Sensors

The Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs) and Internet of Things (IoT) have become emerging and essential technologies of the past few decades that connect various heterogeneous systems and devices. Sensors and actuators are fundamental units in most CPS and IoT systems, they are used extensively in vehicle systems, smart health care systems, smart buildings and cities, and many other types of applications. The extensive use of sensors and actuators, coupled with their increasing connectivity, exposes them to a wide range of threats. Given their integration into various systems and the use of multiple technologies, it is very useful to characterize their functions abstractly. For concreteness, we study them here in the context of autonomous cars. An autonomous car is an example of a CPS, which includes IoT applications. For instance, IoT units allow an autonomous car to be connected wirelessly to roadside units, other vehicles, and fog and cloud systems. Also, the IoT allows them to collect and share information on traffic, navigation, roads, and other aspects. An autonomous car is a complex system, not only due to its intricate design but also because it operates in a dynamic environment, interacting with other vehicles and the surrounding infrastructure. To manage these functions, it must integrate various technologies from different sources. Specifically, a diverse array of sensors and actuators is essential for the functionality of autonomous vehicles.

The Design and Development of a remote attitude-measuring sensor package (RASP) for use onboard an underwater tow fish to analyze its dynamic movement while towing is described. The RASP will be used to determine the orientation, acceleration, and gyroscopic attitude of the tow fish. The collection of this data is important for understanding the trim of the tow fish under different towing conditions behind a manned surface vessel or unmanned underwater vehicle. The trim data acquired will inform the extent to which post-processing of collected three-axis electromagnetic field data would be required. The RASP has been analyzed in the laboratory with a mechanical testing rig that was designed and built to validate the accuracy and performance of the entire sensor package system. The developed package will aid in the assessment of the performance of the tow fish in field operations with the sensor package implemented on the tow fish.

Since 2010, aquaculture practices have produced 70% of global seafood consumption. However, this fast-growing sector of agriculture has yet to see the adoption of advanced technologies to improve farm operations. The Hybrid Aerial Underwater robotiCs System (HAUCS) is an Internet of Things (IoT) framework that aims to bring transformative changes to pond aquaculture.
This project focuses on the latest developments in the HAUCS mobile sensing platform and field deployment. A novel rigid Kirigami-based robotic extension subsystem was created to expand the functionality of the HAUCS platform. The primary objective of this design was to limit the surface area of an extender arm on the drone during flight operations and minimize the in-flight drag. By utilizing a novel combination of shape memory polymer (SMP) and nitinol to extend and retrieve the sensing arm, the structure was able to conserve energy while operating under varying environmental conditions.

In this thesis, an augmented reality device was coupled with motion sensor units to function as a system of cooperative technologies for usage within exercise science and neurorehabilitation. Specifically, in a subfield of exercise science called biomechanics, the assessment and analysis of movements are critical to the evaluation and prescription of improvements for physical function in both daily and sport-specific activities. Furthermore, the systematic combination of these technologies provided potential end-users with a modality to perform exercise within, and correlated feedback based upon the end-user’s exercise performance. Data collection specific to biomechanics can provide both the end-user and their evaluators with critical feedback that can be used to modify movement efficiency, improve exercise capacity, and evaluate exercise performance. By coordinating both technologies and completing movement-based experiments, the systems were successfully integrated.

A non-invasive transient state measurement method for wind tunnels would be very valuable as an experimental tool. Traditional measurement techniques for transient flows, e.g., hot wire anemometry, require sensors that are placed in the flow. Alternatively, particle image velocimetry (PIV) may be used to measure transient flows non intrusively, but applying PIV requires sensors that are expensive, and it may take months to process the data. The non-invasive measurement techniques considered in this thesis utilize sensors that are imbedded into the wall of a wind tunnel, or the response of a Kevlar walled wind tunnel to obtain the pressure time histories of a transient flow. These measurements are suitable and accurate for analyzing steady state flows but the feasibility of using them on time varying flows has yet to be explored. If this method proves possible, it would be very beneficial even if it is less accurate than current invasive methods because it would give results in real time. This thesis investigates a simple
transient flow of the startup vortex of an airfoil caused by a step change in angle of attack. Based on thin airfoil theory, two models of an airfoil were created. It was determined that the response of a Kevlar wall can measure the unsteady lift of an airfoil.