Abstract: A functional element includes: a substrate; a movable body that includes a movable electrode portion; a support portion that supports the movable body; a first fixed electrode portion that is disposed on the substrate and a portion of which faces a first portion as one of portions of the movable body; a second fixed electrode portion that is disposed on the substrate and a portion of which faces a second portion as the other portion of the movable body; and a third fixed electrode portion that is disposed on the substrate and a portion of which faces the first portion. An opening that faces a region of the substrate between the first fixed electrode portion and the third fixed electrode portion is provided in the movable body, and the width of the opening is equal to or more than the width of the region.

Abstract: A system for testing a device under a high gravitational force including a centrifuge with a rotating member and method of operation thereof. An operating power can be applied to a device, which can be coupled to the rotating member. The system can include a rotational control that can be coupled to the centrifuge. This rotational control can be configured to rotate the rotating member in response to a controlled number of revolutions per time period. The system can also include an analysis device for monitoring one or more signals from the device with respect to the controlled number of revolutions per time period. The analysis device can be configured to determine a stiction force associated with the DUT (Device Under Test) in response to the time-varying gravitational forces and to the one or more signals from the DUTs.

Abstract: An acoustic wave detector may include: an exterior housing with an exterior housing wall, a gas chamber located within the exterior housing and configured to receive a gas therein. The exterior housing wall may include an aperture providing a gas passage between the gas chamber and the exterior of the acoustic wave detector. The acoustic wave detector may further include an excitation element configured to selectively excite gas molecules of a specific type in the gas received in the gas chamber in a time-varying fashion, thereby generating acoustic waves in the gas, and an acoustic wave sensor configured to detect the acoustic waves generated in the gas and acoustic waves generated outside of the acoustic wave detector. The acoustic wave sensor may have an acoustic port overlapping with the aperture in the exterior housing wall.

Abstract: Modular photoacoustic detection device comprising: a photoacoustic cell including at least two chambers connected by at least two capillaries and forming a Helmholtz type differential acoustic resonator; acoustic detectors coupled to the chambers; a light source capable of emitting a light beam having at least one wavelength capable of exciting a gas intended to be detected and which can be modulated to a resonance frequency of the photoacoustic cell; a first photonic circuit optically coupling the light source to an input face of a first of the chambers; wherein the first photonic circuit is arranged in a detachable manner in a first housing formed in the acoustic cell and emerging on the input face of the first chamber.

Abstract: In the present invention, differences in liquid feed properties between liquid chromatographic devices are determined, a liquid feed time table that takes these differences into account is acquired by way of system changes, and flow control is performed by a pump. Furthermore, the liquid feed time table after the system changes is divided into a plurality of intervals, and instructions are sent to the pump after approximate calculations are performed. Thus, by efficiently performing system change processes, the same measurement results can be obtained in a plurality of different liquid chromatograph devices, regardless of the differences in liquid feed properties.

Abstract: Analytical-scale separation column assemblies include a tube with a bore packed with a stationary phase through which a mobile phase flows. In one embodiment, thermal elements are disposed remotely from and unattached to the tube. The thermal elements are in thermal communication with an external surface of the tube for producing a spatial thermal gradient outside of and along a length of the tube. In another embodiment, discrete, spatially separated strips of thermally conductive material are disposed on and wrapped around an external surface of the tube. Thermal elements are disposed remotely from the tube. Each thermal element is in thermal communication with one strip of thermally conductive material by a heat-transfer device. The thermal elements produce a spatial thermal gradient outside of and along a tube length by controlling temperature of each strip of thermally conductive material disposed on and wrapped around the external surface of the tube.

Abstract: A MEMS sensor device provided with a sensing structure, having: a substrate with a top surface extending in a horizontal plane; an inertial mass, suspended over the substrate; elastic coupling elements, elastically connected to the inertial mass so as to enable inertial movement thereof with respect to the substrate as a function of a quantity to be detected along a sensing axis belonging to the horizontal plane; and sensing electrodes, capacitively coupled to the inertial mass so as to form at least one sensing capacitor, a value of capacitance of which is indicative of the quantity to be detected. The sensing structure moreover has a suspension structure, to which the sensing electrodes are rigidly coupled, and to which the inertial mass is elastically coupled through the elastic coupling elements; the suspension structure is connected to an anchorage structure, fixed with respect to the substrate, by means of elastic suspension elements.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a particulate matter sensor positioned downstream of a diesel particulate filter in an exhaust system. In one example, a particulate matter sensor assembly may include an outer stepped tube, an inner stepped tube positioned within the outer tube, and a plate having sensor element positioned inside the inner tube, the inner and the outer tube generating a step in the assembly. The step may block larger contaminants and water droplets, and thereby stopping them from impinging on the sensor element positioned within the assembly.

Abstract: A valve in conjunction with an actuator has a valve position indicator coupled to the actuator. The valve position indicator has an indicator cover mounted over an indicator mounting surface, an array of LED lights arranged on the indicator mounting surface, and a mirror mounted internal and concentric to the indicator cover. A sensor in communication with the actuator and the plurality of LED lights communicates the position of the valve to the plurality of LED lights. The plurality of LED lights may illuminate to indicate an incremental degree that the valve is open, if any, and/or indicate by color the direction that the opening (or respective closing) of the valve is changing. In another embodiment with or without the mirror equiangular spaced single points of light each have one high intensity LED oriented to emit light horizontally and one high intensity LED oriented to emit light vertically.

Abstract: A sensor control apparatus controls a gas sensor including an electromotive force cell (a detection cell) and an oxygen pump cell. The sensor control apparatus includes an AD conversion section (31); a PID computation section (61); a first signal generation section (63) which generates a DAC control signal S1 (a pump current control signal) based on the results of PID performed by the PID computation section (61); a current DA conversion section (35); and a first signal generation section (63), a second signal generation section (65), and a signal output section (67) configured to selectively set a combination of the results of the computations performed by the PID computation section (61) and to generate a gas detection signal S2 based on the set combination of the computation results.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided sensing particulate matter by a particulate matter sensor positioned downstream of a diesel particulate filter in an exhaust system. In one example, a method may include increasing an inlet opening of the particulate matter sensor when an exhaust flow rate falls below a threshold to allow more particulates to enter the particulate matter sensor and further includes decreasing the inlet opening when the exhaust flow rate rises above the threshold to reduce the particulates entering the sensor. By adjusting the amount of particulates entering the sensor based on the exhaust rate, the rate of deposition of the sensor and hence the sensitivity of the sensor to the exhaust flow rate may be maintained at a desired level, and independent of the exhaust flow rate.

Abstract: A wearable garment includes at least one impact absorbing pad with an inner face facing the body of a wearer and an opposite outer face, and a pressure sensor on the side of the pad faced by the inner face of the pad positioned so as to measure the effect at the inner face of an impact on the outer face after a portion of the impact has been absorbed by the pad.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for sterilization are presented. An exemplary embodiment includes a sterilizing cabinet assembly. The sterilizing cabinet includes a cabinet having an access port, a door connected to the cabinet, the door moveable between an open position permitting passage through the access port to an interior of the cabinet and a closed position precluding passage through the access port. The sterilizing cabinet assembly also includes at least one of the cabinet and the door having a vent port. The sterilizing cabinet has a primary filter overlying the vent port and forming a sealed interface with an adjacent portion of the one of the cabinet and the door and a secondary filter overlying at least a portion of the primary filter.

Abstract: A portable device having an exhalation sensing function is provided. The portable device includes a gas detector that analyzes exhalation, and a device main body including a receiving portion in which the gas detector is received, the device main body having a call function, wherein, when a user makes a call using the device main body, the gas detector is automatically projected from the receiving portion of the device main body, and senses the user's exhalation.

Abstract: A method is provided for adjustment of a textile machine workstation based on yarn parameters measured by an associated yarn quality sensor at the work station. The method generates a first reference value of a selected yarn parameter by measurement of the yarn parameter or by calculation, wherein the first reference value is generated from the yarn parameter for a deliberately defective yarn intentionally produced at the workstation. The method then compares a current value or second reference value of the yarn parameter for yarn produced at the workstation of production quality or higher-than-production quality to the first reference value.

Abstract: A test bench for an aircraft turbojet engine is provided. The test bench comprises a U-shaped configuration with a passage in the form of an elongated corridor, an inlet duct, and an outlet duct. The corridor comprises a fixing zone with a fixing arm for holding a turbojet engine during testing. The passage furthermore has an upstream shutter with vertical pivoting air guides and a downstream shutter with an inflatable balloon in a collector tube. In the event of fire, the shutters close to confine the turbojet engine in order to suffocate the fire rapidly. A method for managing a fire in a test bench with a passage is also provided. Shutters are placed in the passage, where they deploy.

Abstract: Methods for determining the hardness and/or ductility of a material by compression of the material are provided as a first aspect of the invention. Typically, compression is performed on multiple sides of a geologic material sample in a contemporaneous manner. Devices and systems for performing such methods also are provided. These methods, devices, and systems can be combined with additional methods, devices, and systems of the invention that provide for the analysis of compounds contained in such samples, which can indicate the presence of valuable materials, such as petroleum-associated hydrocarbons. Alternatively, these additional methods, devices, and systems can also stand independently of the methods, devices, and systems for analyzing ductility and/or hardness of materials.

Abstract: An accelerometer includes a first stator, a second stator, a proof mass assembly disposed between the first stator and second stator, and a controller. The first stator includes a first magnet and the second stator includes a second magnet. The proof mass assembly includes a first coil configured to receive a first amount of current and a second coil configured to receive a second amount of current. The controller is configured to distribute the first amount of current to the first coil and the second amount of current to the second coil. The first amount of current is different than the second amount of current.

Abstract: A diagnostic method for a particulate filter in an exhaust line of an internal combustion engine is presented. The exhaust gas stream downstream of the particulate filter is monitored by a downstream soot sensor having a characteristic sensor cycle; and the accumulation of soot at an upstream soot sensor is monitored over a respective sensor cycle of the downstream soot sensor. The particulate filter operating status is decided on the basis of the information of the downstream and upstream soot sensors. The amount of accumulated soot is determined based on the sensor cycles of the upstream soot sensor, and may be expressed as a soot loading level or as a number of sensor cycles. The efficiency of the particulate filter may be determined from the respective number of sensor cycles of the soot sensors.

Abstract: A pressure indicator: a body having a pressure chamber which has an inlet for communication with a fluid; a resilient diaphragm having a periphery sealed against the body and having one side thereof exposed to the fluid within the chamber; an indicating arm having an inner end which is integrally formed with the other side of the diaphragm and an outer end arm which is adjacent to a scale, the arrangement being such that pressure of the fluid within the chamber causes resilient deformation of the diaphragm which in turn causes the outer end of the arm to move relative to the scale thereby indicating the pressure of the fluid in the chamber.