Marius Branzila

This study presents a site-specific calibration of the ratio between S-wave and P-wave peak ground acceleration (PGA) for use in low-cost, on-site earthquake early warning (EEWS) systems in Iași, Romania. A dataset of 25 intermediate-depth Vrancea earthquakes (Mw 4.1–5.7; epicentral distances 150–210 km) was analyzed. PGA values were extracted for the P- and S-wave windows on both horizontal components and combined using geometric means. The resulting S/P amplitude ratios yield a median value of k_S/P = 6.19 and a logarithmic standard deviation of σlog₁₀ = 0.31, corresponding to a multiplicative uncertainty factor of approximately ×2. These results indicate that S-wave amplitudes are typically six times larger than P-wave amplitudes at this site, consistent with soft-soil amplification observed in comparable stations in Japan and Italy. The calibrated ratio can be used as a site-specific input for future MEMS-based on-site EEW implementations to estimate the expected S-wave PGA immediately after P-wave detection, with the observed S–P delays in Iași indicating a typical available warning window of 20–22 s.

The experimental stand involves the use of electrical circuit components, sensors, transducers, and electronic modules, controlled using different controllers containing specific software. Overall, a lab is a valuable tool for students, allowing them to experiment, learn by doing, and develop key skills necessary for success in their field of study or future careers. The paper presents a Lab workbench intended for the Intelligent Sensor Lab. It consists of a PCB with several sensors and commercial modules connected to an Arduino board. One of the labwork is briefly described. The developed board offers a compact system for a complete set of labs. Simple and easily findable software can be used to run the apps.

When we discuss the quick development of technology, the weather station has become an asset for those who want to enjoy a tool that can provide accurate data about temperature, pressure, and various weather data, but also an essential element in the successful operation and development of various economic branches. In this work, we have presented how to take information from the environment and use it to create predictions. Using a modular concept, we can easily connect several controllers without making significant changes to the original system, which is a great advantage over other products on the market.

Considering new trends in systems and microsystems to use Open-Source, we realized a graphic user interface (GUI), based on Python technologies, for helping the students to take measurements in the Sensors and transducers laboratory. It is a tool for keeping track of students and grading them using an electronic grid test. The solution presented is to develop a method for monitoring and control of motor speed using a sensory system to take measurements, in the laboratory (on-site). The sensors used are a magnetic encoder, a capacitive proximity sensor, and a stroboscope. Through the electronic grid test, we can evaluate the student’s preliminary knowledge, then, using our GUI, students can manage the measurements automatically: inputs of experimental data, report generation with tables, graphs, and measurement errors. The grades obtained by the students are sent by e-mail, to the teacher, thus easing the routine work.

Recently, great efforts have been made to passing from traditional to online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Regarding online learning, many concepts have been developed to use various learning methods in electrical engineering laboratories because this involves equipment that students have not access. To solve this problem, virtual instruments have been made to control and monitoring equipment from the laboratories. In this paper, we presented a solution for the development of a remote laboratory for measuring a DC motor speed. The greatest advantages of this method are the remote interaction of the students with the workbenches in classes, the shortening working time, the measured values accuracy, the automatic graph drawing, and reducing measurement errors.

While the concept of Internet of things (IoT) has been released, the interest for developing smart devices and smart sensor networks increased continuously. IoT allows a large number of devices to communicate through Internet with a server that analyzes and process the information and send it to the users. The market available modules (microcontroller boards and sensors modules) are cheaper and cheaper and easier to be used. The present paper presents a cost effective system that takes care about the plants in the house. It is build around a cheap microcontroller based module and it monitors few parameters, like the soil humidity, the air humidity, the temperature and the light. Besides this, it can water the plants when is necessary. The software is developed in the Arduino environment. The whole information collected from sensors is stored in a local data base, build on a Raspberry Pi.

The paper present an interactive kiosk that can be used to increase the students' interest in Sensors and transducers Laboratory. It also has a teaching goal but without being a virtual laboratory. The main issue we intend to solve using this interactive kiosk in the field of education, as a novelty, is to reduce students' lack of interest in practical work. The advantage is interaction improvement of the student with the teacher by bringing useful, dynamic and interactive information about the laboratory and the activities carried out here. Last but not least, the low cost can also be considered in the context of growing interest in open source. The web interface is accessible to any type of user and beyond providing information about students' projects, it offers the possibility of sending an email about the issue of a lab or course followed under the guidance of a teacher working in this laboratory.

This paper present some of the intelligent sensor concepts and an application for object tracking, making use of data fusion concept. The ARM microcontroller processes data from two sensors: ultrasonic sensor for distance measurement and video cam. With distance and image parameters are defined normal and altered conditions. If the data conditions are altered, following rules based system, the alarm system send useful information to be displayed at the user level.

Taking in consideration the new trends in Open Source Systems, we present a solution based Java technology used to help students to take measurements in the lab. Also it can be integrated as an educational remote laboratory. The remote laboratory consist in a web server, where students can access to educational materials and also collect data from different stands having the possibility to also control them, under a supervised and controlled environment. The stands are made with industrial devices: programmable logic controller (PLC), human machine interface (HMI) and various industrial sensors. This system can be very useful in the new information society to create a modern virtual laboratory for a remote teaching.