Mirco Muttillo

A Novel Electronic Interface for Micromachined Si-Based Photomultipliers

In this manuscript, the authors propose a novel interface for silicon photomultipliers based on a second-generation voltage conveyor as an active element, performing as a transimpedance amplifier. Due to the absence of internal feedback, this solution offers a static bandwidth regardless of the tunable gain level. The simulation results have shown good performances, confirming the possibility of the proposed interface being effectively used in different scenarios. A preliminary hybrid solution has also been developed using second-generation current conveyors and measurements conducted on an equivalent discrete-elements board, which is promising.

Smart power management system for home appliances and wellness based on wireless sensors network and mobile technology

This work is focused on the development of a new management system for building and home automation that provides a fully real time monitor of household appliances and home environmental parameters. The developed system consists of a smart sensing unit, wireless sensors and actuators and a Web-based interface for remote and mobile applications. The main advantages of the proposed solution rely on the reliability of the developed algorithmics, on modularity and open-system characteristics, on low power consumption and system cost efficiency.

Integrable Sensor System for Live Monitoring of Loudspeaker Performances

We here present a dedicated system capable of compensating loudspeaker distortion due to driver working condition or apparatus aging. The proposed monitoring system is formed by a reduced number of sensors that monitor the loudspeaker by a digital signal processing architecture (DSP) which performs a feedback to the loudspeaker amplifier so balancing its gain. All the sensors are designed to not interfere with output sound quality.

Wireless Smart Parking Sensor System for Vehicles Detection

The proposed paper shows a novel and feasible solution for the realization of a smart-parking system. The proposed parking sensor circuit represents a robust and low cost solution for the automotive market to perform parking operations faster and simpler. The sensing strategy is based on both the electromagnetic coupling with the car platform and on an innovative dedicated algorithm implemented in a digital sensor interface for data acquisition and manipulation.

Development of a low-cost temperature data monitoring. An upgrade for hot box apparatus

The monitoring phase has gained a fundamental role in the energy efficiency evaluation of a system. Number and typology of the probes depend on the physical quantity to be monitored, and on the size and complexity of the system. Moreover, a measurement equipment should be designed to allow the employment of probes different for number and measured physical quantities. For this reason, a scalable equipment represents a good way for easily carrying out a system monitoring. Proprietary software and high costs characterize instruments of current use, thus limiting the possibilities to realize customized monitoring. In this paper, a temperature measuring instrument, conceived, designed, and realized for real time applications, is presented. The proposed system is based on digital thermometers and on open-source code. A remarkable feature of the instrument is the possibility of acquiring data from a high and variable number of probes (order of hundred), assuring flexibility of the software, since it can be programmed, and low-cost of the hardware components. The contemporary use of multiple temperature probes suggested to apply this instrument for a hot box apparatus, although the software can be set for recording different physical quantities. A hot box compliant with standard EN ISO 8990 should be equipped with several temperature probes to investigate heat exchanges of a specimen wall and thermal field of the chambers. In this work, preliminary tests have been carried out focusing only on the evaluation of the prototypal systems performance. The tests were realized by comparing different sensors, such as thermocouples and resistance thermometers, traditionally employed in hot box experiments. A preliminary test was realized imposing a dynamic condition with a thermoelectric Peltier cell. Data obtained by digital thermometers DS18B20, compared with the ones of Pt100 probes, show a good correlation. Based on these encouraging results, a further test was carried out in hot box, comparing the data measured by digital thermometers, Pt100 and T-type thermocouples. In this case also, the analyses show a good correlation between either digital thermometers and analog sensors. From these results, it is reasonable to foresee that this measuring instrument could help those willing to realize or refurbish a hot box apparatus, and those who want to undertake temperature monitoring.

Energetic performance analysis of a commercial water-based photovoltaic thermal system (PV/T) under summer conditions

In the last years, the importance of integrating the production of electricity with the production of sanitary hot water led to the development of new solutions, i.e. PV/T systems. It is well known that hybrid photovoltaic-thermal systems, able to produce electricity and thermal energy at the same time with better energetic performance in comparison with two separate systems, present many advantages for application in a residential building. A PV/T is constituted generally by a common PV panel with a metallic pipe, in which fluid flows. Pipe accomplishes two roles: it absorbs the heat from the PV panel, thus increasing, or at least maintaining its efficiency; furthermore, it stores the heat for sanitary uses. In this work, the thermal and electrical efficiencies of a commercial PV/T panel have been evaluated during the summer season in different days, to assess the effect of environmental conditions on the system total efficiency. Moreover, infrared thermographic diagnosis in real time has been effected during the operating mode in two conditions: with cooling and without cooling; cooling was obtained by natural flowing water. This analysis gave information about the impact of a non-uniform temperature distribution on the thermal and electrical performance. Furthermore, measurements have been performed in two different operating modes: 1) production of solely electrical energy and 2) simultaneous production of thermal and electrical energy. Finally, total efficiency is largely increased by using a simple solar concentrator nearby the panel.

A Multisensorial Thermal Anemometer System

This work deals on the design of a multisensorial anemometer able to provide an accurate measurement of both wind speed and direction. The system is based on thermal anemometry that is, probably, the preferable way to measure instantaneous wind velocity in any weather condition and surrounding. The application here proposed is based on a commercial flow probe, the IST FS5 that shows a robust design without moving parts, small dimensions and is suitable to operate up to 150 °C and a wind speed of 100 m/s. In addition, the sensor is organized as a pattern of probes. In this way, being the analysis based on differential measurements, analyzing the signal provided by each sensor is possible to perform an accurate evaluation of both the wind speed and direction. A microcontroller realizes the data management and wind flow identification process.

A Low Cost Flexible Power Line Communication System

The present work focuses its attention on the definition of a home automation system based on power line communication. A low cost and non invasive system has been developed and tested with successful results. It is based on the Cypress CY8CPLC10, an integrated power line communication chip which embeds both a PHY modem and a network protocol stack. The information management and data generation processes are demanded to a microcontroller, in this first prototype, being implemented with a standard Arduino board. Combining the use of a microcontroller with a power line modem makes possible to manage sensors and actuators in the neighbors through the power grid and without modifying the electrical and network systems.