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High Technology Sensors, Inc.'s Model SS-250 carbon dioxide detector uses a patented semiconductor optical source that efficiently creates infrared radiation, which is focused through an airway on a detector. Carbon dioxide passing through the airway absorbs the radiation causing the detector to generate a signal. The small size and low power requirements of the SS-250 make it attractive for incorporation in a variety of medical instruments.
Sensors, actuators, and controllers, which collectively serve as the backbone of cyberphysical systems for building energy management, are one of the core technical areas of investment for achieving the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Building Technologies Office's (BTO's) goals for energy affordability in the national building stock - both commercial and residential. In fact, an aggregated annual energy savings of 29% is estimated in the commercial sector alone through the implementation of efficiency measures using current state-of-the-art sensors and controls to retune buildings by optimizing programmable settings based on occupant schedules and comfort requirements, as well as detecting and diagnosing equipment operation and installation problems (Fernandez et al. 2017). Monitoring and control of building conditions and operations has advanced significantly, from the invention of the modern thermostat just before the start of the 20th century to the midcentury incorporation of direct digital control into devices, the introduction of open protocols and network communications at the end of the century, and finally the invention of cloud-based computing and additional advancements that have enabled remote operation and a proliferation of connected and intelligent devices in building automation. Despite this potential, however, two main challenges hinder widespread adoption of sensors and controls in building operations that can ensure savings for high-efficiency components and equipment (e.g., heat pumps, windows, and lighting devices), as well as additional savings from more sophisticated control architectures and algorithms. energy savings of 29% is estimated in the commercial sector alone through the implementation of efficiency measures using current state-of-the-art sensors and controls to retune buildings by optimizing programmable settings based on occupant schedules and comfort requirements, as well as detecting and diagnosing equipment operation and installation problems (Fernandez et al. 2017). Monitoring and control of building conditions and operations has advanced significantly, from the invention of the modern thermostat just before the start of the 20th century to the midcentury incorporation of direct digital control into devices, the introduction of open protocols and network communications at the end of the century, and finally the invention of cloud-based computing and additional advancements that have enabled remote operation and a proliferation of connected and intelligent devices in building automation. Despite this potential, however, two main challenges hinder widespread adoption of sensors and controls in building operations that can ensure savings for high-efficiency components and equipment (e.g., heat pumps, windows, and lighting devices), as well as additional savings from more sophisticated control architectures and algorithms.
The NEPP FY07 Sensor Technology Commercial Sensor Survey task is geared toward benefiting future NASA space missions with low-cost, short-duty-cycle, visible imaging needs. Such applications could include imaging for educational outreach purposes or short surveys of spacecraft, planetary, or lunar surfaces. Under the task, inexpensive commercial grade sensors (e.g., CMOS-based “camera on a chip” systems) have been surveyed and selected for ionizing dose and displacement damage tolerance testing. Only inexpensive, commercial imagers with potential for use in low-duty-cycle space exploration applications have been considered; the task does not address high-cost science grade imagers or hardened technologies. The selected sensors had to meet selection criteria geared toward supporting small, low-mass cameras that produce good resolution color images. This document discusses the selection process.
This paper presents an overview of years of sensor system development and application for aerospace systems. The emphasis of this work is on developing advanced capabilities for measurement and control of aeropropulsion and crew vehicle systems as well as monitoring the safety of those systems. Specific areas of work include chemical species sensors, thin film thermocouples and strain gages, heat flux gages, fuel gages, SiC based electronic devices and sensors, space qualified electronics, and MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) as well as integrated and multifunctional sensor systems. Each sensor type has its own technical challenges related to integration and reliability in a given application. The general approach has been to develop base sensor technology using microfabrication techniques, integrate sensors with "smart" hardware and software, and demonstrate those systems in a range of aerospace applications. Descriptions of the sensor elements, their integration into sensors systems, and examples of sensor system applications will be discussed. Finally, suggestions related to the future of sensor technology will be given. It is concluded that smart micro/nano sensor technology can revolutionize aerospace applications, but significant challenges exist in maturing the technology and demonstrating its value in real-life applications.
A range of aerospace application related to planetary exploration and aeronautic engine operations require Smart Sensor System technologies operational in harsh environments. A Smart Sensor System as described here implies the use of sensors combined with electronics and other supporting technologies. For example, missions to the surface of planets like Venus or Mercury are challenged by extreme temperatures and environments, e.g., extended Venus operation 465°C [1]. In response, NASA has been developing capabilities for a small lander that is designed to operate for months in the extreme temperatures. These capabilities span electronics, sensors, communications, and power. Such a lander would enable new revolutionary science. Similar game changing capabilities are enabled by the introduction of high temperature smart systems into aeronautic engine applications to enable distributed intelligence within the engine system [2]. Core to meeting these applications is operational harsh environment electronics, corresponding sensor systems, and their integration. This presentation concentrates on the status of Smart System technologies emphasizing the role of Silicon Carbide (SiC) electronics and sensors. For example, SiC integrated circuit (IC) electronics have matured to a state where a simple long-life scientific probe is feasible for extended Venus surface operations [1, 3]. Maturation of these high temperature electronics and other technologies has been part of NASA projects to provide an operational system for in situ exploration of the Venus surface for up to 60 days [1,3-4]. This is in parallel to work expanding the capabilities of the sensor technology to provide science measurements on the Venus surface. This technology development, as well as that for other planetary applications and intelligent high temperature engine operations, will be discussed.
Monitoring ultralow nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) concentrations is crucial for air quality management and public health. However, the existing NO 2 gas sensors have several defects, like high cost and power consumption, and exhibit poor selectivity. This study addresses these challenges by presenting a novel hexadecafluorinated iron phthalocyanine-reduced graphene oxide (FePcF 16 -rGO) covalent hybrid sensor for NO 2 detection. This innovative approach, which overcomes the limitations of fabrication cost, energy efficiency, and gas selectivity, is a significant step forward in gas sensor technology. The sensor demonstrates exceptional sensitivity toward ultralow NO 2 concentrations (15.14% response for 100 ppb) with a rapid 60 s UV light-induced recovery. Additionally, the sensor exhibits high selectivity for NO 2 , achieving a limit of detection (LOD) of 8.59 ppb. This approach paves the way for developing cost-effective, energy-efficient, and miniature NO 2 monitoring devices for improved environmental monitoring and enhanced safety in workplaces where NO 2 exposure is a concern.
The NASA Multispectral Linear Array (MLA) program is structured to provide for the evolutionary development of advanced sensor concepts, technologies, and scientific basis for future remote sensing missions. Program elements include the development of multispectral visible and shortwave infrared (SWIR) detector arrays, optics and on-board signal processing technologies, sensor design studies, and supporting research. The research consists of advanced airborne sensor development with data acquisitions, field measurements, and supporting science studies. At the present time, two instrument concepts, including an imaging spectrometer, are in development as payloads for a series of Shuttle remote sensing research flights beginning as early as 1987. Progressively more advanced capability instruments suitable for extended duration Shuttle, free flyer, and space platform missions in the 1990's are also being studied.
The objective of the workshop was to address problems in science and in four technology areas (large space antenna technology, microwave sensor technology, electromagnetics-phased array adaptive systems technology, and optical metrology technology) related to Earth Science Geostationary Platform missions.
The NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging (NEPP) Program Sensor Technology Commercial Sensor Survey task is geared toward benefiting future NASA space missions with low-cost, short-duty-cycle, visible imaging needs. Such applications could include imaging for educational outreach purposes or short surveys of spacecraft, planetary, or lunar surfaces. Under the task, inexpensive commercial grade CMOS sensors were surveyed in fiscal year 2007 (FY07) and three sensors were selected for total ionizing dose (TID) and displacement damage dose (DDD) tolerance testing. The selected sensors had to meet selection criteria chosen to support small, low-mass cameras that produce good resolution color images. These criteria are discussed in detail in [1]. This document discusses the progress of radiation testing on the Micron and OmniVision sensors selected in FY07 for radiation tolerance testing.
The NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging (NEPP) Program Sensor Technology Commercial Sensor Survey task is geared toward benefiting future NASA space missions with low-cost, short-duty-cycle, visible-wavelength imaging needs. Such applications could include imaging for educational outreach purposes or short surveys of spacecraft, planetary, or lunar surfaces. Under the task, inexpensive, low-power, commercial grade CMOS sensors were surveyed in fiscal year 2007 (FY07), and three sensors were selected and tested for total ionizing dose (TID) and displacement damage dose (DDD) tolerance in fiscal year 2008 (FY08). The selected sensors had to meet selection criteria chosen to support small, low-mass cameras that produce good resolution color images. The commercial CMOS sensors tested under the task in FY08 showed very promising response to typical outreach and survey camera TID and DDD levels. In fiscal year 2009 (FY09), the survey was broadened to include two additional, similar sensor products. This compendium provides results for all radiation testing performed on the Micron and OmniVision sensors that were selected for radiation tolerance testing in FY08 and FY09.
A process was designed to fuse data from multiple sensors in order to make a more accurate estimation of the environment and overall health in an intelligent rocket test facility (IRTF), to provide reliable, high-confidence measurements for a variety of propulsion test articles. The object of the technology is to provide sensor fusion based on a distributed architecture. Specifically, the fusion technology is intended to succeed in providing health condition monitoring capability at the intelligent transceiver, such as RF signal strength, battery reading, computing resource monitoring, and sensor data reading. The technology also provides analytic and diagnostic intelligence at the intelligent transceiver, enhancing the IEEE 1451.x-based standard for sensor data management and distributions, as well as providing appropriate communications protocols to enable complex interactions to support timely and high-quality flow of information among the system elements.
Corrosion has been a great concern in the oil and natural gas industry costing billions of dollars annually in the U.S. The ability to monitor corrosion online before structural integrity is compromised can have a significant impact on preventing catastrophic events resulting from corrosion. This article critically reviews conventional corrosion sensors and emerging sensor technologies in terms of sensing principles, sensor designs, advantages, and limitations. Conventional corrosion sensors encompass corrosion coupons, electrical resistance probes, electrochemical sensors, ultrasonic testing sensors, magnetic flux leakage sensors, electromagnetic sensors, and in-line inspection tools. Emerging sensor technologies highlight optical fiber sensors (point, quasi-distributed, distributed) and passive wireless sensors such as passive radio-frequency identification sensors and surface acoustic wave sensors. Emerging sensors show great potential in continuous real-time in-situ monitoring of oil and natural gas infrastructure. Distributed chemical sensing is emphasized based on recent studies as a promising method to detect early corrosion onset and monitor corrosive environments for corrosion mitigation management. Additionally, challenges are discussed including durability and stability in extreme and harsh conditions such as high temperature high pressure in subsurface wellbores.
Virtual sensor technology, which uses simulation models/algorithms to calculate a value to represent an unmeasured variable or replace a directly measured reading, has attracted many studies in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC&R) industry. However, most virtual sensor technologies are developed for fault detection and diagnostics (FDD) purposes, which generally compare the virtual sensor values with actual measured values to detect if any fault occurred and identify the causes that led to the fault. It is rare to see studies focus on control performance of virtual sensors after substituting an actual sensor. This is particularly important for the system with no redundant sensor since a virtual sensor is the most effective way to operate the system in the desirable region when any sensor failure occurs. To address this gap, this paper develops a new virtual pressure sensor technology to substitute the actual pressure measurement for electronic expansion valve (EXV) control in a vapor compression refrigeration system by integrating compressor and valve characteristics. The control performance of this proposed virtual pressure sensor technology under various operating conditions is validated with experimental data. Closed loop EXV control simulations with the proposed virtual pressure sensor are conducted, and the results are analyzed.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) seeks partne rs interested in the commercial application of the Chemochromic Hyper gol Sensors technology. NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is soliciti ng licensees for this innovative technology. The Chemochromic Hypergo l Sensors technology consists of chemochromic pigments incorporated i nto various matrices (e.g., tapes, sheets, injection molded parts, fi bers). When placed near strategic locations such as piping and contai ner valves, seams, and joints, these sensors provide an instantaneous , distinct color change from yellow to black indicating the presence of hypergols at the leak location. The chemochromic pigments can be incorporated into fibers used to make fabrics for personal protective equipment as well as into badge holders for use as a point leak detector. These affordable, easily replaceable sensors provide the capabil ity to visually monitor leak-prone locations and personnel working i n those areas on a continuous basis for the presence of dangerous hyp ergols.
This paper examines the Earth science decadal survey era and the role ESTO developed sensor web technologies can contribute to the scientific observations. This includes hardware and software technology advances for in-situ and in-space measurements. Also discussed are emerging areas of importance such as the potential of small satellites for sensor web based observations as well as advances in data fusion critical to the science and societal benefits of future missions, and the challenges ahead.
There has recently been renewed interest in the development of instrumentation for making measurements on the surface of Mars. This is due to the Mars Environmental Survey (MESUR) Mission, for which approximately 16 small, long-lived (2-10 years), relatively inexpensive surface stations will be deployed in a planet-wide network. This will allow the investigation of processes (such as seismology and meteorology) which require the simultaneous measurement of phenomena at many widely spaced locations on the surface over a considerable length of time. Due to the large number of vehicles involved, the mass, power, and cost of the payload will be severely constrained. A seismometer has been identified as one of the highest priority instruments in the MESUR straw-man payload. The requirements for an effective seismic experiment on Mars place a number of constraints on any viable sensor design. First, a large number of sensors must be deployed in a long-lived global network in order to be able to locate many events reliably, provide good spatial sampling of the interior, and increase the probability of seismic detection in the event of localized seismicity and/or high attenuation. From a practical standpoint, this means that individual surface stations will necessarily be constrained in terms of cost, mass, and power. Landing and thermal control systems will probably be simple, in order to minimize cost, resulting in large impact accelerations and wide daily and seasonal thermal swings. The level of seismic noise will determine the maximum usable sensitivity for seismometer. Unfortunately, the ambient seismic noise level for Mars is not well known. However lunar seismic noise levels are several orders of magnitude below that of the Earth. Sensitivities on the order of 10(exp -11)g over a bandwidth of .04 to 20 Hz are thought to be necessary to fulfill the science objectives for a seimometer placed on the Martian surface. Silicon micromachined sensor technology offers techniques for the fabrication of monolithic, robust, compact, lower power and mass accelerometers. Conventional micro-machined accelerometers have been developed and are commercially available for high frequency and large acceleration measurements. The new seismometer we are developing incorporates certain principles of conventional silicon micromachined accelerometer technology. However, currently available silicon micromachined sensors offer inadequate sensitivity and bandwidth for the Mars seismometer application. Our implementation of an advanced silicon micromachined seismometer is based on principles recently developed at JPL for high-sensitivity position sensor technology.
The development of an improved capability photo sensor array imager for use in a Viking '75 type facsimile camera is presented. This imager consists of silicon photodiodes and lead sulfide detectors to cover a spectral range from 0.4 to 2.7 microns. An optical design specifying filter configurations and convergence angles is described. Three electronics design approaches: AC-chopped light, DC-dual detector, and DC-single detector, are investigated. Experimental and calculated results are compared whenever possible using breadboard testing and tolerance analysis techniques. Results show that any design used must be forgiving of the relative instability of lead sulfide detectors. A final design using lead sulfide detectors and associated electronics is implemented by fabrication of a hybrid prototype device. Test results of this device show a good agreement with calculated values.
Recent advancements in CMOS image sensor technology are reviewed, including both passive pixel sensors and active pixel sensors. On- chip analog to digital converters and on-chip timing and control circuits permit realization of an electronic camera-on-a-chip. Highly miniaturized imaging systems based on CMOS image sensor technology are emerging as a competitor to charge-coupled devices for low cost uses.