Abstract: An example device includes a first flexural element, a second flexural element, a first rigid component and a second rigid component. The rigid components have a fixed height that axially offsets the first flexural element from the second flexural element. The first rigid component is coupled to the first flexural element at one or more connection points on a first plane and coupled to the second flexural element at one or more connection points on a second plane. The second rigid component is coupled to the first flexural element at one or more other connection points on the first plane and coupled to the second flexural element at one or more other connection points on the second plane.

Abstract: An electronic assembly includes a casing to conduct electricity flowing between at least some electronic components disposed within the casing. The electronic components include an ultrasonic transducer coupled to emit ultrasonic signals, and a battery to provide the electricity. A controller is coupled to the ultrasonic transducer and the battery, and the controller includes logic that when executed by the controller causes the electronic assembly to perform operations, including: instructing the first ultrasonic transducer to emit the ultrasonic signals.

Abstract: An example device includes an inner element, an outer surrounding element, and a plurality of connecting flexural elements coupled between the inner element and the outer surrounding element. The inner element has a plurality of reflective surface areas that are configured to reflect light to a sensor. The outer surrounding element surrounds the inner element. The plurality of connecting flexural elements allow the inner element to move relative to the outer surrounding element.

Abstract: A method of estimating the mass of crop entering into a grain tank on a harvesting machine, comprising the steps of mounting a load sensor on the upper bearing of a conveyor belt moving crop through the clean grain elevator into the grain tank, connecting the load sensor to a processor, using the load sensor to measure a load on the conveyor belt when no crop is present in the clean grain elevator, and also when crop is moving through the clean grain elevator, and comparing the load with no crop present to the load when crop is present to estimate the mass of crop moving through the clean grain elevator.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a pen body of a drug injection pen including a dosage injection mechanism that produces a rotational motion when the drug injection pen dispenses a fluid. The apparatus also includes a button housing with at least part of a dosage measurement system disposed within the button housing. At least part of the dosage measurement system is coupled to receive the rotational motion from the dosage injection mechanism. The dosage measurement system includes one or more sensors positioned to output a signal in response to the rotational motion when the drug injection pen dispenses a fluid, and a controller coupled to the one or more sensors to receive the signal. A drug delivery control wheel of the drug injection pen is disposed between the body of the drug injection pen and the at least part of the dosage measurement system disposed in the button housing.

Abstract: A drug injection pen includes a housing shaped to accept a cartridge containing a fluid, and a dosage injection mechanism positioned in the housing to produce a rotational motion and force the fluid out of the cartridge when the drug injection pen dispenses the fluid. A dosage measurement system is disposed in the drug injection pen and is coupled to measure a strain induced in a portion of the dosage measurement system. The dosage measurement system outputs a signal indicative of the strain, and the strain on the portion of the dosage measurement system changes when the dosage injection mechanism dispenses the fluid. The dosage measurement system outputs a signal indicative of the strain when the drug injection pen dispenses the fluid. A controller is coupled to the dosage measurement system, and the controller performs operations including recording the signal output from the dosage measurement system.

Abstract: A sectional control device controls the flow of particulate material from a meter assembly to a primary manifold of an air seeding system. The sectional control device includes a plate assembly having particulate openings extending between the meter assembly and the primary manifold and a shut-off mechanism configured to control the flow of the particulate material through the particulate openings. The shut-off mechanism includes a gate configured to slide between an open position, where particulate material can flow through the particulate opening, and a closed position, where particulate material is prevented from flowing through the particulate opening. The shut-off mechanism also includes an actuator configured to drive the gate between the open position and the closed position.

Abstract: An example device includes a flexural element, a bendable carrier element, and a plurality of strain gages. The flexural element includes a plurality of surfaces, such as a planar surface and a perimeter surface. The bendable carrier element is shaped in order to conform to the plurality of surfaces of the flexural element when the carrier element is bent around the flexural element. The plurality of strain gages are attached to the carrier element when the carrier element is flat. Furthermore, the plurality of strain gages are positioned along the plurality of surfaces of the flexural element when the carrier element is bent around the flexural element to conform to the plurality of surfaces of the flexural element and the carrier element is attached to the flexural element.

Abstract: The present application discloses implementations that relate to devices and techniques for sensing position, force, and torque. Devices described herein may include a light emitter, photodetectors, and a curved reflector. The light emitter may project light onto the curved reflector, which may reflect portions of that projected light onto one or more of the photodetectors. Based on the illuminances measured at the photodetectors, the position of the curved reflector may be determined. In some implementations, the curved reflector and the light emitter may be elastically coupled via one or more spring elements; in these implementations, a force vector representing a magnitude and direction of a force applied against the curved reflector may be determined based on the position of the curved reflector.

Abstract: A harvesting machine capable of automatic adjustment, comprising a plurality of acoustic material flow sensors, a control system, a processor, and application software, wherein the plurality of acoustic material flow sensors are mounted internal to the harvesting machine at points of crop material flow and are capable of sensing an amount of crop material passing by them. The control system operates in a cause-and-affect mode for interactively enabling manual or automatic responses to Mass Material Distribution (MMD) information and equipment-related performance parameters. An interactive combine control method is also provided.

Abstract: A manifold system for balancing particle delivery from multiple discharge outlets includes a diverter subassembly movably mounted in a manifold for balancing discharge from the outlets. The manifold system is disclosed in an agricultural air seeder application, with the particles comprising tubes and the discharge outlets being connected to ground-engaging tools for depositing seeds in space, subsurface locations in a crop field. Automated and manually-adjustable embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A material flow sensor for a harvesting machine comprising an acoustic chamber comprising an impact plate and a housing, microphone, a pneumatic impulse line connecting the housing and the microphone, and an electronics module, wherein the housing is shaped so as to direct sound waves created by crop matter striking the impact plate into the pneumatic impulse line, wherein the sound waves move through the pneumatic impulse line into the microphone, which detects the sound waves and converts them into an electrical signal that is a representation of the sound power derived from the sound waves, which in turn is a representation of the mass of the crop matter striking the material flow sensor.

Abstract: A harvesting machine capable of automatic adjustment, comprising a plurality of acoustic material flow sensors, a control system, a processor, and application software, wherein the plurality of acoustic material flow sensors are mounted internal to the harvesting machine at points of crop material flow and are capable of sensing an amount of crop material passing by them, wherein the control system is capable of adjusting a plurality of internal elements of the harvesting machine, wherein the software is hosted on the processor, and the processor is operatively coupled to the control system and the acoustic material flow sensors, wherein the software uses information sensed by the acoustic material flow sensors to determine if the internal elements of the harvesting machine are set for optimal machine performance, and the software sends commands to the internal elements of the harvesting machine in order to improve the machine performance.

Abstract: Examples are provided that describe calibration of a sensor of a robotic device. In one example, a system includes least one processor and data storage comprising instructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the system to perform operations. The operations include simulating a movement of a robotic component of a robotic device to a plurality of positions. The operations may also include determining a relationship between a simulated torque values and simulated force values at the plurality of positions. The operations may also include determining expected torque values based on detected force values and the determined relationship. Based on the expected torque values satisfying a threshold associated with the simulated torque values, determining a plurality of calibration parameters of the one or more sensors according to the optimization.

Abstract: A system and method for determining material yield and/or loss from a harvesting machine using acoustic sensors and advanced signal processing capabilities is presented. The system consists of a sensor housing with an opening on one side of the sensor housing, a strike plate designed to fit into the opening, and an electronics module comprising a microphone and a signal processor designed to capture the sound waves created when material impacts on the strike plate, and convert them into an audio signal indicating the amount of material impacting the sensor at a given time.

Abstract: A vehicle control and gateway module comprising an electronic control module controlling one or more vehicle systems, a vehicle communications bus, a wireless communications module, an electronic gateway module acting as a translator of information between the vehicle communications bus and the wireless communications module, and a software program, whereby an operator using a remote mobile device can send and receive wireless commands to and from the vehicle with the electronic gateway module translating messages from one data protocol to the other as required.

Abstract: A method of estimating the amount of crop mass entering a harvesting machine, comprising the steps of attaching a potentiometer to a front edge of a front feed roller of the harvesting machine, using the potentiometer to measure a magnitude of deflection of the front feed roller as crop mass is pushed under the front feed roller, and estimating the amount of crop mass based on the magnitude of deflection of the front feed roller.

Abstract: A method of estimating the mass of crop entering into a grain tank on a harvesting machine, comprising the steps of mounting a load sensor on the upper bearing of a conveyor belt moving crop through the clean grain elevator into the grain tank, connecting the load sensor to a processor, using the load sensor to measure a load on the conveyor belt when no crop is present in the clean grain elevator, and also when crop is moving through the clean grain elevator, and comparing the load with no crop present to the load when crop is present to estimate the mass of crop moving through the clean grain elevator.

Abstract: A material flow sensor for a harvesting machine comprising an acoustic chamber comprising an impact plate and a housing, microphone, a pneumatic impulse line connecting the housing and the microphone, and an electronics module, wherein the housing is shaped so as to direct sound waves created by crop matter striking the impact plate into the pneumatic impulse line, wherein the sound waves move through the pneumatic impulse line into the microphone, which detects the sound waves and converts them into an electrical signal that is a representation of the sound power derived from the sound waves, which in turn is a representation of the mass of the crop matter striking the material flow sensor.

Abstract: A harvesting machine capable of automatic adjustment, comprising a plurality of acoustic material flow sensors, a control system, a processor, and application software, wherein the plurality of acoustic material flow sensors are mounted internal to the harvesting machine at points of crop material flow and are capable of sensing an amount of crop material passing by them, wherein the control system is capable of adjusting a plurality of internal elements of the harvesting machine, wherein the software is hosted on the processor, and the processor is operatively coupled to the control system and the acoustic material flow sensors, wherein the software uses information sensed by the acoustic material flow sensors to determine if the internal elements of the harvesting machine are set for optimal machine performance, and the software sends commands to the internal elements of the harvesting machine in order to improve the machine performance.