Abstract: A voice coil actuator having a capacitive sensor. A magnetic housing contains at least one magnet, and has a wall that defines a first cavity. A magnetic core is coupled to the magnetic housing and extend from an interior surface of the magnetic housing in a direction of a center axis of the wall of the magnetic housing. A coil assembly has a wall defining a second cavity that at least partly envelops the magnetic core, disposed at least partly inside the first cavity, and adapted to move linearly with respect to the magnetic housing. The coil assembly forms a capacitive sensor with the magnetic core, the capacitive sensor adapted to measure at least one of position, velocity and acceleration of the coil assembly with respect to the magnetic housing.

Abstract: An automatic gain control device (110) includes a peak detector (202) configured to receive a current output of an ADC (108) and to compare it to a previous output to produce a peak value. The automatic gain control device (110) also includes an out-of-range indicator (204) configured to receive an out-of-range signal if an input to the ADC exceeds the dynamic range of the ADC. The out-of-range indicator (204) increases the peak value if the out-of-range indicator (204) receives the out-of range signal. An error detector (206) is coupled to the out-of-range indicator (204) and the peak detector (202) and produces an error level that is the difference of an output of the out-of-range indicator (204) and a pre-selected target value. The pre-selected target value is chosen to attenuate interference signals that exceed the dynamic range of the ADC (108) but minimizes the attenuation of communication signals.

Abstract: A radial movement capacitive torque sensor includes a pair of concentric capacitor plate rings lying in a common plane, a capacitor plate ring facing the pair of concentric capacitor plate rings, and a paddle assembly disposed between the pair of concentric capacitor plate rings and the capacitor plate ring. The paddle assembly includes a first rotor having a circular opening and having at least one pair of spaced apart bearings mounted thereon, a second rotor having a circular opening and having at least one pivot point located thereon, and at least one paddle having a dielectric head, a curved neck and a body. The curved neck is disposed between a corresponding one of said at least one pair of spaced bearings, and the body is pivotally coupled to a corresponding one of said at least one pivot point.

Abstract: A differential capacitive torque sensor for a continuously rotating shaft such as the steering column of an automobile provides an apertured metal cage shielding a dielectric rotor. They are respectively mounted on opposite sides of a split shaft connected by a torsion bar. The relative rotation of the apertured conductive plates and the rotor change the overall differential capacitance of the system to proportionally indicate clockwise or counter-clockwise torque.

Abstract: A non contacting angular differential displacement torque sensor utilizes a split shaft with a connecting torsion bar with a pair of receive disks each with an intervening coupler disk carrying a conductive attenuating pattern where the inductive coupling between transmit and receive disks is individually attenuated in accordance with the angular position of the shaft on which the disks are mounted. The pair of receive disks which receive signals from a common transmitter have their angular difference taken and this is the actual torque on the shaft.

Abstract: A non contacting angular differential displacement torque sensor utilizes a split shaft with a connecting torsion bar with a pair of receive disks each with an intervening coupler disk carrying a conductive attenuating pattern where the inductive coupling between transmit and receive disks is individually attenuated in accordance with the angular position of the shaft on which the disks are mounted. The pair of receive disks which receive signals from a common transmitter have their angular difference taken and this is the actual torque on the shaft.

Abstract: An endoscope which is both flexible and easily cleaned having a pair of telescoping sections at its distal end one of which carries a camera and which are alternately actuated to provide movement through a body passageway by a Bowden type of cable. Such cable has an outer helical casing with an inner steel wire. Respectively attached to the two cylindrical sections are inflatable bladders which provide for the movement above which also are an integral part of the flexible sterilized sheath being held to the respective sections by O-rings.

Abstract: An adaptive fuzzy logic based control system for rifle stabilization uses a rifle where the barrel is freely pivoted on the stock which is held by the human being firing the rifle who may be shooting from a moving vehicle or helicopter; alternatively, the firing person may have erratic hand or body motion. During a tracking mode, when the target is being sighted in, undesired motion is sensed by position sensors to effectively lock the rifle barrel in alignment with the stock. During a stabilizing mode just before actuation of the trigger to fire the rifle, the barrel is unlocked, inertial rate sensors make the barrel relatively immune to movement of the stock to facilitate the barrel remaining sighted on the tracked target. The fire control system includes a fuzzy logic controller which by a set of inference rules provides for both alignment of the barrel with the stock during tracking and also for stabilization of the barrel just prior to firing.

Abstract: A shaft torque measuring device in the form of a compact sleeve may be slid on the steering shaft of an automobile and requires only about the same axial space as the diameter of the shaft itself. Two collars are integrally interconnected by four cross members, some of which carry strain gauges. Frictional force maintains the collars in place with torque applied to the steering shaft thus causing the cross member to bend. This deformation is sensed by the strain gauge bridge to produce a torque measurement.