Emergency stop pressure sensors 17 are installed on both side surfaces of a movable link 11 of a robot arm 14 of an assembly robot. When a worker S unintentionally walks in a swing range Ra of the robot arm 14 and contacts the emergency stop pressure sensor 17, a detection signal is transmitted to a control unit 19, and the control unit 19 shuts power transmission to a driving source swinging the robot arm. The emergency stop pressure sensor 17 has a first electrode and a second electrode constituting a pair of electrodes and an intermediate layer formed of rubber or a rubber composition, which is disposed between the pair of electrodes, the intermediate layer generating power upon deformation caused by contact with a contacted body (the worker). A side of the intermediate layer in a laminate direction undergoes surface modification treatment and/or inactivation treatment. With this treatment, the one side and the other side of the intermediate layer have different degrees of deformation to the same deformation adding force.

A semiconductor device comprising a passive magnetoelectric transducer structure adapted for generating a charge via mechanical stress caused by a magnetic field. The first transducer structure has a first terminal electrically connectable to the control terminal of an electrical switch, and having a second terminal electrically connectable to the first terminal of the electrical switch for providing a control signal for opening/closing the switch. The switch may be a FET. A passive magnetic switch using a magnetoelectric transducer structure. Use of a passive magnetoelectric transducer structure for opening or closing a switch without the need for an external power supply.

A piezoelectric element includes: a first electrode and a second electrode; and a piezoelectric layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode and having a perovskite structure, in which 0<P1/P2≤0.5 and 0<P1 where, when a positive predetermined voltage is applied to the piezoelectric layer, then a voltage applied to the piezoelectric layer is set to 0 V for 0.1 seconds, and then a triangular wave voltage waveform having a maximum voltage of the predetermined voltage is applied to the piezoelectric layer to obtain a hysteresis curve drawn counterclockwise, P1 is a residual polarization amount at a start point of the hysteresis curve and P2 is a residual polarization amount at an end point of the hysteresis curve.

The present invention is a diverse acoustical object containing a range of particles that have acoustical wave impedances that are substantially different from the binder. The particles create a substantially different reflection as an acoustic wave is scattered by the particles. A negative reflection is created when the scattered wave is from a particle that has a wave impedance that is substantially less than the binder impedance. Practically, it may be necessary to encase this material in a thin material that will withstand the fabrication process (e.g., air or silicone elastomer could be encased in glass). If the wavelength is large compared to the encasing material thickness, then the reflection will be more dependent on the interior material. A mixture of materials that generate positive as well as negative reflections within the binder would add to the complexity of the PUF.

Magnetoelectric sensors that can be manufactured using known methods of thin film technology and output an ME voltage that is many times higher for a predetermined magnetic field than the known cantilever-beam sensor. The design that is termed separator ME sensor is characterized by the arrangement of a thick dielectric layer (14) between the ferroelectric (10) and the magnetostrictive phases (12), and by an electrode arrangement (18) applied on one side of the ferroelectric (10) and that is engineered to tap the ME voltage along the extent of the layer. Advantageously, it can be manufactured easily by coating conventional dielectric substrates (14) on the front and rear with one each of the functional layers (10, 12).

A sensor and/or transducer device having at least one bending structure including at least one piezoelectric layer in each case, using which an intermediate volume between at least two electrodes of the bending structure is at least partially filled in each case, the sensor and/or transducer device including an electronic unit, which is designed to apply at least one predefined or established actuator voltage between two of the electrodes at a time of the bending structure in such a way that a deformation of the bending structure triggered by an intrinsic stress gradient in the bending structure may be at least partially compensated for. A method for operating a sensor and/or transducer device having at least one bending structure, which includes at least one piezoelectric layer, and a method for calibrating a microphone having at least one bending structure, which includes at least one piezoelectric layer, are also described.

This invention describes a method for producing a novel, superior, highly electroactive material and highly electroactive actuator, which act as artificial muscle, tendon, fascia, perimysium, epimysium, and skin that wrinkles and with the preferred movement of contraction, comprising ion-containing, cross-linked electroactive material(s); solvent(s); electrode(s); attachments to levers or other objects; and coating(s). The composition and electrode configuration of the highly electroactive material of the highly electroactive actuator can be optimized so that contraction occurs when activated by electricity, and when allowed to relax back to its original conformation or when the polarity of the electrodes is reversed, expansion occurs, and a combination of these movements can be arranged, such as antagonistic pairs. The highly electroactive material itself or the highly electroactive actuator may be used individually or grouped to produce movement when activated by electricity. This invention can provide for human-like motion, durability, toughness, and strength.

In one embodiment, a method for switching an electrical load having at least one capacitive component and one inductive component in a bridge branch of a bridge circuit comprises a charging of the bridge branch to a first voltage (V1) in a forward switching phase (F), a discharging of the capacitive component of the electrical load in a first open switching phase (O1), a charging of the bridge branch to a second voltage (V2) in a reverse switching phase (R), with the second voltage (V2) being polarized inversely from the first voltage (V1), and a negative charging of the capacitive component of the electrical load in a second open switching phase (O2). A bridge circuit is also provided.

MEMS devices and methods for forming the same are provided. A first metal interconnect structure is formed on a first semiconductor substrate to connect to a CMOS control circuit in the first semiconductor substrate. A bonding layer having a cavity is formed on the first metal interconnect structure, and then bonded with a second semiconductor substrate. A conductive plug passes through a first region of the second semiconductor substrate, through the bonding layer, and on the first metal interconnect structure. A second metal interconnect structure includes a first end formed on the first region of the second semiconductor substrate, and a second end connected to the conductive plug. Through-holes are disposed through a second region of the second semiconductor substrate and through a top portion of the bonded layer that is on the cavity to leave a movable electrode to form the MEMS device.

A piezoelectric cooling chamber and method for providing the cooling system are described. The cooling chamber includes a piezoelectric cooling element, an array of orifices and a valve. A vibrational motion of the piezoelectric cooling element causes an increase or decrease in a chamber volume as the piezoelectric cooling element is deformed. The array of orifices is distributed on at least one surface of the chamber. The orifices allow escape of fluid from within the chamber during the decrease in the chamber volume in response to the vibration of the piezoelectric element. The valve is configured to admit fluid into the chamber when the chamber volume increases and to substantially prevent fluid from exiting the chamber through the valve when the chamber volume decreases.