A method and a device for testing for the presence of micro-holes or microcracks in a bottom surface of test objects includes an upper electrode arranged above a transport level and a lower electrode arranged below the transport level. The magnitude of a test voltage generated by two voltage sources connected in series is controlled at the electrodes so that the test voltage is greater than or equal to the breakdown voltage between the electrodes in air, and smaller than the breakdown voltage through a test object without holes or cracks. The test voltage is controlled temporally and synchronously with the movement of the test objects, so that the test voltage is only applied when one of the test objects is located between the electrodes. A hole or crack is recognized by a breakdown to the discharge path between the electrodes.

The invention relates to a method for the discriminant monitoring of a composite multi-material assembly comprising at least one internal layer made of a first, electrically conductive composite material and a second layer made of a second, electrically insulating composite material, the second layer covering the first internal layer. The method comprises the following steps: preparing the composite multi-material assembly by exposing a portion of the internal layer constituting a first electrode; applying a second electrode to the surface of the second layer, earthing one of these electrodes; discriminant monitoring by means of generating a current between the first electrode and second electrode by applying a threshold voltage U.sub.S pre-defined by calibration to be characteristic of a lack of structural defects, the appearance of a breakdown at a voltage lower than said threshold voltage U.sub.S indicative of the presence of at least one structural defect in the composite assembly.

The invention relates to a method for the discriminant monitoring of a composite multi-material assembly comprising at least one internal layer made of a first, electrically conductive composite material and a second layer made of a second, electrically insulating composite material, the second layer covering the first internal layer. The method comprises the following steps: preparing the composite multi-material assembly by exposing a portion of the internal layer constituting a first electrode; applying a second electrode to the surface of the second layer, earthing one of these electrodes; discriminant monitoring by means of generating a current between the first electrode and second electrode by applying a threshold voltage U.sub.S pre-defined by calibration to be characteristic of a lack of structural defects, the appearance of a breakdown at a voltage lower than said threshold voltage U.sub.S indicative of the presence of at least one structural defect in the composite assembly.

A monitoring system includes an acoustic emission monitoring system including acoustic emission sensors, a partial discharge monitoring system including partial discharge sensors and synchronized with the acoustic emission monitoring system, and a computer receiving acoustic emission data from the acoustic emission sensors and electrical data from the partial discharge sensors. The computer is configured to classify a first statistical event as a fatigue cracking event by pattern recognition of the acoustic emission data and determine a first location and a first damage condition resulting from the fatigue cracking event, classify a second statistical event as a partial discharge event by pattern recognition of the acoustic emission data or the electrical data, and fuse the acoustic emission data and the electrical data for the second statistical event and determine a second location and a second damage condition resulting from the partial discharge event. Methods of monitoring are also disclosed.

This invention relates to identification of organic or nonorganic molecules dissolved in liquid solutions based on their internal dipole moment. These molecules include and are not limited to viruses, microbes, bacteria, and in general pathogens. The liquid solution provides a specific dielectric constant, which is directly related to the internal dipole moment of the dissolved pathogen. An electronic device namely PtSi-Porous Si schottky junction is proposed as the pathogen detector. This device, which is made of PtSi alloy covering the pores of an n-type Silicon substrate, is a sensitive indicator of the dielectric constant of the material filling its pores. In particular, such a device has a unique reverse biased current-voltage (IV) relation that is sensitive to changes in electric fields around its surface, which change its breakdown voltage. The change caused in the breakdown voltage due to a pathogen dissolved in a liquid solution can be traced back to the dipole moment of the pathogen and used to identify it. Furthermore, application of a frequency varying ac signal to the device can help distinguish molecules with identical dipole moments. Each pathogen exhibits a frequency at which a sudden change in its characteristics occurs. This change in the characteristics causes an abrupt change in the breakdown voltage. The frequency at which the breakdown voltage changes is then used to identify the pathogen.

This invention relates to identification of organic or nonorganic molecules dissolved in liquid solutions based on their internal dipole moment. These molecules include and are not limited to viruses, microbes, bacteria, and in general pathogens. The liquid solution provides a specific dielectric constant, which is directly related to the internal dipole moment of the dissolved pathogen. An electronic device namely PtSi-Porous Si schottky junction is proposed as the pathogen detector. This device, which is made of PtSi alloy covering the pores of an n-type Silicon substrate, is a sensitive indicator of the dielectric constant of the material filling its pores. In particular, such a device has a unique reverse biased current-voltage (IV) relation that is sensitive to changes in electric fields around its surface, which change its breakdown voltage. The change caused in the breakdown voltage due to a pathogen dissolved in a liquid solution can be traced back to the dipole moment of the pathogen and used to identify it. Furthermore, application of a frequency varying ac signal to the device can help distinguish molecules with identical dipole moments. Each pathogen exhibits a frequency at which a sudden change in its characteristics occurs. This change in the characteristics causes an abrupt change in the breakdown voltage. The frequency at which the breakdown voltage changes is then used to identify the pathogen.

A variety of methods, apparatuses, and systems are disclosed, involving, in one example, a method including traversing the length of a conductive substrate with a holiday detector, inducing an arc voltage at a defect of a coating disposed on the conductive substrate, detecting the arc voltage with sensors, and recording an electrode voltage with electronics disposed at the holiday detector.