Low-cost Setup Research Articles

Exploring kinematics graphs using Arduino and an interactive Excel spreadsheet

We present a low-cost apparatus using Arduino and an ultrasonic distance sensor that permits students to learn about motion graphs more intuitively. Using an interactive interface built using Excel and an add-on, the students can see a graph of position or velocity as a function of time. They are invited to reproduce the proposed motion graph moving themselves in front of the sensor. The Excel spreadsheet presents a real-time of their movement together with the reference.

Design and fabrication of a low-cost one-way abrasive flow finishing set-up using 3D printed parts

Advanced manufacturing technologies have changed dramatically in the last decade due to advancements in manufacturing technologies. Since the introduction of low-cost 3D printers, i.e., fused deposition modeling (FDM) based on 3D printers, FDM-based 3D printer has become widely available to researchers in universities and academic institutions. As a result, the number of manufacturing setups that use 3D printed parts has grown. This paper discusses designing and developing a low-cost one-way abrasive flow finishing setup using 3d printed (FDM) parts. A one-way abrasive flow machining (AFM) setup was constructed with as many 3D printed, i.e., attachment for holding fixture, attachment for holding the pipe, and AFM fixture. The extrusion pressure is created using the submersible slurry pump to flow the AFM media. Due to its simplicity, the proposed AFF is suitable for finishing any complex shapes and materials using 3D printed AFM fixtures. In the present work, this low-cost one-way AFM setup is utilized to surface finish the FDM printed parts using environmentally friendly based AFM media. The results show a significant improvement in surface roughness by 96% of surface roughness improvement.

Development of a low-cost PID setup for engineering technology students

PID controllers are the most frequently used controllers. Theoretical understanding of the system to be controlled and the working principle of PID controllers are crucial for closed-loop control. This fundamental knowledge is - in principle - learned by all engineering students at the undergraduate level. However, understanding the practical aspects of the application of a PID controller and their connections to theoretical concepts must be combined in a clever way. This paper explores the process of the development of a low-cost, easy to manufacture demonstration setup which can act as the bridge between the theoretical and practical world of the control system knowledge. As a reaction to the COVID epidemy, this project is made with the philosophy that the students should be able to take these setups home or even replicate them themselves. The proposed setup comes with an interactive block diagram-based graphical user interface which allows the user to observe the physical changes of the process in -nearly- real-time. The aim of the provided exercises is to comprehend the similarities and the difference between the theoretical and practical aspects of closed-loop control. This paper explains the components of the setup, the development process, the recommended exercises, and feedback from our students.

Low-cost test setup for motorcycle protective clothing abrasion examination

The personal protective equipment and protective clothing for motorcyclists reduce physical injuries to victims of road accidents. Therefore, it is important that the protective clothing complies with a number of test standards, which must be taken into account during the manufacturing process. However, the EN17092-1 to 6 standard does not necessarily correspond to a real accident situations and these testing procedures are time consuming. In this study, a simple and inexpensive self-constructed device for testing the abrasion resistance of motorcycle protective clothing was developed and evaluated. Different types of textiles and leather with and without coating were tested and compared. According to the results of this study, not only leather but also textiles offer good abrasion resistance results. The results show that the strength of an impact significantly changes the abrasion resistance. The developed test method can provide a good alternative as a low-cost and simple test method of abrasion resistance of motorcycle protective clothing.

EyeLoop: An Open-Source System for High-Speed, Closed-Loop Eye-Tracking.

Eye-trackers are widely used to study nervous system dynamics and neuropathology. Despite this broad utility, eye-tracking remains expensive, hardware-intensive, and proprietary, limiting its use to high-resource facilities. It also does not easily allow for real-time analysis and closed-loop design to link eye movements to neural activity. To address these issues, we developed an open-source eye-tracker – EyeLoop – that uses a highly efficient vectorized pupil detection method to provide uninterrupted tracking and fast online analysis with high accuracy on par with popular eye tracking modules, such as DeepLabCut. This Python-based software easily integrates custom functions using code modules, tracks a multitude of eyes, including in rodents, humans, and non-human primates, and operates at more than 1,000 frames per second on consumer-grade hardware. In this paper, we demonstrate EyeLoop’s utility in an open-loop experiment and in biomedical disease identification, two common applications of eye-tracking. With a remarkably low cost and minimum setup steps, EyeLoop makes high-speed eye-tracking widely accessible.

Low-cost apparatus for cigarette smoke exposure in rats

BackgroundThe effects of tobacco smoke on the central nervous system are usually studied with isolated nicotine, ignoring other compounds present in cigarette smoke. The few studies that use in vivo whole-body cigarette smoke exposure are usually performed in expensive commercial apparatus. New methodWe presented a feasible, safe, and low-cost apparatus for cigarette smoke exposure in rodents. ResultsRats exposed to cigarette smoke in this apparatus showed cotinine levels similar to human active smokers. Additional results showed that cigarette smoke exposure increased glutamate and aspartic acid levels and decreased leucine, isoleucine, ornithine, phenylalanine, and tryptophan levels in the cerebrospinal fluid of rats. Comparison with existing method(s)Our apparatus is feasible, safe, and costs 67-fold less than a commercial automatized smoking machine. Beyond the low cost, it does not require specialized knowledge for building or maintenance. ConclusionsWe concluded that our low-cost apparatus is reliable and reproduces cigarette smoke use in humans.

A portable low-cost reflectometric setup for moisture measurement in cultural heritage masonry unit

A low-cost and portable reflectometric system was described to correlate the water content inside building material with the resonance frequency of a planar probe. An inexpensive planar patch resonator was realized, and a high sensitivity load cell was developed to investigate the external force effect on the resonance frequency shift. Regarding the material under test, four stones commonly employed in Italy Cultural Heritage buildings were used: Pietra Gentile, Leccese, Carparo, and Tuff. Measurements were carried out at different water content values and were performed using a portable vector network analyzer. Two different trials were carried out ten times for each moisture level: with an unknown handheld force exerted on the probe and using the load cell to ensure a repeatable force. Results showed that a repeatable applied force guaranteed more reproducible measurements. The achieved humidity/frequency calibration curves can be used, in practice, for non-invasive on-site water content monitoring of historic structures.

Label-free DNA biosensing by topological light confinement

Abstract Large-area and transparent all-dielectric metasurfaces sustaining photonic bound states in the continuum (BICs) provide a set of fundamental advantages for ultrasensitive biosensing. BICs bridge the gap of large effective mode volume with large experimental quality factor. Relying on the transduction mechanism of reactive sensing principle, herein, we first numerically study the potential of subwavelength confinement driven by topological decoupling from free space radiation for BIC-based biosensing. Then, we experimentally combine this capability with minimal and low-cost optical setup, applying the devised quasi-BIC resonator for PNA/DNA selective biosensing with real-time monitoring of the binding event. A sensitivity of 20 molecules per micron squared is achieved, i.e. ≃0.01 pg. Further enhancement can easily be envisaged, pointing out the possibility of single-molecule regime. This work aims at a precise and ultrasensitive approach for developing low-cost point-of-care tools suitable for routine disease prescreening analyses in laboratory, also adaptable to industrial production control.

Experimental evaluation of a Software-Defined Radio through a Breast Phantom aiming at Microwave Medical Imaging

This paper presents an assessment of a low-cost apparatus aiming at a Microwave Imaging (MWI) system realization targeting women breast cancer detection. Software Defined Radio (SDR) is a programmable device with the potential to circumvent the Vector Network Analyzer usage to accomplish an MWI system, especially during the prototyping stage, once the more suitable system is not established yet. BladeRF, an SDR platform, coupled to a power amplifier and a low noise amplifier, and using two Vivaldi antennas, has been assessed in terms of the radio power ability over two different propagation media: air and a breast phantom mimicking a heterogeneous breast. It features transmitter and receiver power control to deal with different signal attenuation scenarios. The results measured over the air have shown that the bladeRF can provide up to +15 dBm output power at 1 GHz carrier frequency and close to -10 dBm at 6 GHz, and distinguish a received signal as low as -80 dBm from the Vivaldi antenna. Besides, the measured results over the breast phantom have shown a signal to noise ratio above 52 dB along with the carrier frequency increase. Thus, from the performed assessment, the bladeRF met the requirements for MWI system implementation, justifying and motivating its usage.

A Low-Cost Digital Colorimetry Setup to Investigate the Relationship between Water Color and Its Chemical Composition.

Developments in digital image acquisition technologies and citizen science lead to more water color observations and broader public participation in environmental monitoring. However, the implications of the use of these simple water color indices for water quality assessment have not yet been fully evaluated. In this paper, we build a low-cost digital camera colorimetry setup to investigate quantitative relationships between water color indices and concentrations of optically active constituents (OACs). As proxies for colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) and phytoplankton, humic acid and algae pigments were used to investigate the relationship between water chromaticity and concentration. We found that the concentration fits an ascending relationship with xy chromaticity values and a descending relationship with hue angle. Our investigations permitted us to increase the information content of simple water color observations, by relating them to chemical constituent concentrations in observed waters.

Performance analysis of pine oil with benzyl as additives in direct compression ignition engine

Fossil fuels supply 84% of world’s energy. Almost of the world’s population are persuaded in using of fossil fuels as a primary fuel where mostly Petroleum and Diesel are used as a major requirement in automobiles. Diesel engine are mostly preferred for heavy transportation and agriculture sectors for carrying enormous loads because of high work efficiency and low cost-setup. The properties of Diesel helps us physically with its Density, low viscosity, low flash point (>52*C), increased evaporation time and compression ratio of 14:1 to 25:1. With increasing usage of natural resources which are non-renewable shortage occurs with increase in Demand and pricing fluctuation in the fuel market. With all the problems faced researchers are working in finding an alternate fuel with same properties of fossil fuels. Some basic properties are Brake thermal value, viscosity of the fuel, density, specific gravity of fuel, flash point, self-ignition temperature, vapour pressure, compression ratio and more. Introducing Benzyl alcohol blending with pine oil and Diesel acting as base fuel with mixture in quantities starting with Diesel, B40, B60, B80, B40+5%, B60+5%, B80+5%, B40+10%, B60+10%, B80+10% total of 10 different values and calculating the outputs of BTE and BSFC.With loads 1.14, 2.28, 3.42, 4.56 applied on the engine. This paper concludes the work of Benzyl alcohol as fuel blends with Diesel and Pine oil which helps in increase in performance of BTE and BSFC with direct injection of the blends and their corresponding properties are studied at different loads in a Single Intake Direct Compression Ignition Engine (C224).

A compact in vitro test bench for cardiovascular flow analysis

A low-cost particle image velocimetry set-up that allows to investigate the fluid dynamics inside realistic coronary artery phantoms has been implemented. The proposed smart test bench for experimental characterization of arterial hemodynamics also in the presence of implanted devices represents a low-cost equipment that can be easily implemented in non-expert laboratories for research as well as educational applications.

A compact in vitro test bench for cardiovascular flow analysis

A low-cost particle image velocimetry set-up that allows to investigate the fluid dynamics inside realistic coronary artery phantoms has been implemented. The proposed smart test bench for experimental characterization of arterial hemodynamics also in the presence of implanted devices represents a low-cost equipment that can be easily implemented in non-expert laboratories for research as well as educational applications.

In situ laser manipulation of root tissues in transparent soil

AimsLaser micromanipulation such as dissection or optical trapping enables remote physical modification of the activity of tissues, cells and organelles. To date, applications of laser manipulation to plant roots grown in soil have been limited. Here, we show laser manipulation can be applied in situ when plant roots are grown in transparent soil.MethodsWe have developed a Q-switched laser manipulation and imaging instrument to perform controlled dissection of roots and to study light-induced root growth responses. We performed a detailed characterisation of the properties of the cutting beams through the soil, studying dissection and optical ablation. Furthermore, we also studied the use of low light doses to control the root elongation rate of lettuce seedlings (Lactuca sativa) in air, agar, gel and transparent soil.ResultsWe show that whilst soil inhomogeneities affect the thickness and circularity of the beam, those distortions are not inherently limiting. The ability to induce changes in root elongation or complete dissection of microscopic regions of the root is robust to substrate heterogeneity and microscopy set up and is maintained following the limited distortions induced by the transparent soil environment.ConclusionsOur findings show that controlled in situ laser dissection of root tissues is possible with a simple and low-cost optical set-up. We also show that, in the absence of dissection, a reduced laser light power density can provide reversible control of root growth, achieving a precise “point and shoot” method for root manipulation.

Compact automated capillary electrophoresis instrument for coupling with mass spectrometry by using sheathless electrospray ionization

The low-cost set-up is based on the flexible microfluidic breadboard approach. To avoid the use of electrically driven devices at the high voltage injection end of the capillary pneumatically actuated pumps and valves are employed. It is coupled to the mass spectrometer with a sheathless electrospray obtained in an electrodeless interface configuration. This simplification is achieved by carrying out the analysis in two distinct steps, firstly the separation without the formation of an electrospray, and secondly detection in which the electrospray is created while pumping out the content of the capillary. The performance of the instrument was tested by analysing three benzalkonium ions and the four pesticides pyrifenox, pirimicarb, cyprodinil and pyrimethanil. Detection limits between 0.36 and 0.76 µM and peak reproducibilities between 5.2% and 6.6% (50 µM standards) were obtained for the latter.

Practical Feasibility of Arago-Biot and Lorentz-Lorenz Theory Through Variation of Refractive Index of Typical Binary Liquid Mixtures Employing Low-Cost Experimental Setup

Optical properties of the solutions comprising of two or more miscible liquids have been of immense interest both in the area of chemical and physical sciences. To date, there are reports on studies regarding different combinations of binary liquid mixtures. However, the experiments involved are either high-ended or using sophisticated instrumentation. Our prime objective is to set up a simple laboratory arrangement to estimate the refractive index of typical binary-liquid mixtures obtained by proportionate variations in combinations selecting from benzene, ethyl acetate, tetrahydrofuran, and water; without involving high-standard instrumentation or expensive laboratory setups. In the present study, we adopted a basic method to determine the refractive index of pure liquids of low polarity, like, benzene (C6H6) and tetrahydrofuran or THF (C4H8O) and of high polarities, such as ethyl acetate or EtOAc or EA (C4H8O2), and water (H2O) and also their binary homogeneous mixture with high accuracy. Our experimental data involving variation of refractive index with molar volume fraction matched very well with theoretical interpretations by Arago-Biot and Lorentz-Lorenz equation. In our results, density corrections have been neglected as we have chosen non-volatile solvents.

Reusable and sensitive exonuclease III activity detection on DNB nanoarrays based on cPAS sequencing technology

In this article we describe a sensitive exonuclease III detection method using a DNB nanoarray from a BGISEQ-500 sequencing kit and demonstrate a detection limit as low as 0.001 U/mL. The flow cell of the sequencing kit was loaded with billions of DNA nanoballs (DNBs) to form the DNB nanoarray and initially used for massively parallel sequencing. The 3′-end recessed dsDNA structure formed by sequencing was shown to be a perfect substrate for exonuclease III, but not for other nucleases such as exonuclease I, RecJf and nuclease P1. We developed an exonuclease III assay using the DNB nanoarray, together with other reagents within the BGISEQ-500 sequencing kit, which only required one additional cycle of sequencing. The DNB nanoarray can be reused for the exonuclease III assay at least five times. This method demonstrated superior sensitivity, selectivity, and reusability compared with other assay methods and is accompanied by low cost and simple setup.

QS2: DIY Bioreactors for Tissue Engineering - An Ultra-low-cost Platform for Perfusion Cell Culture and Live Imaging

Purpose:While tissue engineering offers the promise of revolutionary innovation, scalable three-dimensional tissue culture is limited by the diffusion of nutrients and oxygen making media perfusion obligatory. Unfortunately, the cost of bioreactors for large construct tissue culture can be prohibitive, with a typical perfusion chamber costing several thousand dollars, and even small petri-dish-sized devices costing hundreds of dollars each. We have developed a low-cost perfusion setup that seals collagen-based perfusable cellular constructs within a sterile PDMS well between coverslips, allowing for repeated live-imaging of perfused 3D engineered tissues. Herein we describe fabrication of this novel system and validate its utility.Methods:Molds and frames were designed on 3D-modeling software (Fusion 360) and printed on a Prusa i3 MK3S 3D printer in poly(lactic acid) (PLA). Molds were filled with poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS), which was cured to form chambers, bubble traps, mason jar lid chambers, and media reservoir lid adapters. In total, the tissue culture chamber device, mason jar lid inset, media reservoir lid, and bubble trap require 4, 1, 2, and 4 unique printed components, respectively.Results:Each perfusion chamber can be assembled for under 8 USD per device and reused repeatedly. The current model has a tissue chamber custom-built with 18x10x4 (LxWxH)mm3 dimensions, but this chamber can be readily customized to experiment-specific dimensions. These devices allow cellular hydrogel constructs to be maintained in a sterile environment after assembly, perfused at varying rates to expose cells to different levels of shear stress, and the cells can be intermittently imaged with light, fluorescent or confocal microscopy - an unparalleled benefit for monitoring of experiments and collection of timepoint imaging data. The perfusion circuit consists of autoclavable glass and PDMS components, including a bubble trap, a crucial component of the circuit for preventing air bubbles that can damage cells and block microchannels, and a lid adapter, which allows 50 mL conical tubes to serve as self-oxygenating media reservoirs. Media changes can be performed via peristaltic pump perfusion or with syringe-based cell culture techniques for static culture. Constructs have been perfused within standard incubators for up to 14 days demonstrating normal cell viability without contamination or evidence of infection, with longer perfusion culture intervals (>1 month) currently being tested.Conclusion:The increasing accessibility of 3D-modeling and 3D-printing has enabled rapid prototyping of devices to address the problems that we face as surgeon-scientists. We have developed a low-cost tissue-engineering perfusion circuit that facilitates 3D-tissue-culture while allowing for repeated live-imaging as the cultured tissue develops. The instructions for our setup can be utilized to replicate our devices in other labs, and these designs can be readily customized to meet the needs of specific experimental aims.

Versatile, Low-Cost, and Portable 2D Material Transfer Setup with a Facile and Highly Efficient DIY Inert-Atmosphere Glove Compartment Option.

Research in van der Waals heterostructures has been rapidly progressing in the past decade, thanks to the art of sequential and deterministic placement of one two-dimensional (2D) material over another. The successful creation of heterostructures however has relied largely on expensive transfer systems that are not easily accessible to researchers. Although a few reports on low-cost systems have recently surfaced, the full functionality, portability features, and overall effectiveness of such systems are still being explored. In this work, we present an “all-in-one” low-cost transfer setup that is compact, lightweight, and portable and which can be quickly installed with a facile and do it yourself (DIY)-style anaerobic glovebox option that performs at par with commercial anaerobic systems. The “installable” glovebox option means the user has the convenience of quickly converting the working environment into an inert one when air-sensitive 2D materials are used. The lowest RH values obtained in our glovebox is <3%, and the O2 levels rapidly drop from 21% to less than 0.1% in just a few minutes of purging the chamber with inert gas. The transfer system is also equipped with a light-weight PID-controlled substrate heating option that can be easily assembled within just a few hours. We test the versatility of our low-cost system by the successful creation of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN)-encapsulated graphene and hBN-encapsulated molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) heterostructures using the hot pickup technique and graphene-hBN, MoS2-hBN, twisted MoS2, and twisted MoS2 on hBN stacks using the wetting technique, and a MoS2-hBN-graphene vertical tunneling heterostructure was formed using a combination approach. The effectiveness of the DIY glovebox is proven with the demonstration of extended stability of freshly exfoliated black phosphorous (BP) flakes, their encapsulation between thin hBN layers, and the formation of electrically contacted BP devices with a protective hBN top layer. At an overall price point of approximately 1000 $, the versatile setup presented here is expected to further contribute to the growth of research in 2D materials, in particular, for researchers initially faced with overcoming a huge entry-level threshold to work in the field of 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures.

Low-cost alternative biodiesel production apparatus based on household food blender for continuous biodiesel production for small communities

Fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) are sustainable biofuel that can alleviate high oil costs and environmental impacts of petroleum-based fuel. A modified 1200 W high-efficiency food blender was employed for continuous transesterification of various refined vegetable oils and waste cooking oil (WCO) using sodium hydroxide as a homogeneous catalyst. The following factors have been investigated on their effects on FAME yield: baffles, reaction volume, total reactant flow rate, methanol-oil molar ratio, catalyst concentration and reaction temperature. Results indicated that the optimal conditions were: 2000 mL reaction volume, 50 mL/min total flow rate, 1% and 1.25% catalyst concentration for refined palm oil and WCO, respectively, 6:1 methanol-to-oil molar ratio and 62–63 °C, obtaining yield efficiency over 96.5% FAME yield of 21.14 × 10–4 g/J (for palm oil) and 19.39 × 10–4 g/J (for WCO). All the properties of produced FAMEs meet the EN 14214 and ASTM D6751 standards. The modified household food blender could be a practical and low-cost alternative biodiesel production apparatus for continuous biodiesel production for small communities in remote areas.