A precise sensor fault detection technique using statistical techniques for wireless body area networks

One of the major challenges in wireless body area networks (WBANs) is sensor fault detection. This paper reports a method for the precise identification of faulty sensors, which should help users identify true medical conditions and reduce the rate of false alarms, thereby improving the quality of services offered by WBANs. The proposed sensor fault detection (SFD) algorithm is based on Pearson correlation coefficients and simple statistical methods. The proposed method identifies strongly correlated parameters using Pearson correlation coefficients, and the proposed SFD algorithm detects faulty sensors. We validated the proposed SFD algorithm using two datasets from the Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care database and compared the results to those of existing methods. The time complexity of the proposed algorithm was also compared to that of existing methods. The proposed algorithm achieved high detection rates and low false alarm rates with accuracies of 97.23% and 93.99% for Dataset 1 and Dataset 2, respectively.     

TF‐CPABE: An efficient and secure data communication with policy updating in wireless body area networks

The major challenge in wireless body area networks (WBAN) is setting up a protected communication between data consumers and a body area network controller while meeting the security and privacy requirements. This paper proposes efficient and secure data communication in WBANs using a Twofish symmetric algorithm and ciphertext‐policy attribute‐based encryption with constant size ciphertext; in addition, the proposed scheme incorporates policy updating to update access policies. To the best of the author's knowledge, policy updating in WBAN has not been studied in earlier works. The proposed scheme is evaluated in terms of message size, energy consumption, and computation cost, and the results are compared with those of existing schemes. The result shows that the proposed method can achieve higher efficiency than conventional methods.     

Nanocrystalline zinc indium vanadate: a novel photocatalyst for hydrogen generation

Hydrogen is a future fuel and hence production of cheap hydrogen is an important area of research. Recently, the photocatalysts were used to generate hydrogen from water and hydrogen sulfide splitting under solar light. Hence, we designed Zinc Indium Vanadate, a novel visible light active photocatalyst and used for the generation of hydrogen by using solar light. We have demonstrated the synthesis of ZnIn2V2O9 (ZIV) catalyst by sonochemical route using NH4VO3, In (NO3)3 and Zn(CH3COO)2 as a precursors and PVP as a capping agent. The obtained product was further characterized by XRD, UV-DRS and FESEM. The XRD pattern reveals the existence of monoclinic crystal structure and broader peaks indicating the nanocrystalline nature of the material. The particle size was observed in the range of 50-70 nm. The optical study showed the absorption edge cut off at 520 nm with estimated band gap about 2.3 eV. Considering the band gap in visible range, ZnIn2V2O9 was used as a photocatalyst for photodecomposition of H2S under visible light irradiation to produce hydrogen. We observed excellent photocatalytic activity for the hydrogen generation by using this photocatalyst.     

Fabrication of diamond micro-structures by ink-jet printed diamond seeding and microwave plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition

Ink-jet printing has the advantage of easy formation of micro-patterns on rigid as well as flexible surfaces without needing conventional lithographic processes. By means of printing in selected areas, diamond seeding in designed patterns and areas is achieved. Properly designed ink with a desirable composition helps the formation of patterned structures with tailored functions. Ink containing nano-diamond particles was designed and used to print micro-structures, which were applied for further CVD growth of diamond by means of microwave plasma CVD. Promising applications of this technique are discussed.     

Low-cost and biodegradable cellulose/PVP/activated carbon composite membrane for brackish water treatment

A simple fabrication of a biodegradable membrane for use in water purification systems is presented in this work. Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose and PVP are dissolved in water and crosslinked with citric acid. The presence of glycerol has given immense flexibility and mechanical strength to the membrane. The addition of activated charcoal has enhanced its purification and dye adsorption capabilities at room temperature in dark and light conditions. The polymer semiconductor composites are completely soil degradable within a week and the membrane also exhibits good electrical conductivity when compared to the membrane without charcoal. The addition of glycerol has acted as molecular spacer between polymers composite's monomer backbone that allows good electron mobility of 9.9 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹. The dye adsorption efficiency of the material with two commonly used toxic textile dyes is found to be 100% for methyl orange and up to 57% for Rhodamine B within 3 h. The material shows good dye adsorption efficiency under dark and light conditions with acidic, neutral, and alkaline pH. Salt rejection was also found to increase from 25.3 to 64.4% with applied voltage. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48746.     

Removal of divalent nickel from aqueous solution using blue-green marine algae: adsorption modeling and applicability of various isotherm models

Adsorption of Ni(II) onto blue-green marine algae (BGMA) is investigated under batch condition. Under optimum experimental conditions, the initial Ni(II) metal ion concentration is varied from 25 to 250 ppm and the maximum adsorption capacity of BGMA is found to be 42.056 mg/g. The optimum pH, biomass loading, and an agitation rate on maximum removal of Cu(II) ion are found to be 6, 2 g, and 120 rpm, respectively. 24 h of contact time is allowed to achieve equilibrium condition. All the experiments are carried out at room temperature. The equilibrium experimental data infer that the isotherm is L-shaped. It is the indication of no strong competition between solvent and Ni(II) to occupy the active sites of BGMA. Also, it indicates that the BGMA has a limited sorption capacity for adsorption of Ni(II). The experimental data are tested with various isotherm models; subsequently, the mechanism of adsorption is identified and the characteristic parameters for process design are established. Fritz–Schlunder-V isotherm model is highly significant in establishing the mechanism of adsorption of Ni(II) under the conditions employed in this investigation followed by Freundlich. The q_max of 41.89 mg/g obtained by this model indicates its relevance more precisely with experimental data.     

A Simple System for the Preparation of Submicrometer Lead Titanate Powders by the Sol-Gel Method

This paper reports a new system for the preparation of lead titanate powders by the sol-gel method. In this system basic lead acetate, (CH₃COO)₂Pb.Pb(OH)₂, is used as the lead precursor instead of the widely used Pb(OOCCH₃)₂.3H₂O and titanium tetrabutoxide monomer. This new system simplifies the chemical processing of precursor solutions of lead titanate, increases their stability in air, and offers good control of Pb:Ti stoichiometry. The xerogel, obtained from the precursor solution by aging at room temperature, is found to have a higher inorganic content. Gel-to-ceramic conversion is achieved by calcining the xerogel at 600°C. The phase purity, particle size, morphology, and compositional homogeneity of the gel-derived powders are examined by XRD, TEM, and ICP-OES.     

MEMS-Capacitive Pressure Sensor Fabricated Using Printed-Circuit-Processing Techniques

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-based capacitive pressure sensors are typically fabricated using silicon-micromachining techniques. In this paper, a novel liquid-crystal polymer (LCP)-based MEMS-capacitive pressure sensor, fabricated using printed-circuit-processing technique, is reported. The pressure sensor consists of a cylindrical cavity formed by a sandwich of an LCP substrate, an LCP spacer layer with circular holes, and an LCP top layer. The bottom electrode and the top electrode of the capacitive pressure sensor are defined on the top side of the LCP substrate and the bottom side of the top-LCP layer, respectively. An example pressure sensor with a diaphragm radius of 1.6 mm provides a total capacitance change of 0.277 pF for an applied pressure in the range of 0-100 kPa     

Tunable coplanar patch antenna using varactor

The operating frequency of a coplanar patch antenna is tuned using a varactor mounted at one of the radiating edges. The coplanar patch antenna is tunable from 4.92 GHz at 0 V to 5.40 GHz at 19.5 V with a return loss better than 14 dB in this frequency range. The antenna provides a return loss better than 32 dB in the tunable frequency range of 5.16 to 5.40 GHz.     

Hierarchically porous nanoarchitecture constructed by ultrathin CoSe2 embedded Fe-CoO nanosheets as robust electrocatalyst for water oxidation

The sluggish kinetics and high cost of the noble-metal based electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction(OER)still seriously limits the efficiencies of water splitting.Herein,for the first time,we rationally design a porous hierarchical nanoarchitecture,constructed by ultrathin CoSe2 embedded Fe-CoO nanosheets(CoSe2@Fe-CoO),which is synthesized via self-assembly hydrolysis driven in-situ synergetic selenization of Fe/Co/O/Se precursor followed by Ostwald ripening.As an OER catalyst,the porous CoSe2@Fe-CoO hybrid with abundant CoOOH electroactive sites delivers a small Tafel of 56.2 mV/dec with very low onset overpotential of 280 mV@10 mA/cm2 and excellent long-term physicochemical stability till 62 h without obvious decay,which outperforms well-established benchmark electrocatalysts(RuO2).The boosted OER performance of CoSe2@Fe-CoO nanosheets is mainly attributed to its iron-doping effect,porous nanoarchitecture,and multicomponent synergetic/interfacial effect between ultrathin cobalt(Ⅱ)oxide and conductive cobalt selenide(CoSe2)nanoframework.This work presents a facile construction strategy to find a nonprecious hybrid OER electrocatalyst with excellent performance and long-term stability.