{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/35676"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/35676","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Development of Ionic Polymer Metallic Composites as sensors","abstract":"Ionomeric polymer transducers (IPTs) are an exciting new class of smart materials that can serve a dual purpose in engineering or biomedical applications as sensors or actuators. Most commonly they are used for mechanical actuation, as they have the ability to generate large bending strains and moderate stress under low applied voltages. Although the actuation capabilities of IPTs have been extensively studied, the sensing capabilities of these transducers have yet to be fully explored. The work presented herein aims to investigate the fundamental sensing characteristics of these transducers and apply the acquired knowledge toward the development of an electronic stethoscope for digital auscultation. The sensors were characterized both geometrically and electrically to determine their effectiveness in resolving a signal from sub 1 Hz to 2 kHz. Impedance spectroscopy was used to interrogate the sensing mechanism. Following the characterization of the transducer, a bio–acoustic sensor was designed and fabricated. The bio–acoustic sensor was placed over the carotid artery to resolve the arterial pressure waveform in situ and on the thorax to measure the S1 and S2 sounds generated by the heart. The temporal response and spectral content was compared with previously known data and a commercially available electronic stethoscope to prove the acquisition of cardiovascular sounds.","abstract_html":"Ionomeric polymer transducers (IPTs) are an exciting new class of smart materials that can serve a dual purpose in engineering or biomedical applications as sensors or actuators. Most commonly they are used for mechanical actuation, as they have the ability to generate large bending strains and moderate stress under low applied voltages. Although the actuation capabilities of IPTs have been extensively studied, the sensing capabilities of these transducers have yet to be fully explored. The work presented herein aims to investigate the fundamental sensing characteristics of these transducers and apply the acquired knowledge toward the development of an electronic stethoscope for digital auscultation. The sensors were characterized both geometrically and electrically to determine their effectiveness in resolving a signal from sub 1 Hz to 2 kHz. Impedance spectroscopy was used to interrogate the sensing mechanism. Following the characterization of the transducer, a bio–acoustic sensor was designed and fabricated. The bio–acoustic sensor was placed over the carotid artery to resolve the arterial pressure waveform in situ and on the thorax to measure the S1 and S2 sounds generated by the heart. The temporal response and spectral content was compared with previously known data and a commercially available electronic stethoscope to prove the acquisition of cardiovascular sounds.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Griffiths, David John"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Mechanical Engineering","degree_department":"Mechanical Engineering","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Leo, Donald","Vlachos, Pavlos P."],"committee_members":["Roan, Michael J."],"year":2008,"date_issued":"2008-09-26","date_published":"2008-09-26","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:18Z","subjects":["ionic polymer metallic composite","characterization","IPMC","sensor"],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-11122008-093649"],"render_values":[{"text":"etd-11122008-093649","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/35676","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Leo, Donald","Vlachos, Pavlos P."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Roan, Michael J."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Mechanical Engineering"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Griffiths, David John"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2014-03-14T20:47:47Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-03-14T20:47:47Z","2009-01-16"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2008-09-26"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Mechanical Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["ionic polymer metallic composite","characterization","IPMC","sensor"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-11122008-093649"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/35676"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Ionomeric polymer transducers (IPTs) are an exciting new class of smart materials that can serve a dual purpose in engineering or biomedical applications as sensors or actuators. Most commonly they are used for mechanical actuation, as they have the ability to generate large bending strains and moderate stress under low applied voltages. Although the actuation capabilities of IPTs have been extensively studied, the sensing capabilities of these transducers have yet to be fully explored. The work presented herein aims to investigate the fundamental sensing characteristics of these transducers and apply the acquired knowledge toward the development of an electronic stethoscope for digital auscultation. The sensors were characterized both geometrically and electrically to determine their effectiveness in resolving a signal from sub 1 Hz to 2 kHz. Impedance spectroscopy was used to interrogate the sensing mechanism. Following the characterization of the transducer, a bio–acoustic sensor was designed and fabricated. The bio–acoustic sensor was placed over the carotid artery to resolve the arterial pressure waveform in situ and on the thorax to measure the S1 and S2 sounds generated by the heart. The temporal response and spectral content was compared with previously known data and a commercially available electronic stethoscope to prove the acquisition of cardiovascular sounds."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Development of Ionic Polymer Metallic Composites as sensors"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Leo, Donald","Vlachos, Pavlos P."],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Roan, Michael J."],"dc:contributor.department":["Mechanical Engineering"],"dc:creator":["Griffiths, David John"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2014-03-14T20:47:47Z"],"dc:date.available":["2014-03-14T20:47:47Z","2009-01-16"],"dc:date.issued":["2008-09-26"],"dc:description.abstract":["Ionomeric polymer transducers (IPTs) are an exciting new class of smart materials that can serve a dual purpose in engineering or biomedical applications as sensors or actuators. Most commonly they are used for mechanical actuation, as they have the ability to generate large bending strains and moderate stress under low applied voltages. Although the actuation capabilities of IPTs have been extensively studied, the sensing capabilities of these transducers have yet to be fully explored. The work presented herein aims to investigate the fundamental sensing characteristics of these transducers and apply the acquired knowledge toward the development of an electronic stethoscope for digital auscultation. The sensors were characterized both geometrically and electrically to determine their effectiveness in resolving a signal from sub 1 Hz to 2 kHz. Impedance spectroscopy was used to interrogate the sensing mechanism. Following the characterization of the transducer, a bio–acoustic sensor was designed and fabricated. The bio–acoustic sensor was placed over the carotid artery to resolve the arterial pressure waveform in situ and on the thorax to measure the S1 and S2 sounds generated by the heart. The temporal response and spectral content was compared with previously known data and a commercially available electronic stethoscope to prove the acquisition of cardiovascular sounds."],"dc:description.degree":["Master of Science"],"dc:identifier.other":["etd-11122008-093649"],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/35676"],"dc:publisher":["Virginia Tech"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright"],"dc:rights.uri":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dc:subject":["ionic polymer metallic composite","characterization","IPMC","sensor"],"dc:title":["Development of Ionic Polymer Metallic Composites as sensors"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Mechanical Engineering"],"thesis:degree_level":["masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science"],"thesis:institution_name":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:18Z"}