Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided a first particle sensor, a second particle sensor and a device for characterisation of one or more particles in a fluid sample comprising a first particle sensor and/or at least one second particle sensor. A method for characterising one or more particles in a fluid sample is also disclosed.

Abstract: A system includes a circuit configured to detect a voltage corresponding to an electrical measurement of a nanopore. The system also includes a component configured to compare the voltage to another voltage. Based at least in part on the comparison, a one bit indicator is determined. The one bit indicator indicates whether the voltage indicates a change in a state of the nanopore. In the event it is determined that the voltage indicates the change in the state of the nanopore, a multiple bit signal is provided for output.

Abstract: A system for distinguishing target metal objects from each other in close proximity to each other. The method includes transmitting a first sinusoid signal via a first transmit coil to a first receive coil in close proximity to the first transmit coil; transmitting a second sinusoidal signal at a second frequency and amplitude different from the first frequency and amplitude to a second receive coil arranged in close proximity to the second transmit coil and in close proximity to the first receive coil such that received signals in the first and second receive coils include first and second frequency signals from the other of the first and second transmit coils. The received signals are separated via frequency domain multiplexing. The signals are compared to detect a presence of the target having a signal magnitude different from the first received signal and the received second signal and a known reference point.

Abstract: A microfluidic patch for separating specific species in biological fluids, comprising a flow layer comprising: a first porous portion to receive and carry a starting biological fluid containing related species; a multilayer membrane downstream the first porous portion and comprising a plurality of graphene-based sheets spaced among each other to define a plurality of parallel channels transversally interconnected and chemically functionalized to provide from the starting biological fluid an outgoing flow of specific species to be detected; and a second porous portion placed downstream the multilayer membrane to receive and carry the outgoing flow to be detected; the patch comprises a first upstream electrode and a first downstream electrode placed respectively upstream and downstream the multilayer membrane to foster the flow through the multilayer membrane from the first to the second porous portion.

Abstract: A test device for testing an object under test is provided. The test device includes a plurality of probe assemblies, a lower substrate, an upper substrate, a plurality of spacers, and a plurality of shielding structures. The lower substrate is used for being coupled to first contact ends of the plurality of probe assemblies. The upper substrate has a plurality of through holes. Second contact ends of the plurality of probe assemblies protrude from the upper substrate through these through holes, so as to be electrically connected to the object under test. The plurality of shielding structures is disposed between the lower substrate and the upper substrate. The plurality of shielding structures is resilient. The upper substrate, the lower substrate and the shielding structure define a plurality of accommodating regions, and each accommodating region is used for accommodating at least one of the probe assemblies.

Abstract: There is provided a short circuit determination apparatus including: a sensor configured to detect, in a switching device that has a control terminal, a first main terminal, and a second main terminal, a temporal change of a main current flowing between the first main terminal and the second main terminal; and a short circuit determination unit configured to determine that the switching device is short-circuited, in a case where the temporal change of the main current is larger than or equal to a first threshold value, after a first timing after a control signal for driving the control terminal is turned on.

Abstract: An electromagnetic field detector including a vapor cell, an excitation system, and a frequency tuner is described. The vapor cell has a plurality of quantum particles therein. The excitation system excites the quantum particles to a first Rydberg state. The first Rydberg state has a transition to a second Rydberg state at a first frequency. The frequency tuner generates a tunable field in a portion of the vapor cell. The tunable field shifts the first Rydberg state and/or the second Rydberg state such that the transition to the second Rydberg state is at a second frequency different from the first frequency. The detection frequency range for the electromagnetic field detector is continuous and includes the first frequency and the second frequency.

Abstract: A chip and a chip test system are provided by the present invention. The chip includes a decoding module and a test mode control module, and decodes an input signal to determine whether the input signal is a pre-activation signal or not. If the input signal is decoded into a pre-activation signal, then the chip will respond to a subsequent test signal; otherwise, the chip will not respond to any subsequent test signal. According to the present invention, by configuring a pre-activation signal, the number of chips to be simultaneously connected to and individually tested by the test equipment can be increased, without the need to occupy more input/output (I/O) interfaces.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is tested by disposing an antenna-in-package (AiP) module under a test antenna. A first signal is transmitted with a first antenna of the AiP module. The test antenna is moved to a power output peak of the first signal. A second signal is transmitted with a second antenna of the AiP module. The test antenna is moved along a first directional axis from the power output peak of the first signal to a power output peak of the second signal while a second directional axis of the test antenna is held static. The first antenna of the AiP module is tested while the test antenna is at the power output peak of the first signal. The second antenna of the AiP module is tested while the test antenna is at the power output peak of the second signal.

Abstract: An RF signal detection device, including: a first threshold crossing detection circuit comprising an input coupled to an input of the RF signal detection device; a first energy detection circuit comprising an input coupled to the input of the RF signal detection device; a second threshold crossing detection circuit comprising an input coupled to an output of the first energy detection circuit; and further including a control circuit configured to: carry out, by the first threshold crossing detection circuit, detection of at least a first threshold crossing frequency in a predetermined RF frequency band; and carry out, by the first energy detection circuit, energy detection in the predetermined RF frequency band; and carry out, by the second threshold crossing detection circuit, detection of at least a second threshold crossing frequency of a first energy signal delivered as an output from the first energy detection circuit; and determine, at least from the first and second threshold crossing frequencies an

Abstract: A sensor arrangement includes a ring magnet linearly displaceable along its vertical axis of the ring magnet and including an outer ring section of a first pole pair, an inner ring section of a second pole pair. At least one magnetic sensor circuitry is positioned a non-centered offset distance apart from the ring magnet in a plane perpendicular to the ring magnet's vertical axis. The at least one magnetic sensor can generate spatial magnetic data produced by linear displacement of the ring magnet. A computing unit coupled to the at least one magnetic sensor circuitry and configured to obtain the spatial magnetic data and to determine amount of displacement of the ring magnet after a linear displacement of the ring magnet based on the obtained spatial magnetic data.

Abstract: An inductive type position encoder includes a scale, a detector portion and a signal processor. According to one aspect, field generating elements and sensing elements of the detector portion are provided on opposite sides of the scale such that at least part of the scale is between the field generating elements and the sensing elements (transmissive configuration). According to another aspect, the scale comprises a periodic scale pattern including signal modulating elements that are disposed along a scale direction, which is not parallel to a measuring axis direction of the encoder and is slanted at a scale angle relative to the measuring axis direction, such that there is a corresponding y-direction displacement for a given x-direction displacement of the encoder. These aspects of the disclosure make it possible to design a very compact inductive type position encoder, including one capable of indicating an absolute position along the scale.

Abstract: An inductive type position encoder includes a scale, a detector portion and a signal processor. According to one aspect, field generating elements and sensing elements of the detector portion are provided on opposite sides of the scale such that at least part of the scale is between the field generating elements and the sensing elements (transmissive configuration). According to another aspect, the scale comprises a periodic scale pattern including signal modulating elements that are disposed along a scale direction, which is not parallel to a measuring axis direction of the encoder and is slanted at a scale angle relative to the measuring axis direction, such that there is a corresponding y-direction displacement for a given x-direction displacement of the encoder. These aspects of the disclosure make it possible to design a very compact inductive type position encoder, including one capable of indicating an absolute position along the scale.

Abstract: Provided are a directional pattern calculation method and apparatus for a beam pointing adjustable antenna. In the design method, key control factors are quantized, for example, a arrangement and combination modes for a plurality of slot units and wave-controlled codes for conducting and cut-off states of a slot unit, and different combinations of slot units and a far-field directional pattern of a controlled array antenna are evaluated, so that electrical performance indicators of the array antenna can be further evaluated. Weighting calculation is implemented for a directional pattern of a beam pointing adjustable antenna. Key information such as a form of a slot unit and a arrangement and combination modes for slot units can be globally optimized.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer and a multi-chip parallel testing method are provided. The semiconductor wafer includes a plurality of chips, a plurality of test pads, and a test control circuit. The test pads receive a plurality of test signals from a test fixture. The test control circuit is electrically connected to the chips and the test pads, selects at least one selected test signal from the test signals, generates a plurality of broadcast test signals according to the at least one selected test signal, and provides the broadcast test signals to the chips in parallel.

Abstract: Electromagnetic tracking systems and methods for automatically providing the required additional information needed to identify the orientation of a sensor are disclosed. The tracking systems are configured to carry out a digital modulation process to determine one or more parameters needed for calibration and to determine if the carrier wave and the modulated signal are in-phase or 180° out-of-phase at time T=0, thereby determining the operational sign of the carrier wave and thus the orientation of the one or more sensors. In some embodiments, at least one offset coil is arranged to generate an additional magnetic field, and the tracking system may be calibrated on the basis of the additional magnetic field.

Abstract: An occupant or object sensing system in a vehicle includes electrical circuits for resistive and/or capacitive sensing and corresponding circuits shielding the sensing system from interference. A sensing circuit and a shielding circuit may be printed by screen printing with conductive ink on opposite sides of a non-conductive substrate. The substrate is a plastic film or other fabric that has an elastic memory structure that is resilient to stretching. The conductive inks used to print circuits onto the substrate have a similar resilience to stretching such that the substrate and the circuits thereon can be subject to deforming forces without breaking the printed circuits. The substrate may be covered with a carbon polymer layer to provide alternative conductive paths that enable fast recovery for conduction in the presence of any break in the printed conductive traces on the substrate.

Abstract: A device comprises a substrate and a stacked bond ball structure. The substrate comprises a bond pad, and the stacked bond ball structure comprises a first and a second bond ball. The first bond ball is in contact with the bond pad, and the second bond ball is positioned on the first bond ball. The stacked bond ball structure is configured to be coupled to a resistance-sensing circuit, such that a resistance of an interface between the first bond ball and the bond pad can be measured to determine an amount of degradation of the interface between the first bond ball and the bond pad. In some implementations, the device further comprises a controller configured to obtain a measured resistance of the interface from the resistance-sensing circuit and determine the amount of degradation of the interface based at least in part on the measured resistance.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for evaluating a status of a refractory material in metallurgical vessels, including furnaces and ladles, wherein an external structure at least partly surrounding the refractory material impairs the propagation of radiofrequency signals. The apparatus and method are operative to identify flaws and determine the erosion profile and thickness of refractory material and the level or rate of penetration of molten material into the refractory material, using radiofrequency signals. The apparatus comprises an antenna embedded in the refractory material or positioned inside the chamber of the vessel designed to collect data associated with the propagation of radiofrequency signals transmitted by the antenna into the refractory material.

Abstract: A wafer includes a plurality of testing dies, a plurality of non-testing dies, and a dicing region. Each testing die includes: a first active area including one or more first active devices, and one or more first device pads electrically coupled to the one or more first active devices. Each non-testing die includes: a second active area including one or more second active devices, and one or more second device pads electrically coupled to the one or more second active devices. The dicing region includes one or more testing pads electrically coupled to the one or more first device pads. The one or more testing pads are arranged to receive one or more external probes for determining one or more characteristics of the one or more first active devices of the plurality of testing dies. The plurality of non-testing dies are electrically isolated from the dicing region.