Current Issue : January-March Volume : 2026 Issue Number : 1 Articles : 5 Articles
Reliable and affordable data acquisition is crucial in industrial applications and critical infrastructure monitoring. However, common low-cost sensors with an I2C interface have limited range and low resistance to interference, which limits their deployment in demanding conditions. This study aimed to design and verify a universal module that bridges the I2C communication interface with the robust RS-485 industrial bus. A hardware module was designed and constructed to serve as a gateway. The core of the system is an STM32F0x1 microcontroller, which controls communication between the local I2C bus, designed to connect a wide range of sensors, and the RS-485 industrial interface. The design emphasizes robustness, including multi-level protection of power and communication circuits. The functionality of the proposed solution was verified by testing the prototype in real conditions. The module, equipped with a combined SHT30 temperature and humidity sensor, was deployed on the premises of the University of Žilina, Slovakia near transport infrastructure. The data collected from two weeks of continuous operation, recorded at ten-minute intervals, confirmed its reliable and error-free functionality. The result of this work is a modular and scalable platform that enables the easy integration of inexpensive sensors into robust industrial networks. This solution significantly reduces the cost and complexity of building distributed monitoring systems in areas such as transportation, industrial automation, and environmental monitoring....
Objective: This paper examines how rhythm-enhanced digital dance affects children’s motor abilities, cognitive performance, and neuromuscular synchronization. Methods: In a randomized repeated-measures study, 38 children (7–12 years) underwent three conditions: groove music-accompanied dance (GODA), conventional music dance (CODA), and non-musical physical activity (CON). Assessments of gross motor skills (using TGMD-3), executive function (using BRIEF and Stroop Test), and muscle coordination (using sEMG) were conducted. Results: Gross motor skills: GODA showed significantly higher TGMD scores in locomotor (p = 0.03) and ball skills (p = 0.02) compared to both CODA and CON (p < 0.001). Executive function: Inhibition and shifting dimensions showed significant post-intervention condition differences (p < 0.05). Muscle coordination: GODA exhibited greater β- and γ-band COH areas in the standing long jump compared to both CODA (p = 0.02) and CON (p < 0.001), and increased γ-band COH areas in single-leg balance compared to CODA (p = 0.02) and CON (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Combining rhythmic auditory stimulation with movement training offers a promising approach for integrated motor-cognitive development in children....
Electromagnetic micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) micromirrors are widely used in optical scanning systems but often encounter mechanical crosstalk due to the use of shared drive coils. This phenomenon leads to parasitic motion along the slow axis during fast-axis operation, resulting in undesirable elliptical scanning patterns that degrade image quality. To tackle this issue, a hybrid actuation scheme is proposed in which a piezoelectric actuator drives the fast axis through an S-shaped spring structure, achieving a resonance frequency of 792 Hz, while the slow axis is independently driven by an electromagnetic actuator operating in quasi-static mode. Finite element simulations and experimental measurements validate that the proposed decoupled design significantly suppresses mechanical crosstalk. When the fast axis is driven to a 40◦ optical scan angle, the hybrid system reduces the parasitic slow-axis deflection (typically around 1.43◦) to a negligible level, thereby producing a clean single-line scan. The piezoelectric fast axis exhibits a quality factor of Q = 110, while the electromagnetic slow axis achieves a linear 20◦ deflection at 20 Hz. This hybrid design facilitates a distortion-free field of view measuring 40◦ × 20◦ with uniform line spacing, presenting a straightforward and effective solution for high-precision scanning applications such as LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and structured light projection....
Fiber optic technologies have strong potential to augment and improve existing areas of sensor performance across many applications. Magnetic sensing, in particular, has attracted significant interest in structural health monitoring and ferromagnetic object detection. However, current technologies such as fluxgate magnetometers and inspection gauges rely on measuring magnetic fields as single-point sensors. By using fiber optic distributed strain sensors in tandem with magnetically biased magnetostrictive material, static and dynamic magnetic fields can be detected across long lengths of sensing fiber. This paper investigates the relationship between Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG)-based strain sensors and the magnetostrictive alloy Metglas® 2605SC for the distributed detection of static fields for use in a compact cable design. Sentek Instrument’s picoDAS system is used to interrogate the FBG based sensors coupled with Metglas® that is biased with an alternating sinusoidal magnetic field. The sensing system is then exposed to varied external static magnetic field strengths, and the resultant strain responses are analyzed. A minimum magnetic field strength on the order of 300 nT was able to be resolved and a variety of sensing configurations and conditions were also tested. The sensing system is compact and can be easily cabled as both FBGs and Metglas® are commercialized and readily acquired. In combination with the robust and distributed nature of fiber sensors, this demonstrates strong promise for new means of magnetic characterization....
Background: This study was performed to validate the addition of capacitive-based pressure sensors to an existing smart sock developed by the research team. This study focused on evaluating the accuracy of soft robotic sensor (SRS) pressure data and its relationship with laboratory-grade Kistler force plates in collecting ground force reaction data. Methods: Nineteen participants performed walking trials while wearing the smart sock with and without shoes. Data was collected simultaneously with the sock and the force plates for each gait phase including foot-flat, heel-off, and midstance. The correlation between the smart sock and force plates was analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and R-squared values. Results: Overall, the strength of the relationship between the smart sock’s SRS data and the vertical ground reaction force (GRF) data from the force plates showed a strong correlation, with a Pearson’s correlation coefficient of 0.85 ± 0.1; 86% of the trials had a value higher than 0.75. The linear regression models also showed a strong correlation, with an R-squared value of 0.88 ± 0.12, which improved to 0.90 ± 0.07 when including a stretch-SRS for measuring ankle flexion. Conclusions: With these strong correlation results, there is potential for capacitive pressure sensors to be integrated into the proposed device and utilized in telehealth and sports performance applications....
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