Abstract: A device tests the function of an antenna system. The antenna system has a plurality of antennas that are interconnected with an assigned input of a selection unit. The antennas of a first antenna group are interconnected with the inputs of a first multiplexer. The antennas of a second antenna group are interconnected with the inputs of a second multiplexer. The antennas of the first and second antenna groups are arranged adjacently and/or overlap in pairs. A computing unit provides control signals for the selection unit to feed an AC signal into a selected antenna of the first antenna group and to capture the antenna signal present on each antenna of the second antenna group for the selected antenna at an output of the selection unit. A fault is inferred from the comparison of the determined antenna signals for the selected antenna and associated expected antenna signals.

Abstract: A device and a method for nondestructively detecting a transient characteristic of a conductive screw of a turbo-generator rotor are provided. The device includes a personal computer (PC), an extremely-steep pulse generator, an ultra-high-frequency double-isolation transformer, and a pulse emitting and coupling module, which are connected in sequence. The pulse emitting and coupling module is connected to a load. A synchronous pulse receiving non-inductive divider circuit synchronously receives a characteristic waveform from the load, and the synchronous pulse receiving non-inductive divider circuit is connected to an ultra-high-speed analog/digital (A/D) module through a nonlinear saturation amplifying circuit that amplifies a signal. The PC receives a signal from the ultra-high-speed A/D module. The load includes a positive or negative excitation lead loop that is in a 180° symmetrical and instantaneous short-circuit state and a rotor shaft.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor includes a magnetic sensor chip that includes a magnetoresistive effect element and a sealed part. The magnetoresistive effect element includes a free layer and a pinned layer. The sealed part has a first surface and a second surface, which is opposite the first surface. The shape of the sealed part in the plan view from the first surface side is substantially quadrilateral. The substantially quadrilateral shape has a first side and a second side, which are substantially parallel to each other. In the plan view, from the first surface side of the sealed part, the magnetization direction of the pinned layer, in a state in which the external magnetic field is not applied on the magnetoresistive effect element, is inclined with respect to an approximately straight line found through the least squares method using a plurality of points arbitrarily set on the first side.

Abstract: A non-destructive and non-contact test system quantifies the cellulose and/or plastic content in a given composite material board sample using capacitive sensors. The system includes a ground plate and a capacitive sensor probe system with programmed instructions to calibrate to a predetermined dielectric, determine, in a composite board placed in between the capacitive sensor and the ground plate, an equivalent thickness of material emitting the predetermined dielectric, and convert the equivalent thickness into a weight percentage of the material in the board.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for a reconfigurable architecture analog front end architecture for electrochemical sensors. In one example, an analog front end includes an electrode driver stage coupled to electrodes of an electrochemical sensor, and measurement channels coupled to the electrode driver stage to receive an electrode signal from the electrodes of the electrochemical sensor and to generate measurement results, the measurement channels configured to switch configurations to perform different measurements.

Abstract: A system including a modulator, a laser source, a mirror, a laser sensor, and a processor. The modulator is movable in a first direction. The laser source is configured to emit laser light in a direction parallel to the surface of the modulator. The mirror is configured to redirect the laser light. The laser sensor is configured to detect a first change in intensity when a particle on the surface of the modulator passes through the laser light emitted by the laser source. The laser sensor is further configured to detect a second change in intensity when the particle on the surface of the modulator passes through the laser light redirected by the at least one mirror. The processor is configured to determine an X-Y location of the particle based on the first change in intensity and the second change in intensity.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a magnetic multi-turn sensor comprising a continuous coil of magnetoresistive elements and a method of manufacturing said sensor. The continuous coil is formed on a substrate such as a silicon wafer that has been fabricated so as to form a trench and bridge arrangement that enables the inner and outer spiral to be connected without interfering with the magnetoresistive elements of the spiral winding in between. Once the substrate has been fabricated with the trench and bridge arrangement, a film of the magnetoresistive material can be deposited to form a continuous coil on the surface of the substrate, wherein a portion of the coil is formed in the trench and a portion of the coil is formed on the bridge.

Abstract: In one aspect, bridge circuitry includes a first magnetoresistance (MR) element connected with a second MR element at a first node; a third MR element connected with the first MR element at a second node; a fourth MR element connected with the third MR element at a third node; a fifth MR element connected with a sixth MR element at a fourth node; a seventh MR element connected with the fifth MR element at a fifth node; and an eighth MR element connected with the seventh MR element at a sixth node; and a plurality of eight switches. Six of the plurality of eight switches are each connected to a corresponding one node.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and methods for sensing and measurement of magnetic fields that are insensitive to temperature, and respond linearly to the magnitude of the magnetic field. In particular, the apparatus and methods include the use of a resistance network including at least one fluorinated graphene foam (FGF) magnetoresistive device. Measurement of a voltage drop across at least one FGF magnetoresistive device is correlated to either merely the presence of a magnetic field or for measurement of at least a scalar magnitude value of the magnetic field. The use of FGF affords both temperature-insensitivity and linear magnetic field responsivity.

Abstract: A method for machine monitoring including causing a first sensor to acquire at least a first non-stationary signal from at least one machine operating in a non-stationary manner during at least one operational time frame, causing a second sensor to acquire at least a second non-stationary signal from the at least one machine during the operational time frame, fusing a first non-stationary output provided by the first sensor with a second non-stationary output provided by the second sensor, extracting at least one feature from the fused output, analyzing the at least one feature to ascertain a state of health of the at least one machine and performing at least one operation on the at least one machine based on the state of health as found by the analyzing.

Abstract: The invention discloses a probe for detecting changes of a medium in a container, comprising: a process connection for connecting the probe to the container, wherein the process connection is part of a housing, especially, an integral part of a housing; the housing comprising at least one microwave chip for generating microwaves, which chip is connected to at least one antenna, wherein the antenna transmits and receives the microwaves in the direction of the medium; an interface for connecting the probe to a higher-level unit; and a data processing unit which is designed to receive data, especially, measurement data, from the higher-level unit via the interface and to transmit data to the higher-level unit, to activate the microwave chip, and to process signals that are dependent on the received microwaves.

Abstract: A method for energy-efficient state change detection and classification of streaming sequential data includes receiving via a first prediction model, sequential data from a sensor. The first prediction model determines a change in an activity state based on the sequential data. An indication that the activity state has changed is transmitted to a second prediction. The second prediction model determines an updated activity state based on the sequential data. The updated activity state is sent to the first prediction model, after which the second prediction enters an inactive state.

Abstract: Magnetic-field sensors use magnetic closed-loops with magnetic-field sensing elements, e.g., magnetoresistance (MR) elements, and diagnostic circuitry operating in a separate frequency band than that used for magnetic field sensing. The MR elements can be used in a first stage of a high gain amplifier which provides a feedback signal to a feedback coil in a feedback configuration to provide a magnetic feedback field. The magnetic feedback field attenuates the sensed magnetic field so that the MR elements operate in a linear range. Magnetic stray field effects and any limited linearity of magnetic-field sensing elements can be masked by the loop gain of the closed loop. For a magnetic closed-loop, a negative feedback configuration can be used or a positive feedback configuration can be used with a loop-gain of less than one. The diagnostic signal traverses the closed-loop and provides information regarding correct or incorrect functioning of the loop components.

Abstract: A test system for testing a device having a plurality of electrical contacts. The test system comprising: a device table operable to hold at least one device under test, a probe comprising at least one probe end for contacting electrical contacts of a device under test, a movement mechanism operable to move one or both of the device table and the probe so as to bring the at least one probe end into contact with at least one electrical contact of a device under test, and a profile determining system configured to determine a profile of the electrical contacts of a device under test.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to a magnetoresistive sensor element with synthetic antiferromagnetic biasing structure separated, by a non-magnetic tuning spacer, from a free ferromagnetic layer of a TMR/GMR sensor. The synthetic antiferromagnetic biasing structure includes first and second ferromagnetic layers separated from one another by a synthetic antiferromagnetic spacer. The synthetic antiferromagnetic biasing structure is biased during manufacture and pinned via exchange coupling with an adjacent antiferromagnetic layer. The synthetic antiferromagnetic biasing structure biases the free ferromagnetic layer via tuned exchanged coupling via relative proximity controlled by thickness of the non-magnetic tuning spacer.

Abstract: An electric circuit arrangement to determine a level of an excess bias voltage of a single photon avalanche diode comprises an evaluation circuit being configured to determine a level of an excess bias voltage of the single photon avalanche diode in dependence on a signal course of an output signal of the single photon avalanche diode. In a first operational cycle of the circuit arrangement a voltage jump to the level of the excess bias voltage is generated at an output terminal, when a photon hits a photosensitive area of the single photon avalanche diode. In a subsequent second operational cycle, the output terminal of the single photon avalanche diode is coupled to a supply terminal.

Abstract: A fluid sensor includes a tuning fork mechanical resonator including a base and a tine projecting from the base along a longitudinal direction of the tine, and a pair of electrodes disposed on the tine. The base and the tine are formed from a piezoelectric material including lithium tantalate. The electrodes are exposed to a fluid.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor used to detect detection substances in samples includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, which is opposite to the first surface, a magnetoresistance effect element, which is provided on the first surface and in which the resistance of the magnetoresistance effect element changes in accordance with an input magnetic field, and a protective layer that covers the magnetoresistance effect element. The magnetoresistance effect element is configured in a line shape extending in a first direction on the first surface, and has a first region that is positioned at the outer periphery in a plan view, and a second region that is surrounded by the first region. The height of a top surface of the protective layer on the first region is greater than the height of a top surface of the protective layer on the second region.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an electrical installation comprising a monitoring module positioned between a sensor connected to a measurement cable and first and second supply cables for the sensor. The monitoring module comprises a first transistor comprising first and second power electrodes and a control electrode, the first and the second power electrodes of the first transistor being electrically connected to the second supply cable and to the measurement cable, respectively, so that when the first transistor is in the closed state thereof, a first fault value is generated on the measurement cable. The control electrode of the first transistor is connected to the first supply cable so that the loss of current in the first supply cable, caused by the interruption of the current, automatically triggers the switching of the first transistor to the closed state thereof.

Abstract: Various approaches for automated fall detection, implemented in wearables and other device form factors of a personal emergency response system (PERS) are disclosed. In an example, a hybrid approach for fall detection includes: identifying a potential fall event from three-dimensional motion data of a human subject, using filtering rules; evaluating the motion data with a machine learning model (e.g., a decision tree ensemble (DTE) model), to produce a first determination that a fall has occurred; evaluating the motion data with a deep learning neural network (e.g., recurrent neural network such as a gated recurrent unit (GRU)), to produce a second determination that a fall has occurred; classifying the potential fall event as a fall condition for the human subject, based on the first determination and the second determination; and outputting data to indicate the fall condition for the human subject.