Design and Integration of a Wireless Stretchable Multimodal Sensor Network in a Composite Wing

Abstract

This article presents the development of a stretchable sensor network with high signal-to-noise ratio and measurement accuracy for real-time distributed sensing and remote monitoring. The described sensor network was designed as an island-and-serpentine type network comprising a grid of sensor “islands” connected by interconnecting “serpentines.” A novel high-yield manufacturing process was developed to fabricate networks on recyclable 4-inch wafers at a low cost. The resulting stretched sensor network has 17 distributed and functionalized sensing nodes with low tolerance and high resolution. The sensor network includes Piezoelectric (PZT), Strain Gauge (SG), and Resistive Temperature Detector (RTD) sensors. The design and development of a flexible frame with signal conditioning, data acquisition, and wireless data transmission electronics for the stretchable sensor network are also presented. The primary purpose of the frame subsystem is to convert sensor signals into meaningful data, which are displayed in real-time for an end-user to view and analyze. The challenges and demonstrated successes in developing this new system are demonstrated, including (a) developing separate signal conditioning circuitry and components for all three sensor types (b) enabling simultaneous sampling for PZT sensors for impact detection and (c) configuration of firmware/software for correct system operation. The network was expanded with an in-house developed automated stretch machine to expand it to cover the desired area. The released and stretched network was laminated into an aerospace composite wing with edge-mount electronics for signal conditioning, processing, power, and wireless communication.

Design of a Robust Tool for Deploying Large-Area Stretchable Sensor Networks from Microscale to Macroscale

“…Given a micro-fabricated stretchable network of sensor nodes fabricated at a 100 mm wafer size, as shown in Figure 1, it is desired to develop a tool to open the network from its edges to stretch that network to its intended size and then deploy it onto the surface of a plate with a 1 m 2 active area. Until this writing, such networks have been deployed manually by researchers and technicians [14,35,36,39,48], with the exception of one other deployment performed at SACL [16]. All network nodes are individually attached to the work surface for later integration with the target structure.…”

“…This allows for evaluation of potentially dangerous thermal loads. Multimodal sensors can also serve as a control technology, as in "fly-by-feel" UAVs [15][16][17], and can provide slip and contact detection to the surface of an object such as a robotic finger [18].…”

Recent progress in aircraft smart skin for structural health monitoring

“…Chang et al 24,[80][81][82][83][84] proposed a large-scale and lightweight expandable sensor network for large-scale aircraft smart skin for SHM based on non-standard CMOS and MEMS process, as shown in Figure 8(a). The sensor network was composed of many micronodes and spider-weblike expandable microwires, as shown in Figure 8(b).…”

MEMS Vibrometer for Structural Health Monitoring Using Guided Ultrasonic Waves

“…Current research is concerned with integrated polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) film sensors in glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) [ 6 ] and with lead zirconate titanate (PZT) transducers in carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) [ 7 , 8 ] for impact and fatigue sensing. New concepts for stretchable and integrable sensor networks of PZT sensors have been developed but only applied on a CFRP structure without being used for sensing GUW [ 9 ].…”