Abstract: Systems and methods for evaluating one or more characteristics or parameters of a material, such as a soft material (e.g., hydrogel, human cell, UV-curable polymer, etc.). Methods include incorporating a plurality of magnetic nanowires into the material to form a test solution. The test solution is subjected to a magnetic field. A change in the magnetic nanowires in response to the magnetic field is recorded. A characteristic of the material is determined based upon the recorded change. In some embodiments, the applied magnetic field causes the magnetic nanowires to rotate from an initial orientation to a stimulated orientation, with the change in orientation being indicative of a stiffness (e.g., internal stiffness) of the material.

Abstract: An inertial sensor (110) includes a drive system (118) configured to oscillate a drive mass (114) within a plane (24) that is substantially parallel to a surface (50) of a substrate (28). The drive system (118) includes first and second drive units (120, 122) having fixed fingers (134, 136) interleaved with movable fingers (130, 132) of the drive mass (114). At least one of the drive units (120) is located on each side (126, 128) of the drive mass (114). Likewise, at least one of the drive units (122) is located on each side (126, 128) of the drive mass (114). The drive units (122) are driven in phase opposition to the drive units (120) so that a levitation force (104) generated by the drive units (122) compensates for, or at least partially suppresses, a levitation force (100) generated by the drive units (120).

Abstract: The invention relates to a bladder measurement capsule, which can be introduced into the bladder of a living being, in particular a human, and which has a pressure sensor and measurement electronics in a housing by means of which pressure measurement values provided by the pressure sensor can be detected and saved and which has a shape deviating from a linear longitudinal extension, in particular the shape of a ring torus sector, and is flexible against a resetting force into a linear longitudinally extended shape.

Abstract: The invention relates to a micromechanical sensor having at least two spring-mass damper oscillators. The micromechanical sensor has a first spring-mass-damper oscillating system with a first resonant frequency and a second spring-mass-damper oscillating system with a second resonant frequency which is lower than the first resonant frequency. The invention also relates to a method for detection and/or measurement of oscillations by means of a sensor such as this, and to a method for production of a micromechanical sensor such as this. The first and the second spring-mass-damper oscillating systems have electrodes which oscillate in a measurement direction about electrode rest positions with electrode deflections which are equal to or proportional to deflections of the spring-mass-damper oscillators.

Abstract: A MEMS device (20) includes a substrate (28) and a drive mass (30) configured to undergo oscillatory motion within a plane (24) substantially parallel to a surface (50) of the substrate (28). The sensor (20) further includes drive springs (56), each of which includes a principal beam (70) and a flexion beam (72) coupled an end (74) of the principal beam (70). The flexion beam (72) is anchored to the drive mass (30) or the substrate (28). The flexion beam (72) exhibits a width (90) that is less than a width (88) of the principal beam (70). In response to oscillatory drive motion, the flexion beam (72) flexes so that the principal beam (70) rotates about a pivot point (96) within the plane (24). Thus, out-of-plane movement of the drive mass (30) is reduced thereby suppressing quadrature error.

Abstract: An inertial sensor (110) includes a drive system (118) configured to oscillate a drive mass (114) within a plane (24) that is substantially parallel to a surface (50) of a substrate (28). The drive system (118) includes first and second drive units (120, 122) having fixed fingers (134, 136) interleaved with movable fingers (130, 132) of the drive mass (114). At least one of the drive units (120) is located on each side (126, 128) of the drive mass (114). Likewise, at least one of the drive units (122) is located on each side (126, 128) of the drive mass (114). The drive units (122) are driven in phase opposition to the drive units (120) so that a levitation force (104) generated by the drive units (122) compensates for, or at least partially suppresses, a levitation force (100) generated by the drive units (120).

Abstract: The invention relates to a bladder pressure measurement system and to a measurement method comprising a measurement capsule (1) that can be placed in the bladder of a living creature, in particular of a human being, and comprising a pressure sensor and measurement electronics, by means of which pressure measurement values provided by the pressure sensor can be captured and saved, comprising a probe device having a manually actuated probe, wherein the probe device and the measurement capsule comprise internal chronometers synchronized to each other or at least capable of being synchronized to each other and the measurement capsule (1) is designed to capture and save pressure measurement values together with time information from the chronometer thereof, and the probe device is designed to detect and save a probe actuation together with time information from the chronometer thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to a micromechanical sensor having at least two spring-mass damper oscillators. The micromechanical sensor has a first spring-mass-damper oscillating system with a first resonant frequency and a second spring-mass-damper oscillating system with a second resonant frequency which is lower than the first resonant frequency. The invention also relates to a method for detection and/or measurement of oscillations by means of a sensor such as this, and to a method for production of a micromechanical sensor such as this. The first and the second spring-mass-damper oscillating systems have electrodes which oscillate in a measurement direction about electrode rest positions with electrode deflections which are equal to or proportional to deflections of the spring-mass-damper oscillators.

Abstract: A universally and flexibly applicable generator generates electrical energy from mechanical vibrations. The generator includes a mechanically vibrating system having a spring system and device for changing the mechanical tension of the spring system. A method for adjusting the resonant frequency of the generator allows electrical energy to be generated from mechanical vibrations.

Abstract: A vibration measuring system for the frequency-selective measuring of especially low-frequency vibrations relevant in the area of automation and motive power engineering is disclosed which allows an economical vibration analysis of frequencies in the range of from 0 to 1 kHz. For this purpose, a broad-band transmitting structure which is directly induced by the excitation signal to be determined is coupled to a receiving structure by an electrostatic or inductive force. This force coupling brings about an amplitude modulation of a carrier signal inducing the receiving structure. The spectrum of the amplitude-modulated carrier signal can then be used to extract the actual excitation signal, e.g. by suitably choosing the frequency of the carrier signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a vibration measuring system for the frequency-selective measuring of especially low-frequency vibrations such as they are relevant in the area of automation and motive power engineering. The aim of the invention is to provide a system which allows an economical vibration analysis of frequencies in the range of from 0 to 1 kHz. For this purpose, a broad-band transmitting structure which is directly induced by the excitation signal to be determined is coupled to a receiving structure by means of an electrostatic or inductive force. This force coupling brings about an amplitude modulation of a carrier signal inducing the receiving structure. The spectrum of the amplitude-modulated carrier signal can then be used to extract the actual excitation signal, e.g. by suitably choosing the frequency of the carrier signal.

Abstract: A resonance scanner, wherein a frame (3), a drive plate (4), a mirror (5) and torsion springs (6, 7) form an actuator part (1), said drive plate (4) being attached within the frame (3) by two first torsion springs (6) such that the drive plate (4) can oscillate about a common first axis of torsion (8) of both torsion springs (6), said mirror (5) being attached within the drive plate (4) by two second torsion springs (7) such that the mirror (5) can oscillate about a common second axis of torsion (9) of both torsion springs (7), and said first axis of torsion (8) and said second axis of torsion (9) being parallel to each other; wherein, further, only the frame (3) of the actuator part (1) is attached to side walls (10) of a box-shaped stator part (2), a drive means (stator electrodes 15 or coil 24) is arranged at a bottom (11) of the stator part (2) only in the region of the geometrical surface area of the drive plate (4) and said bottom (11) has a recess (13) in the region of the geometrical surface area of t

Abstract: A resonance scanner, wherein a frame (3), a drive plate (4), a mirror (5) and torsion springs (6, 7) form an actuator part (1), said drive plate (4) being attached within the frame (3) by two first torsion springs (6) such that the drive plate (4) can oscillate about a common first axis of torsion (8) of both torsion springs (6), said mirror (5) being attached within the drive plate (4) by two second torsion springs (7) such that the mirror (5) can oscillate about a common second axis of torsion (9) of both torsion springs (7), and said first axis of torsion (8) and said second axis of torsion (9) being parallel to each other; wherein, further, only the frame (3) of the actuator part (1) is attached to side walls (10) of a box-shaped stator part (2), a drive means (stator electrodes 15 or coil 24) is arranged at a bottom (11) of the stator part (2) only in the region of the geometrical surface area of the drive plate (4) and said bottom (11) has a recess (13) in the region of the geometrical surface area of t