Abstract: A strain sensor includes a load carrying body configured to strain in response to a load applied along a load path. The sensor further includes a magnetostrictive electrical conductor affixed to the body but out of the load path. Application of the load causes the body to strain, which in turn results in a proportional stress being imparted to the magnetostrictive conductor, altering its magnetic permeability. A circuit is electrically connected to the conductor to detect such changes in permeability, which are indicative of the applied load.

Abstract: Force measuring systems for electronic pens, styli, or other products may include structure for changing a direction or location of application of a force (e.g., a force transmitted via pen or stylus contact with a writing surface) from a first direction or location to a second direction or location. In this manner, a sensor portion of the force measuring system may be reoriented in a direction such that it is not normal to the direction of the force. This feature may help make electronic pens or styli (or other products) thinner and dimensioned more consistent with their non-electronic counterparts. Various structures for changing the direction or location of application of the force are described.

Abstract: A test device comprises a base and a first fixture coupled to the base. The first fixture holds a first portion of an electronic device mounted in the test device. The test device includes a second fixture rotatably coupled to the base and a lever coupled to the second fixture. The second fixture holds a second portion of the electronic device mounted in the test device. The test device also includes an actuator that forcibly moves the lever to rotate the second fixture and apply a torsion stress on the electronic device mounted in the test device. The test device may be used to test the functionality of electronic devices, such as small form-factor disc drives, while under torsion stresses.

Abstract: A device and a method for measuring torque for an electromechanical steering system comprises a steering means that is connected in a driving manner to a steering mechanism via a torsion rod which is provided with an input shaft part (101) and an output shaft part (102), an electric servomotor for driving the steering mechanism, the driving activity by the servomotor causing a relative rotational displacement between the input shaft part (101) and the output shaft part (102), a sensor unit (53) for detecting a steering angle (d), a sensor unit (52) for detecting a rotor angle of the servomotor (2), and a virtual torque sensor (54) in which a steering moment (??) is determined from the steering angle (d) and the rotor angle.

Abstract: A load sensor includes a housing and a magnet carrier axially movable within the housing. A first and a second magnet are coupled to the magnet carrier in an axially spaced apart arrangement and oriented to provide repelling magnetic fields. The magnet carrier and the first and second magnets are axially movable relative to the magnetic field sensor, and the magnetic field sensor is configured to provide an output that is indicative of the position of the magnetic filed sensor relative to the first and second magnets.

Abstract: A tire pressure monitoring system is provided that includes a switched capacitor circuit having a clock with two non-overlapping clock phases that control a state of analog switches of the switched capacitor circuit. The system uses tire pressure sensor MEMS capacitors that are measured differentially. A capacitance-to-voltage converter is connected to the MEMS sense capacitor, and a sigma-delta converter having a comparator with a first digital output state and a second digital output state is used. The first output state is a sum of reference voltages and the second output state is a difference of the reference voltages. An average value of the capacitance-to-voltage converter output is driven to a zero value and a digital output is provided of the average output states that is equal to a difference between the MEMS capacitors divided by their sum multiplied by a ratio of the reference voltages.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine control apparatus controls an air intake mass at an idle state after a start of an internal combustion engine based on a correction mass of the air intake mass calculated based on a desired value of the air intake mass and a measured value of the air intake mass. The air intake mass is controlled based on an idle speed control variable corresponding to the desired value of the air intake mass, and an idle speed control variable at when the correction mass is calculated. Each idle speed control variable includes a degree of a throttle opening or a degree of an idle speed control valve opening.

Abstract: A system and method for calibrating a pyrometer used in temperature detection in a chemical vapor deposition system is provided. A calibration wafer with a reference region including a metal such as Al or Ag for forming a eutectic, and an exposed non-reference region without such a metal, are provided. Reflectivity measurements are taken from the reference region, and temperature measurements are taken from the non-reference region, over a range of temperatures including a known melting point for the metal eutectic. The pyrometer is calibrated based on the correlation of the known eutectic melting point with the change in reflectivity data obtained in the reference region, in light of the temperature data obtained from the non-reference region.

Abstract: A high temperature pressure sensing system (transducer) including: a pressure sensing piezoresistive sensor formed by a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) process; a SOI amplifier circuit operatively coupled to the piezoresistive sensor; a SOI gain controller circuit including a plurality of resistances that when selectively coupled to the amplifier adjust a gain of the amplifier; a plurality of off-chip contacts corresponding to the resistances, respectively, for electrically activating the corresponding resistances and using a metallization layer for the SOI sensor and SOI ASIC suitable for high temperature interconnections (bonding); wherein the piezoresistive sensor, amplifier circuit and gain control circuit are suitable for use in environments having a temperature greater than 175 degrees C. and reaching between 250° C. and 300° C., and wherein the entire transducer has a high immunity to nuclear radiation.

Abstract: A gap-change sensing through capacitive techniques is disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a first conductive surface and a second conductive surface substantially parallel to the first conductive surface, and a sensor to generate a measurement based on a change in a distance between the first conductive surface and the second conductive surface. The change in the distance may be caused by a deflection of the first conductive surface with respect to the second conductive surface, and the deflection may be a compressive force and/or an expansive force. The sensor may apply an algorithm that converts a change in capacitance to at least one of a change in voltage and/or a change in frequency to generate the measurement. The change in the distance may be caused by a load applied to the surface above the first conductive surface with respect to the second conductive surface.

Abstract: A motor rotates a cam, thereby pulling up an external force application member while compressing an application spring. After that, the motor releases the external force application member to impact a sheet material. An impact force caused at a time when an external force receiving member receives an external force application member through the sheet material is detected by a piezoelectric element. When an electric power supply to the motor is stopped, a retraction spring allows the motor to idle through a wheel and rotates the cam to allow the external force application member to retract to a highest position.

Abstract: A method for preparing a motor vehicle for a crash test is disclosed. The method subjects the motor vehicle to a sequence of different tests and provides a system of staged modifications that can be made to help the motor vehicle pass the current test without invalidating test results obtained earlier in the sequence. In some cases, this method can be used to confirm that a particular motor vehicle qualifies for a certain crash test routine.

Abstract: A component arrangement is disclosed herein comprising a temperature sensor integrated in a semiconductor body, said temperature sensor being designed to generate a first temperature signal dependent on a temperature in the semiconductor body; a control device comprising a control amplifier, which has a first and a second input and an output, and comprising a low-pass filter having an input and an output, the input of the low-pass filter being coupled to the output of the control amplifier, the first input of the control amplifier being coupled to the temperature sensor and the second input of the control amplifier being coupled to the output of the low-pass filter; and an output, which is coupled to the output of the control amplifier and at which a second temperature signal is available. A method for determining the temperature in a semiconductor component is also disclosed herein.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of measuring a parameter associated with a sample is provided. The method includes providing a probe adapted to heat the sample and applying a measuring current having a frequency ?1 to the probe. In operation, the method measures the amplitude of the voltage across the probe at a frequency ?1. This amplitude is indicative of a temperature of the probe. The preferred embodiment also provides a method of separating contamination of the thermal data caused by the probe from thermal data associated with the sample under test.

Abstract: The invention provides an electric power steering system which is adapted to enhance the versatility of a detector coil including lead pins and which may be manufactured at low costs. The electric power steering system PS of the invention has an arrangement wherein lead pins 11 of a detector coil 6 and a control board 30 constituting a control unit 10 are interconnected via a wire harness 13. The lead pin 11 and the wire harness 13 are interconnected via a conductive sleeve terminal 14. The sleeve terminal 14 includes: a cylindrical sleeve portion 40 fitted about the lead pin 11; and a connection portion 41 connected with the wire harness 13 and upstanding from an outside periphery of the sleeve portion 40.

Abstract: A non-destructive method for evaluating the strength of cancellous bone includes the steps of performing at least two of the following tests on each cancellous bone of a population of cancellous bones: a manual compression test, an apparent density test, and an appearance test; determining a compressive strength for each cancellous bone based on the two tests performed; comparing the determined compressive strength of each cancellous bone against a predetermined compressive strength requirement; and, eliminating a subset of cancellous bone from the population of cancellous bone, which subset of cancellous bone fails to meet the predetermined compressive strength requirement.

Abstract: A thermometer for measuring body temperature in two different regions of a patient's body is provided. The thermometer includes a body and a probe fastened to the body. The probe has a tip portion disposed away from the body, and a temperature sensor is disposed on the tip of the probe. A supporting arm is pivotably attached to the body so that it can pivot between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position, the arm nests with the body so that the probe may be used to measure oral or rectal temperature. In the open position, the arm is positioned away from the body to provide a retaining surface for positioning the probe to measure axillary temperature.

Abstract: A device for testing material properties with regard to combined tensile and shear loads, in particular for testing adhesives, includes a device for applying the force, a measuring device, a test piece receptacle, and a test piece having a bonding surface. The test piece is dimensionally stable within the intended limits of the force to be applied. This measure ensures that the shear forces acting on the joint act approximately at a right angle to the bonding surface over the entire test period, so that realistic conclusions may be drawn with regard to the material properties of the tested adhesive.

Abstract: A spanner with a strain alarm function comprises a spanner body having at least one driving head at one end thereof; a strain gauge installed at the spanner body; a display installed in the spanner body electrically connected to the strain gauge; an alarm unit installed in the display; when a spanner body drives an object to be tightened and a twisting force applied to the object has achieved to a predetermined value, the alarm will emit alert signal to users so as to inform the user that the object to be tightened has achieved to a predetermined position. The alarm unit is one of a light emitting body and a buzzer. The predetermined value is a summation of a desired value for tightening the object and an added value under the consideration of a retuning level of the object as the spanner is released from the object.

Abstract: A magnetic clutch has a rotatable input part with first magnets and a rotatable output part with second magnets, the output part being magnetically coupled to the input part. At least one sensor measures a magnetic field or its temporal differentiation and is positioned to measure the magnetic field or its temporal differentiation resulting from the interference of the magnetic field of the first magnets of the input part with the magnetic field of the second magnets of the output part. The output of the sensor is processed by an evaluation unit operative to determine at least one working parameter.