Abstract: 3D printing in MRI-compatible plastic resin has been used to fabricate and implement a geometric distortion phantom for MRI and CT imaging. The sparse grid structure provides a rigid and accurate phantom with identifiable intersections that are larger than the supporting members, which produces images that are amenable to fully automated quantitative analysis using morphometric erosion, greyscale segmentation and centroiding. This approach produces a 3D vector map of geometric distortion that is useful in clinical applications where geometric accuracy is important, either in routine quality assurance or as a component of distortion correction utilities.

Abstract: A non-contact conductivity and magnetic susceptibility meter using a magnetic parallel dipole line (PDL) trap system is provided. In one aspect, a measurement system includes: a PDL trap having a pair of dipole line magnets; and a diamagnetic object levitating above the dipole line magnets, wherein the diamagnetic object is configured to contain a material under test for conductivity and magnetic susceptibility measurement using the measurement system. A method for analyzing a material under test using the present PDL trap-based non-contact measurement system is also provided.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a wafer inspection device that can perform accurate inspection. The wafer inspection device includes a probe card having a plurality of contact probes formed to protrude toward a wafer W, a chuck top on which the wafer W is mounted and configured to move toward the probe card, and an aligner configured to adjust inclination of the chuck top relative to the probe card.

Abstract: A test apparatus may include transceivers and a global de-skew circuit. In a training mode, the transceivers provide first timing information obtained by delaying a first data signal in the range of up to a preset unit interval based on a clock signal and receive second timing information corresponding to timing differences between a slowest transceiver and the remaining transceivers. In an operation mode, the transceivers provide compensation data to a plurality of DUTs (Devices Under Test) substantially simultaneously. The compensation data may be obtained by delaying a second data signal by multiples of the preset unit interval in response to the second timing information. In the training mode, the global de-skew circuit receives the first timing information, calculates, using the first timing information, the timing differences between the slowest transceiver and the remaining transceivers, and provides the second timing information corresponding to the timing differences to the transceivers.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive Wheatstone bridge includes two bridge branches connected in parallel between a supply potential Vb, wherein two series-connected resistor arrangements R1 and R3 or R2 and R4 are arranged in each bridge branch with an interposed measuring potential Vout. The resistor arrangements of the two bridge branches are situated diagonally opposite one another and at least two magnetoresistive resistor arrangements have a magnetically sensitive preferred direction. The preferred directions of diagonally opposing resistor arrangements of the bridge branches R1 and R4 or R2 and R3 differ by an angle other than 0° or 180°. An angle sensor includes at least two of the Wheatstone bridges offset by a predefined angle for determining an angular orientation of a magnetic field by a sine bridge and a cosine bridge. The measuring bridge reduces harmonics and optimizes resistance values, improving the accuracy of a phase-angle sensor signal and the sensor resolution.

Abstract: A method for performing magnetic resonance imaging with variable flip angle (VFA) readouts includes preparing longitudinal magnetization of a spin system associated with a subject to a target state, yielding a prepared longitudinal magnetization. The prepared longitudinal magnetization is converted to an image using a VFA readout sequence, wherein the VFA readout sequence comprises a plurality of radio-frequency pulses with corresponding flip-angles varying according to a modulation function.

Abstract: Localizing hot spots in multi layered device under test (DUT) by using lock-in thermography (LIT) where plural hot spots of electrical circuits are buried in the DUT at different depth layers from a bottom layer to a top layer, comprises applying test signals of multiple frequencies to the electrical circuits of the DUT for exciting the hot spots; imaging a top surface of the top layer of the DUT at timed intervals to obtain IR images of the DUT while the test signal is applied to the electrical circuits wherein the images are in correlation to a propagation of heat from the hot spots in the DUT; detecting the thermal response signals at the timed intervals from the images taken from the DUT; and determining changes in the appearance of hot spot images on the top surface of the DUT in relation to the frequencies of the thermal response signals.

Abstract: A diagnostic device (40) having layers (25, 27, 29) corresponding to respective layers (24, 26, 28) of a given photovoltaic module (20). The diagnostic device is provided for testing and monitoring a condition of the given photovoltaic module. The layers of the diagnostic device may be made of respective materials with the same or substantially the same electrical resistance and aging characteristics as the respective layers of the given photovoltaic module under operational conditions. Electrodes (42, 44, 50A-C, 52A-C, 54A-C) of the diagnostic device are configured to independently measure electrical resistance along at least two different current resistance paths in the diagnostic device corresponding to respectively different current leakage paths (R1, R?1, R2-4, R5, R5) of the given photovoltaic module.

Abstract: A method for monitoring a state variable of at least one battery cell of a battery. The battery has at least two battery cells that are arranged adjacent to one another. A first electrically conductive surface is provided at a boundary surface of a first battery cell and a second electrically conductive surface is provided at a boundary surface of a second battery cell. The electrically conductive surfaces are arranged electrically insulated from each other. An electrical voltage is applied between the two electrically conductive surfaces. An electrical variable produced due to an effect of the electrical voltage is analyzed. The state variable on the basis of the analysis is determined.

Abstract: An automotive component assembly comprises an input circuit portion for a sensor and a component portion. The input circuit portion is aligned with the component portion in a desired assembly position. A pocket is at least partially defined by the component portion to receive the input circuit portion and a clamping force retains the input circuit portion between a first layer and a second layer of the component portion forming the pocket. An overmold material is applied to retain the input circuit portion and the component portion to one another.

Abstract: A system and method are provided to perform current sensor error compensation. The system and method involve obtaining a current measurement of a current on a circuit from a current sensor; obtaining a voltage measurement of a voltage associated with the current from a voltage sensor; determining a fundamental frequency of the voltage from the voltage measurement; and performing error compensation on the current measurement based on the determined fundamental frequency to produce a corrected current measurement. The current sensor error compensation may be performed to correct current measurements in a motor system, such as in a motor overload relay, at a low cost by using functionality already available in the system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a coupling for electrically and mechanically connecting medium-voltage or high-voltage components, in particular for voltages of 1 kV to 52 kV, comprising a first connecting piece for mechanically and electrically connecting a medium-voltage or high-voltage component, in particular for connecting to a complementary connecting piece of a bushing of a switchgear cabinet, and a second connecting piece for mechanically and electrically connecting another medium-voltage or high-voltage component, in particular for connecting to a complementary connecting piece of an electrical cable, wherein the two connecting pieces of the coupling belong to complementary connection types, which fit together mechanically, and comprising a low-resistance current sensing resistor, which is built into the coupling and electrically connected between the first connecting piece and the second connecting piece in order to measure a current flow between the first connecting piece and the second connecting piece.

Abstract: A sensor system including a movable member, a sensor, and an interpolator. The sensor is configured to generate a first output signal and a second output signal. The first output signal has a first phase angle, the second output signal has a second phase angle, and a first difference between the first phase angle and the second phase angle has a first value. The first value of the first difference includes an offset related to a mechanical incompatibility between the sensor and the movable member. The interpolator is configured to receive the first output signal and the second output signal. The interpolator is operable to apply a compensation factor to generate a third signal having a third phase. The compensation factor has a value that is based on the mechanical incompatibility between the sensor and the movable member.

Abstract: A system uses multiple RF coils in MR imaging and an RF (Radio Frequency) signal generator generates RF excitation pulses in anatomical regions of interest and enables subsequent acquisition of associated RF echo data. A magnetic field gradient generator generates anatomical volume select magnetic field gradients for phase encoding and readout RF data acquisition. The RF signal generator and the gradient generator substantially concurrently acquire first and second volumes of first and second different anatomical regions by providing, a first RF pulse having a first asymmetric shape followed by a successive second RF pulse substantially having the first asymmetric shape but reversed in time, to substantially reduce echo time (TE) differences between acquisition of the first and second volumes and a phase encoding magnetic field gradient prepares for acquisition of data representing the first and second volumes.

Abstract: Provided are an inspection apparatus and method capable of accurately detecting a defective membrane electrode assembly based on the rate of deterioration of carbon forming an electrode catalyst layer or the like of the assembly.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, method and/or computer readable medium is configured to effect improved parallel MR imaging with reduced unfolding artifacts by using either or both of: (a) an unfolded “intermediate” diagnostic image to create a more accurate mask for use in further processing raw image data for final unfolded diagnostic images; and/or (b) an extension of coil sensitivity maps by replication (rather than curve-fitted extrapolation) for use in final unfolding of diagnostic images.

Abstract: A determining method includes: acquiring a measured value for an amount of electric power consumed by the load, the measured value being measured by a watt-hour meter; and determining whether a setting set in a watt-hour meter, the setting according to a current transformation ratio of a current transformer, is appropriate, according to a difference between a predicted value for an amount of electric power to be consumed by a load and the measured value for an amount of electric power consumed by the load.

Abstract: A sensor assembly is provided for determining an angular position of a rotor in relation to a stator, including two components, a magnet and a sensor, where the components are arranged in such a way that the components can be rotated in relation to each other about an axis of rotation, and the sensor includes a first and a second sensor pair, each having a first and a second sensor element. A straight line is associated with each sensor pair, along which straight line the two sensor elements lie and which straight line intersects with the axis of rotation, where the first sensor element has a smaller distance from the axis of rotation than the second sensor element, and the straight line associated with the first sensor pair is spaced apart from the straight line associated with the second sensor pair by a rotational angle about the axis of rotation.

Abstract: A tester for testing a transformer is provided. The tester comprises a primary voltmeter and a plurality of secondary voltmeters. The tester may also comprise an ammeter in series with a voltage source configured to apply voltage to the transformer. The primary voltmeter is configured to measure voltage induced across a primary winding of the transformer, while the secondary voltmeters may simultaneously measure voltage outputs at secondary windings of the transformer. The tester is configured to calculate ratios, saturation curves, and knee points for multiple winding combinations based on the measurements simultaneously obtained by the ammeter and the primary and secondary voltmeters.

Abstract: A power control apparatus according to an embodiment includes acquisition circuitry and determination circuitry. The acquisition circuitry is configured to acquire a voltage of a secondary battery during charging. The determination circuitry is configured to determine a maximum current to be used during charging of the secondary battery using a difference between an upper limit voltage and the acquired voltage.