In precision apiculture, the portable digital camera is a cost-effective sensor for capturing hive images or videos used to quantify different colony variables. Openly accessible, well-annotated, interoperable cell-level image datasets are still the exception rather than the norm. This shortage constitutes a major barrier to AI-driven approaches aimed at automating image-based comb analysis. In this article, we present FAIRHiveFrames-1K, a publicly available dataset of 1265 annotated hive frame images (1920 × 1080 PNG) designed to facilitate research in AI-intensive image-based comb analysis automation. The dataset, derived from a 2013-2022 U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service multi-sensor research reservoir, includes 124,669 annotated regions of interest for seven biologically meaningful categories consistent with comb analysis literature and standard hive inspection protocols. FAIRHiveFrames-1K is curated according to FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) and distributed under CC-BY 4.0 with standard annotation formats, fixed training and validation splits, and reproducible benchmarking artifacts. To establish preliminary baseline performance, we iteratively tuned four YOLO architectures (YOLOv8n, YOLOv8s, YOLOv11n, YOLOv11s) under a shared tuning protocol over the period of dataset growth.
{"title":"FAIRHiveFrames-1K: A Public FAIR Dataset of 1265 Annotated Hive Frame Images with Preliminary YOLOv8 and YOLOv11 Baselines.","authors":"Vladimir Kulyukin, Reagan Hill, Aleksey Kulyukin","doi":"10.3390/s26082518","DOIUrl":"10.3390/s26082518","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In precision apiculture, the portable digital camera is a cost-effective sensor for capturing hive images or videos used to quantify different colony variables. Openly accessible, well-annotated, interoperable cell-level image datasets are still the exception rather than the norm. This shortage constitutes a major barrier to AI-driven approaches aimed at automating image-based comb analysis. In this article, we present FAIRHiveFrames-1K, a publicly available dataset of 1265 annotated hive frame images (1920 × 1080 PNG) designed to facilitate research in AI-intensive image-based comb analysis automation. The dataset, derived from a 2013-2022 U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service multi-sensor research reservoir, includes 124,669 annotated regions of interest for seven biologically meaningful categories consistent with comb analysis literature and standard hive inspection protocols. FAIRHiveFrames-1K is curated according to FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) and distributed under CC-BY 4.0 with standard annotation formats, fixed training and validation splits, and reproducible benchmarking artifacts. To establish preliminary baseline performance, we iteratively tuned four YOLO architectures (YOLOv8n, YOLOv8s, YOLOv11n, YOLOv11s) under a shared tuning protocol over the period of dataset growth.</p>","PeriodicalId":21698,"journal":{"name":"Sensors","volume":"26 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13120227/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147820431","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Adriana Burlibaşa, Silviu Epure, Mihai Culea, Cristinel Radu Dache, Cristian Victor Lungu, George-Andrei Marin, Ciprian Vlad
Accurate time synchronization is essential in distributed electrical signal monitoring, where phase coherence and event correlation depend on precise timing agreement between acquisition nodes. Conventional approaches often rely on a single synchronization source, typically internet-based Network Time Protocol (NTP) or GPS-disciplined clocks, which is impractical in isolated, offline, or cost-sensitive scenarios. This paper introduces an autonomous offline synchronization architecture for multi-node monitoring systems built on Raspberry Pi 5 (RPI5) platforms connected to a private Ethernet network. Instead of depending on one timing method, the system integrates several complementary mechanisms: battery-backed RTC persistence via the J5 interface, deterministic orchestration through systemd services, automated boot time recovery, chrony-managed NTP discipline, and Precision Time Protocol (PTP) hardware timestamping using PTP Hardware Clock (PHC). Synchronization performance is validated through continuous multi-day measurements of long-term stability, inter-node phase coherence, and short-term jitter. Controlled power-loss scenarios are also included to verify recovery behavior. The system maintains sub-microsecond alignment between nodes using only commodity hardware and no external time source. To further confirm inter-node timestamp alignment at the signal level, both hardware-based reference signal injection and software-based synchronized signal emulation are employed, providing ground-truth validation alongside scalable and reproducible evaluation. The results show that low-cost embedded hardware can support reliable, long-duration synchronization in fully offline installations.
准确的时间同步在分布式电信号监测中至关重要,其中相位相干性和事件相关性取决于采集节点之间精确的时序一致性。传统的方法通常依赖于单个同步源,通常是基于internet的网络时间协议(NTP)或gps规范的时钟,这在孤立的、脱机的或成本敏感的场景中是不切实际的。本文介绍了一种基于Raspberry Pi 5 (RPI5)平台的多节点监控系统的自主脱机同步架构,该系统连接到专用以太网。该系统不依赖于一种计时方法,而是集成了几种互补机制:通过J5接口的电池支持的RTC持久性、通过系统服务的确定性编排、自动启动时间恢复、时间管理NTP规程以及使用PTP硬件时钟(PHC)的精确时间协议(PTP)硬件时间戳。同步性能通过连续多日的长期稳定性、节点间相位相干性和短期抖动测量来验证。还包括受控的断电场景,以验证恢复行为。该系统仅使用商用硬件,无需外部时间源,就能在节点之间保持亚微秒级的一致性。为了进一步确认信号级别的节点间时间戳对齐,采用了基于硬件的参考信号注入和基于软件的同步信号仿真,提供了可扩展和可重复的评估以及地面真值验证。结果表明,低成本的嵌入式硬件可以在完全离线的安装中支持可靠、长时间的同步。
{"title":"System-Level Offline Time Synchronization Architecture for Distributed Electrical Signal Monitoring Using Raspberry Pi 5.","authors":"Adriana Burlibaşa, Silviu Epure, Mihai Culea, Cristinel Radu Dache, Cristian Victor Lungu, George-Andrei Marin, Ciprian Vlad","doi":"10.3390/s26082519","DOIUrl":"10.3390/s26082519","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Accurate time synchronization is essential in distributed electrical signal monitoring, where phase coherence and event correlation depend on precise timing agreement between acquisition nodes. Conventional approaches often rely on a single synchronization source, typically internet-based Network Time Protocol (NTP) or GPS-disciplined clocks, which is impractical in isolated, offline, or cost-sensitive scenarios. This paper introduces an autonomous offline synchronization architecture for multi-node monitoring systems built on Raspberry Pi 5 (RPI5) platforms connected to a private Ethernet network. Instead of depending on one timing method, the system integrates several complementary mechanisms: battery-backed RTC persistence via the J5 interface, deterministic orchestration through systemd services, automated boot time recovery, chrony-managed NTP discipline, and Precision Time Protocol (PTP) hardware timestamping using PTP Hardware Clock (PHC). Synchronization performance is validated through continuous multi-day measurements of long-term stability, inter-node phase coherence, and short-term jitter. Controlled power-loss scenarios are also included to verify recovery behavior. The system maintains sub-microsecond alignment between nodes using only commodity hardware and no external time source. To further confirm inter-node timestamp alignment at the signal level, both hardware-based reference signal injection and software-based synchronized signal emulation are employed, providing ground-truth validation alongside scalable and reproducible evaluation. The results show that low-cost embedded hardware can support reliable, long-duration synchronization in fully offline installations.</p>","PeriodicalId":21698,"journal":{"name":"Sensors","volume":"26 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13120462/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147820572","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Microelectromechanical systems are being increasingly deployed in nuclear industry robotics, where their great sensitivity and mechanically stable silicon structures enable reliable sensing in radiation-exposed environments. An ultra-thin silicon strain gauge without an oxide substrate layer designed for robotic electronic skin is evaluated under Co-60 γ irradiation, representative of nuclear decommissioning conditions. The sensor performance is evaluated based on electrical measurements conducted before and after irradiation, focusing on cumulative radiation-induced effects. The results show that silicon strain gauge signal maintains a high linearity (R2 > 0.99) under strain. Across an accumulated dose range up to approximately 15 Gy, only minor variations are observed, including a resistance increase within 1.3% and a reduction in gauge factor within 5% for most specimens. The radiation-induced resistance increases and sensitivity degradation results in a maximum strain estimation error of approximately 22.5 με (≈3.5%) within the tested operating range below 700 με.
{"title":"Characterization of an Ultra-Thin Silicon Strain Gauge Exposed to Gamma Ray Irradiation.","authors":"Fan Yang, Hao Liu, Masahito Takakuwa, Tomoyuki Yokota, Takao Someya, Jarred W Fastier-Wooller, Shun Muramatsu, Michitaka Yamamoto, Kenta Murakami, Toshihiro Itoh, Seiichi Takamatsu","doi":"10.3390/s26082514","DOIUrl":"10.3390/s26082514","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Microelectromechanical systems are being increasingly deployed in nuclear industry robotics, where their great sensitivity and mechanically stable silicon structures enable reliable sensing in radiation-exposed environments. An ultra-thin silicon strain gauge without an oxide substrate layer designed for robotic electronic skin is evaluated under Co-60 γ irradiation, representative of nuclear decommissioning conditions. The sensor performance is evaluated based on electrical measurements conducted before and after irradiation, focusing on cumulative radiation-induced effects. The results show that silicon strain gauge signal maintains a high linearity (R<sup>2</sup> > 0.99) under strain. Across an accumulated dose range up to approximately 15 Gy, only minor variations are observed, including a resistance increase within 1.3% and a reduction in gauge factor within 5% for most specimens. The radiation-induced resistance increases and sensitivity degradation results in a maximum strain estimation error of approximately 22.5 με (≈3.5%) within the tested operating range below 700 με.</p>","PeriodicalId":21698,"journal":{"name":"Sensors","volume":"26 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13119798/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147820234","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kolmogorov-Arnold Networks (KANs) have recently gained increasing attention as an alternative to conventional neural architectures, mainly because they replace fixed activation functions with learnable univariate mappings defined along network edges. This design not only increases modeling flexibility but also makes it easier to interpret how inputs are transformed within the network while maintaining parameter efficiency. KANs are particularly well suited for sensor-driven systems where transparency, robustness, and computational constraints are critical. This study provides a survey of KAN-based approaches for processing sensor data. A literature review conducted from 2024 to 2026 examined the deployment of KAN models in industrial and mechanical sensing, medical and biomedical sensing, and remote sensing and environmental monitoring, utilizing a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)-based methodology. We first revisit the theoretical foundations of KANs and their main architectural variants, including spline-based, polynomial-based, monotonic, and hybrid formulations, to structure the discussion. From a practical standpoint, we then examine how KAN modules are integrated into modern deep learning pipelines, such as convolutional, recurrent, transformer-based, graph-based, and physics-informed architectures. KAN-based models demonstrate comparable predictive performance as conventional machine learning models, while having fewer parameters and more interpretable representations. Several limitations persist, including computational overhead, sensitivity to noisy signals, and resource-constrained device deployment challenges. Real-world sensor systems encounter significant challenges in adopting KAN-based models, including scalability in large-scale sensor networks, integration with hardware architectures, automated model development, resilience to out-of-distribution conditions, and the need for standardized evaluation metrics. Collectively, these observations provide a clearer understanding of the current and potential limitations of KAN-based models, offering practical guidance on the development of interpretable and efficient learning systems for future sensor equipment applications.
{"title":"Kolmogorov-Arnold Networks for Sensor Data Processing: A Comprehensive Survey of Architectures, Applications, and Open Challenges.","authors":"Antonio M Martínez-Heredia, Andrés Ortiz","doi":"10.3390/s26082515","DOIUrl":"10.3390/s26082515","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Kolmogorov-Arnold Networks (KANs) have recently gained increasing attention as an alternative to conventional neural architectures, mainly because they replace fixed activation functions with learnable univariate mappings defined along network edges. This design not only increases modeling flexibility but also makes it easier to interpret how inputs are transformed within the network while maintaining parameter efficiency. KANs are particularly well suited for sensor-driven systems where transparency, robustness, and computational constraints are critical. This study provides a survey of KAN-based approaches for processing sensor data. A literature review conducted from 2024 to 2026 examined the deployment of KAN models in industrial and mechanical sensing, medical and biomedical sensing, and remote sensing and environmental monitoring, utilizing a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)-based methodology. We first revisit the theoretical foundations of KANs and their main architectural variants, including spline-based, polynomial-based, monotonic, and hybrid formulations, to structure the discussion. From a practical standpoint, we then examine how KAN modules are integrated into modern deep learning pipelines, such as convolutional, recurrent, transformer-based, graph-based, and physics-informed architectures. KAN-based models demonstrate comparable predictive performance as conventional machine learning models, while having fewer parameters and more interpretable representations. Several limitations persist, including computational overhead, sensitivity to noisy signals, and resource-constrained device deployment challenges. Real-world sensor systems encounter significant challenges in adopting KAN-based models, including scalability in large-scale sensor networks, integration with hardware architectures, automated model development, resilience to out-of-distribution conditions, and the need for standardized evaluation metrics. Collectively, these observations provide a clearer understanding of the current and potential limitations of KAN-based models, offering practical guidance on the development of interpretable and efficient learning systems for future sensor equipment applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":21698,"journal":{"name":"Sensors","volume":"26 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13120687/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147820426","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jan-Erik Müller, Jose Luis Vargas Luna, Daniela Korth, Daniel Richter, Gerd Fabian Volk, Izet Baljić, Orlando Guntinas-Lichius
This study aims to establish a protocol for measuring the postauricular muscle reflex (PAMR) and to characterize both short- and mid-latency responses under controlled conditions in adults with normal hearing. PAMR electromyography was recorded in 43 adults with normal hearing. Auditory stimuli (50 ms, 80-100 dB (A)) were presented at four frequencies (500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz), with systematic variation in stimulation side (ipsilateral/contralateral) and eye position (forward/rotated). The influence of these factors on PAMR amplitude and latency was analyzed using linear mixed-effects models. A short-latency PAMR (10-25 ms) was observed in all but one participant in at least one frequency. Reflex amplitude was significantly affected by stimulation side, eye position, frequency, and intensity. Contralateral stimulation produced stronger responses than ipsilateral stimulation. Additionally, a mid-latency PAMR (37-50 ms) was identified in 91% of participants, exhibiting lower amplitude and a higher detection level compared to the short-latency response. The mid-latency reflex was also significantly influenced by experimental conditions. The data shows that PAMR can be reliably recorded under controlled conditions in normal-hearing adults and that both short- and mid-latency components are influenced by auditory and oculomotor factors. These results provide us with normative data that can serve as a reference for future investigations in clinical populations, such as cochlear implant users and individuals with hearing loss.
本研究旨在建立一个测量耳后肌反射(PAMR)的方案,并在控制条件下表征听力正常的成年人的短潜伏期和中潜伏期反应。记录43例听力正常的成人PAMR肌电图。听觉刺激(50 ms, 80-100 dB (A))以四个频率(500、1000、2000和4000 Hz)呈现,刺激侧(同侧/对侧)和眼睛位置(向前/旋转)有系统变化。采用线性混合效应模型分析了这些因素对PAMR振幅和潜伏期的影响。除一名参与者外,所有参与者均在至少一个频率上观察到短潜伏期PAMR (10-25 ms)。反射振幅受刺激部位、眼位、频率和强度的影响显著。对侧刺激比同侧刺激产生更强的反应。此外,在91%的参与者中发现了中潜伏期PAMR (37-50 ms),与短潜伏期反应相比,表现出较低的振幅和较高的检测水平。中潜伏期反射也受到实验条件的显著影响。数据表明,正常听力的成年人在受控条件下可以可靠地记录PAMR,并且短潜伏期和中潜伏期成分都受到听觉和动眼力因素的影响。这些结果为我们提供了规范性数据,可以作为未来在临床人群(如人工耳蜗使用者和听力损失个体)中调查的参考。
{"title":"Postauricular Muscle Reflex as a Potential Objective Measure of Auditory Function in Normal-Hearing Adults.","authors":"Jan-Erik Müller, Jose Luis Vargas Luna, Daniela Korth, Daniel Richter, Gerd Fabian Volk, Izet Baljić, Orlando Guntinas-Lichius","doi":"10.3390/s26082524","DOIUrl":"10.3390/s26082524","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aims to establish a protocol for measuring the postauricular muscle reflex (PAMR) and to characterize both short- and mid-latency responses under controlled conditions in adults with normal hearing. PAMR electromyography was recorded in 43 adults with normal hearing. Auditory stimuli (50 ms, 80-100 dB (A)) were presented at four frequencies (500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz), with systematic variation in stimulation side (ipsilateral/contralateral) and eye position (forward/rotated). The influence of these factors on PAMR amplitude and latency was analyzed using linear mixed-effects models. A short-latency PAMR (10-25 ms) was observed in all but one participant in at least one frequency. Reflex amplitude was significantly affected by stimulation side, eye position, frequency, and intensity. Contralateral stimulation produced stronger responses than ipsilateral stimulation. Additionally, a mid-latency PAMR (37-50 ms) was identified in 91% of participants, exhibiting lower amplitude and a higher detection level compared to the short-latency response. The mid-latency reflex was also significantly influenced by experimental conditions. The data shows that PAMR can be reliably recorded under controlled conditions in normal-hearing adults and that both short- and mid-latency components are influenced by auditory and oculomotor factors. These results provide us with normative data that can serve as a reference for future investigations in clinical populations, such as cochlear implant users and individuals with hearing loss.</p>","PeriodicalId":21698,"journal":{"name":"Sensors","volume":"26 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13120091/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147820430","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Saddam Hussain, Yuxin Liu, Nasrullah Wazir, Krishna Krishna, Li Tao
Two-dimensional MoTe2 is applicable for near-infrared photodetection; however, low absorption in the visible range limits its performance. One way to overcome these limitations is by hybridizing with light-absorbing nanomaterials. In this study, we simulate a CdSe/ZnS quantum dot (QD)-sensitized MoTe2 photodetector at the coupled electromagnetic and device level. COMSOL Multiphysics demonstrates that the heterostructure of MoTe2/CdSe/ZnS on a SiO2/Si substrate exhibits a broadband-visible enhancement in absorption due to QD exciton absorption and Fabry-Perot interferences in the silicon dioxide layer. A staggered type-I band alignment of the CdSe/ZnS/MoTe2 interface was confirmed by COMSOL analysis, which also permits interfacial charge separation. Simulations of QD integration by Silvaco technology computer-aided design reveal that QD integration increases photocurrent through photogating and carrier transfer. The optimized device has a responsivity and detectivity of 1.3 × 10-3, 2 × 10-3 A/W, 9.4 × 108, and 1.34 × 109 Jones, and an external quantum efficiency of 0.31% and 0.394% at 520 and 630 nm, respectively, which is significantly better than pristine MoTe2 photodetectors. These results demonstrate the potential of CdSe/ZnS/MoTe2 heterostructures for high-performance broadband photodetection and establish a framework for correlating multiscale simulations with material properties and device performance.
{"title":"Multiscale Design and Simulation of CdSe/ZnS/MoTe<sub>2</sub> Hybrid Photodetectors.","authors":"Saddam Hussain, Yuxin Liu, Nasrullah Wazir, Krishna Krishna, Li Tao","doi":"10.3390/s26082516","DOIUrl":"10.3390/s26082516","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Two-dimensional MoTe<sub>2</sub> is applicable for near-infrared photodetection; however, low absorption in the visible range limits its performance. One way to overcome these limitations is by hybridizing with light-absorbing nanomaterials. In this study, we simulate a CdSe/ZnS quantum dot (QD)-sensitized MoTe<sub>2</sub> photodetector at the coupled electromagnetic and device level. COMSOL Multiphysics demonstrates that the heterostructure of MoTe<sub>2</sub>/CdSe/ZnS on a SiO<sub>2</sub>/Si substrate exhibits a broadband-visible enhancement in absorption due to QD exciton absorption and Fabry-Perot interferences in the silicon dioxide layer. A staggered type-I band alignment of the CdSe/ZnS/MoTe<sub>2</sub> interface was confirmed by COMSOL analysis, which also permits interfacial charge separation. Simulations of QD integration by Silvaco technology computer-aided design reveal that QD integration increases photocurrent through photogating and carrier transfer. The optimized device has a responsivity and detectivity of 1.3 × 10<sup>-3</sup>, 2 × 10<sup>-3</sup> A/W, 9.4 × 10<sup>8</sup>, and 1.34 × 10<sup>9</sup> Jones, and an external quantum efficiency of 0.31% and 0.394% at 520 and 630 nm, respectively, which is significantly better than pristine MoTe<sub>2</sub> photodetectors. These results demonstrate the potential of CdSe/ZnS/MoTe<sub>2</sub> heterostructures for high-performance broadband photodetection and establish a framework for correlating multiscale simulations with material properties and device performance.</p>","PeriodicalId":21698,"journal":{"name":"Sensors","volume":"26 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13119660/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147820524","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hanyue Zhang, Yin Wu, Bo Sun, Yanyi Liu, Wenbo Liu
High-strength bolts are critical structural components that are highly susceptible to corrosion in complex environments, posing significant threats to structural safety and reliability. Although acoustic emission (AE) technology has been widely applied in structural health monitoring, existing studies mainly focus on damage mode identification or source localization, while the identification of corrosion evolution stages based on AE signals remains insufficient. This study develops an intelligent corrosion diagnosis framework for high-strength bolts by integrating multimodal feature fusion and optimized machine learning. AE signals are first collected from the near-end and far-end of bolts using a wireless sensor network and then transformed into time-frequency representations via continuous wavelet transform (CWT). The resulting time-frequency images are fed into a modified ResNet-18 network to extract deep features, while statistical features are simultaneously extracted from the raw signals to preserve global information. These heterogeneous features are subsequently fused to form a comprehensive representation of corrosion characteristics. Furthermore, an artificial protozoa optimizer (APO) is introduced to adaptively optimize the hyperparameters of the XGBoost model. The results demonstrate that AE signals generated by hammering bolts with different corrosion levels can be successfully distinguished. The proposed method achieves high accuracy in corrosion stage classification and outperforms conventional approaches. Even when evaluated on an additional M30 bolt dataset, the proposed method maintains robust performance, demonstrating excellent generalization capability across different bolt sizes. These results demonstrate the practical potential of the proposed method for intelligent bolt corrosion diagnosis.
{"title":"Intelligent Corrosion Diagnosis of High-Strength Bolts Based on Multi-Modal Feature Fusion and APO-XGBoost.","authors":"Hanyue Zhang, Yin Wu, Bo Sun, Yanyi Liu, Wenbo Liu","doi":"10.3390/s26082520","DOIUrl":"10.3390/s26082520","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>High-strength bolts are critical structural components that are highly susceptible to corrosion in complex environments, posing significant threats to structural safety and reliability. Although acoustic emission (AE) technology has been widely applied in structural health monitoring, existing studies mainly focus on damage mode identification or source localization, while the identification of corrosion evolution stages based on AE signals remains insufficient. This study develops an intelligent corrosion diagnosis framework for high-strength bolts by integrating multimodal feature fusion and optimized machine learning. AE signals are first collected from the near-end and far-end of bolts using a wireless sensor network and then transformed into time-frequency representations via continuous wavelet transform (CWT). The resulting time-frequency images are fed into a modified ResNet-18 network to extract deep features, while statistical features are simultaneously extracted from the raw signals to preserve global information. These heterogeneous features are subsequently fused to form a comprehensive representation of corrosion characteristics. Furthermore, an artificial protozoa optimizer (APO) is introduced to adaptively optimize the hyperparameters of the XGBoost model. The results demonstrate that AE signals generated by hammering bolts with different corrosion levels can be successfully distinguished. The proposed method achieves high accuracy in corrosion stage classification and outperforms conventional approaches. Even when evaluated on an additional M30 bolt dataset, the proposed method maintains robust performance, demonstrating excellent generalization capability across different bolt sizes. These results demonstrate the practical potential of the proposed method for intelligent bolt corrosion diagnosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":21698,"journal":{"name":"Sensors","volume":"26 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13120089/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147820399","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Salman Alduwish, Yongxiang Li, James Scott, Akram Hourani, Nasir Mahmood
Planar microwave (MW) sensors offer high-resolution, non-invasive technology for monitoring critical soil properties, serving as a support for modern precision agriculture. While laboratory studies confirm their exceptional sensitivity, the widespread adoption of these sensors is severely impeded by critical translational challenges that constitute a defining "lab-to-field gap". These barriers include high sensor-to-sensor variability, debilitating thermal cross-sensitivity, soil heterogeneity necessitating unique site-specific calibration, and the enduring tension between high-performance and cost-effective scaling. This review systematically synthesizes the current state of planar permittivity MW technology, moving beyond technical mechanisms to critically assess these operational limitations. We detail advanced architectural strategies designed to bridge this gap, focusing particularly on the transition toward more robust solutions. The key strategies analyzed include the adoption of differential sensor designs using microstrip patch antennas to mitigate common-mode environmental errors, the integration of ultra-compact metamaterial structures such as split-ring resonators (SRRs) and complementary split-ring resonators (CSRRs) for enhanced field robustness and deep soil sensing, and the necessity of multi-parameter sensing capabilities (moisture, pH, and salinity). By establishing a comprehensive roadmap that prioritizes field stability, cost efficiency, and seamless IoT integration, this review demonstrates that planar MW sensors are poised to become reliable and scalable tools. Addressing these critical translational hurdles will ensure optimal resource management, significantly enhance crop productivity, and enable sustainable practices within smart farming ecosystems.
{"title":"Planar Microwave Sensing Technology for Soil Monitoring.","authors":"Salman Alduwish, Yongxiang Li, James Scott, Akram Hourani, Nasir Mahmood","doi":"10.3390/s26082509","DOIUrl":"10.3390/s26082509","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Planar microwave (MW) sensors offer high-resolution, non-invasive technology for monitoring critical soil properties, serving as a support for modern precision agriculture. While laboratory studies confirm their exceptional sensitivity, the widespread adoption of these sensors is severely impeded by critical translational challenges that constitute a defining \"lab-to-field gap\". These barriers include high sensor-to-sensor variability, debilitating thermal cross-sensitivity, soil heterogeneity necessitating unique site-specific calibration, and the enduring tension between high-performance and cost-effective scaling. This review systematically synthesizes the current state of planar permittivity MW technology, moving beyond technical mechanisms to critically assess these operational limitations. We detail advanced architectural strategies designed to bridge this gap, focusing particularly on the transition toward more robust solutions. The key strategies analyzed include the adoption of differential sensor designs using microstrip patch antennas to mitigate common-mode environmental errors, the integration of ultra-compact metamaterial structures such as split-ring resonators (SRRs) and complementary split-ring resonators (CSRRs) for enhanced field robustness and deep soil sensing, and the necessity of multi-parameter sensing capabilities (moisture, pH, and salinity). By establishing a comprehensive roadmap that prioritizes field stability, cost efficiency, and seamless IoT integration, this review demonstrates that planar MW sensors are poised to become reliable and scalable tools. Addressing these critical translational hurdles will ensure optimal resource management, significantly enhance crop productivity, and enable sustainable practices within smart farming ecosystems.</p>","PeriodicalId":21698,"journal":{"name":"Sensors","volume":"26 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13119793/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147820483","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper presents a 13 W Ku-band GaN HEMT MMIC power amplifier employing a coupled-line interstage stabilization technique for radar sensor front-end applications. High-efficiency and stable power amplification in the Ku-band is essential for radar sensing systems, where low-frequency instability and process sensitivity often limit multistage GaN amplifier performance. To address these challenges, a coupled-line interstage network is introduced instead of conventional series capacitors and parallel RC stabilization circuits. The proposed structure effectively suppresses low-frequency gain while maintaining RF performance and improving robustness against process variations due to its planar transmission-line implementation. The two-stage power amplifier was fabricated using a 0.25 μm commercial GaN HEMT MMIC process. For compact implementation, the coupled-line structure was realized in a meandered layout and verified through full electromagnetic simulations. Measured small-signal results show a gain (S21) of 18.6-21.6 dB, with input and output return losses (S11 and S22) of -3.3 to -10.2 dB and -4.4 to -7.2 dB, respectively, over 13.5-16 GHz. Large-signal measurements demonstrate a saturated output power of 40.7-41.5 dBm and a power-added efficiency of 21.3-28.1% across the same frequency range. The fabricated MMIC achieved stable operation without oscillation, validating the effectiveness of the proposed coupled-line stabilization approach for Ku-band radar sensor systems.
{"title":"A Ku-Band 13 W GaN HEMT Power Amplifier MMIC with a Coupled-Line Interstage Stabilization Technique for Radar Sensor Systems.","authors":"Jihoon Kim","doi":"10.3390/s26082508","DOIUrl":"10.3390/s26082508","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper presents a 13 W Ku-band GaN HEMT MMIC power amplifier employing a coupled-line interstage stabilization technique for radar sensor front-end applications. High-efficiency and stable power amplification in the Ku-band is essential for radar sensing systems, where low-frequency instability and process sensitivity often limit multistage GaN amplifier performance. To address these challenges, a coupled-line interstage network is introduced instead of conventional series capacitors and parallel RC stabilization circuits. The proposed structure effectively suppresses low-frequency gain while maintaining RF performance and improving robustness against process variations due to its planar transmission-line implementation. The two-stage power amplifier was fabricated using a 0.25 μm commercial GaN HEMT MMIC process. For compact implementation, the coupled-line structure was realized in a meandered layout and verified through full electromagnetic simulations. Measured small-signal results show a gain (S21) of 18.6-21.6 dB, with input and output return losses (S11 and S22) of -3.3 to -10.2 dB and -4.4 to -7.2 dB, respectively, over 13.5-16 GHz. Large-signal measurements demonstrate a saturated output power of 40.7-41.5 dBm and a power-added efficiency of 21.3-28.1% across the same frequency range. The fabricated MMIC achieved stable operation without oscillation, validating the effectiveness of the proposed coupled-line stabilization approach for Ku-band radar sensor systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":21698,"journal":{"name":"Sensors","volume":"26 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13119696/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147820125","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Shuchi Priya, Sushil Kumar, Anjani, Ahmad M Khasawneh, Omprakash Kaiwartya
Smart vehicles integrated with the Internet of Things (IoT) provide rich data for traffic management, safety, and liability services; however, existing blockchain-enabled vehicular architectures still struggle with consensus scalability, heavy centralized validation, limited interaction-based corroboration, incomplete attack coverage, and rapid ledger growth. In particular, many schemes either optimize single-layer consensus or embed detailed reputation information into every transaction, while pushing most validation to central servers. This leads to bottlenecks under dense traffic and leaves replay, Sybil-assisted 51% attacks on roadside units (RSUs), and man-in-the-middle tampering only partially addressed. In this context, this paper proposes a novel hierarchical blockchain for vehicular IoT (HBV-IoT) model to address the above challenges. An independent transaction for periodic vehicle status reporting and an interaction-based transaction for corroborating data between vehicles in proximity are presented. Three smart contracts are designed to automate the validation and processing of transactions, and to identify compromised or malicious vehicles within the HBV-IoT network. Algorithms for distributed consensus to accept transactions into the blockchain and for vehicle reputation management to enforce edge-level filtering and down-weighting of malicious nodes are implemented. Simulation results demonstrate significant improvements compared to conventional vehicular blockchain approaches, with performance gains validated by 95% confidence intervals. The model supports practical applications, including real-time traffic monitoring, automated e-challan issuance, intelligent insurance claim processing, and blockchain-based vehicle registration.
{"title":"HBV-IoT: Hierarchical Blockchain-Based Vehicular IoT Network Model for Secured Traffic Monitoring and Control Management.","authors":"Shuchi Priya, Sushil Kumar, Anjani, Ahmad M Khasawneh, Omprakash Kaiwartya","doi":"10.3390/s26082511","DOIUrl":"10.3390/s26082511","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Smart vehicles integrated with the Internet of Things (IoT) provide rich data for traffic management, safety, and liability services; however, existing blockchain-enabled vehicular architectures still struggle with consensus scalability, heavy centralized validation, limited interaction-based corroboration, incomplete attack coverage, and rapid ledger growth. In particular, many schemes either optimize single-layer consensus or embed detailed reputation information into every transaction, while pushing most validation to central servers. This leads to bottlenecks under dense traffic and leaves replay, Sybil-assisted 51% attacks on roadside units (RSUs), and man-in-the-middle tampering only partially addressed. In this context, this paper proposes a novel hierarchical blockchain for vehicular IoT (HBV-IoT) model to address the above challenges. An independent transaction for periodic vehicle status reporting and an interaction-based transaction for corroborating data between vehicles in proximity are presented. Three smart contracts are designed to automate the validation and processing of transactions, and to identify compromised or malicious vehicles within the HBV-IoT network. Algorithms for distributed consensus to accept transactions into the blockchain and for vehicle reputation management to enforce edge-level filtering and down-weighting of malicious nodes are implemented. Simulation results demonstrate significant improvements compared to conventional vehicular blockchain approaches, with performance gains validated by 95% confidence intervals. The model supports practical applications, including real-time traffic monitoring, automated e-challan issuance, intelligent insurance claim processing, and blockchain-based vehicle registration.</p>","PeriodicalId":21698,"journal":{"name":"Sensors","volume":"26 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13120486/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147820574","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}