MRI: Track 1 Acquisition of PSV QTEC H 3D - Scanning Vibrometer

About This Grant

Strengthening the nation’s engineering research infrastructure depends on access to modern tools that help scientists and engineers do accurate, high-quality work. This Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI) grant provides funding for the acquisition of a PSV QTEC H 3D Scanning Vibrometer that will expand North Dakota State University’s research capabilities, support collaboration across disciplines, and help train the next generation of engineers and scientists. This safe, non-contact laser-based instrument allows researchers to precisely measure vibrations and sound in a wide range of systems, from bridges and machines to electronic devices and living organisms. The instrument will support research that improves honey bee health monitoring and agricultural productivity, enhances transportation safety through better assessment of roads and bridges, and contributes to the development of more reliable machines and electronics. It will also enrich STEM education by giving students hands-on experience with advanced research tools. By enabling research that benefits agriculture, industry, infrastructure, and public well-being, this grant helps advance scientific knowledge and supports the nation’s overall welfare. The PSV QTEC H 3D Scanning Vibrometer is a high‑precision, full‑field vibration measurement system capable of capturing non-contact three‑dimensional motion of a structure or living organism up to 25 MHz. Its non‑contact laser-based technology eliminates mass‑loading effects associated with accelerometers and other traditional sensors, providing true vibration response data and enabling integration of measured geometries into computer‑aided engineering models. The grant’s technical goals span multiple disciplines. In entomology, this instrument enables high-fidelity quantification of honey bee vibroacoustic responses, facilitating mechanistic modeling of stress-induced behavioral changes. In mechanical and industrial engineering, this laser vibrometer is employed to resolve full-field structural dynamics, characterize composite material behavior, and analyze noise–vibration–harshness phenomena in rotating machinery and braking systems. In electronics research, the instrument supports precise evaluation of vibration-induced performance degradation in sensitive circuitry under realistic environmental loading. In ergonomics and health sciences, it provides accurate measurement of whole-body and segmental vibration exposure for occupational risk assessment and standards development. In civil and transportation engineering, the instrument delivers high-resolution, non-contact vibration data critical for modal analysis and structural health monitoring of pavements and bridges. Together, these capabilities position the instrument as a core shared resource for advancing experimental research, enabling data-intensive modeling, and strengthening North Dakota State University’s interdisciplinary research in alignment with NSF scientific objectives. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.