Researchers at Purdue University have announced a system for efficient, low-cost monitoring for machine health, including overall quality, condition, and operation status.
The Purdue team’s innovation uses audio-based artificial-intelligence technology to monitor the overall conditions of machines in factories, hospitals, and other locations. The Purdue system uses a stethoscope-like system as a sensor and analyzes the data with a neural network-based framework.
“Our solution is to use the concept of doctors listening to a body to assess the initial condition or experts listening to the machine sounds to know what is going on,” said Martin Jun, a Purdue innovator and associate professor of mechanical engineering. “We are using artificial intelligence to train a wide range of sounds from the machine and determine many things about the machine or process autonomously.”
Jun said this system can detect anomalies without being fed a training set and is easier and more cost-effective than accelerometers or acoustic-emission sensors.
The Purdue technology is designed to use internal sounds from a machine to determine the machine status, assess process conditions, diagnose machine conditions, and predict machine failures.
“Since only sound is used, it can be used for a number of different applications,” Jun said. “Having one low-cost sensor for many different purposes can address the current challenges in the area where most of the solutions are quite customized to specific problems.”
23 thoughts on “Innovation uses ‘stethoscope’ to monitor machine quality, functionality”
Product design is the key in your success. Being the forefront of innovation can put you unto the pedestal.
Totally agree Conrad. This is exactly what Innovolo are here for – helping businesses to leverage innovation to help them break through into new markets
This is ingenious new product development for doctors and business entrepreneurs alike. I’m amazed that the stethoscope can pick up so much strictly from sound. The implications from this device are huge for several mediums.
Thanks Maury, yes there’s a huge amount of potential for this technology
Well like anything over time things grow old and get defects. That is true even for machines. That said if I have not read this at first glace a stethoscope as a tool for a machine Problem solution was quiet weird. Good thing it was cleared. That detector thing is cool.
The world is bound to evolved with
new Product development. But it’s always a valuable asset to everyone.
This is what I call innovation outside the box. The idea is genius to say the least!
I like how this concept is innovative without any new product development. It’s simply using existing tools extra-ordinarily.
The beauty of this idea is that not so much was spent on product design. Stethoscopes already exist in the market.
The researchers basically came up with a problem solution using an already existing solution. I have to commend them!
The world would be a much better place if more companies could have this kind of idea generation. I thank you a lot for sharing this amazing story.
Very little physical product development went into this. That’s a good way to cut down costs.
I feel like there is not much innovation here. Most of it is just thinking outside the box.
Welcome to the world of innovation Louis 😊😊 Often the more successful new product developments are simply an amalgamation of existing technologies rather than a totally new technology (aka invention).
Hats off to the researchers for their stellar idea generation skills. They have set a good example.
I wonder how the idea commercialisation for this would work. I hope they already patented the idea.
I have some ideas of how this could work! I haven’t checked, but I’d be very surprised if it isn’t protected.
A great idea with very little physical product development! We need to see more of these!!!
I am happy to see so much innovation in the world. The future sure looks bright 🙂
Innovation has led to this magnificent production. This will help big companies to have their equipment always in great condition.
The importance of preventative maintenance is quite understated I think. Certainly this innovation will help engineers to keep their equipment in tip-top condition.
Thanks for the comment Meldred.
Artificial intelligence it’s getting very pupular as a way to make things eassier and convenient for people. It’s amazing how it can be used in many areas and has become in a problem solution for many companies.
Thanks for the comment Danielle.
There are so many amazing ways artificial intelligence and machine learning are used behind the scenes to impact our everyday lives. AI assists in every area of our lives, whether we’re trying to read our emails, get driving directions, get music, or movie recommendations. Artificial intelligence is already being used extensively in our lives, whether we realise it or not, in social media, digital assistants such as Alexa, Self-Driving And Parking Vehicles, Email communications, Web searches, Stores and services, and even Offline experiences