WO2009130360A1 - Information technology arrangement based on embedded technology for measuring, analyzing and foreseeing the cleanness of surface materials and indoor air - Google Patents

Information technology arrangement based on embedded technology for measuring, analyzing and foreseeing the cleanness of surface materials and indoor air Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2009130360A1
WO2009130360A1 PCT/FI2008/050212 FI2008050212W WO2009130360A1 WO 2009130360 A1 WO2009130360 A1 WO 2009130360A1 FI 2008050212 W FI2008050212 W FI 2008050212W WO 2009130360 A1 WO2009130360 A1 WO 2009130360A1
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WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
measuring
field apparatus
arrangement
arrangement according
contact
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Application number
PCT/FI2008/050212
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French (fr)
Inventor
Tuula Suontamo
Balan Pillai
Original Assignee
Tuula Suontamo
Balan Pillai
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Tuula Suontamo, Balan Pillai filed Critical Tuula Suontamo
Priority to EP08750455A priority Critical patent/EP2274626A1/en
Priority to PCT/FI2008/050212 priority patent/WO2009130360A1/en
Publication of WO2009130360A1 publication Critical patent/WO2009130360A1/en

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04Q—SELECTING
    • H04Q9/00—Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N35/00—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor
    • G01N35/00584—Control arrangements for automatic analysers
    • G01N35/00594—Quality control, including calibration or testing of components of the analyser
    • G01N35/00613—Quality control
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04Q—SELECTING
    • H04Q2209/00—Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems
    • H04Q2209/10—Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems using a centralized architecture
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04Q—SELECTING
    • H04Q2209/00—Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems
    • H04Q2209/40—Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems using a wireless architecture
    • H04Q2209/43—Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems using a wireless architecture using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04Q—SELECTING
    • H04Q2209/00—Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems
    • H04Q2209/80—Arrangements in the sub-station, i.e. sensing device
    • H04Q2209/84—Measuring functions

Definitions

  • the object of the invention is an information technology arrangement based on embedded technology, for measuring, analyzing and foreseeing the cleanness of surface materials and indoor air as defined in the preamble of claim 1.
  • the arrangement according to the invention can be applied in e.g. cleaning work, in the continuous analysis of indoor air, and also in assessing the dirtiness, condition and wear of surface materials.
  • the arrangement can be fitted, as it is, such that the arrangement warns of excep- tional circumstances and malfunctions.
  • the dust, dirt and microbes on surface materials and in indoor air, as well as different chemical substances that have adhered to surfaces can be detrimental to health and/or damage or cause wear to the structures of a building.
  • Human skin, to which impurities adhere ⁇ in the same way and even more easily than to other surface materials, is one surface material that is automatically included in the following.
  • the purpose of the analyses is also e.g. to determine whether a cleaning agent to be used on a certain surface material is suitable for this surface or not .
  • the cleanness of different surface materials can be assessed, among other ways, visually or by taking samples from the surface material and by analyzing them.
  • the cleaning manager or other person in charge can at certain intervals conduct on-site inspections of the result of the work of cleaners in a building by visually assessing the cleanness of surfaces.
  • Another example of a visual assessment is the examination of surface materials with some apparatus, with which a more accurate image of the surface is achieved using various magnification technologies. This kind of apparatus can be e.g. a camera connected to a microscope. With visual assessments of cleanness, it is determined whether the surface materials are, on the face of it, clean and in good condition.
  • Samples of surface materials and indoor air can also be taken, which are subsequently analyzed in a laboratory with different tools and meters. Samples can also be taken using many different techniques. For example, particle meters exist for measuring the quality of indoor air, and microbes in the air, such as bacteria, can be measured from deposits collected in dishes. Smear samples can be taken from surface materials, or tape can be fastened to a surface, to which the dust layer on the surface adheres, the thickness of which dust layer can be measured e.g. with a laser. With these methods the procedure of taking samples and analyzing them takes a great deal of time. The analysis of samples is generally also very difficult, because normally there are no reference values or limit values to which the results can be compared. Another problem is that a professional expert is needed for the interpretation of the results, i.e. in practice often an academically trained chemist, health official or corresponding person.
  • microbes on the surface to be analyzed live in harmony together in favorable conditions that are very susceptible to disruption, such as at a comfortable temperature and humidity.
  • the microbes increase at exponential speed and all the time produce new and different populations in the safety of the culture medium they create themselves.
  • the populations in laboratory measurements performed with a delay have had time to mutate from the populations in the original object, in which case even the results obtained as a serial measurement do not correspond to the correct conditions .
  • the purpose of this invention is to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks and to achieve a teleinformatics arrangement, which is based on embedded technology, for measuring, analyzing and predicting the cleanness of surface materials, of the skin of a person and of indoor air, by means of which on the basis of measurements reliable results that have been compared to reference values are achieved quickly.
  • the arrangement of the invention is characterized by what is dis- closed in the characterization part of claim 1.
  • Other embodiments of the invention are characterized by what is disclosed in the other claims.
  • One advantage of the arrangement according to the invention is that by means of the arrangement the cleanness of surface materials and indoor air can be measured on-site and the results of analyses based on the measurements can also be obtained on-site immediately in connection with the measurements. Another advantage is that measurements of cleanness and other measurements are easy to perform and many different techniques and apparatuses are not needed for the measuring and analyzing, but instead all the measurements and analyses can be performed by means of the same arrangement. Yet another advantage is that the arrangement includes proper reference values and limit values, to which the measurement results can be compared and also that the arrangement constantly collects information about the measurement results and by means of it edits and makes more precise the reference values and limit values, and also creates if necessary new reference values and limit values.
  • the arrangement helps to create a living environment that is healthy for people. Another advantage is that the arrangement saves labor costs and time, and also reduces the need for complex chemical analyses. Yet a further advantage is that the arrangement is easy to use and user-friendly. Yet a further advantage is that it is easy to include dif- ferent types of measuring apparatuses in the arrangement, e.g. such that simple and inexpensive measuring apparatuses are used for certain purposes and special measuring apparatuses are used for other purposes, e.g. for special objects that are measured less freguently.
  • Fig. 1 presents a simplified diagram of the arrangement according to the invention
  • Fig. 2 presents one measuring apparatus applicable to the invention.
  • Fig. 3 presents one arrangement applicable to the in- vention, wherein a part of the arrangement connected to the invention is fitted into a cleaning trolley, which is seen in the figure from the side.
  • Fig. 1 presents a diagram of an embedded system according to the invention, which comprises a plurality of different field apparatuses 1 that are intended for different operating environments and that are to perform different measurements, as well as at least one central unit 7, which is in connection with at least one data storage 8a incorporated in a distributed database 8.
  • the data storage 8a according to the invention is flexible, learning, based on fuzzy logic, and is also scalable. In this case, owing to the data storage/data storages 8a that is/are constantly growing and being supplemented, the arrangement is able to warn and give instructions to users of the field apparatus 1.
  • Both the central unit 7 and the database 8 comprise suitable means for receiving, collecting, storing, processing and forwarding data.
  • the central unit 7 comprises at least contact means 9, by means of which the central unit 7 is in connection with the field apparatuses 1 and interchanges information with them wirelessly.
  • the wireless connection is arranged to operate by means of e.g. radio waves and it is described in the figures with the arrows 10.
  • Mobile phones which can at least receive mes- sages from the central unit 7, can also be fitted to the system
  • Fig. 2 presents one simplified field apparatus 1 according to the invention.
  • the field apparatus 1 comprises at least its own processor 2, control means 6, a plurality of measuring means 3 and also a plurality of display means 5.
  • the processor 2 of the field apparatus 1 comprises contact means 4 that essentially correspond to the contact means 9 of the central unit, by means of which the processor 2 of the field apparatus 1 and the central unit 7 interchange information with each other via a wireless contact 10.
  • the measuring means 3 are connected to the processor 2 and they are e.g. separate sensors, cameras or other corresponding measuring apparatuses suited to the purpose. In certain cases e.g. an atomic force microscope, with which the shapes of surfaces can be measured extremely accurately, can be the measuring apparatus. Likewise the measuring apparatus can in special cases be e.g.
  • the processor 2 is arranged so that it can process the measurement results of the measuring means 3 itself or it can send them to the central unit 7, which then analyzes the results by using the reference values, comparison values and limit values that are in the database 8 as an aid.
  • the field apparatus also comprises display means 5, which are arranged to display the results of measurement analyses to the user of a field apparatus 1 in essentially real-time.
  • the display means 5 can be e.g. a sound signal, a warning light, a liquid crystal display, a gauge provided with an indicator, or some other data display apparatus applicable to the purpose.
  • the field apparatus 1 can be a separate pocket-sized apparatus, or it can be e.g. combined with the cleaning trolleys 11 of Fig. 3 such that the measuring means 3 are disposed on the base of the trolleys and/or in other suitable places and the display means 5 on the front edge of the trolleys, where the user sees them easily.
  • the control means 6 of the apparatuses 1 are disposed e.g. on the front edge of the cleaning trolley 11 such that the user is able to easily control the operation of the apparatus by means of the user interface incorporated in the control means 6.
  • the user interface of the control means 6 is e.g. a keyboard or corresponding.
  • a separate pocket-sized apparatus a field apparatus can be comprised also of a number of units, e.g.
  • a field apparatus 1 either pocket-sized or fixed to a suitable base, is e.g.
  • an apparatus resembling a palmtop computer wherein at least a part of the existing measuring means 3 or of the measuring means 3 connected to the apparatus are provided with nanosensors 3a forming a local nano- processor, which nanosensors constantly measure important information about the ambient conditions of the location of the field apparatus 1 and deliver the measurement data for processing either to the onboard processor 2 of the field apparatus 1 or to the central unit 7, which comprises a more extensive database 8 than the database of the field apparatus.
  • the measurement data are analyzed and delivered immediately to the display means 5 of the field apparatus 1 for observation by the user of the field apparatus.
  • the system constantly monitors the environment of the users of the field apparatus 1 on the basis of reference models and warns in essentially real-time if the environment contains chemicals that are dangerous to the body of a user or other dangerous substances.
  • the system is fitted to distribute information in distributed format to the data storage 8a of the central unit 7 and locally to users of the field apparatus 1.
  • the system is also fitted to alert and warn and, if needed, to deny access of a person to premises iden- tified as dangerous.
  • the data storage 8a in the form of a database 8, in which data storage measurement data is collected on a role basis and analyses are conducted on the basis of the measurement data.
  • the arrangement is implemented by means of information technologies and communication technologies and the embedded arrangement according to the invention comprises different measuring means 3 as the measuring means, by the aid of which the arrangement examines, identifies, analyzes and reports the molds, humidity and amounts of microbes in indoor premises, the oxidation amount and oxida- tion frequency of surface chemicals, various gases, odors, the condition of a surface material, and so on.
  • the practical application is the embedded arrangement of the invention for measuring the condition and uncleanness of surface materials as well as the impurities of indoor air.
  • human skin is regarded as a surface material in this context.
  • new populations produced by the supramolecular reactions referred to earlier are considered to be these types of impurities.
  • the composition of impurities, layers, different ways of oxidation, the diffusion, distances and amount, etc, of impurities are measured with e.g. visible light, infrared light, a UV spectrometer, with power optics methods and with measurements at the molecular level.
  • the speeds of reactions, the substances involved in the reactions, the areas and depths of absorbent materials, etc are additionally measured.
  • the speed of the creation, wear and spread of different compounds at the molecular level is monitored as a change in the power of absorption as a function of time. In addition to this, the necessary analyses and role-based reporting are performed.
  • one or more algorithms which are implemented with an embedded technology suited to the purpose, are implanted for finding, measuring, analyzing, and preliminarily assessing the aforementioned impurities as well ' as for warning about them and reporting and for the role-based flow and transmission of data.
  • This basic struc- ture of embedded technology comprises nanoprocessors provided with nanosensors 3a and so-called biosensors, which are also arranged to function as sensors that measure and detect impurities.
  • the nanoprocessors and biosensors are arranged to form a time-delayed pulse at the moment of data transfer, the time delay of which pulse is a fraction of nanoseconds. The time delay is, however, long enough so that in this way an overlap of the transmission of two or more data items, which ' would cause different errors in the transmissions and in the measurement results, can be avoided.
  • the metadata based on fuzzy logic that has accumulated in the data storage 8a forms the basic core of the aforementioned embedded algorithm, which metadata is reference model information about the impurities to be measured that is specially taught to the arrangement.
  • the arrangement is taught a model of a real environment in laboratory condi- tions before the arrangement is taken into use, e.g. such that a real environment suited to this purpose is built in laboratory conditions that is free of essentially all external influences.
  • a fully enclosed environment is created as a hygienic and ideal environment, in which different teaching models adapt and form metadata according to a fuzzy rule set based on the aforementioned measurement data and analysis data.
  • These kind of teaching modules are e.g. the composition parameters of different surface materials, the magnitudes to be measured such as e.g.
  • each measurement result is localized and the observed data, i.e. the measurement data of the circumstance at exactly that time and the positioning data connected to them, is transferred wirelessly in a role-based manner to the determined database 8 of the data storage 8a.
  • the embedded system also comprises prior-art means that identify essentially accu- rately the measuring location in question, its address and block, and also determine the suburb, and the city or municipality, as well as the area of the municipality, in which the measuring point is located.
  • the positioning means are e.g. GPS means or corresponding, bar code identification means or e.g. address data and location data entered by the user.
  • the field apparatus 1 is fitted to process locally e.g. the amount of dangerous substances and to alert officials or other pre-agreed parties. Housing companies, public premises, e.g. swimming pools, schools, hospitals and other corresponding places are favorable applications for this type of embedded arrangement.
  • the measuring functions of the measuring means 3 of a field apparatus 1 are, in addition to conventional measuring functions, measurements and applications at the molecular level, in which nanosensors 3a forming nanoprocessors are used as sensors and in certain cases also the aforementioned scanning tunneling microscope and atomic force microscope.
  • the technology in question is based on molecular electronics and on prior-art nanotechnology methods, such as e.g. rotaxanes and catananes and on other corresponding methods.
  • the nanosensors 3a arranged inside or in connection with a field apparatus 1 form loops, from which one or more networks build themselves, a so-called “ad-hoc network", and these operate independently i.e. without an external human user. If one loop extinguishes, the other loops patch the hole it leaves.
  • These so-called nanosensors perform basic functions, such as measuring temperature, humidity and toxic gas concentration, and distribute data either to their local gate-network in the field apparatus and/or to other data networks, such as to the central unit 7 and to other external systems.
  • the arrangement according to the invention is flexible and different functions and measuring points, as well as measuring methods, can easily be added to it.
  • One example is e.g. a measuring-and-analysis function based on neutral calculation that measures the sleeping disorders of employees, which function is one of the items of embedded technology that can be flexibly implanted into the system algorithm, which items function as an individual so-called "stand-alone" unit or as a collective unit.
  • the sleeping disorder component operates in such a way that when a person is moving in an unclean environment the meas- uring-and-analysis function, which is based on neutral calculation, that measures sleeping disorders takes samples of the composition of the air of the environment and at the same time processes the surface energy of the skin of the person in the location and also warns about the dangerous nature of the premises in question and, if needed, even orders the person to leave the location.
  • the same processor will be able to measure the quality and depth of sleep and also to control the correction procedures required by the situation caused by the chemicals and communicate to experts in it.
  • This nanoprocessor learns, regis- ters and delivers information securely to an expert system, where the information is stored and re-used to refine the data .
  • the arrangement according to the invention is distributed into different functional units, such as different field apparatuses 1 and into central units 7 with data storages 8a at different hierarchical levels.
  • the central units 7 can be e.g. regional, in which case there is one central unit in one city or in one municipality.
  • the central units can themselves be role-based, in which case there are dedicated central units for hospitals or hospital groups and dedicated central units for other institutions, and so on.
  • One essential factor of the invention is the measurement of local indoor air and surface materials based on nanotech- nology and on measurements at the molecular level, as well as a learning and commensurable data storage 8a, by using the aid of which fast information is obtained about local measurements for both the user of the measuring apparatus as well as for other parties who monitor and need the measurement data. It is also essential that the invention comprises means that are provided with the possibility to warn and alert about hazards if the measurement results indicate such.
  • the easy embedding of a number of different measuring methods into the arrangement is essential, in which case the arrangement is a growing and self- learning one, and gives information that is more reliable the more measurement results accumulate in one or more data storages 8a.
  • the arrangement according to the invention gives guidance and is able to inform of the wearing of surface materials and also which cleaning agent must be used at any time for the surface to be cleaned well and for the surface for cleaning to withstand the cleaning agent.
  • the field apparatuses can be different to what is described above. They can comprise e.g. different functions and also a different amount of functions than in one of the field apparatuses presented above.

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Abstract

The object of the invention is a teleinformatics arrangement, said arrangement being based on embedded technology, for measuring, analyzing and predicting the cleanness of surface materials and indoor air, which arrangement comprises at least one or more field apparatuses (1) used at the measuring locations, which field apparatuses comprise at least a processor (2) that receives and analyzes measurement results, contact means (4), at least one measuring means (3), control means (6) that function as a user interface, and also display means (5). The arrangement also comprises a central unit (7), comprising at least a data storage (8a) that contains a database (8), as well as contact means (9), which are arranged in communication contact with at least the contact means of the field apparatuses (1).

Description

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ARRANGEMENT BASED ON EMBEDDED TECHNOLOGY FOR MEASURING, ANALYZING AND FORESEEING THE CLEANNESS OF SURFACE MATERIALS AND INDOOR AIR
The object of the invention is an information technology arrangement based on embedded technology, for measuring, analyzing and foreseeing the cleanness of surface materials and indoor air as defined in the preamble of claim 1.
The arrangement according to the invention can be applied in e.g. cleaning work, in the continuous analysis of indoor air, and also in assessing the dirtiness, condition and wear of surface materials. In addition, the arrangement can be fitted, as it is, such that the arrangement warns of excep- tional circumstances and malfunctions.
In the living environment of a person impurities produced by microbes, molds, different gases, the use of chemicals, supermolecular reactions and other corresponding sources continuously adhere and fasten to different surfaces and to the person himself/herself, said impurities being difficult to reliably detect because smart identification technologies for theses impurities do not exist.
The dust, dirt and microbes on surface materials and in indoor air, as well as different chemical substances that have adhered to surfaces can be detrimental to health and/or damage or cause wear to the structures of a building. Human skin, to which impurities adhere ■ in the same way and even more easily than to other surface materials, is one surface material that is automatically included in the following. In order to be able to safeguard the wellbeing and health of people, as well as the condition of buildings, it is known that efforts must however be made to assess and analyze with different methods the cleanness of the surface materials of buildings and of other surface materials, as well as the cleanness of indoor air. The purpose of the analyses is also e.g. to determine whether a cleaning agent to be used on a certain surface material is suitable for this surface or not .
It is known that the cleanness of different surface materials, such as the walls and floors of buildings, can be assessed, among other ways, visually or by taking samples from the surface material and by analyzing them. For example, the cleaning manager or other person in charge can at certain intervals conduct on-site inspections of the result of the work of cleaners in a building by visually assessing the cleanness of surfaces. Another example of a visual assessment is the examination of surface materials with some apparatus, with which a more accurate image of the surface is achieved using various magnification technologies. This kind of apparatus can be e.g. a camera connected to a microscope. With visual assessments of cleanness, it is determined whether the surface materials are, on the face of it, clean and in good condition. With this technology, however, it is not determined whether chemical substances or other substances that could be harmful to people or to the surface material itself have adhered to the surfaces. The type of results that could be properly analyzed and compared to e.g. some reference values or limit values cannot anyway be ob- tained with visual observation, and even if they could, these types of comparison values do not generally exist.
Samples of surface materials and indoor air can also be taken, which are subsequently analyzed in a laboratory with different tools and meters. Samples can also be taken using many different techniques. For example, particle meters exist for measuring the quality of indoor air, and microbes in the air, such as bacteria, can be measured from deposits collected in dishes. Smear samples can be taken from surface materials, or tape can be fastened to a surface, to which the dust layer on the surface adheres, the thickness of which dust layer can be measured e.g. with a laser. With these methods the procedure of taking samples and analyzing them takes a great deal of time. The analysis of samples is generally also very difficult, because normally there are no reference values or limit values to which the results can be compared. Another problem is that a professional expert is needed for the interpretation of the results, i.e. in practice often an academically trained chemist, health official or corresponding person.
Thus there are numerous sampling technologies and the analyzing of samples is time consuming and awkward. One problem, among others, is that all these measuring methods are individual and separate, in which case it is not possible by means of them to obtain a commensurable image of the meas- ured object. In addition, when connecting many different people to the taking of samples and the analyzing of results, owing to the delays caused by the procedure's performed by different people and by other factors, a lot of time may be used in measuring a sample. In this case e.g. the original microbe sample population has already had time to fundamentally mutate before it is obtained in the research dish of the laboratory for analysis. The consequence is an incorrect measurement result with respect to the original environment and circumstances. This time delay is especially critical e.g. when considering the performance of serial measurements, i.e. consecutive measurements, of microbe samples. The reason for this is that the microbes on the surface to be analyzed live in harmony together in favorable conditions that are very susceptible to disruption, such as at a comfortable temperature and humidity. In this case the microbes increase at exponential speed and all the time produce new and different populations in the safety of the culture medium they create themselves. In this case the populations in laboratory measurements performed with a delay have had time to mutate from the populations in the original object, in which case even the results obtained as a serial measurement do not correspond to the correct conditions .
Thus not a single integral and reliable system is known by means of which the cleanness of surface materials, human skin and indoor air could be measured and analyzed directly on-site such that the results of the analysis are immediately visible, and which system would comprise proper and dependable reference values, to which the measurement re- suits could be compared.
The purpose of this invention is to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks and to achieve a teleinformatics arrangement, which is based on embedded technology, for measuring, analyzing and predicting the cleanness of surface materials, of the skin of a person and of indoor air, by means of which on the basis of measurements reliable results that have been compared to reference values are achieved quickly. The arrangement of the invention is characterized by what is dis- closed in the characterization part of claim 1. Other embodiments of the invention are characterized by what is disclosed in the other claims.
One advantage of the arrangement according to the invention is that by means of the arrangement the cleanness of surface materials and indoor air can be measured on-site and the results of analyses based on the measurements can also be obtained on-site immediately in connection with the measurements. Another advantage is that measurements of cleanness and other measurements are easy to perform and many different techniques and apparatuses are not needed for the measuring and analyzing, but instead all the measurements and analyses can be performed by means of the same arrangement. Yet another advantage is that the arrangement includes proper reference values and limit values, to which the measurement results can be compared and also that the arrangement constantly collects information about the measurement results and by means of it edits and makes more precise the reference values and limit values, and also creates if necessary new reference values and limit values. One advantage is that the arrangement helps to create a living environment that is healthy for people. Another advantage is that the arrangement saves labor costs and time, and also reduces the need for complex chemical analyses. Yet a further advantage is that the arrangement is easy to use and user-friendly. Yet a further advantage is that it is easy to include dif- ferent types of measuring apparatuses in the arrangement, e.g. such that simple and inexpensive measuring apparatuses are used for certain purposes and special measuring apparatuses are used for other purposes, e.g. for special objects that are measured less freguently.
In the following, the invention will be described in more detail by the aid of one example of its embodiment with reference to the attached drawings, wherein
Fig. 1 presents a simplified diagram of the arrangement according to the invention Fig. 2 presents one measuring apparatus applicable to the invention.
Fig. 3 presents one arrangement applicable to the in- vention, wherein a part of the arrangement connected to the invention is fitted into a cleaning trolley, which is seen in the figure from the side.
Fig. 1 presents a diagram of an embedded system according to the invention, which comprises a plurality of different field apparatuses 1 that are intended for different operating environments and that are to perform different measurements, as well as at least one central unit 7, which is in connection with at least one data storage 8a incorporated in a distributed database 8. The data storage 8a according to the invention is flexible, learning, based on fuzzy logic, and is also scalable. In this case, owing to the data storage/data storages 8a that is/are constantly growing and being supplemented, the arrangement is able to warn and give instructions to users of the field apparatus 1.
Both the central unit 7 and the database 8 comprise suitable means for receiving, collecting, storing, processing and forwarding data. The central unit 7 comprises at least contact means 9, by means of which the central unit 7 is in connection with the field apparatuses 1 and interchanges information with them wirelessly. In this embodiment the wireless connection is arranged to operate by means of e.g. radio waves and it is described in the figures with the arrows 10. Mobile phones, which can at least receive mes- sages from the central unit 7, can also be fitted to the system
Fig. 2 presents one simplified field apparatus 1 according to the invention. The field apparatus 1 comprises at least its own processor 2, control means 6, a plurality of measuring means 3 and also a plurality of display means 5. The processor 2 of the field apparatus 1 comprises contact means 4 that essentially correspond to the contact means 9 of the central unit, by means of which the processor 2 of the field apparatus 1 and the central unit 7 interchange information with each other via a wireless contact 10. The measuring means 3 are connected to the processor 2 and they are e.g. separate sensors, cameras or other corresponding measuring apparatuses suited to the purpose. In certain cases e.g. an atomic force microscope, with which the shapes of surfaces can be measured extremely accurately, can be the measuring apparatus. Likewise the measuring apparatus can in special cases be e.g. a scanning tunneling microscope connected to the arrangement, by means of which the embedded arrangement according to the invention is able to take images by 3-D means, move and shape individual molecules in a controlled manner, and in the same way the determination of the cur- rent-carrying capacity of individual molecules succeeds reliably. The processor 2 is arranged so that it can process the measurement results of the measuring means 3 itself or it can send them to the central unit 7, which then analyzes the results by using the reference values, comparison values and limit values that are in the database 8 as an aid.
The field apparatus also comprises display means 5, which are arranged to display the results of measurement analyses to the user of a field apparatus 1 in essentially real-time. The display means 5 can be e.g. a sound signal, a warning light, a liquid crystal display, a gauge provided with an indicator, or some other data display apparatus applicable to the purpose.
The field apparatus 1 can be a separate pocket-sized apparatus, or it can be e.g. combined with the cleaning trolleys 11 of Fig. 3 such that the measuring means 3 are disposed on the base of the trolleys and/or in other suitable places and the display means 5 on the front edge of the trolleys, where the user sees them easily. Also the control means 6 of the apparatuses 1 are disposed e.g. on the front edge of the cleaning trolley 11 such that the user is able to easily control the operation of the apparatus by means of the user interface incorporated in the control means 6. The user interface of the control means 6 is e.g. a keyboard or corresponding. As a separate pocket-sized apparatus a field apparatus can be comprised also of a number of units, e.g. such that the pocket-sized unit and the one or more units in the cleaning trolley 11 form an integral whole, wherein at the least the display means 5 and the control means 6 are in the pocket-sized unit and the processor 2 as well as the measuring means 3 and other necessary units are in the cleaning trolley 11. Contact with the pocket-sized unit and the one or more units in the cleaning trolley 11 is arranged e.g. by means of a Bluetooth contact or other suitable contact arrangement. A field apparatus 1, either pocket-sized or fixed to a suitable base, is e.g. an apparatus resembling a palmtop computer, wherein at least a part of the existing measuring means 3 or of the measuring means 3 connected to the apparatus are provided with nanosensors 3a forming a local nano- processor, which nanosensors constantly measure important information about the ambient conditions of the location of the field apparatus 1 and deliver the measurement data for processing either to the onboard processor 2 of the field apparatus 1 or to the central unit 7, which comprises a more extensive database 8 than the database of the field apparatus. The measurement data are analyzed and delivered immediately to the display means 5 of the field apparatus 1 for observation by the user of the field apparatus. In this way the system constantly monitors the environment of the users of the field apparatus 1 on the basis of reference models and warns in essentially real-time if the environment contains chemicals that are dangerous to the body of a user or other dangerous substances. The system is fitted to distribute information in distributed format to the data storage 8a of the central unit 7 and locally to users of the field apparatus 1. The system is also fitted to alert and warn and, if needed, to deny access of a person to premises iden- tified as dangerous.
One essential part of the arrangement according to the invention is the data storage 8a in the form of a database 8, in which data storage measurement data is collected on a role basis and analyses are conducted on the basis of the measurement data. The arrangement is implemented by means of information technologies and communication technologies and the embedded arrangement according to the invention comprises different measuring means 3 as the measuring means, by the aid of which the arrangement examines, identifies, analyzes and reports the molds, humidity and amounts of microbes in indoor premises, the oxidation amount and oxida- tion frequency of surface chemicals, various gases, odors, the condition of a surface material, and so on.
The practical application is the embedded arrangement of the invention for measuring the condition and uncleanness of surface materials as well as the impurities of indoor air. Also human skin is regarded as a surface material in this context. Also new populations produced by the supramolecular reactions referred to earlier are considered to be these types of impurities. In this case the composition of impurities, layers, different ways of oxidation, the diffusion, distances and amount, etc, of impurities are measured with e.g. visible light, infrared light, a UV spectrometer, with power optics methods and with measurements at the molecular level. Likewise, also the speeds of reactions, the substances involved in the reactions, the areas and depths of absorbent materials, etc, are additionally measured. The speed of the creation, wear and spread of different compounds at the molecular level is monitored as a change in the power of absorption as a function of time. In addition to this, the necessary analyses and role-based reporting are performed.
According to the invention one or more algorithms, which are implemented with an embedded technology suited to the purpose, are implanted for finding, measuring, analyzing, and preliminarily assessing the aforementioned impurities as well' as for warning about them and reporting and for the role-based flow and transmission of data. This basic struc- ture of embedded technology comprises nanoprocessors provided with nanosensors 3a and so-called biosensors, which are also arranged to function as sensors that measure and detect impurities. The nanoprocessors and biosensors are arranged to form a time-delayed pulse at the moment of data transfer, the time delay of which pulse is a fraction of nanoseconds. The time delay is, however, long enough so that in this way an overlap of the transmission of two or more data items, which' would cause different errors in the transmissions and in the measurement results, can be avoided.
The metadata based on fuzzy logic that has accumulated in the data storage 8a forms the basic core of the aforementioned embedded algorithm, which metadata is reference model information about the impurities to be measured that is specially taught to the arrangement. The arrangement is taught a model of a real environment in laboratory condi- tions before the arrangement is taken into use, e.g. such that a real environment suited to this purpose is built in laboratory conditions that is free of essentially all external influences. A fully enclosed environment is created as a hygienic and ideal environment, in which different teaching models adapt and form metadata according to a fuzzy rule set based on the aforementioned measurement data and analysis data. These kind of teaching modules are e.g. the composition parameters of different surface materials, the magnitudes to be measured such as e.g. area, temperature, humid- ity, odors, so-called other chemicals in an enclosed space that are not visible or identifiable, etc. These parameters adjust interactively without a separate program. The preset parameters operate also "semi-automatically" . Additionally, this metadata is updated and supplemented all the time as new data increases.
With the measuring means 3 of a field apparatus 1 and with other means the aforementioned points are measured, each measurement result is localized and the observed data, i.e. the measurement data of the circumstance at exactly that time and the positioning data connected to them, is transferred wirelessly in a role-based manner to the determined database 8 of the data storage 8a. The embedded system also comprises prior-art means that identify essentially accu- rately the measuring location in question, its address and block, and also determine the suburb, and the city or municipality, as well as the area of the municipality, in which the measuring point is located. The positioning means are e.g. GPS means or corresponding, bar code identification means or e.g. address data and location data entered by the user. The field apparatus 1 is fitted to process locally e.g. the amount of dangerous substances and to alert officials or other pre-agreed parties. Housing companies, public premises, e.g. swimming pools, schools, hospitals and other corresponding places are favorable applications for this type of embedded arrangement.
The measuring functions of the measuring means 3 of a field apparatus 1 are, in addition to conventional measuring functions, measurements and applications at the molecular level, in which nanosensors 3a forming nanoprocessors are used as sensors and in certain cases also the aforementioned scanning tunneling microscope and atomic force microscope. The technology in question is based on molecular electronics and on prior-art nanotechnology methods, such as e.g. rotaxanes and catananes and on other corresponding methods.
The nanosensors 3a arranged inside or in connection with a field apparatus 1 form loops, from which one or more networks build themselves, a so-called "ad-hoc network", and these operate independently i.e. without an external human user. If one loop extinguishes, the other loops patch the hole it leaves. These so-called nanosensors perform basic functions, such as measuring temperature, humidity and toxic gas concentration, and distribute data either to their local gate-network in the field apparatus and/or to other data networks, such as to the central unit 7 and to other external systems.
The arrangement according to the invention is flexible and different functions and measuring points, as well as measuring methods, can easily be added to it. One example is e.g. a measuring-and-analysis function based on neutral calculation that measures the sleeping disorders of employees, which function is one of the items of embedded technology that can be flexibly implanted into the system algorithm, which items function as an individual so-called "stand-alone" unit or as a collective unit.
The sleeping disorder component operates in such a way that when a person is moving in an unclean environment the meas- uring-and-analysis function, which is based on neutral calculation, that measures sleeping disorders takes samples of the composition of the air of the environment and at the same time processes the surface energy of the skin of the person in the location and also warns about the dangerous nature of the premises in question and, if needed, even orders the person to leave the location. In future the same processor will be able to measure the quality and depth of sleep and also to control the correction procedures required by the situation caused by the chemicals and communicate to experts in it. This nanoprocessor learns, regis- ters and delivers information securely to an expert system, where the information is stored and re-used to refine the data .
The arrangement according to the invention is distributed into different functional units, such as different field apparatuses 1 and into central units 7 with data storages 8a at different hierarchical levels. In this case the central units 7 can be e.g. regional, in which case there is one central unit in one city or in one municipality. Corre- spondingly, the central units can themselves be role-based, in which case there are dedicated central units for hospitals or hospital groups and dedicated central units for other institutions, and so on. Correspondingly, there can still be a national central unit, with a national data storage, above the region-specific central units. One essential factor of the invention is the measurement of local indoor air and surface materials based on nanotech- nology and on measurements at the molecular level, as well as a learning and commensurable data storage 8a, by using the aid of which fast information is obtained about local measurements for both the user of the measuring apparatus as well as for other parties who monitor and need the measurement data. It is also essential that the invention comprises means that are provided with the possibility to warn and alert about hazards if the measurement results indicate such. In addition, the easy embedding of a number of different measuring methods into the arrangement is essential, in which case the arrangement is a growing and self- learning one, and gives information that is more reliable the more measurement results accumulate in one or more data storages 8a. Additionally, the arrangement according to the invention gives guidance and is able to inform of the wearing of surface materials and also which cleaning agent must be used at any time for the surface to be cleaned well and for the surface for cleaning to withstand the cleaning agent.
It is obvious to the person skilled in the art that the invention is not limited solely to the embodiments de- scribed above, but that it may be varied within the scope of the claims presented below. Thus, for example, there can also be many other measuring apparatuses than what is presented above.
Likewise it is obvious to the person skilled in the art that the field apparatuses can be different to what is described above. They can comprise e.g. different functions and also a different amount of functions than in one of the field apparatuses presented above.

Claims

1. Information technology arrangement based on embedded technology, for measuring, analyzing and foreseeing the cleanness of surface materials and indoor air, characterized in that the arrangement comprises at least one or more field apparatuses (1) used at the measuring locations, which field apparatuses comprise at least a processor (2) that receives and analyzes measurement results, contact means (4), at least one measuring means (3), control means (6) that function as a user interface, and also display means (5) , and which arrangement also comprises a central unit (7), comprising at least a data storage (8a) that contains a database (8), as well as contact means (9), which are ar- ranged in communication contact with at least the contact means (4) of the field apparatuses (1) .
2. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the measuring functions of the measuring means (3) of a field apparatus (1) are either conventional measuring functions and/or measurements and applications at the molecular level, which comprise nanoprocessors as sensors and in certain cases also a scanning tunneling microscope and an atomic force microscope.
3. Arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the operation of the measuring means (3) of a field apparatus (1) is arranged to be based on molecular electronics and on prior-art nanotechnology methods, such as e.g. rotaxanes and catananes and also on other corresponding methods .
4. Arrangement according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the nanosensors (3a) that function as measuring means (3) and that are arranged inside or in connection with a field apparatus (1) form loops, from which one or more networks build themselves, which are arranged to oper- ate independently i.e. without an external human user, and in which network (s) when one loop extinguishes the other loops are arranged to patch the hole left by the extinguished loop, and in that the nanosensors (3a) are fitted to measure temperature, humidity, toxic gas concentration, and to distribute data either to their local gate-network in the field apparatus (1) and/or to other data networks, such as to the central unit (7) and to other external systems .
5. Arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the field apparatus (1) is an apparatus resembling e.g. a palmtop computer, wherein at least a part of the existing measuring means (3) or of the measur- ing means (3) connected to the apparatus are provided with nanosensors (3a) forming a local nanoprocessor, which nanosensors are arranged to constantly measure important information about the ambient conditions of the location of the field apparatus (1) and deliver the measurement data for processing either to the onboard processor (2) of the field apparatus (1) or to the central unit (7), which comprises a more extensive database (8) than the. database of the field apparatus (1) , and in that the measurement data is analyzed and immediately delivered to the display means (5) of the field apparatus (1) for observation by the user of the field apparatus.
6. Arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the arrangement is fitted to con- stantly monitor the environment of the users of the field apparatus (1) on the basis of reference models and to warn in essentially real-time if the environment contains chemicals that are dangerous to the body of a user or other dangerous substances, and in that the arrangement is fitted to distribute information in distributed format to the data storage (8a) of the central unit (7), which data storage is flexible, learning, based on fuzzy logic and scalable, and locally to users of the field apparatus (1) , and in that the system comprises means by the aid of which the system is fitted to alert and warn and, if needed, to deny access of a person to premises identified as dangerous.
7. Arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data storage (8a) is arranged to be in database format, in which data storage (8a) measurement data from the field apparatuses (1) and analyses per- formed on the basis of these measurement data are collected in a role-based manner.
8. Arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the field apparatus (1) is combined with the cleaning trolley (11) such that the measuring means (3) are disposed on the base of the cleaning trolleys (11) and/or in other suitable places, and the display means (5) and also the control means (6) are disposed on the front edge of the trolleys, where the user sees them easily and is easily able to control the operation of the apparatus by means of the user interface incorporated in the control means (6) .
9. Arrangement according to any of claims 1-7 above, charaσ- terized in that the field apparatus (1) is comprised of a number of different units, which comprise e.g. a separate pocket-sized unit, which comprises at least control means
(6) and display means (5), and one or more units in the cleaning trolley, which comprise at least a processor (2) and also measuring means (3) and other necessary units, and in that contact with the pocket-sized unit and the one or more units in the cleaning trolley (11) is arranged e.g. by means of a Bluetooth contact or other suitable contact arrangement .
10. Arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the field apparatus (1) comprises means for positioning the field apparatus in the object being measured.
PCT/FI2008/050212 2008-04-22 2008-04-22 Information technology arrangement based on embedded technology for measuring, analyzing and foreseeing the cleanness of surface materials and indoor air WO2009130360A1 (en)

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