A high precision accelerometer-based sensor unit for the acquisition of ultra low distortion seismic signals

Over 800,000 people worldwide lost their lives to earthquakes in the last decade and on average 171 people die every day due to earthquake related damage to structures and buildings. Precisely understanding the effects ground motion has on manmade structures is crucial to making them earthquake resistant. This can only be achieved by the precise measurement, recording, and analysis of ground displacement trends during a seismic event. Although there is a vast amount of recorded seismological data available, current technology and processing methods fail to represent accurate ground displacement over time as the considerable technological challenges have yet to be overcome. Raw seismic data has so far been primarily acquired with instruments utilising geophone or accelerometer based sensors. These instruments produce prominent time domain displacement errors due to the various system and sensor inaccuracies, and due to non-linear response. Since accelerometers provide acceleration over time data: whilst geophones are velocimeters, and therefore provide velocity over time data; in order to derive true ground displacement over time, a double, or single numerical integration is required respectively. During this essential numerical integration processes of data from such sensors, even small in magnitude errors accumulate to yield rather large displacement trend offsets over a typical event recording period of 60 to 120 seconds. In addition, the numerical integration process itself poses considerable challenges due to the theoretically infinite number of samples and the accurate determination of initial conditions required for an exact mathematical result to be obtained. The latter, is currently performed by averaging an up to 60 second pre-event data trend stored on the instrument. Most post-integration data from current instruments appears to contain low frequency drifts amongst other noise artefacts, and generally requires baseline correction algorithms in an attempt to correct for these effects. Such corrections, although helpful, only aid to minimise the perceived effects of an assumed and collective source of error, and hence are largely unable to tackle the individual error contribution of each element within the system. Since individual element contribution is of a dynamic nature, the validity of these algorithms is limited by the accuracy of the initial assumptions made about a specific set of data. Faced with such a multivariable and uncertain dynamic behaviour, where even mathematical system modelling is of inadequate long term accuracy, a solution that aims to directly minimise these errors at source, rather than attempt to correct them postacquisition, is of immense importance when it comes to the recording, analysis, and understanding of earthquakes. This thesis describes the design, implementation, and evaluation of a High Precision Active Gyro Stabilised (HPAGS) sensor unit of exceptional performance for the provision of highly accurate ground displacement data. Experimental results demonstrated that the device described herein, was able to diminish the inherent non-linear and environment-dependant effects of current sensors, and thus was able to provide highly improved time domain displacement data

Moving On:Measuring Movement Remotely after Stroke

Most persons with stroke suffer from motor impairment, which restricts mobility on one side, and affects their independence in daily life activities. Measuring recovery is needed to develop individualized therapies. However, commonly used clinical outcomes suffer from low resolution and subjectivity. Therefore, objective biomechanical metrics should be identified to measure movement quality. However, non-portable laboratory setups are required in order to measure these metrics accurately. Alternatively, minimal wearable systems can be developed to simplify measurements performed at clinic or home to monitor recovery. Thus, the goal of the thesis was ‘To identify metrics that reflect movement quality of upper and lower extremities after stroke and develop wearable minimal systems for tracking the proposed metrics’. Section Upper Extremity First, we systematically reviewed literature ( Chapter II ) to identify metrics used to measure reaching recovery longitudinally post-stroke. Although several metrics were found, it was not clear how they differentiated recovery from compensation strategies. Future studies must address this gap in order to optimize stroke therapy. Next, we assessed a ‘valid’ measure for smoothness of upper paretic limb reaching ( Chapter III ), as this was commonly used to measure movement quality. After a systematic review and simulation analyses, we found that reaching smoothness is best measured using spectral arc length. The studies in this section offer us a better understanding of movement recovery in the upper extremity post-stroke. Section Lower Extremity Although metrics that reflect gait recovery are yet to be identified, in this section we focused on developing minimal solutions to measure gait quality. First, we showed the feasibility of 1D pressure insoles as a lightweight alternative for measuring 3D Ground Reaction Forces (GRF) ( Chapter IV ). In the following chapters, we developed a minimal system; the Portable Gait Lab (PGL) using only three Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) (one per foot and one on the pelvis). We explored the Centroidal Moment Pivot (CMP) point ( Chapter V ) as a biomechanical constraint that can help with the reduction in sensors. Then, we showed the feasibility of the PGL to track 3D GRF ( Chapters VI-VII ) and relative foot and CoM kinematics ( Chapter VIII-IX ) during variable overground walking by healthy participants. Finally, we performed a limited validation study in persons with chronic stroke ( Chapter X ). This thesis offers knowledge and tools which can help clinicians and researchers understand movement quality and thereby develop individualized therapies post-stroke

Engineering Dynamics and Life Sciences

From Preface: This is the fourteenth time when the conference “Dynamical Systems: Theory and Applications” gathers a numerous group of outstanding scientists and engineers, who deal with widely understood problems of theoretical and applied dynamics. Organization of the conference would not have been possible without a great effort of the staff of the Department of Automation, Biomechanics and Mechatronics. The patronage over the conference has been taken by the Committee of Mechanics of the Polish Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Poland. It is a great pleasure that our invitation has been accepted by recording in the history of our conference number of people, including good colleagues and friends as well as a large group of researchers and scientists, who decided to participate in the conference for the first time. With proud and satisfaction we welcomed over 180 persons from 31 countries all over the world. They decided to share the results of their research and many years experiences in a discipline of dynamical systems by submitting many very interesting papers. This year, the DSTA Conference Proceedings were split into three volumes entitled “Dynamical Systems” with respective subtitles: Vibration, Control and Stability of Dynamical Systems; Mathematical and Numerical Aspects of Dynamical System Analysis and Engineering Dynamics and Life Sciences. Additionally, there will be also published two volumes of Springer Proceedings in Mathematics and Statistics entitled “Dynamical Systems in Theoretical Perspective” and “Dynamical Systems in Applications”

12th International Conference on Vibrations in Rotating Machinery

Since 1976, the Vibrations in Rotating Machinery conferences have successfully brought industry and academia together to advance state-of-the-art research in dynamics of rotating machinery. 12th International Conference on Vibrations in Rotating Machinery contains contributions presented at the 12th edition of the conference, from industrial and academic experts from different countries. The book discusses the challenges in rotor-dynamics, rub, whirl, instability and more. The topics addressed include: - Active, smart vibration control - Rotor balancing, dynamics, and smart rotors - Bearings and seals - Noise vibration and harshness - Active and passive damping - Applications: wind turbines, steam turbines, gas turbines, compressors - Joints and couplings - Challenging performance boundaries of rotating machines - High power density machines - Electrical machines for aerospace - Management of extreme events - Active machines - Electric supercharging - Blades and bladed assemblies (forced response, flutter, mistuning) - Fault detection and condition monitoring - Rub, whirl and instability - Torsional vibration Providing the latest research and useful guidance, 12th International Conference on Vibrations in Rotating Machinery aims at those from industry or academia that are involved in transport, power, process, medical engineering, manufacturing or construction

Developments in structural proof testing methodologies for aircraft composite structures

A major cost in the fabrication of carbon-epoxy composite structures for aircraft is the non-destructive inspection (NDI) performed at the end of the manufacturing process to reveal the presence of any defects and damage such as porosity, backing paper and bond-line cracks. The inspection can account for up to 50% of the cost and time involved in the fabrication of aircraft composite components. Compounding this problem is that NDI often fails to detect damage in difficult to inspect regions, such as the centre fillet of T-stiffened panels. Structural proof testing is a potentially cheaper, faster and more reliable inspection method, which typically involves externally loading the component (static or dynamic loading), and assessing the structural response for the presence of damage and qualification of structural integrity. The current proof testing body of knowledge is limited to detection of active defects that propagate within a structure under load, such as delaminations and cracks. Currently no work has been performed to detect small and passive damages that do not propagate during proof loading, such as voids and porosity. In the current work, the feasibility, methodology and technical challenges of surface strain monitoring and mode shape curvature (MSC) analysis as damage detection techniques within a proof testing scenario were investigated numerically and experimentally. A carbon/epoxy T-stiffened panel was used as the case study to assess the two damage monitoring techniques in detecting delamination, voids, and porosity. An experimentally validated finite element model was used in a parametric study to assess the ability of surface strain monitoring to detect and locate damage in the skin-stiffener bond-line and central fillet region of a T-stiffened panel. Not only are these regions susceptible to manufacturing damage, but the central fillet region is difficult to inspect using conventional NDI. The proof test conditions necessary to optimise the strain field for damage detection were determined, and the detection and location of delamination and voids throughout the T-joint was successfully achieved. However, surface strain monitoring was limited to the detection of porosity in high, wide-spread concentrations, and could not reliably provide damage location. The difference in mode shape curvature from undamaged-to-damaged structures was investigated experimentally and numerically. A scanning laser vibrometer was used to experimentally measure the mode shape displacements of the T-joints under sinusoidal excitations from 0 – 5 kHz. The results of the MSC differences yielded accurate and consistent results with respect to damage presence, location and severity. Delamination damage was detected and located. Porosity was also detected although the exact location was not as clear due to the high stiffness of the structure affecting the indication of damage location. However, the MSC difference technique successfully detected porosity throughout the T-joint including the central fillet region, which cannot be easily inspected using conventional NDI. The results of this investigation have provided the foundations necessary to successfully implement a novel structural proof testing methodology for certification of aircraft composite components, capable of detecting and locating damage in complex structures

12th International Conference on Vibrations in Rotating Machinery

Since 1976, the Vibrations in Rotating Machinery conferences have successfully brought industry and academia together to advance state-of-the-art research in dynamics of rotating machinery. 12th International Conference on Vibrations in Rotating Machinery contains contributions presented at the 12th edition of the conference, from industrial and academic experts from different countries. The book discusses the challenges in rotor-dynamics, rub, whirl, instability and more. The topics addressed include: - Active, smart vibration control - Rotor balancing, dynamics, and smart rotors - Bearings and seals - Noise vibration and harshness - Active and passive damping - Applications: wind turbines, steam turbines, gas turbines, compressors - Joints and couplings - Challenging performance boundaries of rotating machines - High power density machines - Electrical machines for aerospace - Management of extreme events - Active machines - Electric supercharging - Blades and bladed assemblies (forced response, flutter, mistuning) - Fault detection and condition monitoring - Rub, whirl and instability - Torsional vibration Providing the latest research and useful guidance, 12th International Conference on Vibrations in Rotating Machinery aims at those from industry or academia that are involved in transport, power, process, medical engineering, manufacturing or construction

Proceedings of the 2018 Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering (CSME) International Congress

Published proceedings of the 2018 Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering (CSME) International Congress, hosted by York University, 27-30 May 2018

Modern Telemetry

Telemetry is based on knowledge of various disciplines like Electronics, Measurement, Control and Communication along with their combination. This fact leads to a need of studying and understanding of these principles before the usage of Telemetry on selected problem solving. Spending time is however many times returned in form of obtained data or knowledge which telemetry system can provide. Usage of telemetry can be found in many areas from military through biomedical to real medical applications. Modern way to create a wireless sensors remotely connected to central system with artificial intelligence provide many new, sometimes unusual ways to get a knowledge about remote objects behaviour. This book is intended to present some new up to date accesses to telemetry problems solving by use of new sensors conceptions, new wireless transfer or communication techniques, data collection or processing techniques as well as several real use case scenarios describing model examples. Most of book chapters deals with many real cases of telemetry issues which can be used as a cookbooks for your own telemetry related problems

Rehabilitation Engineering

Population ageing has major consequences and implications in all areas of our daily life as well as other important aspects, such as economic growth, savings, investment and consumption, labour markets, pensions, property and care from one generation to another. Additionally, health and related care, family composition and life-style, housing and migration are also affected. Given the rapid increase in the aging of the population and the further increase that is expected in the coming years, an important problem that has to be faced is the corresponding increase in chronic illness, disabilities, and loss of functional independence endemic to the elderly (WHO 2008). For this reason, novel methods of rehabilitation and care management are urgently needed. This book covers many rehabilitation support systems and robots developed for upper limbs, lower limbs as well as visually impaired condition. Other than upper limbs, the lower limb research works are also discussed like motorized foot rest for electric powered wheelchair and standing assistance device