•A Raspberry Pi and a CMOS camera were successfully employed for analytical purposes.•Conventional DPPH assay can be carried out with consumer electronics.•Results were comparable with data obtained ...using a research-grade spectrophotometer.•Open-source software libraries and consumer electronics are effetcive tools for chemistry research and education.
Microcontrollers and single-board computers are widespread tools for innovative educational labs, for prototyping and for accomplish everyday tasks by expert users. Moreover, these modules are opening new exciting possibilities in the area of biological and chemical assays. In this study a Raspberry Pi computer assembled with 3D printed parts and inexpensive opto-electronic components were employed to analyse the antioxidant capacity of several bottled tea performing diphenylpicryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) tests. A dedicated python software allowed the execution of the analysis controlling the device through a small LCD touch screen or remotely through secure connections with other devices. The Raspberry Pi-based measurements were compared with a research-grade spectrophotometer showing excellent correlation (R2 = 0.9996) and no significant differences (p < 0.05) in the range of measured values. We strongly believe that this approach could support diagnostics progress in resource-poor countries and open new opportunities in research and education.
Accidental falls of patients cannot be completely prevented. However, timely fall detection can help prevent further complications such as blood loss and unconsciousness. In this study, the authors ...present a cost-effective integrated system designed to remotely detect patient falls in hospitals in addition to classifying non-fall motions into activities of daily living. The proposed system is a wearable device that consists of a camera, gyroscope, and accelerometer that is interfaced with a credit card-sized single board microcomputer. The information received from the camera is used in a visual-based classifier and the sensor data is analysed using the k-Nearest Neighbour and Naïve Bayes' classifiers. Once a fall is detected, an attendant at the hospital is informed. Experimental results showed that the accuracy of the device in classifying fall versus non-fall activity is 95%. Other requirements and specifications are discussed in greater detail.
A class of signal-based identification-free auto-tuners, simple algorithmically provided and implemented on portable single-board microcomputers is found to be well suited to control a wide range of ...industrial processes met in practice, which are uncertain in the sense that it is not possible to determine what the future output of the process precisely will be.
The implementation of a class of auto-tuning controllers using portable single-board microcomputers is described. The class is found to be well suited to solving a range of industrial control problems through a well-known PID-based control. The ubiquitous PID algorithm was chosen because of its familiarity, timeproven utility, and applicability to the majority of industrial feedback control problems and its operations are intuitively understood by most process engineers. Adaption loops work like an ordinary control loop. For evaluating them no special test disturbances are necessary, the current control process being quite sufficient for the auto-tuning. Hardware and software details of portable single-board microcomputers, SCX-48, SCX.51, and SCX-80, respectively are presented with particular reference to the use of the new auto-tuning algorithms. The hardware has been designed with MCS 48, MCS 51, MCS 80, MCS 88 sets of components and is equipped with a serial port to connect to certain personal computer through an RS 232/CCITT V.24 voltage levels. These controllers were succesfully tested on simulated and real industrial plants.
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