<strong>Material-integrated Intelligent Systems: A Review on State of the Art, Challenges and Trends</strong>

Abstract

As a concept, material-integrated intelligent systems represent the vision of embedding not only sensors, but full sensor networks in technical materials, irrespective of their application being dominated by functional or structural properties. In this sense, the term full sensor networks encompasses the sensors, the associated signal processing, the data evaluation and information retrieval, provisions for communication within the network and beyond it, and an energy supply system. The concept as such can be applied to any type or class of host material, ranging from organic materials to composites, metals and ceramics. The result are materials that are, in a manner of speaking, able to "feel" in the broader sense associated with this term. The present work discusses current approaches towards realizing material-integrated intelligent systems on hard-and software level as well as potential applications for such materials. It names the specific challenges associated with integration and suggests state of the art and future paths to address them. A special section is dedicated to the advent of additive manufacturing techniques adapted to facilitate sensor integration: The present growth in this field is expected to also extend into the realm of sensor-integrated materials and structures.

Novel Planar Capacitive Interdigital Multifinger (IDCM) Sensor for the Detection of the Ageing of Electrical Transformer Oil

“…This work shows the fabrication and use of a 7-finger, where each pair of fingers corresponds to a flat capacitor of the IDCM sensor [14,15] for fast measurements of the transformer oils and the lifting of a calibration curve referring to the quality of these oils. Each oil measurement is performed in a maximum of 2min and the result is sent to a company monitoring central, allowing in a few minutes, to suspend the use of the transformer, if the oil shows undesirable variations.…”