Proximity Sensors Research Articles

Contactless logging and disinfection solution with automated face mask detection

Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) mitigation includes health screening procedures at entrances of public and private establishments. Conventional methods include manual operations on temperature and face mask checking, personal identification, and hand disinfection. In this paper, a gateway kiosk is designed by integrating and automating the primary screening procedures. It uses radio-frequency identification (RFID) for contactless access control and attendance, with an infrared thermometer for body temperature monitoring. Face mask detection is automated through artificial intelligence (AI), while proximity sensors activate the disinfection system. Internet-of-things (IoT) interfaces these subsystems, and local access is available via an Internet browser. RFID overcomes the slower response rate of the quick response (QR) code-based solution. The repeated-measure analyses showed that the system’s thermometer has only +0.28 °C error while its residual neural network-10 (ResNet-10) and MobileNetV2 models for detecting masked faces achieved a 98.2% accuracy. The system reduces the primary key performance indicators–service and queuing times by 56.86% and 79.95%, respectively. Its audio and visual notifications ensure the proper screening implementation, thus reducing unnecessary and risky interactions with entrance personnel. It improves the screening procedures by significantly reducing human interactions and enhancing queuing.

Fuzzy logic-based control for robot-guided strawberry harvesting: visual servoing and image segmentation approach

The concept of digital farming can help farmers increase their agricultural production yield. One of the technologies to support digital farming is robotics, which can be utilized to complete a redundant task efficiently for 24 hours. This paper presents a simple and effective harvesting robot that is applied to harvest a ripe strawberry. The mechanical and electrical design is kept simple to ensure it is reproducible. The input from a proximity sensor and image detection by a Pi camera is utilized by FLC (Fuzzy Logic Controller) to improve the effectiveness of the harvesting task. The image processing method in this study is image segmentation, which fits with the limited source of the microcontroller available in the market. The experiment included 60 times (20 times center, left, and right position) harvesting using the FLC algorithm and 60 times without FLC to show the effectiveness of the proposed method. From 60 experiments without an FLC experiment, there is an 80% hit rate for strawberries positioned in the middle of an image plane and 55% for left and right strawberries. From 60 times of FLC experiment, 95% hit rate for strawberries positioned in the middle of an image plane, 80% for left and right strawberries. The average time required to finish the task without FLC for strawberries in the middle is 13.51 s, the left is 11.04 s, and the right is 17.28 s. While the average time required to finish the task with FLC for strawberry in the middle is 12.90 s, the left side is 11.71 s, and the right side is 10.93 s. This study is intended to show that simple designs can be helpful and affordable when applied to greenhouse farming in Indonesia.

Performance Analysis on the Safety and Automation System of a Modified Cutting Machine: Repurposing Initiatives

A circular economy is an alternative to the traditional linear economy. The concept reduces waste by recovering resources at the end of a product’s life cycle and repurposing them to reduce environmental impact. The repurposing of machines is a model of production and consumption that involves re-pairing, refurbishing, and recycling to reduce waste. This project aims to improvise and repurpose existing mangosteen peeling machines into another suitable manufacturing process. The designed potato-cutting machine uses the existing conveyor system of a customised mangosteen peeling machine. The cutting mechanism incorporates safety and automation systems using through-beam infrared and capacitive proximity sensors. For the safety system, detecting objects within a range of 2.0 cm to the conveyor region indicates that the machine is unsafe to operate. The system will stop the machine and send audio and visual warnings to notify the users. Based on the trial runs the machine cuts the potato with approximately 1-tenth of the time needed in manual labour. The most significant benefit, however, is the overall savings in production costs, which are more than 85%. This is achieved as the machine re-purposes more than 50% of the components from the existing mangosteen peeling machine, such as sensors, control panel boxes, and PLC system. Consequently, this has helped minimise the overall cost of new equipment while encouraging a circular economy approach to engineering practices.

Proximity Sensor for Measuring Social Interaction in a School Environment.

Social interactions are characterized by being very diverse and changing over time. Understanding this diversity and dynamics, as well as their emerging patterns, is of great interest from social, health, and educational perspectives. The development of new devices has been made possible in recent years by advances in applied technology. This paper presents the design and development of a novel device composed of several sensors. Specifically, we propose a proximity sensor integrated by three devices: a Bluetooth sensor, a global positioning system (GPS) unit and an accelerometer. By means of this sensor it is possible to detect the presence of neighboring sensors in various configurations and operating conditions. Profiles based on the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) exhibit behavior consistent with that reported by empirical relationships. The present sensor is functional in detecting the proximity of other sensors and is thus useful for the identification of interactions between people in relevant contexts such as schools.

Ultrasonic Levitation for Airway Humidification.

This study employs the transmitter part of an ultrasonic proximity sensor to generate a powerful ultrasonic field for medical humidification. This field is created using an arrangement of small ultrasonic transmitter transducers configured in an acoustic levitator-style setup. As droplets pass through this ultrasonic field, they undergo disintegration, leading to an accelerated evaporation process. The research findings highlight a significant change in droplet size distribution due to ultrasonics, resulting in a notable increase in the rate of evaporation. As a result, this study presents a conceptual framework for reimagining humidification devices for lung therapeutic purposes through the utilization of simple sensor technology.

Variable-Rate Fertilization for Summer Maize Using Combined Proximal Sensing Technology and the Nitrogen Balance Principle

Variable-Rate Fertilization for Summer Maize Using Combined Proximal Sensing Technology and the Nitrogen Balance Principle

Building an Educational Automated Mechatronics-Based Sorting System

This paper discusses the development of an automated sorting machine designed as a comprehensive mechatronics educational project. The project integrates mechanical and electrical design, incorporating a robot arm, a microcontroller, sensors, and actuators. The sorting machine uses color identification to sort wooden blocks of three different colors. The blocks are stacked and dropped onto a conveyor belt by a hopper system that employs a solenoid actuator and a servo to release one block at a time at specific intervals. As the belt runs continuously, each block passes under a color sensor, which monitors the color and signals one of three servo-powered mechanical arms to guide the block into the appropriate chute. Each chute is equipped with a capacitive proximity sensor that sends a voltage signal to the robot controller, queuing commands for the robot to pick up the blocks from the bottom of each chute and return them to the hopper to form a continuously running sorting system. This paper details the design and integration of the system’s various elements and the development of the control software. The designed system can drop blocks every 8.05 s, sort each block within 5 s of being sensed, and return them to the sorting system every 12 s. It has a color-sensing accuracy of 97%, with a failure rate of around 7%. The system achieved quick and reliable sorting using various low-cost, accessible, and open-source parts. The project exemplifies a cost-effective solution suitable for mechatronics education, demonstrating the numerous challenges involved in developing automated sorting systems.

Condition Monitoring of a Three-Phase AC Asynchronous Motor Based on the Analysis of the Instantaneous Active Electrical Power in No-Load Tests

This paper experimentally reveals some of the resources offered by the instantaneous active electric power in describing the state of three-phase AC induction asynchronous electric motors (with a squirrel-cage rotor) operating under no-load conditions. A mechanical power is required to rotate the rotor with no load, and this mechanical power is satisfactorily reflected in the constant and variable part of instantaneous active electric power. The variable part of this electrical power should necessarily have a periodic component with the same period as the period of rotation of the rotor. This paper proposes a procedure for extracting this periodic component description (as a pattern by means of a selective averaging of instantaneous active electrical power) and analysis. The time origin of this pattern is defined by the time of a selected first passage through the origin of an angular marker placed on the rotor, detectable by a proximity sensor (e.g., a laser sensor). The usefulness of the pattern in describing the state of the motor rotor has been demonstrated by several simple experiments, which show that a slight change in the no-load running conditions of the motor (e.g., by placing a dynamically unbalanced mass on the rotor) has clear effects in changing the shape of the pattern.

The Effect of Irrigation on the Vineyard Canopy and Individual Leaf Morphology Evaluated with Proximal Sensing, Colorimetry, and Traditional Morphometry

The high number of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) cultivars grown world-wide are described and identified according to detailed morphological and morphometric descriptor lists. The grapevine leaf is of utmost importance in characterization, despite its traits being very sensitive to environmental factors. In this study, the effect of irrigation/drought stress on the individual leaf morphology and morphometry of the ‘Hárslevelű’ grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) cultivar was examined. To verify the effect of the applied irrigation methods (drip and subsoil irrigation) on the plant’s water status, water potential measurements were carried out during the 2022 season. The effect of the applied treatments on the vegetative growth was evaluated according to point quadrat and a multichannel LiDAR analysis in order to describe the width of the canopy area, row volume, and area coverage index. The individual leaf morphology was assessed via traditional morphometry and colorimetry. Our results showed that rainfed plants had a significantly lower stem ψ compared to the drip- and subsoil-irrigated plants at all examined dates. The point quadrat results indicate that the leaf layer number was significantly (p < 0.05) influenced by the position, while the treatment showed no effect on the leaf layer number. The leaf colorimetry showed a difference among the samples, as significant alterations were found in 28 out of the 32 examined color properties. Within the traditional morphometric analysis, 54 traits were evaluated, and 14 of the traits were significantly altered due to the different water management systems.

Lean Blowout Proximity Sensing in a Low Emission Liquid-Fueled Combustor

ABSTRACT Advanced aircraft engine combustor designs, intended for achieving low NOx emissions, necessitate lean combustion with small operating margins above the LBO boundary, posing a high risk of exhibiting lean blowout (LBO) problems. Employing active LBO controllers receiving input from LBO proximity sensors can allow for narrower margins, thereby yielding multiple performance gains. Although several previous studies investigated LBO proximity sensing, they predominantly focused on premixed gas-fueled combustors. The application of proximity sensing approaches to liquid-fueled combustor designs, relevant to aircraft engines have not received adequate attention. Therefore, this study investigates LBO proximity sensing in a low emission lean direct injection (LDI) liquid-fueled combustor design developed by NASA. The combustor operates at atmospheric pressure with preheated air. The proximity sensing is examined by analyzing both OH* and CH* chemiluminescence signals, with a focus on assessing their relative performances. The signal analysis approaches include spectral, partial extinction event (LBO precursor) detection, signal RMS, and the CH*/OH* ratio, with an emphasis on the first two methods. Both steady-state and transient operating conditions have been examined. The combustor did not exhibit large-scale flame partial extinction and re-ignition events near LBO, as commonly observed in gas-fueled combustors. However, an increase in flame unsteadiness and partial extinction events with very subtle signatures in optical signals, have been observed. Low-pass filtering has been observed to considerably enhance the precursor signatures enabling their improved detection. With a reduction in LBO margin, an increase in signal low-frequency power, RMS, and precursor event occurrence rate have been observed, which were utilized for providing LBO proximity measures. A key finding from this study is that CH* signals provide significantly superior performance compared to OH* for the proximity sensing in all the approaches, and the potential reasons are discussed.

Using wearable sensors to explore schoolyard interactions of mainstreamed deaf and hard‐of‐hearing preadolescents

AbstractSocial participation in school, including schoolyard interactions, is considered important for all aspects of child development. Students with disabilities, such as those who are deaf and hard‐of‐hearing, are at risk of experiencing inaccessibility and social exclusion in mainstream classes, yet this has been hard researched in the schoolyard context. We exploratively compared preadolescents (M = 10.48, SD = .93) with (N = 8) and without (N = 207) hearing loss in their continuous schoolyard interactions during 21 recess assessments, using proximity sensors and field observations, alongside measurements of peer acceptance, friendships and sense of connectedness, based on peer nominations and self‐reports. Deaf and hard‐of‐hearing preadolescents spent less time interacting in the schoolyard, a trend which was stable throughout recess. Deaf and hard‐of‐hearing students interacted with the same number of partners as their classmates, but posthoc analyses suggest that towards the end of long recess periods they had a sharper drop in the number of their interaction partners. Field observations suggest that deaf and hard‐of‐hearing preadolescents who were socially active became more isolated the longer the break lasted, and that physical proximity did not necessarily indicate positive interactions. Findings underscore the importance of using multimethod designs that assess various dimensions of social participation and account for the temporal dynamics of recess interactions. Proximity sensors, combined with qualitative observations, enabled to detect social difficulties not detected by more traditional measures, hence valuable for social inclusion research and interventions.

Rancang Bangun Trainer Mesin Cuci Dua Tabung Berbasis Arduino Nano

A washing machine is a crucial device for society as it offers convenience and practicality. However, the efficiency of a washing machine can decline over time, especially in its components which may experience performance degradation or damage. This research involves designing a damage detection tool for washing machines, structured as a trainer operated in simulation form, serving as a learning medium to better understand the systematic functioning of washing machines. This trainer module uses toggle button switches installed on each cable line to simulate various damage conditions. The sensor used in this trainer is the PZEM-004T, which detects the current, voltage, and power used by the AC (Alternating Current) motor. To measure the motor's RPM (Revolutions per Minute) speed, a proximity sensor utilizing the Hall effect principle is employed. The microcontroller used to process the data generated by the sensors is an Arduino Nano, with the data displayed on an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). In this research, the results based on the PZEM-004T sensor testing showed it could measure voltage, current, and power with an error rate of 7.3% and a success rate of 92.7%. The proximity sensor could measure motor speed with an error rate of 3.4% and a success rate of 96.6%. The main challenge in the monitoring system was the real-time reading on the LCD screen frequently halting due to the long delay required to read the proximity Hall effect sensor values.

Sistem Otomasi Untuk Menyortir Barang Pada Ruang Produksi Menggunakan Scada dan PLC

The development of the industrial revolution is progressing. Especially on production performance or machine parts. Industrial revolution 4.0 uses the internet and digitalization. So there are lots of new innovations. In a large-scale company, of course there are many tools and machines that need to be regulated whether they are on or not with regular supervision. With regular supervision, it is impossible for human workers to check one by one, thereby wasting time and reducing production levels. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a control system using PLC and HMI (Human Machine Interface) as the brain or control center for the company. In the industrial sector, PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) is an important factor in the operation of automatic machines in factories replacing relay control systems. So that PLC as a control system in the industrial sector can move machines according to needs. One part of the industry is the production room. The production room is the part where there are manufacturing materials or goods up to packaging. This research aims to design and implement a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) and SCADA by adding sensors and actuators as output. The method used is a rule base system, the system runs according to a predetermined sequence and flow. The results of this research are the PLC, the SHT 20 temperature and humidity sensor can produce temperature and humidity values, the capacitive photosensor can detect items with 35 trials accurately but the distance is limited to only 27cm, the proximity sensor can only detect metal objects by attaching to the sensor and The actuator in the form of a stepper motor can run according to the commands given and is well integrated into the HMI (Human Machine Interface).

Geometry Optimization to Enhance the Range of Detection of Fringing Field-Based Capacitive Proximity Sensors

Geometry Optimization to Enhance the Range of Detection of Fringing Field-Based Capacitive Proximity Sensors

Plastic Crushing Machine

Abstract: A plastic crushing machine plays a crucial role in the recycling process by reducing plastic waste into smaller, manageable pieces. These machines are designed to process various types of plastic materials such as PET bottlesHDPE containers and PVC pipes,contributing to the mitigation of environmental pollution and resource conservation. This plastic waste is very difficult to store as it has large volume. Hence breaking down the plastic waste into ery small piece can help the problem of storage. This will reduce the burial and dumping of waste in earth. This project is based on electromechanical system.This project consist of electronic and Mechanical part mainly electric AC geared motor of 80 rpm,crushing drum flange bearing, v belt ,two gears of 130mm, that consist of micro controller. Two crushing drum are will rotate in opposite direction to squeeze the bottle and those two drums are driven by a single motor. In order to perform high thickness plastic material we have to adopt external gear meshing arrangement and a belt driven pulley from the motor. The machine is provided with two opening at the topside to insert the bottle and tin. when we insert the bottle it is detected by IR senSor or Proximity sensor. The bottle will fall on crushing drum the bottle gets squeezed between the two rollers.This crushed bottle will fall on the bin which is placed below the rollers. The main consideration for this design is cost effective and efficient. In conclusion,plastic crushing machines play a vital role in the recycling process,promoting environmental sustainability by transforming plastic waste into valuable raw materials.

Rancang Bangun Alat Hand Sanitizer Otomatis dan Pengukur Suhu Tubuh

During the Covid-19 pandemic, medical equipment is needed by all humans. One of them that is widely used as initial protection is hand sanitizer. Hand sanitizer is an antiseptic in the form of a gel that is widely used as a practical hand sanitizer. This final project aims to make a body temperature checking device and automatic hand sanitizer spraying, so that with this tool it can help prevent the transmission of the Covid-19 virus in routinely checking body temperature and cleaning hands from bacteria or germs without touching the tool. The sensors used in the manufacture of this final project consist of a temperature sensor mlx90614 as a body temperature detector and a proximity sensor as a trigger for a water pump. LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) serves to display temperature data that has been detected and the speaker emits sound according to the temperature detected later. Based on the detection accurasy test, the accurasy value is 94,74%.

Rancang Bangun Alat Pengemas Biji Kopi Otomatis Berbasis Arduino Uno

Before coffee products are marketed, packaging is generally carried out first. Apart from protecting against damage, the packaging also aims to make it easier to carry while traveling. The conventional packaging process is quite time and energy consuming. This results in the packaging process being less efficient. With an automatic packaging system, it is hoped that it will make things easier and save time and energy. Automatic coffee bean packaging tools are built using several electronic devices. Arduino Uno is used as a controller, a load cell sensor to weigh the coffee packaging, a DS18B20 temperature sensor to measure the temperature of the packaging sealer and a proximity sensor to detect plastic packaging. In the actuator section, a servo motor is used to open the coffee bean reservoir valve (hopper tank), a DC motor is used to pull the packaging plastic and a stepper motor is used to press the packaging plastic. The plastic press is equipped with a heating mechanism using nickel wire so that the two layers of plastic can stick together. An LCD module is used to display information on the weight value of the coffee packaging, the temperature value of the sealer and the status of the packaging process. From the test results, it is known that the coffee bean packaging tool is capable of packaging coffee beans automatically. Coffee beans can be packaged in plastic with the weight and length of the packaging according to the design with a success rate of up to 87.5%

Comprehensive profiling of social mixing patterns in resource poor countries: A mixed methods research protocol.

Low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) bear a disproportionate burden of communicable diseases. Social interaction data inform infectious disease models and disease prevention strategies. The variations in demographics and contact patterns across ages, cultures, and locations significantly impact infectious disease dynamics and pathogen transmission. LMICs lack sufficient social interaction data for infectious disease modeling. To address this gap, we will collect qualitative and quantitative data from eight study sites (encompassing both rural and urban settings) across Guatemala, India, Pakistan, and Mozambique. We will conduct focus group discussions and cognitive interviews to assess the feasibility and acceptability of our data collection tools at each site. Thematic and rapid analyses will help to identify key themes and categories through coding, guiding the design of quantitative data collection tools (enrollment survey, contact diaries, exit survey, and wearable proximity sensors) and the implementation of study procedures. We will create three age-specific contact matrices (physical, nonphysical, and both) at each study site using data from standardized contact diaries to characterize the patterns of social mixing. Regression analysis will be conducted to identify key drivers of contacts. We will comprehensively profile the frequency, duration, and intensity of infants' interactions with household members using high resolution data from the proximity sensors and calculating infants' proximity score (fraction of time spent by each household member in proximity with the infant, over the total infant contact time) for each household member. Our qualitative data yielded insights into the perceptions and acceptability of contact diaries and wearable proximity sensors for collecting social mixing data in LMICs. The quantitative data will allow a more accurate representation of human interactions that lead to the transmission of pathogens through close contact in LMICs. Our findings will provide more appropriate social mixing data for parameterizing mathematical models of LMIC populations. Our study tools could be adapted for other studies.

Design And Construction Of Metal And Non-Metal Waste Selecting Tools Based On Arduino Uno

This Arduino-based automatic metal and non-metal waste sorting tool is designed to sort waste, making it easier to recycle waste. The main components of this tool include Arduino (as a tool control system), proximity sensor (as a metal scrap detector), servo motor (as a driver to isolate metal scrap) and LCD to display the type of metal scrap. In terms of waste sorting, the Proximity sensor will detect waste. If the waste is detected as metal waste, the servo motor will rotate to the right and direct the waste to a special metal waste bin. The LCD screen will display the type of metal waste. If the proximity sensor does not detect non-metal waste, the servo motor will rotate to the left and direct the non-metal waste to a special non-metal waste bin. This type of waste sorter is very helpful in reducing waste because it can be processed according to the type of waste.

Proximal sensor characterization of Haitian agricultural soils: A case study in the Central Plateau

Optimized agronomic production is vital to life and livelihood in Haiti. As such, rapid, low-cost soil characterization may inform specific decision making for improved crop production. Ahead of a larger soil characterization campaign (120,000 points) in Eastern Haiti, this study evaluated the use of two proximal sensors (portable X-ray fluorescence – pXRF; NixPro color sensor) at farms of Association Zanmi Agrikol (AZA) for soil characterization and evaluation of spatial variability of soil properties. Analysis of 166 surface soil samples (0–5 cm) collected in three different areas revealed that similar inter-elemental associations reported in other countries remain applicable in Haiti; weak, yet significant relationships between Al, K, and Fe contents and color parameters (L*, A*, B*) were observed. Considerable variability in soil morphology and chemical properties exist even across short distances, underscoring the need for high density sampling schemes. Soil pH (observed up to 8.4) likely imposes restrictions on the bioavailability of certain micronutrients; soil salinity was low (not agronomically limiting) across the study areas, and reflective of excessive drainage. Soil profile characterization identified one Eutrudept and one Quartzipsamment; both used for agronomic production. The proliferation of skeletal coarse fragments (e.g., cobbles, stones) and sandy matrix with depth emphasize the need for periodic supplemental irrigation and fertilization via either soil amendments (e.g., compost) or commercial fertilizers as water holding capacity and nutrient storage (e.g., clays, organic matter) are likely to be limited. Use of the NixPro color sensor showed differences in topsoil color likely reflective of differential soil organic carbon levels. The proximal sensors applied herein represent their first such use for agronomic management in Haiti and have shown considerable promise for additional study and application.