<p>This paper describes the work done trying to diminish the noise present in the signal from an IR-detector. The project was aiming towards two different kinds of applications; heat protection and presence detection. The hypothesis was that the signal-noise ratio would decrease if a filter and a proper installation were used for the detector. Some experiments were executed to determine what kind of filter were the most suitable for each application and how these could be installed. After executing the experiments and evaluate the results we recommend to use a specific filter for each application. To install the filter over the detector we evaluated which one of gluing and taping was the best and found that tape is better to use when small amounts are desirable and gluing with silicon is better if large-scale are desired.</p>

This paper describes the work done trying to diminish the noise present in the signal from an IR-detector. The project was aiming towards two different kinds of applications; heat protection and presence detection. The hypothesis was that the signal-noise ratio would decrease if a filter and a proper installation were used for the detector. Some experiments were executed to determine what kind of filter were the most suitable for each application and how these could be installed. After executing the experiments and evaluate the results we recommend to use a specific filter for each application. To install the filter over the detector we evaluated which one of gluing and taping was the best and found that tape is better to use when small amounts are desirable and gluing with silicon is better if large-scale are desired.

ITC/USA 2006 Conference Proceedings / The Forty-Second Annual International Telemetering Conference and Technical Exhibition / October 23-26, 2006 / Town and Country Resort & Convention Center, San Diego, California / For several decades, the military has used the Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES) with a series of iR sensors along a belt fastened to a vehicle for training and simulation. Now, an alternative to this legacy system, a solar rechargeable battery powered wireless IR sensor is replacing wired sensors. The use of short-range RF communications network, allows the MILES sensors strategic placement about a combat vehicle without the umbilical cabling normally required for power and signal coupling from the players processing unit. The RF network operates in the 340 to 380 MHz band, has channeling capability of over 1600 channels, and coexists with the vehicles on board high-powered radios without interference. The wireless sensor implements a custom designed IR sensing amplifier, designed for maximum sensitivity and minimal power dissipation, along with advanced semiconductor IC’s for signal processing and power conversion. Solar recharging enables the sensor to operate for extended time, on a single battery that should last for years without replacement. A proprietary software protocol, developed for communication integrity, is a critical part of the overall system and supports other sensor types and control elements with low data rates for a wireless Vehicle Area Network. The system, successfully installed on several military training platforms, proves to be a viable product for military training and simulation systems for the 21st century.

The oceans are an essential global resource for all living organisms but especially for us humans. However, year after year we continue to neglect proper recycling of our waste, resulting in litter ending up in our oceans. The majority of said litter comes from single use plastic items. Through fragmentation and erosion, the plastic dissolves  to smaller pieces, once they are no larger than 5 mm theyare classified as micro- and nanoplastics. Little is known about these small plastic particles impact on marine life and marine environment. As a step towards understanding this, the robot PlaCo was created. PlaCo stands for plastic collecting which is exactly what the robot does. With the help of three filters PlaCo gathers marine debris, such as plastic, from the water in which it operates. The filters have decreasing mesh size resulting in the microplastics being caught in the last one. Once emptied, the finds can be examined and logged for future referencing. With the help of a sensor, blockages of the filters can be monitored and if detected, notice will be given to the user through a LED. In order for PlaCo to move forward and for water to travel through the filters, the robot was provided with two DC motors. A microcontroller, Arduino Uno, was used to regulate PlaCo’s functions. The performance of two different sensors, an IR-sensorand an ultrasonic sensor, were investigated as well as the robot's water cleaning capacity. The results indicate that the latter of the two sensors would be preferable due to its high reliability. However, the robot’s water cleaning capacity could not be measured due to the chosen motors not being powerful enough. In future iterations of PlaCo, thiswould need to be rectified. / Globalt sett är världens hav en viktig resurs för alla levande organismer men inte minst för människan. Trots detta fortsätter vi att, år efter år, försumma återvinningen av vårt avfall vilket resulterar i att skräp i stället hamnar i haven. Majoriteten av de sopor som hamnar där är resultatet av förbrukade engångsprodukter i plast. Genom sönderfall och erosion skapas allt mindre och mindre bitar av plast. Detta resulterar i att så kallade mikro- och nanoplaster skapas. De är mindre än 5 mm i bredd och om deras påverkan på det marina djurlivet och den marina miljön vet vi mycket lite om. För att minska kunskapsluckorna och för att få en bättre förståelse för deras påverkan har nu därför PlaCo konstruerats. Med hjälp av tre sorters filter kan PlaCo samla upp marintskräp, så som plast, i vattnet där den arbetar. Filtrens finhet varierar, där det första är mycket grovt medan det sista är fint nog att klara av att samla upp mikroplaster. När PlaCo sedan töms kan mikroplasterna undersökas och dokumenteras. När en tömning behöver göras indikeras detta för användaren med hjälp utav en LED. Roboten är försedd med en sensor som läser av hur fulla filtren är. För att driva PlaCo framåt och för att underlätta filtreringsprocessen är den också försedd med två 6 V DC-motorer. Allt detta styrs med hjälp av mikrokontrollern Arduino Uno. För att uppnå bästa tänkbara funktion hos roboten undersöktes två olika sensortyper, en IR-sensor och en ultraljudssensor. Det visade sig att ultraljudssensorn var betydligt mer pålitlig än IR-sensorn och därför valde man att använda denna. Det var även av intresse att ta reda på hur mycket vatten PlaCo kunde rena per sekund. Tyvärr skulle det visa sig att de valda motorerna inte var kraftfulla nog att driva PlaCo i vattnet. Det är därför något som behöver åtgärdas i en framtida version av PlaCo.

I det här arbetet presenteras ett system som utvecklats i syfte att kunna räkna personer. Systemet är tänkt att användas i mötesrum för upp till tio personer och använder sig av infraröd teknik i form av thermopile arrayer. I arbetet har tre olika sensorer använts för utvärdering. Sensorerna som använts är Panasonic Grid-EYE med pixelupplösningen 8×8 och detekteringsvinkeln 60°×60° samt två stycken Heimann 32x32d, båda med upplösningen 32×32 pixlar, men med detekteringsvinkeln 90°×90° respektive 105°×105°. Systemet är programmerat med hjälp av utvecklingskortet STM32L476RG och är skrivet i språket C. I systemet används två metoder för att beräkna antalet personer. Den ena metoden jämför temperaturförändringen i ett rum i förhållande till då rummet är tomt och den andra metoden använder sig av bildbehandlingsmetoder som interpolering, filtrering och beräkning av area. Sensorerna utvärderas även individuellt utifrån egenskaper som noggrannhet, strömförbrukning och implementationskostnad. Script har även skapats i MATLAB som, i kombination med mikrokontrollern, används för att grafiskt presentera temperaturvärdena från sensorerna. Den sensor som visade sig vara bäst lämpad för att räkna personer är Heimann 32×32d med detekteringsvinkeln 105°×105°. Detta tack vare den större detekteringsvinkeln som resulterar i en större detekterbar yta samt upplösningen på totalt 1024 pixlar som sammantaget ger en högre noggrannhet för personräkning. Denna sensor kräver dock mer komplexa och tidskrävande beräkningar för behandling av data än Grid-EYE. Dessa skillnader är ändå marginella, där noggrannheten och den större detekterbara arean väger upp nackdelarna. De experimentella resultaten visar att Heimann 32×32d med 105°×105° ger en noggrannhet på c:a 98.3 % vid mätning på höjden 2.45 m. Detta motsvarar en yta på c:a 39.1 m2 och systemet kan räkna upp till minst 4 personer. För Grid-EYE och samma höjd har ej noggrannheten fastställts, men har endast en detekterbar yta på c:a 7.7 m2 där maximalt 4 personer bedöms kunna räknas. / In this work, a system is being developed with the purpose of counting people. The system is intended for use in meeting rooms for up to ten persons and utilizes infrared technique using thermopile arrays. For this work, three different sensor have been used for evaluation. A Panasonic Grid-EYE with a resolution of 8×8 and a Field of View (FoV) of 60°×60°, and two Heimann 32×32d sensors, both having a resolution of 32×32, but with the FoV 90°×90° and 105°×105° respectively. The system has been programmed using the microcontroller STM32L476RG, and with the programming language C. In this system, two methods for people counting has been implemented. The first method compares the total change in temperature of a room in relation to when the room is empty and the other method uses image processing methods, such as interpolation, filtering and area calculations. The sensors are also being evaluated individually, based on characteristics such as accuracy, current consumption and implementation cost. To graphically display the temperature values of the sensors, scripts has been made for MATLAB that uses information sent by the microcontroller. The sensor which seem to be best suited for counting people is the Heimann 32×32d with the FoV 105°×105°. The main advantage of this sensor is its wider FoV, covering a larger area, and its higher resolution, which overall yields a higher accuracy when counting people. However, this sensor requires more complex and time-consuming calculations when processing data than the Grid-EYE. Still, these differences are marginal where the accuracy and the larger detectable area for the HTPA outweighs its disadvantages. The experimental results shows that the Heimann sensor with 105°×105° FoV can achieve an accuracy of ≈98.3 % measuring at a height of 2.45 m. At this height, the detectable area for the sensor is ≈39.1 m2 and is being able to count up to at least 4 persons. As for the Grid-EYE and with the same scenario, the accuracy has not been determined, but has a detectable area of ≈7.7 m2 and is estimated being able to count up to a maximum of 4 persons.

The whiteboard is a tool being used in several different facilities around the world. However, erasing the ink off the board can be unnecessarily time consuming and distracting. The purpose of the project was therefore to create a demonstrator to automate the process with a few restrictions. The demonstrator was required to be light enough and small enough to be handheld. In addition, the demonstrator needed to function and work properly on a magnetic surface. To conceptualize the purpose a demonstrator was built with an iterative process and thereafter programmed to get a systematic movement. It utilized continuous servo motors, IR-sensors and a 3-axis gyroscope and an accelerometer in combination with 3D-printed components. The final prototype turned out to function properly but could be improved as its erasing properties are not working as one could expect from a finished prototype. / Whiteboard är ett verktyg som används i flera olika fastigheter runt om i världen. Att ta bort bläcket från whiteboarden kan dock vara onödigt tidskrävande och distraherande. Syftet med projektet var därför att automatisera processen med några begränsningar. Två begränsningar var att prototypen skulle väga lite och vara tillräckligt liten för att vara handhållen. En annan begränsning var att den skulle fungera korrekt på en magnetisk yta. För att konceptualisera syftet byggdes en prototyp med en iterativ process och därefter programmerades den för att få en systematisk rörelse. Den utnyttjade kontinuerliga servomotorer, IR-sensorer och ett 3-axligt gyroskop i kombination med 3D-printade komponenter. Den slutgiltiga prototypen visade sig fungera korrekt men kan förbättras eftersom dess raderingsegenskaper inte fungerar som man kunde ha förväntat sig från en färdig prototyp.

The purpose of this report was to examine a method for automatic maze solving by developing a robot that can find a specific target within a maze. On this basis, a Arduino based robot was constructed. The steering mechanism was constructed in a way that supports differential steering which enables zero radius turns which is preferred in narrow spaces. The intersection detection as well as the method for defining which type of intersection occurring was based on three distance sensor mounted in front and on the left and right side of the robot. The target detection was based on a IR sensor. A feedback controller was applied on the left Ultrasonic sensor enabling the robot to keep a reference distance to the wall. The feedback system also enabled the robot to straighten up when taking to big or small turns. The robot was able to both detect and define what kind of intersection occurring as well as detect the specific target. The execution of the correct operation by detected intersection was calculated to 80% - 100% and the target was found 100% out of the test made. The definition of ”correct operation” in this report was when the robot detected a intersection, and executed the operation that was in accordance with the implemented algorithm. The rotational error, that is the quantity of degrees from the desired turn angle, occurring when the robot executed different operations was calculated to 3.5◦ - 9.5◦ . The robot started to oscillate due to angles grater than 19.5◦ when the left distance sensor was facing the wall which made the robot less able to follow a path and straighten up. / Syftet med denna rapport var att undersöka en metod för automatiserad labyrintlösning genom att utveckla en robot som kan finna ett specifikt mål i en labyrint. På dessa grunder konstruerades en arduinobaserad robot. Styrmekanismen konstruerades på sådant sätt att differentialstyrning var möjlig vilket tillät svängar utan svängradie, vilket är att föredra vid trånga utrymmen. Vägkorsningsdetekteringen samt metoden för att bestämma vilken typ av vägkorsning som förekommer baserades på tre distansmätare. Dessa var monterade på robotens front samt på höger och vänster sida. Måldetekteringen var baserad på en IR sensor. Ett system medåterkoppling implementerades på den vänstra distansmätaren för att få roboten att hålla ett referensavstånd till väggen. Detta möjliggjorde även så att vägen kunde följas på ett optimalt sätt samt att roboten kunde rätas upp vid för stora eller för små tagna svängar. Roboten lyckades både detektera samt definiera vilken typ av vägkorsning som uppstod likväl som att detektera det specifika målet. Andelen utförda korrekta operationer vid detekterande av vägkorsning beräknades till 80% - 100% av fallen och målet detekterades 100% av gångerna vid det gjorda testerna. Definitionen av ”korrekt operaton ”i denna rapport var då roboten upptäckte en vägkorsning och utförde den operation som var i enlighet med den implementerade algoritmen. Rotationsfelet, det vill säga antalet grader från den önskade svängvinkeln, som uppstod vid de olika operationerna beräknades till 3.5◦ - 9.5◦ . Roboten började att oscillera vid vinklar större än 19.5◦ då den vänstra distansmätaren var vänd mot väggen vilket gjorde roboten mindre duglig att följa väggen samt att rätas upp.

We use autonomous line-following robots in various industrial environments, surveillance applications, and construction and mining industries for object transportation tasks where rail, conveyer, and gantry solutions are unavailable. They help us reduce the work process and improve efficiency. In this report, we will illustrate how a 2WD robot can move on a predefined path and detect obstacles along the way. In this project, we have used a proximity sensor to detect the obstacle in the path and turn the robot from the obstacle. Also, we used an IR sensor so that robot could follow along the predefined path. The used in the project sensors were connected to Arduino UNO, which was programmed to control the robot's movements and decisions. By employing these two techniques, we can efficiently use such robots in various scenarios. For example, in the current Covid scenario, physical contact has become minimal, so if we use this line-following robot to deliver medicines to the patient, the physical contact between people can be reduced. The obstacle avoidance robot technique can be used in cars to improve safety. If an obstacle is detected in the path of the car and the driver does not apply the brakes, this type of technique can be used to bring the car to a stop by applying breaks. Using the proposed robotic techniques we can save time and work efficiently with minimal physical touch. Overall, the project achieved its primary goal of moving the robot on a predefined path and detecting obstacles on the path

The work presented in this dissertation was aimed at understanding biology's application of soft materials to enhance sensing abilities and initiate innovative bio-inspired material-based approaches for flow (fluidic and air) sensors and photo-thermal sensors. A key aim is to help strengthen this niche of functional materials science referred to, here, as bio-inspired materials in sensing roles. The work aspires to traverse the boundaries of the subject in order to provide a strong foundation for future scientific explorations of the subject. The studies presented here, include studies of flow sensing in fish and implementing a bio-mimetic approach to microfabricated flow sensors. The work also includes studies of material based signal filtering in spiders, as well as, bio-inspired photo-thermal transduction mechanisms. The capabilities of the methodology are demonstrated with successful engineering studies.

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