Abstract: The present invention provides for a modified virus, such as a recombinant M13 phage, which in an array, such as a film, is capable of producing piezoelectricity. The modified virus comprises a coat protein can displays a negatively charged amino acid sequence. The present invention provides for a device comprising a piezoelectric element comprising a suitable virus, such as the modified virus, a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface is in contact with a first electrode and the second surface is in contact with a second electrode, wherein when pressure is applied to the film, the film is capable of generating an electric current. The present invention provides for a method of making the device, and a method for generating electricity using the device.

Abstract: A machine and method for reducing giveaway material on mint products. The machine may include a conveying assembly for conveying a plurality of mints products to be processed. The machine may also include a processing assembly for processing at least one given mint product at a time, so as to remove an amount of giveaway material from each one of the mint products. The machine may also include a recuperating assembly for recuperating mint products having being processed.

Abstract: A method of validating a test for estimating the organic carbon content of soil or changes in organic carbon content of soil over time in which a first sample of soil is taken from a selected location and heated using Loss On Ignition (LOI) to remove organic carbon, the method comprising the steps of taking a further sample of soil from an adjacent location, the sample having minimal organic material content. A predetermined quantity of an organic material is added to the further sample to provide a second sample which is heated using Loss On Ignition (LOI) with the change of weight of the second sample determining whether the test of the first sample yielded a valid estimate of the organic carbon content of the first sample. Apparatus (10) for use in performing the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining the mass and the center of gravity location of a load (10) of a moving system (12), particularly of a machine tool (14), which comprises a support (20) that is for accommodating the load (10) and is able to rotate around a first axis (16) and a second axis (18) as well as electronically controlled drive units (22, 24) for rotating the support (20) around the first axis (16) and around the second axis (18), wherein a total moment of inertia and a holding torque with regard to the first axis (16) are determined in a loaded state; a total moment of inertia and a holding torque with regard to the second axis (18) are determined in the loaded state; and the mass and the center of gravity location of the load (10) relative to the support (20) are determined based on the total moments of inertia and the holding torques with regard to the first axis (16) and second axis (18).

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for forming piezoelectric films on surfaces of arbitrary morphologies. The method includes providing a sol for forming the piezoelectric film; spraying the sol onto the surface thereby forming a liquid film containing the sol on the surface; wiping the liquid film with a flattening tool for flattening the liquid film; drying the flattened liquid film thereby forming a gel layer; and annealing the gel layer thereby forming the piezoelectric film. The piezoelectric films with high uniformity and desired thickness can be formed on curved and even wrinkled surfaces by the present method.

Abstract: The invention resides in a method or system configured to estimate the mass of material in a stockpile. The surface profile of the stockpile is obtained and a plurality of layers are defined in the stockpile. Each layer extends parallel to the surface profile. Density characteristics of the stockpile material are obtained, from database records or measurement tests. The volume of each layer is estimated. The density of each layer is estimated, according to the density characteristics of the stockpile material. Using the volume of each layer and the density of each layer the mass of the stockpile is calculated.

Abstract: A sensor apparatus is provided for a grain loss monitoring system associated with an agricultural material. The sensor apparatus includes a housing with a first wall including a transparent panel. The sensor apparatus includes at least one acoustic sensor arranged within the interior and configured to collect an acoustic data stream of vibrations associated with the agricultural material striking the transparent panel; and at least one optical sensor arranged within the interior and configured to collect an image data stream of images of the agricultural material through the transparent panel. The at least one acoustic sensor is configured to provide the acoustic data stream and the at least one optical sensor is configured to provide the image data stream such that a verified grain count is determined based on the acoustic data stream and the image data stream.

Abstract: This application is directed to a surveillance camera system including a magnet mount for physically receiving a camera module. The camera module includes a housing having an exterior surface of a first shape. A surface of the magnet mount has a second shape that is substantially concave and complementary to the first shape, and is configured to engage the exterior surface of the housing of the camera module. A magnetic material is disposed inside the magnet mount and configured to magnetically couple to a magnetic material of the camera module. A friction pad is embedded on the surface of the magnet mount, has a substantially concave shape and protrudes beyond the second surface. The friction pad is configured to come into contact with the exterior surface of the housing of the camera module at least via a peripheral edge of the substantially concave friction pad.

Abstract: A seed level managing system includes a seed tank configured to contain seeds, a plurality of seed level sensors placed on a sidewall of the seed tank, a surface detecting sensor, and a controller. The controller includes one or more processors, one or more memory modules, and machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the controller to receive first information from the plurality of seed level sensors; receive second information from the surface detecting sensor and determine a number of the seeds in the seed tank based on the first information and the second information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for analyzing a fluid sample that includes loading the sample in a sample space in a sensor with an input and an output, applying an electromagnetic input signal to the input, measuring at the output a response signal that includes an output signal produced by the sensor while the sensor is contacted by the sample and the electromagnetic input signal is applied to the input, comparing the response signal against the electromagnetic input signal to generate a comparison, and matching the comparison against a set of comparisons for known substances.

Abstract: A torque command value and an acceleration detection value are accumulated when a driven portion is subjected to acceleration/deceleration driving, and, from a ratio between the two, inertia of a movable portion is calculated. By executing the acceleration/deceleration driving about a position where influence of gravity torque is zero, the influence of the gravity torque included in the torque command value before and after the center position is offset, whereby inertia can be estimated correctly even with a machine structure in which the influence of gravity differs depending on the position of the motor.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for measuring quantity of a material are disclosed. One or more sensors are used to measure the quantity of the material are measured and error causing parameters are also measured. Error causing parameters are processed by executing one or more correction methodologies to determine a correction output. The quantity of the material is measured by using the correction output. One or values associated with the quantity of the material are measured and displayed. The one or more values are transmitted to a server and informative messages are received from the server.

Abstract: A crop harvesting width of a harvester head is partitioned into a plurality of portions. At least one sensor detects a metric of a crop being harvested for each of the plurality of portions. A processing unit determines an attribute of the crop harvested for each of a plurality of portions using the detected metric.

Abstract: A method includes optically interacting a bulk material or powder stored in a hopper with an integrated computational element (“ICE”) configured to detect a characteristic of the bulk material or powder. The method also includes generating an output signal corresponding to the characteristic of the bulk material or powder, and receiving and processing the output signal with a signal processor to yield a value for the characteristic of the bulk material or powder. Also, the method includes transmitting a message flagging the hopper when it is determined that the bulk material or powder is not suitable for usage.

Abstract: A method for calculating weight and center of gravity of an object lifted by a robot includes lifting an object, measuring a change in angle of each joint through an angle sensor provided for each joint of the gripper in the event of the lifting, and calculating angular velocity and acceleration of each joint, calculating, via a controller, acceleration of the object, measuring an upper pressing force and a lower pressing force using force sensors installed on the joints, and calculating, via the controller, the weight of the object using a vertical component of the acceleration of the object, gravitational acceleration, and the upper and lower pressing forces.

Abstract: Systems, apparatus and methods for estimating a mass of an object by a mobile device are presented. The mobile device, which may be a smartphone, vibrates the mobile device both unloaded (without an object) and loaded (with an object) while measuring the unloaded and loaded vibrations. Next, the mobile device compares the unloaded and loaded vibrations and determines the mass of the object from the comparison.

Abstract: A method estimates the effect on the weighing result of a balance (1) that is caused by electrostatic charges on an object (2) received on a load receiver (6) thereof. A first predefined positive voltage (U1) and a second predefined negative voltage (U2) of equal magnitude are alternatingly applied to a first electrode (12) in the vicinity of the weighing object. The forces acting on a force-measuring cell (17) are measured and are registered as the first and second measurement results. The difference between the respective measurement results represents the magnitude of the influence that the electrostatic charges residing on the weighing object are having on the weighing result. The difference also represents an essentially proportional part of the force resulting from electrostatic charges on the weighing object which causes a change in the weighing result and is sent as a signal to a processor unit.

Abstract: Method for dispensing a compressed gas using at least three dispensing protocols, the selected dispensing protocol depending on the time-averaged dispensing rate. Compressed gas is passed from a plurality of supply vessels, for example a tube trailer, to a plurality of storage vessels, and dispensed from the plurality of storage vessels to a plurality of receiving vessels. The supply vessel providing the compressed gas depends on the compressed gas pressure in the supply vessel and the anticipated time-averaged dispensing rate for the time period.

Abstract: Provided is a sampling method of recycled raw material, the method including: a process (S3) of primarily crushing recycled raw material; a process (S4 to S7) of separating primarily crushed raw material into three components, “scrap iron”, “scrap aluminum”, and “recycled raw material component other than scrap iron and scrap aluminum” and performing primary sample reductions of the three components; a process (S8 to S10) of secondarily crushing “the recycled raw material component other than scrap iron and scrap aluminum”, which is subjected to the primary sample reduction, and performing a secondary sample reduction of “recycled raw material component other than scrap iron and scrap aluminum” which is secondarily crushed; and a mixing process (S12) of mixing “scrap iron” and “scrap aluminum” with “the recycled raw material component other than scrap iron and scrap aluminum” which is subjected to the secondary sample reduction.

Abstract: A system 100 of monitoring mass in a furnace is described having a number of hanger rods 110 used to support at least a portion of the furnace. The system has at least one pressure sensor 111 that may be a load washer 111 operatively engaging a hanger rod 110 that provides a signal indicative of an amount of tension on the hanger rod 110. A pivoting unit 107, 109 distributes the force over the surface of the pressure sensor 111. A processor 200 monitors the signals from the pressure sensors 111 to set alarms when there is a mass overload, or adjust the operation of the furnace. The processor 200 may also predict when an overload will occur by extrapolating pressure sensor 111 readings forward into the future.

Abstract: A method for determining a change in a mass of a fan impeller. The method includes inducing a torque to the fan impeller and determining a change in the angular speed of the fan impeller, induced by the torque. A value for a first parameter representing a present mass of the fan impeller is determined on the basis of the change in the angular speed and the torque. The change in the mass is then determined on the basis of the first parameter and a second parameter representing the reference mass of the fan impeller.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for loading solid particles into a vessel comprising: particle feed means (24); means (26) for dispersing the particles from the top to the bottom of the vessel; at least one means (17) for measuring the height of the filling bed; and at least one automated system for controlling the feed means (24) and/or the dispersion means (26), and also to a process and uses implementing the device.

Abstract: Disclosed here are methods of determining the mass design of the resonating bar and the reaction chamber in a sonar reactor of use in upgrading Heavy Oil Feedstocks (HOFs).

Abstract: A robot (1) having a workpiece mass measurement function for measuring the mass of a workpiece that is held, includes a force measurement unit (5) that measures the force that is applied to the tip part (2) of the mechanism part of the robot (1), and a mass estimation unit (11) that estimates the mass of the workpiece that is held by the robot (1), based on information about the force acquired by the force measurement unit (5) while the robot (1) is moving.

Abstract: A separate excitation and high sensitive resonant type mass sensor is provided. The resonant type mass sensor 1 includes: an oscillator 3; an vibrator 2 placed on the oscillator 3; and a detecting unit 5 for detecting the resonant frequency of the vibrator 2, and is characterized in that the vibrator 2 and the oscillator 3 are not coupled mechanically and that the vibrator 2 is not mechanically coupled to any members. The vibration of the vibrator 2 is represented by a standing wave. The vibrator 2 includes a molecular recognition means for recognizing the molecules of a substance to be measured. The molecular recognition means may collect specific molecules by antigen-antibody reaction. The vibrator 2 may include at least a magnetizable part. To the magnetizable part, magnetic beads 26, to which an antibody or antigen is immobilized, may be adsorbed magnetically.

Abstract: A crop harvesting width of a harvester head is partitioned into a plurality of portions. At least one sensor detects a metric of a crop being harvested for each of the plurality of portions. A processing unit determines an attribute of the crop harvested for each of a plurality of portions using the detected metric.

Abstract: Amass measurement device measures the mass of an article, even when the article is being moved. A mass measurement device includes a robot hand, a robot arm, a force sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a control unit. The robot hand holds an article (Q). The robot arm moves the robot hand. The force sensor is provided between the robot hand and the robot arm and measures force acting on the article (Q) during movement. The acceleration sensor measures acceleration acting on the article (Q) during the movement. The control unit runs and controls the robot hand and the robot arm, and calculates the mass of the article (Q) on the basis of the force and acceleration acting on the article (Q) during the movement.

Abstract: A crop harvesting width of a harvester head is partitioned into a plurality of portions. At least one sensor detects a metric of a crop being harvested for each of the plurality of portions. A processing unit determines an attribute of the crop harvested for each of a plurality of portions using the detected metric.

Abstract: A vehicle system and method that estimates or approximates the mass of a vehicle so that a more accurate vehicle mass estimate can be made available to other vehicle systems, such as an adaptive cruise control (ACC) system or an automated lane change (LCX) system. In an exemplary embodiment, the method compares an actual acceleration of the vehicle to an expected acceleration while the vehicle is under the control of an automated acceleration event. The difference between these two acceleration values, along with other potential input, may then be used to approximate the actual mass of the vehicle in a way that takes into account items such as passengers, cargo, fuel, etc. Once an accurate vehicle mass estimate is generated, the method may make this estimate available to other vehicle components, devices, modules, systems, etc. so that their performance can be improved.

Abstract: A robot (1) having a workpiece mass measurement function for measuring the mass of a workpiece that is held, includes a force measurement unit (5) that measures the force that is applied to the tip part (2) of the mechanism part of the robot (1), and a mass estimation unit (11) that estimates the mass of the workpiece that is held by the robot (1), based on information about the force acquired by the force measurement unit (5) while the robot (1) is moving.

Abstract: Methods and devices relating to measuring a landing position and mass of an analyte adsorbed to a nanomechanical resonator by resolving adsorbate-induced frequency shifts in at least two modes of a resonator resonance frequency, where during the resolving of the frequency shifts in the at least two modes analysis is so that the transformation (G) from the fractional-frequency shift pair to the analyte mass-position pair is one-to-one. Complex protein mixtures can be analyzed at high sensitivity and resolution.

Abstract: A system for measuring a mass property of an object is provided. The system includes a first shaft having a first end and a second end and a table disposed in a first plane and coupled to the first shaft at a predetermined angle to support the object. The table is configured to pivot about an axis perpendicular to the first plane between at least a first pivot position and a second pivot position. The system further includes a torque sensor configured to collect a first torque measurement on the first shaft when the table is in the first pivot position and a second torque measurement on the first shaft when the table in the second pivot position.

Abstract: A piston insertion force gauge tool for measuring the insertion force of a piston into a bore of a brake caliper includes a housing assembly having an inner housing member at least partially disposed in an outer housing member, where the housing members are generally coaxial and selectively displaceable along the axis. First and second end members form the ends of the gauge tool. The inner housing member is received into the outer housing member at a second open end. A measuring device extends from the second end member through a first open end and to the first end member. The measuring device displaces the inner housing member with respect to the outer housing member to indicate the insertion force imparted on the piston.

Abstract: A system to determine the mass of a precious metal existing with an alloy specimen where the purity concentration of the precious metal within the alloy is known by a user is provided. The system includes an assembly for weighing the alloy specimen, the assembly including an adjustable setting to permit the user to input the known purity concentration, a processor programmed to calculate the mass of the precious metal based upon the weight of the alloy and the purity concentration, and a display for visually displaying the precious metal mass to the user.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer metrology technique which corrects for the effect of electrostatic forces on an atmospheric buoyancy compensated weight force measurement of a semiconductor wafer. In one aspect a wafer is weighed in a faraday cage whose is measured independently. A change in the measured weight of the faraday cage can be used to correct the measure weight the wafer. In another aspect a direct electrostatic measurement can be converted into a weight correction using a predetermined correlation between an electrostatic charge measured by the charge meter and a weight error force. In another aspect the electrostatic measurement may be indirect, e.g. derived from varying the distance between the wafer and a grounded plate parallel to the wafer to effect a change in an electrostatic force between the grounded plate and the wafer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate a charge indicator for determining the mass of a fluid contained within a fluid enclosure, wherein the charge indicator responds to a deformation of a solid component in contact with the fluid and wherein the deformation is a function of the mass of fluid contained within the fluid enclosure.

Abstract: Provided herein are sensors and methods for determining properties of single cells, such as cell mass. Sensors disclosed herein include resonant sensors having a suspended platform designed to exhibit a uniform vibration amplitude. Methods are also disclosed for measuring changes in cell mass, changes in cell number, changes in cell viscosity and changes in cell elasticity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the mass of liquid within collapsible, bulk fabric storage containers is provided wherein a number of pressure pads arranged in a grid pattern supports the container and undergo deflection creating an increase in the pressure of fluid within their interior which may be measured and correlated to the mass of the liquid within the container.

Abstract: There is provided a method of and apparatus for, measuring the mass of a gas under pressure using a piezoelectric oscillator. The gas is contained within a pressure vessel (100) having a fixed internal volume (V) and the piezoelectric oscillator (202) is immersed in the gas within the pressure vessel (100). The method comprises: a) utilising said piezoelectric oscillator (202) to measure the density of the gas within the high-pressure vessel (100); b) determining, from the density measurement and from the internal volume (V) of said pressure vessel, the mass of the gas within the pressure vessel (100). By providing such a method, the true contents (i.e. mass) of fluid in a pressure vessel such as a cylinder can be measured directly without the need to compensate for factors such as temperature or compressibility. This allows a determination of mass through direct derivation from the density of the gas in the cylinder, reducing the need for additional sensors or complex calculations to be performed.

Abstract: Method for detecting a change in mass with a quartz crystal impedance-scanning microbalance, which can be connected to an evaluation device, wherein the quartz crystal microbalance is designed to transmit the measurement points recorded at a predetermined data recording rate as raw data to the evaluation device, including at least the following steps: linearly fitting the measurement points of the raw data to a fractional rational function and determining at least one resonance frequency from the fitted measurement points of the raw data, wherein a change in the at least one resonance frequency corresponds to an effective change in mass.

Abstract: The liquid droplet discharging apparatus includes an image formation area and two inspection areas. The apparatus includes a pair of workpiece stages each configured to support a workpiece thereon, an inspection stage arranged between the two workpiece stages, a pair of image recognizing sections configured to execute image recognition with respect to an inspection discharge result discharged onto the inspection stage, and a stage moving mechanism configured to selectively move one of workpiece stages between the image formation area and one of the workpiece exchange areas, to selectively move the other of the workpiece stages between the image formation area and the other of the workpiece exchanges areas, and to move the inspection stage between the inspection areas.

Abstract: A system to measure the internal state of a bundle of tubes by injecting a signal into each tube of the bundle, receiving reflections from the tube due to anomalies within the tube, then analyzing the reflections to determine the type or characteristics about the anomalies. The analyzed information is stored in database to be used for statistical processing. Further, the device can be used in the performance of a cleaning process by conducting an initial assessment of the tubes in a bundle of tubes, comparing the stored data and estimating the number of cleaning cycles that will be required, and re-conducting the evaluation of the state of the tubes after every cleaning cycle or after every few cleaning cycles.

Abstract: An acceleration detector includes: a plate-like flexible portion which has piezoelectricity and can flex by an inertial force (base portion, joint portion, moving portion); an acceleration detection element loaded on a main surface of the base portion and the moving portion; an electrically conductive mass portion loaded on the moving portion; and a package accommodating the base portion, the joint portion, the moving portion, the acceleration detection element and the mass portion. The acceleration detection element is provided with wirings through which detected acceleration is taken out as an electrical signal, and the mass portion can be maintained at a desired electric potential.

Abstract: A wafer inspection apparatus that performs surface inspection and internal inspection of solar cells using a single apparatus. The wafer inspection apparatus includes a loading unit configured to allow a cassette to be lifted up or lowered by an elevator. A surface inspection unit includes a plurality of stages, thus performing surface inspection of each wafer using a first vision module. A wafer transfer unit has a rotatably installed center portion and has both ends provided with adsorption parts. An internal inspection unit is configured such that a conveyor is installed to allow the wafer to be transferred, thus performing internal inspection of the transferred wafer through a second vision module. An unloading unit enables wafers having completed the internal inspection to be sequentially loaded onto the unloading unit. A control unit controls a series of wafer inspection procedures.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the mass of liquid within collapsible, bulk fabric storage containers is provided wherein a number of pressure pads arranged in a grid pattern supports the container and undergo deflection creating an increase in the pressure of fluid within their interior which may be measured and correlated to the mass of the liquid within the container.

Abstract: A robot (1) having a workpiece mass measurement function for measuring the mass of a workpiece that is held, includes a force measurement unit (5) that measures the force that is applied to the tip part (2) of the mechanism part of the robot (1), and a mass estimation unit (11) that estimates the mass of the workpiece that is held by the robot (1), based on information about the force acquired by the force measurement unit (5) while the robot (1) is moving.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the mass of a hybrid vehicle having a prime mover, a secondary mover incorporating a flywheel, and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) being connectable with a driveline of the vehicle and with the flywheel, the apparatus including a means for measuring a rate of change of CVT ratio during a transference of energy between the hybrid vehicle and the flywheel.

Abstract: A non-invasive Time Domain Reflectometry transmission line system and method for measuring one or more parameters of an electromagnetic Radio Frequency pulse transmitted, and reflected, along a transmission line, the parameters including at least one of; amplitude, propagation velocity and/or propagation time between defined predetermined instances. The system includes a transmission line structure including three or more elongated transmission elements each having two distal ends. Each element is capable of being selectively activated in at least two distinct pairs having distinct geometric configurations relative to each other to generate at least two distinct electric field potentials without physical displacement of the transmission line.

Abstract: A device for sensing a mass in a liquid environment including a resonator comprising a piezo layer having a top electrode and a bottom electrode, a sensing surface located adjacent and opposite the top electrode, the resonator and the sensing surface defining a gap therebetween, and a post attached to the sensing surface and the resonator.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the mass of liquid within collapsible, bulk fabric storage containers is provided wherein a deflection member arranged in a grid pattern supports the container and undergoes deflection creating an increase in the pressure of fluid within its interior which may be measured and correlated to the mass of the liquid within the container.