INSPEX: Make environment perception available as a portable system

International audienceObstacle avoidance systems for autonomous vehicles combine multiple sensing technologies (i.e. LiDAR, Radar, Ultrasound and Visual) to detect different types of obstacles across the full range of lighting and weather conditions. Sensor data are fused with vehicle orientation (obtained for instance from an Inertial Measurement Unit and/or compass) and navigation subsystems. Power hungry, they require powerful computational capability, which limits their use to high-end vehicles and robots. 2 INSPEX ambition The H2020 INSPEX project plans to make obstacle detection capabilities available as a personal portable multi-sensors, miniaturised, low power device. This device will detect, locate and warn of obstacles under different environmental conditions, in indoor/outdoor environments, with static and mobile obstacles. Potential applications range from safer human navigation in reduced visibility conditions (e.g. for first responders and fire brigades), small robot/drone obstacle avoidance systems to navigation for the visually and mobility impaired people. As primary demonstrator (Fig.1), we will plug the INSPEX device on a white cane (see Fig. 1) for Visually Impaired and Blind (VIB) people to detect obstacle over the whole person height, provide audio feedback about harmful obstacles, improve their mobility confidence and reduce injuries, especially at waist and head levels [1]. The device will offer a "safety cocoon" to its user

INSPEX: Make environment perception available as a portable system

Obstacle avoidance systems for autonomous vehicles combine multiple sensing technologies (i.e. LiDAR, Radar, Ultrasound and Visual) to detect different types of obstacles across the full range of lighting and weather conditions. Sensor data are fused with vehicle orientation (obtained for instance from an Inertial Measurement Unit and/or compass) and navigation subsystems. Power hungry, they require powerful computational capability, which limits their use to high-end vehicles and robots

Optimization of hydrophilic/hydrophobic phase separation in sPEEK membranes by hydrothermal treatments

International audienceThe swelling behavior of sPEEK membranes: a thermally activated process associated to the β-relaxation crossover

A new interpretation of SAXS peaks in sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (sPEEK) membranes for fuel cells

International audienceSAXS of sPEEK membranes for fuel cells: from a new peaks attribution to the identification of the membrane nanostructuration process

Dielectric and Thermal Properties of Parylene D at High Temperature: Thermal Instability

International audienc

Hydrophobic networks for advanced proton conducting membrane: Synthesis, transport properties and chemical stability

International audienceThe design of interpenetrated networks (IPN) membranes for fuel cell applications requires both an electrolyte and a neutral network. The composition and architecture of the latter are of major importance for the final IPN membrane properties. In this work, networks based on a fluorinated diepoxy oligomer (DFODDE) and a non-fluorinated triepoxy monomer (TMPTGE) were synthesized. The network composition was varied from 100% DFODDE to 100% TMPTGE, resulting in an increase of the crosslinking density and concomitantly a decrease of the fluorine content. The curing process was optimized to achieve a total epoxy conversion and the chemical structure of the networks was characterized by Raman and Infrared spectroscopies. The physical, thermal and chemical membrane properties were studied and discussed as a function of the crosslinking density and of the fluorine content. Increasing the crosslinking density led to a decrease of the membrane permeability to oxygen. Water sorption properties depended on both parameters, with a prevailing role of the fluorine content on the water uptake and a major influence of the crosslinking density on the diffusion parameter. The thermal stability increased also with the fluorine content. All materials exhibited a good stability in water at 80 degrees C but a significant weight loss after immersion in a concentrated H2O2 solution. Altogether, these results indicate that networks containing 20% of TMPTGE exhibit an interesting set of properties (low oxygen permeability, high T-g, good chemical and thermal stability) to behave as a neutral partner in an IPN membrane. Moreover, the low water uptake and diffusion rate measured in these networks make them attractive for water barrier membranes

Impact of the SG phase morphology on the performances and durability of hybrid polymer membranes for fuel cell applications

International audienceProton-Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) has emerged as a promising emission-free energy conversion device. However, the ionomer membrane at the heart of the device fails to deliver durable performance (to be achieved: 8000h for transportation, 50000h for stationary) at high temperature (100-150°C vs 80°C for std. Nafion) and low relative humidity (30%RH). The aim of our work is to improve existing membranes (better chemical and thermomechanical stabilities, better conductivities) by Sol-Gel (SG) hybridization. SG precursors are selected to diffuse through commercial membranes and introduce stabilizing organo-functional groups offering either a sacrificial stabilization (consumed over time) or a redox stabilization (regenerable) by degrading oxidizing agents produced during Fuel Cell operation. As the morphology (size, interaction/dispersion, connectivity) and localization (polar/apolar regions) of the SG phase inside the host matrix are parameters expected to be crucial for properties (H+ conductivity, water uptake), durability (H2O2-accelerated aging tests to assess the effectiveness of the reactive SG phase) and performances (FC operation) of the hybrid membranes, we explored their morphology at all relevant length scales. In this purpose, we use a combination of direct space (AFM/SEM/TEM) and reciprocal space (contrast variation SANS/SAXS) techniques (dimensional scale covered: from a hundred to a few nanometers) with regard to the chemistry of the SG Precursors (SGPs) (stabilization group, number of hydrolysable functions), yielding a variety of morphology (mass fractal structure vs. dispersed spherical aggregates vs. interconnected ones). H2O2-accelerated aging tests and preliminary fuel cell tests show promising operability of the hybrid membranes and the potential of the SG phase to inhibit the chemical ageing of sPEEK. With this work, we are confident to reach a predictive approach of the key parameters governing the final properties

Impact of the SG phase morphology on the performances and durability of hybrid polymer membranes for fuel cell applications

International audienceProton-Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) has emerged as a promising emission-free energy conversion device. However, the ionomer membrane at the heart of the device fails to deliver durable performance (to be achieved: 8000h for transportation, 50000h for stationary) at high temperature (100-150°C vs 80°C for std. Nafion) and low relative humidity (30%RH). The aim of our work is to improve existing membranes (better chemical and thermomechanical stabilities, better conductivities) by Sol-Gel (SG) hybridization. SG precursors are selected to diffuse through commercial membranes and introduce stabilizing organo-functional groups offering either a sacrificial stabilization (consumed over time) or a redox stabilization (regenerable) by degrading oxidizing agents produced during Fuel Cell operation. As the morphology (size, interaction/dispersion, connectivity) and localization (polar/apolar regions) of the SG phase inside the host matrix are parameters expected to be crucial for properties (H+ conductivity, water uptake), durability (H2O2-accelerated aging tests to assess the effectiveness of the reactive SG phase) and performances (FC operation) of the hybrid membranes, we explored their morphology at all relevant length scales. In this purpose, we use a combination of direct space (AFM/SEM/TEM) and reciprocal space (contrast variation SANS/SAXS) techniques (dimensional scale covered: from a hundred to a few nanometers) with regard to the chemistry of the SG Precursors (SGPs) (stabilization group, number of hydrolysable functions), yielding a variety of morphology (mass fractal structure vs. dispersed spherical aggregates vs. interconnected ones). H2O2-accelerated aging tests and preliminary fuel cell tests show promising operability of the hybrid membranes and the potential of the SG phase to inhibit the chemical ageing of sPEEK. With this work, we are confident to reach a predictive approach of the key parameters governing the final properties