Hybrid Optical Distance Sensor

Methods and systems for hybrid optical sensor designs for high dynamic range high resolution remote distance or level measurements. The preferred sensor design uses a hybrid digital-analog controlled variable focal length lens system to target both specular (retro-reflective) and diffuse objects. Spatial image processing via an optical imager of direct (specular) or indirect (scattered) light is deployed to enable target path length measurement. An alternate sensor design combines the preferred spatial processing sensor design with time-frequency processing optical distance measurement methods to enable a robust hybrid-technique sensor. These sensor designs allows remote sensing of object distance, object motion displacement, object three dimensional structure, object spatial profile, and measurement of liquid levels, and different matter(gas-liquid, solid-gas, liquid A-liquid B) interface positions

Towards self-powered sensing using nanogenerators for automotive systems

The final publication is available at Elsevier via https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nanoen.2018.09.032 © 2018. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/Harvesting energy from the working environment of vehicles is important for wirelessly monitoring their operation conditions and safety. This review aims at reporting different sensory and energy harvesting technologies developed for automotive and active safety systems. A few dominant sensing and power harvesting mechanisms in automotive systems are illustrated, then, triboelectric, piezoelectric and pyroelectric nanogenerators, and their potential for utilization in automotive systems are discussed considering their high power density, flexibility, different operating modes, and cost in comparison with other mechanisms. Various ground vehicles’ sensing mechanisms including position, thermal, pressure, chemical and gas composition, and pressure sensors are presented. A few novel types self-powered sensing mechanisms are presented for each of the abovementioned sensor categories using nanogenerators. The last section includes the automotive systems and subsystems, which have the potential to be used for energy harvesting, such as suspension and tires. The potential of nanogenerators for developing new self-powered sensors for automotive applications, which in the near future, will be an indispensable part of the active safety systems in production cars, is also discussed in this review article

Doctor of Philosophy

dissertationMeasuring volume in medical samples without removing the cap of the tube is an important first step in highly automated biomedical laboratories. The variations of liquid properties, tube material, and number as well as location of labels attached to the outside of the test tube are the key points that prevent use of most traditional methods. Research into optical level detection was conducted to resolve the above issues. The research focuses on the optical detection of liquid level and volume of medical samples in the test tubes that are covered by an unknown number of labels. It has been carried out at the Precision Design Laboratory in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at University of Utah since 2006. The project is funded by the ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology® (ARUP). This research mainly investigates optical methods that detect the liquid level through the side of the test tube. By analyzing the change of power of transmitted light, which passes through the sample, the location of the interface between air and liquid inside the test tube is determined. To study the effect of loss of light through sample tubes, the propagation process is modeled and simulated through a ray tracing method. Experiments were conducted to verify the modeling and simulation