Foil electret transducer for blood pressure monitoring

A foil electret microphone for use under the cuff of an automatic blood pressure monitoring system is described. The transducer is designed to operate with relatively flat sensitivity over a static pressure range of 40 to 250 mm Hg (5.33 X 10(4) to 3.33 X 10(5) dyn/cm2). The new electret microphone differs from conventional microphones used for airborne sound reception in two ways: (1) the diaphragm thickness is 50 micron rather than the typical 12.5 or 25 micron, and (2) the backplate contains a set of annular ridges spaced at 4 mm rather than the typical 7-10 mm. This microphone offers three advantages over the piezoelectric microphone now in use: (1) greater tolerance in positioning the microphone over the brachial artery, (2) nearly 20-dB higher sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio, and (3) the ability to obtain measurements with the microphone placed midway between the elbow and shoulder. Tests of the new foil electret microphone in conjunction with the automatic blood pressure monitoring system indicate that the automatic and conventional measurements of systolic and diastolic blood pressure agree to within 5 mm Hg at least 90% of the time. In addition, the electret microphone is able to obtain automatic measurements on subjects with a wider range of ages and sizes.     

界面极化注极聚丙烯薄膜驻极体的电荷存储特性研究

本文报道一种基于双层介质界面极化机理的新型驻极体注极技术: 借助辅助层对PP薄膜进行注极. 采用表面电位测试方法考察了注极温度、注极电压对所获PP薄膜驻极体电荷存储性能的影响, 并利用热刺激放电技术研究了其高温电荷存储性能, 同时测试了PP薄膜驻极体在X和Y方向的静电场分布. 结果表明: 界面极化注极是一种比电晕注极更为优异的驻极体形成方法. 在一定温度下, 驻极体表面电位随注极电压的增加而增加, 而且两者呈线性关系, 这一结果与注极过程的电荷积聚方程的分析完全一致. 注极温度的影响研究表明, 在保持注极电压不变(注极电压范围为0.5–3.0 kV)的情况下, 温度低于75 ℃时, 温度的变化对于注极效果的影响不明显; 当注极温度大于75 ℃ 时, PP薄膜驻极体的表面电位随注极温度的增加而增加. 表面电位随时间的变化研究表明, PP薄膜驻极体具有良好的电荷存储稳定性. 对其表面电位分布的测试表明, 界面极化注极所形成的PP薄膜驻极体呈现均匀的静电场分布.     

恒流电晕充电对聚四氟乙烯多孔薄膜驻极体驻极态的影响

利用常温下恒流和恒压电晕充电、充电后的等温表面电位衰减、热刺激放电和扫描电镜等实 验手段研究了恒流和恒压电晕充电技术对聚四氟乙烯多孔薄膜驻极体驻极态的影响.与恒压电晕充电相比较，恒流电晕充电时由于流过薄膜的电流恒定，增加了注入电荷在多孔结构厚度方向界面处的俘获概率，使沉积电荷密度上升，改善了驻极体的储电能力.然而，这些位于不同层深多孔界面处的俘获电荷在这类功能膜储存或使用过程中，经外激发从脱阱位置 以跳动（hopping）模式输运至背电极的路径相对缩短将导致脱阱电荷衰减较快. 关键词： 恒流电晕充电 聚四氟乙烯多孔膜 驻极体 电荷稳定性     

Investigation of microphones as near-ground sensors for seismic detection of buried landmines

Commercially available microphones were investigated as near-ground sensors to measure the acoustic pressure and the vertical pressure gradient of evanescent air-acoustic waves associated with audio-frequency seismic waves. Measurements in close proximity to the surface and the use of waveguides were found to improve the microphone signal's quality, the comparison of its seismic sensitivity to its sensitivity to propagating sound (ambient acoustic noise and nonseismic reverberation). Landmine images formed using microphone data collected in a laboratory experimental model clearly locate buried inert landmines but exhibit more clutter than images of the same objects formed with seismic displacement data collected using other techniques.     

ChargingE-perm for radon measurements

Recharging of commercial E-perm electret detectors used for radon measurement has been investigated. The E-perm was recharged using the poling charging method where a high voltage is applied on a metal nozzle to polarize the electret material. The optimum parameters to recharge the electrets were 5 kV charging voltage and 7 mm height of the nozzle from the electret surface and using an insulator while charging. Under these conditions, charging of E-perm carried out for 15 s attained required voltage and retained the charge for long durations. The response of recharged E-perm for radon activity measurements in a radon calibration chamber and in an open environment was compared with that of CR-39 detectors. Results showed close proximity in radon values.     

Comparison of microphone and neck-mounted accelerometer monitoring of the performing voice

One method for monitoring individuals in live performances may be the use of vibration sensors, or accelerometers, rather than using microphones that pick up environmental noises as well as the vocal signals of interest. This study was concerned with a comparison of microphone and accelerometer monitoring of the amplitude characteristics of singers' voices. From the results obtained it appears that accelerometers are not applicable for monitoring amplitude characteristics of the voice, but are useful for periodicity measures. In addition, accelerometers may be of use in verifying the kinesthetic patterns sensed by a performer during the process of “singing into a mask” or producing the singer's “ring.”     

An active noise reduction earplug using a piezoelectric laterally radiating loudspeaker

This paper describes the electroacoustic behaviour of a new piezoelectric Active Noise Reduction (ANR) earplug device. The sensor is a microphone having suitable characteristics chosen from among commercially available electret microphones. The actuator is a cylindrical piezoelectric ceramic loaded with a thin fluid film. An analytic model of laterally radiating loudspeaker, based on fundamental equations of acoustics, which takes into account the effect of viscosity and heat conduction is adapted to describe the acoustic radiation of the actuator. Theoretical and experimental frequency responses in a small cavity and an example of the ANR that can be obtained with the earplug are presented.     

Measurement of in-duct acoustic properties by using a single microphone with fixed position

Acoustic properties of sound absorption materials and other acoustic structures can be measured in an impedance tube using the well-established two-microphone method to resolve the two traveling wave components of a standing wave pattern. The accuracy of such measurements depends crucially on the calibration of the two microphones placed in close proximity. To eliminate such calibration, the one-microphone method [Chu, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 80, 555-560 (1986)] uses the same microphone to probe at two positions sequentially using the voltage driving the loudspeaker as a reference signal. A variant of this method is introduced in this study in which the microphone is fixed at one position while a rigid end plate moves between two positions to resolve the standing wave. The sound source is installed as a side branch, and its driving signal is also used as a reference in the two-step measurement. Close agreement is found with the established two-microphone method, and factors which might affect the accuracy of the new technique are discussed. As a demonstration of the robustness of the method, a low-budget electret microphone is used and the result also matches well with those obtained by the two-microphone method with high-quality condenser type microphones.     

极化电压对聚丙烯压电驻极体膜压电性能的影响

压电驻极体是具有压电效应的微孔结构空间电荷驻极体材料,其压电性能与材料的微结构和空间电荷密切相关.本文首先利用压缩气体膨化工艺对聚丙烯(PP)的微结构进行改性,然后利用接触极化方法,研究了极化电压与PP膜空间电荷密度之间的关系,及其对压电性能的影响.结果表明对于极化前厚度为100μm的PP膜,其内部建立有序空间电荷分布的阈值极化电压为2 kV;一旦有序空间电荷建立起来,PP膜即具有压电效应.随着极化电压的提高,PP膜的空间电荷密度逐步增大,压电效应显著增强.当峰值电压为8 kV时,PP膜电极上的电荷密度、准静态压电系数和品质因数FOMv(d33·g33)分别为0.56 mC/m2,379 pC/N和8.6(GPa)-1.PP压电驻极体膜的FOMv比聚偏氟乙烯(PVDF)铁电聚合物膜高2个量级以上,且声阻抗非常低(～0.025 MRayl),因此该压电膜在超声波发射-接收系统或脉冲-回波系统中具有明显的优势.     

Background noise in piezoresistive,electret condenser,and ceramic microphones

Background noise studies have been extended from air condenser microphones to piezoresistive, electret condenser, and ceramic microphones. Theoretical models of the respective noise sources within each microphone are developed and are used to derive analytical expressions for the noise power spectral density for each type. Several additional noise sources for the piezoresistive and electret microphones, beyond what had previously been considered, were applied to the models and were found to contribute significantly to the total noise power spectral density. Experimental background noise measurements were taken using an upgraded acoustic isolation vessel and data acquisition system, and the results were compared to the theoretically obtained expressions. The models were found to yield power spectral densities consistent with the experimental results. The measurements reveal that the 1/f noise coefficient is strongly correlated with the diaphragm damping resistance, irrespective of the detection technology, i.e., air condenser, piezoresistive, etc. This conclusion has profound implications upon the expected 1/f noise component of micromachined (MEMS) microphones.     

充电栅压对聚四氟乙烯多孔膜驻极体储电能力的影响

利用室温下栅控恒压电晕充电、热脉冲技术、开路热刺激放电电流谱以及对在充电过程中通过样品电流的监测等方法，系统地研究了充电栅压对具有开放性孔洞结构的聚四氟乙烯（PTFE）多孔膜储电能力的影响，并讨论了导致这类影响的电荷动力学特性和材料的微结构根源 .结果显示，过高的充电栅压会导致沉积电荷密度下降和电荷衰减加剧，不利于这类新结构 功能材料压电活性的提高及其热稳定性的改善.合理的优化充电条件能使负极性充电PTFE多 孔膜驻极体在有机聚合物材料中显示优异的储电能力及电荷稳定性，并改善其作为双极性空 间电荷型压电传 关键词： 聚四氟乙烯 驻极体 储电能力 多孔膜     

Noise in miniature microphones

The internal noise spectrum in miniature electret microphones of the type used in the manufacture of hearing aids is measured. An analogous circuit model of the microphone is empirically fit to the measured data and used to determine the important sources of noise within the microphone. The dominant noise source is found to depend on the frequency. Below 40 Hz and above 9 kHz, the dominant source is electrical noise from the amplifier circuit needed to buffer the electrical signal from the microphone diaphragm. Between approximately 40 Hz and 1 kHz, the dominant source is thermal noise originating in the acoustic flow resistance of the small hole pierced in the diaphragm to equalize barometric pressure. Between approximately 1 kHz and 9 kHz, the noise originates in the acoustic flow resistances of sound entering the microphone and propagating to the diaphragm. To further reduce the microphone internal noise in the audio band requires attacking these sources. A prototype microphone having reduced acoustical noise is measured and discussed.     

Neural Networks for Flow Regime Identification with dry particulate flow

This work on imaging of particulate processes using electrical charge tomography uses two basic techniques: the multi-sensing of electrical charge in a cross-section of the flow pipe and a neural network based flow regime identification system to aid in the image reconstruction process. A measurement system, consisting of sixteen sensors, placed at equal distance from each other around the boundary of a circular 100 mm bore pipe, is used to determine the voltage profile of the flow for several artificially produced flow regimes: full, annular, core, half and stratified. A sand flow system is used to produce these different flow regimes, which are created artificially by using baffles of different shapes that obstruct the sand flow. The voltage profile from the sixteen sensors gives spatial information of the flow regime. These profiles are normalised and formed into patterns that are presented to a Kohonen neural network for classification. Two regime classification between clearly distinct regimes gives an accuracy of identification of 85%. Classification of closely similar patterns show much less accuracy of 30%.     

Charge relaxation in conducting dielectric films with shallow and deep traps

A nonsteady-state boundary-value problem of the relaxation of a charge injected into a dielectric film is solved analytically with allowance for the film conductivity and capture of charge carriers by traps having a finite emptying rate. The one-and two-zone modes of charge relaxation are considered. The obtained general expressions reduce to earlier published formulas derived in particular cases. Numerical calculations and an analysis of the experimental data available in the literature on the electret state of oxide films deposited on metal substrates confirm the applicability of the proposed model of dielectric relaxation.     

毫米级栅型电场分布FEP薄膜驻极体的制备及其电荷存储性能研究

采用电晕注极和热注极技术, 在厚度为25 μm的氟化乙丙烯共聚物(FEP)表面制备了宽度为2 mm和3 mm的具有栅型电场分布的驻极体, 研究了注极温度和电极宽度对其电荷存储性能的影响. 样品注极后经150天的存储, 栅型电场分布变得清晰而有规律, 覆盖铝电极区电位已衰减至接近零, 未覆盖铝电极区仍保持高电位; 对电极宽度为2 mm和3 mm的样品, 覆盖铝电极区与未覆盖铝电极区的表面电位差分别为110 V和130 V(电场强度差分别为44 kV/cm和52 kV/cm). 表面电位跟踪测试结果表明: 电晕注极样品初始表面电位高于热注极样品; 在相同的注极方法下, 注极温度越高初始表面电位越高, 电极宽度越小初始表面电位越低. 依据电晕注极和热注极原理对实验结果的分析表明, FEP和金属铝在电荷存储性能上的差异是FEP表面蒸镀铝电极后能获得栅型电场分布的原因所在.     

Physical aspects of the shape of electron emission spectra for ferroelectric electrets

A correlation between the specific features of the electron emission spectrum of a ferroelectric electret and the behavior of the potential at the surface of the sample is determined within the theoretical approach proposed. The physical nature of the main features in experimental emission spectra is interpreted in terms of the behavior of the potential relief. It is revealed that the electret charge relaxation affects the spectrum shape due to the bifurcation (branching) of singularities in the spectrum.     

Active noise control in a free field with virtual sensors

The zone of local control around a "virtual energy density sensor" is compared with that offered by an actual energy density sensor, a single microphone, and a virtual microphone. Intended as an introduction to the concept of forward difference prediction and a precursor to evaluating the virtual sensor control algorithms in damped enclosures, this paper investigates an idealized scenario of a single primary sound source in a free-field environment. An analytical model is used to predict the performance of the virtual error sensors and compare their control performance with their physical counterparts. The model is then experimentally validated. The model shows that in general the virtual energy density sensor outperforms the actual energy density sensor, the actual microphone, and the virtual microphone in terms of centering a practically sized zone of local control around an observer who is remotely located from any physical sensors. However, in practice, the virtual sensor algorithms are shown to be sensitive (by varying degrees) to short wavelength spatial pressure variations of the primary and secondary sound fields.     

Development of a multi-microphone calibrator

This paper presents the theory, design, and validation of a microphone calibrator used to simultaneously calibrate the amplitudes of multiple microphones on a single probe. The probe uses four 6 mm diameter electret microphones to acquire the data needed to compute acoustic energy density. This probe has prompted the need for simultaneous, multi-microphone amplitude calibration. The calibration process simultaneously subject each microphone on the probe to the same known acoustic pressure using four equal-length, small-diameter tubes connected to a single excitation source. A reference microphone connected to a fifth tube is used to calibrate the microphones. Test results show that the calibrator can calibrate each probe microphone within ±0.5 dB up to 2 kHz, and within ±1 dB up to 4.9 Hz with a confidence level of 95%.     

Open photoacoustic cell x-ray detection

A simple open-cell configuration photoacoustic x-ray detector is experimentally demonstrated. The front air chamber of a commercial electret microphone is used as the transducer medium of conventional photoacoustics. The observed signal is well described by the thermal diffusion model for the photoacoustic signal.