An animal monitor comprising a microcontroller; at least one three-axis accelerometer; an energy source; a charger; and a communications system, including a wireless transmitter and receiver.

An electronic device for detecting the weight of a capsule for a pharmaceutical product is provided with: a plurality of detection electrodes, which face a respective one of a plurality of sectors into which the capsule is divided in a main extension direction thereof, each one of the detection electrodes forming a respective detection capacitor with a common plate defined by a capsule-holding element which holds the capsule; and an electronic circuit having a plurality of detection stages, each operatively coupled to a respective one of the detection electrodes so as to detect, in an independent and exclusive manner, a capacitive variation of the respective detection capacitor and to generate a respective output quantity, which is a function of the capacitive variation and indicative of the weight of the respective sector of the capsule.

An electronic device for detecting the weight of a capsule for a pharmaceutical product is provided with: a plurality of detection electrodes, which face a respective one of a plurality of sectors into which the capsule is divided in a main extension direction thereof, each one of the detection electrodes forming a respective detection capacitor with a common plate defined by a capsule-holding element which holds the capsule; and an electronic circuit having a plurality of detection stages, each operatively coupled to a respective one of the detection electrodes so as to detect, in an independent and exclusive manner, a capacitive variation of the respective detection capacitor and to generate a respective output quantity, which is a function of the capacitive variation and indicative of the weight of the respective sector of the capsule.

In a load weighing method for a wheel loader, an inclined angle of a ground surface on a slope where the wheel loader is working is detected. A change in a boom angle and a change in a pressure of a boom cylinder are detected while pivoting the boom and an attachment connected to the boom when a load is placed on the attachment. Weight of the load is calculated using the inclined angle of the ground surface, the change in the boom angle, and the change in the pressure of the boom cylinder as variables of a rotational dynamic equation for the pivot of the boom.

A device for measuring forces or a weighing device includes at least one sensor, at least one force input device configured to elastically deform in relation to an external force acting on the device, and a casing coupled to the sensor and the force input device. The sensor is configured such that, when the force is applied to the device, the sensor detects the force in relation to the elastic deformation of the force input device, and the casing is configured to accommodate the sensor in the casing in at least two different positions.

An animal monitor comprising a microcontroller; at least one three-axis accelerometer; an energy source; a charger; and a communications system, including a wireless transmitter and receiver.

A magneto-elastically-based active force sensor, used with a tow coupling between a towed and a towing vehicle or a coupling between a vehicle body and a suspension of the vehicle, which outputs a signal useful for determining forces acting on the coupling. The outputted force information may be provided by processor-enabled embedded software algorithms that take inputs from the force sensor and other sensors, may be used by one or more vehicle systems during operating of the vehicle, such as engine, braking, stability, safety, and informational systems. The force sensor includes directionally-sensitive magnetic field sensing elements inside the sensor, and shielding may be used around the sensors to reduce the influence of external magnetic fields on the sensing elements. The force sensor may be used with different tow and vehicle weight sensing coupling devices installed on different types of automobile cars and trucks.

A capacitor comprises a first electrode, a second electrode provided on the first electrode, a ferroelectric film provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a dielectric film provided between the ferroelectric film and the second electrode, impedance of the ferroelectric film and impedance of the dielectric film are determined such that a control voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode is equal to a capacitance boosting operating voltage, and the capacitance boosting operating voltage is determined by the following equation: $V_{\mathrm{MAX}}=\left(1+\frac{.Math.Z_2.Math.}{.Math.Z_1.Math.}\right)t_F{E}_{\mathrm{FM}}$
where V.sub.MAX is a capacitance boosting operating voltage, Z.sub.1 is impedance of the ferroelectric film, Z.sub.2 is impedance of the dielectric film, t.sub.F is a thickness of the ferroelectric film, and E.sub.FM is an electric field applied to the ferroelectric film having a maximum polarization.

A capacitor comprises a first electrode, a second electrode provided on the first electrode, a ferroelectric film provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a dielectric film provided between the ferroelectric film and the second electrode, impedance of the ferroelectric film and impedance of the dielectric film are determined such that a control voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode is equal to a capacitance boosting operating voltage, and the capacitance boosting operating voltage is determined by the following equation: $V_{\mathrm{MAX}}=\left(1+\frac{.Math.Z_2.Math.}{.Math.Z_1.Math.}\right)t_F{E}_{\mathrm{FM}}$
where V.sub.MAX is a capacitance boosting operating voltage, Z.sub.1 is impedance of the ferroelectric film, Z.sub.2 is impedance of the dielectric film, t.sub.F is a thickness of the ferroelectric film, and E.sub.FM is an electric field applied to the ferroelectric film having a maximum polarization.

A load verification system and method may be used to assess the loading of material from a loading work vehicle having a load bucket to a haulage work vehicle having a load bin. The system includes at least one volume sensor coupled to the loading work vehicle that observes a volume of material in at least one of the load bucket and the load bin and generates a corresponding volume data signal. The system also includes a first controller onboard the loading work vehicle and a second controller onboard the haulage work vehicle. At least one of the first and second controllers: receives the volume data signal from the at least one volume sensor; receives a unique haulage work vehicle identifier; associates volume data of the corresponding volume data signal with the unique haulage work vehicle identifier; and stores in memory the associated volume data and haulage work vehicle identifier.