Noncontact Material Identification and Distance Measurement Using Effective Capacitance With CdS Cells
We propose a novel noncontact sensing method for material identification and for detection of the distance between the sensor and the surface of a material by using its electrical and optical properties. In the proposed method, capacitance between the terminals of a pair of CdS cells, called the effective capacitance, is measured, and several capacitance values are obtained by changing the emission strength of the light emitting diode, thus changing the resistance value of the CdS cells. From these values, it is possible to identify the materials and to detect the distance between the CdS cells and the material. In this paper, we compare four kinds of effective capacitance measurement methods using a pair of CdS cells and describe the proposed measurement method. In addition, this paper discusses the measurement accuracy of effective capacitance values in the proposed method and demonstrates its ability to identify six material samples-clear, white, and black acrylic, clear vinyl chloride, brown bakelite, and aluminum-and to detect the distance between the CdS cells and the material.
Strain measurement of moving periodic objects with optical sensors
Measuring the strain of an object provides information about axial loads which it is exposed to. In some applications, this information is wanted not from still-standing, but from linearly moving objects. Measuring the strain of V-belts, e.g., permits investigating the operational behavior of combustion engine belt drives. For this purpose, new noncontact measurement methods using optical sensors are being developed. The sensors detect periodic patterns on the moving object. The strain is determined from a frequency analysis of the sensor signal.
Using Infrared Thermography to Detect Moisture in Historic Masonry: A Case Study in Indiana
Nondestructive testing mapped water infiltration in the decoratively painted interior of a Masonic Temple in Muncie, Indiana.