scholarly journals Novel wireless sensors for in situ measurement of sub-ice hydrologic systems

2014 ◽  
Vol 55 (65) ◽  
pp. 41-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.A. Bagshaw ◽  
B. Lishman ◽  
J.L. Wadham ◽  
J.A. Bowden ◽  
S.G. Burrow ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wireless Sensors ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Water Pressure ◽  
Greenland Ice Sheet ◽  
Field Testing ◽  
Wireless Data ◽  
Sensor Platforms ◽  
Hydrologic Systems ◽  
Drainage Channels

AbstractWireless sensors have the potential to provide significant insight into in situ physical and biogeochemical processes in sub-ice hydrologic systems. However, the nature of the glacial environment means that sensor deployment and data return is challenging. We describe two bespoke sensor platforms, electronic tracers or ‘ETracers’, and ‘cryoegg’, for untethered, wireless data collection from glacial hydrologic systems, including subglacial channels. Both employ radio frequencies for data transmission, are designed to endure harsh environmental conditions and can withstand low temperatures, high pressure, turbulence and abrasion. We discuss the design, optimization and field testing of the ETracers and cryoegg, culminating in test deployments beneath the Greenland ice sheet. The small, low-cost ETracers were able to travel through subglacial drainage channels, from where they returned water pressure measurements through 100 m of ice, and could measure water depth in crevasses. The larger cryoegg was able to return multi-parameter data from moulins through 500 m of wet ice to receivers up to 2 km away, and from 12 m depth in a proglacial lake to a receiver on the shore. The tests demonstrate that the cryoegg and ETracers are low-power, versatile, robust wireless sensor platforms suitable for glacial environments, which may be used with portable, low-cost receiving equipment.

Estimating Pedestrian Densities, Wait Times, and Flows with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Sensors

2017 ◽  
Vol 2644 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdullah Kurkcu ◽  
Kaan Ozbay
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Mobile Devices ◽  
Public Transportation ◽  
Wireless Sensors ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Wait Times ◽  
Wireless Data ◽  
Detection Zone ◽  
Or Groups ◽  
Monitoring Technologies

Monitoring nonmotorized traffic is gaining more attention in the context of transportation studies. Most of the traditional pedestrian monitoring technologies focus on counting pedestrians passing through a fixed location in the network. It is thus not possible to anonymously track the movement of individuals or groups as they move outside each particular sensor’s range. Moreover, most agencies do not have continuous pedestrian counts mainly because of technological limitations. Wireless data collection technologies, however, can capture crowd dynamics by scanning mobile devices. Data collection that takes advantage of mobile devices has gained much interest in the transportation literature as a result of its low cost, ease of implementation, and richness of the captured data. In this paper, algorithms to filter and aggregate data collected by wireless sensors are investigated, as well as how to fuse additional data sources to improve the estimation of various pedestrian-based performance measures. Procedures to accurately filter the noise in the collected data and to find pedestrian flows, wait times, and counts with wireless sensors are presented. The developed methods are applied to a 2-month-long collection of public transportation terminal data carried out with the use of six sensors. Results point out that if the penetration rate of discoverable devices is known, then it is possible to accurately estimate the number of pedestrians, pedestrian flows, and average wait times in the detection zone of the developed sensors.

scholarly journals Prototype wireless sensors for monitoring subsurface processes in snow and firn

2018 ◽  
Vol 64 (248) ◽  
pp. 887-896 ◽  
Author(s):  
ELIZABETH A. BAGSHAW ◽  
NANNA B. KARLSSON ◽  
LAI BUN LOK ◽  
BEN LISHMAN ◽  
LINDSAY CLARE ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wireless Sensors ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Ice Core ◽  
Radio Link ◽  
Sensor Platforms ◽  
Radio Echo Sounding ◽  
Recorded Data ◽  
Resolution Imaging ◽  
Phase Sensitive ◽  
Core Project

ABSTRACTThe detection and monitoring of meltwater within firn presents a significant monitoring challenge. We explore the potential of small wireless sensors (ETracer+, ET+) to measure temperature, pressure, electrical conductivity and thus the presence or absence of meltwater within firn, through tests in the dry snow zone at the East Greenland Ice Core Project site. The tested sensor platforms are small, robust and low cost, and communicate data via a VHF radio link to surface receivers. The sensors were deployed in low-temperature firn at the centre and shear margins of an ice stream for 4 weeks, and a ‘bucket experiment’ was used to test the detection of water within otherwise dry firn. The tests showed the ET+ could log subsurface temperatures and transmit the recorded data through up to 150 m dry firn. Two VHF receivers were tested: an autonomous phase-sensitive radio-echo sounder (ApRES) and a WinRadio. The ApRES can combine high-resolution imaging of the firn layers (by radio-echo sounding) with in situ measurements from the sensors, to build up a high spatial and temporal resolution picture of the subsurface. These results indicate that wireless sensors have great potential for long-term monitoring of firn processes.

To Eliminate Curtain Effect of FIB TEM Samples by a Combination of Sample Dicing and Backside Milling

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian-Shing Luo ◽  
Hsiu Ting Lee
Keyword(s):  
Sample Preparation ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Preparation Method ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Sample Preparation Method ◽  
Site Specific ◽  
Dual Beam ◽  
Transmission Electron

Abstract Several methods are used to invert samples 180 deg in a dual beam focused ion beam (FIB) system for backside milling by a specific in-situ lift out system or stages. However, most of those methods occupied too much time on FIB systems or requires a specific in-situ lift out system. This paper provides a novel transmission electron microscopy (TEM) sample preparation method to eliminate the curtain effect completely by a combination of backside milling and sample dicing with low cost and less FIB time. The procedures of the TEM pre-thinned sample preparation method using a combination of sample dicing and backside milling are described step by step. From the analysis results, the method has applied successfully to eliminate the curtain effect of dual beam FIB TEM samples for both random and site specific addresses.

Feasibility study of technology-enabled prevention intervention for children and families (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikki Theofanopoulou ◽  
Katherine Isbister ◽  
Julian Edbrooke-Childs ◽  
Petr Slovák
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Digital Camera ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Object A ◽  
Intervention Delivery ◽  
Parents And Children

BACKGROUND A common challenge within psychiatry and prevention science more broadly is the lack of effective, engaging, and scale-able mechanisms to deliver psycho-social interventions for children, especially beyond in-person therapeutic or school-based contexts. Although digital technology has the potential to address these issues, existing research on technology-enabled interventions for families remains limited. OBJECTIVE The aim of this pilot study was to examine the feasibility of in-situ deployments of a low-cost, bespoke prototype, which has been designed to support children’s in-the-moment emotion regulation efforts. This prototype instantiates a novel intervention model that aims to address the existing limitations by delivering the intervention through an interactive object (a ‘smart toy’) sent home with the child, without any prior training necessary for either the child or their carer. This pilot study examined (i) engagement and acceptability of the device in the homes during 1 week deployments; and (ii) qualitative indicators of emotion regulation effects, as reported by parents and children. METHODS In this qualitative study, ten families (altogether 11 children aged 6-10 years) were recruited from three under-privileged communities in the UK. The RA visited participants in their homes to give children the ‘smart toy’ and conduct a semi-structured interview with at least one parent from each family. Children were given the prototype, a discovery book, and a simple digital camera to keep at home for 7-8 days, after which we interviewed each child and their parent about their experience. Thematic analysis guided the identification and organisation of common themes and patterns across the dataset. In addition, the prototypes automatically logged every interaction with the toy throughout the week-long deployments. RESULTS Across all 10 families, parents and children reported that the ‘smart toy’ was incorporated into children’s emotion regulation practices and engaged with naturally in moments children wanted to relax or calm down. Data suggests that children interacted with the toy throughout the duration of the deployment, found the experience enjoyable, and all requested to keep the toy longer. Child emotional connection to the toy—caring for its ‘well-being’—appears to have driven this strong engagement. Parents reported satisfaction with and acceptability of the toy. CONCLUSIONS This is the first known study investigation of the use of object-enabled intervention delivery to support emotion regulation in-situ. The strong engagement and qualitative indications of effects are promising – children were able to use the prototype without any training and incorporated it into their emotion regulation practices during daily challenges. Future work is needed to extend this indicative data with efficacy studies examining the psychological efficacy of the proposed intervention. More broadly, our findings suggest the potential of a technology-enabled shift in how prevention interventions are designed and delivered: empowering children and parents through ‘child-led, situated interventions’, where participants learn through actionable support directly within family life, as opposed to didactic in-person workshops and a subsequent skills application.

scholarly journals Cutting Resistance Laboratory Testing Methodology for Underwater Coal Mining

Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 564
Author(s):  
Vladimir Čebašek ◽  
Veljko Rupar ◽  
Stevan Đenadić ◽  
Filip Miletić
Keyword(s):  
Coal Mining ◽  
Laboratory Testing ◽  
Water Pressure ◽  
Laboratory Data ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
Laboratory Research ◽  
Surrounding Water ◽  
Cutting Resistance ◽  
Testing Methodology

The bucket-wheel dredge “Kovin I” for underwater coal mining with bucket-wheel type UCW-450 has been in operation for over 20 years. Based on analyzing the bucket-wheel dredger performance, productivity, maintenance costs, and reliability, a rational decision was made: to rehabilitate the most essential parts of the dredge, including the bucket wheel and the gearbox. However, the selection and construction of the excavator parts were performed on the ground of available laboratory data for digging resistance. The data itself was determined by the testing methodology that did not include the influence of surrounding water pressure at a certain depth of mining. According to the previous findings, it was necessary to develop a specific research and testing program that would involve appropriate laboratory testing of the geomechanical parameters. These were to represent the influence of hydrostatic water pressure on the working environment—coal. Nevertheless, geomechanical laboratory research tests were initially modified to provide reliable data of cutting resistance, especially in the water under different hydrostatic pressures, fully simulating the “in situ” working conditions of mining, i.e., cutting.

scholarly journals Converting copper sulfide to copper with surface sulfur for electrocatalytic alkyne semi-hydrogenation with water

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongmeng Wu ◽  
Cuibo Liu ◽  
Changhong Wang ◽  
Yifu Yu ◽  
Yanmei Shi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Binding Energy ◽  
Noble Metal ◽  
Atomic Hydrogen ◽  
Copper Sulfide ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Water Electrolysis ◽  
Metal Free ◽  
Copper Nanowire

AbstractElectrocatalytic alkyne semi-hydrogenation to alkenes with water as the hydrogen source using a low-cost noble-metal-free catalyst is highly desirable but challenging because of their over-hydrogenation to undesired alkanes. Here, we propose that an ideal catalyst should have the appropriate binding energy with active atomic hydrogen (H*) from water electrolysis and a weaker adsorption with an alkene, thus promoting alkyne semi-hydrogenation and avoiding over-hydrogenation. So, surface sulfur-doped and -adsorbed low-coordinated copper nanowire sponges are designedly synthesized via in situ electroreduction of copper sulfide and enable electrocatalytic alkyne semi-hydrogenation with over 99% selectivity using water as the hydrogen source, outperforming a copper counterpart without surface sulfur. Sulfur anion-hydrated cation (S2−-K+(H2O)n) networks between the surface adsorbed S2− and K+ in the KOH electrolyte boost the production of active H* from water electrolysis. And the trace doping of sulfur weakens the alkene adsorption, avoiding over-hydrogenation. Our catalyst also shows wide substrate scopes, up to 99% alkenes selectivity, good reducible groups compatibility, and easily synthesized deuterated alkenes, highlighting the promising potential of this method.

MOF-derived M-OOH with rich oxygen defects by in-situ electro-oxidation reconstitution for highly efficient oxygen evolution reaction

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhikai Shi ◽  
Zebin Yu ◽  
Ronghua Jiang ◽  
Jun Huang ◽  
Yanping Hou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxygen Evolution ◽  
Oxygen Evolution Reaction ◽  
Energy Production ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Highly Efficient ◽  
Oxygen Defects ◽  
Electro Oxidation

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is an important half-reaction in the field of energy production. However, how effectively, simply, and greenly to prepare low-cost OER electrocatalysts remains a problem. Herein,...

scholarly journals Development of a rapid field testing method for metals in horizontal directional drilling residuals with XRF sensor

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hailin Zhang ◽  
João Antonangelo ◽  
Chad Penn
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Standard Method ◽  
Field Testing ◽  
Field Method ◽  
Filter Press ◽  
Directional Drilling ◽  
Horizontal Directional Drilling ◽  
Excess Water ◽  
Spiked Soil

AbstractPortable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) spectrometer allows fast in-situ elemental determination without wet digestion for soils or geological materials, but the use of XRF on wet materials is not well documented. Our objective was to develop a rapid field method using pXRF to measure metals in the residues from horizontal directional drilling (HDD) operations so that proper disposal decisions can be made in-situ. To establish the procedure, we spiked soil samples with 4 concentrations of Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb up to 1000 mg kg−1, and then the metal concentrations were determined by wet chemical method after drying and acid digestion (standard method), and by pXRF, also at laboratory conditions, after drying and at two different moisture conditions. The measurements by pXRF and standard method after drying and after removal of excess water (AREW) were highly correlated with slopes ranging from 0.83 ± 0.01 to 1.08 ± 0.01 (P < 0.001) for all metals. The relationship was better AREW than the saturated paste without removal of excess water and the moisture content affected only the accuracy of As, Cd, and Pb. The procedure established was successfully used for HDD residues collected from 26 states of US with moisture content ranging from 14 to 83% AREW. The pXRF was proven to be a reliable tool for fast detection of common metals in dried soils and HDD residues, and samples containing < 30% moisture content without needing to correct for moisture. If the moisture is > 30%, excess water in samples need to be removed with a commercially available filter press to achieve high accuracy. The developed procedures reduce time of metal detection from days to about an hour which allows drilling operators to make quick decisions on soil or HDD disposal.

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