Hirofumi Nogami

Unique Activity-Meter with Piezoelectric Poly(vinylidene difluoride) Films and Self Weight of the Sensor Nodes

We have developed piezoelectric switches for application in ultra low-power wireless sensor nodes to monitor the health condition of chickens. Using Pb(Zr0.52,Ti0.48)O3 (PZT) thin films, we have developed S-shaped PZT cantilevers with proof masses. Since the resonant frequency of PZT devices is approximately 24 Hz, we have utilized their superharmonic resonance to detect chicken movements with frequencies as low as 5–15 Hz. By attaching sensor nodes to chickens, we successfully measured the activity of chickens. However, the PZT devices of other sensor nodes broke down. S-shaped PZT devices are adequate for low vibrations, but are beset by the structural problems of fragmentation upon impact. To address these problems, we examine a method of utilizing poly(vinylidene difluoride) (PVDF) films, which are tough and generate high piezoelectric output voltages under a large stress, as piezoelectric switches. We suggest that the self-weight of sensor nodes be used as the mass of the cantilevers of the PVDF films. One end of a PVDF film is fixed to the case of a sensor node, and the other end is attached to the sensor node. Since PVDF films are subjected to force generated by the self-weight of sensor nodes, high output voltages are expected. A result of measuring output voltages, we confirm the output voltages to be approximately the same as those of PZT devices below 15 Hz at 0.5 m/s2 vibration, which is close to chicken movements. Thus, we consider that we have successfully fabricated a tough wireless sensor node for chickens, utilizing the features of PVDF films.

Detection of Site-Specific Blood Flow Variation in Humans during Running by a Wearable Laser Doppler Flowmeter

Wearable wireless physiological sensors are helpful for monitoring and maintaining human health. Blood flow contains abundant physiological information but it is hard to measure blood flow during exercise using conventional blood flowmeters because of their size, weight, and use of optic fibers. To resolve these disadvantages, we previously developed a micro integrated laser Doppler blood flowmeter using microelectromechanical systems technology. This micro blood flowmeter is wearable and capable of stable measurement signals even during movement. Therefore, we attempted to measure skin blood flow at the forehead, fingertip, and earlobe of seven young men while running as a pilot experiment to extend the utility of the micro blood flowmeter. We measured blood flow in each subject at velocities of 6, 8, and 10 km/h. We succeeded in obtaining stable measurements of blood flow, with few motion artifacts, using the micro blood flowmeter, and the pulse wave signal and motion artifacts were clearly separated by conducting frequency analysis. Furthermore, the results showed that the extent of the changes in blood flow depended on the intensity of exercise as well as previous work with an ergometer. Thus, we demonstrated the capability of this wearable blood flow sensor for measurement during exercise.

Useful method to monitor the physiological effects of alcohol ingestion by combination of micro-integrated laser Doppler blood flow meter and arm-raising test.

Alcohol has a variety of effects on the human body, affecting both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. We examined the peripheral blood flow of alcohol drinkers using a micro-integrated laser Doppler blood flow meter (micro-electromechanical system blood flow sensor). An increased heart rate and blood flow was recorded at the earlobe after alcohol ingestion, and we observed strong correlation between blood flow, heart rate, and breath alcohol content in light drinkers; but not heavy drinkers. We also found that the amplitude of pulse waves measured at the fingertip during an arm-raising test significantly decreased on alcohol consumption, regardless of the individual’s alcohol tolerance. Our micro-electromechanical system blood flow sensor successfully detected various physiological changes in peripheral blood circulation induced by alcohol consumption.

Estrous detection by monitoring ventral tail base surface temperature using a wearable wireless sensor in cattle

In the present study, the ventral tail base surface temperature (ST) was monitored using a wearable wireless sensor for estrus detection in cattle. Relationships among ST, behavioral estrus expression, ovulation, and changes in hormone profiles during the estrous cycle were examined. Holstein Friesian or Japanese Black female cattle were used in summer (August-September), autumn (October-November) and winter (January-February; three animals per season). On Day 11 of the estrous cycle (Day 0=the day of ovulation), the sensor was attached to the surface of the ventral tail base and ST was measured every 2min until Day 11 of the next estrous cycle. Hourly maximum ST values were used for analysis. To exclude circadian rhythm and seasonal effects, ST changes were expressed as residual temperatures (RT=actual ST - mean ST for the same hour on the previous 3days). Obvious circadian rhythms of the ST were observed and daily changes in the ST significantly differed among seasons. There was no significant seasonal difference, however, in the RT. The mean RT increased significantly ∼24 compared with ∼48h before ovulation. The mean maximum RT was 1.27±0.30°C, which was observed 5.6±2.4h after the onset of estrus, 2.4±1.3h before LH peak, and 26.9±1.2h before ovulation. The ST of the ventral tail base could be monitored throughout the estrous cycle and could detect a substantial change around the time of expression of behavioral estrus. Calculation and analysis of the RT could be useful for automatic estrous detection.

Use of a simple arm-raising test with a portable laser Doppler blood flow meter to detect dehydration

Using micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) technologies, the authors have developed the world’s smallest, lightest, and least power-consuming laser Doppler blood flow meter. Unlike commercial fibre-type blood flow instruments, the new blood flow meter is invulnerable to any movements of the person wearing it and has a wireless transmitter. Utilizing the characteristics of the blood flow meter, the authors attempted to detect dehydration by having a subject simply raise an arm (arm-raising test) with the flow meter attached to a fingertip. Healthy young volunteers (20 men and two women, mean age 22.9, age range 21–27 years) were instructed to perspire in a sauna until they became dehydrated. The target dewatering ratio was 2 per cent, which was calculated from the body weight measured using a weight scale. Four markers were compared: mean blood flow (MBF) before arm-raising, MBF during arm-raising, maximum amplitude (MA) of the pulse wave during arm-raising, and inclination of reflex (IR) wave calculated from the recorded blood flow data for the non-dehydrated (before sauna) and dehydrated (3 h after sauna) states in the arm-raising test. Each of the mean total markers (MBF during arm-raising, MA, and IR) was significantly lower (P < 0.05) during the dehydrated state than the non-dehydrated. These results suggest that three markers could detect dehydration and the blood flow meter devised has the potential to be used as a portable device for detecting dehydration.

Developing a Solid-State pH Sensor for Wagyu-Rumen Monitoring

We have developed a solid-type pH sensor for dairy wagyu-rumen measurements. The pH sensor is composed of a sensing electrode of indium tin oxide (ITO) film and a metal–oxide– semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET). In the solid-state sensor structure, the ITO electrode is a separated gate of the FET and the ITO electrode can be patterned with a suitable capture structure for the wagyu-rumen environment. A sensor system with a compact size can be fabricated by eliminating the reference solution. The pH sensors have a sensitivity of 10–15 μA/pH under different sensing contact areas from 12 to 78 mm2. Long-term tests with interval experiments have been completed in 18 d, and the results demonstrate that the pH sensor has a stable performance for rumen pH measurements over a long time.

Development of a Built-In Micro-Laser Doppler Velocimeter

Our research group previously developed an integrated micro-laser Doppler velocimeter only 2.8 × 2.8 mm in area and 1-mm thick by minimizing a number of components with multifunctional parts, such as a glass cover with lenses for hermetic sealing and laser collimation, a silicon base for casing, a mirror mount, a laser diode bench, and others. In this paper, by applying a fast Fourier transform analysis to the sensor output, we successfully measured the velocities of plastic, paper, and aluminum objects over a wide velocity range, from 10 μm/s to 10 mm/s, within a 3.3% measurement error, without attaching any scale to the measurement target. We also verified feasible measurement distances for each object and examined how tilt installation error affected the measurements.

Impact of reflow on the output characteristics of piezoelectric microelectromechanical system devices

An animal health monitoring system and a wireless sensor node aimed at preventing the spread of animal-transmitted diseases and improving pastoral efficiency which are especially suitable for chickens, were developed. The sensor node uses a piezoelectric microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device and an event-driven system that is activated by the movements of a chicken. The piezoelectric MEMS device has two functions: a) it measures the activity of a chicken and b) switches the micro-control unit (MCU) of the wireless sensor node from the sleep mode. The piezoelectric MEMS device is required to produce high output voltages when the chicken moves. However, after the piezoelectric MEMS device was reflowed to the wireless sensor node, the output voltages of the piezoelectric MEMS device decreased. The main reason for this might be the loss of residual polarization, which is affected by the thermal load during the reflow process. After the reflow process, we were not able to apply a voltage to the piezoelectric MEMS device; thus, the piezoelectric output voltage was not increased by repoling the piezoelectric MEMS device. To address the thermal load of the reflow process, we established a thermal poling treatment, which achieves a higher temperature than the reflow process. We found that on increasing the thermal poling temperature, the piezoelectric output voltages did not decreased low significantly. Thus, we considered that a thermal poling temperature higher than that of the reflow process prevents the piezoelectric output voltage reduction caused by the thermal load.

Simulation and fabrication of a MEMS optical scanner device considering deformation caused by internal stress

We fabricated a MEMS actuator device that is used as an actuator component of an optical scanning device without deflection of the device using finite element method (FEM) software. When Pt/Ti/PZT/Pt/Ti/SiO2 multilayers were deposited on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer in order to fabricate the MEMS actuator device, the wafer was deflected because of inner stress generated by thin-film deposition, and as a result, the MEMS actuator device using the deflected wafer was also deflected. We aimed to define the relationship between the deflection of the SOI wafer and the deflection of the MEMS actuator device by simulation. Moreover, by using this relationship, we determined the optimal deflection of the SOI wafer after the deposition of thin films, enabling the fabrication of a MEMS actuator device without deflection, by simulation. From the simulation result, when the changes in the deflection of SOI wafers were 14.1 and 7.4 µm, the displacements of the MEMS actuator device were 1.1 and 5.7 µm, respectively. The simulation results were in good agreement with the experimental results. From the simulation results, the optimal wafer deflection for preventing the deflection of the MEMS actuator device was 15.6 µm. This value was close to the experimental value, 14.1 µm. This method enables easy simulation of any MEMS device that is complicated in design and which uses multilayer thin films.

Comparable accuracy of micro-electromechanical blood flowmetry-based analysis vs. Electrocardiography-based analysis in evaluating heart rate variability

BACKGROUND Because the conventional evaluation of autonomic nervous system (ANS) function inevitably uses long-lasting uncomfortable electrocardiogram (ECG) recording, a more simplified and comfortable analysis system has been sought for this purpose. The feasibility of using a portable micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) blood flowmeter to analyze heart rate variability (HRV) for evaluating ANS function was thus examined. METHODS AND RESULTS Measurements of the R-R interval (TRR) derived from an ECG, simultaneously with the pulse wave interval (TPP) derived from a MEMS blood flowmeter, in 8 healthy subjects was performed and resultant HRV variables in time and frequency domains were compared. The TRR- and TPP-derived variables were strongly correlated (coefficients of regression for low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF), and LF/HF of 1.1, 0.66, and 0.35, respectively; corresponding coefficients of determination of 0.92, 0.63, and 0.91, respectively (P<0.01)). In addition, the values of LF, HF, and LF/HF, as analyzed using TPP, changed significantly from the supine to the standing position in another 6 subjects. CONCLUSIONS Miniaturized-MEMS blood flowmetry can be used to perform HRV analysis for the evaluation of ANS function, which is as accurate as analysis based on ECG within comparable tolerances. As MEMS blood flowmetry can more easily and comfortably record physiological variables for longer durations than ECG recording, and can further capture skin blood flow information, this device has great potential to be used in a wider area of physiological analyses.