A Frequency-Programmable Miniaturized Radio Frequency Transmitter for Animal Tracking.

In animal tracking applications, smaller transmitters can reduce the impact of the transmitter on the tagged animal and thus provide more accurate data about animal behavior. By combining a novel circuit design and a newly developed micro-battery, we developed frequency-programmable and more powerful radio frequency transmitters that are about 40% smaller and lighter in weight than the smallest commercial counterpart for animal monitoring at the time of development. The new radio frequency transmitter has a miniaturized form factor for studying small animals. Designs of two coding schemes were developed: one transmits unmodulated signals (weight: 152 mg; dimensions: Ø 2.95 mm × 11.22 mm), and the other transmits modulated signals (weight: 160 mg; dimensions: Ø 2.95 mm × 11.85 mm). To accommodate different transmitter life requirements, each design can be configured to transmit in high or low signal strength. Prototypes of these transmitters were evaluated in the laboratory and exhibited comparable or longer service life and higher signal strength compared to their smallest commercial counterparts.

Evaluation of an airborne alpha and beta particle detection capability using an environmental continuous air monitor system.

We evaluate the ability of the Canberra Alpha Beta Environmental Continuous Air Monitor (ECAM) to detect and quantify airborne radiological contamination. The ECAM essentially consists of a passively-implanted planar silicon (PIPS) detector near a particulate filter through which outside air is pulled. Three years' worth of background measurements on three different systems were assessed and calibrated to compensate for changing conditions and develop an average background response for the systems. The ECAM was also exposed to several radionuclides of interest, including 235U and 239Pu, to measure the response to alpha and beta particle sources. Both standard calibration sources and custom sources consisting of aqueous radioisotope solutions absorbed into clean filters. The ECAM responses to these sources were then scaled to quantities of interest and injected on the averaged background. Various alarm algorithms were evaluated on the source-injected spectra for minimum detectable air concentration for a given false alarm rate. Even in the worst case, the ECAM was able to detect radionuclides of interest at 10% of the Derived Response Level (DRL) for each isotope based on early-phase Protective Action Guides (PAG). Quantification of the radionuclides was also evaluated for the various algorithms, with mixed results, but overall clearly indicating the optimal algorithms for alpha and beta particle alarm and quantification. Finally, a limited evaluation of the beta particle detection efficiency points to a detection energy threshold of approximately 290 keV.

An Energy Harvesting Underwater Acoustic Transmitter for Aquatic Animals.

Acoustic telemetry is the primary method to actively track aquatic animals for behavioral studies. However, the small storage capacities of the batteries used in the transmitters limit the time that the implanted animals can be studied. In this research, we developed and implemented a battery-free acoustic transmitter that uses a flexible piezoelectric beam to harvest energy from fish swimming as the power source. The transmitter sends out a unique identification code with a sufficiently strong signal (150 dB, ref: 1 µPa at 1 meter) that has a detection range of up to 100 meters. Two prototypes, 100 mm and 77 mm long, respectively, weighing only about 1 gram or less in air, were sub-dermally implanted in two species of live fish. Transmissions were successfully detected as the fish swam in a natural manner. This represents the first known implanted energy-harvesting transmitter demonstrated in vivo. Successful development of this transmitter greatly expands the potential for long-term studies of the behaviors of aquatic animals and for subsequently developing strategies to mitigate the environmental impacts of renewable energy systems.