scholarly journals Wrinkle Structured Network of Silver-Coated Carbon Nanotubes for Wearable Sensors

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhongyun Yuan ◽  
Zhen Pei ◽  
Muhammad Shahbaz ◽  
Qiang Zhang ◽  
Kai Zhuo ◽  
...  

AbstractSoft-strain-based sensors are being increasingly used across various fields, including wearable sensing, behavior monitoring, and electrophysiological diagnostics. However, throughout all applications, the function of these sensors is limited because of high sensitivity, high-dynamic range, and low-power consumption. In this paper, we focus on improving the sensitivity and strain range of the soft-strain-based sensor through structure, surface, and sensitive unit treatment. Nanosilver (Ag)-coated hydroxyl-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (OH-f MWCNTs) were explored for highly acute sensing. With stretching and depositing methods, Ag@OH-f MWCNTs and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) are fabricated into a wrinkled and sandwich structure for a soft-strain-based sensor. The electronic properties were characterized in that the gauge factor (GF) = ΔR/R0 was 412.32, and the strain range was 42.2%. Moreover, our soft-strain-based sensor exhibits features including flexibility, ultra-lightweight and a highly comfortable experience in terms of wearability. Finally, some physiological and behavioral features can be sampled by testing the exceptional resistance change, including the detection of breath, as well as facial and hand movement recognition. The experiment exhibits its superiority in terms of being highly sensitive and having an extensive range of sensing.

Sensors ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (12) ◽  
pp. 2834 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyunsuk Jung ◽  
Chan Park ◽  
Hyunwoo Lee ◽  
Seonguk Hong ◽  
Hyonguk Kim ◽  
...  

Studies on wearable sensors that monitor various movements by attaching them to a body have received considerable attention. Crack-based strain sensors are more sensitive than other sensors. Owing to their high sensitivity, these sensors have been investigated for measuring minute deformations occurring on the skin, such as pulse. However, existing studies have limited sensitivity at low strain range and nonlinearity that renders any calibration process complex and difficult. In this study, we propose a pre-strain and sensor-extending process to improve the sensitivity and linearity of the sensor. By using these pre-strain and sensor-extending processes, we were able to control the morphology and alignment of cracks and regulate the sensitivity and linearity of the sensor. Even if the sensor was fabricated in the same manner, the sensor that involved the pre-strain and extending processes had a sensitivity 100 times greater than normal sensors. Thus, our crack-based strain sensor had high sensitivity (gauge factor > 5000, gauge factor (GF = (△R/R0)/ε), linearity, and low hysteresis at low strain (<1% strain). Given its high sensing performance, the sensor can be used to measure micro-deformation, such as pulse wave and voice.


Sensors ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 3113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zitao Liu ◽  
Tuoyu Yang ◽  
Ying Dong ◽  
Xiaohao Wang

Sensitive detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is significant for environmental monitoring and medical applications. In this work, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) that have good adsorption for VOCs, were sprayed layer by layer on an interdigitated electrode (IDE) to build a sensitive VOCs gas sensor. The relative resistance change (△R/R) when the sensor was exposed to VOCs was measured. The sensor showed high sensitivity to acetone, ethanol, isopropanol and isoprene with fast response (110 ± 5 s) and recovery (152 ± 5 s) at room temperature, and the lower detection limit (LDL) of the sensor reached 9 ppm. With the micro-fabricated IDE structure, the sensor can be easily built into an electric nose for VOC recognition and measurement.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Libo Zhang ◽  
Zhiqingzi Chen ◽  
Kaixuan Zhang ◽  
Lin Wang ◽  
Huang Xu ◽  
...  

AbstractThe advent of topological semimetals enables the exploitation of symmetry-protected topological phenomena and quantized transport. Here, we present homogeneous rectifiers, converting high-frequency electromagnetic energy into direct current, based on low-energy Dirac fermions of topological semimetal-NiTe2, with state-of-the-art efficiency already in the first implementation. Explicitly, these devices display room-temperature photosensitivity as high as 251 mA W−1 at 0.3 THz in an unbiased mode, with a photocurrent anisotropy ratio of 22, originating from the interplay between the spin-polarized surface and bulk states. Device performances in terms of broadband operation, high dynamic range, as well as their high sensitivity, validate the immense potential and unique advantages associated to the control of nonequilibrium gapless topological states via built-in electric field, electromagnetic polarization and symmetry breaking in topological semimetals. These findings pave the way for the exploitation of topological phase of matter for high-frequency operations in polarization-sensitive sensing, communications and imaging.


2012 ◽  
Vol 162 ◽  
pp. 487-496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aurelien Yeremou Tamtsia ◽  
Youcef Mezouar ◽  
Philippe Martinet ◽  
Haman Djalo ◽  
Emmanuel Tonye

Among region-based descriptors, geometric moments have been widely exploited to design visual servoing schemes. However, they present several disadvantages such as high sensitivity to noise measurement, high dynamic range and information redundancy (since they are not computed onto orthogonal basis). In this paper, we propose to use a class of orthogonal moments (namely Legendre moments) instead of geometric moments to improve the behavior of moment-based control schemes. The descriptive form of the interaction matrix related to the Legendre moments computed from a set of points is rst derived. Six visual features are then selected to design a partially-decoupled control scheme. Finally simulated and experimental results are presented to illustrate the validity of our proposal.


2007 ◽  
Vol 98 (1) ◽  
pp. 502-512 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael T. Lippert ◽  
Kentaroh Takagaki ◽  
Weifeng Xu ◽  
Xiaoying Huang ◽  
Jian-Young Wu

We describe methods to achieve high sensitivity in voltage-sensitive dye (VSD) imaging from rat barrel and visual cortices in vivo with the use of a blue dye RH1691 and a high dynamic range imaging device (photodiode array). With an improved staining protocol and an off-line procedure to remove pulsation artifact, the sensitivity of VSD recording is comparable with that of local field potential recording from the same location. With this sensitivity, one can record from ∼500 individual detectors, each covering an area of cortical tissue 160 μm in diameter (total imaging field ∼4 mm in diameter) and a temporal resolution of 1,600 frames/s, without multiple-trial averaging. We can record 80–100 trials of intermittent 10-s trials from each imaging field before the VSD signal reduces to one half of its initial amplitude because of bleaching and wash-out. Taken together, the methods described in this report provide a useful tool for visualizing evoked and spontaneous waves from rodent cortex.


1998 ◽  
Vol 179 ◽  
pp. 49-55
Author(s):  
T.A. McKay

The introduction of of Charge Coupled Devices (CCDs) in the middle 1970s provided astronomy with nearly perfect (linear, high-sensitivity, low-noise, high dynamic-range, digital) optical detectors. Unfortunately, restrictions imposed by CCD production and cost has typically limited their use to observations of relatively small fields. Recently a combination of technical advances have made practical the application of CCDs to survey science. CCD mosaic cameras, which help overcome the size restrictions imposed by CCD manufacture, allow electronic access to a larger fraction of the available focal plane. Multi-fiber spectrographs, which couple the low-noise, high QE performance of CCDs with the ability to observe spectra for many objects at once, have improved the spectroscopic efficiency of telescopes by factors approaching half a million. An improved understanding of image distortion gives us telescopes on which we expect sub-arcsecond images a large fraction of the time. Finally, and perhaps most important, the performance of computer hardware continues to advance, to the point where analysis of multi-terabyte datasets, while still daunting, is at least conceivable.


2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (14) ◽  
pp. 11944-11953 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinping Zeng ◽  
Yazhou Zhang ◽  
Xiling Du ◽  
Yanfei Li ◽  
Wenwei Tang

The PTFE/GOx/AuNPs/PANI/MWCNTs/GCE glucose sensor possesses wide linear range, low detection limit, high sensitivity, which can measure the glucose in human serum and holds application potential.


2019 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 357-363 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taha Haddadifam ◽  
Mohammad Azim Karami

Abstract Digital silicon photomultiplier (dSiPM) is introduced for diffuse optical imaging (DOI) applications instead of conventional photomultiplier tubes and avalanche photodiodes (APDs) as a state-of-the-art detector. According to the low-level light regime in DOI applications, high sensitivity and high dynamic range (DR) image sensors are needed for DOI systems. dSiPM is proposed as a developing detector which can detect low-level lights. Also, an accurate equation is obtained for calculating the DR of dSiPMs. Different dSiPMs and the corresponding benefits are studied for DOI applications. Furthermore, a 120 dB DR dSiPM is chosen for use in DOI systems. It is shown that dSiPMs can be utilized in DOI configurations such as time domain (TD), frequency domain (FD) and continuous wave (CW) systems. Ultimately, by utilizing dSiPM in DOI systems, the DOI method can be used for thoracic imaging due to the high DR and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the detector.


Author(s):  
Mohammed Al-Rubaiai ◽  
Ryohei Tsuruta ◽  
Taewoo Nam ◽  
Umesh Gandhi ◽  
Xiaobo Tan

Abstract Inflatable structures provide significant volume and weight savings for future space and soft robotic applications. Structural health monitoring (SHM) of these structures is essential to ensuring safe operation, providing early warnings of damage, and measuring structural changes over time. In this paper, we propose the design of a single flexible strain sensor for distributed monitoring of an inflatable tube, in particular, the detection and localization of a kink should that occur. Several commercially available conductive materials, including 3D-printing filaments, conductive paint, and conductive fabrics are explored for their strain-sensing performance, where the resistance change under uniaxial tension is measured, and the corresponding gauge factor (GF) is characterized. Flexible strain sensors are then fabricated and integrated with an inflatable structure fabric using screen-printing or 3D-printing techniques, depending on the nature of the raw conductive material. Among the tested materials, the conductive paint shows the highest stability, with GF of 15 and working strain range of 2.28%. Finally, the geometry of the sensor is designed to enable distributed monitoring of an inflatable tube. In particular, for a given deformation magnitude, the sensor output shows a monotonic relationship with the location where the deformation is applied, thus enabling the monitoring of the entire tube with a single sensor.


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