Advanced Sensor Technology Laboratory

The Advanced Sensor Technology Laboratory focuses on developing state-of-the-art sensor technologies for Structural Health Monitoring and bio-medical applications and providing a multi-disciplinary learning environment for the students to participate in world class research activities.

Current research projects at ASTL cover a broad range of topics, including:

  • Smart sensing and dynamic fitting for enhanced comfort and performance of prosthetics
  • An integrated experimental-numerical framework for early fatigue damage study
  • Simultaneous strain and temperature measurement using a single fiber Bragg grating with thermochromic coating
  • SmartWalker, a new design of rolling walker to reduce falls and walker-use related side effects
  • Distributed wireless antenna sensors for boiler condition monitoring
  • Remote generation and steering of ultrasound using microwave

Personnel

  • Haiying Huang, Ph.D., Director

Current Students

  • Mazharul Islam, Ph.D. student, Mechanical Engineering
  • Jun Yao, Ph.D. student, Electrical Engineering
  • Farshad Zahedi, Ph.D. student, Mechanical Engineering
  • Kranthi Balusu, Ph.D. student, Aerospace Engineering
  • Franck Tchafa, Ph.D. student, Aerospace Engineering
  • Jalal FathiSola, Ph.D. student, Aerospace Engineering
  • Mauricio Jaguan, M.S. student, Mechanical Engineering
  • Abhay Singh, M.S. student, Mechanical Engineering
  • Shahnavaz Eilbeigi, M.S. student, Mechanical Engineering
  • Mohammadhesam Hajighasemi, M.S. student, Mechanical Engineering
  • Hamed Tavakkoli, M.S. student, Computer Science
  • Luis Eduardo Salas Nunez, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Mechanical Engineering

Alumni

  • Austin Mears, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Mechanical Engineering
  • Maziar Mahdavi, Ph.D. student, Civil Engineering, UTA
  • Farah Ahmed, PhD student, Electrical Engineering, UTA
  • Hao Jiang, Ph.D.
  • Oleg Bobrenkov, Ph.D.
  • Katinska Gomes, Undergraduate student, UTA
  • Ya-Yu Hew, Graduate student, Stanford University
  • Erica Castillo, Graduate student, Stanford University
  • Jeremiah Sanders, Graduate student, Duke University
  • Nguyen Tran, Graduate student, UTA
  • Irshad Mohammad, Ph.D.
  • Ye Wang, M.S.
  • Srikar Deshmukh, M.S., MicroChip Technology
  • Manjunath Shenoy, M.S.
  • Ayan Majumdar, M.S., Applied Materials
  • Uday Tata, M.S., Post-doc, UCLA

Equipment List

Microwave wireless measurement

  • Vector Network Analyzer
  • Broadband horn antennas
  • Microwave power amplifiers
  • Microwave directional coupler
  • Patch antenna fabrication

Optical fiber sensor

  • Optical spectrum analyzer
  • Optical circulator
  • Vibration-isolated optical table
  • Optical power meter
  • Motorized translation stages
  • Fiber cleaver
  • Microscope
  • Fusion splicer
  • Tunable filter

Mechanical Testing System

  • Servo-hydraulic MTS Tester
  • Custom-made micro-tensile tester
  • Load cells
  • Strain gauge signal conditioner module

General Purpose Instruments

  • Oscilloscope
  • Signal generator
  • PC-based data acquisition
  • Digital cameras/lenses
  • Environmental oven

Funding

  • National Science Foundation
  • NASA
  • Air Force Office of Scientific Research
  • Office of Naval Research
  • U.S. Department of Defense

Selected Publications

  • Islam, M. and Huang, H., “Understanding the effects of adhesive layer on the electromechanical impedance (EMI) of bonded piezoelectric wafer transducer”, under revision, Smart Materials and Structures (July 2014)
  • Huang, H. and Bednorz, T., “Introducing S-parameters for ultrasound-based Structural Health Monitoring”, in print, IEEE Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control
  • Zahedi, F. and Huang, H., 2014, “A wireless acoustic emission sensor remotely powered by light”, Smart Materials and Structures, v23, p035003.
  • Huang, H., “Flexile wireless antenna sensor: a review”, accepted, IEEE Sensor Journal Special Issue on Flexible Sensors and Sensing Systems.
  • Wang, Y., Meletis, E.I. and Huang, H., “Study of surface roughness evolution during fatigue of 316L stainless steel”, accepted, International Journal of Fatigue.
  • Xu, X. and Huang, H., 2012, “Battery-less wireless interrogation of microstrip patch antenna for strain sensing”, Smart Materials and Structures, v21, 125007 (9pp).
  • Mohammad, I. and Huang, H., 2012, “Shear sensing based on microstrip patch antenna”, Measurement Science and Technology, v23, 105705 (5pp).
  • Xu, X. and Huang, H., 2012, “Multiplexing passive wireless antenna sensors for multi-site crack detection and monitoring”, Smart Materials and Structures, v21, p015004.
  • Mohammad, I., Gowda, V., Zhai, H. and H. Huang, 2012, “Detecting crack orientation using patch antenna sensors”, Measurement Science and Technology, v23, p015102.
  • Huang, H. and Paramo, D., 2011, “Broadband electrical impedance matching of piezoelectric ultrasound transducer”, IEEE Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, v58, n12, p2699-2707.
  • Hew, Y., Deshmukh, S. and Huang, H., 2011, “A wireless strain sensor consumes less than 10 mW”, Smart Materials and Structures, v20, p105032.
  • Deshmukh, S., Xu, X., Mohammad, I. and Huang, H., 2011, “Antenna sensor skin for fatigue crack detection and monitoring”, Smart Structures and Systems, Special Issue on Bio-inspired Sensing and Actuation, v8, n1, p93-106.
  • Erdmann, J. and Huang, H., 2011, “Microwave antenna sensors for fatigue crack Monitoring under lap-joints”, Studies in Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics, v35, p456 -465.
  • Wang, Y. and Huang, H., 2011, “Optical fiber corrosion sensor based on laser light reflection”, featured article, Smart Materials and Structures, 20, p085003.
  • Mohammad, I. and Huang, H., 2011, “An antenna sensor for crack detection and monitoring”, Advances in Structural Engineering, 14, p47-53.
  • Huang, H., Paramo, D. and Deshmukh, S., 2011, “Unpowered wireless transmission of ultrasound signals”, featured article, Smart Materials and Structures, 20, p015017.