[Pablo_02 (OP)]

Hello
I'm from Poland. Forgive you for mistakes in spelling and possibly ill-posted topic.
I'm having trouble finding information on the high-tech smart materials. I need it for college.
I know that in Poland, this area still in its infancy. Do you have any knowledge on how "smart material" can be used to indicate the level (the exact spirit level). Something along the lines of an accelerometer or gyroscope.
So, to be able to detect deviation from horizontal and to react to it (something like level). Let's just say that he had to control an Atmel uC.
smart material is preferred - it will also be a form of research.
Where can I get such material, or who to contact? Please Links to the store with such devices.
Can you recommend a foreign - good English-language forums related to electrical engineering and smart materials?
Thanks in advance

[CliffordK]

It is not quite clear what your goal is.  Perhaps a bit more details on your project would help.

You may choose to look for an aviation or aviation engineering forum if that is related.

There are a few different methods for determining the levels of liquids.

Water levels can simply be monitored by two electrodes in the liquid.  If there is conduction, then the level of water is above that point.  If there is no conduction, it hasn't reached that point yet.  One could potentially use a variable resistor for a similar task.

I believe that petroleum fuels tend have lower electrical conductivity, although alcohol fuels may be more conductive.  Anyway, there may be a  concern with electrical contacts in a fuel mixture and spark hazard.  Floats can be used that would either make electrical contact, or in more modern devices, alter a magnetic field.

By adding in several fuel level sensors, one could determine the angle of a tank.

Looking at Smart materials, a few of the sensors that are being experimented with might be useful. 

Piezoelectric could detect deformity in a tank.  So, say you had a foam backed flexible liner, you might detect when the fluid strikes the material and alters the shape.

Perhaps there would be a change that could be picked up with a Temperature-responsive polymer or Thermoelectric materials.  Propane levels can often be determined based on the temperature of the liquid vs the temperature of the gas above.

You might also be able to do something with light.

It would be easy enough to design a tank with multiple sensors, then write a computer program to interpret that data.

Also, as a basis for your research, you may choose to look up information on the current state of yaw, pitch, and roll sensors.

[evan_au]

These sometimes integrate electronic and mechanical components on a single silicon chip.

Note that if the accelerometer is not at the center of the device, rotation can appear as acceleration. More sophisticated devices measure 6 axes: 3 linear directions, and 3 directions of rotation.


Some more information:
https://www.sparkfun.com/search/results?term=accelerometer&what=products [This has several modules with data sheets]
http://www.dimensionengineering.com/products/de-accm3d [This module has data sheets with sample applications]
http://www.silicondesigns.com/tech.html
http://www.parallax.com/dl/docs/prod/compshop/SICMemsicTut.pdf
http://beta.globalspec.com/industrial-directory/accelerometer_chip

[evan_au]

Many digital cameras have 2D accelerometers for image anti-blurring, and many smartphones have 3-axis (or 3D) accelerometers for orienting the display, games, and user input. With high production volume usually comes reduced production costs.
http://www.ehow.com/info_12213292_gyroscope-accelerometers-used-smartphones.html

[Pablo_02 (OP)]

Thank you for your response. My device is to stabilize the camera base. It is recommended that the measurement system itself was small and portable. Yes, to be attached to the base of the camera. I do not know how smart this material are good and do not know where to buy. Can buy on ebay? The project is a research goal, and I have to use smart materials to see if it is better than the popular accelerometers. Is this smart materials is output cables so that I can be measured using a microcontroller. Accelerometers are ready devices and know how to connect it to the microcontroller. Is smart materials as well as connect to the microcontroller and measure the voltage change due to deviations from the level?
Sorry for simple question for some, and for errors in grammar in the English language.

User evan_au added a link to the shop accelerometers. Is there also smart materials to obtain a spirit level?
One important question - what model of accelerometer is made of smart materials?.
Smart materials are the same chemical compound and you need to make your own pin cables?

[CliffordK]

Sorry, we use the term "bubble level" instead of "spirit level" more commonly in the USA, and thus my earlier confusion.

I believe your material provides individual inputs/outputs to your system.  However, you could potentially design a "smart material" that would have some peripheral processing, for example peripheral multiplexing.  Or potentially even complex feedback loops.  Nonetheless, the characteristics of the material have to be designed into the material, with specific input/output, and internal feedback.

Rather than pushing "smart material" into a solution that it is not well suited, you need to design a system that meets your goals.

One could make a type of bubble level that would incorporate a smart material to track the movement of the bubble, for example with electrical conduction or optical properties.  However, the are likely much better ways to solve the level sensing.  Although, I do see that many modern tiltmeters actually use some kind of a bubble indicator, and thus may in fact already utilize a type of "smart material" if you wish to call it that.  Although, Wikipedia suggests that the bubble tiltmeters may be replaced with Microelectromechanical devices, another interesting read about related technology.

Avionics may still be worth pursuing, as they are designed to deal with multiple types of changes in altitude, pressure, angles, and acceleration.

You might be able to design some kind of smart pillow that would get larger in response to lower pressure, and smaller in response to higher pressure.  It could then be programmed for optimal dampening.  But, I would only see the utility of this on a micro-scale, for example dampening around a CCD.  On a macro-scale, you would end up designing a more complex shock absorber system.

Digital cameras and video cameras may also be able to digitally detect and compensate for vibrations.

[Pablo_02 (OP)]

"Digital cameras and video cameras may also be able to digitally detect and compensate for vibrations."

Base-stabilized camera to be on rails, even before the shooting movies, so that the camera moved to the level surface. It does not matter if the camera has image stabilization. I have the stability to do it yourself. It is my job to college.
Where can I buy a "smart materials" that can be coupled together (with microcontroller)?
Thank you for your reply.

[CliffordK]

You may well have to make your own "smart fabric".

I'm seeing notes on Wikipedia about Piezoelectric vibration damping  If designed right, one might be able to make a feedback system generally independent from computer control.

Piezoelectric elements are often used in things like lighters, as well as apparently in speaker and microphone diaphragms.  Presumably they could be wired for either input or output.  Is that what makes your cell phones work?  I'm seeing several Piezoelectric Diaphragms on E-Bay.  Just search for "Piezoelectric" or "Piezo*" on E-Bay.

[Pablo_02 (OP)]

I'm seeing several Piezoelectric Diaphragms on E-Bay.  Just search for "Piezoelectric" or "Piezo*" on E-Bay.

it seems to me that it is used to measure stress. I do not know if I can measure the deviation from horizontal. Do you have any idea?

[CliffordK]

I was thinking of using the Piezoelectric input/output system to damper vibrations.

Adjusting to horizontal may be different.

It may be dependent on how fast you expect the deviations from horizontal to occur, and how fast you wish the system to correct, whether you have both deviations from horizontal and centrifugal force (as is seen with aviation turning systems), and etc.

A simple option would be to take 4 mercury switches out of old thermostats.  Orient them in the X & Y axes, perhaps with a degree or so of offset.  So, if your camera tilts by more than a degree, then it activates some kind of a servo to bring it back to level.  Technically, you might not even need to know how much a deviation from level, just which direction.  This, of course, would be susceptible to centrifugal force.

Look at the aviation turn and balance indicator for ideas on how to compensate for centrifugal force.

[Pablo_02 (OP)]

Where, I can buy this material?
Thanks

[CliffordK]

As mentioned, for the piezoelectric, which might augment an antivibration, you might try e-bay, looking at speaker diaphragms, or search for piezo, or piezo*, or piezoelectric.  You may also find it as components of some compact speakers and microphones.

Evan listed some sources for accelerometers. 

You could probably build some sort of a simple pen & paper chart recorder to test your inventions.

I searched for "tilt" on one of the sites that Evan listed for some more interesting chips and devices.

https://www.sparkfun.com/search/results?term=tilt&what=products

I think there is quite a bit of programming and support for the parallax basic stamp kits.  Here are some of the tilt and accelerometer modules listed by the site.
http://www.parallax.com/Microcontrollers/tabid/81/Default.aspx
http://www.parallax.com/Store/Sensors/AccelerationTilt/tabid/172/CategoryID/47/List/0/Level/a/SortField/0/Default.aspx

[Pablo_02 (OP)]

How about newbielink:http://www.nec-tokin.com/english/product/piezodevice2/ceramicgyro.html [nonactive]
Ceramic gyro material is an intelligent gyro mounted in gyroscope. Therefore, the gyroscope is a smart material. Gyroscope can be connected to the microcontroller and it should work. Only if every gyro is included intelligent material - ceramic