Category Archives: Sensors

Electronic, Energy, Informatics, Sensors, Technology

Georgian Technical University Analytical Techniques Seek To Increase Performance And Power Efficiency.

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Georgian Technical University Analytical Techniques Seek To Increase Performance And Power Efficiency.

Georgian Technical University. Analytical techniques seek to increase performance and power efficiency. Georgian Technical University Lithium-ion batteries are the future of renewable energy. Few know this better than a business unit and a global leader in elemental and isotopic microanalysis. A four-time awards recipient provides transformational characterization technology for lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. Georgian Technical University Leader in the analytical techniques of Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) and Atom Probe Tomography (APT). These techniques have important applications in battery. Georgian Technical University Lithium-ion batteries continue to drop in production cost and increase in efficacy. Discover how Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) and Atom Probe Tomography (APT) can help you develop batteries that will last longer, charge faster and provide increased storage capacity. Georgian Technical University. How do lithium-ion batteries work and where are they used ? What are its key advantages and disadvantages ?. What is secondary ion mass spectrometry ?. How is Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) used in Li-ion battery applications ?. Is nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS) similar to SIMS ?. What is atom probe tomography ?. Georgian Technical University. How is Atom Probe Tomography (APT) used in Li-ion battery applications ?. Georgian Technical University. What’s next ?. Georgian Technical University. Register below to download and read the complete technical factor driving the rechargeable battery particularly as demand for energy storage systems and electric cars accelerates in today’s renewable-fueled world.

A.I./Robotics, Informatics, Lasers, Physics, Science, Scientific Computing, Sensors, Technology

Georgian Technical University Artificial Intelligence Makes Great Microscopes Better Than Ever.

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Georgian Technical University Artificial Intelligence Makes Great Microscopes Better Than Ever.

Georgian Technical University. A representation of a neural network provides a backdrop to a fish larva’s beating heart. Georgian Technical University. To observe the swift neuronal signals in a fish brain, scientists have started to use a technique called light-field microscopy which makes it possible to image such fast biological processes in 3D. But the images are often lacking in quality, and it takes hours or days for massive amounts of data to be converted into 3D volumes and movies. Now Georgian Technical University scientists have combined artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms with two cutting-edge microscopy techniques – an advance that shortens the time for image processing from days to mere seconds while ensuring that the resulting images are crisp and accurate. “Georgian Technical University. Ultimately we were able to take ‘the best of both worlds’ in this approach” says X and now a Ph.D. student at the Georgian Technical University. “Artificial intelligence (AI) enabled us to combine different microscopy techniques so that we could image as fast as light-field microscopy allows and get close to the image resolution of light-sheet microscopy”. Georgian Technical University Although light-sheet microscopy and light-field microscopy sound similar these techniques have different advantages and challenges. Light-field microscopy captures large 3D images that allow researchers to track and measure remarkably fine movements such as a fish larva’s beating heart at very high speeds. But this technique produces massive amounts of data which can take days to process and the final images usually lack resolution. Georgian Technical University. Light-sheet microscopy homes in on a single 2D plane of a given sample at one time so researchers can image samples at higher resolution. Compared with light-field microscopy light-sheet microscopy produces images that are quicker to process but the data are not as comprehensive since they only capture information from a single 2D plane at a time. To take advantage of the benefits of each technique Georgian Technical University researchers developed an approach that uses light-field microscopy to image large 3D samples and light-sheet microscopy to train the AI (Artificial Intelligence) algorithms which then create an accurate 3D picture of the sample. “Georgian Technical University. If you build algorithms that produce an image, you need to check that these algorithms are constructing the right image” explains Y the Georgian Technical University group leader whose team brought machine learning expertise. Georgian Technical University researchers used light-sheet microscopy to make sure the AI (Artificial Intelligence) algorithms were working Y says. “This makes our research stand out from what has been done in the past”. Z the Georgian Technical University group leader whose group contributed the novel hybrid microscopy platform notes that the real bottleneck in building better microscopes often isn’t optics technology but computation. He and Y decided to join forces. “Our method will be really key for people who want to study how brains compute. Our method can image an entire brain of a fish larva in real time” said Z. Georgian Technical University. He and Y say this approach could potentially be modified to work with different types of microscopes too eventually allowing biologists to look at dozens of different specimens and see much more much faster. For example it could help to find genes that are involved in heart development or could measure the activity of thousands of neurons at the same time. Georgian Technical University Next the researchers plan to explore whether the method can be applied to larger species, including mammals. W a Ph.D. student in the Q group at Georgian Technical University has no doubts about the power of AI (Artificial intelligence (AI) is intelligence demonstrated by machines unlike the natural intelligence displayed by humans and animals which involves consciousness and emotionality. The distinction between the former and the latter categories is often revealed by the acronym chosen. ‘Strong’ Artificial intelligence (AI) is usually labelled as artificial general intelligence (AGI) while attempts to emulate ‘natural’ intelligence have been called artificial biological intelligence (ABI). Leading Artificial intelligence (AI) textbooks define the field as the study of “intelligent agents”: any device that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its chance of successfully achieving its goals. Colloquially the term “artificial intelligence” is often used to describe machines that mimic “Georgian Technical University cognitive” functions that humans associate with the human mind such as “learning” and “problem solving”). “Computational methods will continue to bring exciting advances to microscopy”.

Graphene, Informatics, Nanotechnology, Science, Sensors, Technology

Georgian Technical University. Graphene-Based Flowmeter Sensor Measures Nano-Rate Fluid Flows Part 3: The Sensor.

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Georgian Technical University. Graphene-Based Flowmeter Sensor Measures Nano-Rate Fluid Flows Part 3: The Sensor.

Georgian Technical University. Converting blood-flow velocity to electric current by using a graphene single-microelectrode device. a) Coulometric measurement of contact electrification charge transfer between whole-blood flow and graphene. Graphene is shown by the gray honeycomb lattice with the graphene microelectrode connected to the gold contact that is wired to an electrometer based on an operational amplifier with a feedback capacitor; b) The measured unsmoothed charge transfer of a graphene device for different blood-flow velocities. The charge-transfer current as a function of flow velocity shows the linearity of the response. Georgian Technical University. Response curves and characteristics for blood-flow-velocity quantification by the graphene single-microelectrode device. a) The current response as a function of flow velocity. The linear electrical circuit models the charge-transfer current through the graphene/blood interface represented by a charge-transfer resistance Rct (A randomized controlled trial (or randomized control trial; RCT) is a type of scientific experiment (e.g. a clinical trial) or intervention study (as opposed to observational study) that aims to reduce certain sources of bias when testing the effectiveness of new treatments; this is accomplished by randomly allocating subjects to two or more groups, treating them differently and then comparing them with respect to a measured response) and an interfacial capacitance (Ci). Georgian Technical University. Repeatability and stability of the graphene device. a) The measured flow velocity in response to a stepwise flow waveform switching between 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 mm/sec; b) Long-term (half-year) stability of sensitivity. The looked at the challenges of sensing nano-level flow rates such as found in the blood vessels. In contrast the second part looked at graphene an allotrope of elemental carbon at the heart of a new sensor used to measure those flows. This third and final part looks at the research project itself which devised a sensor for these flow rates as low as a micrometer per second (equivalent to less than four millimeters per hour) while also offering short- and long-term stability and high performance. The goal was to build a self-powered microdevice which can convert in real-time the flow of continuous pulsating blood flow in a microfluidic channel to a charge-transfer current in response to changes at the graphene-aqueous interface. The team achieved this by using a single microelectrode of monolayer graphene that harvests charge from flowing blood through contact electrification without the need for an external current supply. They fabricated acrylic chips with a graphene single-microelectrode device extending over the microfluidic channel (Figure 1). To do this they prepared the monolayer graphene chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and transferred it to the chip using electrolysis. For basic tests they used a syringe pump to drive a flow of anticoagulated whole-bovine with a precisely controlled velocity through the microfluidic channel. They then wired the graphene microelectrode to the inverting input of an operational amplifier (op amp) of a coulombmeter. The charge harvested from the solution by the graphene was stored in a feedback capacitor of the amplifier and quantified. The charge-transfer current of the graphene device was linearly related to the blood-flow velocity (Figure 2) resulting in a proportional relationship between the current response (the flow-induced current variation relative to the current at zero flow velocity) and the flow velocity (Figure 3). The sensor device provided a resolution of 0.49 ± 0.01 μmeter/sec (at a 1-Hz bandwidth) a substantial improvement of about two orders-of-magnitude compared to existing device-based flow-sensing approaches while the ultrathin (one-atom-layer) device was at low risk of being fouled or causing channel clogging. As with any sensor there are always concerns about short-term and long-term stability and consistency. For the former they measured the real-time flow velocity in response to a continuous five-step blood flow that lasted for more than two hours. The measured velocity showed high repeatability with minimal fluctuations of ±0.07 mm/second. For the latter test they evaluated a device performing intermittent measurements for periods of six months. The blood-flow sensitivity of the device fluctuated around an average value of 0.39 pA-sec /mm with a standard deviation of ±0.02 pA-sec/mm equivalent to ±5.1% of the average value. These numbers are indicative of minimal variations in key performance metrics (Figure 4). The details including the required chemical preparations, test arrangements and related processes “Flow-sensory contact electrification of graphene”. Conclusion. As with so much basic research you never know what the utility or applications of the result will be (no one foresaw the development of the atomic and molecular beam magnetic resonance method of observing atomic spectra and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) would lead to the development of MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to form pictures of the anatomy and the physiological processes of the body. MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields, magnetic field gradients, and radio waves to generate images of the organs in the body. MRI does not involve X-rays or the use of ionizing radiation, which distinguishes it from CT and PET scans. MRI is a medical application of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) which can also be used for imaging in other NMR applications, such as NMR spectroscopy) imaging technology in the late 1960 and early 1970s – they seem to be two totally unrelated items. The development of elusive graphene and its subsequent availability as a standard commercial product has opened opportunities for exploiting its unique and somewhat bizarre properties across many commercial products as well as scientific functions.

 

Graphene, Informatics, Nanotechnology, Sensors, Technology

Georgian Technical University Graphene-Based Flowmeter Sensor Measures Nano-Rate Fluid Flows Part 2: The Graphene Context.

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Georgian Technical University Graphene-Based Flowmeter Sensor Measures Nano-Rate Fluid Flows Part 2: The Graphene Context.

Georgian Technical University.  The looked at the challenges of nanoflow sensors especially with respect to blood flow. This part looks at graphene which is the basis for the new sensor. A lump of graphite a graphene transistor and a tape dispenser related to the realization of graphene. Graphene is a material structure which did not exist until relatively recently. However its constituent element of graphite – the crystalline form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a hexagonal structure (Figure 1) – has been known and used for centuries and has countless uses in consumer products, industrial production and yes even pencil “Georgian Technical University lead”. Other allotropes of carbon are diamonds of course as well as carbon nanotubes and fullerenes all fascinating structures. (An allotrope represents the different physical forms in which an element can exist; graphite, charcoal and diamond are all allotropes of carbon). Graphite is a crystalline allotrope of elemental carbon with its atoms arranged in a hexagonal structure. (Science Direct). The carbon allotrope graphene is an atomic-scale single-layer hexagonal lattice of elemental carbon atoms. While graphene is composed of graphite it’s a very special form of that element. Graphene is a monolayer form of graphite as a one-atom-thick (Georgian Technical University or “thin”) layer of carbon atoms bonded to each other and arranged in a hexagonal or honeycomb lattice (Figure 2). That sounds like “Georgian Technical University no big deal” or “Georgian Technical University no important difference” but that is not the case at all. Graphene is the thinnest material known to man at one atom thick and also incredibly strong – about 200 times stronger than steel. On top of that graphene is an excellent conductor of heat and has interesting light absorption abilities. As a conductor of electricity it performs better than copper. It is almost completely transparent yet so dense that not even helium the smallest gas atom can pass through it. Graphene is a mere one atom thick – perhaps the thinnest material in the universe – and forms a high-quality crystal lattice with no vacancies or dislocations in the structure. This structure gives it intriguing properties and yielded surprising new physics. Georgian Technical University. There’s some irony associated with graphene. While carbon has been known and used “Georgian Technical University forever” (so to speak) graphene itself is relatively new. Although scientists knew that one-atom-thick two-dimensional crystal graphene could exist in theory no one had worked out how to extract or create it from graphite. Georgian Technical University. It would be easy to say “Georgian Technical University graphene sounds nice and even somewhat interesting, but so what ?” but there is much more to it. In many ways it is like silicon in that it has many “Georgian Technical University undiscovered” uses and is almost a wonder substance solving potential problems on its own or in combination with other materials. Figuring out how to make it as a standard almost mass-produced product was another challenge but you can now buy it as fibers and in sheets from specialty supply houses. In some ways application ideas for graphene are analogous to the laser. When X first demonstrated the laser the “Georgian Technical University quip” among journalists was that the laser was “a solution looking for problems to solve”. We certainly know how that mystery story has turned out and graphene too has found its way into many applications. One application uses graphene to replace silicon-based transistors since that technology is fast reaching its fundamental limits (below 10 nanometers). It is also possible to make graphene using epitaxial growth techniques – growing a single layer on top of crystals with a matching substrate – to create graphene wafers for electronics applications such as high-frequency transistors operating in the terahertz region or to build miniature printed circuit boards at the nanoscale. Georgian Technical University Graphene is being used as a filler in plastic to make composite materials in reinforced tennis and other racquets, for example. Graphene suspensions can also be used to make optically transparent and conductive films suitable for Georgian Technical University LCD screens. Finally it can also be the basis for unique sensors such as the nanoflow project discussed in Part 3. As an added benefit, elemental graphite, graphene and other carbon-based structures are not considered health hazards in general or to the body in particular. (Do not confuse “Georgian Technical University carbon” with “Georgian Technical University carbon dioxide” often cited in relation to climate change – that sloppy terminology has most people using the single word “Georgian Technical University carbon” when what they really mean is the carbon dioxide CO2 (Carbon dioxide (chemical formula CO2) is a colorless gas with a density about 53% higher than that of dry air. Carbon dioxide molecules consist of a carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It occurs naturally in Earth’s atmosphere as a trace gas) molecule which is a completely different substance).

Graphene, Nanotechnology, Science, Sensors, Software

Georgian Technical University Graphene-Based Flowmeter Sensor Measures Nano-Rate Fluid Flows Part 1: – The Challenge.

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Georgian Technical University Graphene-Based Flowmeter Sensor Measures Nano-Rate Fluid Flows Part 1: – The Challenge.

Georgian Technical University. The relationships among blood vessels that can be compared include (a) vessel diameter, (b) total cross-sectional area, (c) average blood pressure and (d) velocity of blood flow.  Fig 2: Arteries and arterioles have relatively thick muscular walls because blood pressure in them is high and because they must adjust their diameter to maintain blood pressure and to control blood flow. Veins and venules have much thinner less muscular walls than arteries and arterioles largely because the pressure in veins and venules is much lower. Veins may dilate to accommodate increased blood volume. When it comes to nearly all biological measurements the ranges of many of the parameters of interest are orders-of-magnitude below those with which many engineers are familiar. Instead of megahertz or even kilohertz the living-creature world is in the single or double-digit hertz range such as the roughly 60+ beats per minute (BPM) for a typical human heart, the millivolt and microvolt level of cardiac and nerve signals, and the picoamp and femtoamp current flows. Pressure and fluid flow values are also in “Georgian Technical University way down there” regions (Figure 1). Consider the average range of systolic blood pressure typically in the range of 100 to 150 mmHg. That corresponds to a modest two to three pounds/square inch (psi) or roughly 15 to 20 kilopascals (kPa; 1 Pascal = a force of one newton per square meter). Flow rates (velocities) are also very low in the millimeters/second and even micrometers/second region. Further it is difficult to model the flow rate/volume with accuracy since the “Georgian Technical University walls” of the “Georgian Technical University pipes” are flexible and expand/contract with each beat and the blood-vessel valves make the flow turbulent rather than laminar. These low values challenge sensor engineering especially when looking for acceptable resolution despite ambient and unavoidable physical noise and dynamics. Adding to the challenge is the small transducer size needed for many “Georgian Technical University in place” sensing situations such as with blood vessels ranging from relatively larger arteries down to smaller veins and even capillaries (Figure 2). Among the techniques used for low-flow rate sensing are non-contact ultrasonic Doppler velocity schemes but it is difficult to focus the ultrasonic energy on the specific location of interest especially as this energy diffuses as it passes through tissue. Other sensors use the triboelectric effect (related to static electricity) but these present a dilemma: such a sensor appears relatively large and intrusive when set in place (several cubic millimeters in a nanowire array) yet that size is still very small so its minuscule output which is often buried under electrical and motion noise. The shortcomings of existing approaches and the need for micro- and nano-level sensing in general – and especially for biology settings – is driving research into better sensors which work well at these levels and which will also be compatible with test-subject scenarios. Now a research team at the Georgian Technical University has devised and tested a high-performance graphene-based nanosensor which is easy to electrically interface. Also important their long-term tests show negligible drift in sensor performance another important factor which often compromises the utility of sensors in fluid-contact situations. The work was funded in part Georgian Technical University. This part of the three-part articles looked at the basic issues related to sensing nanoflows such as in blood vessels. The next part looks at graphene which makes this new nanoflow sensor possible.

Automotive, Informatics, Medicine, Science, Sensors, Technology

Georgian Technical University Atomically Thin Device Developed By Scientists At Georgian Technical University Lab And Could Turn Your Smartphone Into A Supersmart Gas Sensor.

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Georgian Technical University Atomically Thin Device Developed By Scientists At Georgian Technical University Lab And Could Turn Your Smartphone Into A Supersmart Gas Sensor.

Georgian Technical University Atomic-Resolution Electron Microscopy Image Of The Bilayer And Trilayer Regions of Re0.5Nb0.5S2 (The reactions of pure metals Ta, Nb, V, Fe, Si, etc. and Ta-Nb-containing ferroalloys with … + 2 S02 + 0.5 S2, … (5)) revealing its stacking order. Real-space charge transfer plot showing the charge transfer from Re0.5Nb0.5S2 (The reactions of pure metals Ta, Nb, V, Fe, Si, etc. and Ta-Nb-containing ferroalloys with … + 2 S02 + 0.5 S2, … (5)) to the NO2 (Nitrogen dioxide is a chemical compound with the formula NO 2 .It is one of several nitrogen oxides. NO 2 is an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of nitric acid, millions of tons of which are produced each year for use primarily in the production of fertilizers. At higher temperatures it is a reddish-brown gas. It can be fatal if inhaled in large quantity. Nitrogen dioxide is a paramagnetic, bent molecule with C2v point group symmetry) molecule. Color key: Re shown in navy; Nb in violet; S in yellow; N in green; H in gray; O in blue; and C in red. Nitrogen dioxide an air pollutant emitted by fossil fuel-powered cars and gas-burning stoves is not only bad for the climate – it’s bad for our health. Long-term exposure to NO2 (Nitrogen dioxide is a chemical compound with the formula NO 2 .It is one of several nitrogen oxides. NO 2 is an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of nitric acid, millions of tons of which are produced each year for use primarily in the production of fertilizers. At higher temperatures it is a reddish-brown gas. It can be fatal if inhaled in large quantity. Nitrogen dioxide is a paramagnetic, bent molecule with C2v point group symmetry). Nitrogen dioxide is odorless and invisible – so you need a special sensor that can accurately detect hazardous concentrations of the toxic gas. But most currently available sensors are energy intensive as they usually must operate at high temperatures to achieve suitable performance. An ultrathin sensor developed by a team of researchers from Georgian Technical University Lab and Georgian Technical University could be the answer. Georgian Technical University research team reported an atomically thin “2D” sensor that works at room temperature and thus consumes less power than conventional sensors. Georgian Technical University researchers say that the new 2D sensor – which is constructed from a monolayer alloy of rhenium niobium disulfide – also boasts superior chemical specificity and recovery time. Unlike other 2D devices made from materials such as graphene the new 2D sensor electrically responds selectively to nitrogen dioxide molecules with minimal response to other toxic gases such as ammonia and formaldehyde. Additionally the new 2D sensor is able to detect ultralow concentrations of nitrogen dioxide of at least 50 parts per billion said X a postdoctoral from Georgian Technical University. Once a sensor based on molybdenum disulfide or carbon nanotubes has detected nitrogen dioxide it can take hours to recover to its original state at room temperature. “But our sensor takes just a few minutes” X said. Georgian Technical University new sensor isn’t just ultrathin – it’s also flexible and transparent which makes it a great candidate for wearable environmental-and-health-monitoring sensors. “If nitrogen dioxide levels in the local environment exceed 50 parts per billion that can be very dangerous for someone with asthma but right now personal nitrogen dioxide gas sensors are impractical” said X. Their sensor if integrated into smartphones or other wearable electronics could fill that gap he added. Georgian Technical University Lab postdoctoral researcher and Y relied on the supercomputer at Georgian Technical University a supercomputing user facility at Georgian Technical University Lab to theoretically identify the underlying sensing mechanism. Z and W Georgian Technical University scientists in Georgian Technical University Lab’s Materials Sciences Division and professors of physics at Georgian Technical University.

 

Energy, Science, Sensors

Georgian Technical University Dye-Sensitized Cell (DSC) As Energy Source Of Sensors, D-EOS.

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Georgian Technical University Dye-Sensitized Cell (DSC) As Energy Source Of Sensors, D-EOS.

Georgian Technical University has worked for a long time to iron out all issues around the energy efficiency, durability, product yield rate and cost of dye-sensitized cells (DSC) a replacement for battery power sources in indoor applications. Their efforts have brought about a production facility capable of producing 2700 m2 (120,000 pieces) of dye-sensitized cells (DSC) per year. As a result, a wireless and environmentally friendly power source dye-sensitized cells (DSC) as Energy source Of Sensors (D-EOS) is now at your fingertips. Moreover it can be made with decorative colors. With the Internet of Things (IoT) era dye-sensitized cells (DSC) is going to be more and more popular in supporting smart homes smart offices and even smart factories. By combining its low-illuminance power-generating capability with wireless transferring module and rechargeable batteries Energy source Of Sensors (D-EOS) can be conveniently integrated with various in-door sensors (the building block of smart buildings), eliminating the problem caused by changing large quantities of batteries and thus reducing environmental issues like battery disposal or land poisoning.

 

Physics, Science, Sensors, Technology

Georgian Technical University Autonomous Sensor Technology Provides Real-Time Feedback To Businesses About Refrigeration, Heating.

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Georgian Technical University Autonomous Sensor Technology Provides Real-Time Feedback To Businesses About Refrigeration, Heating.

Researchers at Georgian Technical University developed a sensor to monitor the oil circulation ratio in real time for heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration systems. New autonomous sensor technology may help businesses monitor refrigeration and heating systems in real time much faster and easier than current options. Researchers at Georgian Technical University developed the sensor to monitor the oil circulation ratio in real time for heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration systems. The oil circulation ratio provides data on the health and functionality of the overall system. “Our technology is needed as more businesses use variable-speed HVAC systems” said X a senior research engineer at Georgian Technical University Laboratories. “The ability to measure the (Optical character recognition or optical character reader (OCR) is the electronic or mechanical conversion of images of typed, handwritten or printed text into machine-encoded text, whether from a scanned document, a photo of a document, a scene-photo (for example the text on signs and billboards in a landscape photo) or from subtitle text superimposed on an image (for example: from a television broadcast)) is critical to ensure the system is using the correct amount of oil for effectiveness and efficiency. Our sensor allows businesses to check the oil circulation without disrupting the system or requiring the tedious process previously used to monitor circulation”. Capacity control in HVAC&R (Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) is the technology of indoor and vehicular environmental comfort. Its goal is to provide thermal comfort and acceptable indoor air quality. HVAC system design is a subdiscipline of mechanical engineering, based on the principles of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and heat transfer. “Refrigeration” is sometimes added to the field’s abbreviation, as HVAC&R or HVACR or “ventilation” is dropped, as in HACR (as in the designation of HACR-rated circuit breakers)) systems is being used by a growing number of businesses because it increases the efficiency and reduces costs by slowing the speed and energy level when a system does not need to operate at full capacity. “Our cutting-edge approach for (Optical character recognition or optical character reader (OCR) is the electronic or mechanical conversion of images of typed, handwritten or printed text into machine-encoded text, whether from a scanned document, a photo of a document, a scene-photo (for example the text on signs and billboards in a landscape photo) or from subtitle text superimposed on an image (for example: from a television broadcast)) quantification allows otherwise immiscible refrigerant pairs to be separated and analyzed by a sensor in the suction line of HVAC&R (Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) is the technology of indoor and vehicular environmental comfort. Its goal is to provide thermal comfort and acceptable indoor air quality. HVAC system design is a subdiscipline of mechanical engineering, based on the principles of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and heat transfer. “Refrigeration” is sometimes added to the field’s abbreviation, as HVAC&R or HVACR or “ventilation” is dropped, as in HACR (as in the designation of HACR-rated circuit breakers)) systems” said Y a research assistant at Georgian Technical University Labs. “There remains an unmet need to mitigate oil retention in vapor compression systems, as this can cause inefficiency and even shorten the lifetime of HVAC&R (Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) is the technology of indoor and vehicular environmental comfort. Its goal is to provide thermal comfort and acceptable indoor air quality. HVAC system design is a subdiscipline of mechanical engineering, based on the principles of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and heat transfer. “Refrigeration” is sometimes added to the field’s abbreviation, as HVAC&R or HVACR or “ventilation” is dropped, as in HACR (as in the designation of HACR-rated circuit breakers)) equipment especially in lieu of new variable speed and tandem compressor technologies which implement repeated cycles”. The Georgian Technical University team verified the autonomous sensor method using the latest standards from Georgian Technical University. The other members of the Georgian Technical University team are Z the Georgian Technical University Professor of Engineering; Head of Mechanical Engineering professor of civil engineering. The team worked with partners in the Georgian Technical University Labs and the Center for High Performance Buildings. Georgian Technical University Labs supports world-class mechanical engineering research for students, faculty and industry. Among the facilities in the 83,000 square feet of space are HVAC&R (Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) is the technology of indoor and vehicular environmental comfort. Its goal is to provide thermal comfort and acceptable indoor air quality. HVAC system design is a subdiscipline of mechanical engineering, based on the principles of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and heat transfer. “Refrigeration” is sometimes added to the field’s abbreviation, as HVAC&R or HVACR or “ventilation” is dropped, as in HACR (as in the designation of HACR-rated circuit breakers)) and indoor air quality labs; advanced engine test cells; acoustics, noise and vibration testing; and unique perception-based engineering labs. The researchers are looking for partners to continue developing their technology.

Science, Sensors, Software, Technology

Georgian Technical University SignalFire Wireless Telemetry Introduce An Integrated 900MHz Sensor Network-To-Cloud Solution.

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Georgian Technical University SignalFire Wireless Telemetry Introduce An Integrated 900MHz Sensor Network-To-Cloud Solution.

SignalFire Wireless Telemetry a manufacturer of industrial wireless telemetry products a provider of industrial IoT (The Internet of things describes the network of physical objects—“things”—that are embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies for the purpose of connecting and exchanging data with other devices and systems over the Internet) solutions announce the integration of SignalFire’s wireless sensor network. The incorporates edge intelligence, multi-protocol translation capabilities and multi-dimensional security features resulting in a versatile and secure sensor-to-cloud solution. Operating the SignalFire Edge Application users can easily and wirelessly bring all sensor measurements from a SignalFire sensor network into their cloud application. With a single click automatically communicates with the SignalFire Gateway to discover wireless nodes in a network collect measurements from sensors and transmit them over cellular, Wifi or Ethernet connections. “Using the SignalFire customers can bring data from sensors and controllers automatically into their monitoring software dashboards for anywhere/anytime viewing and analysis, receive alerts about data outages and remotely diagnose problems in the field” explains X. “The built-in SignalFire application uses the versatile engine through a simple UI (In the industrial design field of human-computer interaction, a user interface (UI) is the space where interactions between humans and machines occur) interface to auto-detect nodes in a SignalFire network collect and aggregate data from these tags to enable analysis and enable remote monitoring backend systems. Users can swiftly detect anomalies and facilitate rapid remediation in the field”. The integration of the SignalFire wireless network tremendous benefits for customers including: Support to integrate with a variety of leading monitoring applications. SignalFire Toolkit remote connectivity to monitor and troubleshoot the SignalFire nodes. Remote connectivity to instruments using software. Flexibility of on-premise or cloud connectivity. “To offer a plug-and-play experience with our 900MHz wireless telemetry network” notes Sandro Esposito. Significantly reduces setup time with a single-touch auto-discovery feature for the network so users can focus on using the data and not how to get it”.

Science, Sensors

Georgia Technical University Bacterial Sensors Hacked By Synthetic Biologists.

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Georgia Technical University Bacterial Sensors Hacked By Synthetic Biologists.

To discover the function of a totally new two-component system Georgia Technical University synthetic biologists re-wired the genetic circuitry in seven strains of bacteria and examined how each behaved when exposed to 117 individual chemicals. Georgia Technical University synthetic biologists have hacked bacterial sensing with a plug-and-play system that could be used to mix-and-match tens of thousands of sensory inputs and genetic outputs. The technology has wide-ranging implications for medical diagnostics the study of deadly pathogens, environmental monitoring and more. Georgia Technical University bioengineer X and colleagues conducted thousands of experiments to show they could systematically rewire two-component systems the genetic circuits bacteria use to sense their surroundings and listen to their neighbors. X’s group rewired the outputs of known bacterial sensors and also moved sensors between distantly related bacteria. Most importantly they showed they could identify the function of an unknown sensor. “Based on genomic analyses we know there are at least 25,000 two-component systems in bacteria” said X associate professor of bioengineering at Georgia Technical University’s. “However for about 99 percent of them we have no idea what they sense or what genes they activate in response”. The importance of a new tool that unlocks two-component systems is underscored by the Georgia Technical University discovery of two strains of a deadly multidrug-resistant bacterium that uses an unknown two-component system to evade colistin an antibiotic of last resort. But X said the possible uses of the tool extend beyond medicine. “This is nature’s greatest treasure trove of biosensors” he said. “Based on the exquisite specificity and sensitivity of some of the two-component systems we do understand it’s widely believed bacterial sensors will outperform anything humans can make with today’s best technology”. X said that is because bacterial sensors have been honed and refined through billions of years of evolution. “Bacteria don’t have anything nearly as sophisticated as eyes ears or a nose but they travel between very different environments — like a leaf or an intestine or the soil — and their survival depends on their ability to sense and adapt to those changes” he said. “Two-component systems are how they do that” X said. “These are the systems they use to “Georgia Technical University see” light “Georgia Technical University smell” the chemicals around them and “Georgia Technical University hear” the latest community news, which comes in the form of biochemical tweets broadcast by their neighbors”. Bacteria are the most abundant form of life and two-component systems have shown up in virtually every bacterial genome that has been sequenced. Most species have about two dozen of the sensors and some have several hundred. There are more than half a dozen broad categories of two-component systems but all of them work in a similar way. They have a sensor kinase component that “Georgia Technical University listens” for a signal from the outside world and upon “Georgia Technical University hearing” it initiates a process called phosphorylation. That activates the second component a response regulator (RR) that acts upon a specific gene — turning it on or off like a switch or up or down like a dial. While the genetic code for the components is easily spotted on a genomic scan, the dual mystery makes it almost impossible for biologists to determine what a two-component system does. “If you don’t know the signal that it senses and you don’t know the gene that it acts on it’s really hard” X said. “We know either the input or the output of about 1 percent of two-component systems and we know both the inputs and outputs for fewer still”. Scientists do know that sensor kinase’s are typically transmembrane proteins with a sensing domain, a kind of biochemical antenna that pokes through the bacteria’s saclike outer membrane. Each sensor domain is designed to latch onto a specific signal molecule or ligand. Each sensor kinase has its own target ligand and binding with the ligand is what starts the chain reaction that turn a gene on, off, up or down. Importantly though every two-component system is optimized for a specific ligand their sensor kinase and response regulator components work in similar ways. With that in mind X and Y to try swapping the DNA-binding (Deoxyribonucleic acid is a molecule composed of two chains that coil around each other to form a double helix carrying the genetic instructions used in the growth, development, functioning, and reproduction of all known organisms and many viruses) domain the part of the response regulator that recognizes DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid is a molecule composed of two chains that coil around each other to form a double helix carrying the genetic instructions used in the growth, development, functioning, and reproduction of all known organisms and many viruses) and activates the pathway’s target gene. “If you look at previous structural studies the DNA-binding (Deoxyribonucleic acid is a molecule composed of two chains that coil around each other to form a double helix carrying the genetic instructions used in the growth, development, functioning, and reproduction of all known organisms and many viruses) domain often looks like cargo that’s just hitching a ride from the phosphorylation domain” X said. “Because of that we thought DNA-binding (Deoxyribonucleic acid is a molecule composed of two chains that coil around each other to form a double helix carrying the genetic instructions used in the growth, development, functioning, and reproduction of all known organisms and many viruses) domains might function like interchangeable modules”. To test the idea Y then a Georgia Technical University Postdoctoral Fellow in X’s group rewired the components of two light sensors X’s team had previously developed one that responded to red light and other that responded to green. Y rewired the input of the red-light sensor to the output of the green-light sensor at 39 different locations between the phosphorylation and DNA-binding (Deoxyribonucleic acid is a molecule composed of two chains that coil around each other to form a double helix carrying the genetic instructions used in the growth, development, functioning, and reproduction of all known organisms and many viruses) domains. To see if any of the 39 splices worked he stimulated them with red light and looked for a green-light response. “Ten of them worked on the first try and there was an optimum, a specific location where the splice really seemed to work well” X said. In fact the test worked so well that he and X thought they might have simply gotten lucky and spliced together two unusually well-matched pathways. So they repeated the test, first attaching four additional DNA-binding (Deoxyribonucleic acid is a molecule composed of two chains that coil around each other to form a double helix carrying the genetic instructions used in the growth, development, functioning, and reproduction of all known organisms and many viruses) domains to the same response regulator and later attaching five DNA-binding (Deoxyribonucleic acid is a molecule composed of two chains that coil around each other to form a double helix carrying the genetic instructions used in the growth, development, functioning, and reproduction of all known organisms and many viruses) domains to the same sensor pathway. Most of those rewirings worked as well indicating the approach was far more modular than any previously published approaches. X now an assistant professor of biology at the Georgia Technical University a Ph.D. student in Georgia Technical University’s Systems then took up the project, engineering dozens of new chimeras and conducting hundreds more experiments to show the method could be used to mix and match DNA-binding (Deoxyribonucleic acid is a molecule composed of two chains that coil around each other to form a double helix carrying the genetic instructions used in the growth, development, functioning, and reproduction of all known organisms and many viruses) domains between different species of bacteria and between different families of two-component systems. X knew a top-flight journal would require a demonstration of how the technology could be used and discovering the function of a totally new two-component system was the ultimate test. For this postdoctoral fellow Z and Ph.D. student W transplanted seven different unknown two-component systems from the bacterium Shewanella (Shewanella is the sole genus included in the marine bacteria family Shewanellaceae. Some species within it were formerly classed as Alteromonas) oneidensis into E. coli (Escherichia coli, also known as E. coli, is a Gram-negative, facultative anaerobic, rod-shaped, coliform bacterium of the genus Escherichia that is commonly found in the lower intestine of warm-blooded organisms). They engineered a new E. coli (Escherichia coli, also known as E. coli, is a Gram-negative, facultative anaerobic, rod-shaped, coliform bacterium of the genus Escherichia that is commonly found in the lower intestine of warm-blooded organisms) strain for each unknown sensor and used DNA-binding (Deoxyribonucleic acid is a molecule composed of two chains that coil around each other to form a double helix carrying the genetic instructions used in the growth, development, functioning, and reproduction of all known organisms and many viruses) domain swapping to link all their activities to the expression of green fluorescent protein. While they didn’t know the input for any of the seven, they did know that S. oneidensis (Shewanella oneidensis is a bacterium notable for its ability to reduce metal ions and live in environments with or without oxygen. This proteobacterium was first isolated from Lake Oneida, NY in 1988, whence its name) was discovered in a lake. Based on that they chose 117 different chemicals that S. oneidensis (Shewanella oneidensis is a bacterium notable for its ability to reduce metal ions and live in environments with or without oxygen. This proteobacterium was first isolated from Lake Oneida, NY in 1988, whence its name) might benefit from sensing. Because each chemical had to be tested one-on-one with each mutant and a control group Brink had to perform and replicate almost 1,000 separate experiments. The effort paid off when she discovered that one of the sensors was detecting changes in pH (In chemistry, pH is a scale used to specify how acidic or basic a water-based solution is. Acidic solutions have a lower pH, while basic solutions have a higher pH. At room temperature, pure water is neither acidic nor basic and has a pH of 7). A genomic search for the newly identified sensor underscored the importance of having a tool to unlock two-component systems: The pH (In chemistry, pH is a scale used to specify how acidic or basic a water-based solution is. Acidic solutions have a lower pH, while basic solutions have a higher pH. At room temperature, pure water is neither acidic nor basic and has a pH of 7) sensor turned up in several bacteria including the pathogen that causes bubonic plague. “This highlights how unlocking the mechanism of two-component systems could help us better understand and hopefully better treat disease as well” X said. Where is X taking the technology next ? He’s using it to mine the genomes of human gut bacteria for novel sensors of diseases including inflammatory bowel disease and cancer with the goal of engineering a new generation of smart probiotics that can diagnose and treat these diseases.