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In the field of fluorescent microscopy, neuronal activity, diabetes and drug treatment are a few of the wide ranging biomedical applications that can be monitored with the use of dye markers. Historically, in-vivo fluorescent detectors consist of implantable probes coupled by optical fibre to sophisticated bench-top instrumentation. These systems typically use laser light to excite the fluorescent marker dies and using sensors, such as the photo-multiplier tube (PMT) or charge coupled devices (CCD), detect the fluorescent light that is filtered from the total excitation. Such systems are large and expensive. In this paper we highlight the first steps toward a fully implantable in-vivo fluorescence detection system. The aim is to make the detector system small, low cost and disposable. The current prototype is a hybrid platform consisting of a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) to provide the excitation and a filtered solid state Geiger mode avalanche photo-diode (APD) to detect the emitted fluorescence. Fluorescence detection requires measurement of extremely low levels of light so the proposed APD detectors combine the ability to count individual photons with the added advantage of being small in size. At present the exciter and sensor are mounted on a hybrid PCB inside a 3mm diameter glass tube.This is wired to external electronics, which provide quenching, photon counting and a PC interface. In this configuration, the set-up can be used for in-vitro experimentation and in-vivo analysis conducted on animals such as mice.

In laser therapy of port wine stain (PWS) birthmarks, measurement of maximum temperature rise is important to determine the maximum permissible light dose for PWS laser therapy. To measure maximum temperature rise on arbitrary PWS skin site, we developed a handheld pulsed photothermal radiometry (PPTR) system, which overcomes in vivo measurement limitations of bench-top PPTR systems. The developed PPTR system consists of an IR lens, an AC-coupled thermoelectrically cooled IR detector, a laser handpiece holder, and a fixed distance measurement port. With system characterization, experimental results were in good agreement with theoretical calculations. Preliminary results for maximum temperature rise demonstrate the feasibility of the PPTR system for PWS skin characterization in the clinic.

For characterization of suspicious breast lesions, we used a dual modal imaging scheme integrating a hand-held near infrared imager and a portable ultrasound probe. The functional properties of the suspicious lesion and the surrounding tissue were reconstructed based on the diffuse reflectance measurement of the near infrared light and the ultrasound measurement of the tumor morphology. The near infrared/ultrasound dual modal imaging system has been validated through a series of bench top tests where tumor simulators with various absorptions were embedded at different depth in a liquid tissue-simulating phantom. The clinical trial of the imaging scheme was conducted on 44 subjects with suspicious breast lesions identified by mammography and/or ultrasound. Both near infrared and ultrasound data were collected from the area of the suspicious breast lesion and from the adjacent reference breast tissue. The clinical trial demonstrates that the dual modal imaging system can reach up to 71% of diagnostic sensitivity and 58% of specificity in detecting breast carcinoma. This may indicate that the system could potentially be used in breast cancer detection adjunctive with mammography.

We proposed a dynamic near infrared/ultrasound dual modal imaging system (dNIRUS) for characterizing suspicious breast lesions non-invasively. dNIRUS measures the change of tissue mechanical and physiologic parameters in response to dynamic stimuli such as cyclic mechanical compression. It integrates near infrared imaging of tumor physiologic properties, ultrasound imaging of tumor deformation/displacement, and real time pressure monitoring under a designated cyclic compression load. The concept of dNIRUS was quantitatively verified on multi-layer tissue simulating phantoms under cyclic compression. A lumped visco-elastic model was used to characterize the phantom mechanical properties and to simulate the tissue deformation. The diffusion equations were solved analytically in Fourier domain with the moving boundary. The theoretical models were verified by a series of bench top tests where a sensor head integrating an ultrasound probe and a near infrared probe was installed on a load frame. A cyclic compression force was applied to a two-layer tissue simulating phantom. Phantom displacement, compressive pressure and diffuse optical reflectance were recorded simultaneously. Deformation of each layer of the phantom was reconstructed from ultrasound images and was consistent with the load frame measurements as well as the theoretical predictions. Diffuse reflectance amplitude showed corresponding fluctuation during compression, while the phase did not change significantly at the oscillation frequency of 0.5Hz. Further work is necessary to develop forward and inverse algorithms for dynamic characterization of suspicious breast lesions.

Publisher Summary This chapter reveals that the professional design, implementation, and maintenance of closed circuit television (CCTV) and networked analog or digital video systems require a large variety of test equipment. The electrical test equipment takes the form of analog waveform monitors, vector scopes, digital timing and frequency meters, as well as many other specialized types of equipment for analyzing digital signals. When a wireless transmission system is part of the video surveillance network, specialized radio frequency (RF) and microwave test equipment are required to determine the suitability and functionality of the analog and digital transmission equipment. At the front end of the video system, light measuring equipment to determine illumination levels from visible and near-IR natural and artificial lighting are required. In analyzing the environment for a covert video application or for a rapid deployment, video equipment for personnel (VIP) protection and assessment scenarios, electronic and optical interrogation equipment are required to measure signal strength and to locate covert cameras or other clandestine imaging devices.

Simulation for T&E is used to test equipment under realistic signal environmental conditions. A standard piece of test equipment can be used to generate any type of signal. However, EW systems need to operate in the presence of a full signal environment, which usually contains many signals. But even with an unaffordable room full of single signal generators, you would still need to coordinate their operation to simulate the effects of a real-world military signal environment. T&E simulators provide that environment, in some appropriate form, to test receivers, subsystems, and whole systems.

By the nature of electromagnetic interference (EMI), EMC testing is complex, and the test results may be impacted by many variables, including operation of the test item during test, and details of the test setup. To minimize the potential variability of test results, EMC specifications include testing standards that provide comprehensive detail, including requirements for the test facility, the test equipment and its operation, selection of test modes, and the equipment layout. The layout requirements specify positioning of the test item and test sensors, layout and dress of power and interface cables, and guidance on the treatment of any support equipment. For purposes of quoting and preparation for testing, the EMC test facility requires the customer to provide a detail description of the test item including its size, power requirements, operating modes, monitoring means, and pass/fail criteria. When the specified procedures are adhered-to, the tests will be a valid EMC evaluation, and good repeatability can be expected- facility to facility. To assure a smooth test operation, initial planning for EMC tests should begin early in the development program- ideally when the requirements for the hardware, its software, and support equipment, are first being mapped-out. A well-planned and well-run test will minimize unnecessary testing, and will assure valid test results the first time around. The aim of this paper is to provide guidance in the preparation for, and conduct of, EMC tests.

The NOPAL system automatically generates programs in ATLAS to test and diagnose malfunctions of electronic circuit boards. The system consists of two parts: a top-part which analyzes the circuit diagram and determines the necessary tests, and a bottom-part which analyzes the required tests and produces a program in the RCA EQUATE ATLAS test language for use with the RCA AN/USM-410 automatic test equipment. The system has been described previously. The emphasis in this paper is on the recent develop ment of generation of programs in ATLAS, per formed by the bottom-part. However for complete ness, the top-part is described as well briefly. The operation and advantages of NOPAL are also illustrated with an example of a voltage regula tion circut board. The paper concludes with a discussion of features of NOPAL to generate pro grams in other test programming languages and for other automatic test equipment.

General Dynamics Corporation, Fort Worth Division (GD/FW) is currently developing the F-16 depot level Automatic Test Equipment (ATE) system under the direction of the F-16 System Program Office (SPO) located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Existing design testers are being extensively utilized through update and improvement modifications, with the vast majority of the development work concentrated in the Test Packages (Interface Test Adapters (ITAs) and test programs). This paper describes the acquisition management techniques used and the various ATE and software development aids selected to date. The test package development effort is described. Our approach to supporting EPROM/PROM ICs is presented. Configuration management is discussed. Finally, a look at the program future is given.

The need for an objective measure of pro gress in completing computer-based system integration tasks is addressed. Work toward determining such a measure for use in tracking progress in the integration of avionics and automatic test equipment is reported. The measure is based on data collected from ATLAS test programs used to control the test equipment. Preliminary results include a trend curve of the characteristic rate of progress exper ienced in test unit integration.

Polycapillary and doubly curved crystal (DCC) optics coupled with small spot x-ray sources in a special X-Beam package provide compact, high-sensitivity, low-power, highly stable subsystems that can be used for in situ analyzers. These analyzers provide remote, unattended use for environmental applications, bench-top or in-line instruments for industrial applications, and point-of-care clinical instruments for medical diagnosis or monitoring. Micro x-ray fluorescence (μXRF) and monochromatic micro x-ray fluorescence (MμXRF) can be used to measure trace element concentrations and distributions. Parallel-beam and convergent-beam x-ray diffraction (XRD) can be used for in situ phase composition, texture, strain, and crystal structure measurements.

The automatic test system (ATS or ATE) of military electronic equipment based on high automation, more general purpose and combined test with diagnosis, is developed to become the mainstream of military maintenance and ensurance. The analysis method and realization approach, which are applied in the ATS for function test and fault diagnosis of PCB, are particularly discussed through an example of some hybrid PCB applied with microprocessor. VXI and microprocessor emulator are used in this general ATS.

This article describes the technologies (hardware, software) and methods for testing electronic systems (including components). It describes the applications of manual and automatic test equipment in modern electronic engineering development, production, and service.

As a large scale integrator The Boeing Company is always looking for ways to incorporate open systems into new and existing products. Automatic test equipment (ATE) is no exception; our military customers are demanding the incorporation of open standards into many of the systems associated with ATE. This means integrating the many facets of ATE that range from instrumentation, switching, test station descriptions, test program definition, unit under test (UUT) data, UUT test requirements, all the way to built-in-test of the platform. Integrating all these items into a test system improves life cycle support, cost and maintenance of the UUT and the supporting test equipment.

Recent advances in diffuse optical imaging and spectroscopy (DOIS) allow the noninvasive measurement of local changes in cerebral oxygenation and hemodynamics. Available DOIS devices fall into three categories: time domain (TD), frequency domain (FD) and continuous wave (CW). The TD and FD devices have potential for high spatial resolution, high temporal resolution and high accuracy measurement, but the instrument cost and the hardware size prevent their wide clinical application. Furthermore, the presence of the low scattering cerebrospinal fluid layer (CSF) and its thickness variation during motion challenges quantitative, continuous monitoring of the cortex layer oxygenation and blood content. MRI has been used to provide a priori knowledge of the head anatomy that helps the NIR image reconstruction. However, the technology is expensive and lacks portability. This paper proposes a method that combines the accuracy of a TD/FD system and the portability of a CW device. With the optical baseline measured by a TD or FD device and the layer thickness characterized by an ultrasound transducer, a conventional CW system may be able to quantify the cortex layer optical absorption with high accuracy. In this paper, the feasibility of using ultrasound guided CW spectroscopy to monitor brain activities was studied on a multi layer head model using Monte Carlo simulation and order of magnitude analysis. A forward algorithm based on diffuse approximation and 2D Fourier Transform was used to optimize the source detector separation. Both analytical and neuron network approaches were developed for inverse calculation of the cortex layer absorption in real time. An ultrasound transducer was used to monitor the thickness of different layers surrounding the cerebral cortex. The concept of ultrasound guided CW spectroscopy was demonstrated by numerical simulation on a 2 layer head model and the use of the ultrasound transducer for layer thickness characterization was verified by animal and bench top results.

An open architecture test system has been envisioned to address the re-usability of the test solutions. The open architecture provides a method and framework under which software and test instruments of different vendors can be developed and integrated into an automatic test equipment (ATE). The framework uses standard interfaces so that each modular unit (software or hardware) can be replaced with another modular unit from a different vendor. The basic structure of the Open Architecture Test System is described in this paper.

Manufacturing test equipment used to test multi-Gb/s input/output signals is typically expensive, and costs are expected to rise dramatically as data rates on these signals get even faster. The problem is further exacerbated by a rapid increase in the number of chip pins dedicated to interfaces that require such high-speed signals. Many recent interface specification standards for SERDES, PCI Express, USB, DDR, SATA, etc. demand performance parameters that seem nearly impossible to test in a high volume manufacturing (HVM) test environment. Adaptive design techniques, ECC, proper characterization, and a well-balanced system design approach using DFT in harmony with practical fixturing and ATE configurations can provide a cost-effective environment for economical manufacturing test of multi-Gb/s I/O signals.

The technology for x-ray computed tomography (CT) has experienced tremendous growth in recent years. Since the introduction of 4-slice helical scanners in 1998, rapid improvement has been made on CT scanners in terms of the volume coverage, spatial resolution, scan speed, and the number of slices. These advancements not only significantly impact clinical applications, but also bring huge challenges to the CT system design. Because of the complexity of the volumetric CT (VCT) system, various strategies have to be utilized in the design process. These methodologies include theoretical analysis, computer simulation for system performance prediction, bench-top experiments for analysis confirmation, automated image analysis tools for automatically evaluating image performance, and double-blind tests with human observers for parameter optimization. In this paper, we present some of the system design considerations and optimization processes for a 64-slice scanner. These design processes ensure the optimal performance of the cone beam CT scanner. Initial clinical feedback has demonstrated the effectiveness of our approach.

The main use of micro-CT is to analyze bone structure, and values of the linear attenuation coefficients μ at every voxel position in the scanned volume are only used for the analysis of bone structure by establishing a threshold that separates bone from non-bone material. To additionally quantify the degree of mineralization of bone (DMB) from μ in multi-component samples, we corrected for beam hardening and its associated errors in DMB quantification caused by the polychromatic spectra of X-ray tubes used in bench-top micro-CT devices. The correction was implemented by simulating the difference of mono-chromatic and poly-chromatic X-ray sources and adding these differences to the original image in an iterative fashion. When applied to simple cylinders containing a single material, improvement on the constancy of the reconstructed voxel values could be observed to over 90% accuracy.

The inspection of sealed containers is a critical task for personnel charged with enforcing government policies, maintaining public safety, and ensuring national security. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has developed a portable, handheld acoustic inspection device (AID) that provides non-invasive container interrogation and material identification capabilities. The AID technology has been deployed worldwide and user’s are providing feedback and requesting additional capabilities and functionality. Recently, PNNL has developed a laboratory-based system for automated, ultrasonic characterization of fluids to support database development for the AID. Using pulse-echo ultrasound, ultrasonic pulses are launched into a container or bulk-solid commodity. The return echoes from these pulses are analyzed in terms of time-of-flight and frequency content (as a function of temperature) to extract physical property measurements (acoustic velocity and attenuation) of the material under test. These measured values are then compared to a tailored database of materials and fluids property data acquired using the Velocity-Attenuation Measurement System (VAMS). This bench-top platform acquires key ultrasonic property measurements as a function of temperature and frequency. This paper describes the technical basis for operation of the VAMS, recent enhancements to the measurement algorithms for both the VAMS and AID technologies, and new measurement data from laboratory testing and performance demonstration activities. Applications for homeland security and counterterrorism, law enforcement, drug-interdiction and fuel transportation compliance activities will be discussed.

A multi-purpose digital test core utilizing programmable logic has been introduced [1,2] to implement many of the functions of traditional automated test equipment (ATE). While previous papers have described the theory, this paper quantifies the results and presents additional applications with improved methods operating up to 4.4Gpbs. The digital test core provides a substantial number of programmable I/O for testing circuits and systems. It may be used either to enhance the capabilities of ATE or to provide autonomous testing within large systems or arrays of components. This technique has been expanded upon to produce greater functionality at higher frequencies. Based upon limitations of current ATE and BIST, the need for the digital test core is described. The test core concept is reviewed within an opto-electronic pattern generator and sampler with an eventual goal of terabit-per-second aggregate data rate. The performance of the device is discussed, and a second application of the digital test core is introduced as a nano-scale wafer-level embedded tester.

A two-wire test strategy with simultaneous bidirectional data flow and an independent clock line enables very high site count low-cost wafer probing.

Several studies have demonstrated Raman spectroscopy to be capable of tissue diagnosis with accuracy rivaling that of histopathologic analysis. This technique obtains biochemical-specific information noninvasively, and can eliminate the pain, time, and cost associated with biopsy and pathological analysis. Furthermore, when used in a confocal arrangement, Raman spectra can be obtained from localized regions of the tissue. Skin cancers are an ideal candidate for this emerging technology, due to their obvious accessibility and presentation at specific depths. However, most commercially available confocal Raman microspectrometers are large, rigid systems ill-suited for clinical application. We developed a bench-top confocal Raman microspectrometer using a portable external-cavity diode laser excitation source. This system was used to study several skin lesions in vitro. Results show the depth-resolved Raman spectra can diagnose in vitro skin lesions with 96% sensitivity, 88% specificity, and 86% pathological classification accuracy. Based on the success of this study, a portable Raman system with a handheld confocal microscope was developed for clinical application. Preliminary in vivo data show several distinct spectral differences between skin pathologies. Diagnostic algorithms are planned for this continuing study to assess the capability of Raman spectroscopy for clinical skin cancer diagnosis.

In this paper, soft tissue contrast visibility in neural applications is investigated for volume imaging based on flat X-ray detector cone-beam CT. Experiments have been performed on a high precision bench-top system with rotating object table and fixed X-ray tube-detector arrangement. Several scans of a post mortem human head specimen have been performed under various conditions. Hereby two different flat X-ray detectors with 366 x 298mm 2 (Trixell Pixium 4700) and 176 x 176mm 2 (Trixell Pixium 4800) active area have been employed. During a single rotation up to 720 projections have been acquired. For reconstruction of the 3D images a Feldkamp algorithm has been employed. Reconstructed images of the head of human cadaver demonstrate that added soft tissue contrast down to 10 HU is detectable for X-ray dose comparable to CT. However, the limited size of the smaller detector led to truncation artifacts, which were partly compensated by extrapolation of the projections outside the field of view. To reduce cupping artifacts resulting from scattered radiation and to improve visibility of low contrast details, a novel homogenization procedure based on segmentation and polynomial fitting has been developed and applied on the reconstructed voxel data. Even for narrow HU-Windows, limitations due to scatter induced cupping artifacts are no longer noticeable after applying the homogenization procedure.

Three-dimensional x-ray microtomography is used in this work to assess the internal morphology and mineral density of human tooth specimens. Of particular interest is the demonstration of the character of the distal root canal morphology, which can be as small as 10 microns. Human teeth are individually embedded in a low atomic number material. Each tooth is then identically scanned on an advanced design bench-top cone-beam microtomography system under controlled conditions. The specimens are scanned using an 80 kVp technique and a CsI(Tl) scintillator mounted via a taper to a thermoelectrically cooled CCD camera with an overall nominal pixel size of 15 microns at the plane of the specimen. Scanning a ruby sphere phantom independently assessed the resolution of the system. The full width at half-maximum of the plane spread function is nominally 53 microns in the axial direction and 60 microns in the transverse plane. The visualization of the x-ray data consists of several complimentary techniques, including a three-dimensional stack of the reconstructed tomogram slices with 30 micron reconstruction voxel, a 360 degree rotating view of the tooth comprised from a sequence of projection images processed for detail contrast enhancement and edge restoration, and a surface model of each tooth. In total, 237 human teeth representing multiple samples of each of the varied tooth types have been individually scanned, analyzed, and visualized to date. The set of tooth data is being compiled into a comprehensive human tooth atlas, which is to be made available on CD for students and investigators as a resource for anyone studying tooth morphology and mineralization.

Experiments were performed to compare test arrangements used in DO-160 electromagnetic effects (EME) qualification testing. One arrangement in particular was found to expose the circuitry of the equipment under test (EUT) to inadequate levels of RF (radio frequency) or transient energy, despite achieving the required test levels at the harness or equipment chassis. This arrangement utilizes a wrap-around in the cable harness and wiring, to minimize the external equipment used in the test setup. The discrepancy was most pronounced at low frequency (below 10MHz). An alternate method was developed to correct the deficiency and restore the appropriate levels of EME excitation at the equipment interfaces while retaining the advantages of the original test configuration. Some EME test could not be corrected by the alternate technique.

Depot level automatic test equipment has been used over the years by various facets of both the government and commercial industry. Over time, the instrumentation used in the depot will need to be repaired or replaced and often the older instruments are no longer serviceable or manufactured. This paper discusses how to replace the obsolete instrument and its associated hardware test module adapter with a software module and driver that allows compatibility between the original test executive and the modern instrument without re-hosting existing test program sets. Systems & Electronics Inc. has implemented this procedure for a digitizer and precision DC power supply on a depot that utilizes the IEEE-488 General Purpose Interface Bus (GPIB) for communication between the control computer and instrumentation.

The life cycle support of critical military GPETE (general purpose electronic test equipment) commodity is driving procurement innovation. The procurement of electronic test equipment through dynamic reverse auctions (DRA) will dramatically improve the government's acquisition efficiency compared to current practices. Specifically, this Internet-enabled procurement tool removes the traditional and other significant problems associated with the acquisition of specialized older equipment used in the life cycle support of field and depot test systems.

Specifying a test system that covers a single weapons system usually involves deriving required capabilities and parametric performance characteristics from the numerous device specifications. Developing a specification that covers multiple test systems, multiple weapon systems, and multiple services is an even more involved process. The synthetic instrument COSSI has been tasked to do exactly that. The charter for the effort is to develop a common suite of analog measurement capabilities to insert into legacy test equipment currently in use by the US Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. This paper discusses the techniques used to synthesize a common performance specification across multiple systems.

Reverse engineering has recently evolved into a powerful tool in the electronic repair process. Advances in four areas in the reverse engineering process now combine to offer remarkable speed, flexibility and accuracy to the electronic repair engineer. Test systems hardware innovations increase the rate and resolution of automatic wirelist generation by an order of magnitude. Powerful software developments simultaneously improve robustness and user-friendliness of current GUI-based systems. The constant increase in microprocessor bus speeds make PC-based test equipment the emerging winner for performance, economy, and shorter operator learning curve. Novel mathematical algorithms executed within the new software integrate a number of "intelligent" capabilities that greatly enhance the speed of the wirelist.

Field test for military and industrial applications requires special test equipment that meets stringent environmental requirements. These test applications require hardware that can provide high-performance and capabilities, yet be portable and rugged to ensure usability in the field. Typical environmental requirements include extended temperature range, shock & vibration, altitude, humidity, salt-fog, explosive atmosphere, EMI/RFI and more. The required levels are in most cases higher than those provided by commercial off the shelf (COTS) equipment, which dictates a different approach by the tester designer. This paper discussed design approaches for such testers or data acquisition systems and advocates the use of modified COTS as the preferred solution.

Billions of dollars were invested from the 1960's through the 1980's developing automated testers with embedded minicomputers such as the HP 1000, the DG Nova/Eclipse and the PDP-11. Many are still in operation as it is impractical to replace them. With limited budgets and an ever-dwindling supply of parts and expertise, keeping these systems running presents challenges. The US Navy grapples with the requirement to continue testing 30-year-old weapons systems with vintage custom test equipment. At the NUWC-Keyport facility, we have chosen to replace the computers with emulators using modern COTS PCs and Strobe Data Inc.'s Kestrel Co-Processor. As with Strobe's Osprey (PDP-11) and Hawk (DG Nova/eclipse), the Kestrel runs the original test system software correctly and generates the identical backplane signals of the HP 1000 to run the test fixture I/O, eliminating the costly requirement to re-verify and re-certify TPSs (test program sets). In addition, some of the obsolete stimulus and measurement equipment has been replaced with new COTS devices and a test module adaptor (TMA) that emulates the original device. This solution has extended the service life of these systems and avoided the high cost of migration, reducing the risk of maintaining these systems to negligible.

This paper describes a high speed and high performance RF test system targeted for a moderate to high quantity manufacturing environment, integrating state of the art capabilities in high speed RF testing, microwave synthetic instrument measurement techniques, product interfacing and calibration. The RF Multi-function Test System (RFMTS) was developed to support a wide variety of RF test demands, targeted at radically reducing test times.

Testing microprocessor-based boards (/spl mu/P) could be a challenge even for the experienced test engineer. This paper reviews the related challenges and available test philosophies for the functional testing of these products.

In this chapter, some of the techniques, challenges and recent developments in the test and characterisation of RF, analogue, and mixed-signal circuits have been described. Specifically, present test techniques were introduced and shown to rely on direct access methods using external test equipment. These methods require the synchronisation of different pieces of measurement apparatus and rely on excessively long interconnection media for electronic signal delivery to/from the device being tested.Such a measurement paradigm is becoming increasingly infeasible as modern mixed signal devices continue to require tight measurement specifications and higher test signal bandwidths while offering a reduced number of interface pins for direct exter nal access. Thus, although clever test list ordering and optimisation can be employed, some fundamental changes to test access methods have to be sought. To tackle this problem, this chapter introduced new techniques that can significantly enhance the testability and diagnostic ability of mixed-signal integrated circuits. At the heart of these techniques is a highly robust, compact, scalable and easily synthesisable embed ded test core that emulates the functions of fully-fledged production-phase automatic test equipment. The integration of such a core represents a radical change from the present test practice; however, it is envisioned to provide a practical solution to an impending problem facing the semiconductor industry.

Fiber Bragg grating sensors have attracted considerable attention for measurement applications due to their greatly reduced size, low weight, and immunity to electromagnetic interference in comparison with traditional sensing methods. Dynamic measurement of industrial machine tools is useful for gauging surface accuracy, monitoring tool condition, and predicting process stability, but requires a robust sensing scheme. The small size and high natural frequencies of micro machining tools coupled with a harsh manufacturing environment can render traditional sensors ineffective. This work presents a new method for measuring tool motion with fiber Bragg grating strain sensors. The feasibility of the sensing scheme is first demonstrated with a simple bench-top cantilever beam experiment. Then, a method for potting the sensors in the through coolant holes of a 1/8” carbide end mill with a high-viscosity gap-filling cyanoacrylate is demonstrated. Comparative structural analysis tests demonstrate the effectiveness of the sensors. Measurements of tool motion during cutting are presented. Finally, methods of noise reduction and improving signal accuracy are discussed.

Previously, we proposed a polarimetric method, that exploits the Brewster-reflection with the final goal of application to the human eye (reflection off the eye lens) for non-invasive glucose sensing.1-3 The linearly polarized reflected light of this optical scheme is rotated by the glucose molecules present in the aqueous humor, thus carries the blood glucose concentration information. A proof-of-concept experimental bench-top setup is presented, applying a multi-wavelength true phase measurement approach and a rotating phase retarder as an analyzer to measure the very small rotation angles and the complete polarization state of the measurement light.

The cost of test for SoCs (system-on-chips) is tremendous, especially for large and complex designs. Although the high price of ATE (Automatic Test Equipment) is recognized as the primary contributor of test cost, and is therefore most highlighted, high test costs are also caused by factors related to engineering flows ranging from design to manufacturing. In this paper, the discussion will focus on test cost reduction, with all such factors taken into account. A potential difficulty in this discussion is that it is generally difficult to achieve higher quality and lower cost at the same time. In working with several leading edge semiconductor companies in the United States and Japan, the authors have observed and analyzed the whole picture of current flows in design and manufacturing test, including quantitative study of the cost of test. Based upon the results of this analysis, a proposed solution is analyzed, based upon effectiveness in achieving two goals: higher quality and lower costs.

Summary form only given. This article gives a general overview of system test. Topics covered include: chip test; board test; integrated system test; high integrity/value systems; field service; diagnostics; false failures; and spares.

As commercial and military electronic technology evolves, so does the need for more sophisticated, reliable, and cost-effective test equipment. The new PXI platform fills this gap and provides the ultimate test solution for field, laboratory, or manufacturing test applications. This paper discusses the evolution of test that led to the development of the PXI standard and provides technical information of the PXI bus.

The capability to acquire and display waveforms from a device under test (DUT) perspective, is an essential feature of all automatic test equipment (ATE) systems used in device debug situations. The way the signals are acquired and how they are displayed varies from test system to test system. The tool that performs such functions is called a logic analyzer or a scope. In this paper we describe an acquisition technique which uses strobes in conjunction with capture memory to acquire signals to and from the DUT. What makes this technique new is that the strobe events are designed into the timing IC of the test system. The waveforms are acquired simultaneously on all DUT pins with 4 constant strobes per 5 ns, without any modifications to the timing and waveform memories that are normally done in contemporary ATE architectures.

Traditionally, automated test equipment (ATE) manufacturers have been producing test systems to meet the needs of the electronic industry and research organizations. There is however another fairly large ATE market that has not been addressed by ATE-educational institutes and universities. Issues related to the electronic test equipment for educational institutions are discussed in this paper. It identifies the requirements to implement a test engineering program in the university environment, the challenges that face both university and industry, and strategies that can be adopted to meet these requirements. It provides a general roadmap that allows customization to suit emerging test engineering developments that may occur future. Consideration is given to a pragmatic, and cost effective collaboration between the academic and industrial worlds.

Analytical parameters of wavelength dispersive X-ray sequential bench top SPECTROSCAN-MAKS spectrometers for X-ray spectral fluorescent analysis were shown. It was shown that in spite of rather small size (all spectrometers are bench top ones) energy resolution and minimum value of determined concentrations the instruments are competitive with WDX spectrometers produced by other companies. Brief description of the software and developed analytical procedures for the instruments are given. Basic fields of applications are listed.

We present results on 3D image quality in terms of spatial resolution (MTF) and low contrast detectability, obtained on a flat dynamic X-ray detector (FD) based cone-beam CT (CB-CT) setup. Experiments have been performed on a high precision bench-top system with rotating object table, fixed X-ray tube and 176 x 176 mm 2 active detector area (Trixell Pixium 4800). Several objects, including CT performance-, MTF- and pelvis phantoms, have been scanned under various conditions, including a high dose setup in order to explore the 3D performance limits. Under these optimal conditions, the system is capable of resolving less than 1% (~10 HU) contrast in a water background. Within a pelvis phantom, even inserts of muscle and fat equivalent are clearly distinguishable. This also holds for fast acquisitions of up to 40 fps. Focusing on the spatial resolution, we obtain an almost isotropic three-dimensional resolution of up to 30 lp/cm at 10% modulation.

The optical paths on the LISA bench must have a length instability of less than 10~pm/square root Hz over time scales of 1s to 1000s. A small rigid interferometer has been constructed to measure the optical path length changes using various bonding techniques. The interferometer was constructed entirely from ultra-low expansion (ULE) glass by optically contacting ULE beamsplitters to a ULE bench. Preliminary results taken with the interferometer operating in air indicate optical path length fluctuations of approximately 100 pm/ sqaure root Hz or less for frequencies between 1 mHz and 1 Hz.

ESD events cause device damage and equipment malfunctions in automated processing equipment. This paper surveys the problems caused by static charge in automated processing equipment. It looks at a number of test methods that detect those charges and the ESD events that occur in this equipment. It also provides examples of using these techniques to solve factory problems.

More and more organizations are realizing the tremendous cost involved in the maintenance of increasingly complex equipment. Developing diagnostic solutions in-house is highly challenging and very expensive task and the only way to support the development is to re-use tools in many different projects. In recent years, COTS solutions have appeared and proved their mettle in actual use. Serviceability of equipment is crucial to the performance and readiness of the whole organization, which means that downtime must be minimal at all times. In order to shorten the equipment downtime, two conditions most be met. First, the system under test most be testable enough to give the service technicians all the information needed to quickly and accurately diagnose faults, or to determine that the equipment is fully operational by passing all acceptance tests. All of these test activities must be available for easy access, operation and interpretation, often under difficult field conditions and time pressures. Second, the service technician must have enough experience and knowledge to use the information supplied by the different test tools, whether BIT, external test equipment or manual, so that diagnosis is reached efficiently and effectively. Both conditions must be met to provide a good solution for today's service problems. In this paper, we describe the implementation of an innovative test solution mounted on the vehicle itself. The solution is based on a COTS test and diagnostics tool that supplies guidance, recommendation and intelligent on-line documentation.

Test requirements continually increase the demands on switching products in automatic test equipment (ATE). Test systems for today's semiconductor, medical, telecommunications defense, and automotive products require large numbers of switch channels with a wide variety of power handling and bandwidth requirements. At the same time switching products must fit within the test budget. By knowing what to look for, the test engineer can select a switch product that is cost-effective, not only at purchase time, but over the life of the test system.

The authors describe a general-purpose test and maintenance architecture for electronic subsystems and its demonstration in several avionics SEM-E modules for fiber-optic networking of the Advanced Tactical Fighter, A-12, and other modern aircraft. The results of applying this test and maintenance architecture are delineated in terms of payoff, penalty, and problems encountered. Industry efforts needed to eliminate some of the problems encountered are discussed. >