Instrument Architecture Research Articles

One-stop multi-sensor fusion and multimodal precise quantified traditional Chinese medicine imaging health examination technology

Except for single-mode traditional Chinese medicine imaging techniques such as infrared thermal imaging, the one-stop multimodal whole-body imaging health examination technology and device is still blank. We focus on infrared thermal imaging as the main modality, integrated various modalities of medical imaging intelligent sensing agents such as terahertz imaging. The upper and lower computer and virtual instrument architecture are used, and the imaging data are collected by the lower computers that each is an intelligent sensing agent. The upper computer is used for image reconstruction with intelligent algorithms. Based on the core theory of traditional Chinese medicine, intelligent fusion imaging is achieved through various modalities to achieve the ‘observation, hearing, questioning, and palpation’ four diagnostic integration. We use fractional Fourier transform to filter imaging data, Laplacian pyramid for image fusion. We have proposed an implementation method and process for combining traditional Chinese medicine imaging large language model with knowledge graph, and based on deep learning, we have studied the image and report generation algorithm that combines traditional Chinese medicine pathology and four diagnostic methods with knowledge graph fusion, as well as the traditional Chinese medicine human physiological and pathological interpretation and evaluation system. We have achieved some results, and through further research and development, we can achieve commercial applications.

Formal Verification of Nonfunctional Requirements of Overall Instrumentation and Control Architectures

Formal Verification of Nonfunctional Requirements of Overall Instrumentation and Control Architectures

DREAM: A Miniaturized Spectrometer for Measurement of Protons and Electrons on Orbit

CNES (Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales) is currently developing a new instrument called DREAM (Détecteur Radiation Energétique Adaptable et Miniaturisé) in order to measure electrons and protons in the Earth magnetosphere. Compared to the instrument ICARE-NG (Influence sur les Composants Avancés des Radiations de l’Espace - Nouvelle Génération), DREAM is compatible with nanosatellite cubesats. In this article, we present the instrument architecture, new sensors design, hardware improvements and first results. Response functions for protons and electrons sensors are calculated using GEANT4 (Geometry And Tracking) simulations. The calculation of predicted count rates of particles is performed.

Study on the digitalization of trip equations including dynamic compensators for the Reactor Protection System in NPPs by using the FPGA

Advanced reactors, such as Small Modular Reactors or existing Nuclear Power Plants, often use Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) based controllers in new Instrumentation and Control (I&C) system architectures or as an alternative to existing analog-based I&C systems. Compared to CPU-based Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), FPGAs offer better overall performance. However, programming functions on FPGAs can be challenging due to the requirement for a hardware description language that does not explicitly support the operation of real numbers. This study aims to implement the Reactor Trip (RT) functions of the existing analog-based Reactor Protection System (RPS) using FPGAs. The RT equations for Overtemperature delta Temperature and Overpower delta Temperature involve dynamic compensators expressed with the Laplace transform variable, ‘s’, which is not directly supported by FPGAs. To address this issue, the trip equations with the Laplace variable in the continuous-time domain are transformed to the discrete-time domain using the Z-transform. Additionally, a new operation based on a relative value for the equation range is introduced for the handling of real numbers in the RT functions. The proposed approach can be utilized for upgrading the existing analog-based RPS as well as digitalizing control systems in advanced reactor systems.

Circular economy through waste reverse logistics under extended producer responsibility in Finland.

Extended producer responsibility (EPR) is commonly implemented as a strategy in waste management. The core of the concept itself is a waste reverse logistics (WRL), which dictates how the collection, inspection and processing of end-of-life products are performed. Existing studies of EPR mainly focused on single products instead of using broader perspective on national level. Its contribution towards circular economy through slowing and closing the loops also has not been widely discussed. This study examined the system architecture of the policy instruments used in the EPR and the similarities of the WRL networks across different products. A case study was used to investigate six products: portable batteries and accumulators, paper, packaging, vehicles, electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and tyres. The study generated a WRL framework. It is also observed that closing the loop through recycling is the primary circular strategy and is found in all products, whereas closing and slowing the loop strategy through reuse/repair, remanufacture and repurposing is found in packaging, tyres, vehicles and EEE. This study shows that EPR can close the material loop, although improvement in design for the environment is necessary. It creates challenges and opportunities for the government, producer responsibility organization and producers to improve existing conditions by implementing new initiatives such as design for the environment indicators, standardization, tax and subsidy systems and tariffs for disposal fees.

Enhancing the Depth of Analyses with Next-Generation Ion Mobility Experiments.

Recent developments in ion mobility (IM) technology have expanded the capability to separate and characterize gas-phase ions of biomolecules, especially when paired with mass spectrometry. This next generation of IM technology has been ushered in by creative innovation focused on both instrument architectures and how electric fields are applied. In this review, we focus on the application of high-resolution and multidimensional IM to biomolecular analyses, encompassing the fields of glycomics, lipidomics, peptidomics, and proteomics. We highlight selected research that demonstrates the application of the new IM toolkit to challenging biomolecular systems. Through our review of recently published literature, we outline the current strengths of respective technologies and perspectives for future applications.

Effects of Reynolds number and solidity ratio on advection dominated mixing in a high-altitude instrument

Due to the role of ClO and BrO in the rate-limiting step of the catalytic cycles enabling ozone loss, measurement of concentrations of these halogen molecules is of critical importance to understanding the loss rate of ozone in the stratosphere. A key advantage of in situ measurements is that these rate-limiting molecules can be observed simultaneously with ozone in the same volume element of the stratosphere, with high spatial and temporal resolution. Historically, these in situ measurements were made using instruments on the NASA ER-2 flight platform for a few hours at a time. However, the development and advancement of a high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) solar aircraft has made it possible to monitor these radicals continuously in the stratosphere. The slower flight speeds of the HALE aircraft will greatly improve molecule detection sensitivity and spatial resolution. To ensure proper mixing and accurate measurements, a quantitative dissection of the flow dynamics within the instrument architecture is required. Of particular importance are the turbulent behavior and the boundary layer growth, both of which affect measurement quality. The geometry of the NO injector used for titration is studied as a function of its solidity and the flight airspeed, to understand its effect on turbulence and boundary layer growth. A 3D Computational Fluid Dynamics simulation of an Eulerian mixture model is used to analyze the advection-dominated mixing inside the instrument. The injector inside the instrument is found to act as a flow-conditioning device, with a lower solidity causing the downstream flow to be increasingly turbulent. Additionally, a quantitative relationship between the Reynolds number of the inlet air and the volume fraction of the flow is demonstrated. Analysis of the boundary layer dependencies demonstrates that the boundary layer does not encroach on the optical sensing area in any of the cases.

Rubik's Cube as Reconfigurable Microfluidic Platform for Rapid Setup and Switching of Analytical Devices.

Microfluidics technology plays an important role in modern analytical instruments, while the modular design of microfluidics facilitates the reconfiguration of analytical instrument functions, making it possible to deploy on-demand systems in the field. However, modular design also faces the challenges such as connection reliability and reconfiguration convenience. Inspired by the self-locking structure of the Rubik's cube, a modular, reconfigurable microfluidic instrument architecture is proposed in this paper. The system has a self-locking structure of Rubik's cube components and an O-ring-based alignment and sealing mechanism, which enables reliable interconnection and rapid rearrangement of microfluidic modules by simply rotating the faces of the microfluidic cube. In addition, the system is capable of integrating a variety of customized modules to perform analysis tasks. A proof-of-concept application of detecting multiple pollutants in water is demonstrated to show the reconfigurable characteristics of the system. The findings of this paper provide a new idea for the design of microfluidic analytical instrument architectures.

Performance Modeling of a Diode-Laser-Based Direct-Detection Doppler Lidar for Vertical Wind Profiling

Abstract Micropulse differential absorption lidars (MPD) for water vapor, temperature, and aerosol profiling have been developed, demonstrated, and are addressing the needs of the atmospheric science community for low-cost ground-based networkable instruments capable of long-term monitoring of the lower troposphere. The MPD instruments use a diode-laser-based (DLB) architecture that can easily be adapted for a wide range of applications. In this study, a DLB direct-detection Doppler lidar based on the current MPD architecture is modeled to better understand the efficacy of the instrument for vertical wind velocity measurements, with the long-term goal of incorporating these measurements into the current network of MPD instruments. The direct-detection Doppler lidar is based on a double-edge receiver that utilizes two Fabry–Pérot interferometers and a vertical velocity retrieval that requires the ancillary measurement of the backscatter ratio, which is the ratio of the total backscatter coefficient to the molecular backscatter coefficient. The modeling in this paper accounts for the major sources of error. It indicates that the vertical velocity can be retrieved with an error of less than 0.56 m s−1 below 4 km with a 150-m range resolution and an averaging time of 5 min. Significance Statement Monitoring the temperature, relative humidity, and winds in the lower atmosphere is important for improving weather forecasting, particularly for severe weather such as thunderstorms. Cost-effective micropulse differential absorption lidar (MPD) instrumentation for continuous temperature and humidity monitoring has been developed and demonstrated, and its effects on weather forecasting are currently being evaluated. The modeling study described in this paper studies the feasibility of using a similar cost-effective MPD instrument architecture for monitoring vertical wind velocity in the lower atmosphere. Modeling indicates that wind velocities can be measured with less than 0.56 m s−1 accuracy and demonstrates the feasibility of adding vertical wind velocity measurements to the MPD instruments.

Leveraging advanced latest-generation data acquisition and MS instrument architecture for improving single cell proteomics experiments

Leveraging advanced latest-generation data acquisition and MS instrument architecture for improving single cell proteomics experiments

Research and Implementation of Containerization for Virtual Instrumentation Measurement

Abstract The instrumentation measurement system has fruitful achievements in various fields with cloud computing technology. However, the instrumentation cloud needs more PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service) capabilities to improve development and IT operations efficiency by expanding distributed measurement systems. In recent years, container and cloud-native technology growth have brought developing chances for instrumentation cloud. We propose a novel container and instrumentation communication architecture to apply container technology to virtual instrumentation. Firstly, we analyze the critical technologies of Container-Instrumentation communication architecture and give the solution of its implementation. Secondly, we develop and deploy the web backend and frontend to visualize measurement data with Kubernetes. Finally, completing the IV sweep measurement on the web demonstrates the feasibility of building the measurement system in a cloud-native way. So, the container-instrumentation architecture provides practical significance for constructing measurement systems and improving the instrumentation cloud capabilities with cloud-native architecture in the future.

Handheld Mass Spectrometer with Intelligent Adaptability for On-Site and Point-of-Care Analysis.

The development of miniature mass spectrometry (MS) systems with simple analysis procedures is important for the transition of applying MS analysis outside traditional analytical laboratories. Here, we present Mini 14, a handheld MS instrument with disposable sample cartridges designed based on the ambient ionization concept for intrasurgical tissue analysis and surface analysis. The instrumentation architecture consists of a single-stage vacuum chamber with a discontinuous atmospheric interface and a linear ion trap. A major effort in this study for technical advancement is on making handheld MS systems capable of automatically adapting to complex conditions for in-field analysis. Machine learning is used to establish the model for autocorrecting the mass offsets in the mass scale due to temperature variations and a new strategy is developed to extend the dynamic concentration range for analysis. Mini 14 weighs 12 kg and can operate on battery power for more than 3 h. The mass range exceeds m/z 2000, and the full peak width at half-maximum is Δm/z 0.4 at a scanning speed of 700 Th/s. The direct analysis of human brain tissue for identifying glioma associated with isocitrate dehydrogenase mutations has been achieved and a limit of detection of 5 ng/mL has been obtained for analyzing illicit drugs in blood.

Angular and radial sampling criteria for monostatic and bistatic radar tomography of solar system small bodies

Low-frequency radar tomography is an important subsurface imaging method for future planetary missions to solar system small bodies. We derive angular and radial sampling criteria for monostatic and bistatic radar tomography algorithms that are based on monochromatic free-space backprojection and spherical apertures. We use the vector Born approximation to highlight the degeneracy of monochromatic bistatic source/receiver direction pair measurements in k-space. Analytical expressions are then derived for the scalar point target response of different spherical sampling geometries. We also derive the angular sampling step and total number of sampling points required to fully reconstruct the point target response for monostatic, bistatic, and non-degenerate k-space spherical apertures. These are evaluated for object sizes and radar operating frequencies expected in small body tomography. We also analyze and derive expressions for the coherence loss of spherical apertures due to random errors in a sensor’s radial position, which provides requirements on the a posteriori ephemeris knowledge. Finally, we derive a vector backprojection algorithm suitable for focusing quad-pol scattering matrix (S-matrix) data that is tested using full-wave S-matrix simulations of dielectric point targets. This work is intended to aid radar instrument performance analysis and inform the design and architecture of future instruments and missions.

Developing a Preliminary Design of FPGA Based Control Rod System for a High Temperature Experimental Power Reactor

An Experimental Power Reactor (Reaktor Daya Experimental, RDE) which is based on high-temperature gas-cooled reactor technology is being developed in Indonesia during recent years. As an advanced reactor design type, a fully digital- based I&C would be employed in the design of RDE reactor monitoring and control including the control rod drive system. On the other hand, some of the major issues discussed in the licensing process for such digital I&C are the possibility that a common cause failure can undermine the reactor protection function and the vulnerable to cyber-attack possibility. Therefore, a number of the defense in depth measures need to be applied to I&C systems design help to mitigate those issues. This paper discusses the design process for employing FPGA based digital system in the control rod drive system of RDE. The methodology follows the life cycle process of instrumentation and control architecture and software development which is presented in the V shape model. A generic control rod system prototype which consists of a control rod motor driver, control rod handling system, magnetic handling, and the motor system was prepared and would be used as an object in the FPGA implementation. The result of the process design conducted in this current phase study shows the implementation of FPGA-based digital technology will enable to minimize the lack of a digital based control rod drive system. However, appropriate testing and verification of the design developed are required to ensure better performance of the control rod drive system.

Tiger: Concept Study for a New Frontiers Enceladus Habitability Mission

Abstract Data returned from the Cassini–Huygens mission have strengthened Enceladus, a small icy moon of Saturn, as an important target in the search for life in our solar system. Information gathered from Cassini to support this includes the presence of a subsurface liquid water ocean, vapor plumes and ice grains emanating from its south polar region, and the detection of essential elements and organic material that could potentially support life. However, several outstanding questions remain regarding the connectivity of plume material to the ocean and the composition of the complex organic material. Herein we introduce Tiger, a mission concept developed during the 2020 Planetary Science Summer School at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Tiger is a flyby mission that would help further constrain the habitability of Enceladus through two science objectives: (1) determine whether Enceladus’s volatile inventory undergoes synthesis of complex organic species that are evidence for a habitable ocean, and (2) determine whether Enceladus’s plume material is supplied directly from the ocean or if it interfaces with other reservoirs within the ice shell. To address the science goals in a total of eight flybys, Tiger would carry a four-instrument payload, including a mass spectrometer, a single-band ice-penetrating radar, an ultraviolet imaging spectrograph, and an imaging camera. We discuss Tiger's instrument and mission architecture, as well as the trades and challenges associated with a habitability-focused New Frontiers–class flyby mission to Enceladus.

Sustainability certification and legality verification in Indonesian natural forest-based wood products value chains

Indonesian natural forest concessions and value chains are governed by a mandatory Timber Legality Verification System (SVLK), which includes assessment of Sustainable Production Forest Management (PHPL). Concessionaires and processors may also pursue voluntary forest certification. This study explores actors' compliance with these instruments along wood product value chains originating primarily from natural forests. Empirical results demonstrate that SVLK fostered legality compliance in domestic as well as export value chains, but still allows some possible loopholes. It is easier for actors to comply with SVLK than with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification, because SVLK has less stringent requirements, and uses an assessment system that allows poor field performance and does not foster continuous improvement of practices. These results identify weaknesses in the architecture and implementation of the regulatory instruments, and suggest measures to strengthen Indonesia's sustainable forest management and timber legality systems.

Transnational Islamic Finance Disputes: Towards a Convergence with English Contract Law and International Arbitration

ABSTRACT While Islamic finance is premised on wholly antithetical rules and notions as opposed to traditional Western finance, the resolution of pertinent disputes has been structured along the lines of standard commercial arbitration. Islam has always favoured arbitration and mediation and in fact promoted these in very much liberal terms. As a result, there has never been a need to adapt a sui generis Islamic dimension to Islamic finance, because clearly Western and Islamic notions of arbitration largely coincide. In recent years there have been some attempts to limit Islamic finance arbitration within a narrow understanding of Islamic ethics, despite the fact that it has become transnational in character and Islamic ethics are in any event inbuilt in the architecture of Islamic finance instruments, which arbitrators can only avoid at their peril. It is no wonder that Muslim end users generally prefer to resolve disputes arising from Islamic finance transactions in conventional arbitral institutions, while at the same time choosing English law to govern their agreement, typically concurrently with Islamic law or other laws. As a result, Islamic finance has equally attracted non-Muslim end users. The English High Court has not only developed a particular expertise in Islamic finance law but has, in addition, demonstrated how Islamic and secular law are generally compatible and complementary (with some notable exceptions) in construing transnational Islamic finance. At the same time, institutions and rules in the Muslim world that depart from the global arbitration paradigm are fast falling into desuetude. In light of these findings, it is argued that a sui generis Islamic finance arbitration model is not only disfavoured by end users as being out of touch with business reality but is inconsistent with the fundamental tenets of the Islamic law of arbitration.

Toward the widespread application of low-cost technologies in coastal ocean observing (Internet of Things for the Ocean)

The ability to access user-friendly, low-cost instrumentation remains a limiting factor in coastal ocean observing. The majority of currently available marine observation equipment is difficult to deploy, costly to operate, and requires specific technical skills. Moreover, a harmonized observation program for the world’s coastal waters has not yet been established despite the efforts of the global ocean organizations. Global observational systems are mainly focused on open ocean waters and do not include coastal and shelf areas, where models and satellites require large data sets for their calibration and validation. Fortunately, recent technological advances have created opportunities to improve sensors, platforms, and communications that will enable a step-change in coastal ocean observing, which will be driven by a decreasing cost of the components, the availability of cheap housing, low-cost controller/data loggers based on embedded systems, and low/no subscription costs for LPWAN communication systems. Considering the above necessities and opportunities, POGO’s OpenMODs project identified a series of general needs/requirements to be met in an Open science development framework. In order to satisfy monitoring and research necessities, the sensors to be implemented must be easily interfaced with the data acquisition and transmission system, as well as compliant with accuracy and stability requirements. Here we propose an approach to co-design a cost-effective observing modular instrument architecture based on available low-cost measurement and data transmission technologies, able to be mounted/operated on various platforms. This instrument can fit the needs of a large community that includes scientific research (including those in developing countries), non-scientific stakeholders, and educators.

Implementation of BFP-Typed Apertometer: Reference Location and Accuracy

This work is to investigate the instrumentation implementing issues of back focal plane (BFP)-typed apertometer. Firstly, we introduce a general instrument architecture of the BFP-typed apertometer, including the hardware (optics and mechanics) of the system, operation procedures of control and measurement system, and also the digital image processing algorithm/software. Secondly, we are the first to discuss the gradual rising effect of total-internal-reflection (TIR) phenomenon, the criteria on how to “exactly” locate the reference ring on BFP images, and the corresponding accuracies. As a significantly important complement, we further discuss three important issues: 1) the influence of Goos–Hanchen shift on numerical aperture (NA) measurement; 2) comparison of one-dimension and two-dimension identification algorithms; and 3) comparison of center locating using Fourier correlation analysis (FCA) and Hough transformation (HT) algorithms.

Self-Referenced Multifrequency Phase-Resolved Luminescence Spectroscopy.

Phase-resolved luminescence chemical sensors provide the analyte determination based on the estimation of the luminescence lifetime. The lifetime is estimated from an analysis of the amplitudes and/or phases of the excitation and emission signals at one or several modulation frequencies. This requires recording both the excitation signal (used to modulate the light source) and the emission signal (obtained from an optical transducer illuminated by the luminescent sensing phase). The excitation signal is conventionally used as reference, in order to obtain the modulation factor (the ratio between the emission and the excitation amplitudes) and/or the phase shift (the difference between the emission and the excitation phases) at each modulation frequency, which are used to estimate the luminescence lifetime. In this manuscript, we propose a new method providing the luminescence lifetimes (based either on amplitudes or phases) using only the emission signal (i.e., omitting the excitation signal in the procedure). We demonstrate that the luminescence lifetime can be derived from the emission signal when it contains at least two harmonics, because in this case the amplitude and phase of one of the harmonics can be used as reference. We present the theoretical formulation as well as an example of application to an oxygen measuring system. The proposed self-referenced lifetime estimation provides two practical advantages for luminescence chemical sensors. On one hand, it simplifies the instrument architecture, since only one analog-to-digital converter (for the emission signal) is necessary. On the other hand, the self-referenced estimation of the lifetime improves the robustness against degradation of the sensing phase or variations in the optical coupling, which reduces the recalibration requirements when the lifetimes are based on amplitudes.