Abstract: A smart pipe segment for use in construction of a pipeline. The smart pipe segment includes a pipe body and a sensing nerve network that is associated with the pipe body and is configured to monitor a condition of the pipe segment in real-time. The sensing nerve network comprises optical nerves, electrical nerves or a combination thereof.

Abstract: Faults in rotating machines can be diagnosed or detected using two radio frequency (RF) sensing modes. RF sensing phenomenon can be used to detect the presence of undesirable behavior in rotating machines including excessive bending, vibration, eccentricity, torsion, and longitudinal strain. RF based sensors represent a non-invasive solution. The sensing modes are based on RF metamaterials and Doppler effect influence and radar cross section evaluation all coupled with a machine learning algorithm. The system is based on monitoring resonance shift, negative permeability and return loss magnitudes. Electromagnetic numerical simulations showed a significant change in those magnitudes upon applied mechanical strains as compared to original reference unstrained cases. Metamaterial texturing design can be controlled by controlling the cells scale and substrate materials.

Abstract: Active cantilever probes having a thin coating incorporated into their design are disclosed. The probes can be operated in opaque and/or chemically harsh environments without the need of a light source or optical system and without being significantly negatively impacted by corrosion. The probes include a substrate that has a cantilever, a thermomechanical actuator associated with the cantilever, a piezoresistive stress sensor disposed on the cantilever, and a thin coating disposed on the cantilever and the piezoresistive stress sensor. The coating is bonded to the substrate, is thermally conductive, and has a low thermal resistance. Further, the thin coating is configured to have little to no impact on one or more of a mass of the active probe, a residual stress of the cantilever, or a stiffness of the active probe. Techniques for performing topography and making other measurements in an opaque and/or chemically harsh environment are also provided.

Abstract: Composite sensors that exhibit four deformation modes decoupled from each other are disclosed. The modes include tension, compression, bending, and torsion. In one exemplary embodiment, the sensor includes a substrate and six unit sensors. The unit sensors are paired such that each pair includes two unit sensors disposed on opposite surfaces of the substrate, the sensors being substantially opposed to each other. Two of the pairs include longitudinal axes that are substantially parallel to each other, and the third pair includes a longitudinal axis that is substantially perpendicular to the other two longitudinal axes. The substrate is constrained along one of its edges. The composite sensors can be used in many contexts, such as part of a flow-driven, soft robot that passes through a pipe and detect links. Methods of detecting leaks are also described.

Abstract: A smart pipe segment for use in construction of a pipeline. The smart pipe segment includes a pipe body and a sensing nerve network that is associated with the pipe body and is configured to monitor a condition of the pipe segment in real-time. The sensing nerve network comprises optical nerves, electrical nerves or a combination thereof.

Abstract: Active cantilever probes having a thin coating incorporated into their design are disclosed. The probes can be operated in opaque and/or chemically harsh environments without the need of a light source or optical system and without being significantly negatively impacted by corrosion. The probes include a substrate that has a cantilever, a thermomechanical actuator associated with the cantilever, a piezoresistive stress sensor disposed on the cantilever, and a thin coating disposed on the cantilever and the piezoresistive stress sensor. The coating is bonded to the substrate, is thermally conductive, and has a low thermal resistance. Further, the thin coating is configured to have little to no impact on one or more of a mass of the active probe, a residual stress of the cantilever, or a stiffness of the active probe. Techniques for performing topography and making other measurements in an opaque and/or chemically harsh environment are also provided.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for monitoring the health of a mechanical system that includes a rotating shaft as disclosed can measure various parameters of the rotating shaft to assess health and performance of the mechanical system. A measuring device can rotate with the rotating shaft and can allow for strain to be measured in tension, which can provide for accurate rotating shaft parameter measurements with low cost and simple installation. The measuring device can include a connector that can couple to the rotating shaft, a bridge that can couple to the connector, and a strain-measuring sensor associated with the bridge such that the strain sensor can measure deformation of a portion of the bridge that can deform with rotation of the rotating shaft. The measuring device can be designed to amplify the strain experienced by the rotating shaft which can reduce noise in the strain measurement.

Abstract: An anomalous scenario synthesizer apparatus includes a rotatable shaft configured to be rotationally driven about a rotation axis, a data acquisition system operably associated with the rotatable shaft and configured to measure attributes of the rotatable shaft, and a dynamic anomaly generator operably connected to the rotatable shaft. The dynamic anomaly generator is configured to generate at least one anomaly in the rotatable shaft while the rotatable shaft is rotating, and is configured to generate at least one dynamic label for each anomaly while the rotatable shaft is rotating. The dynamic label for each anomaly includes at least one descriptor corresponding to the anomaly that describes the anomaly such that a machine learning method may utilize the descriptor for machine learning.

Abstract: In-pipe leak detection systems and related methods are disclosed for detecting in-pipe leaks while fluid is actively flowing through the pipe. The system can include a sensing element coupled to a membrane that are disposed parallel to or in-line with an axial direction of a fluid flow. The membrane is configured to be drawn into contact with the inner wall in response to a suction force caused by a leak. The leak is detected based on a transient output from the sensing element indicative of a stretch or strain on the membrane. The sensing element and the membrane is coupled to a support structure configured to position the membrane adjacent to an inner wall of a pipe. The support structure can include a mechanism that couples the membrane and the sensing element to the support structure and is configured to help in discriminating between leaks and false detections.

Abstract: A LiDAR device that transmits a single or multiple continuous or intermittent laser beams to the environment and detects the reflected light on one or more detectors. The LiDAR device may include a scanning mirrors array composed of a single or multiple moving mirrors capable of changing the direction of the transmitted light. The scanning mirrors array may also include sensors and actuators which can be used to precisely control or measure the position of the mirrors. The LiDAR device may also include a lens that focuses the light captured by the mirror(s) onto a single or a multitude of detectors. The device may include laser sources and detectors operating in various wavelengths. The LiDAR device may also include laser power modulation mechanisms at a single or multitude of frequencies to improve signal detection performance and remove any ambiguity in range calculation.

Abstract: A charge controller for controlling a piezoelectric actuator includes a decoupled high-frequency path for controlling the actuator in response to relatively high frequency input signal and a decoupled low frequency path for controlling the actuator in response to a relatively low frequency input signal. The charge controller includes a self-compensating circuit. Features of the charge controller allow for linear control of the piezoelectric actuator without utilizing feedback sensors or complex models.

Abstract: In-pipe leak detection systems and related methods are disclosed for detecting in-pipe leaks while fluid is actively flowing through the pipe. The system can include a sensing element coupled to a membrane that are disposed parallel to or in-line with an axial direction of a fluid flow. The membrane is configured to be drawn into contact with the inner wall in response to a suction force caused by a leak. The leak is detected based on a transient output from the sensing element indicative of a stretch or strain on the membrane. The sensing element and the membrane is coupled to a support structure configured to position the membrane adjacent to an inner wall of a pipe. The support structure can include a mechanism that couples the membrane and the sensing element to the support structure and is configured to help in discriminating between leaks and false detections.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to localize a robot in a water pipe system or other fluid conduit based in part on obtrusions detected by the robot travelling through the system. The obtrusions can include pipe joints that connect consecutive standard fixed-length pipe segments. By detecting such repeating obtrusions, the robot can estimate its speed and/or the relative distance that it has travelled within the pipe system. The robot can be configured to localize itself by detecting consecutive pipe joints and other obtrusions in the pipe system using low cost, non-conventional on-board tactile sensors.

Abstract: Bending angle sensors, and methods for manufacturing such bending angle sensors, are provided herein to reduce cost and time to manufacture. Exemplary sensors can include a fabric or other material layer disposed on a surface of a first material layer that contains a sensing element. By using a fabric or other material layer that has stiffness greater than the first material layer, the neutral shear axis of the first material layer can be shifted away from the central longitudinal axis of the first material layer. By shifting the neutral shear axis to one side of the first material layer, the sensor can be manufactured with larger less expensive sensing elements. Alternatively, or additionally, the sensing element can be embedded within the membrane with less precision by eliminating the requirement that the sensing element must be disposed on one side of the central longitudinal axis of the first material layer.

Abstract: Passive robot for transporting sensors and instruments such as leak sensors into water pipes. The robot includes a leak sensor having a diameter to fit closely within a water pipe. A leak sensor is flanked by, and bonded to, substantially symmetrical first and second soft bodies. End caps are provided on each of the first and second soft bodies. Each of the soft bodies has a tapering configuration with a neck portion wherein a soft body length to neck width ratio is selected to allow the soft bodies to bend permitting the passive robot to pass through sharp bends and T junctions.

Abstract: Passive robot for transporting sensors and instruments such as leak sensors into water pipes. The robot includes a leak sensor having a diameter to fit closely within a water pipe. A leak sensor is flanked by, and bonded to, substantially symmetrical first and second soft bodies. End caps are provided on each of the first and second soft bodies. Each of the soft bodies has a tapering configuration with a neck portion wherein a soft body length to neck width ratio is selected to allow the soft bodies to bend permitting the passive robot to pass through sharp bends and T junctions.

Abstract: A LiDAR device that transmits a single or multiple continuous or intermittent laser beams to the environment and detects the reflected light on one or more detectors. The LiDAR device may include a scanning mirrors array composed of a single or multiple moving mirrors capable of changing the direction of the transmitted light. The scanning mirrors array may also include sensors and actuators which can be used to precisely control or measure the position of the mirrors. The LiDAR device may also include a lens that focuses the light captured by the mirror(s) onto a single or a multitude of detectors. The device may include laser sources and detectors operating in various wavelengths. The LiDAR device may also include laser power modulation mechanisms at a single or multitude of frequencies to improve signal detection performance and remove any ambiguity in range calculation.

Abstract: Compliant leak detection system. The system includes structure adapted to support at least two rows of leak detection leaves, each leak detection leaf supported by an arm pivotally attached to the structure and urged outwardly by a torsion spring into contact with a pipe wall so as to adjust for changes in pipe diameter. The leak detection leaf includes a rigid support and a flexible member such that suction from a leak will cause the flexible member to contact the pipe wall and put a drag force on the structure. An axial force transmitting drum measures the drag force to indicate presence of a leak.

Abstract: A system for continuous authentication of internet of things (IoT) devices in a communication network utilizes lightweight authentication for a sequence of message transmissions in a specific time-frame. A claimer device and a verifier device are in communication with the network. The claimer is configured to define a time frame and a time flag for an authentication session for a predetermined maximum number of messages, generate a time-bound share from a secret key, calculate a share authenticator for the share, combine a claimer identity (ID), a verifier ID, a message payload, the share, the share authenticator, a time flag, a timestamp, and message authenticator into a message, and send the message to the verifier within the time period. The verifier is configured to receive the message from the claimer, verify the message freshness, verify authenticity of the time flag and timestamp, and reveal and check the authenticity of the share.

Abstract: Compliant leak detection system. The system includes structure adapted to support at least two rows of leak detection leaves, each leak detection leaf supported by an arm pivotally attached to the structure and urged outwardly by a torsion spring into contact with a pipe wall so as to adjust for changes in pipe diameter. The leak detection leaf includes a rigid support and a flexible member such that suction from a leak will cause the flexible member to contact the pipe wall and put a drag force on the structure. An axial force transmitting drum measures the drag force to indicate presence of a leak.