<p>Sensors are being used in many industrial applications for equipment health mon-itoring and anomaly detection. However, sometimes operation and maintenanceof these sensors are costly. Thus companies are interested in reducing the num-ber of required sensors as much as possible. The straightforward solution is tocheck the prediction power of sensors and eliminate those sensors with limitedprediction capabilities. However, this is not an optimal solution because if we dis-card the identified sensors. Their historical data also will not be utilized anymore.However, typically such historical data can help improve the remaining sensors’signal power, and abolishing them does not seem the right solution. Therefore, wepropose the first data-driven approach based on tensor completion for re-utilizingdata of removed sensors, in addition to remaining sensors to create virtual sensors.We applied the proposed method on vibration sensors of high-speed separators,operating with five sensors. The producer company was interested in reducing thesensors to two. But with the aid of tensor completion-based virtual sensors, weshow that we can safely keep only one sensor and use four virtual sensors thatgive almost equal detection power compared to when we keep only two physicalsensors.</p>

This thesis deals with the creation of wireless sensor networks consisting of components Arduino. The work includes introduction to the Arduino platform and its capabilities in combination with the wireless XBee modules. The important part is design a wireless network from these components and applications for the display of measured values from sensor nodes. The goal is to create sensor network with a dynamic topology and examine its behavior in real environment and the creation of applications for saving and displaying measured data from individual sensor nodes.

This Master’s thesis contains an overview of determining measurement uncertainties of direct and indirect measurements. It describes a way of creating a magnetic field with the help of Helmholtz coil and a more detailed description of some principles of magnetic field sensors. This thesis also contains a description of the experiments and the factors influencing them. The last part deals with the quantification of uncertainties from measured experiments and with the discussion of the results from these measurements.

Walking is the most common form of human locomotion and the systematic study thereof is known as gait analysis. Measurement and assessment thereof have application in many fields including clinical diagnosis, rehabilitation and biomechanics. The process of gait evaluation is typically done using an optical motion analysis system combined with stationary force platforms. This is considered the gold standard, but unfortunately, has several drawbacks. It is expensive, requires dedicated laboratories with spatial restrictions, calls for lengthy set up and post-processing times and cannot be used in 'real-world' environments. Alternative systems based on wearable sensors have been developed to overcome these limitations. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has therefore developed a prototype wearable sensor unit consisting of an inertial measurement unit (IMU). The objective of the current study is, therefore, to advance the prototype to a wearable multi-sensor system for quantitative gait analysis. The focus is on the development of the pre- and post-processing algorithms and methods used to transform the measurements into interpretable information. The focus outlined includes establishing techniques for synchronising the data from the sensors offline, pre-processing the signals, developing algorithms for stride and gait event detection, selecting an appropriate gait model and defining methods for estimating gait parameters. The determined parameters were the spatio-temporal and joint kinematics (hip, knee and ankle). The algorithms and new system were validated against the Vicon motion capture system through gait analyses. The twenty able-bodied volunteers that took part were required to walk across the laboratory six times at three self-selected walking speeds (slow, normal and fast). For the sake of simplicity and due to various limitations, only data in the sagittal plane of the right lower limb of each volunteer was used to validate the wearable system and associated algorithms. The results obtained were then evaluated against several validation criteria. The absolute mean difference between the estimated timing of detected gait events of the two systems was consistently small (between 0.021 and 7.25% of the gait cycle overall). The spatially dependent parameters, stride length and walking speed, had significant maximum mean absolute percentage errors (31.9 and 34.5% respectively), but with little variation. Excluding outliers, that of the temporal parameters, stride time and cadence, was significantly lower (5.7 and 5.6% respectively). The kinematic results were substantially comparable with a minimum correlation co-efficient of 0.86 and a maximum RMSE of 7.8 degrees with little variation implying repeatability. Although there were some discrepancies between the outputs, the wearable sensor system and its corresponding algorithms were considered feasible and potentially beneficial to developing countries like South Africa. Recommendations for future work include synchronising data between the wearable and reference system for stride-to-stride comparisons and validating algorithms using a known reliable wearable system. / Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering / MEng / Unrestricted

The never-ending quest to design and produce bespoke materials optimized for specific purposes has recently led to the discovery of a rapidly expanding subclass of porous materials known as Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs). The potential of MOFs appears to be immense due to the accessibility of a nearly-infinite number of both organic and inorganic components – building blocks that can be easily self-assembled in extended networks. Taking advantage of modular composition, high surface areas, adjustable pore sizes, and tunable surface properties, MOFs are emerging as one of the most promising materials for energy and environmental applications. \nThe main objective of this thesis is to explore different aspects concerning MOF materials, building on the knowledge from several subtypes of MOFs developed primarily in Prof. Eddaoudi’s group. In particular, this dissertation expands the diversity within and utility of the following MOF subtypes: MOFs comprised of sql supermolecular building layers (SBL), MOFs based on fluorometalates, and zeolite-like MOFs (ZMOFs). \nWhenever feasible, emphasis was placed on the synthesis and application of MOFs as supported thin films, particularly as the sensitive element of capacitive gas sensors or as a selective layer of composite membranes for gas separation. \nSome of the highlights from the results obtained in the course of this study include: \n \n- Introduction of MOFs to the field of reverse selective (CO2/H2) membranes for hydrogen purification. Notably, despite the challenges associated with the preparation of continuous “defect-free” MOF membranes, three different types of adsorption-driven MOF membranes have been synthesized and have shown a preferential permeation of CO2 over H2. In addition, the diffusion driven butane isomers separation was realized in ana-ZMOF membrane, being close to or even overperforming benchmark materials reported in the literature for the separation of both gas pairs. \n- Identification of an appropriate MOF compatible with the developed capacitive-based sensor system and capable of the detection of sulfur dioxide in ppb level. \n- Discovery of a ZMOF material with a new unprecedented zeolitic topology and its ability to separate propylene from propane upon the difference in diffusion of the adsorbates.

. / The development of high-resolution image sensors with smaller pixel sizes is facing critical issues, such as optical and electrical crosstalk, dark current and dynamic range. As part of this thesis, we addressed this issue by proposing the integration of MOS capacitor deep trench isolation (CDTI). Our studies focus on the validation of the proposal with the aim of improving performances compared to the state of the art. First, we modeled interface states Si/SiO2 and the charge in the oxide. By TCAD simulations, using our model, we were able to evaluate the main characteristics of a pixel. We have validated this approach by comparison between simulations and measurements on a 1.4μm DTI pixel. Then, we developed manufacturing processes for integrating CDTI and defined the associated key parameters. With TCAD simulations of process type, we could achieve the desired performances while keeping a short development cycle and cost. Finally, we have designed, manufactured and tested a 1.4μm CDTI pixel ; we got a very low dark current: ~ 1 aA/pixel at 60°C, which is 6 times less than the DTI pixel, and doubled saturation charge up to 12000e-. Other performances are comparable between the two types of pixels. We have demonstrated the validity of the proposed CDTI solution CDTI

Advancements in soft materials and hybrid flexible electronics have enabled developments in flexible circuits and wearables. Where rigid electronics are extremely precise over small physical areas, flexible electronics have the capability to sense over large curved areas. From the onset of epidermal electronics and flexible transistors, there have been great advancements in sensing over soft curved objects, such as human skin or brain tissue. This thesis focuses on hybrid flexible electronics to sense and stimulate over large areas. The aim of the systems presented is to provide insight into complex navigation and sensor processing systems. In addition to the design, fabrication, and characterization of each device, several important characteristics of each device are investigated: material choice, curvature limits, and device sensitivity. The first device presented in this thesis uses strain gauges to track the bending of neurosurgery navigation stylets for catheter placement. The strain gauge fabrication and characterization is presented. Adhesive testing, stylet bending modeling, and noise techniques are also discussed as they were found to be critical components of the system. The device's limit of detection is 1 mm tip displacement. The purpose of the second set of devices presented is to gain object information from curved or edged robotic structures. Three sensing modes were explored: piezoelectric, strain, and capacitive. The piezoelectric sensor was founded to have a 6.7 times increase in sensitivity when an open-cell foam compliant layer is used. The strain sensor was found to have a gauge factor of 2.83 on a silicone layer and 1.5 on a polymer layer. The combination of the piezoelectric and strain sensing modes is presented. The capacitive sensor is able to detect object shape using inverse problem mathematical techniques. The third device and system presented is a flexible electrode array for stimulating the electroreceptors of electric fish. The spatial and temporal control of a conformal stimulation array enables the decoding of motor signals in the brain. The array fabrication and system development is presented. Surface modification of the electrode array successfully altered the surface energy of the array to match that of the fish for the optimal array-fish interface. In summary, the development and integration of these flexible electronic devices has been achieved. It was found that the interface between the flexible electronic devices and binding objects is critical to device sensitivity and reliability.

Crystalline indium oxide nanowires were synthesized following optimization of growth parameters. Oxygen vacancies were found to impact the optical and electronic properties of the as-grown nanowires. Photoluminescence measurements showed a strong U.V emission peak at 3.18 eV and defect peaks in the visible region at 2.85 eV, 2.66 eV and 2.5 eV. The defect peaks are attributed to neutral and charged states of oxygen vacancies. Post-growth annealing in oxygen environment and passivation with sulphur are shown to be effective in reducing the intensity of the defect induced emission. The as-grown nanowires connected in an FET type of configuration shows n-type conductivity. A single indium oxide nanowire with ohmic contacts was found to be sensitive to gas molecules adsorbed on its surface.

No description available.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is driven by cyber-physical systems, in which sensors link the real and virtual worlds. A global explosion of physical sensors seamlessly connected to networks is expected to produce trillions of sensors annually. To accommodate sustainable sensor production, it is crucial to minimize the consumption of raw materials, the complexity of fabrication, and waste discharge while improving sensor performance and wearability. Graphene has emerged as an excellent candidate material for its electrical and mechanical characteristics; however, its economic impact has been hindered by complex and energy-intensive processes. Meanwhile, printed electronics offer a compelling range of merits for scalable, high-yield, low-cost manufacturing of graphene. Among them, the one-step laser scribing process has enabled a simultaneous formation and patterning of porous graphene in a solid-state and opened new perspectives for versatile and widely tunable physical sensing platforms. This dissertation introduces flexible, lightweight, and robust Laser-Scribed Graphene sensor solutions for detecting various physical parameters, such as strain, flow, deflection, force, pressure, temperature, conductivity, and magnetic field. Multifunctionality was obtained by exploiting the direct laser scribing process combined with the flexible nature of polyimide and the piezoresistivity of porous graphene. The outstanding properties of LSG, such as low cytotoxicity, biocompatibility, corrosion resistance, and ability to function under extreme pressure and temperature conditions, allowed targeting diverse emerging applications. As a wearable device in healthcare, the LSG sensor was utilized to monitor motions involving joint bandings, such as finger folding, knee-related movements, microsleep detection, heart rate monitoring, and plantar pressure measurements. The marine ecosystem was used as an illustrative sensor application to cope with harsh environments. To this end, the sensor measured the velocity of underwater currents, pressure, salinity, and temperature while monitoring the movement of marine animals. The sensitivity to the magnetic field remained stable up to 400 °C, making the LSG sensor a viable option for high-temperature applications. In robotics, the LSG sensor was developed for velocity profile monitoring of drones and as a soft tactile sensor. The study provides insights into methods of improving sensor performance, opportunities, and challenges facing a tangible realization of LSG physical sensors.