Abstract: Sensing Tension in a Rope A sensor assembly (106) for sensing tension in a rope (102) comprises a housing (301), a force sensor (302), and a controller (303) for controlling the force sensor (302). The force sensor (302) is arranged for sensing a mechanical force applied to a resiliently deflectable portion (307) of the housing (301). The force sensor (302) is located within an interior (305) of the housing (301) and non-fixedly held in contact with inner walling (306) of the interior (305), in the region of the resiliently deflectable portion (307) of the housing (301). A tethering assembly (101) comprising a rope (102) and a sensor system (103) that comprises the sensor assembly (106). A method of sensing tension in a rope comprising locating the sensor assembly (106) within the rope (102) and operating the sensor assembly (106) to sense tension in the rope (102).

Abstract: An inspection device in the form of an acoustic transducer with a number of transducer elements that are arranged in a circumferential array around substantially the whole circumference of the device, to transmit and receive acoustic signals around substantially the whole circumference of the device, typically at substantially the same time, allowing assessment of the inspected object from different perspectives without requiring moving parts on the inspection device. In some embodiments, the transducer elements are circumferentially offset to improve the resolution, and can be axially stacked along the device. Circumferential arrangement of the transducer elements in the device allows the device to transmit and receive signals around substantially its whole circumference, and thereby allows it to inspect whole pipe planar sections in real time, and without requiring rotation of the transducers, thereby avoiding moving parts.