Effects of Contact Pressure in Reflectance Photoplethysmography in an In Vitro Tissue-Vessel Phantom

With the continued development and rapid growth of wearable technologies, PPG has become increasingly common in everyday consumer devices such as smartphones and watches. There is, however, minimal knowledge on the effect of the contact pressure exerted by the sensor device on the PPG signal and how it might affect its morphology and the parameters being calculated. This study explores a controlled in vitro study to investigate the effect of continually applied contact pressure on PPG signals (signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and 17 morphological PPG features) from an artificial tissue-vessel phantom across a range of simulated blood pressure values. This experiment confirmed that for reflectance PPG signal measurements for a given anatomical model, there exists an optimum sensor contact pressure (between 35.1 mmHg and 48.1 mmHg). Statistical analysis shows that temporal morphological features are less affected by contact pressure, lending credit to the hypothesis that for some physiological parameters, such as heart rate and respiration rate, the contact pressure of the sensor is of little significance, whereas the amplitude and geometric features can show significant change, and care must be taken when using morphological analysis for parameters such as SpO2 and assessing autonomic responses.

Interpretation Challenges and Solutions for Real-Time Asphaltene Paramagnetic Sensing at the Wellhead

Asphaltene deposition presents a significant flow assurance to oil production in many parts of the Middle East and beyond. Until recently, there had been no intervention-free approach to monitor deposition in the asphaltene affected wells. This prompted ADNOC to sponsor MicroSilicon to develop of an intervention less real-time sensor device to monitor asphaltene deposition. This new state-of-the-art device is currently installed and automatically collecting data at the wellhead and nearby facilities of an ADNOC operated field. Historic ways of measuring asphaltene in oil relied upon laboratory processes that extracted the asphaltene using a combination of solvents and gravimetric techniques. Paramagnetic techniques offer a potentially simpler alternative because it is known that the spins per gram of an oil is a constant property of that oil, at least when the oil is at constant temperature and pressure. Taking the device to the field means that any interpretation needs to be made independent of these properties. Additionally, the fluid entering the sensor is multiphase and subject to varying temperature and pressure which raises challenges for the conversion of raw spectroscopic data into asphaltene quantity and particle size. These challenges were addressed with a combination of hardware, software and cloud-based machine learning technologies. Oil from over two dozen wells has been sampled in real-time and confirmed that the asphaltene percentage does not just vary from well to well but is also a dynamic aspect of production, with some wells having relatively constant levels and others showing consistent variation. One other well was placed on continuous observation and showed a decrease in asphaltene level following a choke change at the surface. Diagnostic data enhanced by machine learning complements the asphaltene measurement and provides a much more complete picture of the flow assurance challenge than had been previously been available.

Surface Functionalization of Boron-Carbon BС5 Nanotubes by a Nitro Group As a Sensor Device Element: Theoretical Research

The problem of modification of boron-carbon nanotubes (BCNT) by functional groups is relevant in connection with the intensive development of the nano industry, in particular, nano- and microelectronics. For example, a modified nanotube can be used as an element of a sensor device for detecting microenvironments of various substances, in particular metals included in salts and alkalis. The paper discusses the possibility of creating a high-performance sensor using single-layer boron-carbon nanotubes as a sensitive element, the surface of which is modified with a functional nitro group -NO2. Quantum-chemical studies of the process of attaching a nitro group to the outer surface of a single-layer boron-carbon nanotube (BCNT) of type (6, 6) were carried out, which proved the possibility of modifying the BCNT and the formation of a bond between the group -NO2 and the carbon atom of the surface of the nanotube. The results of computer simulation of interaction of surface-modified boron-carbon nanotube with alkali metal atoms (lithium, sodium, potassium) are presented. The sensory interaction of the modified boron-carbon nanosystem with the selected metal atoms was investigated, which proved the possibility of identifying these atoms using a nanotubular system that can act as an element of the sensor device. When reacting with alkali metal atoms in the “BСNT+NO 2” complex, the number of basic carriers increases, due to the transfer of electron density from metal atoms to modified BСNT. The results presented in this paper were obtained using the molecular cluster model and the calculated DFT method with exchange-correlation functionality B3LYP (valence-split basis set 6-31G).

Measurement of various intensities of physical activities and categorization of “Locomotive” and “Household” activities provide a subject-specific detailed assessment

This study aimed to compare the physical activity (PA) measured by a wearable sensor device (WSD) and the step count measurement, and to investigate the association between PAs and lifestyle. Data of 301 participants were collected from March 2019 to March 2021. Step counts, sedentary behavior, performance time of light/moderate/vigorous PA, METs × hour of “Locomotive” and “Household” categorized activities, and energy expenditure (EE) were measured by the WSD, respectively. Furthermore, the participants were classified into student, standing worker, and sitting worker groups. Data were analyzed using the Steel–Dwass and Pearson correlation coefficient tests. The correlation between the performance time of each PA and step count was weak, except for moderate PA. “Household” EE and step count also had a weak correlation. In the comparison of lifestyle, there was a significant difference in the mean performance time of each type of PA between the groups. Additionally, the standing worker and sitting worker groups had a significant difference in METs × hour of "Household" activities, indicating that the difference between the occupations is reflected in “Household” activities. The WSD measurement can be used to evaluate detailed individual PA, whereas the step count measurement showed weakness in the PA estimation.

Validity and Reliability of an Inertial Sensor Device for Specific Running Patterns in Soccer

Electronic performance tracking devices are largely employed in team sports to monitor performance and improve training. To date, global positioning system (GPS) based devices are those mainly used in soccer training. The aim of this study was to analyse the validity and reliability of the inertial sensor device (ISD) in monitoring distance and speed in a soccer-specific circuit and how their performance compare to a GPS system. 44 young male soccer players (age: 14.9 ± 1.1, range 9–16, years, height: 1.65 ± 0.10 m, body mass: 56.3 ± 8.9 kg) playing in a non-professional soccer team in Italy, participated in the study. We assessed the players trough a soccer running sport-specific circuit. An ISD and a GPS were used to assess distance and speed. Data was compared to a video reference system, and the difference were quantified by means of the root mean square error (RMSE). Significant differences were found for both GPS and ISD devices for distance and speed. However, lower error for distance (dRMSE 2.23 ± 1.01 m and 5.75 ± 1.50 m, respectively) and speed (sRMSE 0.588 ± 0.152 m·s–1 and 1.30 ± 0.422 m·s–1, respectively) were attained by the ISD compared to the GPS. Overall, our results revealed a statistically significant difference between systems in data monitoring for either distance and speed. However, results of this study showed that a smaller error was obtained with the ISD than the GPS device. Despite caution is warranted within the interpretation of these results, we observed a better practical applicability of the ISD due to its small size, lower cost and the possibility to use the device indoor.

An autonomous and wireless pulse-amplitude modulated chlorophyll fluorometer

Measuring chlorophyll fluorescence is an important tool in plant research, since it is a reliable non-invasive method for capturing photosynthetic efficiency of a plant and, hence, an indicator of plant stress/health. The principle of chlorophyll fluorometry is based on the optical illumination of a plant’s leaf at a certain wavelength, while simultaneously measuring the emitted fluorescence light intensity at a different optical wavelength. By relating the fluorescence light energy at small and large excitation power, conclusions on the efficiency of the photosystem and, therefore, on the plant’s photosynthesis capability can be drawn. Current mobile chlorophyll fluorometers are either (i) compact and energy efficient but limited in functionality and accuracy by omitting modulated measurement signals or (ii) sophisticated and precise with respect to the measurement, but with the drawback of extended weight, size, energy consumption and cost. This contribution presents a smaller, lighter and cheaper sensor device that can be built with sufficiently low energy consumption to be powered by energy harvesting while being light enough to be attached nearly anywhere such as tree branches. With a device cost below 250 €, the performance of the developed device is similar to more expensive commercial devices considering measurements of the relative variable fluorescence. Moreover, the sensor device provides a wireless interface in the European 868 MHz SRD band with up to 10 km of range in free space while just consuming 150 µW in receiving mode due to a custom duty cycling technique.

RESEARCH AND DIAGNOSTICS FOR THE LABORATORY OF PRESSURE RESISTANT SENSORS

The use of the sensors shortens the service life, wears out and reduces their accuracy due to operation. For sensors with a susceptibility to inaccuracy, it is possible to create a sensor-device-software diagnostic set. Such a scheme of configuration should be able to provide autonomic diagnostic, calibration, evaluation and also recalibration of the sensor. The diagnostic equipment could also have a shock test function in order to intentionally and faster reduce the service life and thus test the correctly set parameters of the diagnostic algorithm in laboratory conditions. The diagnostic device is a specialized technical system that provides conditions for the future potential of the testing development, knowledge and experience. According to the design, it can be modularly enriched with new parts, fixtures and systems to provide a more diverse range of options. There would be space for exploring the possibilities of new types of sensors, their comparison, as well as full-fledged automation of the complex diagnostic process.

Performance of Aether Low-Cost Sensor Device for Air Pollution Measurements in Urban Environments. Accuracy Evaluation Applying the Air Quality Index (AQI)

Significant portions of European cities’ population are still exposed to levels of air pollution deemed harmful by the World Health Organization. Given the high impact of air pollution both on human health and the economy, numerous low-cost electrochemical sensor monitoring systems are being installed. The market is forced to develop new air quality monitoring systems to meet the needs of providing forecasting services based on advanced technologies and protocols that utilize certain characteristics such as high accuracy, real-time monitoring, daily and yearly statistics, data access from both experts and simple users with the use of low-cost equipment. In this study, conducted in Athens, Greece, a comparison is attempted between the findings from a low-cost electrochemical sensor device and those of a static, fixed site measurement monitoring station; this comparison is based on the data quality and Air Quality Index (AQI) concerning data accuracy and quality on adverse health effects due to air pollution. With regard to the prediction of different AQI intervals, TPR ranges from 35.2% up to 100.0%, FPR from 0.0% up to 36.1% and FNR from 0.0% up to 38.1%. The outcome of this study reveals flexible and affordable alternatives adopted during the evaluation and calibration of low-cost gas sensors for monitoring.