Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for passive infrared sensing and detection of vehicular traffic. Vehicle parameters are detected using thermal detection states of pixels of an infrared array sensor. The vehicle parameters can include a velocity of a vehicle. A vehicle record that includes the vehicle parameters can be provided, for example, by a computing device in connection with the infrared array sensor.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining freshness of wine stored in a container includes a housing, a gas sensor, an optical sensor pair, and electrical circuitry. The gas sensor is affixed to the housing such that it extends into a headspace of the container above the wine. The optical sensor pair is positioned such that the optical sensor pair extends into the headspace above the wine. The electrical circuitry is contained in the housing and is electrically interfaced to the gas sensor and to the optical sensor pair. The electrical circuitry operates the gas sensor to generate a series of gas level measurements and operates the optical sensor pair to generate a series of optical transmission measurements. A quality parameter corresponding to the freshness of the wine is determined based on both the series of gas level measurements and the series of optical transmission measurements.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining freshness of wine stored in a container includes a housing, a gas sensor, an optical sensor pair, and electrical circuitry. The gas sensor is affixed to the housing such that it extends into a headspace of the container above the wine. The optical sensor pair is positioned such that the optical sensor pair extends into the headspace above the wine. The electrical circuitry is contained in the housing and is electrically interfaced to the gas sensor and to the optical sensor pair. The electrical circuitry operates the gas sensor to generate a series of gas level measurements and operates the optical sensor pair to generate a series of optical transmission measurements. A quality parameter corresponding to the freshness of the wine is determined based on both the series of gas level measurements and the series of optical transmission measurements.

Abstract: Beverage diagnostic and preservation devices and methods are described. In several exemplary embodiments, one or more of the devices are used to detect the freshness of, and/or preserve, wine in a container. The devices can receive inputs from one or more sensors when determining the freshness of wine in a container.

Abstract: An electronic, programmable device for controlling the motion of compressor valve elements, wherein the device receives an incoming signal from a velocity sensor located on a compressor valve; filters, amplifies, and processes the incoming signal by a control algorithm; and responds to the incoming signal by creating an output signal that produces an actuator force that is applied directly to a moving valve element and associated methodology.

Abstract: An electronic, programmable device for controlling the motion of compressor valve elements, wherein the device receives an incoming signal from a velocity sensor located on a compressor valve; filters, amplifies, and processes the incoming signal by a control algorithm; and responds to the incoming signal by creating an output signal that produces an actuator force that is applied directly to a moving valve element and associated methodology.

Abstract: The system and method provides means for detecting fiber optic cable embedded within a structure such as a wall of a building. It relies upon detecting an electrical field generated by movement of static and induced electrical charged fiber optic cable contained within the building wall. The invention is particularly useful when only one side of a wall structure is accessible and there is no access to the fiber optic cable. The process comprises the steps of locating wall studs, making a small hole in the wall material between the wall studs at approximately mid height, inserting a field emitter in the small hole for generating an electrical charge on a fiber cable, inserting an air nozzle in the small hole to create fiber cable movement, and detecting an electric field generated by the movement of an electrically charged fiber cable.

Abstract: The system and method provides means for detecting fiber optic cable embedded within a structure such as a wall of a building. It relies upon detecting an electrical field generated by movement of static and induced electrical charged fiber optic cable contained within the building wall. The invention is particularly useful when only one side of a wall structure is accessible and there is no access to the fiber optic cable. The process comprises the steps of locating wall studs, making a small hole in the wall material between the wall studs at approximately mid height, inserting a field emitter in the small hole for generating an electrical charge on a fiber cable, inserting an air nozzle in the small hole to create fiber cable movement, and detecting an electric field generated by the movement of an electrically charged fiber cable.

Abstract: A system that remotely measures displacement between two objects. A passive sensor is affixed to each object, such that the sensors are substantially parallel. Each sensor has a permeable rod, a surrounding coil, and a tuning capacitor, and have substantially the same resonant frequency. When an interrogating device is placed near the sensors, the frequency responses of the sensors indicates their relative displacement and thus the displacement between the objects.

Abstract: A system that remotely measures displacement between two objects. A passive sensor is affixed between the objects. The internal sensor uses magnetic coupling between two sensor elements to measure their relative displacement. The sensors are either a) a permeable rod and a complimentary coil in parallel with a tuning capacitor; or b) two permeable rods, each having its own surrounding coil and a tuning capacitor. One of the sensor elements is affixed to each object which is to be monitored. When an interrogating device is placed near the sensors, a resonance can be measured whose frequency characteristics change in a reproducible manner with the relative displacement of the sensors. The resulting resonance characteristics can be calibrated in such a way as to enable the displacement of the objects to be determined.

Abstract: An unattended, self-calibrating, microprocessor controlled, electromechanical liquid sample acquisition, analysis and storage system is contained in a sealed evacuated housing. Liquid is drawn by suction into the sealed evacuated housing where it passes through a microfluidic manifold assembly to be brought into contact with signal producing liquid condition sensors. A marker solution is used to demarcate samples of liquid stored in an evacuated capillary. The microprocessor stores the signals produced by the liquid condition sensors and allows for cross-referencing the stored signals with the stored liquid samples in the capillary.

Abstract: A method and system for physiological monitoring using a microprocessor-enhanced magnetic field sensor to measure the mechanical effects of body motion is described. The measurements may be used for a variety of applications, such as detection of respiration, cardiac rhythms, and blood pressure. The source or detector may be made sufficiently small so as to be implantable. The system is sufficiently sensitive to provide output data for very small movements.

Abstract: A system that remotely measures displacement between two objects. A passive sensor is affixed between the objects. The internal sensor uses magnetic coupling between two sensor elements to measure their relative displacement. The sensors are either a) a permeable rod and a complimentary coil in parallel with a tuning capacitor; or b) two permeable rods, each having its own surrounding coil and a tuning capacitor. One of the sensor elements is affixed to each object which is to be monitored. When an interrogating device is placed near the sensors, a resonance can be measured whose frequency characteristics change in a reproducible manner with the relative displacement of the sensors. The resulting resonance characteristics can be calibrated in such a way as to enable the displacement of the objects to be determined.

Abstract: A method and system for physiological monitoring using a microprocessor-enhanced magnetic field sensor to measure the mechanical effects of body motion is described. The measurements may be used for a variety of applications, such as detection of respiration, cardiac rhythms, and blood pressure. The source or detector may be made sufficiently small so as to be implantable. The system is sufficiently sensitive to provide output data for very small movements.