This paper presents a smart sensing strip for noninvasively monitoring respiratory flow in real time. The monitoring system comprises a monolithically-integrated flexible hot-film flow sensor adhered on a molded flexible silicone case, where a miniaturized conditioning circuit with a Bluetooth4.0 LE module are packaged, and a personal mobile device that wirelessly acquires respiratory data tran...

We present an integrated microelectronic device for amplification and label-free detection of nucleic acids. Amplification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is achieved with on-chip metal resistive heaters, temperature sensors, and microfluidic valves. We demonstrate a rapid thermocycling with rates of up to 50 degrees C s(-1) and a PCR product yield equivalent to that of a bench-top system. A...

A wireless sensor network consists of sensor nodes deployed over a geographical area for monitoring physical phenomena like temperature, humidity, vibrations, seismic events, and so on. Typically, a sensor node is a tiny device that includes three basic components: a sensing subsystem for data acquisition from the physical surrounding environment, a processing subsystem for local data processin...

We demonstrate a nanopillar (NP) device structure for implementing plasmonically enhanced avalanche photodetector arrays with thin avalanche volumes (∼ 310 nm × 150 nm × 150 nm). A localized 3D electric field due to a core-shell PN junction in a NP acts as a multiplication region, while efficient light absorption takes place via surface plasmon polariton Bloch wave (SPP-BW) modes due to a self-...

This paper describes the design and performance of a miniature cylinder pressure sensor packaged either as a stand-alone device or integrated with a cylinder head gasket, glow plug, fuel injector, or spark plug. Benefitting from a fiber-optic based design the sensing element can operate at ultra-high temperatures and is not affected by EMI. This low cost device utilizes the principle of light i...

We report the design and construction of a flux extraction device to measure the DC magnetic moment of large samples (i.e., several cm(3)) at cryogenic temperature. The signal is constructed by integrating the electromotive force generated by two coils wound in series-opposition that move around the sample. We show that an octupole expansion of the magnetic vector potential can be used convenie...

PDMS micro-sensors coated onto an electrical wire are used to measure dynamic temperature variation at cryogenic range based on optical whispering-gallery mode (WGM) frequency shift principle. We designed a lab cryogenic cell via filling liquid nitrogen to create a stable low temperature down to 95K. The electrical wire is current carrying to simulate a working electrical/electronic component/d...

This thesis treats the development of packaging and integration methods for the cost-efficient encapsulation and packaging of microelectromechanical (MEMS) devices. The packaging of MEMS devices is often more costly than the device itself, partly because the packaging can be crucial for the performance of the device. For devices which contain liquids or needs to be enclosed in a vacuum, the pac...

Rapid evolution in sensor technology including distributed ground based sensors and devices such as smart dust have energized research efforts towards devising a theoretical foundation for sensor management and for multi-sensor data fusion. Features such as ubiquitous sensing, wide bandwidth communications and distributed processing provide both challenges and opportunities for sensor and proce...