scholarly journals Characterization of Elastic Polymer-Based Smart Insole and a Simple Foot Plantar Pressure Visualization Method Using 16 Electrodes

Sensors ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wangjoo Lee ◽  
Seung-Hyeon Hong ◽  
Hyun-Woo Oh
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Distribution ◽  
Plantar Pressure ◽  
Lower Layer ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Frame Size ◽  
Pressure Sensing ◽  
Dimethyl Siloxane ◽  
Carbon Nano Tube ◽  
Smart Insole

In this paper, we propose a smart insole for inexpensive plantar pressure sensing and a simple visualizing scheme. The insole is composed of two elastomeric layers and two electrode layers where the common top electrode is submerged in the insole. The upper elastomeric layer is non-conductive poly-dimethyl-siloxane (PDMS) and supports plantar pressure buffering and the lower layer is carbon nano-tube (CNT)-dispersed PDMS for pressure sensing through piezo-resistivity. Under the lower sensing layer are 16 bottom electrodes for pressure distribution sensing without cell-to-cell interference. Since no soldering or sewing is needed the smart insole manufacturing processes is simple and cost-effective. The pressure sensitivity and time response of the material was measured and based on the 16 sensing data of the smart insole, we virtually extended the frame size for continuous and smoothed pressure distribution image with the help of a simple pseudo interpolation scheme.

A smart insole for monitoring plantar pressure based on the fiber Bragg grating sensing technique

2019 ◽  
Vol 89 (17) ◽  
pp. 3433-3446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafique Ahmed Lakho ◽  
Zhang Yi-Fan ◽  
Jiang Jin-Hua ◽  
Hong Cheng-Yu ◽  
Zamir Ahmed Abro
Keyword(s):  
Optical Fiber ◽  
Pressure Distribution ◽  
Fiber Bragg Grating ◽  
Plantar Pressure ◽  
Bragg Grating ◽  
Body Postures ◽  
Plantar Pressure Distribution ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Fbg Sensors ◽  
Smart Insole

The analysis of plantar pressure distribution is essential in the field of biomedical and sports-related applications. In this study, a smart insole was developed for the measurement of plantar pressure distribution and the evaluation of body postures using optical fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensing technology. Four FBG sensors characterized by four different center Bragg wavelengths, 1528 ± 0.3, 1532 ± 0.3, 1535 ± 0.3 and 1539 ± 0.3 nm, were located at the first metatarsus, third metatarsus, fifth metatarsus and heel position, respectively. The measurement sensitivity of all the FBG sensors was 0.000412 nm/kPa, approximately. Silica gel material of modulus = 10 MPa was selected to incorporate the FBG sensors. All FBG sensors were multiplexed together with one optical fiber cable. The performance and functional properties of all FBG-based pressure sensors were calibrated in the laboratory to evaluate plantar pressure distribution. A male subject was selected for performing four tasks, namely standing in an upright position, leaning forward, squat position and forward fold. During standing tests, plantar pressure observed at the heel position was around 57% higher than that at the first and third metatarsus, while the pressure of the fifth metatarsus position presents minimal pressure, which is only 37% that of the pressure of the heel position. When the subject performs leaning forward, the squat position and forward fold posture, the first and third metatarsi show maximum pressure, while the pressure decreases at the fifth metatarsus position. However, almost zero pressure is observed at the heel position when the subject changes the body postures of leaning forward, squat and forward fold posture. The extreme pressure of the forward fold posture was 1750 kPa acquired at the first metatarsus, which is 52% and 62% higher than those at the fifth and third metatarsi, respectively. Therefore, the smart insole successfully recorded both plantar pressure distribution and body posture changes regarding the wavelength values collected by the FBG sensors.

Monitoring of Petroleum-Related Environmental Contamination Using Fluorescence Fingerprinting

2006 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Literathy ◽  
M. Quinn
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Contamination ◽  
Statistical Evaluation ◽  
Oil Pollution ◽  
Emission Spectra ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Petroleum Products ◽  
Danube River ◽  
Aromatic Components ◽  
Analytical Approaches

Petroleum and its refined products are considered the most complex contaminants frequently impacting the environment in significant quantities. They have heterogeneous chemical composition and alterations occur during environmental weathering. No single analytical method exists to characterize the petroleum-related environmental contamination. For monitoring, the analytical approaches include gravimetric, spectrometric and chromatographic methods having significant differences in their selectivity, sensitivity and cost-effectiveness. Recording fluorescence fingerprints of the cyclohexane extracts of the water, suspended solids, sediment or soil samples and applying appropriate statistical evaluation (e.g. by correlating the concatenated emission spectra of the fingerprints of the samples with arbitrary standards (e.g. petroleum products)), provides a powerful, cost-effective analytical tool for characterization of the type of oil pollution and detecting the most harmful aromatic components of the petroleum contaminated matrix. For monitoring purposes, the level of the contamination can be expressed as the equivalent concentration of an appropriate characteristic standard, based on the fluorescence intensities at the relevant characteristic wavelengths. These procedures are demonstrated in the monitoring of petroleum-related pollution in the water and suspended sediment in the Danube river basin

Green Synthesis and Spectroscopic Studies of Ag-rGO Nanocomposites for Highly Selective Mercury (II) Sensing

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shubhangi J. Mane-Gavade ◽  
Sandip R. Sabale ◽  
Xiao-Ying Yu ◽  
Gurunath H. Nikam ◽  
Bhaskar V. Tamhankar
Keyword(s):  
Green Synthesis ◽  
Color Change ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Aqueous Media ◽  
Suitable Condition ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Spectroscopic Studies ◽  
Calibration Plot ◽  
First Time

Introduction: Herein we report the green synthesis and characterization of silverreduced graphene oxide nanocomposites (Ag-rGO) using Acacia nilotica gum for the first time. Experimental: We demonstrate the Hg2+ ions sensing ability of the Ag-rGO nanocomposites form aqueous medium. The developed colorimetric sensor method is simple, fast and selective for the detection of Hg2+ ions in aqueous media in presence of other associated ions. A significant color change was noticed with naked eye upon Hg2+ addition. The color change was not observed for cations including Sr2+, Ni2+, Cd2+, Pb2+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Fe2+, Ba2+ and Mn2+indicating that only Hg2+ shows a strong interaction with Ag-rGO nanocomposites. Under the most suitable condition, the calibration plot (A0-A) against concentration of Hg2+ was linear in the range of 0.1-1.0 ppm with a correlation coefficient (R2) value 0.9998. Results & Conclusion The concentration of Hg2+ was quantitatively determined with the Limit of Detection (LOD) of 0.85 ppm. Also, this method shows excellent selectivity towards Hg2+ over nine other cations tested. Moreover, the method offers a new cost effective, rapid and simple approach for the detection of Hg2+ in water samples.

scholarly journals The Design and Simulation of a 16-Sensors Plantar Pressure Insole Layout for Different Applications: From Sports to Clinics, a Pilot Study

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 1450
Author(s):  
Alfredo Ciniglio ◽  
Annamaria Guiotto ◽  
Fabiola Spolaor ◽  
Zimi Sawacha
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Distribution ◽  
Plantar Pressure ◽  
Center Of Pressure ◽  
Reaction Force ◽  
Weight Lifting ◽  
Lower Limbs ◽  
Plantar Pressure Distribution ◽  
Drop Landing ◽  
Mean Pressure ◽  
Footwear Design

The quantification of plantar pressure distribution is widely done in the diagnosis of lower limbs deformities, gait analysis, footwear design, and sport applications. To date, a number of pressure insole layouts have been proposed, with different configurations according to their applications. The goal of this study is to assess the validity of a 16-sensors (1.5 × 1.5 cm) pressure insole to detect plantar pressure distribution during different tasks in the clinic and sport domains. The data of 39 healthy adults, acquired with a Pedar-X® system (Novel GmbH, Munich, Germany) during walking, weight lifting, and drop landing, were used to simulate the insole. The sensors were distributed by considering the location of the peak pressure on all trials: 4 on the hindfoot, 3 on the midfoot, and 9 on the forefoot. The following variables were computed with both systems and compared by estimating the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE): Peak/Mean Pressure, Ground Reaction Force (GRF), Center of Pressure (COP), the distance between COP and the origin, the Contact Area. The lowest (0.61%) and highest (82.4%) RMSE values were detected during gait on the medial-lateral COP and the GRF, respectively. This approach could be used for testing different layouts on various applications prior to production.

scholarly journals Semi-automated regional classification of the style of activity of slow rock-slope deformations using PS InSAR and SqueeSAR velocity data

Landslides ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Crippa ◽  
Elena Valbuzzi ◽  
Paolo Frattini ◽  
Giovanni B. Crosta ◽  
Margherita C. Spreafico ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rock Slope ◽  
Progressive Failure ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Displacement Rate ◽  
Machine Learning Classification ◽  
Management Perspective ◽  
Alpine Environments

AbstractLarge slow rock-slope deformations, including deep-seated gravitational slope deformations and large landslides, are widespread in alpine environments. They develop over thousands of years by progressive failure, resulting in slow movements that impact infrastructures and can eventually evolve into catastrophic rockslides. A robust characterization of their style of activity is thus required in a risk management perspective. We combine an original inventory of slow rock-slope deformations with different PS-InSAR and SqueeSAR datasets to develop a novel, semi-automated approach to characterize and classify 208 slow rock-slope deformations in Lombardia (Italian Central Alps) based on their displacement rate, kinematics, heterogeneity and morphometric expression. Through a peak analysis of displacement rate distributions, we characterize the segmentation of mapped landslides and highlight the occurrence of nested sectors with differential activity and displacement rates. Combining 2D decomposition of InSAR velocity vectors and machine learning classification, we develop an automatic approach to characterize the kinematics of each landslide. Then, we sequentially combine principal component and K-medoids cluster analyses to identify groups of slow rock-slope deformations with consistent styles of activity. Our methodology is readily applicable to different landslide datasets and provides an objective and cost-effective support to land planning and the prioritization of local-scale studies aimed at granting safety and infrastructure integrity.

scholarly journals Variable Temperature Synthesis of Tunable Flame-Generated Carbon Nanoparticles

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 44
Author(s):  
Francesca Picca ◽  
Angela Di Pietro ◽  
Mario Commodo ◽  
Patrizia Minutolo ◽  
Andrea D’Anna
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Nanoparticles ◽  
Variable Temperature ◽  
Flame Temperature ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Synthesis Process ◽  
Electrical Mobility ◽  
Material Synthesis ◽  
Online Measurements ◽  
Degree Of Graphitization

In this study, flame-formed carbon nanoparticles of different nanostructures have been produced by changing the flame temperature. Raman spectroscopy has been used for the characterization of the carbon nanoparticles, while the particle size has been obtained by online measurements made by electrical mobility analysis. The results show that, in agreement with recent literature data, a large variety of carbon nanoparticles, with a different degree of graphitization, can be produced by changing the flame temperature. This methodology allows for the synthesis of very small carbon nanoparticles with a size of about 3-4 nm and with different graphitic orders. Under the perspective of the material synthesis process, the variable-temperature flame-synthesis of carbon nanoparticles appears as an attractive procedure for a cost-effective and easily scalable production of highly tunable carbon nanoparticles.

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