Conference Session

Developing New Instrumentation

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Chad Lloyd, Middle Tennessee State University; Saleh Sbenaty, Middle Tennessee State University

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

more perchannel designed for theatrical environments is used in residential settings. Besides, homeautomation is much too critical to depend on wireless technology for lighting control. It is alsonot necessary to size a single circuit for 1000 watts when the lighting device is rated much less.This paper offers an alternative technique that includes a centralized point at which all highvoltage lighting circuit lines terminate. All remaining lines used for light switches, sensors, andother devices are low voltage and are routed through a computer system.A few of the benefits of this approach include:1. Configuration by Software: The connections of light switches to lighting circuits are configured by a point and click interface. This allows

Conference Session

Developing New Instrumentation

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sean Brennan, Pennsylvania State University

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

instrumentation platform, agraduate Mechatronics course, and a controls laboratory suitable for undergraduate systemtheory and control. Nearly all new faculty are faced with a similar challenge and situation, albeitwith different subject material. It is therefore it is hoped that the insights offered in this articleprovide some guidance for long-term integrative planning of research and teaching acrossdisciplines.To summarize and illustrate the synergistic integration of this article, the uses of the hardwareand software involved are generalized at each of the levels education in Fig. 1. This figure alsoprovides a quick reference for the remainder of the article on how the same core equipment, inthis case a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) is reconfigured

Conference Session

Novel Measurement Experiments

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Claudio Campana, University of Hartford; Brian Derynioski, University of Hartford; Saeid Moslehpour, University of Hartford

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

part of an inspection system, used on CNC/ Robotic machines for Pratt and Whitney [1]. Currently, for analyzing surface roughness, theprobe is connected to a PC via a data acquisition card running VisSim as shown in Figure 1. Inthis current configuration the probe is capable of reaching an instrument accuracy of ±0.025 µmfor a Ra range of .05 to 0.4µm. Computer Interface Data Robot Acquisition Card Workpiece Laser

Conference Session

Novel Measurement Experiments

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Seyed Allameh, Northern Kentucky University; Tom Ogonek Ogonek, Northern Kentucky University; Paul Cooper, Northern Kentucky University

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

structures, caused by the dynamic shear forces of earthquake can be mitigated orcompletely prevented if the mortar is chosen to be a thin polymer.Robust biomechanical structures such as bone and nacre show great fracture toughness due totheir intricate designs combining a soft phase polymer with a hard phase mineral. In nacre,parallel layers of aragonite tablets (Figure 1) are glued together by an inorganic polymer(proteins and polysaccharides). If the edge of the tablets are correlated into a tessellatedarrangement (Figure 1) it resembles the structure of abalone. Alternative structure is theNoncorrelated edges of the tablets leading to the structures typical of pearl oyster. Superiormechanical properties of this structure include a high strength

Conference Session

Contemporary Instrumentation Poster Session

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Akram Hossain

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

due to two reasons: (1) Theprocess itself (2) Personnel that runs the process. Whatever the reasons are -- in order to rectify,they need to be determined. Since product and process variability can be described in statisticalterms, determination of this in quantitative form using statistical methods will point us to theobvious direction of rectification. Process Capability is a measure of the uniformity of a processoutput. To estimate this, engineering and statistical analyses have to be launched. If a process isdetermined to be incapable of producing product within the required specification, StatisticalProcess Control (SPC) will not fix it or control it; however, it will exhibit that the process isincapable.Often time’s workers are blamed

Conference Session

Modern Software Measurement Techniques

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Akram Hossain, Purdue University-Calumet; Masoud Fathizadeh, Purdue University-Calumet

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

™ transceiver systemsproduced by Omnex Control System Inc. HS-900 Hoplink Codeless Wire™ transceiver systemsis a license free 902-928 MHz band coupled with Omnex’s proven Frequency Hopping SpreadSpectrum technology. This wireless conduit is capable of transmitting and receiving analog anddigital signal reliably over distance of about 1 to 2 miles using special antennas. Figure 1 showsthe block diagram of the integrated wireless motor control system coupled with LAN Page 12.105.3Figure 1: Block Diagram of the Wireless Control SystemThe proposed model, monitors, controls, and produces data history in desired formats. Themodel is also capable of

Conference Session

Instrumentation and Measurements: Innovative Course Development

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Hong Zhang, Rowan University; Ying Tang, Rowan University; Courtney Richmond, Rowan University; Patricia Mosto, Rowan University

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

and time. For example, manual sampling by workers in the field[14] offers limited sampling stations and numbers of observations. It is also sensitive toenvironmental and logistical conditions such as season, weather, terrain and access. Incontrast, fixed sensors such as distributed sensors [12] or buoy stations [9] allowcontinuous monitoring of a specific location. However, their long term deployment canphysically alter the environment and the cost of this option multiplies quickly with thenumber of stations. On the other hand, mobile sensor platforms such as RemotelyOperated Vehicles (ROV) [1] and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV) [10] arecapable of dynamic remote data collection. However, these vehicles are often designedfor use in the

Conference Session

Instrumentation and Measurements: Innovative Course Development

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew Heun, Calvin College

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

-edge technology,students display increased levels of personal investment and self-motivation in the projects.Individualized project assessment by the professor provides opportunities to discuss the designprocess, the differences between as-designed and as-built systems, the importance of meetingcost and schedule constraints, and the challenges of developing continuously-operating, real-world systems.1 IntroductionCalvin College’s Engineering Building was designed in the mid-1990s with the goal that thebuilding itself should be a learning tool for students. One way that the Calvin CollegeEnginereing Department achieves that goal is by assigning groups of students in the EngineeringInstrumentation class (ENGR 382) to design and implement

Conference Session

Instrumentation and Measurements: Innovative Course Development

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David Beams, University of Texas-Tyler

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

/Projects/NSF DUE9952292/ProjectGUISE/Project_GUISE.htmThe various hardware building blocks of the Project GUISE instrument are:1. A variable-gain (×1, ×5, ×10, and ×50) instrumentation amplifier. The instrumentation amplifier has maximal input-bias currents of 2nA and input-offset voltages of 150µV. Independent adjustments for maximizing common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR) are incorporated for voltage gains of ×1, ×5, and ×10; measured CMRR exceeds 90dB at 100Hz.2. An electronic cold-junction compensator (LT1025) for thermocouples. Types R, S, J, K, T, and E thermocouples are supported. The compensated thermocouple voltage is amplified by a dc-coupled amplifier with gain of ×50.3. Two independent variable-gain ac/dc-coupled single-ended

Conference Session

Modern Software Measurement Techniques

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Rafic Bachnak, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi; Mike Englert, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi; cody ross, TAMUCC

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

buildsSingle Board Computers (SBCs) in various sizes and configurations and providesdevelopment kits for them1-2. The SBC is plugged into a socket on the developmentboard for programming and testing. Once the development stage is finished, the SBC canbe removed from the development board and plugged into a socket or soldered to theuser’s hardware application. The serial cable allows connecting the board to a PC forprogramming, debugging, and testing.The microMODUL-8051 offers more functionality than a standalone 8051microcontroller (see Fig. 1). The version available in the DSL includes the Infineon SAB Page 12.947.2C504-L microcontroller which is an extended

Conference Session

Novel Measurement Experiments

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Svetlana Avramov-Zamurovic, U.S. Department of Defense; Kevin Liu, USNA; Bryan Waltrip, NIST; Andrew Koffman, NIST

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

Annapolis MD, 21412, USA BRIAN WALTRIP AND ANDREW KOFFMAN National Institute of Standards and Technology Gaithersburg MD, 20899, USAAbstract - A measurement bridge to calibrate inductive voltage dividers has been developed atthe National Institute of Standards and Technology [1-3]. The bridge is based on the straddlingtechnique and performs self-calibration of decade inductive voltage dividers. It has been drivenby a programmable dual-channel source and its output has been monitored with a signalanalyzer. A student project was formulated to develop LabView programs in order to fully replace theexisting equipment. This paper will describe the implementation of the

Conference Session

Developing New Instrumentation

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Saeid Moslehpour, University of Hartford; Greg Cloutier, University of Hartford; Matthew Brown, University of Hartford

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

methods for determining surface roughness have also beendeveloped. All of these methods operate under the principle that a reflection of a surface carriesinformation about that surface1. An example is shown in the figure. Figure 1 Reflected laserThere are many variations of using light to perform non-contact surface roughness measurement.One apparatus capable of accomplishing this has been developed by the EngineeringApplications Center at the University of Hartford. This design uses a solid state red laser toprovide a monochromatic collimated light source which is aimed perpendicularly to the surfacein question. The backscatter or diffuse reflection2 from the surface is reflected coaxially backtowards the

Conference Session

Modern Software Measurement Techniques

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gangbing Song, University of Houston; Claudio Olmi, University of Houston; Richard Bannerot, University of Houston

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

, in the presence of a magnetic field thedipoles of the particles align, forming small chains of particles across the two potentials, asillustrated in Figure 1.As the magnitude of the magnetic field through the fluid increases, the strength of the particlechains formed across the fluid also increases. On a macro-level, the observed effect is a changein the effective viscosity of the fluid, causing resistance against any movement through the fluid.Since the magnitude of the viscosity change is directly related to the change in magnetic field Page 12.677.3strength, an MR fluid is a reliable, easily controlled alternative to mechanical damping

Conference Session

Developing New Instrumentation

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew Braley, University of Idaho; Paul Anderson, University of Idaho; Tracey Windley, University of Idaho; Kevin Buck, University of Idaho; Herbert Hess, University of Idaho

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

must be within ±5°C of the set point temperature. The MRCI cold temperature Page 12.164.2chamber must also be flexible to change with the MRCI for their future needs, and it must do soat a very low cost. The requirements for the MRCI cold temperature environmental chambermust meet the following criteria: Liquid Gas Purge Nitrogen Input 1. Portable: One person can move the chamber 2. Efficient: It must use less than one standard transfer cylinder of liquid Chamber nitrogen for one 8 hour test

Conference Session

Modern Software Measurement Techniques

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jonathan Hill, University of Hartford; Devdas Shetty, University of Hartford; Jun Kondo, University of Hartford

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

along with smart sensors. The major elements of the hardware in theloop approach are (1) Use of a language-neutral approach to code development, created usingvisual object oriented simulation. (2) Design of the smart sensor that composes of sensors,DSP unit, data acquisition and PC. (3) Use of system dynamics and computer simulation inthe system development. These basic principles have helped to develop the hardware-in-the-loop simulation concept and at the same time, assist in rapid prototyping.For the second approach the paper showcases a new computer engineering paradigm, use of asingle field programmable gate array (FPGA) to construct an entire mechatronic intelligentinstrumentation system, which is uniquely tailored to the application

Conference Session

Modern Software Measurement Techniques

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Charles Birdsong, California Polytechnic State University

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

hardware and software had to be purchased to implement the RTWTsystem then the cost comparison might change. However as other have proposedSimulink and the RTWT system seems to meet the pedagogical needs of a controls labmore than the other solutions3.The following sections describe the hardware and software used in this experiment, thenew controller design project developed for the new system and an assessment of the newdesign project and the impact on learning in the lab and the lecture. Page 12.478.3Hardware and SoftwareThe experimental apparatus shown in Figure 1 is a hydraulic servo control system thatwas developed at Cal Poly through financial

Conference Session

Contemporary Instrumentation Poster Session

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Scott Shepard, University of Central Florida

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

can (at least in principle) break the security of classicalencryption codes has spurred a tremendous interest in the development of Quantum Encryption(QE) – the only means of restoring computer data and telecommunication security. Once therealm of a select few of quantum physicists, QE has now become a very important emergingtechnology. Herein important technological issues (that our Engineering Technology Photonicsstudents are well versed in) arise. Two of the most important issues of practical implementationare: the brightness of the sources and the efficiency of the detectors.Single-photon sources have only recently been made practical and economically accessible foruse in undergraduate laboratories.1 This occurred in undergraduate physics

Conference Session

Instrumentation and Measurements: Innovative Course Development

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Don Millard, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Frederick Berry, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Mohamed Chouikha, Howard University

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

discussion, which was immediately followed by an activity where students solved paper-and-pencil problems, investigated computer simulations, or conducted hands-on experiments. • Access to Professors: The entire class was taught and supervised by a Ph.D. faculty member. Previously, the professor-in-charge had contact with the students only through the lecture Page 12.862.2 portion in which the entire enrollment met in a large lecture hall. Recitation (discussion) and ‐ 1 ‐  laboratory classes, where student-instructor interaction was more easily fostered, were taught by