Remote Operation Capability Research Articles

Design & Development of Rescue Assistance Rover for Land-Based Operations

In the face of natural disasters like earthquakes and landslides, timely and efficient rescue operations are paramount to saving lives. However, these operations are often hindered by hazardous conditions and inaccessible terrain. This research focuses on the design and development of a Rescue Assistance Rover (RAR) aimed at enhancing the capabilities of rescuers in challenging environments. The RAR integrates advanced robotics, sensory systems, and communication technologies to navigate through debris, assess hazards, and provide crucial assistance to rescue teams. By leveraging autonomy and remote operation capabilities, the RAR aims to augment human efforts, improving overall response effectiveness and minimizing risks to both rescuers and survivors. This paper outlines the conceptualization, design considerations, development stages, and potential applications of the RAR, highlighting its potential to revolutionize disaster response efforts and save lives in critical situations. Key Words: Additive Manufacturing, 3D Printing, Rocker Bogie Mechanism, Arduino Programming, Rescue Operations, Robotics

Optical fiber SPR biosensor with frequency multiplexing compensated laser heterodyne feedback for ultrasensitive detection of fluoroquinolones

The widespread usage and discharge of fluoroquinolones (FQs) have caused negative environmental consequences that can threaten human health. The development of ultrasensitive and simple devices for detection of various FQs is an important requirement. Here, we proposed a novel optical fiber surface plasmon resonance biosensor to achieve the ultrasensitive detection of FQs, in which the frequency-shifted light returned to the laser resonator and stimulated laser heterodyne feedback interferometry to amplify the intensity changes caused by the refractive index (RI) variations. In addition, we further presented a quasi-common path frequency multiplexing compensation method to compensate for the noise of the developed biosensor, resulting in a RI resolution of 1.06 × 10−6 RIU. Besides, the gold nanorods were used to generate localized surface plasmon resonance to further amplify the signal to achieve the ultrasensitive detection. A variety of FQs were detected with ultra-low detection limits, including enrofloxacin (0.61 ng/L), ciprofloxacin (0.54 ng/L), norfloxacin (0.31 ng/L), pefloxacin (0.32 ng/L), and sarafloxacin hydrochloride (0.97 ng/L). With the advantages of high sensitivity, compact size, and remote operation capability, the developed biosensor holds the promise of detecting other antibiotics with universality in hard-to-reach spaces, thus having the potential to demonstrate a promising approach to environmental monitoring.

Decoupling Acoustoelectric and Thermal Effects of Ultraviolet Responses for Acoustic Wave Sensing Mechanisms

Ultraviolet (UV) detectors based on surface acoustic wave (SAW) technology offer unique advantages of remote or wireless operation capability with a potential of zero power consumption. Frequency shift of SAW devices induced by UV irradiation is mainly caused by acoustoelectric and thermal effects, although mass-loading and photo-capacitive effect might also have minor influences. Currently the individual contribution from either acoustoelectric effect or thermal effect for UV sensing has not been thoroughly studied. In this work, we systematically investigated the contribution of acoustoelectric and thermal effects at different UV light intensities based on a LiNbO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> SAW device with its wavelength of 20 μm, and decoupled their individual contributions to the overall ultraviolet responses for acoustic wave sensing. We found that for the LiNbO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> SAW device without any surface treatment, the frequency shift was mainly caused by the thermal accumulation induced by UV radiation. Whereas for the LiNbO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> SAW devices coated with zinc oxide nanowires (ZnO NWs), the frequency shift is caused by the combined acoustoelectric and thermal effects. We found that the frequency shift caused by acoustic electric effect is dominant at a low UV intensity (< 30 mW/cm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> ). Whereas with the UV light intensity larger than 90 mW/cm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> , the photogenerated carriers generated by ZnO NWs became saturated, and then the thermal effect became dominant. This study clarifies the nature of individual influences of these two factors on the dominant mechanisms of the SAW based UV sensing at different conditions.

Observation of the Cumbre Vieja volcano plume above the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos with the Barcelona Raman LIDAR

The Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO), currently under construction, is the next-generation very-high-energy gamma-ray observatory, providing the coverage for photons in the energy range 20GeV to 300TeV. CTAO will increase detection sensitivity in the 100 GeV to 10TeV range by a factor of 5 — 10 with respect to present experiments. CTAO retrieves the properties of very-high-energy gamma-rays by measuring Cherenkov light emitted by atmospheric showers of secondary particles that incident gamma rays produce in upper layers of the atmosphere. The key for reaching the required energy measurement accuracy is a precise knowledge of the atmospheric transmittance for Cherenkov light, which can be obtained using a dedicated Raman LIDAR. The device should operate at 355nm (near the maximum of Cherenkov light spectrum) and have the capability of taking data at specific azimuth and zenith angles up to distances of 30 km, so that atmospheric transmission along all possible air-shower directions can be determined. The Barcelona Raman LIDAR (BRL) is the official CTAO Pathfinder prototype, developed for atmospheric characterization of the Northern CTAO Site at the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos (ORM) on the Canary island of La Palma. BRL was deployed at ORM for extensive on-field tests between February 2021 and May 2022. We report on the commissioning results, including the remote operation capabilities of the system and its contribution to the understanding of atmospheric phenomena during its deployment period. In particular, we report on the properties of the volcanic plume from the eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano on 22 September 2021.

Advances in Micro-Fabricated Fiber Bragg Grating for Detection of Physical, Chemical, and Biological Parameters—A Review

Fiber optic sensors are widely used in environmental sensing because of their high precision, compact size, remote operation, chemical inertness and multiplexing capabilities. This paper reviews the design, fabrication, and deployment of fiber optic sensors for various applications using grating technology. We conclude with a review of different applications, focusing on environmental factors, hazardous gases, volatile organic compounds biomolecules, marine salinity, and civil structure health monitoring. Our main objective is to provide a complete review of current solutions for humidity, temperature, and other environmental conditions using fiber grating sensors along with a summary of potential future research directions. This paper focuses on fiber grating-based devices and analyze the current state of precedent and existing research around the world as well as the hurdles that lie in the way of their speedy advancement in this field.

Ultrasensitive detection of endocrine disruptors via superfine plasmonic spectral combs

The apparent increase in hormone-induced cancers and disorders of the reproductive tract has led to a growing demand for new technologies capable of detecting endocrine disruptors. However, a long-lasting challenge unaddressed is how to achieve ultrahigh sensitive, continuous, and in situ measurement with a portable device for in-field and remote environmental monitoring. Here we demonstrate a simple-to-implement plasmonic optical fiber biosensing platform to achieve an improved light–matter interaction and advanced surface chemistry for ultrasensitive detection of endocrine disruptors. Our platform is based on a gold-coated highly tilted fiber Bragg grating that excites high-density narrow cladding mode spectral combs that overlap with the broad absorption of the surface plasmon for high accuracy interrogation, hence enabling the ultrasensitive monitoring of refractive index changes at the fiber surface. Through the use of estrogen receptors as the model, we design an estradiol–streptavidin conjugate with the assistance of molecular dynamics, converting the specific recognition of environmental estrogens (EEs) by estrogen receptor into surface-based affinity bioassay for protein. The ultrasensitive platform with conjugate-induced amplification biosensing approach enables the subsequent detection for EEs down to 1.5 × 10−3 ng ml−1 estradiol equivalent concentration level, which is one order lower than the defined maximal E2 level in drinking water set by the Japanese government. The capability to detect EEs down to nanogram per liter level is the lowest limit of detection for any estrogen receptor-based detection reported thus far. Its compact size, flexible shape, and remote operation capability open the way for detecting other endocrine disruptors with ultrahigh sensitivity and in various hard-to-reach spaces, thereby having the potential to revolutionize environment and health monitoring.

Deep-Learning-Based Deconvolution of Mechanical Stimuli with Ti3C2Tx MXene Electromagnetic Shield Architecture via Dual-Mode Wireless Signal Variation Mechanism.

Passive component-based soft resonators have been spotlighted in the field of wearable and implantable devices due to their remote operation capability and tunable properties. As the output signal of the resonator-based wireless communication device is given in the form of a vector (i.e., a spectrum of reflection coefficient), multiple information can, in principle, be stored and interpreted. Herein, we introduce a device that can deconvolute mechanical stimuli from a single wireless signal using dual-mode operation, specifically enabled by the use of Ti3C2Tx MXene. MXene's strong electromagnetic shielding effect enables the resonator to simultaneously measure pressure and strain without overlapping its output signal, unlike other conductive counterparts that are deficient in shielding ability. Furthermore, convolutional neural-network-based deep learning was implemented to predict the pressure and strain values from unforeseen output wireless signals. Our MXene-integrated wireless device can also be utilized as an on-skin mechanical stimuli sensor for rehabilitation monitoring after orthopedic surgery. The dual-mode signal variation mechanism enabled by integration of MXene allows wireless communication systems to efficiently handle various information simultaneously, through which multistimuli sensing capability can be imparted into passive component-based wearable and implantable electrical devices.

NOVA Mobility Assistive System: Developed and Remotely Controlled with IOPT-Tools

In this paper, a Mobility Assistive System (NOVA-MAS) and a model-driven development approach are proposed to support the acquisition and analysis of data, infrastructures control, and dissemination of information along public roads. A literature review showed that the work related to mobility assistance of pedestrians in wheelchairs has a gap in ensuring their safety on road. The problem is that pedestrians in wheelchairs and scooters often do not enjoy adequate and safe lanes for their circulation on public roads, having to travel sometimes side by side with vehicles and cars moving at high speed. With NOVA-MAS, city infrastructures can obtain information regarding the environment and provide it to their users/vehicles, increasing road safety in an inclusive way, contributing to the decrease of the accidents of pedestrians in wheelchairs. NOVA-MAS not only supports information dissemination, but also data acquisition from sensors and infrastructures control, such as traffic light signs. For that, it proposed a development approach that supports the acquisition of data from the environment and its control while using a tool framework, named IOPT-Tools (Input-Output Place-Transition Tools). IOPT-Tools support controllers’ specification, validation, and implementation, with remote operation capabilities. The infrastructures’ controllers are specified through IOPT Petri net models, which are then simulated using computational tools and verified using state-space-based model-checking tools. In addition, an automatic code generator tool generates the C code, which supports the controllers’ implementation, avoiding manual codification errors. A set of prototypes were developed and tested to validate and conclude on the feasibility of the proposals.

Polarization Raman Lidar for Atmospheric Monitoring in the Vipava Valley

We report on the design, construction and performance of a polarization Raman lidar, built for atmospheric monitoring in the Vipava valley in SW Slovenia, a regional air pollution hot-spot where aerosols are expected to originate from a number of different sources. Its key features are automatized remote operation capability and indoor deployment, which provide high duty cycle in all weather conditions. System optimization and performance studies include the calibration of the depolarization ratio, merging of near-range (analog) and far-range (photon-counting) data, determination of overlap functions and validation of the retrieved observables with radiosonde data.

Development of an Automatic Polarization Raman LiDAR for Aerosol Monitoring over Complex Terrain.

High temporal and spatial resolution profiling of aerosol properties is required to study air pollution sources, aerosol transport, and features of atmospheric structures over complex terrain. A polarization Raman LiDAR with remote operation capability was developed for this purpose and deployed in the Vipava Valley, Slovenia, a location in the Alpine region where high concentrations of aerosols originating from a number of different local and remote sources were found. The system employs two high-power Nd:YAG pulsed lasers at 355 nm and 1064 nm as transmitters and provides the capability to extract the extinction coefficient, backscatter coefficients, depolarization ratio, Ångström exponent, and LiDAR ratio profiles. Automatized remote operation in an indoor environment provides a high duty cycle in all weather conditions. In addition to the detailed description of the device, an assessment of its potential and the retrieval uncertainties of the measured quantities is discussed. System optimization and performance studies include calibration of the depolarization ratio, merging of near-range (analog) and far-range (photon counting) data, determination of overlap functions, and validation of the retrieved observables with radiosonde data. Two cases for assessing LiDAR performance under specific weather conditions (during rain and in the presence of mineral dust) are also presented.

Electrochemical Plasmonic Fiber-optic Sensors for Ultra-Sensitive Heavy Metal Detection

Real-time and high-sensitivity monitoring of heavy metal ions in solution is of great significance in environmental monitoring. The traditional electrochemical methods suffer from electrochemical noise and environmental interferences for heavy metal trace detection. To address these issues, we propose a novel electrochemical surface plasmon resonance (EC-SPR) optical fiber sensor. The sensor comprises a tilted fiber Bragg grating imprinted in a commercial single-mode fiber and coated with a nanoscale gold film for high-efficiency SPR excitation. The gold-coated optical fiber serves as a working electrode, performing the dual functions of anodic stripping voltammetry and SPR optical sensing. We demonstrate detection of Pb2+ as an example of a typical heavy metal ion. We show a stable and reproducible correlation between the real-time ion deposition–stripping cycles and the optical transmission of the optical fiber, with a limit of detection of 10−10 M and a dynamic range of nearly five orders of magnitude. Moreover, by taking derivative of the SPR amplitude change, we can clearly identify the peak stripping potential of the detected ions, and therefore, realize specific ion identification. The method proposed is inherently immune to temperature cross-talk because the core mode is temperature dependent but insensitive to the surrounding media. The proposed EC-SPR fiber-optic sensor has the advantages of compact size, flexible shape, and remote operation capability, thereby, opening the way for other opportunities for electrochemical monitoring in various hard-to-reach locations and remote environments.

In situ plasmonic optical fiber detection of the state of charge of supercapacitors for renewable energy storage.

In situ and continuous monitoring of electrochemical activity is key to understanding and evaluating the operation mechanism and efficiency of energy storage devices. However, this task remains challenging. For example, the present methods are not capable of providing the real-time information about the state of charge (SOC) of the energy storage devices while in operation. To address this, a novel approach based on an electrochemical surface plasmon resonance (SPR) optical fiber sensor is proposed here. This approach offers the capability of in situ comprehensive monitoring of the electrochemical activity (the electrode potential and the SOC) of supercapacitors (used as an example). The sensor adopted is a tilted fiber Bragg grating imprinted in a commercial single-mode fiber and coated with a nanoscale gold film for high-efficiency SPR excitation. Unlike conventional “bulk” detection methods for electrode activity, our approach targets the “localized” (sub-μm-scale) charge state of the ions adjacent to the electrode interface of supercapacitors by monitoring the properties of the SPR wave on the fiber sensor surface located adjacent to the electrode. A stable and reproducible correlation between the real-time charge–discharge cycles of the supercapacitors and the optical transmission of the optical fiber has been found. Moreover, the method proposed is inherently immune to temperature cross-talk because of the presence of environmentally insensitive reference features in the optical transmission spectrum of the devices. Finally, this particular application is ideally suited to the fundamental qualities of optical fiber sensors, such as their compact size, flexible shape, and remote operation capability, thereby opening the way for other opportunities for electrochemical monitoring in various hard-to-reach spaces and remote environments.

JOUVENCE OF FLUOR: UPGRADES OF A FIBER BEAM COMBINER AT THE CHARA ARRAY

The FLUOR (Fiber Linked Unit for Optical Recombination) interferometric beam combiner located at the CHARA Array on Mt. Wilson, California has recently undergone a program of major upgrades known as Jouvence of FLUOR (JouFLU). These upgrades seek to improve the precision, use, and observing efficiency of FLUOR as well as introduce new modes of operation. A Fourier Transform Spectrograph (FTS) mode and a spectral dispersion mode have been added to improve calibration and data collection. New mechanized stages and new cameras have been added to FLUOR for alignment and pupil plane imaging. Entirely new control/command software has been written for FLUOR which brings it into compliance with CHARA software standards. This allows for continued software upgrades and full remote operation capability. The new JouFLU instrument is now operating on sky and is expected to achieve accurate interferometric visibility amplitude measurements with 0.1 to 0.3% precision.

Multiimaging Sensor Data Fusion-Based Enhancement for 3D Workspace Representation for Remote Machine Operation

In incompletely characterized environments such as construction sites, remote machine operation is the preferred—and sometimes the only—safe and efficient solution for the operation of construction machines. When it comes to the operation of remote-controlled construction machines, a human—machine interface is needed so that even in the case of an unstructured environment (such as a construction site), the operator can interact with the machine in a safe and efficient manner. The human—machine interface needs to have the capability of realistically representing a three-dimensional (3D) workspace that provides information feedback to the remote operator. Workspace representation methods that are currently in use have certain limitations—they are time consuming and labor intensive and require high-performance computers. A major objective of this study is the development of an efficient means of representing a workspace in 3D that has the capacity to provide interactive visual feedback to the operator of remote-controlled construction machines. To achieve this objective, the ability is required to acquire dense, accurate, and visually realistic 3D data that can be converted into high-quality models. This allows creation of a realistic 3D workspace representation of terrain, including objects that might be in proximity to the machine. For this purpose, this study proposes a multiimaging sensor data fusion-based system employing joint bilateral upsampling, which enhances the quality and availability of the information acquired in such an environment. The field experiment results show that combining data acquired with a complementary multiimaging sensor setup allows enhancement of the quality of the information available to the remote operator. The resulting task-specific 3D workspace representation can be successfully incorporated into the development of remote-controlled construction machines that require interactive visual feedback. This provides the opportunity to make human—machine interaction more efficient and to improve the remote operation capability by assisting the operator. Moreover, the proposed multiimaging sensor data fusion-based 3D representation approach has the potential for effective use in a broad class of applications within the construction industry.

The Design Concept of the First Mobile Satellite Laser Ranging System (ARGO-M) in Korea

Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) launched the development project of two satellite laser ranging (SLR) systems in early 2008 after the government fund approval of the SLR systems in 2007. One mobile SLR system and one permanent SLR station will be developed with the completion of the project. The main objectives of these systems will be focused on the Space Geodetic researches. A system requirement review was held in the second half of the same year. Through the following system design review meeting and other design reviews, many unsolved technical and engineering issues would be discussed and resolved. However, the design of the mobile SLR system is a corner stone of whole project. The noticeable characteristics of Korea's first SLR system are 1) use of light weight main mirror, 2) design of compact optical assembly, 3) use of KHz laser pulse, 4) use of commercial laser generator, 5) remote operation capability, 6) automatic tracking, 7) state of art operation system, etc. In this paper, the major user requirement and pre-defined specification are presented and discussed.

Fiber optic pressure sensor with self-compensation capability for harsh environment applications

A novel fiber optic pressure sensor system with self-compensation capability for harsh environment applications is reported. The system compensates for the fluctuation of source power and the variation of fiber losses by self-referencing the two channel outputs of a fiber optic extrinsic Fabry-Pérot interfrometric (EFPI) sensor probe. A novel sensor fabrication system based on the controlled thermal bonding method is also described. For the first time, high-performance fiber optic EFPI sensor probes can be fabricated in a controlled fashion with excellent mechanical strength and temperature stability to survive and operate in the high-pressure and high-temperature coexisting harsh environment. Using a single-mode fiber sensor probe and the prototype signal-processing unit, we demonstrate pressure measurement up to 8400 psi and achieved resolution of 0.005% (2=0.4 psi) at atmospheric pressure, repeatability of ±0.15% (±13 psi), and 25-h stability of 0.09% (7 psi). The system also shows excellent remote operation capability when tested by separating the sensor probe from its signal-processing unit at a distance of 6.4 km.

A new data processing and calibration method for an eye-tracking device pronunciation system

In this paper, a new data processing and calibration method for a pronunciation system of an eye-tracking device is described. The eye-tracking device was created using both head mounted display (HMD) technology and remote operation capabilities. A pattern recognition computer program was used to distinguish the pupil position and calculate its coordinates. This system can be adapted to provide a digital speech function. A new method for processing the image of the eye in the PC-based system was also developed. With one video CCD camera and frame grabber analyzing a series of human pupil images while the subject is gazing at the screen, an auto-calibration algorithm is used to obtain the direction of the eye gaze in real time. The computers provide the speech sound according to the location where the eye gazes exceed 0.5 s . The availability of multipurpose in this eye-tracking system with very simple equipment will be reconfirmed for future advanced research.

A cryogenic torsionpendulum: progress report

A cryogenic torsion pendulum for gravitational experiments is beingrefined at its remote operation site near Richland, Washington. Featuresof the apparatus include: four stages of temperature control, anangularreadout of the pendulum about three orthogonal axes and a remote operationcapability. Currently, we are testing the apparatus with a nominallysymmetric pendulum suspended from a 25 µm diameter Al5056 fibre. Sinceinstalling the apparatus in June 1999, we have been testing and finetuning the instruments and software. Most recently (December 1999)magneticshielding was added, reducing the eddy current damping of the pendulum by~103. Magnetic contamination of the test pendulum, with a netmagnetic dipole moment of ~6×10-9 N m T-1, servedin measuring the effectiveness of the shielding.

Remote operation of electron microscopes

AbstractDue to the availability of fast local computer networks such as Ethernet and FDDI and fast point‐to‐point connections such as T1 and T3 links, the idea of telemicroscopy, including remote control of electron microscopes has gained momentum. Ellisman (1995), Fan et al. (1993), Parvin et al. (1995), and Zaluzec (1995) have discussed facets of systems which support such capabilities. In each of these reports the authors describe new stand‐alone software packages that are required to run their systems.To make remote microscopy more universally available, we required the use of commercial software only and demanded scripting capabilities. By (1) expanding the de facto standard software DigitalMicrograph to include a complete set of SET and GET commands for microscope control, (2) using the software TimbuktuPro to provide remote control capabilities, and (3) using CUSeeMe and other video conferencing hardware and software for telecommunication, all our requirements were met. All three software packages together then provide remote microscope operation capabilities and an open system architecture (through the scripting language) for future design of automated procedures and telecommunication (Dodson et al. 1995, Gatan Inc., Voelkl et al. 1995a). The route for remote microscopy operation described herein allows microscope operation through local networks, the internet, and point‐to‐point connections with varying performance, and across Windows, Windows 95, and Macintosh platforms. The expenses for the remote user are essentially defined by the price tags on establishing and maintaining the communication lines and the video conference tool of choice. This general approach has recently been demonstrated at the SuperComputing ′95 conference in San Diego, Calif.

Millville site multimedia remediation program

AbstractThe Millville Remediation Program recently received the 1995 Honor Award for national excellence in environmental engineering from the prestigious American Academy of Environmental Engineers (AAEE). This article discusses various aspects employed to investigate and remediate multimedia contamination at the site and the unique applications of technologies which were responsible for receiving the AAEE honor award. Unique aspects of the project included utilization of variable speed drives to set individual pumping rates for each groundwater recovery well, development of sophisticated remote monitoring and operation capabilities which minimized O&amp;M labor costs, and development of a groundwater treatment system which has consistently achieved nondetect effluent discharges. The remote monitoring and operation capabilities enables O&amp;M staff to monitor and change setpoints for the groundwater recovery, treatment, and recharge systems.