36 research outputs found

    Engineering of hybrid materials for self-powered flexible sensors

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    Department of Energy Engineering (Energy Engineering)Along with the 4th industrial revolution, the great advance in wearable electronics has led a new paradigm in our life. Especially, wearable sensor technology has received great attention as promising candidates to improve the quality of life by realizing the ???Internet of Things??? which can be utilized in daily healthcare, intelligent control, daily activity monitoring, and human-machine interface systems. The ideal wearable devices require several characteristics providing light weight, flexible, unobtrusive, autonomously powered for the convenience of user and sustainable uses. Although various emerging technologies have been suggested to meet these requirements, there are still challenges for highly flexible and unobtrusive forms, multifunctionality, and sustainable uses, which are directly related to widespread practical applications. In response to these requirements, several approaches to explore functional materials and to design the effective structures for advanced sensor performances with sustainable uses, high sensitivity, and multifunctionality. For sustainable uses, self-powered sensing system can be developed by triboelectric/piezoelectric/pyroelectric effect, which can rule out any problems with power sources. For wearable and flexible form factors, textile and extremely thin films, which are mountable and attachable on the human body, are used instead of conventional obtrusive devices, improving the wearing sensing of devices. Moreover, the selection of multifunctional materials and modification of material characteristics can realize multifunctionality which can respond to different stimuli (pressure and temperature) simultaneously. Furthermore, soft/hard and organic/inorganic hybrid materials can be used for effective design of high performance wearable sensor by distribution control in dissimilar materials, which is attributed to effectively localized strain and large contrast of dielectric properties. Therefore, self-powered wearable sensors can be developed with functional materials, unique design and novel approach for characteristic modification, which can provide a promising platform to realize ideal wearable sensors for future applications such as daily healthcare, intelligent control, daily activity monitoring, and human-machine interface systems. In this thesis, we suggest the strategy for advanced sustainable wearable sensors with better wearing sensation, multimodality, and enhanced sensory functions through structure design and modification of material characteristics. Firstly, we briefly summarize the fundamental working principles, the latest research trends, and potential applications in Chapter 1. In Chapter 2, we demonstrate as-spun P(VDF) fiber-based self-powered textile sensors with high sensitivity, mechanical stability, and washing durability. In Chapter 3, we introduce multimodal wearable sensors without signal interference based on triboelectric and pyroelectric effect, which is attributed to controllable polarity of P(VDF-TrFE) via ferroelectric polarization. In Chapter 4, we suggest a novel method for high performance of triboelectric sensors based on alternating P(VDF-TrFE)/BaTiO3 multilayer nanocomposites, which is attributed to the efficient stress concentration and large contrast of dielectric properties. Lastly, we summarize this thesis with future prospects in Chapter 5.clos

    The Potential of Electrospinning to Enable the Realization of Energy-Autonomous Wearable Sensing Systems

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    The market for wearable electronic devices is experiencing significant growth and increasing potential for the future. Researchers worldwide are actively working to improve these devices, particularly in developing wearable electronics with balanced functionality and wearability for commercialization. Electrospinning, a technology that creates nano/microfiber-based membranes with high surface area, porosity, and favorable mechanical properties for human in vitro and in vivo applications using a broad range of materials, is proving to be a promising approach. Wearable electronic devices can use mechanical, thermal, evaporative and solar energy harvesting technologies to generate power for future energy needs, providing more options than traditional sources. This review offers a comprehensive analysis of how electrospinning technology can be used in energy-autonomous wearable wireless sensing systems. It provides an overview of the electrospinning technology, fundamental mechanisms, and applications in energy scavenging, human physiological signal sensing, energy storage, and antenna for data transmission. The review discusses combining wearable electronic technology and textile engineering to create superior wearable devices and increase future collaboration opportunities. Additionally, the challenges related to conducting appropriate testing for market-ready products using these devices are also discussed

    The 3rd International Conference on the Challenges, Opportunities, Innovations and Applications in Electronic Textiles

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    This reprint is a collection of papers from the E-Textiles 2021 Conference and represents the state-of-the-art from both academia and industry in the development of smart fabrics that incorporate electronic and sensing functionality. The reprint presents a wide range of applications of the technology including wearable textile devices for healthcare applications such as respiratory monitoring and functional electrical stimulation. Manufacturing approaches include printed smart materials, knitted e-textiles and flexible electronic circuit assembly within fabrics and garments. E-textile sustainability, a key future requirement for the technology, is also considered. Supplying power is a constant challenge for all wireless wearable technologies and the collection includes papers on triboelectric energy harvesting and textile-based water-activated batteries. Finally, the application of textiles antennas in both sensing and 5G wireless communications is demonstrated, where different antenna designs and their response to stimuli are presented

    IoT and Sensor Networks in Industry and Society

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    The exponential progress of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is one of the main elements that fueled the acceleration of the globalization pace. Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and big data analytics are some of the key players of the digital transformation that is affecting every aspect of human's daily life, from environmental monitoring to healthcare systems, from production processes to social interactions. In less than 20 years, people's everyday life has been revolutionized, and concepts such as Smart Home, Smart Grid and Smart City have become familiar also to non-technical users. The integration of embedded systems, ubiquitous Internet access, and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communications have paved the way for paradigms such as IoT and Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) to be also introduced in high-requirement environments such as those related to industrial processes, under the forms of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT or I2oT) and Cyber-Physical Production Systems (CPPS). As a consequence, in 2011 the German High-Tech Strategy 2020 Action Plan for Germany first envisioned the concept of Industry 4.0, which is rapidly reshaping traditional industrial processes. The term refers to the promise to be the fourth industrial revolution. Indeed, the first industrial revolution was triggered by water and steam power. Electricity and assembly lines enabled mass production in the second industrial revolution. In the third industrial revolution, the introduction of control automation and Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) gave a boost to factory production. As opposed to the previous revolutions, Industry 4.0 takes advantage of Internet access, M2M communications, and deep learning not only to improve production efficiency but also to enable the so-called mass customization, i.e. the mass production of personalized products by means of modularized product design and flexible processes. Less than five years later, in January 2016, the Japanese 5th Science and Technology Basic Plan took a further step by introducing the concept of Super Smart Society or Society 5.0. According to this vision, in the upcoming future, scientific and technological innovation will guide our society into the next social revolution after the hunter-gatherer, agrarian, industrial, and information eras, which respectively represented the previous social revolutions. Society 5.0 is a human-centered society that fosters the simultaneous achievement of economic, environmental and social objectives, to ensure a high quality of life to all citizens. This information-enabled revolution aims to tackle today’s major challenges such as an ageing population, social inequalities, depopulation and constraints related to energy and the environment. Accordingly, the citizens will be experiencing impressive transformations into every aspect of their daily lives. This book offers an insight into the key technologies that are going to shape the future of industry and society. It is subdivided into five parts: the I Part presents a horizontal view of the main enabling technologies, whereas the II-V Parts offer a vertical perspective on four different environments. The I Part, dedicated to IoT and Sensor Network architectures, encompasses three Chapters. In Chapter 1, Peruzzi and Pozzebon analyse the literature on the subject of energy harvesting solutions for IoT monitoring systems and architectures based on Low-Power Wireless Area Networks (LPWAN). The Chapter does not limit the discussion to Long Range Wise Area Network (LoRaWAN), SigFox and Narrowband-IoT (NB-IoT) communication protocols, but it also includes other relevant solutions such as DASH7 and Long Term Evolution MAchine Type Communication (LTE-M). In Chapter 2, Hussein et al. discuss the development of an Internet of Things message protocol that supports multi-topic messaging. The Chapter further presents the implementation of a platform, which integrates the proposed communication protocol, based on Real Time Operating System. In Chapter 3, Li et al. investigate the heterogeneous task scheduling problem for data-intensive scenarios, to reduce the global task execution time, and consequently reducing data centers' energy consumption. The proposed approach aims to maximize the efficiency by comparing the cost between remote task execution and data migration. The II Part is dedicated to Industry 4.0, and includes two Chapters. In Chapter 4, Grecuccio et al. propose a solution to integrate IoT devices by leveraging a blockchain-enabled gateway based on Ethereum, so that they do not need to rely on centralized intermediaries and third-party services. As it is better explained in the paper, where the performance is evaluated in a food-chain traceability application, this solution is particularly beneficial in Industry 4.0 domains. Chapter 5, by De Fazio et al., addresses the issue of safety in workplaces by presenting a smart garment that integrates several low-power sensors to monitor environmental and biophysical parameters. This enables the detection of dangerous situations, so as to prevent or at least reduce the consequences of workers accidents. The III Part is made of two Chapters based on the topic of Smart Buildings. In Chapter 6, Petroșanu et al. review the literature about recent developments in the smart building sector, related to the use of supervised and unsupervised machine learning models of sensory data. The Chapter poses particular attention on enhanced sensing, energy efficiency, and optimal building management. In Chapter 7, Oh examines how much the education of prosumers about their energy consumption habits affects power consumption reduction and encourages energy conservation, sustainable living, and behavioral change, in residential environments. In this Chapter, energy consumption monitoring is made possible thanks to the use of smart plugs. Smart Transport is the subject of the IV Part, including three Chapters. In Chapter 8, Roveri et al. propose an approach that leverages the small world theory to control swarms of vehicles connected through Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication protocols. Indeed, considering a queue dominated by short-range car-following dynamics, the Chapter demonstrates that safety and security are increased by the introduction of a few selected random long-range communications. In Chapter 9, Nitti et al. present a real time system to observe and analyze public transport passengers' mobility by tracking them throughout their journey on public transport vehicles. The system is based on the detection of the active Wi-Fi interfaces, through the analysis of Wi-Fi probe requests. In Chapter 10, Miler et al. discuss the development of a tool for the analysis and comparison of efficiency indicated by the integrated IT systems in the operational activities undertaken by Road Transport Enterprises (RTEs). The authors of this Chapter further provide a holistic evaluation of efficiency of telematics systems in RTE operational management. The book ends with the two Chapters of the V Part on Smart Environmental Monitoring. In Chapter 11, He et al. propose a Sea Surface Temperature Prediction (SSTP) model based on time-series similarity measure, multiple pattern learning and parameter optimization. In this strategy, the optimal parameters are determined by means of an improved Particle Swarm Optimization method. In Chapter 12, Tsipis et al. present a low-cost, WSN-based IoT system that seamlessly embeds a three-layered cloud/fog computing architecture, suitable for facilitating smart agricultural applications, especially those related to wildfire monitoring. We wish to thank all the authors that contributed to this book for their efforts. We express our gratitude to all reviewers for the volunteering support and precious feedback during the review process. We hope that this book provides valuable information and spurs meaningful discussion among researchers, engineers, businesspeople, and other experts about the role of new technologies into industry and society

    Clothing-Integrated Human-Technology Interaction

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    Due to the different disabilities of people and versatile use environments, the current handheld and screen-based digital devices on the market are not suitable for all consumers and all situations. Thus, there is an urgent need for human- technology interaction solutions, where the required input actions to digital devices are simple, easy to establish, and instinctive, allowing the whole society to effortlessly interact with the surrounding technology. In passive ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio frequency identification (RFID) systems, the tag consists only of an antenna and a simple integrated circuit (IC). The tag gets all the needed power from the RFID reader and can be thus seamlessly and in a maintenance-free way integrated into clothing. In this thesis, it is presented that by integrating passive UHF RFID technology into clothing, body movements and gestures can be monitored by monitoring the individual IDs and backscattered signals of the tags. Electro-textiles and embroidery with conductive thread are found to be suitable options when manufacturing and materials for such garments are considered. This thesis establishes several RFID- based interface solutions, multiple types of inputs through RFID platforms, and controlling the surrounding and communicating with RFID-based on/off functions. The developed intelligent clothing is visioned to provide versatile applications for assistive technology, for entertainment, and ambient assistant living, and for comfort and safety in work environments, just to name a few examples

    Advance in Energy Harvesters/Nanogenerators and Self-Powered Sensors

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    This reprint is a collection of the Special Issue "Advance in Energy Harvesters/Nanogenerators and Self-Powered Sensors" published in Nanomaterials, which includes one editorial, six novel research articles and four review articles, showcasing the very recent advances in energy-harvesting and self-powered sensing technologies. With its broad coverage of innovations in transducing/sensing mechanisms, material and structural designs, system integration and applications, as well as the timely reviews of the progress in energy harvesting and self-powered sensing technologies, this reprint could give readers an excellent overview of the challenges, opportunities, advancements and development trends of this rapidly evolving field

    Recent progress in piezotronic sensors based on one-dimensional zinc oxide nanostructures and its regularly ordered arrays: from design to application

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    Piezotronic sensors and self-powered gadgets are highly sought-after for flexible, wearable, and intelligent electronics for their applications in cutting-edge healthcare and human-machine interfaces. With the advantages of a well-known piezoelectric effect, excellent mechanical properties, and emerging nanotechnology applications, one-dimensional (1D) ZnO nanostructures organized in the form of a regular array have been regarded as one of the most promising inorganic active materials for piezotronics. This report intends to review the recent developments of 1D ZnO nanostructure arrays for multifunctional piezotronic sensors. Prior to discussing rational design and fabrication approaches for piezotronic devices in precisely controlled dimensions, well-established synthesis methods for high-quality and well-controlled 1D ZnO nanostructures are addressed. The challenges associated with the well-aligned, site-specific synthesis of 1D ZnO nanostructures, development trends of piezotronic devices, advantages of an ordered array of 1D ZnO in device performances, exploring new sensing mechanisms, incorporating new functionalities by constructing heterostructures, the development of novel flexible device integration technology, the deployment of novel synergistic strategies in piezotronic device performances, and potential multifunctional applications are covered. A brief evaluation of the end products, such as small-scale miniaturized unconventional power sources in sensors, high-resolution image sensors, and personalized healthcare medical devices, is also included. The paper is summarized towards the conclusion by outlining the present difficulties and promising future directions. This study will provide guidance for future research directions in 1D ZnO nanostructure-based piezotronics, which will hasten the development of multifunctional devices, sensors, chips for human-machine interfaces, displays, and self-powered systems

    Low-power Wearable Healthcare Sensors

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    Advances in technology have produced a range of on-body sensors and smartwatches that can be used to monitor a wearer’s health with the objective to keep the user healthy. However, the real potential of such devices not only lies in monitoring but also in interactive communication with expert-system-based cloud services to offer personalized and real-time healthcare advice that will enable the user to manage their health and, over time, to reduce expensive hospital admissions. To meet this goal, the research challenges for the next generation of wearable healthcare devices include the need to offer a wide range of sensing, computing, communication, and human–computer interaction methods, all within a tiny device with limited resources and electrical power. This Special Issue presents a collection of six papers on a wide range of research developments that highlight the specific challenges in creating the next generation of low-power wearable healthcare sensors

    Smart Materials and Devices for Energy Harvesting

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    This book is devoted to energy harvesting from smart materials and devices. It focusses on the latest available techniques recently published by researchers all over the world. Energy Harvesting allows otherwise wasted environmental energy to be converted into electric energy, such as vibrations, wind and solar energy. It is a common experience that the limiting factor for wearable electronics, such as smartphones or wearable bands, or for wireless sensors in harsh environments, is the finite energy stored in onboard batteries. Therefore, the answer to the battery “charge or change” issue is energy harvesting because it converts the energy in the precise location where it is needed. In order to achieve this, suitable smart materials are needed, such as piezoelectrics or magnetostrictives. Moreover, energy harvesting may also be exploited for other crucial applications, such as for the powering of implantable medical/sensing devices for humans and animals. Therefore, energy harvesting from smart materials will become increasingly important in the future. This book provides a broad perspective on this topic for researchers and readers with both physics and engineering backgrounds
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