Abstract: Methods, systems and a self-sensing valve assembly are described for monitoring seal life. The method includes providing a valve assembly movable from an open position to a closed position and including a seal seated within the valve and in contact with a surface of the valve assembly, wherein when the seal is in operation it is subject to degradation. At least one sensor is placed for measuring micro strain on a surface of the valve assembly or within the valve assembly. The valve assembly is placed in an operation wherein the seal is subject to degradation and the operation of the valve assembly is initiated.

Abstract: Methods, systems and a self-sensing valve assembly are described for monitoring seal life. The method includes providing a valve assembly movable from an open position to a closed position and including a seal seated within the valve and in contact with a surface of the valve assembly, wherein when the seal is in operation it is subject to degradation. At least one sensor is placed for measuring micro strain on a surface of the valve assembly or within the valve assembly. The valve assembly is placed in an operation wherein the seal is subject to degradation and the operation of the valve assembly is initiated.

Abstract: A modular interferometric imaging system includes a sensor array that senses a physical parameter and provides a plurality of first sensor array output signals indicative thereof. An analog die receives the plurality of first sensor array output signals, and digitizes and modulated each of the first sensor array signals to provide a plurality of digitized signals. A digital die receives the plurality of digitized signals to provide a plurality of received digitized signals, and demodulates the plurality of received digitized signals to provide a plurality of demodulated digitized signals indicative thereof. A processor receives and processes the demodulated digitized signals to provide an imaging system output signal.

Abstract: A wide-band sigma-delta modulator is disclosed having a cascade of two moators or stages, the first stage being of third or greater order and the second being of second or greater order. Both stages utilize simple ternary quantizers to avoid linearity problems associated with the digital to analog converters in the feedback paths of the modulators and to maintain stable operation. Additional zeros are placed in the noise transfer functions of third or higher order stages by means of additional feedback loops between the output of the third integrator and the second summing junction to maximize the dynamic range. The new topology significantly enhances the dynamic range of the system while hardly affecting the circuit's sensitivity with regard to some non-idealities such as finite amplifier open-loop gains or capacitor ratio mismatches.