Exploiting Delayed Nonlinear Feedback for Sensing Based on Bifurcation Morphing

Bifurcation morphing created by means of nonlinear feedback excitation is a vibration-based method for sensing. In this work, several new studies are presented to connect previously demonstrated theory to increasingly more practical applications. In particular, in the process of designing nonlinear feedback auxiliary signals, time delays in the circuitry are unavoidable. Advantages as well as possible side effects and disadvantages of time delays are discussed. Furthermore, additional time delay is considered as a new design parameter. Increasing the time delay has advantages such as enhanced robustness and sensitivity, which are demonstrated computationally. Moreover, calibration using multiple sensor locations is discussed. A clamped-free cantilever beam structure is modeled and used for computational validation. The beam model resembles cantilever-based resonant sensor systems. Thus, potential applications of the new algorithm are discussed and the results stress the importance of nonlinear features for enhancing sensing performance in mechanical sensors without structural modifications.