Pub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-01-14DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2026.117472
Emanuel P. Santos , Wenyu Du , Edwin D. Coronel , Alyson J.A. Carvalho , Zhijia Hu , Ernesto P. Raposo , Anderson S.L. Gomes
We propose and demonstrate a magnetic field sensing approach using a deep learning technique applied to light scattering images. A multi-headed convolutional neural network is trained to predict magnetic field intensity from scattering patterns captured by a CCD camera under different scattering conditions. We employed images generated by conventional laser and random fiber laser illumination sources. The magnetic field can affect the polarization and absorption properties of the medium, besides affecting light scattering, which introduces subtle yet learnable variations in the resultant speckle images. While these variations are imperceptible to human vision, particularly in the low-field regime, the application of deep learning acts to bolster the magnetic field sensor based on scattering images, showing high accuracy in results. Shannon entropy is introduced to quantify subtle differences between distribution patterns associated with different magnetic fields. Furthermore, we demonstrate a low-cost alternative using images generated with a conventional laser pointer, which also yields high accuracy.
{"title":"Magnetic field sensing bolstered by deep learning on scattering images from random and conventional laser illumination","authors":"Emanuel P. Santos , Wenyu Du , Edwin D. Coronel , Alyson J.A. Carvalho , Zhijia Hu , Ernesto P. Raposo , Anderson S.L. Gomes","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117472","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117472","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We propose and demonstrate a magnetic field sensing approach using a deep learning technique applied to light scattering images. A multi-headed convolutional neural network is trained to predict magnetic field intensity from scattering patterns captured by a CCD camera under different scattering conditions. We employed images generated by conventional laser and random fiber laser illumination sources. The magnetic field can affect the polarization and absorption properties of the medium, besides affecting light scattering, which introduces subtle yet learnable variations in the resultant speckle images. While these variations are imperceptible to human vision, particularly in the low-field regime, the application of deep learning acts to bolster the magnetic field sensor based on scattering images, showing high accuracy in results. Shannon entropy is introduced to quantify subtle differences between distribution patterns associated with different magnetic fields. Furthermore, we demonstrate a low-cost alternative using images generated with a conventional laser pointer, which also yields high accuracy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 117472"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146025123","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-02-02DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2026.117553
Jung Gi Choi , Jinyeong Choi , Gyu Hyeon Song , Changsoon Choi , Seon Jeong Kim
It is necessary to improve their operability under high loads and reduce the energy consumption required for actuation to effectively use these coiled fiber-type artificial muscles. To address these challenges, a secondary coiled artificial muscle was fabricated by plying two coiled artificial muscles. The secondary coiled artificial muscle exhibited a more compact structure than the conventional primary coiled artificial muscle, resulting in reduced energy consumption required for sufficient heating to induce actuation. The average electric power consumption for actuation was reduced from 0.97 to 0.33 W/g·K. Furthermore, the secondary coiled artificial muscle demonstrated the ability to operate under higher loads and exhibited an improved tensile stroke. The actuation performance of the secondary coiled artificial muscle was further enhanced by applying imbalanced loads across each coiled fiber during the plying process. This approach enabled simultaneous improvements in both tensile stroke and work capacity. Thus, the tensile stroke and work capacity of the secondary coiled artificial muscle, fabricated under imbalanced loading conditions, increased by 1.34 and 1.5 times, respectively, compared to those fabricated under evenly applied loads. These findings indicate that the secondary coiled artificial muscle holds considerable potential for use in various fields.
{"title":"Secondary coiled artificial muscle with improved load capacity and reduced energy consumption","authors":"Jung Gi Choi , Jinyeong Choi , Gyu Hyeon Song , Changsoon Choi , Seon Jeong Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117553","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117553","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>It is necessary to improve their operability under high loads and reduce the energy consumption required for actuation to effectively use these coiled fiber-type artificial muscles. To address these challenges, a secondary coiled artificial muscle was fabricated by plying two coiled artificial muscles. The secondary coiled artificial muscle exhibited a more compact structure than the conventional primary coiled artificial muscle, resulting in reduced energy consumption required for sufficient heating to induce actuation. The average electric power consumption for actuation was reduced from 0.97 to 0.33 W/g·K. Furthermore, the secondary coiled artificial muscle demonstrated the ability to operate under higher loads and exhibited an improved tensile stroke. The actuation performance of the secondary coiled artificial muscle was further enhanced by applying imbalanced loads across each coiled fiber during the plying process. This approach enabled simultaneous improvements in both tensile stroke and work capacity. Thus, the tensile stroke and work capacity of the secondary coiled artificial muscle, fabricated under imbalanced loading conditions, increased by 1.34 and 1.5 times, respectively, compared to those fabricated under evenly applied loads. These findings indicate that the secondary coiled artificial muscle holds considerable potential for use in various fields.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 117553"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146170843","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-01-21DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2026.117520
Vishakha Zimba, Meghana N., Jhasaketan Nayak
Molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) occurs in two dimensional structures with large surface areas that can facilitate gas adsorptions. Gas sensing properties of MoS2 can be significantly enhanced by coupling MoS2 with metal oxide semiconductors. We have synthesized MoS2/WO3 nanocomposites by hydrothermal treatments and have utilized them for ethanol gas sensing. The morphologies and structures of MoS2/WO3 nanocomposites were studied by Field Emission Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and X-rays diffraction (XRD), respectively. Nanospheres of MoS2 embedded in a sea of WO3 nanorods were observed in the FESEM images. The XRD results confirmed that both MoS2 and WO3 had the hexagonal crystal structures. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was employed for microstructure study that revealed heterojunctions between MoS2 nanospheres and WO3 nanorods. The surface area of the MoS2/WO3 nanocomposite powder was measured by N2 adsorption desorption method. The chemical state analysis was performed by X-rays photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis which indicated strong interfacial electronic interaction between MoS₂ and WO₃. Ethanol gas sensing properties of MoS2/WO3 nanocomposite based sensors were investigated at room temperature. The gas sensitivity of MoS2/WO3 was more than eighty times higher than that of pristine MoS2. For ethanol gas, a maximum sensitivity of 0.37 ppm−1 was recorded with MoS2/WO3 nanocomposite based gas sensor at room temperature. The response and recovery times were 23 s and 11 s respectively and about 16 % decrease in the sensor response was recorded over a period of four weeks. Because of short response and recovery times and stability of the response, the MoS2/WO3 nanocomposite can be considered as a potential candidate for the room temperature gas sensing.
{"title":"Enhancing the room temperature ethanol gas sensing properties of MoS2 nanospheres by compositing with WO3 nanorods","authors":"Vishakha Zimba, Meghana N., Jhasaketan Nayak","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117520","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117520","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Molybdenum disulphide (MoS<sub>2</sub>) occurs in two dimensional structures with large surface areas that can facilitate gas adsorptions. Gas sensing properties of MoS<sub>2</sub> can be significantly enhanced by coupling MoS<sub>2</sub> with metal oxide semiconductors. We have synthesized MoS<sub>2</sub>/WO<sub>3</sub> nanocomposites by hydrothermal treatments and have utilized them for ethanol gas sensing. The morphologies and structures of MoS<sub>2</sub>/WO<sub>3</sub> nanocomposites were studied by Field Emission Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and X-rays diffraction (XRD), respectively. Nanospheres of MoS<sub>2</sub> embedded in a sea of WO<sub>3</sub> nanorods were observed in the FESEM images. The XRD results confirmed that both MoS<sub>2</sub> and WO<sub>3</sub> had the hexagonal crystal structures. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was employed for microstructure study that revealed heterojunctions between MoS<sub>2</sub> nanospheres and WO<sub>3</sub> nanorods. The surface area of the MoS<sub>2</sub>/WO<sub>3</sub> nanocomposite powder was measured by N<sub>2</sub> adsorption desorption method. The chemical state analysis was performed by X-rays photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis which indicated strong interfacial electronic interaction between MoS₂ and WO₃. Ethanol gas sensing properties of MoS<sub>2</sub>/WO<sub>3</sub> nanocomposite based sensors were investigated at room temperature. The gas sensitivity of MoS<sub>2</sub>/WO<sub>3</sub> was more than eighty times higher than that of pristine MoS<sub>2</sub>. For ethanol gas, a maximum sensitivity of 0.37 ppm<sup>−1</sup> was recorded with MoS<sub>2</sub>/WO<sub>3</sub> nanocomposite based gas sensor at room temperature. The response and recovery times were 23 s and 11 s respectively and about 16 % decrease in the sensor response was recorded over a period of four weeks. Because of short response and recovery times and stability of the response, the MoS<sub>2</sub>/WO<sub>3</sub> nanocomposite can be considered as a potential candidate for the room temperature gas sensing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 117520"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146025113","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-01-20DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2026.117518
G. Durak Yüzüak , E. Yüzüak
Flexible thermoelectric (TE) devices hold great promise for powering wearable electronics by harvesting the temperature difference between human skin and the environment. Conventional Bi2Te3, although efficient, suffers from rigidity and limited suitability for flexible applications, while organic alternatives typically lack sufficient TE performance. Here, we demonstrate an n-type BiSeTe thin film deposited on a flexible fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) substrate, incorporating a Cr buffer layer, achieving a room-temperature power factor of ∼3.9 μW.cm−1.K−2, which is within the range reported for flexible thin-film TE devices on polymer substrates. The film exhibits excellent mechanical resilience, retaining 90 % of its initial conductivity after 5000 bending cycles, and shows high thermal stability over 50 heating–cooling cycles with deviations below 1.5 %. A four-leg n-type prototype generates 10 mV and 70 nW at ΔT = 40 K, demonstrating its potential for powering low-energy wearable sensors. This work presents a scalable inorganic thin-film TE platform that effectively balances mechanical flexibility, device stability, and practical energy conversion performance for wearable and localized power generation applications.
{"title":"Engineering high-performance BiSeTe ultra-thin film on flexible FEP","authors":"G. Durak Yüzüak , E. Yüzüak","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117518","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117518","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Flexible thermoelectric (TE) devices hold great promise for powering wearable electronics by harvesting the temperature difference between human skin and the environment. Conventional Bi<sub>2</sub>Te<sub>3</sub>, although efficient, suffers from rigidity and limited suitability for flexible applications, while organic alternatives typically lack sufficient TE performance. Here, we demonstrate an n-type BiSeTe thin film deposited on a flexible fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) substrate, incorporating a Cr buffer layer, achieving a room-temperature power factor of ∼3.9 μW.cm<sup>−1</sup>.K<sup>−2</sup>, which is within the range reported for flexible thin-film TE devices on polymer substrates. The film exhibits excellent mechanical resilience, retaining 90 % of its initial conductivity after 5000 bending cycles, and shows high thermal stability over 50 heating–cooling cycles with deviations below 1.5 %. A four-leg n-type prototype generates 10 mV and 70 nW at ΔT = 40 K, demonstrating its potential for powering low-energy wearable sensors. This work presents a scalable inorganic thin-film TE platform that effectively balances mechanical flexibility, device stability, and practical energy conversion performance for wearable and localized power generation applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 117518"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146025222","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-01-20DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2026.117484
Jinhua Wang , Wenbao Cao , Jie Cao , Yanhong Ma
In the complex operational environments of actual industrial machinery, fluctuating working conditions not only result in a scarcity of fault data but often leave no usable samples, which hampers the accuracy and generalizability of diagnostics. We propose a method that enhances the GCN with Zero-Shot Learning capabilities, termed GCN Zero-Shot Learning (GZSL). Initially, features of different fault types are extracted using a Deep Adaptive Convolutional Neural Network (DACNN). These features are then input into a GCN connected through residual learning. Additionally, we incorporate Label Smoothing (LS) regularization to refine the original loss function. A fault attribute learner is trained to understand the relationships among various attributes. For unknown fault classes, we transfer them to the fault attribute layer, where the attributes of the unknown faults are predicted, facilitating the diagnosis of these unknown classes.
{"title":"Improved GCN with zero-shot learning for rolling bearing fault diagnosis","authors":"Jinhua Wang , Wenbao Cao , Jie Cao , Yanhong Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117484","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117484","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the complex operational environments of actual industrial machinery, fluctuating working conditions not only result in a scarcity of fault data but often leave no usable samples, which hampers the accuracy and generalizability of diagnostics. We propose a method that enhances the GCN with Zero-Shot Learning capabilities, termed GCN Zero-Shot Learning (GZSL). Initially, features of different fault types are extracted using a Deep Adaptive Convolutional Neural Network (DACNN). These features are then input into a GCN connected through residual learning. Additionally, we incorporate Label Smoothing (LS) regularization to refine the original loss function. A fault attribute learner is trained to understand the relationships among various attributes. For unknown fault classes, we transfer them to the fault attribute layer, where the attributes of the unknown faults are predicted, facilitating the diagnosis of these unknown classes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 117484"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146079995","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-01-09DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2026.117475
Amir Mohammad Haghgoo , Tina Hajihadi Naghash , Majid Ghassemi , Mohamad Ali Bijarchi , Mohammad Behshad Shafii
Using ferrofluids as smart materials in micromixers for achieving homogeneous mixing can be taken into account as a promising tool for improving the total efficiency of microfluidic platforms. A wide range of scenarios for employing the ferrofluid, as a miscible stream with reactants, have been explored to enhance mixing. However, the function of the ferrofluid as an immiscible agent in mixing is overlooked. Therefore, in this study, for the first time, the effect of oscillating a train of ferrofluid droplets as a controllable and on-demand actuator for ameliorating mass transfer in a 3D-printed micromixer is experimentally investigated. Another motivation for conducting this study is to meet the request of mixing two miscible fluids with the help of ferrofluid droplets as immiscible actuators in less contact with the biological reactant along with less impact on the final properties of the product. The movement of these magnetized droplets across to the flow direction becomes possible by a linear-moving magnet. By adjusting the influencing parameters including miscible fluids and ferrofluid flow rates, magnet movement frequency, magnet diameter, displacement amplitude, and the number of magnets the harmonic oscillations of bio-compatible ferrofluid droplets are comprehensively surveyed. The results show that by switching the magnetic system from off to on, the mixing index in the best case increases from 0.21 to 0.89. Thanks to the controllability of ferrofluid droplets, this novel idea offers an effective solution to intensify microfluidic mixing efficiency and can pave the way for other biomedicine and engineering applications.
{"title":"Magnetic-driven micromixer induced by oscillatory ferrofluid droplets as on-demand soft microactuators","authors":"Amir Mohammad Haghgoo , Tina Hajihadi Naghash , Majid Ghassemi , Mohamad Ali Bijarchi , Mohammad Behshad Shafii","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117475","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117475","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Using ferrofluids as smart materials in micromixers for achieving homogeneous mixing can be taken into account as a promising tool for improving the total efficiency of microfluidic platforms. A wide range of scenarios for employing the ferrofluid, as a miscible stream with reactants, have been explored to enhance mixing. However, the function of the ferrofluid as an immiscible agent in mixing is overlooked. Therefore, in this study, for the first time, the effect of oscillating a train of ferrofluid droplets as a controllable and on-demand actuator for ameliorating mass transfer in a 3D-printed micromixer is experimentally investigated. Another motivation for conducting this study is to meet the request of mixing two miscible fluids with the help of ferrofluid droplets as immiscible actuators in less contact with the biological reactant along with less impact on the final properties of the product. The movement of these magnetized droplets across to the flow direction becomes possible by a linear-moving magnet. By adjusting the influencing parameters including miscible fluids and ferrofluid flow rates, magnet movement frequency, magnet diameter, displacement amplitude, and the number of magnets the harmonic oscillations of bio-compatible ferrofluid droplets are comprehensively surveyed. The results show that by switching the magnetic system from off to on, the mixing index in the best case increases from 0.21 to 0.89. Thanks to the controllability of ferrofluid droplets, this novel idea offers an effective solution to intensify microfluidic mixing efficiency and can pave the way for other biomedicine and engineering applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 117475"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146079992","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wearable flexible sensors are crucial for biopotential signal monitoring, but their performance is often hindered by electromagnetic interference (EMI) because of the weak nature of biosignals. Developing a sensor with both stretchability and electromagnetic shielding capabilities remains an important area of research. In this study, we proposed a wearable flexible sensor with outstanding EMI shielding and dependable signal acquisition for surface electromyography (sEMG) and electrooculography (EOG) signals. The flexible sensor employed a Ni/CCF@PDMS film with stencil-printed Ag/AgCl electrodes. The composite formed a continuous conductive network, and its microstructure and dielectric loss collectively enabled a maximum EMI shielding effectiveness of 39.82 dB across the X-band. The flexible sensor also demonstrated remarkable mechanical stretchability, withstanding strains of up to 55.6 % with a corresponding tensile stress of 1.49 MPa, ensuring dependable performance under dynamic motion. The Ni/CCF@PDMS film integrated with Ag/AgCl electrodes formed a flexible sensor that reliably and effectively captured biosignals generated by arm movement, hand gestures, and eye blinks. This work offers a promising strategy for developing EMI-resistant, flexible sensors suitable for wearable bioelectronic applications.
{"title":"A Ni/CCF@PDMS-based flexible and electromagnetic interference-shielding surface electromyography/electrooculography sensor","authors":"Lei Zhang , Xuemei Zhang , Zhuoyu Duan , Henning Müller , Manfredo Atzori","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117530","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117530","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wearable flexible sensors are crucial for biopotential signal monitoring, but their performance is often hindered by electromagnetic interference (EMI) because of the weak nature of biosignals. Developing a sensor with both stretchability and electromagnetic shielding capabilities remains an important area of research. In this study, we proposed a wearable flexible sensor with outstanding EMI shielding and dependable signal acquisition for surface electromyography (sEMG) and electrooculography (EOG) signals. The flexible sensor employed a Ni/CCF@PDMS film with stencil-printed Ag/AgCl electrodes. The composite formed a continuous conductive network, and its microstructure and dielectric loss collectively enabled a maximum EMI shielding effectiveness of 39.82 dB across the X-band. The flexible sensor also demonstrated remarkable mechanical stretchability, withstanding strains of up to 55.6 % with a corresponding tensile stress of 1.49 MPa, ensuring dependable performance under dynamic motion. The Ni/CCF@PDMS film integrated with Ag/AgCl electrodes formed a flexible sensor that reliably and effectively captured biosignals generated by arm movement, hand gestures, and eye blinks. This work offers a promising strategy for developing EMI-resistant, flexible sensors suitable for wearable bioelectronic applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 117530"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146079902","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Piezoelectric MEMS loudspeakers face limitations in vibration amplitude and sound pressure level (SPL), hindering their adoption in compact audio applications. This work introduces a pinwheel-shaped membrane structure that incorporates rotated cantilevers and folded spring units to enhance acoustic output without increasing the device footprint. Through finite element analysis, the optimized design achieved a 23% improvement in membrane displacement compared to a conventional architecture. Lumped-element modeling predicted an SPL enhancement of up to in the frequency range from to . Experimental results validated these predictions, with the fabricated device producing over SPL under drive and maintaining total harmonic distortion (THD) below 1% at and SPL. Furthermore, the influence of DC bias on nonlinear distortion was systematically investigated. Results showed that a moderate DC bias effectively suppressed second-order harmonic distortion, while low-voltage AC-driven operation also maintained low THD, aided by the built-in polarization of the PZT film. The proposed design offers a structurally robust and high-performance solution for piezoelectric MEMS loudspeakers, demonstrating significant potential for energy-efficient micro-acoustic systems in next-generation portable devices.
{"title":"A pinwheel-shaped MEMS microspeaker with enhanced SPL and low harmonic distortion","authors":"Rui Liu, Zeyi Wang, Yuanpeng Ma, Dong Zhang, Xiasheng Guo","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117505","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117505","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Piezoelectric MEMS loudspeakers face limitations in vibration amplitude and sound pressure level (SPL), hindering their adoption in compact audio applications. This work introduces a pinwheel-shaped membrane structure that incorporates rotated cantilevers and folded spring units to enhance acoustic output without increasing the device footprint. Through finite element analysis, the optimized design achieved a 23% improvement in membrane displacement compared to a conventional architecture. Lumped-element modeling predicted an SPL enhancement of up to <span><math><mn>10</mn><mspace></mspace><mrow><mtext>dB</mtext></mrow></math></span> in the frequency range from <span><math><mn>100</mn><mspace></mspace><mrow><mtext>Hz</mtext></mrow></math></span> to <span><math><mn>8</mn><mspace></mspace><mrow><mtext>kHz</mtext></mrow></math></span>. Experimental results validated these predictions, with the fabricated device producing over <span><math><mn>80</mn><mspace></mspace><mrow><mtext>dB</mtext></mrow></math></span> SPL under <span><math><mn>15</mn><mspace></mspace><mrow><mtext>V</mtext></mrow></math></span> drive and maintaining total harmonic distortion (THD) below 1% at <span><math><mn>1</mn><mspace></mspace><mrow><mtext>kHz</mtext></mrow></math></span> and <span><math><mn>94</mn><mspace></mspace><mrow><mtext>dB</mtext></mrow></math></span> SPL. Furthermore, the influence of DC bias on nonlinear distortion was systematically investigated. Results showed that a moderate DC bias effectively suppressed second-order harmonic distortion, while low-voltage AC-driven operation also maintained low THD, aided by the built-in polarization of the PZT film. The proposed design offers a structurally robust and high-performance solution for piezoelectric MEMS loudspeakers, demonstrating significant potential for energy-efficient micro-acoustic systems in next-generation portable devices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 117505"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146079999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Conventional piezoelectric pressure sensors often face performance trade-offs between sensitivity and wide range in practical applications, and exhibit large limitations in quasi-static and strong shock environments. Issues such as charge leakage and unstable polarization further limit their performance in long-duration monitoring. This study presents a lithium niobate–based piezoelectric pressure sensor featuring a coaxial, fully sealed structure with two axially aligned single crystals, enabling mechanical balance and enhanced signal reliability. The sensor was tested under various pressure conditions, including low (5–55 N), high (1–7 kN), quasi-static loading, and explosive shock environments. It achieved sensitivities of 12.6 pC/N(4013 pC/MPa) and 103.02 pC/N(32815 pC/MPa) in the respective ranges, with linearity coefficients above 0.996. Under a 5 kN quasistatic load, the charge decay was only 4.1 % over 25 min. The sensor demonstrated a response speed of up to 4 μs in the surge tube test, and realized a fast response of as fast as 2.6 μs under the TNT explosion shock wave, which verified its high dynamic adaptability and application feasibility in the field of explosion monitoring. The sensor effectively addresses key limitations of conventional devices by offering wide-range adaptability, quasi-static reliability, and microsecond-level response, making it highly suitable for aerospace applications, explosion impact monitoring, and other demanding industrial scenarios.
{"title":"Quasi-static and transient signal monitoring based on lithium niobate piezoelectric pressure sensor","authors":"Feiyu Pan, Zihan Wang, Haoran Wei, Xiaojun Qiao, Wenping Geng, Xiujian Chou","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117567","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2026.117567","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Conventional piezoelectric pressure sensors often face performance trade-offs between sensitivity and wide range in practical applications, and exhibit large limitations in quasi-static and strong shock environments. Issues such as charge leakage and unstable polarization further limit their performance in long-duration monitoring. This study presents a lithium niobate–based piezoelectric pressure sensor featuring a coaxial, fully sealed structure with two axially aligned single crystals, enabling mechanical balance and enhanced signal reliability. The sensor was tested under various pressure conditions, including low (5–55 N), high (1–7 kN), quasi-static loading, and explosive shock environments. It achieved sensitivities of 12.6 pC/N(4013 pC/MPa) and 103.02 pC/N(32815 pC/MPa) in the respective ranges, with linearity coefficients above 0.996. Under a 5 kN quasistatic load, the charge decay was only 4.1 % over 25 min. The sensor demonstrated a response speed of up to 4 μs in the surge tube test, and realized a fast response of as fast as 2.6 μs under the TNT explosion shock wave, which verified its high dynamic adaptability and application feasibility in the field of explosion monitoring. The sensor effectively addresses key limitations of conventional devices by offering wide-range adaptability, quasi-static reliability, and microsecond-level response, making it highly suitable for aerospace applications, explosion impact monitoring, and other demanding industrial scenarios.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 117567"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146170732","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-12-31DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2025.117443
Xiang Li , Wentong Lu , Jincheng Wang , Jiaming Chen , Long Li , Hao Tian , Peilong Zhou , Hua Zhang
This study introduces a novel multifunctional composite material composed of polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) fiber mats, MXene nanosheets, and superabsorbent polymer (SAP) particles, aimed at addressing limitations in traditional piezoelectric materials such as low strength and poor multifunctionality. The PVDF fiber mats were fabricated via electrospinning, with MXene nanosheets uniformly deposited on their surface through a filtration process. SAP particles were subsequently incorporated to enhance moisture absorption, functional diversity, and mechanical performance. Comprehensive characterization revealed the successful integration of MXene and SAP, achieving uniform distribution and synergy at the microstructural level. The composite exhibited excellent piezoelectric properties (4–6 V) and mechanical stability (The sample can withstand thousands of cyclic compressions with good stability within a few hundred kPa), maintaining a linear response to pressure under both dry and water-absorbed conditions. Finite element analysis (FEA) and various application tests demonstrated the material’s ability to detect a wide range of external pressures, from subtle touches to high-pressure impacts, highlighting its potential for use in flexible sensors, electronic skin, and dynamic monitoring systems. The study underscores the importance of structural optimization in enhancing piezoelectric performance and environmental adaptability. Future research could explore long-term stability and further optimization of material composition to support broader applications in wearable devices, energy harvesting, and intelligent sensing technologies.
{"title":"Multifunctional PVDF composites with MXene nanosheets and SAP particles for sensors","authors":"Xiang Li , Wentong Lu , Jincheng Wang , Jiaming Chen , Long Li , Hao Tian , Peilong Zhou , Hua Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.sna.2025.117443","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sna.2025.117443","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study introduces a novel multifunctional composite material composed of polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) fiber mats, MXene nanosheets, and superabsorbent polymer (SAP) particles, aimed at addressing limitations in traditional piezoelectric materials such as low strength and poor multifunctionality. The PVDF fiber mats were fabricated via electrospinning, with MXene nanosheets uniformly deposited on their surface through a filtration process. SAP particles were subsequently incorporated to enhance moisture absorption, functional diversity, and mechanical performance. Comprehensive characterization revealed the successful integration of MXene and SAP, achieving uniform distribution and synergy at the microstructural level. The composite exhibited excellent piezoelectric properties (4–6 V) and mechanical stability (The sample can withstand thousands of cyclic compressions with good stability within a few hundred kPa), maintaining a linear response to pressure under both dry and water-absorbed conditions. Finite element analysis (FEA) and various application tests demonstrated the material’s ability to detect a wide range of external pressures, from subtle touches to high-pressure impacts, highlighting its potential for use in flexible sensors, electronic skin, and dynamic monitoring systems. The study underscores the importance of structural optimization in enhancing piezoelectric performance and environmental adaptability. Future research could explore long-term stability and further optimization of material composition to support broader applications in wearable devices, energy harvesting, and intelligent sensing technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21689,"journal":{"name":"Sensors and Actuators A-physical","volume":"399 ","pages":"Article 117443"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145926187","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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