Disclosed herein is a composition and a method for energy harvesting and the autonomous detection of structural failure. This method can be used to monitor, for example, the structural integrity of unmanned aircraft systems.

A combined plate-beam unit analysis method considering a residual stress effect of an orthotropic plate, which is used for analyzing an orthotropic steel bridge deck welded by a top plate of a bridge deck and a trapezoidal rib, the top plate of the bridge deck is analyzed by a flat shell unit, while each sub-plate forming a trapezoidal rib is analyzed by a plate-beam unit. The welding residual stress of a top plate and a trapezoidal rib is obtained by a residual stress self-balancing condition, and the initial deformation of a top plate and left and right web plates of a trapezoidal rib is obtained by the stress-strain relationship. The combined plate-beam unit analysis method has the advantages of less freedom and high calculation accuracy, so it is especially suitable for structural analysis of the trapezoidal rib orthotropic plates.

A combined plate-beam unit analysis method considering a residual stress effect of an orthotropic plate, which is used for analyzing an orthotropic steel bridge deck welded by a top plate of a bridge deck and a trapezoidal rib, the top plate of the bridge deck is analyzed by a flat shell unit, while each sub-plate forming a trapezoidal rib is analyzed by a plate-beam unit. The welding residual stress of a top plate and a trapezoidal rib is obtained by a residual stress self-balancing condition, and the initial deformation of a top plate and left and right web plates of a trapezoidal rib is obtained by the stress-strain relationship. The combined plate-beam unit analysis method has the advantages of less freedom and high calculation accuracy, so it is especially suitable for structural analysis of the trapezoidal rib orthotropic plates.

A door handle includes a handle body with an external surface, an internal portion, and a mounting feature configured to couple the handle body to a door. The door handle also includes a force sensing element disposed in the internal portion of the handle body. The first force sensing element is configured to measure a force applied to the external surface of the door handle. The door handle further includes a communication element coupled to the force sensing element. The force measured by the force sensing element is used to determine an output function.

A door handle includes a handle body with an external surface, an internal portion, and a mounting feature configured to couple the handle body to a door. The door handle also includes a force sensing element disposed in the internal portion of the handle body. The first force sensing element is configured to measure a force applied to the external surface of the door handle. The door handle further includes a communication element coupled to the force sensing element. The force measured by the force sensing element is used to determine an output function.

The present invention is a system and method using a hand-mounted force sensor to verify installation of a CPA-enabled electrical connector. The system has at least one CPA-enabled electrical connector with a locking button; at least one hand-mounted force sensor; an interface board; a transmission channel; a system processor; a non-transitory computer readable memory element; a display; and an input. The hand-mounted force sensors have an electrical output that is proportional to the force. The method is accomplished with the steps of mounting at least one force sensor so that it will record the force exerted when depressing a locking button of a CPA-enabled electrical connector; depressing the locking button; measuring the force; recording the force; comparing the force to a pre-determined threshold; passing the CPA-enabled electrical connector if the force was less than the pre-determined threshold and otherwise failing it.

A low power consumption multi-contact micro electro-mechanical strain/displacement sensor and miniature autonomous self-contained systems for recording of stress and usage history with direct output suitable for fatigue and load spectrum analysis are provided. In aerospace applications the system can assist in prediction of fatigue of a component subject to mechanical stresses as well as in harmonizing maintenance and overhauls intervals. In alternative applications, i.e. civil structures, general machinery, marine and submarine vessels, etc., the system can autonomously record strain history, strain spectrum or maximum values of the strain over a prolonged period of time using an internal power supply or a power supply combined with an energy harvesting device. The sensor is based on MEMS technology and incorporates a micro array of flexible micro or nano-size cantilevers. The system can have extremely low power consumption while maintaining precision and temperature/humidify independence.

A door handle includes a handle body with an external surface, an internal portion, and a mounting feature configured to couple the handle body to a door. The door handle also includes a force sensing element disposed in the internal portion of the handle body. The first force sensing element is configured to measure a force applied to the external surface of the door handle. The door handle further includes a communication element coupled to the force sensing element. The force measured by the force sensing element is used to determine an output function.

A door handle includes a handle body with an external surface, an internal portion, and a mounting feature configured to couple the handle body to a door. The door handle also includes a force sensing element disposed in the internal portion of the handle body. The first force sensing element is configured to measure a force applied to the external surface of the door handle. The door handle further includes a communication element coupled to the force sensing element. The force measured by the force sensing element is used to determine an output function.

Broadly speaking, embodiments of the present techniques provide methods for driving shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator wires in a more power-efficient manner.