Week |
Lecture |
Lab |
1 |
Fundamentals of measurement: error, precision, accuracy, calibration, standards... |
Calibration and uncertainty analysis. |
2 |
Instrumentation fundamentals: review of system dynamics, ideal op-amp characteristics, circuit analysis, and Laplace transforms. |
Fundamental dynamics of sensor and instrumentation systems. |
3 |
Sensors for environment: principles of temperature and humidity sensors; heat and mass transfer limitations. |
Environmental sensors: temperature and humidity. |
4 |
Metallic and piezoresistive strain gages: priciples and use to measure strain, force, pressure, acceleration. Higher order dynamic characteristics. |
"Seismic" sensors for force, pressure, and acceleration. Analysis of higher order systems. |
5 |
Piezoelectric transducers: principles, applications, instrumentation, characteristics at low frequency. |
Excitation (electrical and mechanical) of piezoelectric materials; resonance; analysis of low frequency characteristics. |
6 |
Sensors for position and displacement-principles and applications. |
Application of LVDTs, encoders, potentiometers. |
7 |
Optical sensors, principles and applications: Current sources, LED's, photoamplifiers, optoisolators. Advanced optical systems-optical filters, gratings, photodiode arrays, fiber optics. |
Flash duration, optical density. Application of advanced systems-optical rangers, pyrometers, and fluorometers. |
8 |
Basis of electrochemical potential. Redox reactions and ion-permeable membranes. Operation of potentiometric and amperometric electrodes. Impedance buffering. Temperature compensation. |
Potentiometric electrodes for cations and pH. Impedance buffering with instrumentation amplifiers. Amperometric electrodes for O2. |
9 |
Origin and measurement of bioelectric potentials. Active filters |
Design and application of EKG. |
10 |
Biosensor principles and design: challenges of specificity, sensitivity, durability, and miniaturization. Enzyme and chemical binding kinetics. |
Design of a rudimentary biosensor: optical or amperometric enzyme sensor for glucose. |
11 |
Introduction to applied systems for data acquisition and control-PC or programmable logic controllers. |
Programming tutorial (LabVIEW or relay ladder logic). |
12 |
Fundamentals of computer architecture and digital interfacing. Timers and counters. |
Continue programming-addressing and interfacing external hardware. |
13 |
Digital interfacing to power circuits. |
Final project: process control. |
14 |
Basics of (applied) control systems. |
Final project: process control. |
15 |
Open for contingencies, exams, review, and student evaluations. |
Presentations of final project. |