Abstract: A fastener device has a body member for welding and securing structural members together. The body member has a lateral bore extending between an upper flat side and a lower flat side. The sides each have a pattern of externally facing grooves communicating with the lateral bore and an exothermic material fills the patterns of grooves, the lateral bore and a radially extending bore communicating with the lateral bore. A fuse in the radial bore produces intense heat in the exothermic material to initiate an exothermic reaction to melt at least some of the body member, exothermic material, and structural members and weld the body member and structural members together. The man-portable, self-contained, reliable, fastener device permits a relatively unskilled workman to securely interconnect the structural members together at a primitive work site without requiring ancillary equipment.

Abstract: A tactile sensor comprises a sensing bladder in pneumatic communication with a first diaphragm side of a pneumatic diaphragm via a first fluid; the pneumatic diaphragm being actuatable by a displacement of the first fluid within the sensing bladder; the pneumatic diaphragm further comprising a second diaphragm side in fluid isolation from the first diaphragm side; the second diaphragm side being pneumatically biased against the first diaphragm side, and the second diaphragm side and the first diaphragm side of the pneumatic diaphragm each being in pneumatic communication with an external environment.