A fibre optic cable structure (300) suitable for fibre optic sensing with an improved sensitivity to an environmental parameter is described. The structure (300) includes an optical fibre (301) and a bend inducer (304) responsive to the environmental parameter to control bending of the optical fibre. The bend inducer (304) is configured to adopt a first configuration, that induces a first curvature of the optical fibre, at a first value of the environmental parameter and to adopt a second configuration at a second, different, value of the environmental parameter that induces a second, different, curvature of the optical fibre. By action of the bend inducer (304) a change in value of the environmental parameter imparts a bending force on the optical fibre.

A structural health monitoring system based on a shape memory polymer includes a plurality of shape memory polymer buckling beam rod components, and a signal processing and structural health state abnormity warning platform. Each shape memory polymer buckling beam rod component includes an outer frame constraint, a shape memory polymer rod, and an electric signal generating element. The electric signal generating element includes piezoelectric material layers, and the signal processing and structural health state abnormity warning platform is electrically connected to the piezoelectric material layers.

A radio tag capable of indicating to a reader, via a wireless link, that a variation in energy has crossed a predetermined threshold, this variation in energy being chosen from the group made up of a variation in the temperature of the radio tag and a variation in the magnetic field in which the radio tag is immersed. This radio tag includes transducer material chosen from a group made up of a thermal shape-memory material, a magnetostrictive material and a magnetic shape-memory material. This transducer material is deposited and affixed without any degree of freedom onto a substrate or an antenna of the radio tag to form, with the substrate or the antenna, a multilayer structure which flexurally deforms the antenna between a bent conformation and a less bent conformation when the energy variation crosses the predetermined threshold.

A temperature indicating method, a temperature indicating label used by this method, and a method for manufacturing the temperature indicating label, includes: a, determining the target temperature, adopting the thermal induced shape memory polymer material to manufacture the temperature indicating label; b, heating the temperature indicating label to make it achieve or exceed the initial temperature of glass transition or melting transition but be lower than the terminal temperature of glass transition or melting transition, then finishing the predeformation treatment; and c, placing the predeformed temperature indicating label into the environment which needs temperature indication for a while, observing whether spontaneous shape recovery happens to the label and judging whether the environment temperature has once reached or exceeded the target temperature.

The present invention provides a sensor system for measuring a parameter (e.g. volume, temperature or pressure) of a target, the system comprising a diaphragm, a sensor for measuring the axial spacing between the sensor and the diaphragm, and an axially adjustable mount. The mount has a first axial end for mounting the diaphragm which is axially movable relative to the sensor and an opposing, second axial end which is axially fixed relative to the sensor. The diaphragm and mount define a chamber for receiving the target or for being received within the target. In use, the axial spacing between the first axial end and the second axial end of the mount and thus the axial spacing between the diaphragm and sensor varies as a result of a change in the parameter differential across the diaphragm.

The present invention provides a sensor system for measuring a parameter (e.g. volume, temperature or pressure) of a target, the system comprising a diaphragm, a sensor for measuring the axial spacing between the sensor and the diaphragm, and an axially adjustable mount. The mount has a first axial end for mounting the diaphragm which is axially movable relative to the sensor and an opposing, second axial end which is axially fixed relative to the sensor. The diaphragm and mount define a chamber for receiving the target or for being received within the target. In use, the axial spacing between the first axial end and the second axial end of the mount and thus the axial spacing between the diaphragm and sensor varies as a result of a change in the parameter differential across the diaphragm.

A sensor includes a body member, a volume change body, and a detection member. The body member has a flat plate-like shape, a first end in a first direction being supported, and a storage space opening at at least one of both end faces in a thickness direction. The volume change body, whose volume changes depending on an amount of a target, is supported by the body member so that at least a part of the volume change body is stored in the storage space. The detection member is in contact with a second end in the first direction of the body member, and detects stress caused by the change in the volume of the volume change body.

High power impedance tuners suffer from intense heating of the center conductor of the tuner airline (slabline), due to dissipated RF and DC power and, in addition to high electric field between the metallic tuning probe (slug) and the center conductor, also from associated thermal expansion causing sagging of the center conductor and possible electrical short. If the thermal expansion cannot be accommodated by structural means, the center conductor is cooled using forced air created by ventilators or re-circulating low loss dielectric liquid flowing through the slabline. Premature tuner aging through continuous airflow or cooling liquid circulation is avoided using real time monitoring of dissipated (heating) power and regulation of the cooling mechanism.

High power impedance tuners suffer from intense heating of the center conductor of the tuner airline (slabline), due to dissipated RF and DC power and, in addition to high electric field between the metallic tuning probe (slug) and the center conductor, also from associated thermal expansion causing sagging of the center conductor and possible electrical short. If the thermal expansion cannot be accommodated by structural means, the center conductor is cooled using forced air created by ventilators or re-circulating low loss dielectric liquid flowing through the slabline. Premature tuner aging through continuous airflow or cooling liquid circulation is avoided using real time monitoring of dissipated (heating) power and regulation of the cooling mechanism.

An improvement to bimetallic pipe thermometers utilizing insulating tubular seats. The present invention improves the insulating tubular seat by closing off the tail slot along a proximal end thereof with a bridge or stop. Going forward, users of such bimetallic pipe thermometers no longer need worry about the tail of the bimetallic coil sensor unintentionally slipping out of what is currently an opened-ended tail slot.