Abstract: At least one tactile sensor includes an insulating layer and a conductive layer formed on the surface of the insulating layer. The conductive layer defines at least one group of flexible projections extending orthogonally from the surface of the insulating layer. The flexible projections include a major projection extending a distance orthogonally from the surface and at least one minor projection that is adjacent to and separate from the major projection wherein the major projection extends a distance orthogonally that is greater than the distance that the minor projection extends orthogonally. Upon a compressive force normal to, or a shear force parallel to, the surface, the major projection and the minor projection flex such that an electrical contact resistance is formed between the major projection and the minor projection. A capacitive tactile sensor is also disclosed that responds to the normal and shear forces.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer system including a device for supplying a protonated ion species; a single chamber having an entrance and an exit slit, the chamber receiving the supplied protonated ion and transmitting a reprotonated ion through the exit slit; a device for supplying a predetermined reagent gas within the chamber; a device for supplying an electron beam in said chamber such that the electron beam reacts with the supplied predetermined reagent gas to provide neutral reagent gas and protonated reagent gas within the chamber, the supplied ion species reacting with the neutral reagent gas to neutralize the ion species, thereby providing neutral species within the chamber, the neutral species reacting with the protonated reagent gas to provide reionized species within the chamber; and a device, coupled to the exit slit of the chamber, for extracting the reionized species.