Electronic Instrumentation System Research Articles

Visualization and Control System for a Wastewater Laboratory Plant with Biological Treatment

This paper presents a novel real-time control and electronic instrumentation system (RTC\andEIS) for a prototype plant that uses activated sludge for wastewater treatment. The main contribution in this research was oriented to work on an experimental design with small dimensions and low cost. This design was carried out using two continuous flow storage tanks in which an identification process was carried out with the MATLAB system identification toolbox to know a mathematical model. The mathematical representation obtained is presented as a continuous and a discrete transfer function. To evaluate the performance of the temperature control and instrumentation system, we implemented a simulation of the closed-loop control system and then implemented it using a DAQ, LabVIEW software, electronic devices and the wastewater treatment plant prototype to compare both results. Finally, the secondary treatment effluent was analyzed in a certified water laboratory to have a detailed analysis compared to the initial influent.

Study on the practical method implementation of the navigation equations in a simulated FMS

This paper presents the main objective of Air Traffic Management Systems – ATMS that is to achieve optimized performance in terms of aviation safety and the enhancement of the current air transport system, through the in-depth study of the complex integration of all advanced technologies regarding air traffic monitoring, aeronautical communications on-board computers, display and control systems within the extended framework of Air Traffic Services - ATS. The Flight Management System - FMS is indispensable for flight planning, air navigation, flight performance management, aircraft guidance on the flight path and continuous monitoring of the progress during flight. The FMS is the device used by the flight crew to select various modes of flight control via the flight control computer - FCM and to display flight plans and other flight data via the Multi-Functional Control Display Unit - MCDU. The flight path is monitored by the MCDU and the Electronic Instrument System – EIS. The in-depth study of Air Transport Efficiency when applying air traffic service operational analysis and trajectory determination methods to identify key areas of Air Traffic Management inefficiencies and to prioritize and implement appropriate optimization methods are presented and analyzed in detail in this paper.

Precision measurement of ADC parameters with cumulative histogram technique using Gaussian noise

Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) is a significant part of any electronic measurement and instrumentation system. It affects the overall accuracy of the system, therefore it should be characterized and tested precisely. The ADC testing methods, available in literature use deterministic signals as stimuli and have certain limitations. This paper presents statistical testing of ADC based on the cumulative histogram technique with white Gaussian noise as stimuli. The proposed method is not much more explored in literature and shows improvement in the estimation of parameters. A large number of samples of Gaussian noise is simulated and applied to the simulated 5–10 bit ADC. The cumulative histogram is estimated, and the code transition level is calculated to obtain the transfer characteristics of ADC. The linear regression method is employed on the transfer characteristics and the best-fit line is obtained. Corrections have been applied to nullify the gain and offset error. Comparative analysis of the transfer characteristics of simulated ideal and actual ADC will lead to develop the algorithm for the estimation of static parameters Gain, offset, Integral and Differential nonlinearities, and the Effective Number of Bits. The analytical expression for the precision measurement of these parameters is derived. Simulation results are presented in support of the derived expression of the proposed method. Obtained results are compared with the results presented in the literature and hence the effectiveness of the method.

An experimental platform for statistical fault diagnosis in propelled mechanical systems: an academic exercise

Statistical data analysis for fault diagnosis in mechanical systems is a fundamental tool, for instance, in applied mechanical engineering. In order to capture a feasible data set, a well designed electronic instrumentation and excitation system signal stages are mandatory. Hence, one objective of this paper is to develop a low cost vibration sensor based on an inductive LC-tank oscillator (a resonant inductive-capacitive electronic circuit carefully designed to produce an harmonic electrical signal), and then to tune an effective excitation system signal to our experimental platform. This platform uses a propelled drone motor mounted on a beam structure to emulate a propelled rotating machine. Essentially, two data set were acquired. One for the healthy behaviour of the developed system, and the other for a programmed faulty scenario. This defective case was realized by introducing a small mechanical fault in one blade extreme of the mechanical propelled system. To note, this faulty scenario is almost impossible to deduce by just seen the raw data. The other objective of this paper is to analyze the obtained data sets by utilizing a statistical data analysis tool. Then, by employing box-plot diagrams, the healthy and faulty cases become evidenced. Finally, and due to we are proposing a low-cost academic experimental platform for fault diagnosis based on data analysis, our platform’s toll was around 120 euros. Hence, this platform results applicable to teach data analysis from dynamical systems.

Frequency Response Characterization of a Sonoluminescence Acoustic Resonator by Using a FPGA-Based Instrumentation

Sonoluminescence (SL) is a physicochemical phenomenon that is observed when a single or multiple air bubbles, excited by an acoustic field in water, collapse and emit light. Until nowadays, it is still an outstanding phenomenon in which acoustic energy is (partially) transformed into light. Along the years, some models have been proposed to explain sonoluminescence and a lot of experimental setups have been built in an attempt to reproduce and study it. Since the flash of light is forced to occur inside a resonant cavity (i.e., a glass flask filled with water) by using external circuitry, many efforts have been made to study the relationship between the phenomenon and the electrical and mechanical quantities involved in the experimental apparatus. Following this field of study, this paper proposes an electronic instrumentation system based on a FPGA device for performing automatic monitoring of the input signal applied to the resonator as well as the output response signal produced by it. The objective of using the automated setup is to collect data for characterizing the resonator frequency response in order to identify its input/output behavior. The key idea is to find out whether there is a linear circuit which might have analogous input/output characteristics that may be used to simulate the phenomenon in future studies.

Evaluation of the effectiveness methods of initial pilots’ proffessional training to operate the aircraft equipped with electronic flight instrument systems

Nowadays, educational institutions carrying out pilots’ training in the Russian Federation use completely new generation aircraft different with high degree of control automatisation (EFIS – Electronic Flight Instrument System). At the same time, the applied methods of flight training are based on studies carried out for aircraft with analog instruments, which does not allow to use new generation aircraft and simulators wide possibilities at their full capacity. Therefore, there is a vital necessity of enhancing the method of pilots’ initial professional training that should contain teaching rational methods of distribution and switching visual attention. In 2017 in accordance with the Order of the Federal Air Transport Agency of the Russian Federation in the Ulyanovsk Institute of Civil Aviation a complex of research was carried out that allowed developing the method of initial pilots’ flight training on the aircraft equipped with EFIS. During the research, the oculometric research methods of cadets’ distribution and switching attention (the "eye-tracking" technology) were used, which allowed a deeper study of the piloting skills formation and their impact on pilot's operation with EFIS. To assess the effectiveness of the developed methods, two series of experiments involving cadets of Ulyanovsk Institute of Civil Aviation and its branch in Sasovo were conducted. Two types of simulators: L-410 and Diamond 40 NG were used for research purposes. In this article it is proposed to use the correlation coefficient and the Manhattan distance to assess the accuracy of maintaining flight parameters during cadet simulator training. According to the results of the first series of experiments, it was found out that the cadets under the experiment showed a lower level of flight training compared to the control group of cadets. However, after training the group under the experiment on the developed method, a level of flight preparation in the both groups became equal. Statistically significant differences of initial and final levels of flight training for the cadets of the experimental group were observed while cadets of a control group completed the series of experiments without any significant changes. The second series of experiments revealed that the lack of flight practice among the cadets of the experimental group did not prevent them from demonstrating a qualitative level of professional training when practicing on the flight simulator. Such a result was achieved due to the ground preparation of cadets on the developed method what, undoubtedly, indicates its effectiveness.

A web‐based software educational tool for electronic instrumentation teaching

AbstractThis article presents a new software tool for electronic instrumentation teaching. The software is concerned with the main concepts underlying instrumentation systems. It is based on Java applets and organized as a tutorial. It acts as a visual tool for interactive simulations. The tool covers, in a practical manner, all the stages of a basic electronic instrumentation system, the sensor, the signal conditioning, and the analog to digital conversion. It must be meant as a complement to classical teaching methodologies based on lectures, not as a substitute of such pedagogical strategies. The software helps students in learning principles of measurement systems, to improve the teaching–learning process in the discipline. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 21:E62–E72, 2013

Collision avoidance solution for low-altitude flights

The high density of small aircrafts increasingly threatens flight safety during low-altitude flights. Unlike general air transport aircraft, small aircrafts do not install active detection for collision avoidance. Through available surveillance communication, small aircraft can be monitored and separated on a surveillance dependence basis. A low-altitude collision avoidance system algorithm is introduced to offer the required separation solution to small aircrafts at low altitude. Based on the automatic dependent surveillance concept under the visual flight rule, aircraft traffic alert and collision avoidance system operation can be built on a ground surveillance computer as well as being installed as a airborne electronic flight instrument system (EFIS). Aircraft conflict will be detected and calculated from the surveillance information. Simple traffic resolution rules can be created for collision avoidance after alerts are simultaneously generated on the ground computer and on airborne EFIS. Following the general basic rules, the resolution algorithm could be induced. This article refers to traffic advisory and resolution advisory, and designs a simple avoidance manipulation for small aircrafts. In this development, ultra-light flights are operated to create the actual flight data in a small airspace. Several feasible scenarios are tested in simulations to look into the TCAS performance on ground computer and airborne EFIS. The results offer better flight safety management for low-altitude flights.

Electronic Tongue System for Water Sample Authentication: A Slantlet-Transform-Based Approach

This paper proposes the development of a new approach for water sample authentication, in real life, using a pulse-voltametry-method-based electronic tongue instrumentation system. The system is developed as a parallel combination of several neural network classifiers, each dedicated to authenticate a specific category of water sample, and can be extended for more categories of water sample authentication. The system employs a slantlet-transform (ST)-based feature extraction module and two popular variants of neural networks for classification. The proposed system hybridizes ST with two variants of backpropagation-neural-network-based binary classifiers to develop an automated authentication tool. ST is regarded as an improved version of orthogonal discrete wavelet transform that can provide improved time localization with simultaneous achievement of shorter supports for the filters. This proposed system, implemented in a laboratory environment for various water samples available in India, showed encouraging average authentication percentage accuracy, on the order of over 80% for most water categories and even producing accuracy results exceeding 90%, for several categories.

The development of the instrumentation and control system for a palm kernel nuts drier

The electronic instrumentation system for a palm kernel drier was designed, constructed, tested and found to perform satisfactorily. Type K thermocouple was used to monitor the temperature of the drying chamber. A control circuit for presetting and regulating the temperature of the drier was also developed. This permits the temperature of the drying chamber to be fixed between ambient temperature and 100°C. Keywords: thermocouple, elecronic instrumenetation, control circuits, drier Nigeria Journal of Pure and Applied Physics Vol. 4(1) 2005: 46-53

Training Levels and Methodologies for Glass Cockpit Training in Collegiate Aviation

Training Levels and Methodologies for Glass Cockpit Training in Collegiate Aviation

The Effect of Level of Automation on Time Spent Looking Out of the Cockpit

This study examines the effect of level of automation in the cockpit on the proportion of time commercial airline pilots looked out of the cockpit during takeoffs and landings. Data were obtained from 1 model of the B737-200 and 2 models of the B737-300. The B737-200 had an advanced autopilot and traditional instruments. The 2 B737-300 models had flight management computers, and the most advanced model, the B737-300e, had electronic flight instrument system displays. Twenty crews were observed during 90 legs of revenue flying. Analyses were conducted on the proportion of time at least 1 pilot looked out of the cockpit. The results showed that the presence of flight management computers affected the amount of time spent looking outside only for landings, with pilots looking out more in the B737-200s than in the B737-300s. The presence of electronic flight instrument system displays did not affect the amount of time pilots spent looking outside.

Ultrasonic periodontal diagnostic instrumentation system with clinical results

A non-invasive electronic instrumentation system for the diagnosis of periodontal disease is proposed. With the exception of radiography, all diagnostic procedures are invasive and either painful or uncomfortable to the patient. While radiography is non-invasive, it cannot be used as frequently as desired due to the potentially harmful effects of radiation. A new device is proposed which is safe, non-invasive, and absolutely painless. The device consists of a pulser/receiver connected to a piezoelectric transducer which is housed within a hand-held probe. A breadboard model of this device was built and clinically tested. Preliminary results indicate that ultrasonic probe measurements may provide a potentially useful role for the diagnosis of periodontal disease.

Perception of flight information from EFIS displays

A pilot's perception of variables presented on the Electronic Flight Instrument System, EFIS, was investigated. A stimulus response technique was used to determine the accuracy and speed of the perception process. By varying the exposure time of the stimuli, it is shown that the perception of a variable's magnitude is faster and more accurate than the perception of the first derivative or rate of that variable. Results of experiments on roll and pitch attitude perception, the influence of scale division, and the perception of the indicated airspeed, are shown.

Perception of Flight Information from EFIS Displays

Pilot’s perception of variables presented on the Electronic Flight Instrument System, EFIS, has been investigated. A stimulus response technique has been used to determine the accuracy and speed of the perception process. By varying the exposure time of the stimuli, it has been shown that the perception of the variable magnitude is faster and more accurate than the perception of the first derivative or rate of that variable. Results of experiments on roll and pitch attitude perception, the influence of scale division, and the perception of the indicated airspeed are shown.

Factors influencing the design of perspective flight path displays for guidance and navigation

Many types of modern commercial aircraft are equipped with an Electronic Flight Instrument System, comprising several programmable displays. The flexibility in information presentation of these systems offers the possibility to improve the pilot-aircraft interface significantly. Future concepts, such as enhanced and synthetic vision, will further increase these possibilities. To benefit from this, research into new display concepts is being performed to allow the pilot to operate in a four-dimensional (4D) air-traffic environment, to provide improved spatial and navigational awareness, and to enable a better transition from supervisory to manual control. A possible display format is the so-called perspective flight path display, which originated approximately 40 years ago. The design of perspective flight path displays for guidance and short-term navigation requires the specification of several parameters. Suitable values for these parameters depend on requirements with respect to range and resolution of the required information, the properties of the positioning and attitude determination system, and the abilities of the human operator with respect to perception, interpretation and evaluation of information. In this paper, a review of the various factors to be considered in the design of perspective flight path displays is presented. The relations between the guidance/short-term navigation task-related requirements and the design parameters of a perspective flight path display are discussed, and the consequences of the differences between today's guidance displays and perspective flight path displays for algorithms controlling the display symbology are explained.

Method of chord in electronic musical instrument system

A method of automatically generating accompaniment chords in an electronic musical instrument system, whereby, as a melody is advanced, corresponding accompaniment chords can automatically be generated. The method comprises the steps of inputting the key of the tune to be played, drawing up fundamental chords to be used in the play tune according to the input tune key, inputting melody notes, comparing the input melody notes with the notes constituting the fundamental chords to select the highest priority one among the fundamental chords, and outputting the selected highest priority chord, together with the melody notes.

Aircraft vibration and the readability of an electronic flight instrument display

An advanced turboprop aircraft encountered icing conditions in flight and developed severe airframe vibration during which the pilot observed image break-up on the Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) display. This effect was investigated using whole body, hand transmitted and direct head vibration. When vibration was applied directly to the head, the reported pattern of EFIS image break-up was observed if the vibration frequency was close to the display refresh frequency. It was concluded that vibration had caused retinal image motion, and that the observed effect occurred because spatially adjacent components of the display were written at separate times within the refresh cycle.

The EH101 Electronic Instrument Systems

This paper describes the background to the introduction of an electronic instrument system on the Anglo-Italian EH101 helicopter. The demanded flexibility to accommodate the display needs of several roles leading logically to the adoption of full colour multi-purpose display surfaces and the drive to achieve maximum commonality between military and civil variants is discussed. The configurations arrived at for both variants are described together with the operating philosophy and display formats developed during an ongoing simulator program. The paper also deals with a detailed description of the hardware implementation of the EIS including the fully integrated systems architecture and details of the symbol generators (SGs), display units (DUs) and display mode selectors (DMSs). Emphasis is placed on the robust integrity characteristics and reversionary switching philosophy of the system.

A new technique for monitoring heart signals--Part I: Instrumentation design.

A new noninvasive method for obtaining the human electrocardiogram is investigated in this paper. The proposed technique uses a composite conductive medium formed by the patient's body and the external liquid medium such as tap water in a bathtub. In this Part I of a two part paper, the emphasis is on the instrumentation design. An in-depth study of the frequency characteristics of the liquid medium interface with the sensing electrodes and the electronic instrumentation system is also presented. Filtering and amplifying circuitry is designed to obtain ECG signals from the noisy bathtub signals. This improves the signal-to-noise ratio from approximately -20 to about 40 dB while amplifying the signal level from 0.1 mV to 1 V. In Part II, signal processing techniques are developed to extract the standard orthogonal leads from the bathtub signals.