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Sensors, Volume 9, Issue 12 (December 2009) – 54 articles , Pages 9444-10544

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1047 KiB  
Article
A Cluster-Based Architecture to Structure the Topology of Parallel Wireless Sensor Networks
by Jaime Lloret, Miguel Garcia, Diana Bri and Juan R. Diaz
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 10513-10544; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91210513 - 23 Dec 2009
Cited by 55 | Viewed by 12829
Abstract
A wireless sensor network is a self-configuring network of mobile nodes connected by wireless links where the nodes have limited capacity and energy. In many cases, the application environment requires the design of an exclusive network topology for a particular case. Cluster-based network [...] Read more.
A wireless sensor network is a self-configuring network of mobile nodes connected by wireless links where the nodes have limited capacity and energy. In many cases, the application environment requires the design of an exclusive network topology for a particular case. Cluster-based network developments and proposals in existence have been designed to build a network for just one type of node, where all nodes can communicate with any other nodes in their coverage area. Let us suppose a set of clusters of sensor nodes where each cluster is formed by different types of nodes (e.g., they could be classified by the sensed parameter using different transmitting interfaces, by the node profile or by the type of device: laptops, PDAs, sensor etc.) and exclusive networks, as virtual networks, are needed with the same type of sensed data, or the same type of devices, or even the same type of profiles. In this paper, we propose an algorithm that is able to structure the topology of different wireless sensor networks to coexist in the same environment. It allows control and management of the topology of each network. The architecture operation and the protocol messages will be described. Measurements from a real test-bench will show that the designed protocol has low bandwidth consumption and also demonstrates the viability and the scalability of the proposed architecture. Our ccluster-based algorithm is compared with other algorithms reported in the literature in terms of architecture and protocol measurements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Sensors Technology in Spain)
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1074 KiB  
Review
Laser Spectroscopy for Atmospheric and Environmental Sensing
by Marc N. Fiddler, Israel Begashaw, Matthew A. Mickens, Michael S. Collingwood, Zerihun Assefa and Solomon Bililign
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 10447-10512; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91210447 - 22 Dec 2009
Cited by 88 | Viewed by 24822
Abstract
Lasers and laser spectroscopic techniques have been extensively used in several applications since their advent, and the subject has been reviewed extensively in the last several decades. This review is focused on three areas of laser spectroscopic applications in atmospheric and environmental sensing; [...] Read more.
Lasers and laser spectroscopic techniques have been extensively used in several applications since their advent, and the subject has been reviewed extensively in the last several decades. This review is focused on three areas of laser spectroscopic applications in atmospheric and environmental sensing; namely laser-induced fluorescence (LIF), cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS), and photoluminescence (PL) techniques used in the detection of solids, liquids, aerosols, trace gases, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Laser Spectroscopy and Sensing)
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708 KiB  
Article
Sensor for Distance Estimation Using FFT of Images
by José L. Lázaro, Angel E. Cano, Pedro R. Fernández and Carlos A. Luna
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 10434-10446; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91210434 - 22 Dec 2009
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 10700
Abstract
In this paper, the problem of how to estimate the distance between an infrared emitter diode (IRED) and a camera from pixel grey-level intensities is examined from a practical standpoint. Magnitudes that affect grey level intensity were defined and related to the zero [...] Read more.
In this paper, the problem of how to estimate the distance between an infrared emitter diode (IRED) and a camera from pixel grey-level intensities is examined from a practical standpoint. Magnitudes that affect grey level intensity were defined and related to the zero frequency component from the FFT image. A general model was also described and tested for distance estimation over the range from 420 to 800 cm using a differential methodology. Method accuracy is over 3%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Chemical Sensors)
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259 KiB  
Article
Perfluorinated Plastic Optical Fiber Tapers for Evanescent Wave Sensing
by Roberto Gravina, Genni Testa and Romeo Bernini
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 10423-10433; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91210423 - 22 Dec 2009
Cited by 63 | Viewed by 11957
Abstract
In this work we describe the fabrication and the characterization of perfluorinated plastic-cladded optical fiber tapers. The heat-and-pull procedure has been used to fabricate symmetric tapers. Devices with different taper ratio have been produced and the repeatability of the process has been verified. [...] Read more.
In this work we describe the fabrication and the characterization of perfluorinated plastic-cladded optical fiber tapers. The heat-and-pull procedure has been used to fabricate symmetric tapers. Devices with different taper ratio have been produced and the repeatability of the process has been verified. The very low refractive indexes of the core-cladding perfluorinated polymers (n = 1.35–1.34) permit a strong enhancement of the evanescent wave power fraction in aqueous environments (n = 1.33), making them very attractive for evanescent wave sensing. The tapers have been characterized carrying out evanescent field absorbance measurements with different concentrations of methylene blue in water and fluorescence collection measurements in an aqueous solution containing Cy5 dye. A good sensitivity, tightly related to the low refractive index of the core-cladding materials and the geometrical profile, has been shown. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Laser Spectroscopy and Sensing)
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926 KiB  
Article
Novel Absolute Displacement Sensor with Wide Range Based on Malus Law
by Wei Li, Xiaoping Lu and Yonggang Lin
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 10411-10422; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91210411 - 21 Dec 2009
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 10734
Abstract
The paper presents a novel wide range absolute displacement sensor based on polarized light detection principle. The sensor comprises of two sets of polarized light detecting systems which are coupled by pulleys. The inherent disadvantage in optic system like light source intensity drift [...] Read more.
The paper presents a novel wide range absolute displacement sensor based on polarized light detection principle. The sensor comprises of two sets of polarized light detecting systems which are coupled by pulleys. The inherent disadvantage in optic system like light source intensity drift is solved and absolute measurement with wide-range is achieved. A prototype and the relevant test bed have been built. The test results are in good agreement with expectation. Its measurement range is 540 mm, and its linearity is better than 0.05%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Chemical Sensors)
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872 KiB  
Article
A New Experimental Method for in Situ Corrosion Monitoring Under Alternate Wet-Dry Conditions
by Xinxin Fu, Junhua Dong, Enhou Han and Wei Ke
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 10400-10410; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91210400 - 21 Dec 2009
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 10865
Abstract
A new experimental method was applied in in situ corrosion monitoring of mild steel Q235 under alternate wet-dry conditions. The thickness of the electrolyte film during the wet cycle was monitored by a high-precision balance with a sensibility of 0.1 mg. At the [...] Read more.
A new experimental method was applied in in situ corrosion monitoring of mild steel Q235 under alternate wet-dry conditions. The thickness of the electrolyte film during the wet cycle was monitored by a high-precision balance with a sensibility of 0.1 mg. At the same time, an electrochemical impedance technique was employed to study the effect of film thickness on corrosion rates. Experimental results showed that there was a critical electrolyte film condition for which the corrosion rate reached a maximum during wet-dry cycles. For the substrate, the critical condition could be described by a film thickness of about 17 μm. For the rusted specimen, the critical condition could be described by an electrolyte amount of about 0.038 g, which is equivalent to a film thickness of 38 μm. This monitoring system was very useful for studying atmospheric corrosion of metals covered by corrosion products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Chemical Sensors)
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546 KiB  
Article
Flow Injection Chemiluminescent Immunoassay for Carcinoembryonic Antigen Using Boronic Immunoaffinity Column
by Xiaoling Ma, Huihui Li, Min Wu, Chong Sun, Laifa Li and Xiaodi Yang
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 10389-10399; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91210389 - 21 Dec 2009
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 11227
Abstract
A flow injection chemiluminescence immunoassay for rapid and sensitive detection of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) by using a phenylboronic acid-based immunoaffinity column as a glycoprotein collector was proposed in this paper. The column was prepared by coupling of 3-aminophenylboronic acid on the glass beads [...] Read more.
A flow injection chemiluminescence immunoassay for rapid and sensitive detection of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) by using a phenylboronic acid-based immunoaffinity column as a glycoprotein collector was proposed in this paper. The column was prepared by coupling of 3-aminophenylboronic acid on the glass beads through a γ-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPMS) linkage. Based on an indirect competitive immunoreaction, the mixture of CEA sample and enzyme conjugated CEA antibody (HRP-anti-CEA) was incubated in advance, followed by direct injection to the column to capture free HRP-labeled CEA antibody in the column. The trapped HRP-labeled antibody was detected by flow inject chemiluminescence in the presence of luminol and hydrogen peroxide. The decreased chemiluminescent signal was proportional to the concentration of CEA in the range of 3.0–30.0 ng/mL with a correlation coefficient of 0.998. The column showed an acceptable reproducibility and stability and is potentially used for practical clinical detection of the serum CEA level. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Chemical Sensors)
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1369 KiB  
Review
Aptamer-Functionalized Nano-Biosensors
by Tai-Chia Chiu and Chih-Ching Huang
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 10356-10388; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91210356 - 21 Dec 2009
Cited by 120 | Viewed by 20561
Abstract
Nanomaterials have become one of the most interesting sensing materials because of their unique size- and shape-dependent optical properties, high surface energy and surface-to-volume ratio, and tunable surface properties. Aptamers are oligonucleotides that can bind their target ligands with high affinity. The use [...] Read more.
Nanomaterials have become one of the most interesting sensing materials because of their unique size- and shape-dependent optical properties, high surface energy and surface-to-volume ratio, and tunable surface properties. Aptamers are oligonucleotides that can bind their target ligands with high affinity. The use of nanomaterials that are bioconjugated with aptamers for selective and sensitive detection of analytes such as small molecules, metal ions, proteins, and cells has been demonstrated. This review focuses on recent progress in the development of biosensors by integrating functional aptamers with different types of nanomaterials, including quantum dots, magnetic nanoparticles (NPs), metallic NPs, and carbon nanotubes. Colorimetry, fluorescence, electrochemistry, surface plasmon resonance, surface-enhanced Raman scattering, and magnetic resonance imaging are common detection modes for a broad range of analytes with high sensitivity and selectivity when using aptamer bioconjugated nanomaterials (Apt-NMs). We highlight the important roles that the size and concentration of nanomaterials, the secondary structure and density of aptamers, and the multivalent interactions play in determining the specificity and sensitivity of the nanosensors towards analytes. Advantages and disadvantages of the Apt-NMs for bioapplications are focused. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue DNA Sensors and Biosensors)
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896 KiB  
Article
Algorithmic Error Correction of Impedance Measuring Sensors
by Oleg Starostenko, Vicente Alarcon-Aquino, Wilmar Hernandez, Oleg Sergiyenko and Vira Tyrsa
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 10341-10355; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91210341 - 21 Dec 2009
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 11914
Abstract
This paper describes novel design concepts and some advanced techniques proposed for increasing the accuracy of low cost impedance measuring devices without reduction of operational speed. The proposed structural method for algorithmic error correction and iterating correction method provide linearization of transfer functions [...] Read more.
This paper describes novel design concepts and some advanced techniques proposed for increasing the accuracy of low cost impedance measuring devices without reduction of operational speed. The proposed structural method for algorithmic error correction and iterating correction method provide linearization of transfer functions of the measuring sensor and signal conditioning converter, which contribute the principal additive and relative measurement errors. Some measuring systems have been implemented in order to estimate in practice the performance of the proposed methods. Particularly, a measuring system for analysis of C-V, G-V characteristics has been designed and constructed. It has been tested during technological process control of charge-coupled device CCD manufacturing. The obtained results are discussed in order to define a reasonable range of applied methods, their utility, and performance. Full article
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1071 KiB  
Article
A 3D Sensor Based on a Profilometrical Approach
by Jesús Carlos Pedraza-Ortega, Efren Efren Gorrostieta-Hurtado, Manuel Delgado-Rosas, Sandra L. Canchola-Magdaleno, Juan Manuel Ramos-Arreguin, Marco A. Aceves Fernandez and Artemio Sotomayor-Olmedo
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 10326-10340; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91210326 - 21 Dec 2009
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 13652
Abstract
An improved method which considers the use of Fourier and wavelet transform based analysis to infer and extract 3D information from an object by fringe projection on it is presented. This method requires a single image which contains a sinusoidal white light fringe [...] Read more.
An improved method which considers the use of Fourier and wavelet transform based analysis to infer and extract 3D information from an object by fringe projection on it is presented. This method requires a single image which contains a sinusoidal white light fringe pattern projected on it, and this pattern has a known spatial frequency and its information is used to avoid any discontinuities in the fringes with high frequency. Several computer simulations and experiments have been carried out to verify the analysis. The comparison between numerical simulations and experiments has proved the validity of this proposed method. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Image Sensors 2009)
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310 KiB  
Article
Field Measurements and Guidelines for the Application of Wireless Sensor Networks to the Environment and Security
by Víctor P. Gil Jiménez and Ana García Armada
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 10309-10325; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91210309 - 18 Dec 2009
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 12950
Abstract
Frequently, Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) are designed focusing on applications and omitting transmission problems in these wireless networks. In this paper, we present a measurement campaign that has been carried out using one of the most commonly used WSN platforms, the micaZ from [...] Read more.
Frequently, Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) are designed focusing on applications and omitting transmission problems in these wireless networks. In this paper, we present a measurement campaign that has been carried out using one of the most commonly used WSN platforms, the micaZ from Crossbow© . Based on these measurements, some guidelines to deploy a robust and reliable WSN are provided. The results are focused on security and environmental applications but can also be extrapolated to other scenarios. A main conclusion that can be extracted is that, from the transmission point of view, a dense WSN is one of the best choices to overcome many of the transmission problems such as the existence of a transitional region, redundance, forwarding, obstructions or interference with other systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Sensors Technology in Spain)
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799 KiB  
Article
Electrodynamics Sensor for the Image Reconstruction Process in an Electrical Charge Tomography System
by Mohd Fua’ad Rahmat, Mohd Daud Isa, Ruzairi Abdul Rahim and Tengku Ahmad Raja Hussin
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 10291-10308; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91210291 - 18 Dec 2009
Cited by 34 | Viewed by 11182
Abstract
Electrical charge tomography (EChT) is a non-invasive imaging technique that is aimed to reconstruct the image of materials being conveyed based on data measured by an electrodynamics sensor installed around the pipe. Image reconstruction in electrical charge tomography is vital and has not [...] Read more.
Electrical charge tomography (EChT) is a non-invasive imaging technique that is aimed to reconstruct the image of materials being conveyed based on data measured by an electrodynamics sensor installed around the pipe. Image reconstruction in electrical charge tomography is vital and has not been widely studied before. Three methods have been introduced before, namely the linear back projection method, the filtered back projection method and the least square method. These methods normally face ill-posed problems and their solutions are unstable and inaccurate. In order to ensure the stability and accuracy, a special solution should be applied to obtain a meaningful image reconstruction result. In this paper, a new image reconstruction method – Least squares with regularization (LSR) will be introduced to reconstruct the image of material in a gravity mode conveyor pipeline for electrical charge tomography. Numerical analysis results based on simulation data indicated that this algorithm efficiently overcomes the numerical instability. The results show that the accuracy of the reconstruction images obtained using the proposed algorithm was enhanced and similar to the image captured by a CCD Camera. As a result, an efficient method for electrical charge tomography image qreconstruction has been introduced. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Chemical Sensors)
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7789 KiB  
Article
Nonrigid Registration of Brain Tumor Resection MR Images Based on Joint Saliency Map and Keypoint Clustering
by Zhijun Gu and Binjie Qin
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 10270-10290; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91210270 - 17 Dec 2009
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 12167
Abstract
This paper proposes a novel global-to-local nonrigid brain MR image registration to compensate for the brain shift and the unmatchable outliers caused by the tumor resection. The mutual information between the corresponding salient structures, which are enhanced by the joint saliency map (JSM), [...] Read more.
This paper proposes a novel global-to-local nonrigid brain MR image registration to compensate for the brain shift and the unmatchable outliers caused by the tumor resection. The mutual information between the corresponding salient structures, which are enhanced by the joint saliency map (JSM), is maximized to achieve a global rigid registration of the two images. Being detected and clustered at the paired contiguous matching areas in the globally registered images, the paired pools of DoG keypoints in combination with the JSM provide a useful cluster-to-cluster correspondence to guide the local control-point correspondence detection and the outlier keypoint rejection. Lastly, a quasi-inverse consistent deformation is smoothly approximated to locally register brain images through the mapping the clustered control points by compact support radial basis functions. The 2D implementation of the method can model the brain shift in brain tumor resection MR images, though the theory holds for the 3D case. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Image Sensors 2009)
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589 KiB  
Article
A Multi-Agent System Architecture for Sensor Networks
by Rubén Fuentes-Fernández, María Guijarro and Gonzalo Pajares
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 10244-10269; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91210244 - 17 Dec 2009
Cited by 35 | Viewed by 15554
Abstract
The design of the control systems for sensor networks presents important challenges. Besides the traditional problems about how to process the sensor data to obtain the target information, engineers need to consider additional aspects such as the heterogeneity and high number of sensors, [...] Read more.
The design of the control systems for sensor networks presents important challenges. Besides the traditional problems about how to process the sensor data to obtain the target information, engineers need to consider additional aspects such as the heterogeneity and high number of sensors, and the flexibility of these networks regarding topologies and the sensors in them. Although there are partial approaches for resolving these issues, their integration relies on ad hoc solutions requiring important development efforts. In order to provide an effective approach for this integration, this paper proposes an architecture based on the multi-agent system paradigm with a clear separation of concerns. The architecture considers sensors as devices used by an upper layer of manager agents. These agents are able to communicate and negotiate services to achieve the required functionality. Activities are organized according to roles related with the different aspects to integrate, mainly sensor management, data processing, communication and adaptation to changes in the available devices and their capabilities. This organization largely isolates and decouples the data management from the changing network, while encouraging reuse of solutions. The use of the architecture is facilitated by a specific modelling language developed through metamodelling. A case study concerning a generic distributed system for fire fighting illustrates the approach and the comparison with related work. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Sensors Technology in Spain)
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3508 KiB  
Article
Sonar Sensor Models and Their Application to Mobile Robot Localization
by Antoni Burguera, Yolanda González and Gabriel Oliver
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 10217-10243; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91210217 - 17 Dec 2009
Cited by 39 | Viewed by 13045
Abstract
This paper presents a novel approach to mobile robot localization using sonar sensors. This approach is based on the use of particle filters. Each particle is augmented with local environment information which is updated during the mission execution. An experimental characterization of the [...] Read more.
This paper presents a novel approach to mobile robot localization using sonar sensors. This approach is based on the use of particle filters. Each particle is augmented with local environment information which is updated during the mission execution. An experimental characterization of the sonar sensors used is provided in the paper. A probabilistic measurement model that takes into account the sonar uncertainties is defined according to the experimental characterization. The experimental results quantitatively evaluate the presented approach and provide a comparison with other localization strategies based on both the sonar and the laser. Some qualitative results are also provided for visual inspection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Sensors Technology in Spain)
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451 KiB  
Article
Numerical Analysis of Dynamic Effects of a Nonlinear Vibro-Impact Process for Enhancing the Reliability of Contact-Type MEMS Devices
by Vytautas Ostasevicius, Rimvydas Gaidys and Rolanas Dauksevicius
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 10201-10216; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91210201 - 16 Dec 2009
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 10954
Abstract
This paper reports on numerical modeling and simulation of a generalized contact-type MEMS device having large potential in various micro-sensor/actuator applications, which are currently limited because of detrimental effects of the contact bounce phenomenon that is still not fully explained and requires comprehensive [...] Read more.
This paper reports on numerical modeling and simulation of a generalized contact-type MEMS device having large potential in various micro-sensor/actuator applications, which are currently limited because of detrimental effects of the contact bounce phenomenon that is still not fully explained and requires comprehensive treatment. The proposed 2-D finite element model encompasses cantilever microstructures operating in a vacuum and impacting on a viscoelastic support. The presented numerical analysis focuses on the first three flexural vibration modes and their influence on dynamic characteristics. Simulation results demonstrate the possibility to use higher modes and their particular points for enhancing MEMS performance and reliability through reduction of vibro-impact process duration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling, Testing and Reliability Issues in MEMS Engineering - 2009)
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621 KiB  
Article
Distance and Cable Length Measurement System
by Sergio Elias Hernández, Leopoldo Acosta and Jonay Toledo
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 10190-10200; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91210190 - 16 Dec 2009
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 12039
Abstract
A simple, economic and successful design for distance and cable length detection is presented. The measurement system is based on the continuous repetition of a pulse that endlessly travels along the distance to be detected. There is a pulse repeater at both ends [...] Read more.
A simple, economic and successful design for distance and cable length detection is presented. The measurement system is based on the continuous repetition of a pulse that endlessly travels along the distance to be detected. There is a pulse repeater at both ends of the distance or cable to be measured. The endless repetition of the pulse generates a frequency that varies almost inversely with the distance to be measured. The resolution and distance or cable length range could be adjusted by varying the repetition time delay introduced at both ends and the measurement time. With this design a distance can be measured with centimeter resolution using electronic system with microsecond resolution, simplifying classical time of flight designs which require electronics with picosecond resolution. This design was also applied to position measurement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Sensors Technology in Spain)
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2910 KiB  
Article
New Passive Instruments Developed for Ocean Monitoring at the Remote Sensing Lab—Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
by Adriano Camps, Xavier Bosch-Lluis, Isaac Ramos-Perez, Juan F. Marchán-Hernández, Nereida Rodríguez, Enric Valencia, Jose M. Tarongi, Albert Aguasca and René Acevo
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 10171-10189; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91210171 - 14 Dec 2009
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 16501
Abstract
Lack of frequent and global observations from space is currently a limiting factor in many Earth Observation (EO) missions. Two potential techniques that have been proposed nowadays are: (1) the use of satellite constellations, and (2) the use of Global Navigation Satellite Signals [...] Read more.
Lack of frequent and global observations from space is currently a limiting factor in many Earth Observation (EO) missions. Two potential techniques that have been proposed nowadays are: (1) the use of satellite constellations, and (2) the use of Global Navigation Satellite Signals (GNSS) as signals of opportunity (no transmitter required). Reflectometry using GNSS opportunity signals (GNSS-R) was originally proposed in 1993 by Martin-Neira (ESA-ESTEC) for altimetry applications, but later its use for wind speed determination has been proposed, and more recently to perform the sea state correction required in sea surface salinity retrievals by means of L-band microwave radiometry (TB). At present, two EO space-borne missions are currently planned to be launched in the near future: (1) ESA’s SMOS mission, using a Y-shaped synthetic aperture radiometer, launch date November 2nd, 2009, and (2) NASA-CONAE AQUARIUS/SAC-D mission, using a three beam push-broom radiometer. In the SMOS mission, the multi-angle observation capabilities allow to simultaneously retrieve not only the surface salinity, but also the surface temperature and an “effective” wind speed that minimizes the differences between observations and models. In AQUARIUS, an L-band scatterometer measuring the radar backscatter (σ0) will be used to perform the necessary sea state corrections. However, none of these approaches are fully satisfactory, since the effective wind speed captures some sea surface roughness effects, at the expense of introducing another variable to be retrieved, and on the other hand the plots (TB0) present a large scattering. In 2003, the Passive Advance Unit for ocean monitoring (PAU) project was proposed to the European Science Foundation in the frame of the EUropean Young Investigator Awards (EURYI) to test the feasibility of GNSS-R over the sea surface to make sea state measurements and perform the correction of the L-band brightness temperature. This paper: (1) provides an overview of the Physics of the L-band radiometric and GNSS reflectometric observations over the ocean, (2) describes the instrumentation that has been (is being) developed in the frame of the EURYI-funded PAU project, (3) the ground-based measurements carried out so far, and their interpretation in view of placing a GNSS-reflectometer as secondary payload in future SMOS follow-on missions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Sensors Technology in Spain)
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385 KiB  
Article
Capacitive Micro Pressure Sensor Integrated with a Ring Oscillator Circuit on Chip
by Ching-Liang Dai, Po-Wei Lu, Chienliu Chang and Cheng-Yang Liu
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 10158-10170; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91210158 - 14 Dec 2009
Cited by 51 | Viewed by 15486
Abstract
The study investigates a capacitive micro pressure sensor integrated with a ring oscillator circuit on a chip. The integrated capacitive pressure sensor is fabricated using the commercial CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) process and a post-process. The ring oscillator is employed to convert [...] Read more.
The study investigates a capacitive micro pressure sensor integrated with a ring oscillator circuit on a chip. The integrated capacitive pressure sensor is fabricated using the commercial CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) process and a post-process. The ring oscillator is employed to convert the capacitance of the pressure sensor into the frequency output. The pressure sensor consists of 16 sensing cells in parallel. Each sensing cell contains a top electrode and a lower electrode, and the top electrode is a sandwich membrane. The pressure sensor needs a post-CMOS process to release the membranes after completion of the CMOS process. The post-process uses etchants to etch the sacrificial layers, and to release the membranes. The advantages of the post-process include easy execution and low cost. Experimental results reveal that the pressure sensor has a high sensitivity of 7 Hz/Pa in the pressure range of 0–300 kPa. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Transducers)
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2867 KiB  
Article
Remote Sensing and Skywave Digital Communication from Antarctica
by Pau Bergadà, Marc Deumal, Carles Vilella, Joan R. Regué, David Altadill and Santi Marsal
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 10136-10157; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91210136 - 14 Dec 2009
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 13237
Abstract
This paper presents an overview of the research activities undertaken by La Salle and the Ebro Observatory in the field of remote sensing. On 2003 we started a research project with two main objectives: implement a long-haul oblique ionospheric sounder and transmit the [...] Read more.
This paper presents an overview of the research activities undertaken by La Salle and the Ebro Observatory in the field of remote sensing. On 2003 we started a research project with two main objectives: implement a long-haul oblique ionospheric sounder and transmit the data from remote sensors located at the Spanish Antarctic station Juan Carlos I to Spain. The paper focuses on a study of feasibility of two possible physical layer candidates for the skywave link between both points. A DS-SS based solution and an OFDM based solution are considered to achieve a reliable low-power low-rate communication system between Antarctica and Spain. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Sensors Technology in Spain)
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945 KiB  
Review
Multi-Hop Routing Mechanism for Reliable Sensor Computing
by Jiann-Liang Chen, Yi-Wei Ma, Chia-Ping Lai, Chia-Cheng Hu and Yueh-Min Huang
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 10117-10135; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91210117 - 11 Dec 2009
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 13455
Abstract
Current research on routing in wireless sensor computing concentrates on increasing the service lifetime, enabling scalability for large number of sensors and supporting fault tolerance for battery exhaustion and broken nodes. A sensor node is naturally exposed to various sources of unreliable communication [...] Read more.
Current research on routing in wireless sensor computing concentrates on increasing the service lifetime, enabling scalability for large number of sensors and supporting fault tolerance for battery exhaustion and broken nodes. A sensor node is naturally exposed to various sources of unreliable communication channels and node failures. Sensor nodes have many failure modes, and each failure degrades the network performance. This work develops a novel mechanism, called Reliable Routing Mechanism (RRM), based on a hybrid cluster-based routing protocol to specify the best reliable routing path for sensor computing. Table-driven intra-cluster routing and on-demand inter-cluster routing are combined by changing the relationship between clusters for sensor computing. Applying a reliable routing mechanism in sensor computing can improve routing reliability, maintain low packet loss, minimize management overhead and save energy consumption. Simulation results indicate that the reliability of the proposed RRM mechanism is around 25% higher than that of the Dynamic Source Routing (DSR) and Ad hoc On-demand Distance Vector routing (AODV) mechanisms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Chemical Sensors)
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937 KiB  
Article
Registration Combining Wide and Narrow Baseline Feature Tracking Techniques for Markerless AR Systems
by Liya Duan, Tao Guan and Bo Yang
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 10097-10116; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91210097 - 11 Dec 2009
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 11615
Abstract
Augmented reality (AR) is a field of computer research which deals with the combination of real world and computer generated data. Registration is one of the most difficult problems currently limiting the usability of AR systems. In this paper, we propose a novel [...] Read more.
Augmented reality (AR) is a field of computer research which deals with the combination of real world and computer generated data. Registration is one of the most difficult problems currently limiting the usability of AR systems. In this paper, we propose a novel natural feature tracking based registration method for AR applications. The proposed method has following advantages: (1) it is simple and efficient, as no man-made markers are needed for both indoor and outdoor AR applications; moreover, it can work with arbitrary geometric shapes including planar, near planar and non planar structures which really enhance the usability of AR systems. (2) Thanks to the reduced SIFT based augmented optical flow tracker, the virtual scene can still be augmented on the specified areas even under the circumstances of occlusion and large changes in viewpoint during the entire process. (3) It is easy to use, because the adaptive classification tree based matching strategy can give us fast and accurate initialization, even when the initial camera is different from the reference image to a large degree. Experimental evaluations validate the performance of the proposed method for online pose tracking and augmentation. Full article
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1894 KiB  
Article
Sensors for 3D Imaging: Metric Evaluation and Calibration of a CCD/CMOS Time-of-Flight Camera
by Filiberto Chiabrando, Roberto Chiabrando, Dario Piatti and Fulvio Rinaudo
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 10080-10096; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91210080 - 11 Dec 2009
Cited by 134 | Viewed by 19617
Abstract
3D imaging with Time-of-Flight (ToF) cameras is a promising recent technique which allows 3D point clouds to be acquired at video frame rates. However, the distance measurements of these devices are often affected by some systematic errors which decrease the quality of the [...] Read more.
3D imaging with Time-of-Flight (ToF) cameras is a promising recent technique which allows 3D point clouds to be acquired at video frame rates. However, the distance measurements of these devices are often affected by some systematic errors which decrease the quality of the acquired data. In order to evaluate these errors, some experimental tests on a CCD/CMOS ToF camera sensor, the SwissRanger (SR)-4000 camera, were performed and reported in this paper. In particular, two main aspects are treated: the calibration of the distance measurements of the SR-4000 camera, which deals with evaluation of the camera warm up time period, the distance measurement error evaluation and a study of the influence on distance measurements of the camera orientation with respect to the observed object; the second aspect concerns the photogrammetric calibration of the amplitude images delivered by the camera using a purpose-built multi-resolution field made of high contrast targets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Image Sensors 2009)
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Graphical abstract

544 KiB  
Article
On-Chip Immunoassay for Determination of Urinary Albumin
by Wanida Laiwattanapaisal, Temsiri Songjaroen, Thitima Maturos, Tanom Lomas, Assawapong Sappat and Adisorn Tuantranont
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 10066-10079; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91210066 - 10 Dec 2009
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 10842
Abstract
An immunoassay performed on a portable microfluidic device was evaluated for the determination of urinary albumin. An increase in absorbance at 500 nm resulting from immunoagglutination was monitored directly on the poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) microchip using a portable miniature fibre-optic spectrometer. A calibration curve [...] Read more.
An immunoassay performed on a portable microfluidic device was evaluated for the determination of urinary albumin. An increase in absorbance at 500 nm resulting from immunoagglutination was monitored directly on the poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) microchip using a portable miniature fibre-optic spectrometer. A calibration curve was linear up to 10 mg L–1 (r2 = 0.993), with a detection limit of 0.81 mg L–1 (S/N = 3). The proposed system showed good precision, with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 5.1%, when evaluated with 10 mg L–1 albumin (n = 10). Determination of urinary albumin with the proposed system gave results highly similar to those determined by the conventional spectrophotometric method using immunoturbidimetric detection (r2 = 0.995; n = 15). Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Chemical Sensors)
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1024 KiB  
Article
Real-Time Accumulative Computation Motion Detectors
by Antonio Fernández-Caballero, María Teresa López, José Carlos Castillo and Saturnino Maldonado-Bascón
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 10044-10065; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91210044 - 10 Dec 2009
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 13723
Abstract
The neurally inspired accumulative computation (AC) method and its application to motion detection have been introduced in the past years. This paper revisits the fact that many researchers have explored the relationship between neural networks and finite state machines. Indeed, finite state machines [...] Read more.
The neurally inspired accumulative computation (AC) method and its application to motion detection have been introduced in the past years. This paper revisits the fact that many researchers have explored the relationship between neural networks and finite state machines. Indeed, finite state machines constitute the best characterized computational model, whereas artificial neural networks have become a very successful tool for modeling and problem solving. The article shows how to reach real-time performance after using a model described as a finite state machine. This paper introduces two steps towards that direction: (a) A simplification of the general AC method is performed by formally transforming it into a finite state machine. (b) A hardware implementation in FPGA of such a designed AC module, as well as an 8-AC motion detector, providing promising performance results. We also offer two case studies of the use of AC motion detectors in surveillance applications, namely infrared-based people segmentation and color-based people tracking, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Motion Detectors)
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2602 KiB  
Article
A Neuro-Fuzzy System for Extracting Environment Features Based on Ultrasonic Sensors
by Graciliano Nicolás Marichal, Angela Hernández, Leopoldo Acosta and Evelio José González
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 10023-10043; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91210023 - 09 Dec 2009
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 11849
Abstract
In this paper, a method to extract features of the environment based on ultrasonic sensors is presented. A 3D model of a set of sonar systems and a workplace has been developed. The target of this approach is to extract in a short [...] Read more.
In this paper, a method to extract features of the environment based on ultrasonic sensors is presented. A 3D model of a set of sonar systems and a workplace has been developed. The target of this approach is to extract in a short time, while the vehicle is moving, features of the environment. Particularly, the approach shown in this paper has been focused on determining walls and corners, which are very common environment features. In order to prove the viability of the devised approach, a 3D simulated environment has been built. A Neuro-Fuzzy strategy has been used in order to extract environment features from this simulated model. Several trials have been carried out, obtaining satisfactory results in this context. After that, some experimental tests have been conducted using a real vehicle with a set of sonar systems. The obtained results reveal the satisfactory generalization properties of the approach in this case. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Sensors Technology in Spain)
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429 KiB  
Article
A Polygon Model for Wireless Sensor Network Deployment with Directional Sensing Areas
by Chun-Hsien Wu and Yeh-Ching Chung
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 9998-10022; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91209998 - 09 Dec 2009
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 9313
Abstract
The modeling of the sensing area of a sensor node is essential for the deployment algorithm of wireless sensor networks (WSNs). In this paper, a polygon model is proposed for the sensor node with directional sensing area. In addition, a WSN deployment algorithm [...] Read more.
The modeling of the sensing area of a sensor node is essential for the deployment algorithm of wireless sensor networks (WSNs). In this paper, a polygon model is proposed for the sensor node with directional sensing area. In addition, a WSN deployment algorithm is presented with topology control and scoring mechanisms to maintain network connectivity and improve sensing coverage rate. To evaluate the proposed polygon model and WSN deployment algorithm, a simulation is conducted. The simulation results show that the proposed polygon model outperforms the existed disk model and circular sector model in terms of the maximum sensing coverage rate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensor Configuration and Smart Sensors)
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482 KiB  
Review
A Lyapunov-Based Extension to Particle Swarm Dynamics for Continuous Function Optimization
by Sayantani Bhattacharya, Amit Konar, Swagatam Das and Sang Yong Han
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 9977-9997; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91209977 - 09 Dec 2009
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 11250
Abstract
The paper proposes three alternative extensions to the classical global-best particle swarm optimization dynamics, and compares their relative performance with the standard particle swarm algorithm. The first extension, which readily follows from the well-known Lyapunov’s stability theorem, provides a mathematical basis of the [...] Read more.
The paper proposes three alternative extensions to the classical global-best particle swarm optimization dynamics, and compares their relative performance with the standard particle swarm algorithm. The first extension, which readily follows from the well-known Lyapunov’s stability theorem, provides a mathematical basis of the particle dynamics with a guaranteed convergence at an optimum. The inclusion of local and global attractors to this dynamics leads to faster convergence speed and better accuracy than the classical one. The second extension augments the velocity adaptation equation by a negative randomly weighted positional term of individual particle, while the third extension considers the negative positional term in place of the inertial term. Computer simulations further reveal that the last two extensions outperform both the classical and the first extension in terms of convergence speed and accuracy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Chemical Sensors)
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419 KiB  
Article
Polyester Sulphonic Acid Interstitial Nanocomposite Platform for Peroxide Biosensor
by Amir Al-Ahmed, Peter M. Ndangili, Nazeem Jahed, Priscilla G. L. Baker and Emmanuel I. Iwuoha
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 9965-9976; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91209965 - 08 Dec 2009
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 11409
Abstract
A novel enzyme immobilization platform was prepared on a platinum disk working electrode by polymerizing aniline inside the interstitial pores of polyester sulphonic acid sodium salt (PESA). Scanning electron microscopy study showed the formation of homogeneous sulphonated polyaniline (PANI) nanotubes (~90 nm) and [...] Read more.
A novel enzyme immobilization platform was prepared on a platinum disk working electrode by polymerizing aniline inside the interstitial pores of polyester sulphonic acid sodium salt (PESA). Scanning electron microscopy study showed the formation of homogeneous sulphonated polyaniline (PANI) nanotubes (~90 nm) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) confirmed that the nanotubes were stable up to 230 °C. The PANI:PESA nanocomposite showed a quasi-reversible redox behaviour in phosphate buffer saline. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was immobilized on to this modified electrode for hydrogen peroxide detection. The biosensor gave a sensitivity of 1.33 μA (μM)-1 and a detection limit of 0.185 μM for H2O2. Stability experiments showed that the biosensor retained more than 64% of its initial sensitivity over four days of storage at 4 °C. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Biosensors)
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650 KiB  
Article
A Reduced Three Dimensional Model for SAW Sensors Using Finite Element Analysis
by Mohamed M. El Gowini and Walied A. Moussa
Sensors 2009, 9(12), 9945-9964; https://doi.org/10.3390/s91209945 - 08 Dec 2009
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 12195
Abstract
A major problem that often arises in modeling Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) such as Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) sensors using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is the extensive computational capacity required. In this study a new approach is adopted to significantly reduce the [...] Read more.
A major problem that often arises in modeling Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) such as Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) sensors using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is the extensive computational capacity required. In this study a new approach is adopted to significantly reduce the computational capacity needed for analyzing the response of a SAW sensor using the finite element (FE) method. The approach is based on the plane wave solution where the properties of the wave vary in two dimensions and are uniform along the thickness of the device. The plane wave solution therefore allows the thickness of the SAW device model to be minimized; the model is referred to as a Reduced 3D Model (R3D). Various configurations of this novel R3D model are developed and compared with theoretical and experimental frequency data and the results show very good agreement. In addition, two-dimensional (2D) models with similar configurations to the R3D are developed for comparison since the 2D approach is widely adopted in the literature as a computationally inexpensive approach to model SAW sensors using the FE method. Results illustrate that the R3D model is capable of capturing the SAW response more accurately than the 2D model; this is demonstrated by comparison of centre frequency and insertion loss values. These results are very encouraging and indicate that the R3D model is capable of capturing the MEMS-based SAW sensor response without being computationally expensive. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling, Testing and Reliability Issues in MEMS Engineering)
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