Tiny sensor, big impact: UIC research could make bridges safer
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CME Professor Didem Ozevin wants to make bridges safer.
After researching sensors for more than 20 years, Ozevin is on the cusp of releasing commercial sensors for bridge monitoring that are smaller, more cost-efficient, and provide more information than the current monitors on the market.
The piezoelectric micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) resonators are designed to detect mechanical vibrations in solids generated by crack-surface movement, a phenomenon known as acoustic emission.
“Our patented miniature sensor connects up to 16 different resonators on the same chip, which is much more than the sensors currently being used. This provides more data to provide a better idea of bridge health,” Ozevin said.
The sensor is also smaller and can be installed in tight spaces. It weighs 3.6 grams, whereas current sensors on the market are bulky and can weigh up to 34 grams.
“With mass production, the sensor will cost less than $200 per unit, making it much more affordable than other sensors that can cost more than $500 per unit,” she said.
The sensor could ultimately help improve the country’s infrastructure. Approximately 45,000 bridges are classified as structurally deficient, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration.
Ozevin is the director of the Nondestructive Evaluation Laboratory at UIC, where her research group studies intelligent structural design and inspection concepts by integrating damage detection methods into design practice. They study acoustic emission and nonlinear ultrasonics and design next-generation MEMS-based sensors tuned for specific applications to detect damage.
The sensor is still being refined, and its development is supported by a proof-of-concept award from the UIC Office of Technology Management.
The award supports the advancement of promising UIC innovations toward commercialization by providing critical early-stage funding, project guidance, and opportunities for translation and impact. It also helps with early proof-of-concept activities, feasibility testing, prototype development, and validation needed to determine a technology’s commercial potential.