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Vibration sensors are widely applied in the detection of faults and analysis of operational states in engineering machinery and equipment. However, commercial vibration sensors with a feature of high hardness hinder their usage in some practical applications where the measured objects have irregular surfaces that are difficult to install. Moreover, as the operating environments of machinery become increasingly complex, there is a growing demand for sensors capable of working in wet and humid conditions. Here, we present a flexible, superhydrophobic vibration sensor with parallel microcracks. The sensor is fabricated using a femtosecond laser direct writing ablation strategy to create the parallel cracks on a PDMS film, followed by spray-coating with a conductive ink composed of MWCNTs, CB, and PDMS. The results demonstrate that the developed flexible sensor exhibits a high-frequency response of up to 2000 Hz, a high acceleration response of up to 100 m/s2, a water contact angle as high as 159.61°, and a linearity of 0.9812 between the voltage signal and acceleration. The results indicate that the sensor can be employed for underwater vibration, sound recognition, and vibration monitoring in fields such as shield cutters, holding significant potential for mechanical equipment vibration monitoring and speech-based human–machine interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vibration sensors are widely used in many fields like industry, agriculture, military, medicine, environment, etc. However, due to the speedy upgrading, most sensors composed of rigid or even toxic materials cause pollution to the environment and give rise to an increased amount of electronic waste. To meet the requirement of green electronics, biodegradable materials are advocated to be used to develop vibration sensors. Herein, a vibration sensor is reported based on a strategy of pencil-drawing graphite on paper. Specifically, a repeated pencil-drawing process is carried out on paper with a zigzag-shaped framework and parallel microgrooves, to form a graphite coating, thus serving as a functional conductive layer for electromechanical signal conversion. To enhance the sensor's sensitivity to vibration, a mass is loaded in the center of the paper, so that higher oscillation amplitude could happen under vibrational excitation. In so doing, the paper-based sensor can respond to vibrations with a wide frequency range from 5 Hz to 1 kHz, and vibrations with a maximum acceleration of 10 g. The results demonstrate that the sensor can not only be utilized for monitoring vibrations generated by the knuckle-knocking of plastic plates or objects falling down but also can be used to detect vibration in areas such as the shield cut head to assess the working conditions of machinery. The paper-based MEMS vibration sensor exhibits merits like easy fabrication, low cost, and being environmentally friendly, which indicates its great application potential in vibration monitoring fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This letter presents a novel ultra-compact microstrip dual-band bandpass filter (DBBPF) with independently controlled center frequencies, and high Q-factor. The recommended DBBPF is realized by combining two different microstrip dual-mode resonators. One is a short-end stub-loaded resonator used to produce the first passband and the other one is an open-end stub-loaded resonator operating at the second passband which serves as part of the feed lines for the lower passband. To validate the performance of the proposed configuration, a novel compact DBBPF with center passband frequencies of 2.4 and 3.55 GHz is designed, simulated, fabricated and tested. A good agreement has been found between the simulation and measurement results. The designed microstrip DBBPF occupies a small area which is only about 0.19 λg × 0.15 λg. The presented microstrip DBBPF has many advantages in terms of compact size, low insertion loss, good frequency selectivity, easy fabrication, and high selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of simple and reliable sensor for detecting vitamin content is of great significance for guiding human nutrition metabolism, overseeing the quality of food or drugs, and advancing the treatment of related diseases. In this work, a simple electrochemical sensor was conveniently fabricated by modification a carbon electrode with vertically-ordered mesoporous silica film (VMSF), enabling highly sensitive electrochemical detection of vitamin B2 (VB2) based on the dual enrichment of the analyte by the supporting electrode and nanochannels. The widely used glassy carbon electrode (GCE), was preactivated using simple electrochemical polarization, The resulting preactivated GCE (p-GCE) exhibited improved potential resolution ability and enhanced peak current of VB2. Stable modification of VMSF on p-GCE (VMSF/p-GCE) was achieved without introducing another binding layer. The dual enrichment effect of the supporting p-GCE and nanochannels facilitated sensitive detection of VB2, with a linear concentration ranged from 20 nM to 7 μM and from 7 μM to 20 μM. The limit of detection (LOD), determined based on a signal-to-noise ratio of three (S/N = 3), was found to be 11 nM. The modification of ultra-small nanochannels of VMSF endowed VMSF/p-GCE with excellent anti-interference and anti-fouling performance, along with high stability. The constructed sensor demonstrated the capability to achieve direct electrochemical detection of VB2 in turbid samples including milk and leachate of compound vitamin B tablet without the need for complex sample pretreatment. The fabricated electrochemical can be easily regenerated and has high reusability. The advantages of simple preparation, high detection performance, and good regeneration endow the constructed electrochemical sensor with great potential for direct detection of small molecule in complex samples.

Glucose serves as a pivotal biomarker crucial for the monitoring and diagnosis of a spectrum of medical conditions, encompassing hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, and diabetes, all of which may precipitate severe clinical manifestations in individuals. As a result, there is a growing demand within the medical domain for the development of rapid, cost-effective, and user-friendly diagnostic tools. In this research article, we introduce an innovative glucose sensor that relies on microfluidic devices meticulously crafted from disposable, medical-grade tapes. These devices incorporate glucose urine analysis strips securely affixed to microscope glass slides. The microfluidic channels are intricately created through laser cutting, representing a departure from traditional cleanroom techniques. This approach streamlines production processes, enhances cost-efficiency, and obviates the need for specialized equipment. Subsequent to the absorption of the target solution, the disposable device is enclosed within a 3D-printed housing. Image capture is seamlessly facilitated through the use of a smartphone camera for subsequent colorimetric analysis. Our study adeptly demonstrates the glucose sensor’s capability to accurately quantify glucose concentrations within sucrose solutions. This is achieved by employing an exponential regression model, elucidating the intricate relationship between glucose concentrations and average RGB (Red-Green-Blue) values. Furthermore, our comprehensive analysis reveals minimal variation in sensor performance across different instances. Significantly, this study underscores the potential adaptability and versatility of our solution for a wide array of assay types and smartphone-based sensor systems, making it particularly promising for deployment in resource-constrained settings and undeveloped countries. The robust correlation established between glucose concentrations and average RGB values, substantiated by an impressive R-square value of 0.98709, underscores the effectiveness and reliability of our pioneering approach within the medical field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impacts can degrade the strength of composite structures; thus, impact damages should be monitored and repaired. In this study, a novel composite consisting of carbon nanotube film and glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastic was thermoformed. The fabricated smart composite demonstrated self-sensing and self-healing capabilities for damage caused by low-energy impacts. Elastic deformation of the composite caused by a 0.5-J impact was monitored from the immediate change in resistance of approximately 0.25 Ω. Internal damage such as tears and debonding was detected in real time by monitoring the permanent resistance variation of approximately 0.4 Ω using a Wheatstone bridge with a 3-J impact on the smart composite. This difference occurs because a 3-J impact discontinues the conductive path of the carbon nanotubes and changes the total resistance of the smart composite. The internal damage caused by a 3-J impact was repaired through the Joule heat effect when 0.7 MPa and 55 V were applied to heat the composite to 330°C. A three-point bending test demonstrated that the self-healing efficiency of the smart composite reached 87% in terms of flexural strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing ultrasensitive chemical sensors with small scale and fast response through simple design and low-cost fabrication is highly desired but still challenging. Herein, a simple and universal sensing platform based on a hydrogel interferometer with femtomol-level sensitivity in detecting (bio)chemical molecules is demonstrated. A unique local concentrating effect (up to 109 folds) in the hydrogel induced by the strong analyte binding and large amount of ligands, combined with the signal amplification effect by optical interference, endows this platform with an ultrahigh sensitivity, specifically 10-14 m for copper ions and 1.0 × 10-11 mg mL-1 for glycoprotein with 2-4 order-of-magnitude enhancement. The specific chemical reactions between selected ligands and target analytes provide high selectivity in detecting complex fluids. This universal principle with broad chemistry, simple physics, and modular design allows for high performance in detecting wide customer choices of analytes, including metal ions and proteins. The scale of the sensor can be down to micrometer size. The nature of the soft gel makes this platform transparent, flexible, stretchable, and compatible with a variety of substrates, showing high sensing stability and robustness after 200 cycles of bending or stretching. The outstanding sensing performance grants this platform great promise in broad practical applications.

A novel portable low-cost Arduino-controlled photo- and fluorimeter for on-site measurements has been developed. The device uses LEDs as a light source and a phototransistor as a light sensor. The circuit is based on the discharge of a capacitor with the photocurrent from the phototransistor. Validation experiments for absorbance measurements were performed by measuring protein concentration using the Bradford method and measuring phosphate ions in water using a commercial test kit. The emission light of the excited fluorescent dyes rhodamine 6G and calcofluor white was measured to validate the usability of the device as a fluorescence photometer. In all validation experiments, similar correlation coefficients and limit of detection could be achieved with the portable photo- and fluorimeter and a laboratory spectrometer and fluorimeter. Real sample analysis was performed, measuring phosphate concentration in freshwater and concentration of green fluorescent protein, extracted from Escherichia coli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasmonic nanocircuits can deliver light in subwavelength scale, however, require state-of-the-art fabrication process due to the ultra-small footprints. Here, we introduce direct coupling strategy based on metal-insulator-metal (MIM) waveguide systems to reduce the system loss as well as the fabrication difficulty and increase the structural stability. Following this strategy, the coupling between the input waveguide and square ring resonator (SRR) can be realized via an aperture, and for the coupling between SRRs, the metal gap can be removed. The numerical results show that such direct coupling can produce similar effects with conventional indirect coupling in MIM waveguide systems, and the physics mechanism behind as well as influences of geometric parameters on transmission spectrum is also investigated. This work provides a simpler approach to realize on-chip plasmonic nanodevices, such as filters, sensors, and optical delay lines, in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A room temperature liquid metal-based microvalve has been proposed in this work. The microvalve has the advantages of easy fabrication, high flexibility, and a low leak rate. By designing a posts array in the channel, the liquid metal can be controlled to form a deformable valve boss and block the flow path. Besides, through adjustment of the pressure applied to the liquid metal, the microvalve can perform reliable switching commands. To eliminate the problem that liquid metal is easily oxidized, which causes the microvalve to have poor repeatability, a method of electrochemical cathodic protection has been proposed, which significantly increases the number of open/close switch cycles up to 145. In addition, this microvalve overcomes the shortcomings of the traditional microvalve that requires an alignment process to assemble all the parts. When the valve is closed, no leak rate is detected at ≤320 mbar, and the leak rate is ≤0.043 μL/min at 330 mbar, which indicates it has good tightness. As an application, we also fabricate a chip that can control bubble flow based on this microvalve. Therefore, this microvalve has great prospects in the field of microfluidics.

Abstract We numerically and theoretically investigate a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) system based on aperture-coupled cascade resonators without gap to achieve plasmon-induced transparency (PIT). Such structure not only can be fabricated easily, but also possesses low intrinsic loss. Consequently, a high transmitted PIT peak more than 90% can be achieved, and this device also has good performance on sensing and slow light. Finally, multi-channel PIT and slow light can be achieved via cascade multiple resonators. This work provides a valuable approach to realize on-chip PIT in practical experiments. Highlights • Plasmon-induced transparency (PIT) is realized based on a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) system without the gap structure. • Such system can be fabricated easily by the state of art. • Such system possesses low intrinsic loss, simultaneously has a good performance on slow light. • Multi-channel PIT and slow light can be achieved via cascade multiple resonators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a suitable motion system design that utilizes a thin and compact linear switched reluctance motor (LSRM) with a disposable-film mover. The motor features a simple structure that is easy to fabricate and install into existing and newly designed instruments. Made using readily available materials, the mover is considered disposable. To meet the objectives of a motion system, i.e., simplicity in terms of use and mover exchangeability, the motion performance should remain the same even when the mover is exchanged. To meet these objectives, it is desirable to provide controllers that are robust to changes to the movers, and it is important to clarify the limitations of the motion performance resulting from the different motor characteristics. Thus, using a controller designed for precise tracking, experiments were carried out to verify the robustness of the motion system against the influences of changes in the length and mass of the movers. The limitations of the motion performance were then formulated for systems with a small effective thrust force such as those used in the developed LSRM, and validated. Based on the results achieved, the range of additional mass specifically applied to maintain the same motion performance is clarified in the present paper.

This paper describes a new linear switched reluctance motor (LSRM) with a light and easily replaceable mover. The proposed LSRM has coils at both ends of the stator so as to have a thin shape, which is important for systems with a limited work space. The mover has a simple and thin shape, leading to easy fabrication and space savings. It is made from common materials and is easily recyclable. The flat areas on the surfaces of the mover and stator are used as a slide guide. The prototype LSRM has a thickness of 2.4 mm, and the thickness of the mover is 0.27 mm. The suitable driving signal for the proposed LSRM is determined from the numerical magnetic analysis results. The prototype LSRM shows a velocity higher than 285 mm/s and an acceleration higher than 3 m/s2.

This paper presents the analysis and design of a novel millimeter-wave power combining circuit. This combing circuit is composed of a new style 3-dB combiner, which achieves low-loss, wide-band, and symmetric power division. Different from conventional Wilkinson hybrid, the proposed combiner requires no isolating resistor, and is easier fabricated and more suitable for millimeter integrate circuits. Analytical and experimental work on a two-way combining circuit with wave-guide ports in Ka-band shows the combiner has an insertion loss of 0.2dB, and a power-combining efficiency above 80% in 32–33GHz is obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A room temperature liquid metal-based microvalve has been proposed in this work. The microvalve has the advantages of easy fabrication, high flexibility, and a low leak rate. By designing a posts array in the channel, the liquid metal can be controlled to form a deformable valve boss and block the flow path. Besides, through adjustment of the pressure applied to the liquid metal, the microvalve can perform reliable switching commands. To eliminate the problem that liquid metal is easily oxidized, which causes the microvalve to have poor repeatability, a method of electrochemical cathodic protection has been proposed, which significantly increases the number of open/close switch cycles up to 145. In addition, this microvalve overcomes the shortcomings of the traditional microvalve that requires an alignment process to assemble all the parts. When the valve is closed, no leak rate is detected at ≤320 mbar, and the leak rate is ≤0.043 μL/min at 330 mbar, which indicates it has good tightness. As an application, we also fabricate a chip that can control bubble flow based on this microvalve. Therefore, this microvalve has great prospects in the field of microfluidics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic fluid is a new type of optical functional material, which has interesting optical characteristics under an external magnetic field. In this letter, the magneto-optical characteristic of the magnetic fluid was adopted to form a novel fiber-optic magnetic field sensor. The sensor probe was composed of an extrinsic fiber Fabry-Pérot interferometer and magnetic fluid. The refractive index of the magnetic fluid would be changed with the increase of magnetic field. Preliminary experiment was carried out to verify the feasibility of the sensor. The magnetic field measurement sensitivity was 0.0431 nm/Gs in the experiment. The measurement resolution was better than 0.5 Gs at the measurement range from 0 to 400 Gs. The sensor has the advantages of simple structure, compact size, and easy fabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The cost‐effective colorimetric detection of chemicals can be a potential substitute for expensive spectrometers. Here, a structural color sensor is presented that can distinguish seven different organic solvents through a timed sharp color change. The color sensor is based on interference effects in a metal–insulator–metal Fabry–Perot (FP) cavity with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) serving as the dielectric layer. By tuning the cross‐linker to monomer ratio of PDMS and employing a porous nickel (Ni) top layer, the PDMS films experience shrinkage that results in substantial color changes. The time‐dependent color change can be used to indicate the type of solvent that the sensor was exposed to. When the sensor is immersed in a solvent, the PDMS diffuses through the porous Ni film at different rates depending on the solvent, resulting in a shrinkage of the PDMS and resonance shift of the FP cavity. Materials used in this single‐use sensor are cost effective (≈0.28 USD m−2), and the fabrication process requires no lithography and is scalable. Moreover, the FP configuration produces vibrant colors that cover ≈50% of the standard Red Green Blue (sRGB) color space and is suited for decorative purposes and consumer products as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]