ISSN:
1432-1858
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Electrical Engineering, Measurement and Control Technology
,
Technology
Notes:
Abstract The development of an electrochemical microanalytical system for ionometric measurements (acronym ELMAS) is described. ELMAS combines potentiometric microsensors with solid state ion sensitive membranes, plastic molded and adhesive mounted micropumps, a microchannel system for connecting all components (several sensors, the calibrating solution reservoirs, the micropumps) and microelectronic components for signal processing and system control. The development of any complex technical system requires a good understanding and asks for a specification of high quality. Very useful for this purpose are executable specifications; they can demonstrate system properties already in an early design stage and give a deep insight in the behaviour of the system. Thus the system requirements can be verified and design errors can be detected and eliminated earlier than by other approaches. So we started the development of the ELMAS microsystem with the creation of a dynamical executable specification model, based on Statecharts, performed by the STATEMATE tool. Statecharts are extended finite automata. This model has been combined with a graphical user interface. Running simulations guarantees the correct system behaviour. The graphical interface itself was used for communication between the institutes participating on the development of ELMAS. The next stage of development was characterized by substituting some simulated components by real ones. At this stage microsensors have been combined with macro pumps and conventional electronics. The model running on a workstation controls the sensor and actuator components of macro dimension. The result of this stage was a macro prototype of ELMAS. It was used for testing the new developed microsensors and analysing the system behaviour. Going from the macro to micro components and replacing the workstation by a microcontroller the step by step development of ELMAS ends up in a real microsystem for the simultaneous measurement of pNa and pH. Thus we get a closed chain from specification to realization.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s005420050063
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