Development of optical sensing system for detection of Fe ions using conductive polymer actuator based microfluidic pump

In this paper, we present a novel microfluidic optical sensing system by combining a low-power conductive polymer -based microfluidic pump and a microfluidic chip integrated with an optical sensor. A self priming microfluidic pump is developed using a polypyrrole. A microfluidic chip- optical detector module that contained an optical cuvette with LED and photo-diode optical sensing module was fabricated. Integration of the micro pump and the microfluidic chips complete the sensing system. The pump performance and its application in chemical analysis have been demonstrated in the detection of Fe ions

Development of bite guard for wireless monitoring of bruxism using pressure-sensitive polymer

A wireless pressure sensing bite guard has been developed for monitoring the progress of bruxism (teeth grinding during sleep); as well as for protecting the teeth from damages. For sensing the grinding event effectively in restricted space and hostile environment, a pressure sensitive polymer composite which is safe for intra oral applications has been fabricated and encapsulated into a conventional bite guard. Also encapsulated was a microcontroller-based electronic circuit which was built in-house for data collection and transmission. A low power approach was configured to maximize the working life-time of the device to several months. The device can provide real-time tooth grinding profile through wireless communication. This device is anticipated to be a useful tool for understanding and treating bruxism

Molecules with multiple personalities: how switchable materials could revolutionise chemical sensing

Worldwide, the demand for sensing devices that can conform with the requirements of large-scale wireless sensor network (WSN) deployments is rising exponentially. Typically, sensors should be very low cost, low power (essentially self-sustaining), yet very rugged and reliable. At present, functioning WSN deployments involve physical transducers only, such as thermistors, accelerometers, photodetectors, or flow meters, to monitor quantities like temperature, movement, light level and liquid level/flow. Remote, widely distributed monitoring of molecular targets remains relatively unexplored, except in the case of targets that can be detected directly using ‘non-contact’ techniques like spectroscopy. This paper will address the issues inhibiting the close integration of chemical sensing with WSNs and suggest strategies based on fundamental materials science that may offer routes to new sensing surfaces that can switch between different modes of behaviour (e.g. active-passive, expand-contract)

Development of a wireless autonomous bruxism monitoring device

A wireless pressure sensing bite guard has been developed for monitoring the progress of bruxism (teeth grinding during sleep. The pressure sensor was fabricated from carbon-polymer composite which was encapsulated into a conventional prescription biteguard; together with a built in-house microcontroller-based electronics circuit for data collection and data transmission. A low power approach was configured to maximize the working life-time of the device to several months. The device can provide real-time tooth grinding profile through wireless communication. This device is anticipated to be a useful tool for understanding the progress of bruxism treatment

Development of wireless bruxism monitoring device based on pressure-sensitive polymer composite

A wireless pressure sensing bite guard has been developed for monitoring the progress of bruxism (teeth grinding during sleep); as well as protecting the teeth from damages. For sensing the pressure effectively in the restricted space and hostile environment, a pressure sensitive polymer composite has been fabricated and encapsulated into a conventional bite guard which is safe for in-situ applications. The device is anticipated to give real-time data through wireless data transmission and to have a long working life (weeks). A microcontroller-based electronic circuit has been built in-house for data collection and transmission. A low power approach is configured to increase the working life of the device. This device is a useful tool for understanding and treating bruxism

Designing a Direct Feedback Loop between Humans and Convolutional Neural Networks through Local Explanations

The local explanation provides heatmaps on images to explain how Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) derive their output. Due to its visual straightforwardness, the method has been one of the most popular explainable AI (XAI) methods for diagnosing CNNs. Through our formative study (S1), however, we captured ML engineers' ambivalent perspective about the local explanation as a valuable and indispensable envision in building CNNs versus the process that exhausts them due to the heuristic nature of detecting vulnerability. Moreover, steering the CNNs based on the vulnerability learned from the diagnosis seemed highly challenging. To mitigate the gap, we designed DeepFuse, the first interactive design that realizes the direct feedback loop between a user and CNNs in diagnosing and revising CNN's vulnerability using local explanations. DeepFuse helps CNN engineers to systemically search "unreasonable" local explanations and annotate the new boundaries for those identified as unreasonable in a labor-efficient manner. Next, it steers the model based on the given annotation such that the model doesn't introduce similar mistakes. We conducted a two-day study (S2) with 12 experienced CNN engineers. Using DeepFuse, participants made a more accurate and "reasonable" model than the current state-of-the-art. Also, participants found the way DeepFuse guides case-based reasoning can practically improve their current practice. We provide implications for design that explain how future HCI-driven design can move our practice forward to make XAI-driven insights more actionable.Comment: 32 pages, 6 figures, 5 tables. Accepted for publication in the Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction (PACM HCI), CSCW 202

Ultrafast Transient Spectroscopy of Trans-Polyacetylene in the Midinfrared Spectral Range

Trans-polyacetylene [t-(CH)(x)] possesses twofold ground state degeneracy. Using the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger Hamiltonian, scientists predicted charged solitons to be the primary photoexcitations in t-(CH)(x); this prediction, however, has led to sharp debate. To resolve this saga, we use subpicosecond transient photomodulation spectroscopy in the mid-IR spectral range (0.1-1.5 eV) in neat t-(CH)(x) thin films. We show that odd-parity singlet excitons are the primary photoexcitations in t-(CH)(x), similar to many other nondegenerate pi-conjugated polymers. The exciton transitions are characterized by two photoinduced absorption (PA) bands at 0.38 and 0.6 eV, and an associated photoluminescence band at similar to 1.5 eV having similar polarization memory. The primary excitons undergo internal conversion within similar to 100 fs to an even parity (dark) singlet exciton with a PA band at similar to 1.4 eV. We also find ultrafast photogeneration of charge polarons when pumping deep into the polymer continuum band, which are characterized by two other PA bands in the mid-IR and associated photoinduced IR vibrational modes

Autonomous analyser platforms for remote monitoring of water quality

This paper describes progress in the realization of reliable, relatively low-cost autonomous microfluidic analysers that are capable of monitoring the chemistry of water bodies for significant periods of time (weeks, months) without human intervention. The data generated is transmitted wireless to a remote web server and transferred to a web-database that renders data access location independent. Preliminary results obtained from a ‘matchbox’ scale analyzer are also presented and routes to the realization of next generation platforms discussed