Abstract: A vibrator device includes a vibrator having a first and second electrode, and a circuit device having a drive circuit adapted to drive the vibrator, and an output circuit adapted to output a monitor signal corresponding to a vibration characteristic of the vibrator while driven by the drive circuit. The circuit device includes a first terminal electrically connected to the first electrode, and from which an output signal from the drive circuit to the vibrator is output, a second terminal electrically connected to the second electrode, and to which an input signal from the vibrator to the drive circuit is input, a third terminal electrically separated from the first electrode and the second electrode, and a monitor terminal from which the monitor signal is output. The vibrator is supported on an active surface side of the circuit device using conductive bumps respectively to the first, second, and third terminal.

Abstract: The invention involves providing a reset signal before and or after one or more actuation signals to an electroactive polymer structure of an actuator. The reset signal can cause relaxation of defects such as e.g. trapped charge, dipoles and/or others in the EAP or EAP structure so that upon a subsequent activation using a drive signal, the initial actuation state is defined to be more constant than without use of the reset signal. Hence the actuation 5 output of a device employing the invention is more reproducible. The invention is applicable to actuator devices that have an electroactive polymer structure including an EAP material, where the structure is capable of providing a mechanical actuation upon subjection of at least part of the EAP material to an electrical drive signal.

Abstract: Disclosed is a piezoelectric sensing apparatus, comprising: a plurality of piezoelectric regions, each piezoelectric region including an anode surface and a cathode surface, wherein the plurality of piezoelectric regions are successively connected from the first piezoelectric region to the last piezoelectric region such that between adjacent piezoelectric regions, surfaces of a same polarity are connected, i.e., one anode surface is connected to another anode surface, while one cathode surface is connected to another cathode surface. The piezoelectric sensing apparatus as provided may effectively boost a high-frequency signal while weaken a low-frequency signal, such that an output waveform signal facilitates improving the positioning accuracy.

Abstract: A field driven electroactive polymer actuator which is actuated using an actuation drive having a profiled portion having a start voltage and an end voltage and a duration of at least 25 ms followed by a steady state drive portion based on a steady state voltage. The profiled portion comprises a voltage curve or a set of voltage points which define a first voltage slope at the beginning of the profiled portion which is steeper than a linear ramp between the start voltage and the end voltage, and a second voltage slope at the end of the profiled portion which is shallower than a linear ramp between the start voltage and the end voltage.

Abstract: A power generation apparatus includes a first power generation unit along with a second power generation unit. Each power generation unit has a piezoelectric element along with a base material holding the piezoelectric element. A first plus terminal is provided at a first edge of the base material, a second plus terminal is provided at a second edge of the base material, a first minus terminal is provided at a third edge of the base material, and a second minus terminal is provided at a fourth edge of the base material.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for activating at least one portion, to be specific a change portion, of an electromechanical element (3), comprising the following steps: providing an electromechanical element, wherein at least the change portion has at least two electrodes, which are spaced apart from one another, and arranged between the electrodes a polycrystalline and ferroelectric or ferroelectric-piezoelectric material with a multiplicity of domains, wherein, in an initial state, at least some of the domains have directions of polarization that are different from one another; generating an electrical field between the electrodes of the change portion by applying an electrical voltage in the form of at least one voltage pulse with a defined amplitude and a defined duration; transforming some of the domains with directions of polarization that are different from one another into a state of the same direction of polarization as a result of the at least one voltage pulse, and thereby producing an increase

Abstract: A piezoelectric micromachined ultrasound transducer (PMUT) is disclosed. The device consists of a flexible membrane that is connected to a rigid substrate via flexures. The flexures are defined by slots etched through the perimeter of the membrane. These features release the stress present on the structural layers of the membrane, making it less sensitive to residual stress. The flexures are designed to act as torsion springs so that the membrane's vibration mode shape is highly curved in the piezoelectric actuation area, thereby increasing the electromechanical coupling.

Abstract: A piezoelectric device includes a piezoelectric vibrating piece and a container. The piezoelectric vibrating piece has a rectangular planar shape and has a portion of a first side secured to the container. The piezoelectric vibrating piece has a second side opposing the first side and includes a projecting portion that projects outward from the second side in at least one of proximity of both ends of the second side along the second side.

Abstract: An electrical generator comprises a converter including two electrical terminals for converting a variation in a magnetic field into a potential difference between the terminals. The generator includes a stack of a first layer comprising an anisotropic magnetostrictive material defining a reference plane and a second layer comprising a piezoelectric material. The first layer has at least one preferential axis of deformation in the reference plane and the second layer has a polarization axis parallel to the reference plane, the preferential axis of deformation of the first layer being aligned to within 15° with the polarization axis of the second layer. The generator includes a source that generates the magnetic field, the strength of which is insufficient to magnetically saturate the material of the first layer. The source and converter are able to rotate with respect to each other so as to vary the orientation of the magnetic field.

Abstract: A crystal vibration element that includes a crystal piece that has a prescribed crystal orientation, and a first direction and a second direction in a plan view thereof; and excitation electrodes that are respectively provided on front and rear surfaces of the crystal piece in order to excite a thickness shear vibration in the crystal piece upon application of an alternating electric field. A vibration distribution of the crystal piece has a vibration region that extends in a band-like shape in the second direction of the crystal piece and non-vibration regions that are adjacent to opposed sides of the vibration region in the first direction of the crystal piece.

Abstract: An electroactive material actuator and sensor is actuated with an actuation signal having an activation period for charging the actuator and a de-activation period for discharging the actuator. A parallel resistance of the actuator is determined by sensing a steady state current during the activation period and a series capacitance of the actuator is determined based on a charge flow during charging of the actuator at the beginning of the activation period. A series resistance is obtained by controlling a current through the actuator with an oscillating profile so that a phase relationship of the actuator between current and voltage can be measured. An oscillating current sink is used to enable circuit component measurements, which implement sensing functionality.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, a structure for a strain gauge device is provided. The structure comprises a layer of strain gauge material and one or more contact pads positioned directly on the layer of strain gauge material. The structure further comprises a multiplexer, measuring device, amplifier, analog to digital converter, microcontroller, and wireless adapter. According to the structure, the multiplexer selects a given contact pad pair of the one or more contact pad pairs, the measuring device measures signal generated by the layer of strain gauge material between the given contact pad pair, the amplifier amplifies the measured signal, the analog to digital converter converts the amplified analog signal to a digital signal, the microcontroller processes the digital signal, and the wireless adapter transmits the processed digital signal. In addition, the structure may further comprise a battery to provide energy to the structure.

Abstract: An actuator device comprises an electroactive polymer actuator (116) and a control circuit for driving the electroactive polymer actuator. The control circuit comprises a voltage boosting circuit including at least a capacitor (114; C11, C12, C13). An electroactive polymer layer (110) forms the electroactive polymer actuator in an active region (112) as well as a dielectric layer of the capacitor in a passive region (111). This provides integration of components to enable cost reductions and miniaturization.

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator includes: a plurality of discrete electrodes, which is disposed on one side of a piezoelectric element; a common electrode, which is disposed on the other side of the piezoelectric element; a plurality of discrete contacts, which are respectively connected to the plurality of discrete electrodes, and wherein the plurality of discrete electrodes include: a first discrete electrode; and a second discrete electrode, which is disposed at a position away from a corresponding discrete contact as compared with the first discrete electrode, wherein the common electrode includes: a first common electrode, which faces the first discrete electrode in the thickness direction; and a second common electrode, which is separated from the first common electrode in the surface direction and faces the second discrete electrode in the thickness direction, and wherein a connection wiring is provided to connect the first common electrode with the second common electrode.

Abstract: A vibration wave motor includes a driven body, a vibrator including an annular vibration plate and an annular piezoelectric element, and a vibration damping member, which are arranged in sequence, wherein the vibration plate has, on a side facing the driven body, radially extending groove portions at X places, and, when center depths of the groove portions at X places are sequentially denoted by D1 to DX in a circumferential direction, D1 to DX vary along a curve obtained by superposing one or more sine waves, and wherein the vibration plate is locally supported by the vibration damping member in some or all antinode portions of a standing wave occurring when the vibration wave motor is driven.

Abstract: An actuator device (21) comprises an electroactive polymer (EAP) and a driver (20) for generating a electrical drive signals which give opposite polarity voltages and thus electrical field within the electroactive polymer at different times. In this way, charge build-up can be reduced or avoided, while prolonged activation times are still possible. This improves the performance and/or lifetime of the device.

Abstract: A circuit for 3D ultrasound imaging systems includes multiple sensor units, multiple unit circuits and multiple row sharing circuits. The unit circuits are connected with the sensor units respectively. Each row of unit circuits share a row sharing circuit. Each unit circuit includes a first electrically controlled switch, a second electrically controlled switch and a control circuit. Each row sharing circuit includes a signal transmission bus, a signal receiving bus and a row main control circuit. The signal transmission bus and the signal receiving bus of each row sharing circuit extend through a corresponding row of unit circuits. The row main control circuit of each row is configured to transmit main control signals, transmission control signals and receiving control signals to a corresponding row of unit circuits so as to select the corresponding sensor units to transmit or receive ultrasound signals.

Abstract: A piezoelectric capacitor includes A) a composite article that has 1) a dry piezoelectric layer (dry PL); 2) a first dry electrode comprising a dry electrically-conductive layer arranged contiguously with a first opposing surface of the dry PL; and 3) a second dry electrode arranged contiguously with a second opposing surface of the dry PL. The dry electrically-conductive layer has essentially (a) an electrically-conductive material; and (b) particles having a Young's modulus that is different from the Young's modulus of the (a) electrically-conductive material by at least 10%. The capacitor also has B) electrical communication means attached to both electrodes for electrical communication of the composite article with an external electrical circuit.

Abstract: In an elastic wave device, an IDT electrode is disposed on a piezoelectric substrate and includes a close contact layer, which includes first and second main surfaces and side surfaces. The first main surface is in contact with the piezoelectric substrate, and at least two electrode layers are disposed on the close contact layer. The at least two electrode layers include a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer. The first electrode layer is made of a material that has a higher density than that of Al. The second electrode layer has a lower density than the first electrode layer. One of the at least two electrode layers has higher weather resistance than the close contact layer and covers the side surfaces of the close contact layer.

Abstract: A piezoelectric device includes a first region for receiving a pressing operation and a second region located outside of the first region. A piezoelectric element outputs a stronger potential when a pressing operation is applied to the first region than when the pressing operation is applied to the second region.