Second SENSKIN project newsletter

Read here about SENSKIN's progress from the first year

'SENsing SKIN' for Monitoring-Based Maintenance of the Transport Infrastructure

SENSKIN has successful first year

Second SENSKIN plenary meeting


	Project partners at second plenary meeting

SENSKIN is a 42-month Horizon 2020 project coordinated by the Greek Institute of Communication & Computer Systems (ICCS) and involving 14 European academic, research and industrial partners to develop an inexpensive, low power, wireless, skin-like sensor that offers spatial sensing of irregular surfaces (transportation bridges in particular). From 17-18th May 2016, the second SENSKIN plenary was organised at project partner TECNIC's premises in Rome. This meeting was attended by all partners of SENSKIN and all Work Package (WP) leaders presented the progress of each WP, respectively. In the first year of the project, the efforts of all partners have focused on the extraction and structuring of the end-user requirements that in turn have driven the development of the system architecture and system specifications that are now final (work within WP1).

Following these, all the technical WPs have started their developments. The first sensor prototype has just been finalised and is currently entering the first testing and evaluation phase where its technical specifications will be validated on actual specimens in laboratory environments (WP2 and WP4). The SENSKIN communication interface is also being designed now with the first hardware being combined, integrated and tested. It is expected that the first alpha prototype of the SENSKIN communication system will be drafted by the end of 2016 (WP3). In parallel, WP5 and WP6 have focused on the structural assessment modules as well as the life-cycle-assessment/costing, multi-criteria decision-making, parameters for/against decision on specific measures as well as their particular LCA and LCC methodologies.

For further information, contact the Project Coordinator Dr. Angelos Amditis, visit www.senskin.eu or join our Linked In group.

First tests started on sensor prototype

The main goal of the work in WP 2 is to demonstrate a first prototype of the actual sensing element for the SENSKIN monitoring system. The sensor is, in essence, a soft capacitor that is designed to provide a measurable change in capacitance for a wide range of deformations. The sensor is made from a thin dielectric-elastomer membrane coated on both sides with compliant electrodes and is encapsulated between soft protective elastomer layers. When a sensor is attached to a hard surface, the deformation of the infrastructure element will result in a deformation of the sensor as well. Thus, changes in the dimensions of relevant transport infrastructure elements can be detected by monitoring the changes in the sensor capacitance.

In line with this, the recently submitted Deliverable 2.1 (Monitoring System) shows a working demonstrator of the SENSKIN sensor prototype being sent to project Partner TRL for further evaluation. The sensor is practically an all-silicone device that is very suitable for measuring large deformations via monitoring the changes in its capacitance. At this stage, the sensor consists only of the soft capacitor without the Data Acquisition Unit that will be incorporated later in the project. As of today, the soft capacitor has two sets of terminals that can be used to monitor both resistance and capacitance by means of an externally connected device (for example a multimeter or an LCR meter).

A step-by-step preparation procedure for elastomer sensors has been presented together with calibration data that will be necessary for the initial evaluation of the sensor prototypes at TRL. Recommendations for mounting the sensors on steel surfaces have also been provided.

Communication module design

After eight months of effort, DUTH has now completed the development of the first SENSKIN communication module prototype (SENCOM-A). SENCOM-A employs a disruption-tolerant communication stack that allows it to perform any requested data exchange within the SENSKIN wireless sensor network reliably and in a timely manner, even under hostile communication conditions. It also features a dual communications interface, based on the IEEE 802.15.4 and IEEE 802.11 communication standards, to provide both a high-performance and energy-efficient communication solution. The photo depicts the alpha version of the communication module prototype. A refined beta version, both in terms of hardware and software, is expected to be produced later in the project.