output. This has the effect of 'spreading the spectrum' of the noise caused by the coefficient errors generated in the manufacture of the individual gyros. A filter can then be used to eliminate that part of the spread spectrum that is outside the pass band of the gyro. A heuristic analysis in that paper argues that the DSMT can be used to control the effects of the random coefficient variations. In a follow-on paper [4], a simulation of a DSMT indicated that the heuristics were consistent. In this paper, analytic expressions of the DSMT noise are developed which confirm that the earlier conclusions are valid. These expressions include the various DSMT design parameters and, therefore, can be used as design tools for DSMT

A dynamic system matching technique for improving the accuracy of MEMS gyroscopes

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

Stubberud, Peter A., E-mail: stubber@ee.unlv.edu; Stubberud, Stephen C., E-mail: scstubberud@ieee.org; Stubberud, Allen R., E-mail: stubberud@att.net

A classical MEMS gyro transforms angular rates into electrical values through Euler's equations of angular rotation. Production models of a MEMS gyroscope will have manufacturing errors in the coefficients of the differential equations. The output signal of a production gyroscope will be corrupted by noise, with a major component of the noise due to the manufacturing errors. As is the case of the components in an analog electronic circuit, one way of controlling the variability of a subsystem is to impose extremely tight control on the manufacturing process so that the coefficient values are within some specified bounds. This canmore » be expensive and may even be impossible as is the case in certain applications of micro-electromechanical (MEMS) sensors. In a recent paper [2], the authors introduced a method for combining the measurements from several nominally equal MEMS gyroscopes using a technique based on a concept from electronic circuit design called dynamic element matching [1]. Because the method in this paper deals with systems rather than elements, it is called a dynamic system matching technique (DSMT). The DSMT generates a single output by randomly switching the outputs of several, nominally identical, MEMS gyros in and out of the switch output. This has the effect of 'spreading the spectrum' of the noise caused by the coefficient errors generated in the manufacture of the individual gyros. A filter can then be used to eliminate that part of the spread spectrum that is outside the pass band of the gyro. A heuristic analysis in that paper argues that the DSMT can be used to control the effects of the random coefficient variations. In a follow-on paper [4], a simulation of a DSMT indicated that the heuristics were consistent. In this paper, analytic expressions of the DSMT noise are developed which confirm that the earlier conclusions are valid. These expressions include the various DSMT design parameters and, therefore, can be used as design tools for

Bioelectrical Impedance and The Frequency Dependent Current Conduction Through Biological Tissues: A Short Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanti Bera, Tushar

2018-03-01

Biological tissues are developed with biological cells which exhibit complex electrical impedance called electrical bioimpedance. Under an alternating electrical excitation the bioimpedance varies with the tissue anatomy, composition and the signal frequency. The current penetration and conduction paths vary with frequency of the applied signal. Bioimpedance spectroscopy is used to study the frequency response of the electrical impedance of biological materials noninvasively. In bioimpedance spectroscopy, a low amplitude electrical signal is injected to the tissue sample or body parts to characterization the sample in terms of its bioimpedance. The electrical current conduction phenomena, which is highly influenced by the tissue impedance and the signal frequency, is an important phenomena which should be studied to understand the bioimpedance techniques like bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), EIS, or else. In this paper the origin of bioelectrical impedance and current conduction phenomena has been reviewed to present a brief summary of bioelectrical impedance and the frequency dependent current conduction through biological tissues. Simulation studies are conducted with alternation current injection through a two dimensional model of biological tissues containing finite number of biological cells suspended in extracellular fluid. The paper demonstrates the simulation of alternating current conduction through biological tissues conducted by COMSOL Multiphysics. Simulation studies also show the frequency response of the tissue impedance for different tissue compositions.

A hybrid method for determination of the acoustic impedance of an unflanged cylindrical duct for multimode wave

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snakowska, Anna; Jurkiewicz, Jerzy; Gorazd, Łukasz

2017-05-01

The paper presents derivation of the impedance matrix based on the rigorous solution of the wave equation obtained by the Wiener-Hopf technique for a semi-infinite unflanged cylindrical duct. The impedance matrix allows, in turn, calculate the acoustic impedance along the duct and, as a special case, the radiation impedance. The analysis is carried out for a multimode incident wave accounting for modes coupling on the duct outlet not only qualitatively but also quantitatively for a selected source operating inside. The quantitative evaluation of the acoustic impedance requires setting of modes amplitudes which has been obtained applying the mode decomposition method to the far-field pressure radiation measurements and theoretical formulae for single mode directivity characteristics for an unflanged duct. Calculation of the acoustic impedance for a non-uniform distribution of the sound pressure and the sound velocity on a duct cross section requires determination of the acoustic power transmitted along/radiated from a duct. In the paper, the impedance matrix, the power, and the acoustic impedance were derived as functions of Helmholtz number and distance from the outlet.

Estimation of pressure-particle velocity impedance measurement uncertainty using the Monte Carlo method.

PubMed

Brandão, Eric; Flesch, Rodolfo C C; Lenzi, Arcanjo; Flesch, Carlos A

2011-07-01

The pressure-particle velocity (PU) impedance measurement technique is an experimental method used to measure the surface impedance and the absorption coefficient of acoustic samples in situ or under free-field conditions. In this paper, the measurement uncertainty of the the absorption coefficient determined using the PU technique is explored applying the Monte Carlo method. It is shown that because of the uncertainty, it is particularly difficult to measure samples with low absorption and that difficulties associated with the localization of the acoustic centers of the sound source and the PU sensor affect the quality of the measurement roughly to the same extent as the errors in the transfer function between pressure and particle velocity do. © 2011 Acoustical Society of America

Field comparison of body composition techniques: hydrostatic weighing, skinfold thickness, and bioelectric impedance.

PubMed

Kirkendall, D T; Grogan, J W; Bowers, R G

1991-01-01

Body composition and appropriate playing weight are frequently requested by coaches. Numerous methods for estimating these figures are available, and each has its own limitation, be it technical or biological. A comparison of three common methods was made-underwater weighting (H2O, the criterion), skinfold thicknesses (SF), and commercial bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Subjects were 29 professional football players measured by each of the three methods after an overnight fast. Data was collected 10 weeks preceding the players' formal training camp. There was no difference for percentage of weight as fat between SF (15.8%) and H2O (14.2%). Bioelectrical impedance analysis significantly (p < .05) overestimated percent fat (19.2%) compared to H20. Error rates when regressing SF on H2O were favorable, whether expressed for the whole sample (3.04%) or by race (1.78% or 3.56% for whites and blacks, respectively). Regression of BIA on H2O showed an elevated, overall error rate (14.12%) and elevated error rates for whites (11.57%) and blacks (13.81%). Of the two estimates of body composition on a racially mixed sample of males, SF provided the best estimate with the least amount of error. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1991;13(5):235-239.

Hardware Specific Integration Strategy for Impedance-Based Structural Health Monitoring of Aerospace Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Owen, Robert B.; Gyekenyesi, Andrew L.; Inman, Daniel J.; Ha, Dong S.

2011-01-01

The Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) Project, sponsored by NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, is conducting research to advance the state of highly integrated and complex flight-critical health management technologies and systems. An effective IVHM system requires Structural Health Monitoring (SHM). The impedance method is one such SHM technique for detection and monitoring complex structures for damage. This position paper on the impedance method presents the current state of the art, future directions, applications and possible flight test demonstrations.

Impedance-based cellular assays for regenerative medicine.

PubMed

Gamal, W; Wu, H; Underwood, I; Jia, J; Smith, S; Bagnaninchi, P O

2018-07-05

Therapies based on regenerative techniques have the potential to radically improve healthcare in the coming years. As a result, there is an emerging need for non-destructive and label-free technologies to assess the quality of engineered tissues and cell-based products prior to their use in the clinic. In parallel, the emerging regenerative medicine industry that aims to produce stem cells and their progeny on a large scale will benefit from moving away from existing destructive biochemical assays towards data-driven automation and control at the industrial scale. Impedance-based cellular assays (IBCA) have emerged as an alternative approach to study stem-cell properties and cumulative studies, reviewed here, have shown their potential to monitor stem-cell renewal, differentiation and maturation. They offer a novel method to non-destructively assess and quality-control stem-cell cultures. In addition, when combined with in vitro disease models they provide complementary insights as label-free phenotypic assays. IBCA provide quantitative and very sensitive results that can easily be automated and up-scaled in multi-well format. When facing the emerging challenge of real-time monitoring of three-dimensional cell culture dielectric spectroscopy and electrical impedance tomography represent viable alternatives to two-dimensional impedance sensing.This article is part of the theme issue 'Designer human tissue: coming to a lab near you'. © 2018 The Author(s).

Electrical impedance measurements in the arm and the leg during a thirty day bed rest study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cardus, David; Jaweed, Mazher; McTaggart, Wesley

1995-01-01

The need to detect, follow, and understand the effects of gravity on body fluid distribution is a constant stimulus to the quest for new techniques in this area of research. One of these techniques is electrical bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS). Although not new, this is a technique whose applications to biomedical research are fairly recent. What is new is the development of instrumentation that has made practical the use of impedance spectroscopy in the biomedical setting, particularly in studies involving human subjects. The purpose of this paper is to report impedance spectroscopy observations made on a subject who was submitted to bed rest for a period of thirty days. These observations were made as part of a study on muscle atrophy during a thirty day head down bed rest. Since bed rest studies are very costly in human and financial terms, and technically difficult to realize, we felt that even though the present study deals only with a single case it was worthy of reporting because it illustrates kinds of questions impedance spectroscopy may help to answer in microgravity research.

Esophageal baseline impedance levels in patients with pathophysiological characteristics of functional heartburn.

PubMed

Martinucci, I; de Bortoli, N; Savarino, E; Piaggi, P; Bellini, M; Antonelli, A; Savarino, V; Frazzoni, M; Marchi, S

2014-04-01

Recently, it has been suggested that low esophageal basal impedance may reflect impaired mucosal integrity and increased acid sensitivity. We aimed to compare baseline impedance levels in patients with heartburn and pathophysiological characteristics related to functional heartburn (FH) divided into two groups on the basis of symptom relief after proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Patients with heartburn and negative endoscopy were treated with esomeprazole or pantoprazole 40 mg daily for 8 weeks. According to MII-pH (off therapy) analysis, patients with normal acid exposure time (AET), normal reflux number, and lack of association between symptoms and refluxes were selected; of whom 30 patients with a symptom relief higher than 50% after PPIs composed Group A, and 30 patients, matched for sex and age, without symptom relief composed Group B. A group of 20 healthy volunteers (HVs) was enrolled. For each patient and HV, we evaluated the baseline impedance levels at channel 3, during the overnight rest, at three different times. Group A (vs Group B) showed an increase in the following parameters: mean AET (1.4 ± 0.8% vs 0.5 ± 0.6%), mean reflux number (30.4 ± 8.7 vs 24 ± 6.9), proximal reflux number (11.1 ± 5.2 vs 8.2 ± 3.6), acid reflux number (17.9 ± 6.1 vs 10.7 ± 6.9). Baseline impedance levels were lower in Group A than in Group B and in HVs (p < 0.001). Evaluating baseline impedance levels in patients with heartburn and normal AET could achieve a better understanding of pathophysiology in reflux disease patients, and could improve the distinction between FH and hypersensitive esophagus. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

An experimental study on the effect of temperature on piezoelectric sensors for impedance-based structural health monitoring.

PubMed

Baptista, Fabricio G; Budoya, Danilo E; de Almeida, Vinicius A D; Ulson, Jose Alfredo C

2014-01-10

The electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique is considered to be one of the most promising methods for developing structural health monitoring (SHM) systems. This technique is simple to implement and uses small and inexpensive piezoelectric sensors. However, practical problems have hindered its application to real-world structures, and temperature effects have been cited in the literature as critical problems. In this paper, we present an experimental study of the effect of temperature on the electrical impedance of the piezoelectric sensors used in the EMI technique. We used 5H PZT (lead zirconate titanate) ceramic sensors, which are commonly used in the EMI technique. The experimental results showed that the temperature effects were strongly frequency-dependent, which may motivate future research in the SHM field.

Design of current source for multi-frequency simultaneous electrical impedance tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Bing; Xu, Yanbin; Dong, Feng

2017-09-01

Multi-frequency electrical impedance tomography has been evolving from the frequency-sweep approach to the multi-frequency simultaneous measurement technique which can reduce measuring time and will be increasingly attractive for time-varying biological applications. The accuracy and stability of the current source are the key factors determining the quality of the image reconstruction. This article presents a field programmable gate array-based current source for a multi-frequency simultaneous electrical impedance tomography system. A novel current source circuit was realized by combining the classic current mirror based on the feedback amplifier AD844 with a differential topology. The optimal phase offsets of harmonic sinusoids were obtained through the crest factor analysis. The output characteristics of this current source were evaluated by simulation and actual measurement. The results include the following: (1) the output impedance was compared with one of the Howland pump circuit in simulation, showing comparable performance at low frequencies. However, the proposed current source makes lower demands for resistor tolerance but performs even better at high frequencies. (2) The output impedance in actual measurement below 200 kHz is above 1.3 MΩ and can reach 250 KΩ up to 1 MHz. (3) An experiment based on a biological RC model has been implemented. The mean error for the demodulated impedance amplitude and phase are 0.192% and 0.139°, respectively. Therefore, the proposed current source is wideband, biocompatible, and high precision, which demonstrates great potential to work as a sub-system in the multi-frequency electrical impedance tomography system.

A high frequency electromagnetic impedance imaging system

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

Tseng, Hung-Wen; Lee, Ki Ha; Becker, Alex

2003-01-15

Non-invasive, high resolution geophysical mapping of the shallow subsurface is necessary for delineation of buried hazardous wastes, detecting unexploded ordinance, verifying and monitoring of containment or moisture contents, and other environmental applications. Electromagnetic (EM) techniques can be used for this purpose since electrical conductivity and dielectric permittivity are representative of the subsurface media. Measurements in the EM frequency band between 1 and 100 MHz are very important for such applications, because the induction number of many targets is small and the ability to determine the subsurface distribution of both electrical properties is required. Earlier workers were successful in developing systemsmore » for detecting anomalous areas, but quantitative interpretation of the data was difficult. Accurate measurements are necessary, but difficult to achieve for high-resolution imaging of the subsurface. We are developing a broadband non-invasive method for accurately mapping the electrical conductivity and dielectric permittivity of the shallow subsurface using an EM impedance approach similar to the MT exploration technique. Electric and magnetic sensors were tested to ensure that stray EM scattering is minimized and the quality of the data collected with the high-frequency impedance (HFI) system is good enough to allow high-resolution, multi-dimensional imaging of hidden targets. Additional efforts are being made to modify and further develop existing sensors and transmitters to improve the imaging capability and data acquisition efficiency.« less

Offline impedance measurements for detection and mitigation of dangerous implant interactions: an RF safety prescreen.

PubMed

Ellenor, Christopher W; Stang, Pascal P; Etezadi-Amoli, Maryam; Pauly, John M; Scott, Greig C

2015-03-01

The concept of a "radiofrequency safety prescreen" is investigated, wherein dangerous interactions between radiofrequency fields used in MRI, and conductive implants in patients are detected through impedance changes in the radiofrequency coil. The behavior of coupled oscillators is reviewed, and the resulting, observable impedance changes are discussed. A birdcage coil is loaded with a static head phantom and a wire phantom with a wire close to its resonant length, the shape, position, and orientation of which can be changed. Interactions are probed with a current sensor and network analyzer. Impedance spectra show dramatic, unmistakable splitting in cases of strong coupling, and strong correlation is observed between induced current and scattering parameters. The feasibility of a new, low-power prescreening technique has been demonstrated in a simple phantom experiment, which can unambiguously detect resonant interactions between an implanted wire and an imaging coil. A new technique has also been presented which can detect parallel transmit null modes for the wire. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Optically stimulated differential impedance spectroscopy

DOEpatents

Maxey, Lonnie C; Parks, II, James E; Lewis, Sr., Samuel A; Partridge, Jr., William P

2014-02-18

Methods and apparatuses for evaluating a material are described. Embodiments typically involve use of an impedance measurement sensor to measure the impedance of a sample of the material under at least two different states of illumination. The states of illumination may include (a) substantially no optical stimulation, (b) substantial optical stimulation, (c) optical stimulation at a first wavelength of light, (d) optical stimulation at a second wavelength of light, (e) a first level of light intensity, and (f) a second level of light intensity. Typically a difference in impedance between the impedance of the sample at the two states of illumination is measured to determine a characteristic of the material.

An ultra-wideband wire spiral antenna for in-body communications using different material matching layers.

PubMed

Khaleghi, Ali; Balasingham, Ilangko; Chavez-Santiago, Raul

2014-01-01

In this work an ultra-wideband wire antenna was designed and fabricated for transmitting/receiving signals to/from inside the human body. The antenna provides high gain and thus high field intensity in its broadside direction; hence, a high energy density wireless can be established with the inner body. The proposed antenna operates in the frequency band of 3-10 GHz with an impedance of 200 Ohms in free space. The antenna was embedded in different materials with permittivity values ranging from 12 to 74 in order to evaluate the matching layer effect on wave propagation from outside to inside the body. The antenna port impedance was adjusted by using matching circuits. The electric field intensity inside the human chest was calculated for different materials and depths. The best improvement in wave penetration was obtained for the frequency band of 750-1000 MHz by embedding the antenna inside a material with permittivity equal to 27.

ONERA-NASA Cooperative Effort on Liner Impedance Eduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Primus, Julien; Piot, Estelle; Simon, Frank; Jones, Michael G.; Watson, Willie R

2013-01-01

As part of a cooperation between ONERA and NASA, the liner impedance eduction methods developed by the two research centers are compared. The NASA technique relies on an objective function built on acoustic pressure measurements located on the wall opposite the test liner, and the propagation code solves the convected Helmholtz equation in uniform ow using a finite element method that implements a continuous Galerkin discretization. The ONERA method uses an objective function based either on wall acoustic pressure or on acoustic velocity acquired above the liner by Laser Doppler Anemometry, and the propagation code solves the linearized Euler equations by a discontinuous Galerkin discretization. Two acoustic liners are tested in both ONERA and NASA ow ducts and the measured data are treated with the corresponding impedance eduction method. The first liner is a wire mesh facesheet mounted onto a honeycomb core, designed to be linear with respect to incident sound pressure level and to grazing ow velocity. The second one is a conventional, nonlinear, perforate-over-honeycomb single layer liner. Configurations without and with ow are considered. For the nonlinear liner, the comparison of liner impedance educed by NASA and ONERA shows a sensitivity to the experimental conditions, namely to the nature of the source and to the sample width.

Gastric Emptying Assessment in Frequency and Time Domain Using Bio-impedance: Preliminary Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huerta-Franco, R.; Vargas-Luna, M.; Hernández, E.; Córdova, T.; Sosa, M.; Gutiérrez, G.; Reyes, P.; Mendiola, C.

2006-09-01

The impedance assessment to measure gastric emptying and in general gastric activity has been reported since 1985. The physiological interpretation of these measurements, is still under research. This technique usually uses a single frequency, and the conductivity parameter. The frequency domain and the Fourier analysis of the time domain behavior of the gastric impedance in different gastric conditions (fasting state, and after food administration) has not been explored in detail. This work presents some insights of the potentiality of these alternative methodologies to measure gastric activity.

A new bioimpedance research device (BIRD) for measuring the electrical impedance of acupuncture meridians.

PubMed

Wong, Felix Wu Shun; Lim, Chi Eung Danforn; Smith, Warren

2010-03-01

The aim of this article is to introduce an electrical bioimpedance device that uses an old and little-known impedance measuring technique to study the impedance of the meridian and nonmeridian tissue segments. Three (3) pilot experimental studies involving both a tissue phantom (a cucumber) and 3 human subjects were performed using this BIRD-I (Bioimpedance Research Device) device. This device consists of a Fluke RCL meter, a multiplexer box, a laptop computer, and a medical-grade isolation transformer. Segment and surface sheath (or local) impedances were estimated using formulae first published in the 1930s, in an approach that differs from that of the standard four-electrode technique used in most meridian studies to date. Our study found that, when using a quasilinear four-electrode arrangement, the reference electrodes should be positioned at least 10 cm from the test electrodes to ensure that the segment (or core) impedance estimation is not affected by the proximity of the reference electrodes. A tissue phantom was used to determine the repeatability of segment (core) impedance measurement by the device. An applied frequency of 100 kHz was found to produce the best repeatability among the various frequencies tested. In another preliminary study, with a segment of the triple energizer meridian on the lower arm selected as reference segment, core resistance-based profiles around the lower arm showed three of the other five meridians to exist as local resistance minima relative to neighboring nonmeridian segments. The profiles of the 2 subjects tested were very similar, suggesting that the results are unlikely to be spurious. In electrical bioimpedance studies, it is recommended that the measuring technique and device be clearly defined and standardized to provide optimal working conditions. In our study using the BIRD I device, we defined our standard experimental conditions as a test frequency of 100 kHz and the position of the reference electrodes of at

Hybrid Schema Matching for Deep Web

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Kerui; Zuo, Wanli; He, Fengling; Chen, Yongheng

Schema matching is the process of identifying semantic mappings, or correspondences, between two or more schemas. Schema matching is a first step and critical part of data integration. For schema matching of deep web, most researches only interested in query interface, while rarely pay attention to abundant schema information contained in query result pages. This paper proposed a mixed schema matching technique, which combines attributes that appeared in query structures and query results of different data sources, and mines the matched schemas inside. Experimental results prove the effectiveness of this method for improving the accuracy of schema matching.

Dosimetry and field matching for radiotherapy to the breast and superclavicular fossa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winfield, Elizabeth

Radiotherapy for early breast cancer aims to achieve local disease control and decrease loco-regional recurrence rates. Treatment may be directed to breast or chest wall alone or, include regional lymph nodes. When using tangential fields to treat the breast a separate anterior field directed to the axilla and supraclavicular fossa (SCF) is needed to treat nodal areas. The complex geometry of this region necessitates matching of adjacent radiation fields in three dimensions. The potential exists for zones of overdosage or underdosage along the match line. Cosmetic results may be compromised if treatment fields are not accurately aligned. Techniques for field matching vary between centres in the UK. A study of dosimetry across the match line region using different techniques, as reported in the multi-centre START Trial Quality Assurance (QA) programme, was undertaken. A custom-made anthropomorphic phantom was designed to assess dose distribution in three dimensions using film dosimetry. Methods with varying degrees of complexity were employed to match tangential and SCF beams. Various techniques combined half beam blocking and machine rotations to achieve geometric alignment. Matching of asymmetric beams allowed a single isocentre technique to be used. Where field matching was not undertaken a gap between tangential and SCF fields was employed. Results demonstrated differences between techniques in addition to variations within the same technique between different centres. Geometric alignment techniques produced more homogenous dose distributions in the match region than gap techniques or those techniques not correcting for field divergence. For this multi-centre assessment of match plane techniques film dosimetry used in conjunction with a breast shaped phantom provided relative dose information. This study has highlighted the difficulties of matching treatment fields to achieve homogenous dose distribution through the region of the match plane and the degree of

Electromagnetic scattering by impedance structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balanis, Constantine A.; Griesser, Timothy

1987-01-01

The scattering of electromagnetic waves from impedance structures is investigated, and current work on antenna pattern calculation is presented. A general algorithm for determining radiation patterns from antennas mounted near or on polygonal plates is presented. These plates are assumed to be of a material which satisfies the Leontovich (or surface impedance) boundary condition. Calculated patterns including reflection and diffraction terms are presented for numerious geometries, and refinements are included for antennas mounted directly on impedance surfaces. For the case of a monopole mounted on a surface impedance ground plane, computed patterns are compared with experimental measurements. This work in antenna pattern prediction forms the basis of understanding of the complex scattering mechanisms from impedance surfaces. It provides the foundation for the analysis of backscattering patterns which, in general, are more problematic than calculation of antenna patterns. Further proposed study of related topics, including surface waves, corner diffractions, and multiple diffractions, is outlined.

Conditional Random Field-Based Offline Map Matching for Indoor Environments

PubMed Central

Bataineh, Safaa; Bahillo, Alfonso; Díez, Luis Enrique; Onieva, Enrique; Bataineh, Ikram

2016-01-01

In this paper, we present an offline map matching technique designed for indoor localization systems based on conditional random fields (CRF). The proposed algorithm can refine the results of existing indoor localization systems and match them with the map, using loose coupling between the existing localization system and the proposed map matching technique. The purpose of this research is to investigate the efficiency of using the CRF technique in offline map matching problems for different scenarios and parameters. The algorithm was applied to several real and simulated trajectories of different lengths. The results were then refined and matched with the map using the CRF algorithm. PMID:27537892

Conditional Random Field-Based Offline Map Matching for Indoor Environments.

PubMed

Bataineh, Safaa; Bahillo, Alfonso; Díez, Luis Enrique; Onieva, Enrique; Bataineh, Ikram

2016-08-16

In this paper, we present an offline map matching technique designed for indoor localization systems based on conditional random fields (CRF). The proposed algorithm can refine the results of existing indoor localization systems and match them with the map, using loose coupling between the existing localization system and the proposed map matching technique. The purpose of this research is to investigate the efficiency of using the CRF technique in offline map matching problems for different scenarios and parameters. The algorithm was applied to several real and simulated trajectories of different lengths. The results were then refined and matched with the map using the CRF algorithm.

21 CFR 870.2770 - Impedance plethysmograph.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Impedance plethysmograph. 870.2770 Section 870...) MEDICAL DEVICES CARDIOVASCULAR DEVICES Cardiovascular Monitoring Devices § 870.2770 Impedance plethysmograph. (a) Identification. An impedance plethysmograph is a device used to estimate peripheral blood...

Impedance-based structural health monitoring of wind turbine blades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pitchford, Corey; Grisso, Benjamin L.; Inman, Daniel J.

2007-04-01

Wind power is a fast-growing source of non-polluting, renewable energy with vast potential. However, current wind turbine technology must be improved before the potential of wind power can be fully realized. Wind turbine blades are one of the key components in improving this technology. Blade failure is very costly because it can damage other blades, the wind turbine itself, and possibly other wind turbines. A successful damage detection system incorporated into wind turbines could extend blade life and allow for less conservative designs. A damage detection method which has shown promise on a wide variety of structures is impedance-based structural health monitoring. The technique utilizes small piezoceramic (PZT) patches attached to a structure as self-sensing actuators to both excite the structure with high-frequency excitations, and monitor any changes in structural mechanical impedance. By monitoring the electrical impedance of the PZT, assessments can be made about the integrity of the mechanical structure. Recently, advances in hardware systems with onboard computing, including actuation and sensing, computational algorithms, and wireless telemetry, have improved the accessibility of the impedance method for in-field measurements. This paper investigates the feasibility of implementing such an onboard system inside of turbine blades as an in-field method of damage detection. Viability of onboard detection is accomplished by running a series of tests to verify the capability of the method on an actual wind turbine blade section from an experimental carbon/glass/balsa composite blade developed at Sandia National Laboratories.

Superconducting fault current-limiter with variable shunt impedance

DOEpatents

Llambes, Juan Carlos H; Xiong, Xuming

2013-11-19

A superconducting fault current-limiter is provided, including a superconducting element configured to resistively or inductively limit a fault current, and one or more variable-impedance shunts electrically coupled in parallel with the superconducting element. The variable-impedance shunt(s) is configured to present a first impedance during a superconducting state of the superconducting element and a second impedance during a normal resistive state of the superconducting element. The superconducting element transitions from the superconducting state to the normal resistive state responsive to the fault current, and responsive thereto, the variable-impedance shunt(s) transitions from the first to the second impedance. The second impedance of the variable-impedance shunt(s) is a lower impedance than the first impedance, which facilitates current flow through the variable-impedance shunt(s) during a recovery transition of the superconducting element from the normal resistive state to the superconducting state, and thus, facilitates recovery of the superconducting element under load.

Anesthesia Technique and Mortality after Total Hip or Knee Arthroplasty: A Retrospective, Propensity Score-matched Cohort Study.

PubMed

Perlas, Anahi; Chan, Vincent W S; Beattie, Scott

2016-10-01

This propensity score-matched cohort study evaluates the effect of anesthetic technique on a 30-day mortality after total hip or knee arthroplasty. All patients who had hip or knee arthroplasty between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2014, were evaluated. The principal exposure was spinal versus general anesthesia. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Secondary outcomes were (1) perioperative myocardial infarction; (2) a composite of major adverse cardiac events that includes cardiac arrest, myocardial infarction, or newly diagnosed arrhythmia; (3) pulmonary embolism; (4) major blood loss; (5) hospital length of stay; and (6) operating room procedure time. A propensity score-matched-pair analysis was performed using a nonparsimonious logistic regression model of regional anesthetic use. We identified 10,868 patients, of whom 8,553 had spinal anesthesia and 2,315 had general anesthesia. Ninety-two percent (n = 2,135) of the patients who had general anesthesia were matched to similar patients who did not have general anesthesia. In the matched cohort, the 30-day mortality rate was 0.19% (n = 4) in the spinal anesthesia group and 0.8% (n = 17) in the general anesthesia group (risk ratio, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.21 to 0.83; P = 0.0045). Spinal anesthesia was also associated with a shorter hospital length of stay (5.7 vs. 6.6 days; P < 0.001). The results of this observational, propensity score-matched cohort study suggest a strong association between spinal anesthesia and lower 30-day mortality, as well as a shorter hospital length of stay, after elective joint replacement surgery.

Study of metal corrosion using ac impedance techniques in the STS launch environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calle, Luz M.

1989-01-01

AC impedance measurements were performed to investigate the corrosion resistance of 19 alloys under conditions similar to the STS launch environment. The alloys were: Zirconium 702, Hastelloy C-22, Inconel 625, Hastelloy C-276, Hastelloy C-4, Inconel 600, 7Mo + N, Ferralium 255, Inco Alloy G-3, 20Cb-3, SS 904L, Inconel 825, SS 304LN, SS 316L, SS 317L, ES 2205, SS 304L, Hastelloy B-2, and Monel 400. AC impedance data were gathered for each alloy after one hour immersion time in each of the following three electrolyte solutions: 3.55 percent NaCl, 3.55 percent NaCl-0.1N HCl, and 3.55 percent NaCl-1.0N HCl. The data were analyzed qualitatively using the Nyquist plot and quantitatively using the Bode plot. Polarization resistance, Rp, values were obtained using the Bode plot. Zirconium 702 was the most corrosion resistant alloy in the three electrolytes. The ordering of the other alloys according the their resistance to corrosion varied as the concentration of hydrochloric acid in the electrolyte increased. The corrosion resistance of Zirconium 702 and Ferralium 255 increased as the concentration of hydrochloric acid in the electrolyte increased. The corrosion resistance of the other 17 alloys decreased as the concentration of the hyrdochloric acid in the electrolyte increased.

A model-based 3D template matching technique for pose acquisition of an uncooperative space object.

PubMed

Opromolla, Roberto; Fasano, Giancarmine; Rufino, Giancarlo; Grassi, Michele

2015-03-16

This paper presents a customized three-dimensional template matching technique for autonomous pose determination of uncooperative targets. This topic is relevant to advanced space applications, like active debris removal and on-orbit servicing. The proposed technique is model-based and produces estimates of the target pose without any prior pose information, by processing three-dimensional point clouds provided by a LIDAR. These estimates are then used to initialize a pose tracking algorithm. Peculiar features of the proposed approach are the use of a reduced number of templates and the idea of building the database of templates on-line, thus significantly reducing the amount of on-board stored data with respect to traditional techniques. An algorithm variant is also introduced aimed at further accelerating the pose acquisition time and reducing the computational cost. Technique performance is investigated within a realistic numerical simulation environment comprising a target model, LIDAR operation and various target-chaser relative dynamics scenarios, relevant to close-proximity flight operations. Specifically, the capability of the proposed techniques to provide a pose solution suitable to initialize the tracking algorithm is demonstrated, as well as their robustness against highly variable pose conditions determined by the relative dynamics. Finally, a criterion for autonomous failure detection of the presented techniques is presented.

Measurements of acoustic impedance at the input to the occluded ear canal.

PubMed

Larson, V D; Nelson, J A; Cooper, W A; Egolf, D P

1993-01-01

Multi-frequency (multi-component) acoustic impedance measurements may evolve into a sensitive technique for the remote detection of aural pathologies. Such data are also relevant to models used in hearing aid design and could be an asset to the hearing aid prescription and fitting process. This report describes the development and use of a broad-band procedure which acquires impedance data in 20 Hz intervals and describes a comparison of data collected at two sites by different investigators. Mean data were in excellent agreement, and an explanation for a single case of extreme normal variability is presented.

NOTE: Impedance magnetocardiogram

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kandori, Akihiko; Miyashita, Tsuyoshi; Suzuki, Daisuke; Yokosawa, Koichi; Tsukada, Keiji

2001-02-01

We have developed an impedance magnetocardiogram (IMCG) system to detect the change of magnetic field corresponding to changes in blood volume in the heart. A low magnetic field from the electrical activity of the human heart - the so-called magnetocardiogram (MCG) - can be simultaneously detected by using this system. Because the mechanical and electrical functions in the heart can be monitored by non-invasive and non-contact measurements, it is easy to observe the cardiovascular functions from an accurate sensor position. This system uses a technique to demodulate induced current in a subject. A flux-locked circuit of a superconducting quantum interference device has a wide frequency range (above 1 MHz) because a constant current (40 kHz) is fed through the subject. It is shown for the first time that the system could measure IMCG signals at the same time as MCG signals.

Microfabricated AC impedance sensor

DOEpatents

Krulevitch, Peter; Ackler, Harold D.; Becker, Frederick; Boser, Bernhard E.; Eldredge, Adam B.; Fuller, Christopher K.; Gascoyne, Peter R. C.; Hamilton, Julie K.; Swierkowski, Stefan P.; Wang, Xiao-Bo

2002-01-01

A microfabricated instrument for detecting and identifying cells and other particles based on alternating current (AC) impedance measurements. The microfabricated AC impedance sensor includes two critical elements: 1) a microfluidic chip, preferably of glass substrates, having at least one microchannel therein and with electrodes patterned on both substrates, and 2) electrical circuits that connect to the electrodes on the microfluidic chip and detect signals associated with particles traveling down the microchannels. These circuits enable multiple AC impedance measurements of individual particles at high throughput rates with sufficient resolution to identify different particle and cell types as appropriate for environmental detection and clinical diagnostic applications.

Impedance of a nanoantenna

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

Greffet, Jean-Jacques; Laroche, Marine; Marquier, Francois

2009-10-07

We introduce a generalized definition of the impedance of a nanoantenna that can be applied to any system. We also introduce a definition of the impedance of a two level system. Using this framework, we establish a link between the electrical engineering and the quantum optics picture of light emission.

Home environmental consequences of commute travel impedance.

PubMed

Novaco, R W; Kliewer, W; Broquet, A

1991-12-01

The physical and perceptual dimensions of commuting travel impedance were again found to have stressful consequences in a study of 99 employees of two companies. This quasi-experimental replication study, which focuses here on home environment consequences, investigated the effects of physical impedance and subjective impedance on multivariate measures of residential satisfaction and personal affect in the home. Both sets of residential outcome measures were significantly related to the two impedance dimensions. As predicted, gender was a significant moderator of physical impedance effects. Women commuting on high physical impedance routes were most negatively affected. Previously found subjective impedance effects on negative home mood, regardless of gender, were strongly replicated with several methods and were buttressed by convergent results with objective indices. The theoretical conjecture that subjective impedance mediates the stress effects of physical impedance was supported by the personal affect cluster but only for one variable in the residential satisfaction cluster. Traffic congestion has increased in metropolitan areas nationwide, and commuters, families, and organizations are absorbing associated hidden costs. The results are reviewed in terms of our ecological model, and the moderating effects of gender are discussed in terms of choice and role constraints.

21 CFR 870.2750 - Impedance phlebograph.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Impedance phlebograph. 870.2750 Section 870.2750...) MEDICAL DEVICES CARDIOVASCULAR DEVICES Cardiovascular Monitoring Devices § 870.2750 Impedance phlebograph. (a) Identification. An impedance phlebograph is a device used to provide a visual display of the...

Impedance spectroscopy studies in cobalt ferrite-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite

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

Supriya, Sweety, E-mail: sweety@iitp.ac.in; Kumar, Sunil, E-mail: sunil.pph13@iitp.ac.in; Kar, Manoranjan, E-mail: mano@iitp.ac.in

2016-05-06

(1-x)Cobalt ferrite-(x)reduced graphene oxidenanocomposites with x=0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 were prepared by the ultrasonic method. The crystal symmetry modification due to reduced graphene oxide and cobalt ferrite interaction has been studied by employing the X-ray diffraction technique. Morphology of the samples was studied by the Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). Study on electrical properties of the cobalt ferrite-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites explores the possible application of these composites as anode material. Impedance decreases with an increase in frequency as well as temperature, which supports an increase in ac electrical conductivity. The modified Debye relaxation model can explain themore » behavior of impedance in cobalt ferrite-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites.« less

Ionospheric effects to antenna impedance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bethke, K. H.

1986-01-01

The reciprocity between high power satellite antennas and the surrounding plasma are examined. The relevant plasma states for antenna impedance calculations are presented and plasma models, and hydrodynamic and kinetic theory, are discussed. A theory from which a variation in antenna impedance with regard to the radiated power can be calculated for a frequency range well above the plasma resonance frequency is give. The theory can include photo and secondary emission effects in antenna impedance calculations.

Numerical analysis of acoustic impedance microscope utilizing acoustic lens transducer to examine cultured cells.

PubMed

Gunawan, Agus Indra; Hozumi, Naohiro; Takahashi, Kenta; Yoshida, Sachiko; Saijo, Yoshifumi; Kobayashi, Kazuto; Yamamoto, Seiji

2015-12-01

A new technique is proposed for non-contact quantitative cell observation using focused ultrasonic waves. This technique interprets acoustic reflection intensity into the characteristic acoustic impedance of the biological cell. The cells are cultured on a plastic film substrate. A focused acoustic beam is transmitted through the substrate to its interface with the cell. A two-dimensional (2-D) reflection intensity profile is obtained by scanning the focal point along the interface. A reference substance is observed under the same conditions. These two reflections are compared and interpreted into the characteristic acoustic impedance of the cell based on a calibration curve that was created prior to the observation. To create the calibration curve, a numerical analysis of the sound field is performed using Fourier Transforms and is verified using several saline solutions. Because the cells are suspended by two plastic films, no contamination is introduced during the observation. In a practical observation, a sapphire lens transducer with a center frequency of 300 MHz was employed using ZnO thin film. The objects studied were co-cultured rat-derived glial (astrocyte) cells and glioma cells. The result was the clear observation of the internal structure of the cells. The acoustic impedance of the cells was spreading between 1.62 and 1.72 MNs/m(3). Cytoskeleton was indicated by high acoustic impedance. The introduction of cytochalasin-B led to a significant reduction in the acoustic impedance of the glioma cells; its effect on the glial cells was less significant. It is believed that this non-contact observation method will be useful for continuous cell inspections. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

RTEMIS: Real-time Tumoroid and Environment Monitoring Using Impedance Spectroscopy and pH Sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexander, Frank A., Jr.

This research utilizes Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy, a technique classically used for electrochemical analysis and material characterization, as the basis for a non-destructive, label-free assay platform for three dimensional (3D) cellular spheroids. In this work, a linear array of microelectrodes is optimized to rapidly respond to changes located within a 3D multicellular model. In addition, this technique is coupled with an on chip micro-pH sensor for monitoring the environment around the cells. Finally, the responses of both impedance and pH are correlated with physical changes within the cellular model. The impedance analysis system realized through this work provides a foundation for the development of high-throughput drug screening systems that utilize multiple parallel sensing modalities including pH and impedance sensing in order to quickly assess the efficacy of specific drug candidates. The slow development of new drugs is mainly attributed to poor predictability of current chemosensitivity and resistivity assays, as well as genetic differences between the animal models used for tests and humans. In addition, monolayer cultures used in early experimentation are fundamentally different from the complex structure of organs in vivo. This requires the study of smaller 3D models (spheroids) that more efficiently replicate the conditions within the body. The main objective of this research was to develop a microfluidic system on a chip that is capable of deducing viability and morphology of 3D tumor spheroids by monitoring both the impedance of the cellular model and the pH of their local environment. This would provide a fast and reliable method for screening pharmaceutical compounds in a high-throughput system.

Estimating body fat by using bioelectrical-impedance measurements: a preliminary assessment.

Treesearch

M.G. Raphael; H.J. Harlow; S.W. Buskirk

1991-01-01

We evaluated a technique for measuring body fat content of marten (Martes americana) by using a noninvasive bioelectrical-impedance device with four electrodes to introduce a current into the body. Instantaneous readings of resistance were significantly correlated with fat-free mass (determined from solvent extraction) of carcasses of 17 skinned (r...

Tracking of electrochemical impedance of batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piret, H.; Granjon, P.; Guillet, N.; Cattin, V.

2016-04-01

This paper presents an evolutionary battery impedance estimation method, which can be easily embedded in vehicles or nomad devices. The proposed method not only allows an accurate frequency impedance estimation, but also a tracking of its temporal evolution contrary to classical electrochemical impedance spectroscopy methods. Taking into account constraints of cost and complexity, we propose to use the existing electronics of current control to perform a frequency evolutionary estimation of the electrochemical impedance. The developed method uses a simple wideband input signal, and relies on a recursive local average of Fourier transforms. The averaging is controlled by a single parameter, managing a trade-off between tracking and estimation performance. This normalized parameter allows to correctly adapt the behavior of the proposed estimator to the variations of the impedance. The advantage of the proposed method is twofold: the method is easy to embed into a simple electronic circuit, and the battery impedance estimator is evolutionary. The ability of the method to monitor the impedance over time is demonstrated on a simulator, and on a real Lithium ion battery, on which a repeatability study is carried out. The experiments reveal good tracking results, and estimation performance as accurate as the usual laboratory approaches.

Multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance: a comparison between the Cole-Cole modelling and Hanai equations with the classical impedance index approach.

PubMed

Deurenberg, P; Andreoli, A; de Lorenzo, A

1996-01-01

Total body water and extracellular water were measured by deuterium oxide and bromide dilution respectively in 23 healthy males and 25 healthy females. In addition, total body impedance was measured at 17 frequencies, ranging from 1 kHz to 1350 kHz. Modelling programs were used to extrapolate impedance values to frequency zero (extracellular resistance) and frequency infinity (total body water resistance). Impedance indexes (height2/Zf) were computed at all 17 frequencies. The estimation errors of extracellular resistance and total body water resistance were 1% and 3%, respectively. Impedance and impedance index at low frequency were correlated with extracellular water, independent of the amount of total body water. Total body water showed the greatest correlation with impedance and impedance index at high frequencies. Extrapolated impedance values did not show a higher correlation compared to measured values. Prediction formulas from the literature applied to fixed frequencies showed the best mean and individual predictions for both extracellular water and total body water. It is concluded that, at least in healthy individuals with normal body water distribution, modelling impedance data has no advantage over impedance values measured at fixed frequencies, probably due to estimation errors in the modelled data.

Offline Impedance Measurements for Detection and Mitigation of Dangerous Implant Interactions: An RF Safety Prescreen

PubMed Central

Ellenor, Christopher W; Stang, Pascal P; Etezadi-Amoli, Maryam; Pauly, John M; Scott, Greig C

2015-01-01

Purpose The concept of a “radiofrequency safety prescreen” is investigated, wherein dangerous interactions between radiofrequency fields used in MRI, and conductive implants in patients are detected through impedance changes in the radiofrequency coil. Theory The behavior of coupled oscillators is reviewed, and the resulting, observable impedance changes are discussed. Methods A birdcage coil is loaded with a static head phantom and a wire phantom with a wire close to its resonant length, the shape, position, and orientation of which can be changed. Interactions are probed with a current sensor and network analyzer. Results Impedance spectra show dramatic, unmistakable splitting in cases of strong coupling, and strong correlation is observed between induced current and scattering parameters. Conclusions The feasibility of a new, low-power prescreening technique has been demonstrated in a simple phantom experiment, which can unambiguously detect resonant interactions between an implanted wire and an imaging coil. A new technique has also been presented which can detect parallel transmit null modes for the wire. Magn Reson Med 73:1328–1339, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:24623586

A technique for enhancing and matching the resolution of microwave measurements from the SSM/I instrument

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, Wayne D.; Kummerrow, Christian; Olson, William S.

1992-01-01

A correction technique is presented for matching the resolution of all the frequencies of the satelliteborne Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) to the about-25-km spatial resolution of the 37-GHz channel. This entails, on the one hand, the enhancement of the spatial resolution of the 19- and 22-GHz channels, and on the other, the degrading of that of the 85-GHz channel. The Backus and Gilbert (1970) approach is found to yield sufficient spatial resolution to render such a correction worthwhile.

Duct wall impedance control as an advanced concept for acoustic suppression enhancement. [engine noise reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dean, P. D.

1978-01-01

A systems concept procedure is described for the optimization of acoustic duct liner design for both uniform and multisegment types. The concept was implemented by the use of a double reverberant chamber flow duct facility coupled with sophisticated computer control and acoustic analysis systems. The optimization procedure for liner insertion loss was based on the concept of variable liner impedance produced by bias air flow through a multilayer, resonant cavity liner. A multiple microphone technique for in situ wall impedance measurements was used and successfully adapted to produce automated measurements for all liner configurations tested. The complete validation of the systems concept was prevented by the inability to optimize the insertion loss using bias flow induced wall impedance changes. This inability appeared to be a direct function of the presence of a higher order energy carrying modes which were not influenced significantly by the wall impedance changes.

Wideband Fully-Programmable Dual-Mode CMOS Analogue Front-End for Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Valente, Virgilio; Demosthenous, Andreas

2016-01-01

This paper presents a multi-channel dual-mode CMOS analogue front-end (AFE) for electrochemical and bioimpedance analysis. Current-mode and voltage-mode readouts, integrated on the same chip, can provide an adaptable platform to correlate single-cell biosensor studies with large-scale tissue or organ analysis for real-time cancer detection, imaging and characterization. The chip, implemented in a 180-nm CMOS technology, combines two current-readout (CR) channels and four voltage-readout (VR) channels suitable for both bipolar and tetrapolar electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analysis. Each VR channel occupies an area of 0.48 mm2, is capable of an operational bandwidth of 8 MHz and a linear gain in the range between −6 dB and 42 dB. The gain of the CR channel can be set to 10 kΩ, 50 kΩ or 100 kΩ and is capable of 80-dB dynamic range, with a very linear response for input currents between 10 nA and 100 μA. Each CR channel occupies an area of 0.21 mm2. The chip consumes between 530 μA and 690 μA per channel and operates from a 1.8-V supply. The chip was used to measure the impedance of capacitive interdigitated electrodes in saline solution. Measurements show close matching with results obtained using a commercial impedance analyser. The chip will be part of a fully flexible and configurable fully-integrated dual-mode EIS system for impedance sensors and bioimpedance analysis. PMID:27463721

Solid state parameters, structure elucidation, High Resolution X-Ray Diffraction (HRXRD), phase matching, thermal and impedance analysis on L-Proline trichloroacetate (L-PTCA) NLO single crystals.

PubMed

Kalaiselvi, P; Raj, S Alfred Cecil; Jagannathan, K; Vijayan, N; Bhagavannarayana, G; Kalainathan, S

2014-11-11

Nonlinear optical single crystal of L-Proline trichloroacetate (L-PTCA) was successfully grown by Slow Evaporation Solution Technique (SEST). The grown crystals were subjected to single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis to confirm the structure. From the single crystal XRD data, solid state parameters were determined for the grown crystal. The crystalline perfection has been evaluated using high resolution X-ray diffractometer. The frequencies of various functional groups were identified from FTIR spectral analysis. The percentage of transmittance was obtained from UV Visible spectral analysis. TGA-DSC measurements indicate the thermal stability of the crystal. The dielectric constant, dielectric loss and ac conductivity were measured by the impedance analyzer. The DC conductivity was calculated by the cole-cole plot method. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy investigation on the clinical lifetime of ProTaper rotary file system.

PubMed

Penta, Virgil; Pirvu, Cristian; Demetrescu, Ioana

2014-01-01

The main objective of the current paper is to show that electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) could be a method for evaluating and predicting of ProTaper rotary file system clinical lifespan. This particular aspect of everyday use of the endodontic files is of great importance in each dental practice and has profound clinical implications. The method used for quantification resides in the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy theory and has in its main focus the characteristics of the surface titanium oxide layer. This electrochemical technique has been adapted successfully to identify the quality of the Ni-Ti files oxide layer. The modification of this protective layer induces changes in corrosion behavior of the alloy modifying the impedance value of the file. In order to assess the method, 14 ProTaper sets utilized on different patients in a dental clinic have been submitted for testing using EIS. The information obtained in regard to the surface oxide layer has offered an indication of use and proves that the said layer evolves with each clinical application. The novelty of this research is related to an electrochemical technique successfully adapted for Ni-Ti file investigation and correlation with surface and clinical aspects.

Within-breath respiratory impedance and airway obstruction in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

PubMed

Silva, Karla Kristine Dames da; Faria, Alvaro Camilo Dias; Lopes, Agnaldo José; Melo, Pedro Lopes de

2015-07-01

Recent work has suggested that within-breath respiratory impedance measurements performed using the forced oscillation technique may help to noninvasively evaluate respiratory mechanics. We investigated the influence of airway obstruction on the within-breath forced oscillation technique in smokers and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients and evaluated the contribution of this analysis to the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Twenty healthy individuals and 20 smokers were assessed. The study also included 74 patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. We evaluated the mean respiratory impedance (Zm) as well as values for the inspiration (Zi) and expiration cycles (Ze) at the beginning of inspiration (Zbi) and expiration (Zbe), respectively. The peak-to-peak impedance (Zpp=Zbe-Zbi) and the respiratory cycle dependence (ΔZrs=Ze-Zi) were also analyzed. The diagnostic utility was evaluated by investigating the sensitivity, the specificity and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01888705. Airway obstruction increased the within-breath respiratory impedance parameters that were significantly correlated with the spirometric indices of airway obstruction (R=-0.65, p<0.0001). In contrast to the control subjects and the smokers, the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients presented significant expiratory-inspiratory differences (p<0.002). The adverse effects of moderate airway obstruction were detected based on the Zpp with an accuracy of 83%. Additionally, abnormal effects in severe and very severe patients were detected based on the Zm, Zi, Ze, Zbe, Zpp and ΔZrs with a high degree of accuracy (>90%). We conclude the following: (1) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease introduces higher respiratory cycle dependence, (2) this increase is proportional to airway obstruction, and (3) the within-breath forced oscillation technique may provide novel parameters that facilitate the

An integrated microfluidic analysis microsystems with bacterial capture enrichment and in-situ impedance detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Hai-Tao; Wen, Zhi-Yu; Xu, Yi; Shang, Zheng-Guo; Peng, Jin-Lan; Tian, Peng

2017-09-01

In this paper, an integrated microfluidic analysis microsystems with bacterial capture enrichment and in-situ impedance detection was purposed based on microfluidic chips dielectrophoresis technique and electrochemical impedance detection principle. The microsystems include microfluidic chip, main control module, and drive and control module, and signal detection and processing modulet and result display unit. The main control module produce the work sequence of impedance detection system parts and achieve data communication functions, the drive and control circuit generate AC signal which amplitude and frequency adjustable, and it was applied on the foodborne pathogens impedance analysis microsystems to realize the capture enrichment and impedance detection. The signal detection and processing circuit translate the current signal into impendence of bacteria, and transfer to computer, the last detection result is displayed on the computer. The experiment sample was prepared by adding Escherichia coli standard sample into chicken sample solution, and the samples were tested on the dielectrophoresis chip capture enrichment and in-situ impedance detection microsystems with micro-array electrode microfluidic chips. The experiments show that the Escherichia coli detection limit of microsystems is 5 × 104 CFU/mL and the detection time is within 6 min in the optimization of voltage detection 10 V and detection frequency 500 KHz operating conditions. The integrated microfluidic analysis microsystems laid the solid foundation for rapid real-time in-situ detection of bacteria.

Reactanceless synthesized impedance bandpass amplifier

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kleinberg, L. L. (Inventor)

1985-01-01

An active R bandpass filter network is formed by four operational amplifier stages interconnected by discrete resistances. One pair of stages synthesize an equivalent input impedance of an inductance (L sub eq) in parallel with a discrete resistance (R sub o) while the second pair of stages synthesizes an equivalent input impedance of a capacitance (C sub eq) serially coupled to another discrete resistance (R sub i) coupled in parallel with the first two stages. The equivalent input impedances aggregately define a tuned resonant bandpass filter in the roll-off regions of the operational amplifiers.

Static and Dynamic Measurement of Dopamine Adsorption in Carbon Fiber Microelectrodes Using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy.

PubMed

Rivera-Serrano, Nilka; Pagan, Miraida; Colón-Rodríguez, Joanisse; Fuster, Christian; Vélez, Román; Almodovar-Faria, Jose; Jiménez-Rivera, Carlos; Cunci, Lisandro

2018-02-06

In this study, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used for the first time to study the adsorption of dopamine in carbon fiber microelectrodes. In order to show a proof-of-concept, static and dynamic measurements were taken at potentials ranging from -0.4 to 0.8 V versus Ag|AgCl to demonstrate the versatility of this technique to study dopamine without the need of its oxidation. We used electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and single frequency electrochemical impedance to measure different concentrations of dopamine as low as 1 nM. Moreover, the capacitance of the microelectrodes surface was found to decrease due to dopamine adsorption, which is dependent on its concentration. The effect of dissolved oxygen and electrochemical oxidation of the surface in the detection of dopamine was also studied. Nonoxidized and oxidized carbon fiber microelectrodes were prepared and characterized by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Optimum working parameters of the electrodes, such as frequency and voltage, were obtained for better measurement. Electrochemical impedance of dopamine was determined at different concentration, voltages, and frequencies. Finally, dynamic experiments were conducted using a flow cell and single frequency impedance in order to study continuous and real-time measurements of dopamine.

The effect of profound dehydration on electrical impedance of mouse skeletal muscle

PubMed Central

Li, Jia; Sanchez, B.; Rutkove, Seward B.

2014-01-01

To determine if electrical impedance myography (EIM) technique can still be used safely to monitor muscle in cases of severe dehydration, we measured the electrical impedance at 1 kHz - 1 MHz (37 frequencies) of n=8 wild type mice during 48 h of fluid deprivation and compared to the results of n=8 mice that were provided with water ad libitum. Based on the relative change in the R0 (8% p=0.59) parameter from the Cole impedance model, there is a non-significant change in regard to the muscle extracellular fluid when compared to the relative change of body weight and body water loss (19.6% p<0.0001 and 26.1% p<0.0001 respectively). The negligible changes of the phase at 50 kHz (1% p=0.88) confirm both the muscle fibers structural integrity and viability remained intact for that period of time. Accordingly, EIM can still be used to determine the status of muscle even during profound dehydration. PMID:25570009

Electrochemical Impedance Analysis of β-TITANIUM Alloys as Implants in Ringers Lactate Solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhola, Rahul; Bhola, Shaily M.; Mishra, Brajendra; Olson, David L.

2010-02-01

Commercially pure titanium and two β-titanium alloys, TNZT and TMZF, have been characterized using various electrochemical techniques for their corrosion behavior in Ringers lactate solution. The variation of corrosion potential and solution pH with time has been discussed. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy has been used to fit the results into a circuit model. The stability of the oxides formed on the surface of these alloys has been correlated with impedance phase angles. Cyclic Potentiodynamic Polarization has been used to compute the corrosion parameters for the alloys. TMZF is found to be a better β-alloy as compared to TNZT.

Sensitivity of PZT Impedance Sensors for Damage Detection of Concrete Structures

PubMed Central

Yang, Yaowen; Hu, Yuhang; Lu, Yong

2008-01-01

Piezoelectric ceramic Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) based electro-mechanical impedance (EMI) technique for structural health monitoring (SHM) has been successfully applied to various engineering systems. However, fundamental research work on the sensitivity of the PZT impedance sensors for damage detection is still in need. In the traditional EMI method, the PZT electro-mechanical (EM) admittance (inverse of the impedance) is used as damage indicator, which is difficult to specify the effect of damage on structural properties. This paper uses the structural mechanical impedance (SMI) extracted from the PZT EM admittance signature as the damage indicator. A comparison study on the sensitivity of the EM admittance and the structural mechanical impedance to the damages in a concrete structure is conducted. Results show that the SMI is more sensitive to the damage than the EM admittance thus a better indicator for damage detection. Furthermore, this paper proposes a dynamic system consisting of a number of single-degree-of-freedom elements with mass, spring and damper components to model the SMI. A genetic algorithm is employed to search for the optimal value of the unknown parameters in the dynamic system. An experiment is carried out on a two-storey concrete frame subjected to base vibrations that simulate earthquake. A number of PZT sensors are regularly arrayed and bonded to the frame structure to acquire PZT EM admittance signatures. The relationship between the damage index and the distance of the PZT sensor from the damage is studied. Consequently, the sensitivity of the PZT sensors is discussed and their sensing region in concrete is derived. PMID:27879711

An Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy-Based Technique to Identify and Quantify Fermentable Sugars in Pineapple Waste Valorization for Bioethanol Production

PubMed Central

Conesa, Claudia; García-Breijo, Eduardo; Loeff, Edwin; Seguí, Lucía; Fito, Pedro; Laguarda-Miró, Nicolás

2015-01-01

Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) has been used to develop a methodology able to identify and quantify fermentable sugars present in the enzymatic hydrolysis phase of second-generation bioethanol production from pineapple waste. Thus, a low-cost non-destructive system consisting of a stainless double needle electrode associated to an electronic equipment that allows the implementation of EIS was developed. In order to validate the system, different concentrations of glucose, fructose and sucrose were added to the pineapple waste and analyzed both individually and in combination. Next, statistical data treatment enabled the design of specific Artificial Neural Networks-based mathematical models for each one of the studied sugars and their respective combinations. The obtained prediction models are robust and reliable and they are considered statistically valid (CCR% > 93.443%). These results allow us to introduce this EIS-based technique as an easy, fast, non-destructive, and in-situ alternative to the traditional laboratory methods for enzymatic hydrolysis monitoring. PMID:26378537

An Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy System for Monitoring Pineapple Waste Saccharification.

PubMed

Conesa, Claudia; Ibáñez Civera, Javier; Seguí, Lucía; Fito, Pedro; Laguarda-Miró, Nicolás

2016-02-04

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) has been used for monitoring the enzymatic pineapple waste hydrolysis process. The system employed consists of a device called Advanced Voltammetry, Impedance Spectroscopy & Potentiometry Analyzer (AVISPA) equipped with a specific software application and a stainless steel double needle electrode. EIS measurements were conducted at different saccharification time intervals: 0, 0.75, 1.5, 6, 12 and 24 h. Partial least squares (PLS) were used to model the relationship between the EIS measurements and the sugar determination by HPAEC-PAD. On the other hand, artificial neural networks: (multilayer feed forward architecture with quick propagation training algorithm and logistic-type transfer functions) gave the best results as predictive models for glucose, fructose, sucrose and total sugars. Coefficients of determination (R²) and root mean square errors of prediction (RMSEP) were determined as R² > 0.944 and RMSEP < 1.782 for PLS and R² > 0.973 and RMSEP < 0.486 for artificial neural networks (ANNs), respectively. Therefore, a combination of both an EIS-based technique and ANN models is suggested as a promising alternative to the traditional laboratory techniques for monitoring the pineapple waste saccharification step.

An Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy System for Monitoring Pineapple Waste Saccharification

PubMed Central

Conesa, Claudia; Ibáñez Civera, Javier; Seguí, Lucía; Fito, Pedro; Laguarda-Miró, Nicolás

2016-01-01

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) has been used for monitoring the enzymatic pineapple waste hydrolysis process. The system employed consists of a device called Advanced Voltammetry, Impedance Spectroscopy & Potentiometry Analyzer (AVISPA) equipped with a specific software application and a stainless steel double needle electrode. EIS measurements were conducted at different saccharification time intervals: 0, 0.75, 1.5, 6, 12 and 24 h. Partial least squares (PLS) were used to model the relationship between the EIS measurements and the sugar determination by HPAEC-PAD. On the other hand, artificial neural networks: (multilayer feed forward architecture with quick propagation training algorithm and logistic-type transfer functions) gave the best results as predictive models for glucose, fructose, sucrose and total sugars. Coefficients of determination (R2) and root mean square errors of prediction (RMSEP) were determined as R2 > 0.944 and RMSEP < 1.782 for PLS and R2 > 0.973 and RMSEP < 0.486 for artificial neural networks (ANNs), respectively. Therefore, a combination of both an EIS-based technique and ANN models is suggested as a promising alternative to the traditional laboratory techniques for monitoring the pineapple waste saccharification step. PMID:26861317

Scattering by a groove in an impedance plane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bindiganavale, Sunil; Volakis, John L.

1993-01-01

An analysis of two-dimensional scattering from a narrow groove in an impedance plane is presented. The groove is represented by a impedance surface and the problem reduces to that of scattering from an impedance strip in an otherwise uniform impedance plane. On the basis of this model, appropriate integral equations are constructed using a form of the impedance plane Green's functions involving rapidly convergent integrals. The integral equations are solved by introducing a single basis representation of the equivalent current on the narrow impedance insert. Both transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) polarizations are treated. The resulting solution is validated by comparison with results from the standard boundary integral method (BIM) and a high frequency solution. It is found that the presented solution for narrow impedance inserts can be used in conjunction with the high frequency solution for the characterization of impedance inserts of any given width.

Ventilation and cardiac related impedance changes in children undergoing corrective open heart surgery.

PubMed

Schibler, Andreas; Pham, Trang M T; Moray, Amol A; Stocker, Christian

2013-10-01

Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) can determine ventilation and perfusion relationship. Most of the data obtained so far originates from experimental settings and in healthy subjects. The aim of this study was to demonstrate that EIT measures the perioperative changes in pulmonary blood flow after repair of a ventricular septum defect in children with haemodynamic relevant septal defects undergoing open heart surgery. In a 19 bed intensive care unit in a tertiary children's hospital ventilation and cardiac related impedance changes were measured using EIT before and after surgery in 18 spontaneously breathing patients. The EIT signals were either filtered for ventilation (ΔZV) or for cardiac (ΔZQ) related impedance changes. Impedance signals were then normalized (normΔZV, normΔZQ) for calculation of the global and regional impedance related ventilation perfusion relationship (normΔZV/normΔZQ). We observed a trend towards increased normΔZV in all lung regions, a significantly decreased normΔZQ in the global and anterior, but not the posterior lung region. The normΔZV/normΔZQ was significantly increased in the global and anterior lung region. Our study qualitatively validates our previously published modified EIT filtration technique in the clinical setting of young children with significant left-to-right shunt undergoing corrective open heart surgery, where perioperative assessment of the ventilation perfusion relation is of high clinical relevance.

Processing of ICARTT Data Files Using Fuzzy Matching and Parser Combinators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rutherford, Matthew T.; Typanski, Nathan D.; Wang, Dali; Chen, Gao

2014-01-01

In this paper, the task of parsing and matching inconsistent, poorly formed text data through the use of parser combinators and fuzzy matching is discussed. An object-oriented implementation of the parser combinator technique is used to allow for a relatively simple interface for adapting base parsers. For matching tasks, a fuzzy matching algorithm with Levenshtein distance calculations is implemented to match string pair, which are otherwise difficult to match due to the aforementioned irregularities and errors in one or both pair members. Used in concert, the two techniques allow parsing and matching operations to be performed which had previously only been done manually.

An accelerated image matching technique for UAV orthoimage registration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsai, Chung-Hsien; Lin, Yu-Ching

2017-06-01

Using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) drone with an attached non-metric camera has become a popular low-cost approach for collecting geospatial data. A well-georeferenced orthoimage is a fundamental product for geomatics professionals. To achieve high positioning accuracy of orthoimages, precise sensor position and orientation data, or a number of ground control points (GCPs), are often required. Alternatively, image registration is a solution for improving the accuracy of a UAV orthoimage, as long as a historical reference image is available. This study proposes a registration scheme, including an Accelerated Binary Robust Invariant Scalable Keypoints (ABRISK) algorithm and spatial analysis of corresponding control points for image registration. To determine a match between two input images, feature descriptors from one image are compared with those from another image. A "Sorting Ring" is used to filter out uncorrected feature pairs as early as possible in the stage of matching feature points, to speed up the matching process. The results demonstrate that the proposed ABRISK approach outperforms the vector-based Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) approach where radiometric variations exist. ABRISK is 19.2 times and 312 times faster than SIFT for image sizes of 1000 × 1000 pixels and 4000 × 4000 pixels, respectively. ABRISK is 4.7 times faster than Binary Robust Invariant Scalable Keypoints (BRISK). Furthermore, the positional accuracy of the UAV orthoimage after applying the proposed image registration scheme is improved by an average of root mean square error (RMSE) of 2.58 m for six test orthoimages whose spatial resolutions vary from 6.7 cm to 10.7 cm.

Optimal case-control matching in practice.

PubMed

Cologne, J B; Shibata, Y

1995-05-01

We illustrate modern matching techniques and discuss practical issues in defining the closeness of matching for retrospective case-control designs (in which the pool of subjects already exists when the study commences). We empirically compare matching on a balancing score, analogous to the propensity score for treated/control matching, with matching on a weighted distance measure. Although both methods in principle produce balance between cases and controls in the marginal distributions of the matching covariates, the weighted distance measure provides better balance in practice because the balancing score can be poorly estimated. We emphasize the use of optimal matching based on efficient network algorithms. An illustration is based on the design of a case-control study of hepatitis B virus infection as a possible confounder and/or effect modifier of radiation-related primary liver cancer in atomic bomb survivors.

Record Linkage Techniques - 1985. Proceedings of the Workshop on Exact Matching Methodologies

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1985-12-01

The Workshop on Exact Matching Methodologies was held on May 9-10, 1985, at the Rosslyn Westpark Hotel in Arlington, Virginia. The conference grew out of the efforts of the Matching Group, Administrative Records Subcommittee, of the Federal Committee...

Factors confounding impedance catheter volume measurements in vitro.

PubMed

Bielefeld, M R; Cabreriza, S E; Spotnitz, H M

1993-06-01

The impedance catheter allows continuous measurement of ventricular volume. External influences have been described as causing parallel shifts in impedance-measured volumes; however, factors affecting impedance measurements in a nonparallel manner have not been fully characterized. Accordingly, an impedance catheter was placed inside a latex balloon into which known volumes of normal saline solution were injected. Conductive and nonconductive materials were individually placed within the balloon. Impedance was measured with materials touching (T) or not touching (NT) the catheter. Impedance-measured volumes were plotted versus actual volumes. Compared with the line of identity (LID), a statistical difference (p < 0.05) was found in the slopes in the presence of metallic objects only. These included a pacing lead (T, NT) (mT = 1.32m mNT = 1.29 versus mLID = 1.00), titanium (T) (mT = 1.68 versus mLID = 1.00), and aluminum (NT) (mNT = 0.72 versus mLID = 1.00). These changes in slope indicate nonparallel effects on impedance that confound the ability of the impedance catheter to determine volumes in vitro. These observations imply that serial calibration of both the slope constant (alpha) and the intercept (parallel conductance) of impedance may be necessary for in vivo measurements of ventricular volume based on impedance in the presence of metallic objects.

Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy Study of Biological Tissues

PubMed Central

Dean, D.A.; Ramanathan, T.; Machado, D.; Sundararajan, R.

2008-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the electrical impedance properties of rat lung and other tissues ex vivo using Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy. Rat lungs (both electroporated and naïve (untreated)), and mesenteric vessels (naïve) were harvested from male Sprague-Dawley rats; their electrical impedance were measured using a Solartron 1290 impedance analyzer. Mouse lung and heart samples (naïve) were also studied. The resistance (Real Z, ohm) and the reactance (Im Z, negative ohm)) magnitudes and hence the Cole-Cole (Real Z versus Im Z) plots are different for the electroporated lung and the naive lung. The results confirm the close relationship between the structure and the functional characteristic. These also vary for the different biological tissues studied. The impedance values were higher at low frequencies compared to those at high frequencies. This study is of practical interest for biological applications of electrical pulses, such as electroporation, whose efficacy depends on cell type and its electrical impedance characteristics. PMID:19255614

Clinical Study of Orthogonal-View Phase-Matched Digital Tomosynthesis for Lung Tumor Localization.

PubMed

Zhang, You; Ren, Lei; Vergalasova, Irina; Yin, Fang-Fang

2017-01-01

Compared to cone-beam computed tomography, digital tomosynthesis imaging has the benefits of shorter scanning time, less imaging dose, and better mechanical clearance for tumor localization in radiation therapy. However, for lung tumors, the localization accuracy of the conventional digital tomosynthesis technique is affected by the lack of depth information and the existence of lung tumor motion. This study investigates the clinical feasibility of using an orthogonal-view phase-matched digital tomosynthesis technique to improve the accuracy of lung tumor localization. The proposed orthogonal-view phase-matched digital tomosynthesis technique benefits from 2 major features: (1) it acquires orthogonal-view projections to improve the depth information in reconstructed digital tomosynthesis images and (2) it applies respiratory phase-matching to incorporate patient motion information into the synthesized reference digital tomosynthesis sets, which helps to improve the localization accuracy of moving lung tumors. A retrospective study enrolling 14 patients was performed to evaluate the accuracy of the orthogonal-view phase-matched digital tomosynthesis technique. Phantom studies were also performed using an anthropomorphic phantom to investigate the feasibility of using intratreatment aggregated kV and beams' eye view cine MV projections for orthogonal-view phase-matched digital tomosynthesis imaging. The localization accuracy of the orthogonal-view phase-matched digital tomosynthesis technique was compared to that of the single-view digital tomosynthesis techniques and the digital tomosynthesis techniques without phase-matching. The orthogonal-view phase-matched digital tomosynthesis technique outperforms the other digital tomosynthesis techniques in tumor localization accuracy for both the patient study and the phantom study. For the patient study, the orthogonal-view phase-matched digital tomosynthesis technique localizes the tumor to an average (± standard

A dielectrophoresis-impedance method for protein detection and analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamad, Ahmad Sabry; Hamzah, Roszymah; Hoettges, Kai F.; Hughes, Michael Pycraft

2017-01-01

Dielectrophoresis (DEP) has increasingly been used for the assessment of the electrical properties of molecular scale objects including proteins, DNA, nanotubes and nanowires. However, whilst techniques have been developed for the electrical characterisation of frequency-dependent DEP response, biomolecular study is usually limited to observation using fluorescent markers, limiting its applicability as a characterisation tool. In this paper we present a label-free, impedance-based method of characterisation applied to the determination of the electrical properties of colloidal protein molecules, specifically Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA). By monitoring the impedance between electrodes as proteins collect, it is shown to be possible to observe multi-dispersion behaviour. A DEP dispersion exhibited at 400 kHz is attributable to the orientational dispersion of the molecule, whilst a second, higher-frequency dispersion is attributed to a Maxwell-Wagner type dispersion; changes in behaviour with medium conductivity suggest that this is strongly influenced by the electrical double layer surrounding the molecule.

Evaluation of multiple frequency bioelectrical impedance and Cole-Cole analysis for the assessment of body water volumes in healthy humans.

PubMed

Cornish, B H; Ward, L C; Thomas, B J; Jebb, S A; Elia, M

1996-03-01

To assess the application of a Cole-Cole analysis of multiple frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (MFBIA) measurements to predict total body water (TBW) and extracellular water (ECW) in humans. This technique has previously been shown to produce accurate and reliable estimates in both normal and abnormal animals. The whole body impedance of 60 healthy humans was measured at 496 frequencies (ranging from 4 kHz to 1 MHz) and the impedance at zero frequency, Ro, and at the characteristic frequency, Zc, were determined from the impedance spectrum, (Cole-Cole plot). TBW and ECW were independently determined using deuterium and bromide tracer dilution techniques. At the Dunn Clinical Nutrition Centre and The Department of Biochemistry, University of Queensland. 60 healthy adult volunteers (27 men and 33 women, aged 18-45 years). The results presented suggest that the swept frequency bioimpedance technique estimates total body water, (SEE = 5.2%), and extracellular water, (SEE = 10%), only slightly better in normal, healthy subjects than a method based on single frequency bioimpedance or anthropometric estimates based on weight, height and gender. This study has undertaken the most extensive analysis to date of relationships between TBW (and ECW) and individual impedances obtained at different frequencies ( > 400 frequencies), and has shown marginal advantages of using one frequency over another, even if values predicted from theoretical bioimpedance models are used in the estimations. However in situations where there are disturbances of fluid distribution, values predicted from the Cole-Cole analysis of swept frequency bioimpedance measurements could prove to be more useful.

Application of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy: A phase behavior study of babassu biodiesel-based microemulsions.

PubMed

Pereira, Thulio C; Conceição, Carlos A F; Khan, Alamgir; Fernandes, Raquel M T; Ferreira, Maira S; Marques, Edmar P; Marques, Aldaléa L B

2016-11-05

Microemulsions are thermodynamically stable systems of two immiscible liquids, one aqueous and the other of organic nature, with a surfactant and/or co-surfactant adsorbed in the interface between the two phases. Biodiesel-based microemulsions, consisting of alkyl esters of fatty acids, open a new means of analysis for the application of electroanalytical techniques, and is advantageous as it eliminates the required pre-treatment of a sample. In this work, the phase behaviours of biodiesel-based microemulsions were investigated through the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique. We observed thatan increase in the amount of biodiesel in the microemulsion formulation increases the resistance to charge transfer at the interface. Also, the electrical conductivity measurements revealed that a decrease or increase in electrical properties depends on the amount of biodiesel. EIS studies of the biodiesel-based microemulsion samples showed the presence of two capacitive arcs: one high-frequency and the other low-frequency. Thus, the formulation of microemulsions plays an important role in estimating the electrical properties through the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy technique. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Application of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy: A phase behavior study of babassu biodiesel-based microemulsions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pereira, Thulio C.; Conceição, Carlos A. F.; Khan, Alamgir; Fernandes, Raquel M. T.; Ferreira, Maira S.; Marques, Edmar P.; Marques, Aldaléa L. B.

2016-11-01

Microemulsions are thermodynamically stable systems of two immiscible liquids, one aqueous and the other of organic nature, with a surfactant and/or co-surfactant adsorbed in the interface between the two phases. Biodiesel-based microemulsions, consisting of alkyl esters of fatty acids, open a new means of analysis for the application of electroanalytical techniques, and is advantageous as it eliminates the required pre-treatment of a sample. In this work, the phase behaviours of biodiesel-based microemulsions were investigated through the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique. We observed thatan increase in the amount of biodiesel in the microemulsion formulation increases the resistance to charge transfer at the interface. Also, the electrical conductivity measurements revealed that a decrease or increase in electrical properties depends on the amount of biodiesel. EIS studies of the biodiesel-based microemulsion samples showed the presence of two capacitive arcs: one high-frequency and the other low-frequency. Thus, the formulation of microemulsions plays an important role in estimating the electrical properties through the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy technique.

Structural Characterization and Impedance Spectroscopy of Substituted, Fused-Ring Organic Semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaw, Charles Michael

Organic materials present a number of advantages over silicon that make them ideal candidates for modest performance devices like active matrix backplanes and RFID tags. The work detailed here describes both structural characterization of promising new materials, as well as the adaptation of impedance spectroscopy techniques to the study of organic transistors. Unit cells and solution casting behavior for dioctyl- and didodecyl-pentathienoacene are presented. Dioctyl pentathienoacene has an orthorhombic lattice with parameters a = 1.15 nm, b = 0.43 nm and c = 3.05 nm. Didodecyl pentathienoacene has an monoclinic lattice with parameters gamma = 92.2°, a = 1.10 urn, b = 0.42 nm and c = 3.89 nm. Additionally, thermotropic phase behavior is detailed. Both materials exhibit a "side chain melting" transition---characterized by a dramatic unit cell contraction of more than 20%---and smectic C liquid crystal phases. The side chain melting transition shows similarity to phase transitions elicited by exposing these materials to high energy electron flux. In both cases, disorder in the substitutions results in new phases for these materials. Dioctyl-pentathienoacene also exhibits a unique phase, which is intermediately ordered and shows a threefold increase in critical dose over the as-cast phase. Impedance spectroscopy of triisopropylsilyl pentacene transistors suggests these devices are well fit by a Voigt model equivalent circuit. The gate bias dependent resistor represents the channel conductance and the capacitor represents the drain-gate and source-gate capacitances. This in turn suggests that conduction occurs through delocalized states available in ordered regions, with disordered regions contributing localized, immobile states. Impedance spectroscopy of poly(2,5-bis(3-alkylthiophen-2-yl)thieno[3,2-b]thiophene) shows similar behavior. The use of variable temperature impedance spectroscopy is also demonstrated. This technique is used to measure the reduction in trap

The Influence of Segmental Impedance Analysis in Predicting Validity of Consumer Grade Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharp, Andy; Heath, Jennifer; Peterson, Janet

2008-05-01

Consumer grade bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA) instruments measure the body's impedance at 50 kHz, and yield a quick estimate of percent body fat. The frequency dependence of the impedance gives more information about the current pathway and the response of different tissues. This study explores the impedance response of human tissue at a range of frequencies from 0.2 - 102 kHz using a four probe method and probe locations standard for segmental BIA research of the arm. The data at 50 kHz, for a 21 year old healthy Caucasian male (resistance of 180φ±10 and reactance of 33φ±2) is in agreement with previously reported values [1]. The frequency dependence is not consistent with simple circuit models commonly used in evaluating BIA data, and repeatability of measurements is problematic. This research will contribute to a better understanding of the inherent difficulties in estimating body fat using consumer grade BIA devices. [1] Chumlea, William C., Richard N. Baumgartner, and Alex F. Roche. ``Specific resistivity used to estimate fat-free mass from segmental body measures of bioelectrical impedance.'' Am J Clin Nutr 48 (1998): 7-15.

Multi-gap high impedance plasma opening switch

DOEpatents

Mason, R.J.

1996-10-22

A high impedance plasma opening switch having an anode and a cathode and at least one additional electrode placed between the anode and cathode is disclosed. The presence of the additional electrodes leads to the creation of additional plasma gaps which are in series, increasing the net impedance of the switch. An equivalent effect can be obtained by using two or more conventional plasma switches with their plasma gaps wired in series. Higher impedance switches can provide high current and voltage to higher impedance loads such as plasma radiation sources. 12 figs.

Multi-gap high impedance plasma opening switch

DOEpatents

Mason, Rodney J.

1996-01-01

A high impedance plasma opening switch having an anode and a cathode and at least one additional electrode placed between the anode and cathode. The presence of the additional electrodes leads to the creation of additional plasma gaps which are in series, increasing the net impedance of the switch. An equivalent effect can be obtained by using two or more conventional plasma switches with their plasma gaps wired in series. Higher impedance switches can provide high current and voltage to higher impedance loads such as plasma radiation sources.

Assessing the immediate impact of botulinum toxin injection on impedance of spastic muscle.

PubMed

Li, Xiaoyan; Shin, Henry; Li, Le; Magat, Elaine; Li, Sheng; Zhou, Ping

2017-05-01

This study aimed to investigate the immediate impacts of Botulinum Toxin A (BoNT-A) injections on the inherent electrical properties of spastic muscles using a newly developed electrical impedance myography (EIM) technique. Impedance measures were performed before and after a BoNT-A injection in biceps brachii muscles of 14 subjects with spasticity. Three major impedance variables, resistance (R), reactance (X) and phase angle (θ) were obtained from three different configurations, and were evaluated using the conventional EIM frequency at 50kHz as well as multiple frequency analysis. Statistical analysis demonstrated a significant decrease of resistance in the injected muscles (Multiple-frequency: R pre =25.17±1.94Ohm, R post =23.65±1.63Ohm, p<0.05; 50kHz: R pre =29.06±2.16Ohm, R post =27.7±1.89Ohm, p<0.05). Despite this decrease, there were no substantial changes in the reactance, phase angle, or anisotropy features after a BoNT-A injection. The significant changes of muscle resistance were most likely associated with the liquid injection of the BoNT-A-saline solution rather than the immediate toxin effects on the muscle. This study demonstrated high sensitivity of the EIM technique in the detection of alterations to muscle composition. Copyright © 2017 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

21 CFR 874.1090 - Auditory impedance tester.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Auditory impedance tester. 874.1090 Section 874...) MEDICAL DEVICES EAR, NOSE, AND THROAT DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 874.1090 Auditory impedance tester. (a) Identification. An auditory impedance tester is a device that is intended to change the air pressure in the...

21 CFR 874.1090 - Auditory impedance tester.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Auditory impedance tester. 874.1090 Section 874...) MEDICAL DEVICES EAR, NOSE, AND THROAT DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 874.1090 Auditory impedance tester. (a) Identification. An auditory impedance tester is a device that is intended to change the air pressure in the...

MONITORING ANTIBODY-ANTIGEN REACTIONS AT CONDUCTING POLYMER-BASED IMMUNOSENSORS USING IMPEDANCE SPECTROSCOPY. (R825323)

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract

The mechanisms of antibody_¯antigen (Ab_¯Ag) interactions at conducting polypyrrole electrodes have been investigated using impedance spectroscopy techniques. The effects of the variation in ion exchange, solution composition, and...

Frequency Response Function Expansion for Unmeasured Translation and Rotation Dofs for Impedance Modelling Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avitabile, P.; O'Callahan, J.

2003-07-01

Inclusion of rotational effects is critical for the accuracy of the predicted system characteristics, in almost all system modelling studies. However, experimentally derived information for the description of one or more of the components for the system will generally not have any rotational effects included in the description of the component. The lack of rotational effects has long affected the results from any system model development whether using a modal-based approach or an impedance-based approach. Several new expansion processes are described herein for the development of FRFs needed for impedance-based system models. These techniques expand experimentally derived mode shapes, residual modes from the modal parameter estimation process and FRFs directly to allow for the inclusion of the necessary rotational dof. The FRFs involving translational to rotational dofs are developed as well as the rotational to rotational dof. Examples are provided to show the use of these techniques.

Impedance in School Screening Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robarts, John T.

1985-01-01

This paper examines the controversy over use of impedance screening in public schools to identify students with hearing problems, including otitis media, a common ear condition in infants and young children. It cites research that questions the value of pure tone screening as a single test and raises critics' objections to the use of impedance,…

Frequency doubling in poled polymers using anomalous dispersion phase-matching

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

Kowalczyk, T.C.; Singer, K.D.; Cahill, P.A.

1995-10-01

The authors report on a second harmonic generation in a poled polymer waveguide using anomalous dispersion phase-matching. Blue light ({lambda} = 407 nm) was produced by phase-matching the lowest order fundamental and harmonic modes over a distance of 32 {micro}m. The experimental conversion efficiency was {eta} = 1.2 {times} 10{sup {minus}4}, in agreement with theory. Additionally, they discuss a method of enhancing the conversion efficiency for second harmonic generation using anomalous dispersion phase-matching to optimize Cerenkov second harmonic generation. The modeling shows that a combination of phase-matching techniques creates larger conversion efficiencies and reduces critical fabrication requirements of the individualmore » phase-matching techniques.« less

Body composition and functional assessment of nutritional status in adults: a narrative review of imaging, impedance, strength and functional techniques.

PubMed

Smith, S; Madden, A M

2016-12-01

The accurate and valid assessment of body composition is essential for the diagnostic evaluation of nutritional status, identifying relevant outcome measures, and determining the effectiveness of current and future nutritional interventions. Developments in technology and our understanding of the influences of body composition on risk and outcome will provide practitioners with new opportunities to enhance current practice and to lead future improvements in practice. This is the second of a two-part narrative review that aims to critically evaluate body composition methodology in diverse adult populations, with a primary focus on its use in the assessment and monitoring of under-nutrition. Part one focused on anthropometric variables [Madden and Smith (2016) J Hum Nutr Diet 29: 7-25] and part two focuses on the use of imaging techniques, bioelectrical impedance analysis, markers of muscle strength and functional status, with particular reference to developments relevant to practice. © 2016 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis of a thin polymer film-based micro-direct methanol fuel cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schulz, Tobias; Weinmüller, Christian; Nabavi, Majid; Poulikakos, Dimos

A single cell micro-direct methanol fuel cell (micro-DMFC) was investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The electrodes consisted of thin, flexible polymer (SU8) film microchannel structures fabricated in-house using microfabrication techniques. AC impedance spectroscopy was used to separate contributions to the overall cell polarization from the anode, cathode and membrane. A clear distinction between the different electrochemical phenomena occurring in the micro-DMFC, especially the distinction between double layer charging and Faradaic reactions was shown. The effect of fuel flow rate, temperature, and anode flow channel structure on the impedance of the electrode reactions and membrane/electrode double layer charging were investigated. Analysis of impedance data revealed that the performance of the test cell was largely limited by the presence of intermediate carbon monoxide in the anode reaction. Higher temperatures increase cell performance by enabling intermediate CO to be oxidized at much higher rates. The results also revealed that serpentine anode flow microchannels show a lower tendency to intermediate CO coverage and a more stable cell behavior than parallel microchannels.

Acoustic ground impedance meter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zuckerwar, A. J.

1981-01-01

A compact, portable instrument was developed to measure the acoustic impedance of the ground, or other surfaces, by direct pressure-volume velocity measurement. A Helmholz resonator, constructed of heavy-walled stainless steel but open at the bottom, is positioned over the surface having the unknown impedance. The sound source, a cam-driven piston of known stroke and thus known volume velocity, is located in the neck of the resonator. The cam speed is a variable up to a maximum 3600 rpm. The sound pressure at the test surface is measured by means of a microphone flush-mounted in the wall of the chamber. An optical monitor of the piston displacement permits measurement of the phase angle between the volume velocity and the sound pressure, from which the real and imaginary parts of the impedance can be evaluated. Measurements using a 5-lobed cam can be made up to 300 Hz. Detailed design criteria and results on a soil sample are presented.

A regenerating ultrasensitive electrochemical impedance immunosensor for the detection of adenovirus.

PubMed

Lin, Donghai; Tang, Thompson; Jed Harrison, D; Lee, William E; Jemere, Abebaw B

2015-06-15

We report on the development of a regenerable sensitive immunosensor based on electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for the detection of type 5 adenovirus. The multi-layered immunosensor fabrication involved successive modification steps on gold electrodes: (i) modification with self-assembled layer of 1,6-hexanedithiol to which gold nanoparticles were attached via the distal thiol groups, (ii) formation of self-assembled monolayer of 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid onto the gold nanoparticles, (iii) covalent immobilization of monoclonal anti-adenovirus 5 antibody, with EDC/NHS coupling reaction on the nanoparticles, completing the immunosensor. The immunosensor displayed a very good detection limit of 30 virus particles/ml and a wide linear dynamic range of 10(5). An electrochemical reductive desorption technique was employed to completely desorb the components of the immunosensor surface, then re-assemble the sensing layer and reuse the sensor. On a single electrode, the multi-layered immunosensor could be assembled and disassembled at least 30 times with 87% of the original signal intact. The changes of electrode behavior after each assembly and desorption processes were investigated by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy techniques. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fast group matching for MR fingerprinting reconstruction.

PubMed

Cauley, Stephen F; Setsompop, Kawin; Ma, Dan; Jiang, Yun; Ye, Huihui; Adalsteinsson, Elfar; Griswold, Mark A; Wald, Lawrence L

2015-08-01

MR fingerprinting (MRF) is a technique for quantitative tissue mapping using pseudorandom measurements. To estimate tissue properties such as T1 , T2 , proton density, and B0 , the rapidly acquired data are compared against a large dictionary of Bloch simulations. This matching process can be a very computationally demanding portion of MRF reconstruction. We introduce a fast group matching algorithm (GRM) that exploits inherent correlation within MRF dictionaries to create highly clustered groupings of the elements. During matching, a group specific signature is first used to remove poor matching possibilities. Group principal component analysis (PCA) is used to evaluate all remaining tissue types. In vivo 3 Tesla brain data were used to validate the accuracy of our approach. For a trueFISP sequence with over 196,000 dictionary elements, 1000 MRF samples, and image matrix of 128 × 128, GRM was able to map MR parameters within 2s using standard vendor computational resources. This is an order of magnitude faster than global PCA and nearly two orders of magnitude faster than direct matching, with comparable accuracy (1-2% relative error). The proposed GRM method is a highly efficient model reduction technique for MRF matching and should enable clinically relevant reconstruction accuracy and time on standard vendor computational resources. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Understanding a reference-free impedance method using collocated piezoelectric transducers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Eun Jin; Kim, Min Koo; Sohn, Hoon; Park, Hyun Woo

2010-03-01

A new concept of a reference-free impedance method, which does not require direct comparison with a baseline impedance signal, is proposed for damage detection in a plate-like structure. A single pair of piezoelectric (PZT) wafers collocated on both surfaces of a plate are utilized for extracting electro-mechanical signatures (EMS) associated with mode conversion due to damage. A numerical simulation is conducted to investigate the EMS of collocated PZT wafers in the frequency domain at the presence of damage through spectral element analysis. Then, the EMS due to mode conversion induced by damage are extracted using the signal decomposition technique based on the polarization characteristics of the collocated PZT wafers. The effects of the size and the location of damage on the decomposed EMS are investigated as well. Finally, the applicability of the decomposed EMS to the reference-free damage diagnosis is discussed.

Body fat measurement by bioelectrical impedance and air displacement plethysmography: a cross-validation study to design bioelectrical impedance equations in Mexican adults

PubMed Central

Macias, Nayeli; Alemán-Mateo, Heliodoro; Esparza-Romero, Julián; Valencia, Mauro E

2007-01-01

Background The study of body composition in specific populations by techniques such as bio-impedance analysis (BIA) requires validation based on standard reference methods. The aim of this study was to develop and cross-validate a predictive equation for bioelectrical impedance using air displacement plethysmography (ADP) as standard method to measure body composition in Mexican adult men and women. Methods This study included 155 male and female subjects from northern Mexico, 20–50 years of age, from low, middle, and upper income levels. Body composition was measured by ADP. Body weight (BW, kg) and height (Ht, cm) were obtained by standard anthropometric techniques. Resistance, R (ohms) and reactance, Xc (ohms) were also measured. A random-split method was used to obtain two samples: one was used to derive the equation by the "all possible regressions" procedure and was cross-validated in the other sample to test predicted versus measured values of fat-free mass (FFM). Results and Discussion The final model was: FFM (kg) = 0.7374 * (Ht2 /R) + 0.1763 * (BW) - 0.1773 * (Age) + 0.1198 * (Xc) - 2.4658. R2 was 0.97; the square root of the mean square error (SRMSE) was 1.99 kg, and the pure error (PE) was 2.96. There was no difference between FFM predicted by the new equation (48.57 ± 10.9 kg) and that measured by ADP (48.43 ± 11.3 kg). The new equation did not differ from the line of identity, had a high R2 and a low SRMSE, and showed no significant bias (0.87 ± 2.84 kg). Conclusion The new bioelectrical impedance equation based on the two-compartment model (2C) was accurate, precise, and free of bias. This equation can be used to assess body composition and nutritional status in populations similar in anthropometric and physical characteristics to this sample. PMID:17697388

Within-Cluster and Across-Cluster Matching with Observational Multilevel Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Jee-Seon; Steiner, Peter M.; Hall, Courtney; Thoemmes, Felix

2013-01-01

When randomized experiments cannot be conducted in practice, propensity score (PS) techniques for matching treated and control units are frequently used for estimating causal treatment effects from observational data. Despite the popularity of PS techniques, they are not yet well studied for matching multilevel data where selection into treatment…

J-substitution algorithm in magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography (MREIT): phantom experiments for static resistivity images.

PubMed

Khang, Hyun Soo; Lee, Byung Il; Oh, Suk Hoon; Woo, Eung Je; Lee, Soo Yeol; Cho, Min Hyoung; Kwon, Ohin; Yoon, Jeong Rock; Seo, Jin Keun

2002-06-01

Recently, a new static resistivity image reconstruction algorithm is proposed utilizing internal current density data obtained by magnetic resonance current density imaging technique. This new imaging method is called magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography (MREIT). The derivation and performance of J-substitution algorithm in MREIT have been reported as a new accurate and high-resolution static impedance imaging technique via computer simulation methods. In this paper, we present experimental procedures, denoising techniques, and image reconstructions using a 0.3-tesla (T) experimental MREIT system and saline phantoms. MREIT using J-substitution algorithm effectively utilizes the internal current density information resolving the problem inherent in a conventional EIT, that is, the low sensitivity of boundary measurements to any changes of internal tissue resistivity values. Resistivity images of saline phantoms show an accuracy of 6.8%-47.2% and spatial resolution of 64 x 64. Both of them can be significantly improved by using an MRI system with a better signal-to-noise ratio.

An investigation of the diffraction of an acoustic plane wave by a curved surface of finite impedance. Ph.D. Thesis Final Technical Report, 1 Feb. 1985 - 1 Sep. 1989

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kearns, James A.

1989-01-01

Phenomena associated with long range propagation of sound over irregular topography motivated this work, which was to analyze the diffraction effects which would occur near the tops of hills and ridges. The diffraction of a high frequency plane wave due to its grazing of a two-dimensional curved surface of finite impedance was also studied. Laboratory scale models were constructed and measurements were made of the field on, above, and behind either of two curved surfaces possessing distinctly different impedances; that is, one was soft while the other was hard. The experimental technique consisted of simultaneously measuring the pressure at a reference point and at a field point due to a transient pulse generated by an electric spark. The pressure waveforms were digitized and processed. The ratio of the discrete Fourier transforms of the two waveforms provided an estimate of the insertion loss between them. The results of the measurements were compared with the predictions of a theory which was derived by Pierce using the method of Matched Asymptotic Expansions (MAE). The predictions relied upon the experimental evaluation of the impedance of each surface at grazing angles of incidence. This evaluation was achieved by a fairly standard technique involving empirical models of various generic types of surfaces. An example was shown of the important role that the structural intricacies of a surface play in the determination of an appropriate model. The comparison between the measurements and predictions indicated that the theory gives an excellent description of the field anywhere near a curved surface. Further, with a simple modification, the theory was also shown to give nearly as good of a description of the field surrounding a curved surface even at distances far behind the surface yet near the line of sight.

FDTD modeling of thin impedance sheets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luebbers, Raymond; Kunz, Karl

1991-01-01

Thin sheets of resistive or dielectric material are commonly encountered in radar cross section calculations. Analysis of such sheets is simplified by using sheet impedances. It is shown that sheet impedances can be modeled easily and accurately using Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) methods. These sheets are characterized by a discontinuity in the tangential magnetic field on either side of the sheet but no discontinuity in tangential electric field. This continuity, or single valued behavior of the electric field, allows the sheet current to be expressed in terms of an impedance multiplying this electric field.

Changes in transthoracic electrical impedance at high altitude.

PubMed

Hoon, R S; Balasubramanian, V; Tiwari, S C; Mathew, O P; Behl, A; Sharma, S C; Chadha, K S

1977-01-01

Mean transthoracic electrical impedance (impedance) which is inversely related to intrathoracic extravascular fluid volume was measured in 121 normal healthy volunteers at sea-level and at 3658 metres altitude. Fifty (group A) reached the high altitude location after an hour's journey in a pressurised aircraft. Twenty-five (group D) underwent slow road ascent including acclimatisation en route. Thirty permanent residents (group B) and 16 temporary residents at high altitude (group C) were also studied. Serial studies in the 30 subjects of group A who developed symptoms of high altidue sickness showed a significant decrease of impedance up to the fourth day of exposure to high altitude which later returned to normal. The 4 volunteers who developed severe symptoms showed the largest drop in impedance. A case of acute pulmonary oedema developing at 4300 metres showed an impedance value of 24-1 ohms on admission. After effective treatment the impedance increased by 11-9 to 36-0 ohms. Twenty asymptomatic subjects of group A and 25 of group D showed a small average increase in impedance values at high altitude. These obstructions suggest that measurement of transthoracic electrical impedance may be a valuable means of detecting incipient high altitude pulmonary oedema.

Geometric beam coupling impedance of LHC secondary collimators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frasciello, Oscar; Tomassini, Sandro; Zobov, Mikhail; Salvant, Benoit; Grudiev, Alexej; Mounet, Nicolas

2016-02-01

The High Luminosity LHC project is aimed at increasing the LHC luminosity by an order of magnitude. One of the key ingredients to achieve the luminosity goal is the beam intensity increase. In order to keep beam instabilities under control and to avoid excessive power losses a careful design of new vacuum chamber components and an improvement of the present LHC impedance model are required. Collimators are among the major impedance contributors. Measurements with beam have revealed that the betatron coherent tune shifts were higher by about a factor of 2 with respect to the theoretical predictions based on the LHC impedance model up to 2012. In that model the resistive wall impedance has been considered as the dominating impedance contribution for collimators. By carefully simulating also their geometric impedance we have contributed to the update of the LHC impedance model, reaching also a better agreement between the measured and simulated betatron tune shifts. During the just ended LHC Long Shutdown I (LSI), TCS/TCT collimators were replaced by new devices embedding BPMs and TT2-111R ferrite blocks. We present here preliminary estimations of their broad-band impedance, showing that an increase of about 20% is expected in the kick factors with respect to previous collimators without BPMs.

Locating interfaces in vertically-layered materials and determining concentrations in mixed materials utilizing acoustic impedance measurements

DOEpatents

Langlois, Gary N.

1983-09-13

Measurement of the relative and actual value of acoustic characteristic impedances of an unknown substance, location of the interfaces of vertically-layered materials, and the determination of the concentration of a first material mixed in a second material. A highly damped ultrasonic pulse is transmitted into one side of a reference plate, such as a tank wall, where the other side of the reference plate is in physical contact with the medium to be measured. The amplitude of a return signal, which is the reflection of the transmitted pulse from the interface between the other side of the reference plate and the medium, is measured. The amplitude value indicates the acoustic characteristic impedance of the substance relative to that of the reference plate or relative to that of other tested materials. Discontinuities in amplitude with repeated measurements for various heights indicate the location of interfaces in vertically-layered materials. Standardization techniques permit the relative acoustic characteristic impedance of a substance to be converted to an actual value. Calibration techniques for mixtures permit the amplitude to be converted to the concentration of a first material mixed in a second material.

Locating interfaces in vertically-layered materials and determining concentrations in mixed materials utilizing acoustic impedance measurements

DOEpatents

Langlois, G.N.

1983-09-13

Measurement of the relative and actual value of acoustic characteristic impedances of an unknown substance, location of the interfaces of vertically-layered materials, and the determination of the concentration of a first material mixed in a second material are disclosed. A highly damped ultrasonic pulse is transmitted into one side of a reference plate, such as a tank wall, where the other side of the reference plate is in physical contact with the medium to be measured. The amplitude of a return signal, which is the reflection of the transmitted pulse from the interface between the other side of the reference plate and the medium, is measured. The amplitude value indicates the acoustic characteristic impedance of the substance relative to that of the reference plate or relative to that of other tested materials. Discontinuities in amplitude with repeated measurements for various heights indicate the location of interfaces in vertically-layered materials. Standardization techniques permit the relative acoustic characteristic impedance of a substance to be converted to an actual value. Calibration techniques for mixtures permit the amplitude to be converted to the concentration of a first material mixed in a second material. 6 figs.

Determination of the Si-conducting polymer interfacial properties using A-C impedance techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nagasubramanian, G.; Di Stefano, Salvador; Moacanin, Jovan

1985-01-01

A study was made of the interfacial properties of poly(pyrrole) (PP) deposited electrochemically onto single crystal p-Si surfaces. The interfacial properties are dependent upon the counterions. The formation of 'quasi-ohmic' and 'nonohmic' contacts, respectively, of PP(ClO4) and PP films doped with other counterions (BF4 and para-toluene sulfonate) with p-Si, are explained in terms of the conductivity of these films and the flat band potential, V(fb), of PP relative to that of p-Si. The PP film seems to passivate or block intrinsic surface states present on the p-Si surface. The differences in the impedance behavior of para-toluene sulfonate doped and ClO4 doped PP are compared.

Structural, dielectric and impedance studies of polycrystalline La0.6Dy0.2Ca0.2MnO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nandan, K. R.; Kumar, A. Ruban

2017-05-01

Polycrystalline materials of Dy doped La1-xCaxMnO3 were prepared by Sol-Gel technique using citric acid as a chelating agent at 900°C. The compound was analyzed by powder X-ray diffraction technique and confirmed to be single phased orthorhombic perovskite structure with space group Pnma. From the dielectric and impedance studies confirmed the existence of dielectric relaxation and presence of space charge were observed from the dielectric constant and impedance plots respectively and confirms the existence of relaxation due to oxygen vacancy. Cole-cole plot confirms the presence of dielectric relaxation and grain contribution in the synthesized sample.

Rotor damage detection by using piezoelectric impedance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Y.; Tao, Y.; Mao, Y. F.

2016-04-01

Rotor is a core component of rotary machinery. Once the rotor has the damage, it may lead to a major accident. Thus the quantitative rotor damage detection method based on piezoelectric impedance is studied in this paper. With the governing equation of piezoelectric transducer (PZT) in a cylindrical coordinate, the displacement along the radius direction is derived. The charge of PZT is calculated by the electric displacement. Then, by the use of the obtained displacement and charge, an analytic piezoelectric impedance model of the rotor is built. Given the circular boundary condition of a rotor, annular elements are used as the analyzed objects and spectral element method is used to set up the damage detection model. The Electro-Mechanical (E/M) coupled impedance expression of an undamaged rotor is deduced with the application of a low-cost impedance test circuit. A Taylor expansion method is used to obtain the approximate E/M coupled impedance expression for the damaged rotor. After obtaining the difference between the undamaged and damaged rotor impedance, a rotor damage detection method is proposed. This method can directly calculate the change of bending stiffness of the structural elements, it follows that the rotor damage can be effectively detected. Finally, a preset damage configuration is used for the numerical simulation. The result shows that the quantitative damage detection algorithm based on spectral element method and piezoelectric impedance proposed in this paper can identify the location and the severity of the damaged rotor accurately.

Assistive-as-needed strategy for upper-limb robotic systems: A preliminary evaluation of the impedance control architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khairuddin, I. M.; Sidek, S. N.; Yusof, H. Md; Majeed, A. P. P. Abdul; Puzi, A. Ahmad; Mat Rosly, H.

2018-04-01

Rehabilitation is a necessary restoration process of recovering impaired joint motion and muscle strength. Recent trends of rehabilitation have also moved towards providing more participation of the patient in therapy rather than simple passive treatments as it has been demonstrated to be non-trivial in promoting neural plasticity meant to promote motor recovery process. This paper presents an assistive control strategy based on impedance control technique. Dynamic modelling of upper arm is obtained by utilising the Euler-Lagrange formulation. The proportional-derivative (PD), computed torque control (CTC) impedance based framework is applied to examine its effectiveness in performing joint-space control with objectives specified in rehabilitating the elbow joint along the sagittal plane. A feasibility study through simulation was carried out to investigate the efficacy of the proposed controller on acceleration-based impedance model. The results show that impedance controller is more suitable as it allows the cooperative effort of the patient.

Longitudinal wave propagation in multi cylindrical viscoelastic matching layers of airborne ultrasonic transducer: new method to consider the matching layer's diameter (frequency <100 kHz).

PubMed

Saffar, Saber; Abdullah, Amir

2013-08-01

Wave propagation in viscoelastic disk layers is encountered in many applications including studies of airborne ultrasonic transducers. For viscoelastic materials, both material and geometric dispersion are possible when the diameter of the matching layer is of the same order as the wavelength. Lateral motions of the matching layer(s) that result from the Poisson effect are accounted by using a new concept called the "effective-density". A new wave equation is derived for both metallic and non-metallic (polymeric) materials, usually employed for the matching layers of airborne ultrasonic transducer. The material properties are modeled by using the Kelvin model for metals and Linear Solid Standard model for non-metallic (polymeric) matching layers. The utilized model of the material of the matching layers has influence on amount and trend of variation in speed ratio. In this regard, 60% reduction in speed ratio is observed for Kelvin model for aluminum with diameter of 80 mm at 100 kHz while for a similar diameter but Standard Linear Model, the speed ratio increase to twice value at 15 kHz, and then reduced until 70% at 67 kHz for Polypropylene. The new wave theory simplifies to the one-dimensional solution for waves in metallic or polymeric matching layers if the Poisson ratio is set to zero. The predictions simplify to Love's equation for stress waves in elastic disks when loss term is removed from equations for both models. Afterwards, the new wave theory is employed to determine the airborne ultrasonic matching layers to maximize the energy transmission to the air. The optimal matching layers are determined by using genetic algorithm theory for 1, 2 and 3 airborne matching layers. It has been shown that 1-D equation is useless at frequencies less than 100 kHz and the effect of diameter of the matching layers must be considered to determine the acoustic impedances (matching layers) to design airborne ultrasonic transducers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All

Impedance Analysis of Ion Transport Through Supported Lipid Membranes Doped with Ionophores: A New Kinetic Approach

PubMed Central

Alvarez, P. E.; Vallejo, A. E.

2008-01-01

Kinetics of facilitated ion transport through planar bilayer membranes are normally analyzed by electrical conductance methods. The additional use of electrical relaxation techniques, such as voltage jump, is necessary to evaluate individual rate constants. Although electrochemical impedance spectroscopy is recognized as the most powerful of the available electric relaxation techniques, it has rarely been used in connection with these kinetic studies. According to the new approach presented in this work, three steps were followed. First, a kinetic model was proposed that has the distinct quality of being general, i.e., it properly describes both carrier and channel mechanisms of ion transport. Second, the state equations for steady-state and for impedance experiments were derived, exhibiting the input–output representation pertaining to the model’s structure. With the application of a method based on the similarity transformation approach, it was possible to check that the proposed mechanism is distinguishable, i.e., no other model with a different structure exhibits the same input–output behavior for any input as the original. Additionally, the method allowed us to check whether the proposed model is globally identifiable (i.e., whether there is a single set of fit parameters for the model) when analyzed in terms of its impedance response. Thus, our model does not represent a theoretical interpretation of the experimental impedance but rather constitutes the prerequisite to select this type of experiment in order to obtain optimal kinetic identification of the system. Finally, impedance measurements were performed and the results were fitted to the proposed theoretical model in order to obtain the kinetic parameters of the system. The successful application of this approach is exemplified with results obtained for valinomycin–K+ in lipid bilayers supported onto gold substrates, i.e., an arrangement capable of emulating biological membranes. PMID:19669528

21 CFR 870.2750 - Impedance phlebograph.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Impedance phlebograph. 870.2750 Section 870.2750 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES CARDIOVASCULAR DEVICES Cardiovascular Monitoring Devices § 870.2750 Impedance phlebograph...

21 CFR 870.2770 - Impedance plethysmograph.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Impedance plethysmograph. 870.2770 Section 870.2770 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES CARDIOVASCULAR DEVICES Cardiovascular Monitoring Devices § 870.2770 Impedance...

A framework for medical image retrieval using machine learning and statistical similarity matching techniques with relevance feedback.

PubMed

Rahman, Md Mahmudur; Bhattacharya, Prabir; Desai, Bipin C

2007-01-01

A content-based image retrieval (CBIR) framework for diverse collection of medical images of different imaging modalities, anatomic regions with different orientations and biological systems is proposed. Organization of images in such a database (DB) is well defined with predefined semantic categories; hence, it can be useful for category-specific searching. The proposed framework consists of machine learning methods for image prefiltering, similarity matching using statistical distance measures, and a relevance feedback (RF) scheme. To narrow down the semantic gap and increase the retrieval efficiency, we investigate both supervised and unsupervised learning techniques to associate low-level global image features (e.g., color, texture, and edge) in the projected PCA-based eigenspace with their high-level semantic and visual categories. Specially, we explore the use of a probabilistic multiclass support vector machine (SVM) and fuzzy c-mean (FCM) clustering for categorization and prefiltering of images to reduce the search space. A category-specific statistical similarity matching is proposed in a finer level on the prefiltered images. To incorporate a better perception subjectivity, an RF mechanism is also added to update the query parameters dynamically and adjust the proposed matching functions. Experiments are based on a ground-truth DB consisting of 5000 diverse medical images of 20 predefined categories. Analysis of results based on cross-validation (CV) accuracy and precision-recall for image categorization and retrieval is reported. It demonstrates the improvement, effectiveness, and efficiency achieved by the proposed framework.

High input impedance amplifier

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kleinberg, Leonard L.

1995-01-01

High input impedance amplifiers are provided which reduce the input impedance solely to a capacitive reactance, or, in a somewhat more complex design, provide an extremely high essentially infinite, capacitive reactance. In one embodiment, where the input impedance is reduced in essence, to solely a capacitive reactance, an operational amplifier in a follower configuration is driven at its non-inverting input and a resistor with a predetermined magnitude is connected between the inverting and non-inverting inputs. A second embodiment eliminates the capacitance from the input by adding a second stage to the first embodiment. The second stage is a second operational amplifier in a non-inverting gain-stage configuration where the output of the first follower stage drives the non-inverting input of the second stage and the output of the second stage is fed back to the non-inverting input of the first stage through a capacitor of a predetermined magnitude. These amplifiers, while generally useful, are very useful as sensor buffer amplifiers that may eliminate significant sources of error.

LONGITUDINAL IMPEDANCE OF THE SQUID GIANT AXON

PubMed Central

Cole, Kenneth S.; Baker, Richard F.

1941-01-01

Longitudinal alternating current impedance measurements have been made on the squid giant axon over the frequency range from 30 cycles per second to 200 kc. per second. Large sea water electrodes were used and the inter-electrode length was immersed in oil. The impedance at high frequency was approximately as predicted theoretically on the basis of the poorly conducting dielectric characteristics of the membrane previously determined. For the large majority of the axons, the impedance reached a maximum at a low frequency and the reactance then vanished at a frequency between 150 and 300 cycles per second. Below this frequency, the reactance was inductive, reaching a maximum and then approaching zero as the frequency was decreased. The inductive reactance is a property of the axon and requires that it contain an inductive structure. The variation of the impedance with interpolar distance indicates that the inductance is in the membrane. The impedance characteristics of the membrane as calculated from the measured longitudinal impedance of the axon may be expressed by an equivalent membrane circuit containing inductance, capacity, and resistance. For a square centimeter of membrane the capacity of 1 µf with dielectric loss is shunted by the series combination of a resistance of 400 ohms and an inductance of one-fifth henry. PMID:19873252

FDTD modeling of thin impedance sheets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luebbers, Raymond J.; Kunz, Karl S.

1991-01-01

Thin sheets of resistive or dielectric material are commonly encountered in radar cross section calculations. Analysis of such sheets is simplified by using sheet impedances. In this paper it is shown that sheet impedances can be modeled easily and accurately using Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) methods.

A coupled piezoelectric-electromagnetic energy harvesting technique for achieving increased power output through damping matching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Challa, Vinod R.; Prasad, M. G.; Fisher, Frank T.

2009-09-01

Vibration energy harvesting is being pursued as a means to power wireless sensors and ultra-low power autonomous devices. From a design standpoint, matching the electrical damping induced by the energy harvesting mechanism to the mechanical damping in the system is necessary for maximum efficiency. In this work two independent energy harvesting techniques are coupled to provide higher electrical damping within the system. Here the coupled energy harvesting device consists of a primary piezoelectric energy harvesting device to which an electromagnetic component is added to better match the total electrical damping to the mechanical damping in the system. The first coupled device has a resonance frequency of 21.6 Hz and generates a peak power output of ~332 µW, compared to 257 and 244 µW obtained from the optimized, stand-alone piezoelectric and electromagnetic energy harvesting devices, respectively, resulting in a 30% increase in power output. A theoretical model has been developed which closely agrees with the experimental results. A second coupled device, which utilizes the d33 piezoelectric mode, shows a 65% increase in power output in comparison to the corresponding stand-alone, single harvesting mode devices. This work illustrates the design considerations and limitations that one must consider to enhance device performance through the coupling of multiple harvesting mechanisms within a single energy harvesting device.

Determining bonding, thickness, and density via thermal wave impedance NDE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, D. R.

1985-01-01

Bonding, density, and thickness of coatings have a vital effect on their performance in many applications. Pioneering development work on thermal wave nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods during the past 25 years has resulted in an array of useful techniques for performing bonding, density, and thickness measurements in a practical shop environment. The most useful thermal wave methods for this purpose are based on thermal wave surface impedance measurement or scanning. A pulse of heat from either a thermal transducer or a hot gas pulse is projected onto the surface, and the resulting temperature response is analyzed to unfold the bonding, density, and thickness of the coating. An advanced emissivity independent infrared method was applied to detect the temperature response. These methods were recently completely computerized and can automatically provide information on coating quality in near real-time using the proper equipment. Complex shapes such as turbine blades can be scanned. Microscopic inhomogeneities such as microstructural differences and small, normal, isolated voids do not cause problems but are seen as slight differences in the bulk thermal properties. Test objects with rough surfaces can be effectively nondestructively evaluated using proper thermal surface impedance methods. Some of the basic principles involved, as well as metallographic results illustrating the ability of the thermal wave surface impedance method to detect natural nonbonds under a two-layer thermally sprayed coating, will be presented.

Evaluation of Parallel-Element, Variable-Impedance, Broadband Acoustic Liner Concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Michael G.; Howerton, Brian M.; Ayle, Earl

2012-01-01

Recent trends in aircraft engine design have highlighted the need for acoustic liners that provide broadband sound absorption with reduced liner thickness. Three such liner concepts are evaluated using the NASA normal incidence tube. Two concepts employ additive manufacturing techniques to fabricate liners with variable chamber depths. The first relies on scrubbing losses within narrow chambers to provide acoustic resistance necessary for sound absorption. The second employs wide chambers that provide minimal resistance, and relies on a perforated sheet to provide acoustic resistance. The variable-depth chambers used in both concepts result in reactance spectra near zero. The third liner concept employs mesh-caps (resistive sheets) embedded at variable depths within adjacent honeycomb chambers to achieve a desired impedance spectrum. Each of these liner concepts is suitable for use as a broadband sound absorber design, and a transmission line model is presented that provides good comparison with their respective acoustic impedance spectra. This model can therefore be used to design acoustic liners to accurately achieve selected impedance spectra. Finally, the effects of increasing the perforated facesheet thickness are demonstrated, and the validity of prediction models based on lumped element and wave propagation approaches is investigated. The lumped element model compares favorably with measured results for liners with thin facesheets, but the wave propagation model provides good comparisons for a wide range of facesheet thicknesses.

Study of the Dynamics of Transcephalic Cerebral Impedance Data during Cardio-Vascular Surgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atefi, S. R.; Seoane, F.; Lindecrantz, K.

2013-04-01

Postoperative neurological deficits are one of the risks associated with cardio vascular surgery, necessitating development of new techniques for cerebral monitoring. In this study an experimental observation regarding the dynamics of transcephalic Electrical Bioimpedance (EBI) in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with and without extracorporeal circulation (ECC) was conducted to investigate the potential use of electrical Bioimpedance for cerebral monitoring in cardio vascular surgery. Tetrapolar transcephalic EBI measurements at single frequency of 50 kHz were recorded prior to and during cardio vascular surgery. The obtained results show that the transcephalic impedance decreases in both groups of patients as operation starts, however slight differences in these two groups were also observed with the cerebral impedance reduction in patients having no ECC being less common and not as pronounced as in the ECC group. Changes in the cerebral impedance were in agreement with changes of haematocrit and temperature. The origin of EBI changes is still unexplained however these results encourage us to continue investigating the application of electrical bioimpedance cerebral monitoring clinically.

Use of Electrical Impedance Tomography to Monitor Regional Cerebral Edema during Clinical Dehydration Treatment

PubMed Central

Hu, Shi-Jie; Li, Xia; Xu, Can-Hua; Wang, Bing; Yang, Bin; Tang, Meng-Xing; Dong, Xiu-Zhen; Fei, Zhou; Shi, Xue-Tao

2014-01-01

Objective Variations of conductive fluid content in brain tissue (e.g. cerebral edema) change tissue impedance and can potentially be measured by Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT), an emerging medical imaging technique. The objective of this work is to establish the feasibility of using EIT as an imaging tool for monitoring brain fluid content. Design a prospective study. Setting In this study EIT was used, for the first time, to monitor variations in cerebral fluid content in a clinical model with patients undergoing clinical dehydration treatment. The EIT system was developed in house and its imaging sensitivity and spatial resolution were evaluated on a saline-filled tank. Patients 23 patients with brain edema. Interventions The patients were continuously imaged by EIT for two hours after initiation of dehydration treatment using 0.5 g/kg intravenous infusion of mannitol for 20 minutes. Measurement and Main Results Overall impedance across the brain increased significantly before and after mannitol dehydration treatment (p = 0.0027). Of the all 23 patients, 14 showed high-level impedance increase and maintained this around 4 hours after the dehydration treatment whereas the other 9 also showed great impedance gain during the treatment but it gradually decreased after the treatment. Further analysis of the regions of interest in the EIT images revealed that diseased regions, identified on corresponding CT images, showed significantly less impedance changes than normal regions during the monitoring period, indicating variations in different patients' responses to such treatment. Conclusions EIT shows potential promise as an imaging tool for real-time and non-invasive monitoring of brain edema patients. PMID:25474474

Design and test of voltage and current probes for EAST ICRF antenna impedance measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jianhua, WANG; Gen, CHEN; Yanping, ZHAO; Yuzhou, MAO; Shuai, YUAN; Xinjun, ZHANG; Hua, YANG; Chengming, QIN; Yan, CHENG; Yuqing, YANG; Guillaume, URBANCZYK; Lunan, LIU; Jian, CHENG

2018-04-01

On the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak (EAST), a pair of voltage and current probes (V/I probes) is installed on the ion cyclotron radio frequency transmission lines to measure the antenna input impedance, and supplement the conventional measurement technique based on voltage probe arrays. The coupling coefficients of V/I probes are sensitive to their sizes and installing locations, thus they should be determined properly to match the measurement range of data acquisition card. The V/I probes are tested in a testing platform at low power with various artificial loads. The testing results show that the deviation of coupling resistance is small for loads R L > 2.5 Ω, while the resistance deviations appear large for loads R L < 1.5 Ω, which implies that the power loss cannot be neglected at high VSWR. As the factors that give rise to the deviation of coupling resistance calculation, the phase measurement error is the more significant factor leads to deleterious results rather than the amplitude measurement error. To exclude the possible ingredients that may lead to phase measurement error, the phase detector can be calibrated in steady L-mode scenario and then use the calibrated data for calculation under H-mode cases in EAST experiments.

In vitro analysis of various cell lines responses to electroporative electric pulses by means of electrical impedance spectroscopy.

PubMed

García-Sánchez, Tomás; Bragós, Ramon; Mir, Lluis M

2018-06-07

This paper reports the comparative analysis, by means of electric impedance spectroscopy measurements, of three different cell lines subjected to electroporative pulses. The multifrequency information is recorded simultaneously at 21 frequency values in the range between 5 kHz and 1.3 MHz using a multisine based measuring approach. The analysis of the pre-electroporation impedance spectra shows how the system is able to detect differences and similarities between the cell lines under analysis. Particularly, a good agreement is found between the average cell diameter and the characteristic frequency (the frequency corresponding to a maximum in the imaginary part of the impedance). The measurements performed during electroporation at three different electric field intensities show how the impedance spectra changes dynamically between the consecutive pulses of a train of 8,100 µs pulses delivered at 1 Hz repetition rate. There are clear differences between the changes in the impedance measured at low and high frequency. The multifrequency information has been fitted to an electrical equivalent model in order to understand the different contributions in the observed impedance changes (mainly separate between membrane permeabilization and the conductivity changes in the extracellular medium). Finally, a ratio of the low and high frequency impedance information is used to estimate the accumulated impedance decay and to compare it to the internalization of a fluorescent permeabilization reporter. The comparison between both techniques at the three electroporation electric field intensities assayed confirms the ability of impedance measurements to detect in a precise way the level of membrane permeabilization. Additionally, this study demonstrates how the real time information obtained thanks to impedance measurements can provide a more precise quantification of the membrane permeabilization extent. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impedances of the ear estimated with intracochlear pressures in normal human temporal bones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frear, Darcy; Guan, Xiying; Stieger, Christof; Nakajima, Hideko Heidi

2018-05-01

We have measured intracochlear pressures and velocities of stapes and round window (RW) evoked by air conduction (AC) stimulation in many fresh human cadaveric specimens. Our techniques have improved through the years to ensure reliable pressure sensor measurements in the scala vestibuli and scala tympani. Using these measurements, we have calculated impedances of the middle and inner ear (cochlear partition, RW, and physiological leakage impedance in scala vestibuli) to create a lumped element model. Our model simulates our data and allows us to understand the mechanisms involved in air-conducted sound transmission. In the future this model will be used as a tool to understand transmission mechanisms of various stimuli and to help create more sophisticated models of the ear.

Assessment of alterations in the electrical impedance of muscle after experimental nerve injury via finite-element analysis.

PubMed

Wang, Lucy L; Ahad, Mohammad; McEwan, Alistair; Li, Jia; Jafarpoor, Mina; Rutkove, Seward B

2011-06-01

The surface measurement of electrical impedance of muscle, incorporated as the technique of electrical impedance myography (EIM), provides a noninvasive approach for evaluating neuromuscular diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. However, the relationship between alterations in surface impedance and the electrical properties of muscle remains uncertain. In order to investigate this further, a group of healthy adult rats, a group of rats two weeks postsciatic crush, and a group of animals six months postcrush underwent EIM of the gastrocnemius-soleus complex. The animals were then killed and the conductivity and permittivity of the extracted muscle measured. Finite-element models based on MRI data were then constructed for each group. The characteristic EIM parameter, 50 kHz phase (±standard error), obtained with surface impedance measurements was 17.3° ± 0.3° for normal animals, 13.8° ± 0.7° for acutely injured animals, and 16.1° ± 0.5° for chronically injured animals. The models predicted parallel changes with phase values of 24.3°, 18.8°, and 21.2° for the normal, acute, and chronic groups, respectively. Other multifrequency impedance parameters showed similar alterations. These results confirm that surface impedance measurements taken in conjunction with anatomical data and finite-element models may offer a noninvasive approach for assessing biophysical alterations in muscle in neuromuscular disease states.

Sensitivity analyses of acoustic impedance inversion with full-waveform inversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Gang; da Silva, Nuno V.; Wu, Di

2018-04-01

Acoustic impedance estimation has a significant importance to seismic exploration. In this paper, we use full-waveform inversion to recover the impedance from seismic data, and analyze the sensitivity of the acoustic impedance with respect to the source-receiver offset of seismic data and to the initial velocity model. We parameterize the acoustic wave equation with velocity and impedance, and demonstrate three key aspects of acoustic impedance inversion. First, short-offset data are most suitable for acoustic impedance inversion. Second, acoustic impedance inversion is more compatible with the data generated by density contrasts than velocity contrasts. Finally, acoustic impedance inversion requires the starting velocity model to be very accurate for achieving a high-quality inversion. Based upon these observations, we propose a workflow for acoustic impedance inversion as: (1) building a background velocity model with travel-time tomography or reflection waveform inversion; (2) recovering the intermediate wavelength components of the velocity model with full-waveform inversion constrained by Gardner’s relation; (3) inverting the high-resolution acoustic impedance model with short-offset data through full-waveform inversion. We verify this workflow by the synthetic tests based on the Marmousi model.

Lattice-Matched p-GaAsSb/n-InP Backward Diodes Operating at Zero Bias for Millimeter-Wave Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takahashi, Tsuyoshi; Sato, Masaru; Nakasha, Yasuhiro; Hara, Naoki

2012-09-01

Backward diodes consisting of a heterojunction of p-GaAs0.51Sb0.49/n-InP, which was lattice matched to an InP substrate, were fabricated for the first time and investigated for their characteristics. The lattice-matched heterojunction is effective in preventing surface defects after crystal growth of the diodes. The backward diodes indicated a curvature coefficient of -17.6 V-1, which is sufficiently large for zero-bias operation. Voltage sensitivity of 338 V/W was obtained at 94 GHz by use of the circular mesa diode of 2.0 µm diameter. Optimum voltage sensitivity of 1603 V/W was estimated when the input impedance was completely matched with the diodes.

Two-qubit gates and coupling with low-impedance flux qubits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chow, Jerry; Corcoles, Antonio; Rigetti, Chad; Rozen, Jim; Keefe, George; Rothwell, Mary-Beth; Rohrs, John; Borstelmann, Mark; Divincenzo, David; Ketchen, Mark; Steffen, Matthias

2011-03-01

We experimentally demonstrate the coupling of two low-impedance flux qubits mediated via a transmission line resonator. We explore the viability of experimental coupling protocols which involve selective microwave driving on the qubits independently as well as fast frequency tuning through on-chip flux-bias. Pulse-shaping techniques for single-qubit and two-qubit gates are employed for reducing unwanted leakage and phase errors. A joint readout through the transmission line resonator is used for characterizing single-qubit and two-qubit states.

Impedance measurements for detecting pathogens attached to antibodies

DOEpatents

Miles, Robin R.; Venkateswaran, Kodumudi S.; Fuller, Christopher K.

2004-12-28

The use of impedance measurements to detect the presence of pathogens attached to antibody-coated beads. In a fluidic device antibodies are immobilized on a surface of a patterned interdigitated electrode. Pathogens in a sample fluid streaming past the electrode attach to the immobilized antibodies, which produces a change in impedance between two adjacent electrodes, which impedance change is measured and used to detect the presence of a pathogen. To amplify the signal, beads coated with antibodies are introduced and the beads would stick to the pathogen causing a greater change in impedance between the two adjacent electrodes.

Impedance of Barrier-Type Oxide Layer on Aluminum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Han-Jun; Kim, Jung-Gu; Jeong, Yong-Soo; Chi, Choong-Soo

2000-12-01

The impedance characteristics of barrier-type oxide layers on aluminum was studied using impedance spectroscopy. Since anodic films on Al have a variable stoichiometry with a gradual reduction of oxygen deficiency towards the oxide-electrolyte interface, the interpretation of impedance spectra for oxide layers is complex and the impedance of surface layers differs from those of ideal capacitors. This frequency response of the layer with conductance gradients cannot be described by a single resistance-capacitance (RC) element. The oxide layers of Al are properly described by the Young model of dielectric constant with a vertical decay of conductivity.

Mechanical impedance measurements for improved cost-effective process monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clopet, Caroline R.; Pullen, Deborah A.; Badcock, Rodney A.; Ralph, Brian; Fernando, Gerard F.; Mahon, Steve W.

1999-06-01

The aerospace industry has seen a considerably growth in composite usage over the past ten years, especially with the development of cost effective manufacturing techniques such as Resin Transfer Molding and Resin Infusion under Flexible Tooling. The relatively high cost of raw material and conservative processing schedules has limited their growth further in non-aerospace technologies. In-situ process monitoring has been explored for some time as a means to improving the cost efficiency of manufacturing with dielectric spectroscopy and optical fiber sensors being the two primary techniques developed to date. A new emerging technique is discussed here making use of piezoelectric wafers with the ability to sense not only aspects of resin flow but also to detect the change in properties of the resin as it cures. Experimental investigations to date have shown a correlation between mechanical impedance measurements and the mechanical properties of cured epoxy systems with potential for full process monitoring.

Gynecologic electrical impedance tomograph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korjenevsky, A.; Cherepenin, V.; Trokhanova, O.; Tuykin, T.

2010-04-01

Electrical impedance tomography extends to the new and new areas of the medical diagnostics: lungs, breast, prostate, etc. The feedback from the doctors who use our breast EIT diagnostic system has induced us to develop the 3D electrical impedance imaging device for diagnostics of the cervix of the uterus - gynecologic impedance tomograph (GIT). The device uses the same measuring approach as the breast imaging system: 2D flat array of the electrodes arranged on the probe with handle is placed against the body. Each of the 32 electrodes of the array is connected in turn to the current source while the rest electrodes acquire the potentials on the surface. The current flows through the electrode of the array and returns through the remote electrode placed on the patient's limb. The voltages are measured relative to another remote electrode. The 3D backprojection along equipotential surfaces is used to reconstruct conductivity distribution up to approximately 1 cm in depth. Small number of electrodes enables us to implement real time imaging with a few frames per sec. rate. The device is under initial testing and evaluation of the imaging capabilities and suitability of usage.

Group Matching: Is This a Research Technique to Be Avoided?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Donald C.; Klein, Donald F.

1988-01-01

The variance of the sample difference and the power of the "F" test for mean differences were studied under group matching on covariates and also under random assignment. Results shed light on systematic assignment procedures advocated to provide more precise estimates of treatment effects than simple random assignment. (TJH)

Computer Simulation and New Ways of Creating Matched-Guise Techniques

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connor, Robert T.

2008-01-01

Matched-guise experiments have passed their 40th year as a powerful attitudinal research tool, and they are becoming more relevant and useful as technology is applied to language research. Combining the specificity of conversation analysis with the generalizability of social psychology research, technological innovations allow the measurement of…

Impact of eating and drinking on body composition measurements by bioelectrical impedance.

PubMed

Androutsos, O; Gerasimidis, K; Karanikolou, A; Reilly, J J; Edwards, C A

2015-04-01

Bioelectrical impedance analysis would be a more practical tool to measure body composition in clinical settings, dietetic practice and epidemiological studies if patients/subjects did not have to fast before measurements. The present study assessed whether the ingestion of food or drink had any biologically significant effect on bioimpedance measurements and body composition by the foot-to-foot method. Fifty-five healthy adults [30 males and 25 females; mean (SD) age 27.7 (7.1) years; mean (SD)body mass index 24 (3.8) kg m(-2)] were randomly assigned to a 2-day food trial (high-fat meal or high-carbohydrate meal) or a 2-day drink trial (water or high electrolyte drink). Body composition measurements were carried out in the fasting state, immediately after meal consumption and every 30 min for 2 h by the foot-to-foot single frequency bioimpedance technique. Bioimpedance increased significantly after the ingestion of food and fluid, although the changes were small. The electrolyte drink, high-fat and high-carbohydrate meals significantly increased the percentage body fat and fat mass. In all cases, the median percentage changes from baseline were approximately 1% in body fat percentage units. Although there were statistically significant changes in body composition estimates after food or drink consumption, these were small and within the imprecision of the impedance technique, and so are unlikely to be of clinical significance. The present study suggests that impedance measures of body fatness in clinical settings do not require strict adherence to fasting, and this should increase the opportunities for clinical application. © 2014 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

Magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography (MREIT): simulation study of J-substitution algorithm.

PubMed

Kwon, Ohin; Woo, Eung Je; Yoon, Jeong-Rock; Seo, Jin Keun

2002-02-01

We developed a new image reconstruction algorithm for magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography (MREIT). MREIT is a new EIT imaging technique integrated into magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. Based on the assumption that internal current density distribution is obtained using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique, the new image reconstruction algorithm called J-substitution algorithm produces cross-sectional static images of resistivity (or conductivity) distributions. Computer simulations show that the spatial resolution of resistivity image is comparable to that of MRI. MREIT provides accurate high-resolution cross-sectional resistivity images making resistivity values of various human tissues available for many biomedical applications.

[Research on Detection Method with Wearable Respiration Device Based on the Theory of Bio-impedance].

PubMed

Liu, Guangda; Wang, Xianzhong; Cai, Jing; Wang, Wei; Zha, Yutong

2016-12-01

Considering the importance of the human respiratory signal detection and based on the Cole-Cole bio-impedance model,we developed a wearable device for detecting human respiratory signal.The device can be used to analyze the impedance characteristics of human body at different frequencies based on the bio-impedance theory.The device is also based on the method of proportion measurement to design a high signal to noise ratio(SNR)circuit to get human respiratory signal.In order to obtain the waveform of the respiratory signal and the value of the respiration rate,we used the techniques of discrete Fourier transform(DFT)and dynamic difference threshold peak detection.Experiments showed that this system was valid,and we could see that it could accurately detect the waveform of respiration and the detection accuracy rate of respiratory wave peak point detection results was over 98%.So it can meet the needs of the actual breath test.

Prediction of lamb carcass composition by impedance spectroscopy.

PubMed

Altmann, M; Pliquett, U; Suess, R; von Borell, E

2004-03-01

The objective of this study was to compare impedance spectroscopy with resistance measurements at a single frequency (50 kHz) for the prediction of lamb carcass composition. The impedance spectrum is usually recorded by measuring the complex impedance at various frequencies (frequency domain); however, in this study, we also applied the faster and simpler measurement in the time domain (application of a current step and measurement of the voltage response). The study was carried out on 24 male, German Black-headed Mutton lambs with an average BW of 45 kg. Frequency- and time domain-based impedance measurements were collected at 20 min and 24 h postmortem with different electrode placements. Real and imaginary parts at various frequencies were calculated from the locus diagram. Left sides were dissected into lean, fat, and bone, and right sides were ground to determine actual carcass composition. Crude fat, crude protein, and moisture were chemically analyzed on ground samples. Frequency- and time domain-based measurements did not provide the same absolute impedance values; however, the high correlations (P < 0.001) between these methods for the "real parts" showed that they ranked individuals in the same order. Most of the time domain data correlated higher to carcass composition than did the frequency domain data. The real parts of impedance showed correlations between -0.37 (P > 0.05) and -0.74 (P < 0.001) to water, crude fat, lean, and fatty tissue, whereas the relations to CP were much lower (from 0.00 to -0.47, P < 0.05). Electrode placements at different locations did not substantially improve the correlations with carcass composition. The "imaginary parts" of impedance were not suitable for the prediction of carcass composition. The highest accuracy (R2 = 0.66) was reached for the estimation of crude fat percentage by a regression equation with the time domain-based impedance measured at 24 h postmortem. Furthermore, there was not a clear superiority of

Wavelet-based multiscale analysis of bioimpedance data measured by electric cell-substrate impedance sensing for classification of cancerous and normal cells.

PubMed

Das, Debanjan; Shiladitya, Kumar; Biswas, Karabi; Dutta, Pranab Kumar; Parekh, Aditya; Mandal, Mahitosh; Das, Soumen

2015-12-01

The paper presents a study to differentiate normal and cancerous cells using label-free bioimpedance signal measured by electric cell-substrate impedance sensing. The real-time-measured bioimpedance data of human breast cancer cells and human epithelial normal cells employs fluctuations of impedance value due to cellular micromotions resulting from dynamic structural rearrangement of membrane protrusions under nonagitated condition. Here, a wavelet-based multiscale quantitative analysis technique has been applied to analyze the fluctuations in bioimpedance. The study demonstrates a method to classify cancerous and normal cells from the signature of their impedance fluctuations. The fluctuations associated with cellular micromotion are quantified in terms of cellular energy, cellular power dissipation, and cellular moments. The cellular energy and power dissipation are found higher for cancerous cells associated with higher micromotions in cancer cells. The initial study suggests that proposed wavelet-based quantitative technique promises to be an effective method to analyze real-time bioimpedance signal for distinguishing cancer and normal cells.

Towards the development of a wearable Electrical Impedance Tomography system: A study about the suitability of a low power bioimpedance front-end.

PubMed

Menolotto, Matteo; Rossi, Stefano; Dario, Paolo; Della Torre, Luigi

2015-01-01

Wearable systems for remote monitoring of physiological parameter are ready to evolve towards wearable imaging systems. The Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) allows the non-invasive investigation of the internal body structure. The characteristics of this low-resolution and low-cost technique match perfectly with the concept of a wearable imaging device. On the other hand low power consumption, which is a mandatory requirement for wearable systems, is not usually discussed for standard EIT applications. In this work a previously developed low power architecture for a wearable bioimpedance sensor is applied to EIT acquisition and reconstruction, to evaluate the impact on the image of the limited signal to noise ratio (SNR), caused by low power design. Some anatomical models of the chest, with increasing geometric complexity, were developed, in order to evaluate and calibrate, through simulations, the parameters of the reconstruction algorithms provided by Electrical Impedance Diffuse Optical Reconstruction Software (EIDORS) project. The simulation results were compared with experimental measurements taken with our bioimpedance device on a phantom reproducing chest tissues properties. The comparison was both qualitative and quantitative through the application of suitable figures of merit; in this way the impact of the noise of the low power front-end on the image quality was assessed. The comparison between simulation and measurement results demonstrated that, despite the limited SNR, the device is accurate enough to be used for the development of an EIT based imaging wearable system.

Time-Domain Impedance Boundary Conditions for Computational Aeroacoustics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tam, Christopher K. W.; Auriault, Laurent

1996-01-01

It is an accepted practice in aeroacoustics to characterize the properties of an acoustically treated surface by a quantity known as impedance. Impedance is a complex quantity. As such, it is designed primarily for frequency-domain analysis. Time-domain boundary conditions that are the equivalent of the frequency-domain impedance boundary condition are proposed. Both single frequency and model broadband time-domain impedance boundary conditions are provided. It is shown that the proposed boundary conditions, together with the linearized Euler equations, form well-posed initial boundary value problems. Unlike ill-posed problems, they are free from spurious instabilities that would render time-marching computational solutions impossible.

Top-k similar graph matching using TraM in biological networks.

PubMed

Amin, Mohammad Shafkat; Finley, Russell L; Jamil, Hasan M

2012-01-01

Many emerging database applications entail sophisticated graph-based query manipulation, predominantly evident in large-scale scientific applications. To access the information embedded in graphs, efficient graph matching tools and algorithms have become of prime importance. Although the prohibitively expensive time complexity associated with exact subgraph isomorphism techniques has limited its efficacy in the application domain, approximate yet efficient graph matching techniques have received much attention due to their pragmatic applicability. Since public domain databases are noisy and incomplete in nature, inexact graph matching techniques have proven to be more promising in terms of inferring knowledge from numerous structural data repositories. In this paper, we propose a novel technique called TraM for approximate graph matching that off-loads a significant amount of its processing on to the database making the approach viable for large graphs. Moreover, the vector space embedding of the graphs and efficient filtration of the search space enables computation of approximate graph similarity at a throw-away cost. We annotate nodes of the query graphs by means of their global topological properties and compare them with neighborhood biased segments of the datagraph for proper matches. We have conducted experiments on several real data sets, and have demonstrated the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed method

Oesophageal intraluminal impedance can identify subtle bolus transit abnormalities in patients with mild oesophagitis.

PubMed

Sifrim, Daniel; Tutuian, Radu

2005-03-01

In a subgroup of patients with non-erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD) or mild oesophagitis, acid clearance is prolonged in spite of favourable gravity and normal or minimally impaired oesophageal peristalsis. Dysphagia is rare in this group but might also be present or develop after anti-reflux surgery. The causal relationship between prolonged clearance or dysphagia and oesophageal body dysmotility in these patients is not completely clear. New techniques are now available to assess oesophageal motility and transit and might help to detect more subtle defects underlying functional impairment in patients with GORD. Combined video-fluoroscopy and intraluminal impedance indicate an excellent correlation between both methods in detecting oesophageal bolus transit. Combined intraluminal impedance and manometry has the capability to evaluate oesophageal contractions and bolus transit without the use of radiation. Subtle bolus transit abnormalities were identified in a small proportion of patients with mild oesophagits and normal oesophageal peristalsis. Outcome data are needed to evaluate the prognostic value of combined manometry-impedance in patients with GORD undergoing anti-reflux surgery.

Impedance properties of circular microstrip antenna

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deshpande, M. D.; Bailey, M. C.

1983-01-01

A moment method solution to the input impedance of a circular microstrip antenna excited by either a microstrip feed or a coaxial probe is presented. Using the exact dyadic Green's function and the Fourier transform the problem is formulated in terms of Richmond's reaction integral equation from which the unknown patch current can be solved for. The patch current is expanded in terms of regular surface patch modes and an attachment mode (for probe excited case) which insures continuity of the current at probe/patch junction, proper polarization and p-dependance of patch current in the vicinity of the probe. The input impedance of a circular microstrip antenna is computed and compared with earlier results. Effect of attachment mode on the input impedance is also discussed.

Electromechanical Impedance Response of a Cracked Timoshenko Beam

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yuxiang; Xu, Fuhou; Chen, Jiazhao; Wu, Cuiqin; Wen, Dongdong

2011-01-01

Typically, the Electromechanical Impedance (EMI) technique does not use an analytical model for basic damage identification. However, an accurate model is necessary for getting more information about any damage. In this paper, an EMI model is presented for predicting the electromechanical impedance of a cracked beam structure quantitatively. A coupled system of a cracked Timoshenko beam with a pair of PZT patches bonded on the top and bottom surfaces has been considered, where the bonding layers are assumed as a Kelvin-Voigt material. The shear lag model is introduced to describe the load transfer between the PZT patches and the beam structure. The beam crack is simulated as a massless torsional spring; the dynamic equations of the coupled system are derived, which include the crack information and the inertial forces of both PZT patches and adhesive layers. According to the boundary conditions and continuity conditions, the analytical expression of the admittance of PZT patch is obtained. In the case study, the influences of crack and the inertial forces of PZT patches are analyzed. The results show that: (1) the inertial forces affects significantly in high frequency band; and (2) the use of appropriate frequency range can improve the accuracy of damage identification. PMID:22164017

Simultaneous backward data transmission and power harvesting in an ultrasonic transcutaneous energy transfer link employing acoustically dependent electric impedance modulation.

PubMed

Ozeri, Shaul; Shmilovitz, Doron

2014-09-01

The advancement and miniaturization of body implanted medical devices pose several challenges to Ultrasonic Transcutaneous Energy Transfer (UTET), such as the need to reduce the size of the piezoelectric resonator, and the need to maximize the UTET link power-transfer efficiency. Accordingly, the same piezoelectric resonator that is used for energy harvesting at the body implant, may also be used for ultrasonic backward data transfer, for instance, through impedance modulation. This paper presents physical considerations and design guidelines of the body implanted transducer of a UTET link with impedance modulation for a backward data transfer. The acoustic matching design procedure was based on the 2×2 transfer matrix chain analysis, in addition to the Krimholtz Leedom and Matthaei KLM transmission line model. The UTET power transfer was carried out at a frequency of 765 kHz, continuous wave (CW) mode. The backward data transfer was attained by inserting a 9% load resistance variation around its matched value (550 Ohm), resulting in a 12% increase in the acoustic reflection coefficient. A backward data transmission rate of 1200 bits/s was experimentally demonstrated using amplitude shift keying, simultaneously with an acoustic power transfer of 20 mW to the implant. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Interdependence, Reflexivity, Fidelity, Impedance Matching, and the Evolution of Genetic Coding

PubMed Central

Carter, Charles W; Wills, Peter R

2018-01-01

Abstract Genetic coding is generally thought to have required ribozymes whose functions were taken over by polypeptide aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRS). Two discoveries about aaRS and their interactions with tRNA substrates now furnish a unifying rationale for the opposite conclusion: that the key processes of the Central Dogma of molecular biology emerged simultaneously and naturally from simple origins in a peptide•RNA partnership, eliminating the epistemological utility of a prior RNA world. First, the two aaRS classes likely arose from opposite strands of the same ancestral gene, implying a simple genetic alphabet. The resulting inversion symmetries in aaRS structural biology would have stabilized the initial and subsequent differentiation of coding specificities, rapidly promoting diversity in the proteome. Second, amino acid physical chemistry maps onto tRNA identity elements, establishing reflexive, nanoenvironmental sensing in protein aaRS. Bootstrapping of increasingly detailed coding is thus intrinsic to polypeptide aaRS, but impossible in an RNA world. These notions underline the following concepts that contradict gradual replacement of ribozymal aaRS by polypeptide aaRS: 1) aaRS enzymes must be interdependent; 2) reflexivity intrinsic to polypeptide aaRS production dynamics promotes bootstrapping; 3) takeover of RNA-catalyzed aminoacylation by enzymes will necessarily degrade specificity; and 4) the Central Dogma’s emergence is most probable when replication and translation error rates remain comparable. These characteristics are necessary and sufficient for the essentially de novo emergence of a coupled gene–replicase–translatase system of genetic coding that would have continuously preserved the functional meaning of genetically encoded protein genes whose phylogenetic relationships match those observed today. PMID:29077934

Unexpected surface implanted layer in static random access memory devices observed by microwave impedance microscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kundhikanjana, W.; Yang, Y.; Tanga, Q.; Zhang, K.; Lai, K.; Ma, Y.; Kelly, M. A.; Li, X. X.; Shen, Z.-X.

2013-02-01

Real-space mapping of doping concentration in semiconductor devices is of great importance for the microelectronics industry. In this work, a scanning microwave impedance microscope (MIM) is employed to resolve the local conductivity distribution of a static random access memory sample. The MIM electronics can also be adjusted to the scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM) mode, allowing both measurements on the same region. Interestingly, while the conventional SCM images match the nominal device structure, the MIM results display certain unexpected features, which originate from a thin layer of the dopant ions penetrating through the protective layers during the heavy implantation steps.

Determination of electrical properties of degraded mixed ionic conductors: Impedance studies with applied dc voltage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayer, T. J. M.; Carter, J. J.; Wang, Jian-Jun; Klein, Andreas; Chen, Long-Qing; Randall, C. A.

2017-12-01

Under electrical bias, mixed ionic conductors such as SrTiO3 are characterized by oxygen vacancy migration which leads to resistance degradation. The defect chemistry to describe the relationship between conductivity and oxygen vacancies is usually obtained by high temperature conductivity data or quenching experiments. These techniques can investigate the equilibrated state only. Here, we introduce a new approach using in-situ impedance studies with applied dc voltage to analyze the temperature dependent electrical properties of degraded SrTiO3 single crystals. This procedure is most beneficial since it includes electric field driven effects. The benefits of the approach are highlighted by comparing acceptor doped and undoped SrTiO3. This approach allows the determination of the temperature activation of both anodic and cathodic conductivity of Fe-doped SrTiO3 in the degraded state. The anodic activation energy matches well with the published results, while the activation energy of the degraded cathode region reported here is not in agreement with earlier assumptions. The specific discrepancies of the experimental data and the published defect chemistry are discussed, and a defect chemistry model that includes the strong temperature dependence of the electron conductivity in the cathode region is proposed.

Possibilities of electrical impedance tomography in gynecology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

V, Trokhanova O.; A, Chijova Y.; B, Okhapkin M.; V, Korjenevsky A.; S, Tuykin T.

2013-04-01

The paper describes results of comprehensive EIT diagnostics of mammary glands and cervix. The data were obtained from examinations of 170 patients by EIT system MEM (multi-frequency electrical impedance mammograph) and EIT system GIT (gynecological impedance tomograph). Mutual dependence is discussed.

In-field implementation of impedance-based structural health monitoring for insulated rail joints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albakri, Mohammad I.; Malladi, V. V. N. Sriram; Woolard, Americo G.; Tarazaga, Pablo A.

2017-04-01

Track defects are a major safety concern for the railroad industry. Among different track components, insulated rail joints, which are widely used for signaling purposes, are considered a weak link in the railroad track. Several joint-related defects have been identified by the railroad community, including rail wear, torque loss, and joint bar breakage. Current track inspection techniques rely on manual and visual inspection or on specially equipped testing carts, which are costly, timeconsuming, traffic disturbing, and prone to human error. To overcome the aforementioned limitations, the feasibility of utilizing impedance-based structural health monitoring for insulated rail joints is investigated in this work. For this purpose, an insulated joint, provided by Koppers Inc., is instrumented with piezoelectric transducers and assembled with 136 AREA rail plugs. The instrumented joint is then installed and tested at the Facility for Accelerated Service Testing, Transportation Technology Center Inc. The effects of environmental and operating conditions on the measured impedance signatures are investigated through a set of experiments conducted at different temperatures and loading conditions. The capabilities of impedance-based SHM to detect several joint-related damage types are also studied by introducing reversible mechanical defects to different joint components.

Estimation of anomaly location and size using electrical impedance tomography.

PubMed

Kwon, Ohin; Yoon, Jeong Rock; Seo, Jin Keun; Woo, Eung Je; Cho, Young Gu

2003-01-01

We developed a new algorithm that estimates locations and sizes of anomalies in electrically conducting medium based on electrical impedance tomography (EIT) technique. When only the boundary current and voltage measurements are available, it is not practically feasible to reconstruct accurate high-resolution cross-sectional conductivity or resistivity images of a subject. In this paper, we focus our attention on the estimation of locations and sizes of anomalies with different conductivity values compared with the background tissues. We showed the performance of the algorithm from experimental results using a 32-channel EIT system and saline phantom. With about 1.73% measurement error in boundary current-voltage data, we found that the minimal size (area) of the detectable anomaly is about 0.72% of the size (area) of the phantom. Potential applications include the monitoring of impedance related physiological events and bubble detection in two-phase flow. Since this new algorithm requires neither any forward solver nor time-consuming minimization process, it is fast enough for various real-time applications in medicine and nondestructive testing.

Acoustic characterisation of liquid foams with an impedance tube.

PubMed

Pierre, Juliette; Guillermic, Reine-Marie; Elias, Florence; Drenckhan, Wiebke; Leroy, Valentin

2013-10-01

Acoustic measurements provide convenient non-invasive means for the characterisation of materials. We show here for the first time how a commercial impedance tube can be used to provide accurate measurements of the velocity and attenuation of acoustic waves in liquid foams, as well as their effective "acoustic" density, over the 0.5-6kHz frequency range. We demonstrate this using two types of liquid foams: a commercial shaving foam and "home-made" foams with well-controlled physico-chemical and structural properties. The sound velocity in the latter foams is found to be independent of the bubble size distribution and is very well described by Wood's law. This implies that the impedance technique may be a convenient way to measure in situ the density of liquid foams. Important questions remain concerning the acoustic attenuation, which is found to be influenced in a currently unpredictible manner by the physico-chemical composition and the bubble size distribution of the characterised foams. We confirm differences in sound velocities in the two types of foams (having the same structural properties) which suggests that the physico-chemical composition of liquid foams has a non-negligible effect on their acoustic properties.

Exploratory study on the methodology of fast imaging of unilateral stroke lesions by electrical impedance asymmetry in human heads.

PubMed

Ma, Jieshi; Xu, Canhua; Dai, Meng; You, Fusheng; Shi, Xuetao; Dong, Xiuzhen; Fu, Feng

2014-01-01

Stroke has a high mortality and disability rate and should be rapidly diagnosed to improve prognosis. Diagnosing stroke is not a problem for hospitals with CT, MRI, and other imaging devices but is difficult for community hospitals without these devices. Based on the mechanism that the electrical impedance of the two hemispheres of a normal human head is basically symmetrical and a stroke can alter this symmetry, a fast electrical impedance imaging method called symmetrical electrical impedance tomography (SEIT) is proposed. In this technique, electrical impedance tomography (EIT) data measured from the undamaged craniocerebral hemisphere (CCH) is regarded as reference data for the remaining EIT data measured from the other CCH for difference imaging to identify the differences in resistivity distribution between the two CCHs. The results of SEIT imaging based on simulation data from the 2D human head finite element model and that from the physical phantom of human head verified this method in detection of unilateral stroke.

Exploratory Study on the Methodology of Fast Imaging of Unilateral Stroke Lesions by Electrical Impedance Asymmetry in Human Heads

PubMed Central

Xu, Canhua; Dai, Meng; You, Fusheng; Shi, Xuetao

2014-01-01

Stroke has a high mortality and disability rate and should be rapidly diagnosed to improve prognosis. Diagnosing stroke is not a problem for hospitals with CT, MRI, and other imaging devices but is difficult for community hospitals without these devices. Based on the mechanism that the electrical impedance of the two hemispheres of a normal human head is basically symmetrical and a stroke can alter this symmetry, a fast electrical impedance imaging method called symmetrical electrical impedance tomography (SEIT) is proposed. In this technique, electrical impedance tomography (EIT) data measured from the undamaged craniocerebral hemisphere (CCH) is regarded as reference data for the remaining EIT data measured from the other CCH for difference imaging to identify the differences in resistivity distribution between the two CCHs. The results of SEIT imaging based on simulation data from the 2D human head finite element model and that from the physical phantom of human head verified this method in detection of unilateral stroke. PMID:25006594

Microelectrical Impedance Spectroscopy for the Differentiation between Normal and Cancerous Human Urothelial Cell Lines: Real-Time Electrical Impedance Measurement at an Optimal Frequency

PubMed Central

Park, Yangkyu; Kim, Hyeon Woo; Yun, Joho; Seo, Seungwan; Park, Chang-Ju; Lee, Jeong Zoo; Lee, Jong-Hyun

2016-01-01

Purpose. To distinguish between normal (SV-HUC-1) and cancerous (TCCSUP) human urothelial cell lines using microelectrical impedance spectroscopy (μEIS). Materials and Methods. Two types of μEIS devices were designed and used in combination to measure the impedance of SV-HUC-1 and TCCSUP cells flowing through the channels of the devices. The first device (μEIS-OF) was designed to determine the optimal frequency at which the impedance of two cell lines is most distinguishable. The μEIS-OF trapped the flowing cells and measured their impedance at a frequency ranging from 5 kHz to 1 MHz. The second device (μEIS-RT) was designed for real-time impedance measurement of the cells at the optimal frequency. The impedance was measured instantaneously as the cells passed the sensing electrodes of μEIS-RT. Results. The optimal frequency, which maximized the average difference of the amplitude and phase angle between the two cell lines (p < 0.001), was determined to be 119 kHz. The real-time impedance of the cell lines was measured at 119 kHz; the two cell lines differed significantly in terms of amplitude and phase angle (p < 0.001). Conclusion. The μEIS-RT can discriminate SV-HUC-1 and TCCSUP cells by measuring the impedance at the optimal frequency determined by the μEIS-OF. PMID:26998490

Detection of Chamber Conditioning Through Optical Emission and Impedance Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cruden, Brett A.; Rao, M. V. V. S.; Sharma, Surendra P.; Meyyappan, Meyya

2001-01-01

During oxide etch processes, buildup of fluorocarbon residues on reactor sidewalls can cause run-to-run drift and will necessitate some time for conditioning and seasoning of the reactor. Though diagnostics can be applied to study and understand these phenomena, many of them are not practical for use in an industrial reactor. For instance, measurements of ion fluxes and energy by mass spectrometry show that the buildup of insulating fluorocarbon films on the reactor surface will cause a shift in both ion energy and current in an argon plasma. However, such a device cannot be easily integrated into a processing system. The shift in ion energy and flux will be accompanied by an increase in the capacitance of the plasma sheath. The shift in sheath capacitance can be easily measured by a common commercially available impedance probe placed on the inductive coil. A buildup of film on the chamber wall is expected to affect the production of fluorocarbon radicals, and thus the presence of such species in the optical emission spectrum of the plasma can be monitored as well. These two techniques are employed on a GEC (Gaseous Electronics Conference) Reference Cell to assess the validity of optical emission and impedance monitoring as a metric of chamber conditioning. These techniques are applied to experimental runs with CHF3 and CHF3/O2/Ar plasmas, with intermediate monitoring of pure argon plasmas as a reference case for chamber conditions.

Clinical implementation of electrical impedance tomography with hyperthermia.

PubMed

Moskowitz, M J; Ryan, T P; Paulsen, K D; Mitchell, S E

1995-01-01

We describe the use of electrical impedance tomography (EIT) for non-invasive thermal imaging in conjunction with a clinical treatment of a superficial scalp lesion utilizing a spiral microstrip antenna. This is our first reported use of EIT with a clinical hyperthermia treatment and perhaps the first world-wide. The thermal measurements recorded during treatment compare favourably with the images reconstructed from impedance data gathered during heating. A linear relation, measured in phantom material, between the change in temperature with the change in reconstructed impedance was assumed. The average discrepancy between the measured temperature changes with the temperatures reconstructed from the impedance changes was 1.4 degrees C, with the maximum being 8.9 degrees C. These preliminary data suggest that impedance changes can be measured during hyperthermia delivery and temperature estimates based on these observed changes are possible in the clinical setting. These findings also point to the complex, yet critical nature of the impedance versus temperature relationship for tissue in vivo. The reconstructed thermal images may provide complementary information about the overall thermal damage imposed during heating. Based on this initial clinical experience we feel that EIT has great potential as a viable clinical aid in imaging the temperature changes imposed during hyperthermia.

Impedance dispersion analysis of drug-membrane interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tacheva, Bilyana; Paarvanova, Boyana; Ivanov, Ivan T.; Karabaliev, Miroslav

2017-11-01

Thin lipid films modified glassy carbon electrodes (GCE) were used in this work as model system for studying the interactions between two antipsychotic phenothiazine drugs, chlorpromazine and thioridazine, and the lipid fraction of the biomembranes. The lipid films on the electrode surface were obtained through the thinning of film-forming lipid solution deposited between an electrolyte phase and the working GC electrode. The effects of the drugs on the lipid film structure were investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). To characterize the electric properties of the lipid film the impedance of the working GCE is modeled with an equivalent circuit consisting of parallel capacitance Cp and resistance Rp. These capacitance and resistance are not frequency independent but could be calculated as equivalent Cp and Rp for each measured frequency of the impedance spectrum and presented as functions of the frequency f, Cp = Cp(f) and Rp= Rp(f). For the lipid films used in this work, it is demonstrated that both Cp(f) and Rp(f) are well approximated with power-law functions. This behavior implies that the impedance Z of the films could be analysed in terms of the well-known constant-phase angle element (CPE), which is often used to describe the interfacial impedance of solid working electrodes.

Impedance matching of a coaxial antenna for microwave in-situ processing of polluted soils.

PubMed

Pauli, Mario; Kayser, Thorsten; Wiesbeck, Werner; Komarov, Vyacheslav

2011-01-01

The present paper is focused on the minimization of return loss of a slotted coaxial radiator proposed for a decontamination system for soils contaminated by volatile or semi-volatile organic compounds such as oils or fuels. The antenna upgrade is achieved by coating it with a 5 mm thick Teflon layer. The electromagnetic characteristics reflection coefficient and power density distribution around the antenna surrounded by soils with different moisture levels are analyzed numerically. Simplified analytical approaches are employed to accelerate the optimization of the given antenna for microwave heating systems. The improved antenna design shows a good matching of the antenna to the surrounding soil with varying moisture levels. This ensures a high efficiency of the proposed in-situ soil decontamination system.

Body Composition of Bangladeshi Children: Comparison and Development of Leg-to-Leg Bioelectrical Impedance Equation

PubMed Central

Khan, I.; Hawlader, Sophie Mohammad Delwer Hossain; Arifeen, Shams El; Moore, Sophie; Hills, Andrew P.; Wells, Jonathan C.; Persson, Lars-Åke; Kabir, Iqbal

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the validity of the Tanita TBF 300A leg-to-leg bioimpedance analyzer for estimating fat-free mass (FFM) in Bangladeshi children aged 4-10 years and to develop novel prediction equations for use in this population, using deuterium dilution as the reference method. Two hundred Bangladeshi children were enrolled. The isotope dilution technique with deuterium oxide was used for estimation of total body water (TBW). FFM estimated by Tanita was compared with results of deuterium oxide dilution technique. Novel prediction equations were created for estimating FFM, using linear regression models, fitting child's height and impedance as predictors. There was a significant difference in FFM and percentage of body fat (BF%) between methods (p<0.01), Tanita underestimating TBW in boys (p=0.001) and underestimating BF% in girls (p<0.001). A basic linear regression model with height and impedance explained 83% of the variance in FFM estimated by deuterium oxide dilution technique. The best-fit equation to predict FFM from linear regression modelling was achieved by adding weight, sex, and age to the basic model, bringing the adjusted R2 to 89% (standard error=0.90, p<0.001). These data suggest Tanita analyzer may be a valid field-assessment technique in Bangladeshi children when using population-specific prediction equations, such as the ones developed here. PMID:23082630

AC impedance investigations of proton conduction in Nafion(sup TM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cahan, B. D.; Wainright, J. S.

1993-12-01

AC impedance spectroscopy has been employed to study the conduction of protons in Nafion 117 polymer electrolyte membrane. Both two- and four-electrode geometries have been used to uniquely distinguish between the membrane impedance and the interfacial impedances. The results show that the impedance of Nafion for frequencies up to 100 kHz is characterized by a pure resistance, similar to conventional liquid electrolytes. The frequency dependent features observed using a two-electrode geometry are shown to be consistent will well-characterized interfacial impedances and do not arise from ionic conduction in the membrane. These results show that previous two-electrode studies reported in the literature have misinterpreted the impedance of the electrode interfaces as belonging to the conduction process in the electrolyte.

Design and operations of a load-tolerant external conjugate-T matching system for the A2 ICRH antennas at JET

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monakhov, I.; Graham, M.; Blackman, T.; Dowson, S.; Durodie, F.; Jacquet, P.; Lehmann, J.; Mayoral, M.-L.; Nightingale, M. P. S.; Noble, C.; Sheikh, H.; Vrancken, M.; Walden, A.; Whitehurst, A.; Wooldridge, E.; Contributors, JET-EFDA

2013-08-01

A load-tolerant external conjugate-T (ECT) impedance matching system for two A2 ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) antennas was successfully put into operation at JET. The system allows continuous injection of the radio-frequency (RF) power into plasma in the presence of strong antenna loading perturbations caused by edge-localized modes (ELMs). Reliable ECT performance was demonstrated under a variety of antenna loading conditions including H-mode plasmas with radial outer gaps (ROGs) in the range 4-14 cm. The high resilience to ELMs predicted during the circuit simulations was fully confirmed experimentally. Dedicated arc-detection techniques and real-time matching algorithms were developed as a part of the ECT project. The new advanced wave amplitude comparison system has proven highly efficient in detection of arcs both between and during ELMs. The ECT system has allowed the delivery of up to 4 MW of RF power without trips into plasmas with type-I ELMs. Together with the 3 dB system and the ITER-like antenna, the ECT has brought the total RF power coupled to ELMy plasma to over 8 MW, considerably enhancing JET research capabilities. This paper provides an overview of the key design features of the ECT system and summarizes the main experimental results achieved so far.

A new isocentric technique for exact geometric matching in the radiotherapy of the breast and ipsilateral supraclavicular fossa using dual asymmetric jaws.

PubMed

Romeo, Nando

2012-10-01

In some clinical situations breast or chest wall radiotherapy for cancer is given in association with supraclavicular fossa irradiation. Often the treatment is delivered by two tangential fields to the breast or chest wall and an anterior field that irradiates the supraclavicular region. The tissue between the breast or chest wall and the supraclavicular region may be under or overdosed, because of the junction between the two tangential fields and the anterior field. To present a new isocentric technique for exact geometric matching between the two tangential fields and the anterior field. Patients are positioned with both arms raised. Using three-dimensional trigonometry, two half-fields, with isocenter between the breast and the supraclavicular region, are easily matched. The tangential fields have a collimator rotation to protect the lung without additional shielding. The correct gantry, collimator and couch positions are defined for the anterior field to match the tangential fields. A general formula for exact geometric matching in radiotherapy of the breast and supraclavicular fossa is presented. The method does not require additional shielding to eliminate divergence other than the four independent jaws. The result is simple to implement in modern delivery facilities. Copyright © 2011 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hybrid-Based Dense Stereo Matching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chuang, T. Y.; Ting, H. W.; Jaw, J. J.

2016-06-01

Stereo matching generating accurate and dense disparity maps is an indispensable technique for 3D exploitation of imagery in the fields of Computer vision and Photogrammetry. Although numerous solutions and advances have been proposed in the literature, occlusions, disparity discontinuities, sparse texture, image distortion, and illumination changes still lead to problematic issues and await better treatment. In this paper, a hybrid-based method based on semi-global matching is presented to tackle the challenges on dense stereo matching. To ease the sensitiveness of SGM cost aggregation towards penalty parameters, a formal way to provide proper penalty estimates is proposed. To this end, the study manipulates a shape-adaptive cross-based matching with an edge constraint to generate an initial disparity map for penalty estimation. Image edges, indicating the potential locations of occlusions as well as disparity discontinuities, are approved by the edge drawing algorithm to ensure the local support regions not to cover significant disparity changes. Besides, an additional penalty parameter 𝑃𝑒 is imposed onto the energy function of SGM cost aggregation to specifically handle edge pixels. Furthermore, the final disparities of edge pixels are found by weighting both values derived from the SGM cost aggregation and the U-SURF matching, providing more reliable estimates at disparity discontinuity areas. Evaluations on Middlebury stereo benchmarks demonstrate satisfactory performance and reveal the potency of the hybrid-based dense stereo matching method.

Large improvement of the electrical impedance of imaging and high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) phased arrays using multilayer piezoelectric ceramics coupled in lateral mode.

PubMed

Song, Junho; Lucht, Benjamin; Hynynen, Kullervo

2012-07-01

With a change in phased-array configuration from one dimension to two, the electrical impedance of the array elements is substantially increased because of their decreased width (w)-to-thickness (t) ratio. The most common way to compensate for this impedance increase is to employ electrical matching circuits at a high cost of fabrication complexity and effort. In this paper, we introduce a multilayer lateral-mode coupling method for phased-array construction. The direct comparison showed that the electrical impedance of a single-layer transducer driven in thickness mode is 1/(n²(1/(w/t))²) times that of an n-layer lateral mode transducer. A large reduction of the electrical impedance showed the impact and benefit of the lateral-mode coupling method. A one-dimensional linear 32-element 770-kHz imaging array and a 42-element 1.45-MHz high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) phased array were fabricated. The averaged electrical impedances of each element were measured to be 58 Ω at the maximum phase angle of -1.2° for the imaging array and 105 Ω at 0° for the HIFU array. The imaging array had a center frequency of 770 kHz with an averaged -6-dB bandwidth of approximately 52%. For the HIFU array, the averaged maximum surface acoustic intensity was measured to be 32.8 W/cm² before failure.

Design of broadband time-domain impedance boundary conditions using the oscillatory-diffusive representation of acoustical models.

PubMed

Monteghetti, Florian; Matignon, Denis; Piot, Estelle; Pascal, Lucas

2016-09-01

A methodology to design broadband time-domain impedance boundary conditions (TDIBCs) from the analysis of acoustical models is presented. The derived TDIBCs are recast exclusively as first-order differential equations, well-suited for high-order numerical simulations. Broadband approximations are yielded from an elementary linear least squares optimization that is, for most models, independent of the absorbing material geometry. This methodology relies on a mathematical technique referred to as the oscillatory-diffusive (or poles and cuts) representation, and is applied to a wide range of acoustical models, drawn from duct acoustics and outdoor sound propagation, which covers perforates, semi-infinite ground layers, as well as cavities filled with a porous medium. It is shown that each of these impedance models leads to a different TDIBC. Comparison with existing numerical models, such as multi-pole or extended Helmholtz resonator, provides insights into their suitability. Additionally, the broadly-applicable fractional polynomial impedance models are analyzed using fractional calculus.

Electrical impedance tomography

PubMed Central

Lobo, Beatriz; Hermosa, Cecilia; Abella, Ana

2018-01-01

Continuous assessment of respiratory status is one of the cornerstones of modern intensive care unit (ICU) monitoring systems. Electrical impedance tomography (EIT), although with some constraints, may play the lead as a new diagnostic and guiding tool for an adequate optimization of mechanical ventilation in critically ill patients. EIT may assist in defining mechanical ventilation settings, assess distribution of tidal volume and of end-expiratory lung volume (EELV) and contribute to titrate positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP)/tidal volume combinations. It may also quantify gains (recruitment) and losses (overdistention or derecruitment), granting a more realistic evaluation of different ventilator modes or recruitment maneuvers, and helping in the identification of responders and non-responders to such maneuvers. Moreover, EIT also contributes to the management of life-threatening lung diseases such as pneumothorax, and aids in guiding fluid management in the critical care setting. Lastly, assessment of cardiac function and lung perfusion through electrical impedance is on the way. PMID:29430443

Improved colour matching technique for fused nighttime imagery with daytime colours

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hogervorst, Maarten A.; Toet, Alexander

2016-10-01

Previously, we presented a method for applying daytime colours to fused nighttime (e.g., intensified and LWIR) imagery (Toet and Hogervorst, Opt.Eng. 51(1), 2012). Our colour mapping not only imparts a natural daylight appearance to multiband nighttime images but also enhances the contrast and visibility of otherwise obscured details. As a result, this colourizing method leads to increased ease of interpretation, better discrimination and identification of materials, faster reaction times and ultimately improved situational awareness (Toet e.a., Opt.Eng.53(4), 2014). A crucial step in this colouring process is the choice of a suitable colour mapping scheme. When daytime colour images and multiband sensor images of the same scene are available the colour mapping can be derived from matching image samples (i.e., by relating colour values to sensor signal intensities). When no exact matching reference images are available the colour transformation can be derived from the first-order statistical properties of the reference image and the multiband sensor image (Toet, Info. Fus. 4(3), 2003). In the current study we investigated new colour fusion schemes that combine the advantages of the both methods, using the correspondence between multiband sensor values and daytime colours (1st method) in a smooth transformation (2nd method). We designed and evaluated three new fusion schemes that focus on: i) a closer match with the daytime luminances, ii) improved saliency of hot targets and iii) improved discriminability of materials

Low RF Reflectivity Spacecraft Thermal Blanket by Using High-Impedance Surface Absorbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costa, F.; Monorchio, A.; Carrubba, E.; Zolesi, V.

2012-05-01

A technique for designing a low-RF reflectivity thermal blanket is presented. Multi-layer insulation (MLI) blankets are employed to stabilize the temperature on spacecraft unit but they can be responsible of passive intermodulation products and high-mutual coupling between antennas since they are realized with metallic materials. The possibility to replace the last inner layer of a MLI blanket with an ultra-thin absorbing layer made of high-impedance surface absorber is discussed.

Measured and calculated acoustic attenuation rates of tuned resonator arrays for two surface impedance distribution models with flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parrott, Tony L.; Abrahamson, A. Louis; Jones, Michael G.

1988-01-01

An experiment was performed to validate two analytical models for predicting low frequency attenuation of duct liner configurations built from an array of seven resonators that could be individually tuned via adjustable cavity depths. These analytical models had previously been developed for high frequency aero-engine inlet duct liner design. In the low frequency application, the liner surface impedance distribution is unavoidably spatially varying by virtue of available fabrication techniques. The characteristic length of this spatial variation may be a significant fraction of the acoustic wavelength. Comparison of measured and predicted attenuation rates and transmission losses for both modal decomposition and finite element propagation models were in good to excellent agreement for a test frequency range that included the first and second cavity resonance frequencies. This was true for either of two surface impedance distribution modeling procedures used to simplify the impedance boundary conditions. In the presence of mean flow, measurements revealed a fine scale structure of acoustic hot spots in the attenuation and phase profiles. These details were accurately predicted by the finite element model. Since no impedance changes due to mean flow were assumed, it is concluded that this fine scale structure was due to convective effects of the mean flow interacting with the surface impedance nonuniformities.

Experimental determination of Grunieisen gamma for two dissimilar materials (PEEK and Al 5083) via the shock-reverberation technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, Andrew; Appleby-Thomas, Gareth; Hazell, Paul

2011-06-01

Following multiple loading events the resultant shock state of a material will lie away from the principle Hugoniot. Prediction of such states requires knowledge of a materials equation-of-state. The material-specific variable Grunieisen gamma (Γ) defines the shape of ``off-Hugoniot'' points in energy-volume-pressure space. Experimentally the shock-reverberation technique (based on the principle of impedance-matching) has previously allowed estimation of the first-order Grunieisen gamma term (Γ1) for a silicone elastomer. Here, this approach was employed to calculate Γ1 for two dissimilar materials, Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) and the armour-grade aluminium alloy 5083 (H32); thereby allowing discussion of limitations of this technique in the context of plate-impact experiments employing Manganin stress gauges. Finally, the experimentally determined values for Γ1 were further refined by comparison between experimental records and numerical simulations carried out using the commercial code ANYSYS Autodyn®.

Entrance and Exit CSR Impedance for Non-Ultrarelativistic Beam

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

Li, Rui; Tsai, Cheng Ying

2017-05-01

For a high-brightness electron beam being transported through beamlines involving bending systems, the coherent synchrotron radiation (CSR) and longitudinal space charge (LSC) interaction could often cause microbunching instability. The semi-analytical Vlasov solver for microbunching gain* depends on the impedances for the relevant collective effects. The existing results for CSR impedances are usually obtained for the ultrarelativistic limit. To extend the microbunching analysis to cases of low energies, such as the case of an ERL merger, or to density modulations at extremely small wavelength, it is necessary to extend the impedance analysis to the non-ultrarelativistic regime. In this study, we presentmore » the impedance analysis for the transient CSR interaction in the non-ultrarelativistic regime, for transients including both entrance to and exit from a magnetic dipole. These impedance results will be compared to their ultra-relativistic counterparts**, and the corresponding wakefield obtained from the impedance for low-energy beams will be compared with the existing results of transient CSR wakefield for general beam energies***.« less

Using surface impedance for calculating wakefields in flat geometry

DOE PAGES

Bane, Karl; Stupakov, Gennady

2015-03-18

Beginning with Maxwell's equations and assuming only that the wall interaction can be approximated by a surface impedance, we derive formulas for the generalized longitudinal and transverse impedance in flat geometry, from which the wakefields can also be obtained. From the generalized impedances, by taking the proper limits, we obtain the normal longitudinal, dipole, and quad impedances in flat geometry. These equations can be applied to any surface impedance, such as the known dc, ac, and anomalous skin models of wall resistance, a model of wall roughness, or one for a pipe with small, periodic corrugations. We show that, formore » the particular case of dc wall resistance, the longitudinal impedance obtained here agrees with a known result in the literature, a result that was derived from a very general formula by Henke and Napoly. As an example, we apply our results to representative beam and machine parameters in the undulator region of LCLS-II and estimate the impact of the transverse wakes on the machine performance.« less

Uncertainty Analysis of the Grazing Flow Impedance Tube

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Martha C.; Jones, Michael G.; Watson, Willie R.

2012-01-01

This paper outlines a methodology to identify the measurement uncertainty of NASA Langley s Grazing Flow Impedance Tube (GFIT) over its operating range, and to identify the parameters that most significantly contribute to the acoustic impedance prediction. Two acoustic liners are used for this study. The first is a single-layer, perforate-over-honeycomb liner that is nonlinear with respect to sound pressure level. The second consists of a wire-mesh facesheet and a honeycomb core, and is linear with respect to sound pressure level. These liners allow for evaluation of the effects of measurement uncertainty on impedances educed with linear and nonlinear liners. In general, the measurement uncertainty is observed to be larger for the nonlinear liners, with the largest uncertainty occurring near anti-resonance. A sensitivity analysis of the aerodynamic parameters (Mach number, static temperature, and static pressure) used in the impedance eduction process is also conducted using a Monte-Carlo approach. This sensitivity analysis demonstrates that the impedance eduction process is virtually insensitive to each of these parameters.

Impedance analysis of GPCR-mediated changes in endothelial barrier function: overview, and fundamental considerations for stable and reproducible measurements

PubMed Central

Stolwijk, Judith A.; Matrougui, Khalid; Renken, Christian W.; Trebak, Mohamed

2014-01-01

The past 20 years have seen significant growth in using impedance-based assays to understand the molecular underpinning of endothelial and epithelial barrier function in response to physiological agonists, pharmacological and toxicological compounds. Most studies on barrier function use G protein coupled receptor (GPCR) agonists which couple to fast and transient changes in barrier properties. The power of impedance based techniques such as Electric Cell-Substrate Impedance Sensing (ECIS) reside in its ability to detect minute changes in cell layer integrity label-free and in real-time ranging from seconds to days. We provide a comprehensive overview of the biophysical principles, applications and recent developments in impedance-based methodologies. Despite extensive application of impedance analysis in endothelial barrier research little attention has been paid to data analysis and critical experimental variables, which are both essential for signal stability and reproducibility. We describe the rationale behind common ECIS data presentation and interpretation and illustrate practical guidelines to improve signal intensity by adapting technical parameters such as electrode layout, monitoring frequency or parameter (resistance versus impedance magnitude). Moreover, we discuss the impact of experimental parameters, including cell source, liquid handling and agonist preparation on signal intensity and kinetics. Our discussions are supported by experimental data obtained from human microvascular endothelial cells challenged with three GPCR agonists, thrombin, histamine and Sphingosine-1-Phosphate. PMID:25537398

Impedance analysis of GPCR-mediated changes in endothelial barrier function: overview and fundamental considerations for stable and reproducible measurements.

PubMed

Stolwijk, Judith A; Matrougui, Khalid; Renken, Christian W; Trebak, Mohamed

2015-10-01

The past 20 years has seen significant growth in using impedance-based assays to understand the molecular underpinning of endothelial and epithelial barrier function in response to physiological agonists and pharmacological and toxicological compounds. Most studies on barrier function use G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) agonists which couple to fast and transient changes in barrier properties. The power of impedance-based techniques such as electric cell-substrate impedance sensing (ECIS) resides in its ability to detect minute changes in cell layer integrity label-free and in real-time ranging from seconds to days. We provide a comprehensive overview of the biophysical principles, applications, and recent developments in impedance-based methodologies. Despite extensive application of impedance analysis in endothelial barrier research, little attention has been paid to data analysis and critical experimental variables, which are both essential for signal stability and reproducibility. We describe the rationale behind common ECIS data presentation and interpretation and illustrate practical guidelines to improve signal intensity by adapting technical parameters such as electrode layout, monitoring frequency, or parameter (resistance versus impedance magnitude). Moreover, we discuss the impact of experimental parameters, including cell source, liquid handling, and agonist preparation on signal intensity and kinetics. Our discussions are supported by experimental data obtained from human microvascular endothelial cells challenged with three GPCR agonists, thrombin, histamine, and sphingosine-1-phosphate.

Predictive modeling of composite material degradation using piezoelectric wafer sensors electromechanical impedance spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gresil, Matthieu; Yu, Lingyu; Sutton, Mike; Guo, Siming; Pollock, Patrick

2012-04-01

The advancement of composite materials in aircraft structures has led to on increased need for effective structural health monitoring (SHM) technologies that are able to detect and assess damage present in composites structures. The work presented in this paper is interested in understanding using self-sensing piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS) to conduct electromechanical impedance spectroscopy (EMIS) in glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) to perform structures health monitoring. PWAS are bonded to the composite material and the EMIS method is used to analyze the changes in the structural resonance and anti-resonance. As the damage progresses in the specimen, the impedance spectrum will change. In addition, multi-physics based finite element method (MP-FEM) is used to model the electromechanical behavior of a free PWAS and its interaction with the host structure on which it is bonded. The MPFEM permits the input and the output variables to be expressed directly in electric terms while the two way electromechanical conversion is done internally in the MP_FEM formulation. To reach the goal of using the EMIS approach to detect damage, several damages models are generated on laminated GFRP structures. The effects of the modeling are carefully studied through experimental validation. A good match has been observed for low and very high frequencies.

Optimizing electrode configuration for electrical impedance measurements of muscle via the finite element method.

PubMed

Jafarpoor, Mina; Li, Jia; White, Jacob K; Rutkove, Seward B

2013-05-01

Electrical impedance myography (EIM) is a technique for the evaluation of neuromuscular diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and muscular dystrophy. In this study, we evaluated how alterations in the size and conductivity of muscle and thickness of subcutaneous fat impact the EIM data, with the aim of identifying an optimized electrode configuration for EIM measurements. Finite element models were developed for the human upper arm based on anatomic data; material properties of the tissues were obtained from rat and published sources. The developed model matched the frequency-dependent character of the data. Of the three major EIM parameters, resistance, reactance, and phase, the reactance was least susceptible to alterations in the subcutaneous fat thickness, regardless of electrode arrangement. For example, a quadrupling of fat thickness resulted in a 375% increase in resistance at 35 kHz but only a 29% reduction in reactance. By further optimizing the electrode configuration, the change in reactance could be reduced to just 0.25%. For a fixed 30 mm distance between the sense electrodes centered between the excitation electrodes, an 80 mm distance between the excitation electrodes was found to provide the best balance, with a less than 1% change in reactance despite a doubling of subcutaneous fat thickness or halving of muscle size. These analyses describe a basic approach for further electrode configuration optimization for EIM.

Time-domain representation of frequency-dependent foundation impedance functions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Safak, E.

2006-01-01

Foundation impedance functions provide a simple means to account for soil-structure interaction (SSI) when studying seismic response of structures. Impedance functions represent the dynamic stiffness of the soil media surrounding the foundation. The fact that impedance functions are frequency dependent makes it difficult to incorporate SSI in standard time-history analysis software. This paper introduces a simple method to convert frequency-dependent impedance functions into time-domain filters. The method is based on the least-squares approximation of impedance functions by ratios of two complex polynomials. Such ratios are equivalent, in the time-domain, to discrete-time recursive filters, which are simple finite-difference equations giving the relationship between foundation forces and displacements. These filters can easily be incorporated into standard time-history analysis programs. Three examples are presented to show the applications of the method.

Mechanical Impedance of the Human Body in the Horizontal Direction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holmlund, P.; Lundström, R.

1998-08-01

The mechanical impedance of the seated human body in horizontal directions (fore-and-aft and lateral) was measured during different experimental conditions, such as vibration level (0·25-1·4 m/s2r.m.s.), frequency (1·13-80 Hz), body weight (54-93 kg), upper body posture (relaxed and erect) and gender. The outcome showed that impedance, normalized by the sitting weight, varies with direction, level, posture and gender. Generally the impedance spectra show one peak for the fore-and-aft (X) direction while two peaks are found in the lateral (Y) direction. Males showed a lower normalized impedance than females. Increasing fore-and-aft vibration decreases the frequency at which maximum impedance occurs but also reduces the overall magnitude. For the lateral direction a more complex pattern was found. The frequency of impedance peaks are constant with increasing vibration level. The magnitude of the second peak decreases when changing posture from erect to relaxed. Males showed a higher impedance magnitude than females and a greater dip between the two peaks. The impedance spectra for the two horizontal directions have different shapes. This supports the idea of treating them differently; such as with respect to risk assessments and development of preventative measures.

Analyses of radiation impedances of finite cylindrical ducts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, W.; Mechefske, C. K.

2005-08-01

To aid in understanding the characteristics of acoustic radiation from finite cylindrical ducts with infinite flanges, mathematical expressions of generalized radiation impedances at the open ends have been developed. Newton's method is used to find the complex wavenumbers of radial modes for the absorption boundary condition. The self-radiation impedances and mutual impedances for some acoustic modes are calculated for the ducts with rigid and absorption walls. The results show that the acoustical conditions of the duct walls have a significant influence on the radiation impedance. The acoustical interaction between the two open ends of the ducts cannot be neglected, especially for plane waves. To increase the wall admittance will reduce this interference effect. This study creates the possibility for simulating the sound field inside finite ducts in future work.