Nokia Technologies Oy

Alcatel Lucent

Akshat Agarwal

Nicholas M Jeffers

An apparatus comprising: a body having an aperture dimensioned to receive an air-borne particle of corresponding size; first and second electrodes positioned within the aperture between which a potential difference can be applied; and a measurement circuit configured to measure an electrical property between the first and second electrodes such that the presence of the air-borne particle within the aperture can be detected based on a change in the electrical property when the air-borne particle contacts both the first and second electrodes.

Apparatus and associated methods for detecting air-borne particles

A power source is configured to apply a first alternating electric excitation signal to an oscillation blade device at a first excitation frequency causing a blade of the oscillation blade device to oscillate at a first oscillation frequency. A current detector is configured to measure amplitude values of the current supplied by the power source to the oscillation blade device. A processor is configured to assess a plurality of successive peak values of the measured amplitudes, determine a second oscillation frequency for the blade if variation in the successive peak values is detected and send a command to the power source to apply a second alternating electric excitation signal to the oscillation blade device at a second excitation frequency which matches the determined second oscillation frequency.

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Nozay, France

Akshat Agarwal