Thesis (MTech (Electrical Engineering))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016. / Tomography is the ability to internally visualise an opaque medium or a body, using different imaging techniques. Electrical Resistance Tomography (ERT) technique is a method commonly used in process tomography. It uses a non-intrusive resistance measurement between a set of electrodes attached on the circumference of a fixed cross-section with a given conductivity and permittivity distribution. ERT appears to be simple, low cost, safe and non-invasive. Despite the advantages of ERT, the reconstruction of the internal conductivity of the pipe still face a crucial challenges such as noise, a relatively low spatial resolution, as well as ill-posedness of the inverse problem when doing the image reconstruction using reconstruction algorithms. Although previous work showed the potential of various algorithms for the reconstruction of ERT tomograms, no full characterisation and comparison of different algorithms could be found for real flow situations. The ERT system was tested in the identification of different objects and fluid beds in a real time situation. The data collected from the measurements were then used for the image reconstruction using an algorithm developed by Time Long (One-step algorithm) and four EIDORS-based algorithms namely: Gauss-Newton algorithm with Laplace Prior (LP) and Gaussian prior (Automatic Hyper Parameter Selection (AHSP)), the Total Variation (TV) algorithm and the Conjugate Gradient (CG) algorithm. The performance of each algorithm was tested in different scenarios. The results obtained were then compared based on the quality and the accuracy of the images as well as the computational time of each algorithm. Firstly, reconstructed images were obtained using objects placed inside the ERT pipe test. Secondly, the algorithm performances were put to test in a level bed setup experiment and finally, the algorithm reconstructions were applied to the real flow situation, where different flow rates were applied. The results obtained were then analysed and compared.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:30:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2012-03-20Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T21:00:48Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 nunesneto_o_me_bauru.pdf: 1131438 bytes, checksum: 09b76ed29dfc8f7b3da8ade09c2b1487 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Efeitos de campo magnético em materiais e dispositivos orgânicos não-magnéticos vêm sendo foco de grande destaque na comunidade científica. De maneira a melhor compreender tais fenômenos, este trabalho propôs-se à implementação das técnicas de Espectroscopia de impedância elétrica em correntes alternadad (EIE-AC) na Presença de Campo Magnético e de Ressonância Magnética Detectada Eletricamente (RMDE). Para a montagem dessas técnicas foram utilizados instrumentos convencionais disponiveis no laboratório e as suas arquiteturas foram planejadas para permitir a utilização desses instrumentos em outros sistemas de medida. Programas na plataforma Agilent Vee Pro 9.2 foram desenvolvidos para o controle e aquisição dos dados das medições. A validação do sistema de EIE-AC na Presença de Campo Magnético foi efetuada a partir de medidas em circuitos básicos e num diodo orgânico emissor de luz (OLED) à base da molécula de Alq3, o qual era sabido que este apresentava o efeito de magnetoresistência. A influência do campo magnético sobre o comportamento das impedâncias do OLED de medida só foi percebida significativamente a partir da aplicação de tensões contínuas acima de 4 V, as quais condicionavam o OLED em seu estado emissivo. O fenômeno de Magneto-Impedância foi verificado nessa amostra, sendo que os efeitos mais expressivos ocorreram nas impedâncias imaginárias e para a frequencia em torno de 20Hz. Um segundo efeito de campo magnético de longo prazo de ação sobre o comportamento da impedância da amostra também foi verificado e discutido. Dentre os mecanismos físicos que podem explicar os efeitos observados no OLED, destacam-se os processos de recombinação de carga, o aprisionamento de cargas em defeitos e a ocorrência de polarização magnética das moléculas constituintes do OLED / Magnetic Field Effects on non-magnetic organic materials and device have attracted the attention of the scientific community. In order to elucidate those phenomena, this work proposes the implantation of two advanced characterization techniques: Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy in Alternating Current (EIS-AC) in the presence of magnetic field; and electrically detected magnetic resonance (EDMR). Both techniques were implemented using conventional laboratory instruments. Computational routiness were developed with Agilent Vee Pro 9.2 in order to control and acquire data from the measuring instruments. the validation f eIS-AC system was performed by using basic electrical circuits and an Organic Light Emiting Diode (OLED) based in Alq3 molecule, which has the magnetoresistance effect. The magnetic field effects over impedances were only detected when the applied continuous voltage was above 4 V, from which the OLED is in its emiting state. The Magneto-Impedance phenomenon was evidenced in this sample mainly in the imaginary impedances and for frequencies around 20 Hz. A second magnetic field effect, with long time term action over the impedance behavior, was also verified and discussed. Among the possible physical mechanisms behind the magnetic effects, charge recombination process, charge trapping by deffects, and the magnetic polarization of the OLED active molecules are discussed

Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) is a medical imaging technique in which images of tissue conductivity within a body can be inferred from surface electrode measurements. The main goal of this study is to develop a portable EIT system incorporating an optimized electrode layout to detect intracranial haematomas for use in emergency care. A growing haematoma can cause severe and even permanent damage to the delicate tissue of the brain, morbidity, and eventual death of the patient. No capability is at present available for the diagnosis of haematomas pre-hospitalisation or by first-responders. The lack of this crucial information can lead to bad decisions on patient management, and in particular, where to send the patient. Blood has a high electrical conductivity contrast relative to other cranial tissue and can be detected and monitored using electrical impedance methods. EIT is a non-invasive, low-cost monitoring alternative to other imaging modalities, and has the potential to detect bleeding and to localize the approximate bleeding site. A device of this nature would reduce treatment delays, save on costs and waste, and most significantly, positively impact patient outcomes. The first step was a numerical simulation study on FE models. The full array and the hemi-array electrode layouts were modelled and the anomalies were simulated in different positions with different sizes. The results were obtained using TSVD and WMNM reconstruction methods by COMSOL linked with MATLAB. The simulated anomalies were detected for all the positions using both layouts; however those from the full array were in general superior to the hemi-array. In order to perform realistic experiments, a prototype EIT system was constructed in the laboratory. The constructed EIT has 16 channels and operates in the frequency range of 10 kHz to 100 kHz with a temporal resolution of 100 frames per second and high level of accuracy of 93.5 %. The minimum number of 8 electrodes was chosen in this study for emergency care. Minimizing the number of electrodes speeds up the electrode setup process and avoids the need to move the patient s head in emergency care. In the second part of this study, phantom experiments were performed to find an optimised electrode layout for emergency care. The full array and the hemi-array were investigated using phantom experiments. As expected, the full array layout had the best performance in general; however, the performance of the hemi-array layout was very poor. Thus a novel optimised electrode layout (semi-array) for emergency care was proposed and evaluated in phantom experiments. For the hemi-array and the semi-array layouts, measurement sensitivity depends strongly on the anomaly location since the electrodes are not placed all over the head. The HA layout performed very badly, with the best radial localization error of 0.8100 mm, compared to the SA layout with the worst error of 0.2486 mm. Some reconstructed anomalies located far from the electrodes in the posterior region were almost invisible or erroneous for the hemi-array layout; however, it is enhanced by using the semi-array layout. Finally, in vitro experiments were conducted on ovine models. In most of the experiments carried out by other researchers, since the location of the simulated anomalies was not known and the simulated blood was normally injected into the body or the head, localization of the anomalies was not considered and the quantity of the injected blood was investigated solely. In our new method of experiment, the position of the anomalies was known a priori and thus could be compared accurately to the EIT results. The full array and the semi-array layouts were compared in terms of detection, localisation and size estimation of haematomas. As expected, the full array layout was found to be more robust than the semi-array layout with the best mean value of the localization error of 0.0564 mm and the worst QI error of around 30%. Using a minimum number of electrodes in an optimised layout is always desirable in clinical applications. The semi-array 8-electrode layout prevents unnecessary movements and the electrode connections to the head would be very quick in emergency care. Although the semi-array 8-electrode layout reduced the sensitivity of the measurements, the findings from the experiments indicated its potential to detect and monitor haematomas and probably extend its application for emergency applications where the required accuracy is not critical.

Within neurophysiology, there is need for improvements to functional brain imaging devices. Neural processing within the brain occurs on milli-second through to second timescales. Currently there are no systems with the sufficient temporal resolution and depth sensitivity. Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is a technique that offers milli-second imaging, depth sensitivity, portability and low cost. It is already applied routinely in other medical applications such as lung function monitoring and breast imaging. The research presented in this thesis has contributed to the design and development of a 32-electrode EIT system, known as fEITER (functional Electrical Impedance Tomography of Evoked Responses). fEITER has been designed to be a brain imaging device that has a temporal resolution of 100 fps with an overall SNR of greater than 70 dB operating at 10 kHz. In order to carry out human tests using fEITER, the system required applications to the local and national ethics (NRES) as well as safety standards regulation (MHRA). These processes were successfully completed, receiving a 'notice of no objection' for a clinical trial using fEITER at The University of Manchester and Manchester Royal Infirmary. A series of tank tests were analysed as a method of understanding the system performance. The data obtained from human tests showed unique results. The reference data showed a repeating 'saw tooth' that is time-locked to the heart beat of the volunteer, which is a novel observation in medical EIT. Furthermore, the auditory stimuli data showed topographical differences across the scalp with respect to the startle and controlled auditory stimuli. These observations are based on single-event evoked responses, which is unique within the field of evoked potential studies. From the observations reported in this thesis it is plausible that fEITER is measuring voltages changes that are due to the neural processing.

EIT is a method of imaging that exists for a century, initially in geophysics and in recent years in medical imaging. Even though the practical applications of EIT go back to the early 20th century the systematic study of the inverse conductivity problem started in the late 1970s, hence many aspects of the problem remain unexplored. In the study of the inverse conductivity problem usually Finite Element Models are used since they can be easily adapted for bodies of irregular shapes. In this work though we use an equivalent approximation, the electrical resistor network, for which many uniqueness results as well as reconstruction algorithms exist. Furthermore resistor networks are important for EIT since they are used to provide convenient stable test loads or phantoms for EIT systems. In this thesis we study the transfer resistance matrix of a resistor network that is derived from n-port theory and review necessary and sufficient conditions for a matrix to be the transfer resistance of a planar network. The so called “paramountcy” condition may be useful for validation purposes since it provides the means to locate problematic electrodes. In the study of resistor networks in relation to inverse problems it is of a great importance to know which resistor networks correspond to some Finite Element Model. To give a partial answer to this we use the dual graph of a resistor network and we represent the voltage by the logarithm of the circle radius. This representation in combination with Duffin’s non-linear resistor network theory provides the means to show that a non-linear resistor network can be embedded uniquely in a Euclidean space under certain conditions. This is where the novelty of this work lies.

Fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) materials are ideal for the aerospace and automotive industries which require high-strength structures with exceptional specific properties. The unfortunate reality is composite materials are susceptible to complex failure modes and difficult-to-predict damage growth as a result of their heterogeneity and anisotropy. Thus, robust structural health monitoring (SHM) for in-operation tracking of damage formation and accumulation is important for these materials. Self-sensing materials are a strong candidate to replace traditional composite SHM because they do not suffer from the disadvantages of point-based sensing. The piezoresistive effect in nanofiller-modified materials is a common approach to material self-sensing. Research to date in piezoresistivity has predominantly focused on the direct current (DC) response of such materials. This is an important limitation because alternating current (AC) has important advantages – it inherently possesses more information (AC data can relate both impedance magnitude and phase to damage), AC effects can be leveraged for improved damage sensitivity, and AC interrogation can reduce power requirements. Therefore, to develop knowledge that will facilitate the transition to AC, this work explores the effect of high-cycle<br>fatigue loading on the AC response of carbon nanofiber (CNF)-modified glass fiber/epoxy laminates. In this study, impedance magnitude and phase angle are measured along the length and through the thickness of composite specimens with an open-hole stress concentration<br>subjected to tension fatigue-loading up to 10 MHz. The collected impedance data is fit to an equivalent circuit model as a function of cycle. These results show that high-cycle fatigue loading does indeed have an appreciable effect on the equivalent circuit behavior of the material. However, clear and definitive trends were not observed thereby suggesting that further research is needed into the basic mechanisms of AC transport in nanocomposites if frequency-dependent transport is to be used to track fatigue loading. <br>

Nondestructive evaluation of civil infrastructure is increasingly important in the modern world to assess structures, predict longevity, and prescribe rehabilitation or replacement. For concrete bridge decks, one emerging diagnostic technique is vertical electrical impedance (VEI) testing, which is a nondestructive evaluation technology that quantitatively assesses the cover protection offered to steel reinforcement. Because VEI testing is still a relatively new approach to bridge deck inspection, additional studies are needed to increase the interpretability of VEI data. This thesis increases VEI interpretability with two advances. The first advance, presented in Chapter 2, offers an analytical model for interpreting VEI measurements of cracked bridge decks. The analytical model allows crack depth to be predicted from VEI measurements. The second advance, presented in Chapter 3, offers an interpretation of VEI measurements within the context of other, more typical, nondestructive bridge deck measurements. Surface cracks cause a significant acceleration of chloride ingress towards the steel reinforcement because they provide a direct path for chlorides to penetrate the concrete cover and corrode the steel. Estimating the depth of these cracks enables better prediction of chloride loading and influences predictions of service life. An invertible analytical model for VEI measurements of cracks based on a cylindrical dipole approximation is presented. This model is validated with numerical simulations, laboratory experiments, and destructive field tests performed on concrete parking garage decks. Inversion of the model permits depth estimation of cracks and a quantitative interpretation of VEI measurements for this specific concrete defect. An additional study was performed on a newly constructed bridge deck in Midvale, Utah, that was subject to an unexpected rainstorm during construction. Several forms of nondestructive testing, including VEI testing, were performed on the deck. Statistical analysis of the tests permitted assessment of the bridge deck. Comparing VEI testing with these other NDT methods has not been done before, and the results of this work will assist those who are unfamiliar with VEI with interpretation of VEI data in the context of other, more typical NDT techniques.

The purpose of this study was to determine the validity and reliability of four methods of estimating body composition in 331 participants (177 boys, 154 girls) between 12-17 years of age. Percent body fat (%BF) was assessed once on one day using DEXA and twice using the sum of two skinfold (SF) and three bio-electrical impedance analysis (BIA) devices: OMRON hand-to-hand BIA, TANITA 521 foot-to-foot BIA, and TANITA 300A foot-to-foot BIA. The same assessments were repeated on 79 of the participants on a second day. DEXA was used as the criterion method of estimating %BF. The agreement between the estimates of %BF from the sum of two SF and the three BIA devices and DEXA was evaluated using linear regression and Bland-Altman analyses. Although the two analyses generally led to similar conclusions about each of the four prediction methods, the specific interpretations of each analysis varied because of the inherent differences in the analyses. In an attempt to determine if any of the four prediction methods were interchangeable with DEXA, the 95% confidence interval (CI) and prediction interval (PI) around the line-of-best-fit through the data are reported. The results of this study indicate that (a) all of the methods used in this study to estimate %BF were reliable within and between days, (b) the TANITA 300 BIA device performed poorly in both boys and girls and should not be used to assess body composition in children and adolescents, (c) none of the four prediction methods performed well in both boys and girls across the entire range of %BF values of the subjects in this study, (d) the sum of two SF, OMRON and TANITA 521 are acceptable for use in large population-based studies but are not recommended when the accurate assessment of body composition of an individual is critical, in which case (e) criterion methods of assessing body composition should be used.

Recent attempts to investigate living systems from a biophysical point of view has opened new windows for development of new diagnostic methods and therapies. Pulsed electric fields (PEFs) are a new class of therapies that take advantage of biophysical properties and have proven to be effective in drug delivery and treating several disorders including tumors. While animal models are commonly being used for development of new therapies, the high cost and complexity of these models along with the difficulties to control the electric field in the animal tissue are some of the obstacles toward the development of PEFs-based therapies. Microengineered models of organs or Organs-on-Chip have been recently introduced to overcome the hurdles of animal models and provide a flexible and cost-effective platform for early investigation of a variety of new therapies. In this study microfluidic platforms with integrated micro-sensors were designed, fabricated and employed to study the consequences of PEFs at the cellular level. These platforms were specifically used to study the effects of PEFs on the permeabilization of the blood-brain barrier for enhanced drug delivery to the brain. Different techniques such as fluorescent microscopy and electrical impedance spectroscopy were used to monitor the response of the cell monolayers under investigation. Irreversible electroporation is a new focal ablation therapy based on PEFs that has enabled ablation of tumors in a non-thermal, minimally invasive procedure. Despite promising achievements and treatment of more than 5500 human patients by this technique, real-time monitoring of the treatment progress in terms of the size of the ablated region is still needed. To address that necessity we have developed micro-sensor arrays that can be implemented on the ablation probe and give real-time feedback about the size of the ablated region by measuring the electrical impedance spectrum of the tissue. / Ph. D.

Quality control is essential in food industry and efficient quality assurance is becoming increasingly important. The assessment of food quality still centers on its sensory properties (appearance, aroma and texture). Bread is one of the most consumed food item all over the world. Bakery product manufacturers expect that the bread should retain all of its attributes during storage and consumers expect their bread to be ‘fresh’. Unfortunately, it remains truly ‘fresh’ for only a few hours after it leaves the oven because the ingredients of the bread undergo series of physical and chemical changes that eventually lead to deterioration, referred as “staling”, of bread quality. Bread staling is classified in two categories: crust (outer portion of bread) staling and crumb (center portion of bread) staling. Crust staling is associated to the moisture migration from crumb to crust during storage. This moisture migration leads to a phenomenon called glass transition at crust. This phenomenon changes the mechanical and dielectric properties of bread crust. Crumb staling is mainly associated to the physicochemical changes in starch. During storage, amorphous starch regains its crystallinity, which increases the firmnesss and dryness of bread crumb. Thus, the knowledge of moisture content, starch recrystallization and the glass transition helps in understanding the bread staling mechanism. There are some volatiles produced from the bread during storage, which forms the characteristic flavor or aroma of the bread. The loss of this characteristic flavor during storage also gives the information about the loss of freshness and staling. Thus, there is a need for detection and monitoring the loss of these volatiles to determine the characteristic flavor during storage. Hence, the present investigations are focused on these issues and developed a measurement facility to monitor the above physicochemical changes in bread during storage. As a part of experimental investigations, two separate test facilities have been developed. A multichannel ring electrodes with suitable instrumentation based on impedance spectroscopy technique is developed for simultaneous measurement of electrical properties of bread at crust and crumb during storage in the frequency range from 50 Hz to 100 kHz. The detailed investigations have been conducted on wheat bread. The variation in capacitance showed that the glass transition phenomenon, at room temperature, in bread crust occurs after 96 h of storage with 18% of moisture in it. The resistance changes at bread crumb showed the starch recrystallization during staling. The electrical property results are justified with the results obtained from the conventional differential scanning calorimmetery (DSC) studies. The impedance measurement at crust and crumb estimates the moisture content at the respective zones of bread. Thus the test facility is used for the simultaneous measurement of moisture content, starch recrystallization and glass transition at crumb and crust respectively without destructing the bread loaf. A few experiments are conducted on maida bread and the obtained results are compared with the wheat bread results. Another test facility has been developed for the detection of volatiles produced from the wheat bread during storage. The gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) experimentations are conducted to identify the volatiles produced from the bread during storage. The major volatiles produced from wheat bread are found to be 1-Heptanol, 1-Pentanol, 1-Octanol, Furan and Hydroperoxyde. A conducting polymer based gas sensor is designed and developed to sense these volatiles and the changes in its electrical property is monitored with a suitable instrumentation based on impedance spectroscopy technique in the frequency range from 10 Hz to 2MHz. Experimental investigations are carried out in an in-house air tight closed test chamber. The bread sample and the designed sensor are kept inside the test chamber and closed tightly so that only bread volatile can interact with the sensor. The sensor response is monitored by measuring the changes in its capacitance upon exposure to organic volatiles produced from bread during storage. It is observed that the capacitance of the sensor changes with the quantitative changes of the above volatiles. Thus, the test facility is found quite suitable for the detection and monitoring the bread volatiles produced during storage, which finally affects the aroma property. Thus, the developed experimental test facilities with suitable sensors and instrumentation based on impedance spectroscopy technique are found quite suitable to monitor the changes in physicochemical properties and aroma of bread during storage. The correlation between the measured electrical properties and the changes in the textural and flavor properties of bread during storage has been established. The results obtained with the developed test facilities are in good agreement with the results obtained from the standard traditional techniques like DSC and GC-MS.