The problem we are attempting to solve is the situation that is created when the waiting staff does not know when a guest is in need of service. Our solution to this problem is to design a coaster that wirelessly communicates with a base unit. The base unit is used by the staff to track the liquid level in all of the guests’ glasses in real time. The result of the project is a prototype that is capable of demonstrating the most basic functionality of the specified system. Even though the system is technically working, there are many areas for improvement and further development in order for the prototype to be able to be released as a complete product. / Det problem som vi har uppmarksammat är den situation som skapas när serveringspersonal inte vet att kunder önskar påfyllning. Vår lösning på detta är ett dryckesunderlägg som trådlöst kommunicerar med en basenhet där personalen kan läsa av samtliga underläggs status. Projektet resulterade i en prototyp som kan demonstrera den mest grundläggande funktionaliteten hos det tänka systemet. Även om systemet fungerar finns det många utvecklingsomraden och fler problem som måste lösas innan det är redo att lanseras som en färdig produkt.

<p>The aim of the thesis has been to study methods to minimize the slosh when moving liquid-filled packages in packaging machines. An automatic method for generation of the movement of a package in a packaging machine is of growing importance. The main reason is that reduced slosh leads to increased production rate. Progress within measurement technology creates possibilities for new solutions. One purpose has been to find methods and equipment to detect the height of the wave, perhaps at several places or alternatively the entire liquid surface shape. When suitable equipment for detection of the wave movements was found, collected measurements were analyzed and criteria for describing improvements of the slosh properties have been formulated. </p><p>Initially a sensor specification was written in order to simplify the search for suitable equipment. Sources of information have mainly been catalogues and Internet. The search resulted in that a number of sensors were borrowed for tests. The results of the tests supported the choice of the most suitable sensor, in this case a laser sensor. The main reason is that the sensors detection ability is good compared to its price. An analysis of the sensors most important properties confirmed the choice of the laser sensor. To be able to compare waves, criteria for what is considered to be good wave properties have been formulated and evaluated. </p><p>The work has confirmed that it is difficult to find a simple and cheap solution for wave detection given that the solution should have good detection ability. It has also been difficult to formulate simple but working criteria for wave performance, and this has led to a compromise between the complexity of the criterion functions and the result of the wave score. Ideas about how an automatic method, based on the chosen sensor and the criterion functions, can be implemented, have been introduced. During the work, some interesting discoveries have been made. These have led to better understanding of how some parameters should be chosen, to better understanding of wave movements and to better choice of future work.</p>

The aim of the thesis has been to study methods to minimize the slosh when moving liquid-filled packages in packaging machines. An automatic method for generation of the movement of a package in a packaging machine is of growing importance. The main reason is that reduced slosh leads to increased production rate. Progress within measurement technology creates possibilities for new solutions. One purpose has been to find methods and equipment to detect the height of the wave, perhaps at several places or alternatively the entire liquid surface shape. When suitable equipment for detection of the wave movements was found, collected measurements were analyzed and criteria for describing improvements of the slosh properties have been formulated. Initially a sensor specification was written in order to simplify the search for suitable equipment. Sources of information have mainly been catalogues and Internet. The search resulted in that a number of sensors were borrowed for tests. The results of the tests supported the choice of the most suitable sensor, in this case a laser sensor. The main reason is that the sensors detection ability is good compared to its price. An analysis of the sensors most important properties confirmed the choice of the laser sensor. To be able to compare waves, criteria for what is considered to be good wave properties have been formulated and evaluated. The work has confirmed that it is difficult to find a simple and cheap solution for wave detection given that the solution should have good detection ability. It has also been difficult to formulate simple but working criteria for wave performance, and this has led to a compromise between the complexity of the criterion functions and the result of the wave score. Ideas about how an automatic method, based on the chosen sensor and the criterion functions, can be implemented, have been introduced. During the work, some interesting discoveries have been made. These have led to better understanding of how some parameters should be chosen, to better understanding of wave movements and to better choice of future work.

The detection of volatile organic compounds in liquid is of interest for applications in public health, workplace safety and environmental monitoring. Traditionally, water samples were taken and analyzed in the laboratory using classical laboratory instrumentation. Current trends target real-time measurements using e.g. chemical microsensors built with microfabrication technologies. Among these, mass-sensitive chemical sensors, based on cantilever beams or surface acoustic devices, have shown substantial promise in gas-phase applications. In a liquid environment, the resonant microstructures typically suffer from high damping, which negatively affects the sensor resolution. In this work, a novel disk-type resonator developed at Georgia Tech was investigated as chemical microsensor for liquid-phase applications. The micromachined resonator vibrates in a rotational in-plane mode shape, reducing damping in a liquid environment. As part of the present research, a measurement setup with a custom-made flow cell for liquid-phase chemical measurements and a coating system to locally deposit polymer sensitive films onto the resonators were developed. To improve the film adhesion on the resonator surface in liquid, physical and chemical binding techniques were developed and tested on wafer samples. Polymers such as poly(4-vinylpyrrolidone), poly(ethylene-co-propylene) and poly(styrene-co-butadiene) were deposited using the custom-designed coating system onto the disk-type resonators. Liquid-phase measurements using tetrachloroethylene as the chemical analyte were performed. The experimental results are discussed, sources of problems are identified and recommendations for future research are made.