Publications
- Oct2018
This paper presents an innovative approach in the portable Point-of-Care diagnostics field, the Plug-and-Power concept. In this new disposable sensor and plug-and-play reader paradigm, the energy required to perform a measurement is always available within the disposable test component. The reader unit contains all the required electronic modules to run the test, process data and display the result, but does not include any battery or power source. Instead, the disposable part acts as both the sensor and the power source. Additionally, this approach provides environmental benefits related to battery usage and disposal, as the paper-based power source has non-toxic redox chemistry that makes it eco-friendly and safe to follow the same waste stream as disposable test strips. The feasibility of this Plug-and-Power approach is demonstrated in this work with the development of a self-powered portable glucometer consisting of two parts: a test strip including a paper-based power source and a paper-based biofuel cell as a glucose sensor; and an application-specific battery-less electronic reader designed to extract the energy from the test strip, process the signal provided and show the glucose concentration on a display. The device was tested with human serum samples with glucose concentrations between 5 and 30 mM, providing quantitative results in good agreement with commercial measuring instruments. The advantages of the present approach can be extended to any kind of biosensors measuring different analytes and biological matrices, and in this way, strengthen the goals of Point-of-Care diagnostics towards laboratory decentralization, personalized medicine and improving patient compliance.
- Aug2018
Sensor technologies and applications are evolving rapidly driven by the demand for new sensors for monitoring and diagnostic purposes to enable improvements in human health and safety. Simultaneously, sensors are required to consume less power, be autonomous, cost less, and be connected by the Internet of Things. New sensor technologies are being developed to fulfill these needs. This book reviews the latest developments in sensor technology and gives the reader an overview of the state-of-the-art in key areas, such as sensors for diagnostics and monitoring.
- Nov2017——
In recent years a large number of degrees have appeared in the scientific-technical field, many of them are engineering degrees. These new emerged engineering degrees are characterized by its transversality and its interdisciplinarity. A clear example is the Biomedical Engineering (BE), a profile that presents an increased demand within the educational, scientific and industrial communities. So, the mixing of different disciplines involves complex teaching approaches of the curriculum courses. In this work, the challenges related to the learning and teaching process with a rapidly evolving discipline like BE is discussed. A Problem-based learning (PBL) methodology is presented to address the issue of multi-disciplinary teaching, in this case applied to basic learning of electronic instrumentation.
- Dec2016
Ambient energy harvesting coupled to storage is a way to improve the autonomy of wireless sensors networks. Moreover, in some applications with harsh environment or when a long service lifetime is required, the use of batteries is prohibited. Ultra-capacitors provide in this case a good alternative for energy storage. Such storage must comply with the following requirements: a sufficient voltage during the initial charge must be rapidly reached, a significant amount of energy should be stored and the unemployed residual energy must be minimised at discharge. To answer these apparently contradictory criteria, we propose a selfadaptive switched architecture consisting of a matrix of switched ultra-capacitors. We present the results of a self-powered adaptive prototype that shows the improvement in terms of charge time constant, energy utilization rate and then energy autonomy.
- Dec2016
Ambient energy harvesting coupled to storage is a way to improve the autonomy of wireless sensors networks. Moreover, in some applications with harsh environment or when a long service lifetime is required, the use of batteries is prohibited. Ultra-capacitors provide in this case a good alternative for energy storage. Such storage must comply with the following requirements: a sufficient voltage during the initial charge must be rapidly reached, a significant amount of energy should be stored and the unemployed residual energy must be minimised at discharge. To answer these apparently contradictory criteria, we propose a selfadaptive switched architecture consisting of a matrix of switched ultra-capacitors. We present the results of a self-powered adaptive prototype that shows the improvement in terms of charge time constant, energy utilization rate and then energy autonomy.
- Jun2016
This paper presents an adaptative self-powered energy harvester strain sensing device based of mechanical vibrations for structural health monitoring applications which, even having multiple fields of application, is framed in the aerospace field. This solution uses a piezoelectric transducer as an energy source, harvesting the energy provided by the in-flight vibration of the aircraft’s wing, and as a strain sensor while it assures the accomplishment of maximum power transferred condition between the piezoelectric transducer and the load. The strain measured is outputted by 6-bit parallel output. The experimental results obtained validate the solution as a true self-powered energy harvesting solution able to monitor the strain suffered by the mechanical part where it is attached. Also validate that the maximum power transferred condition is accomplished regardless the characteristics of the oscillations of the mechanical part and the characteristics of the load.
- Nov2015
A novel piezoelectric harvester-based self-powered adaptive solution with wireless data transmission capability for structural health monitoring is presented. This work demonstrates the accomplishment of maximum power transferred condition for a wide range load conditions and for different amplitudes and frequencies oscillation of the piezoelectric transducer. The characterization of the wireless transmission of temperature and open voltage circuit of the piezoelectric transducer is also presented to support the use of this solution as a wireless self-powered adaptive structural health monitor solution.
- Jun2015
This manuscript presents a Piezoelectric Harvester based on a novel analog control unit to assures a maximum power transmission. Also in this paper it is presented a study of the transferred power between the piezoelectric generator and a load based on data obtained by simulation and experimentally. In addition, results of experimental test of the system for its application as Structural Health Monitoring is presented.