The invention relates to a load measuring device including a deformable component configured to be deformed under a load to be measured and a sensor assembly attached to a first portion of the deformable component and to a method for determining load using such a sensor assembly. It is proposed that the sensor assembly includes at least one acceleration sensor configured to detect a change in an orientation of the first portion with regard to the direction of gravity and that the deformable component is formed as a seal configured to be in sliding contact with a component configured to rotate in relation to the seal.

Systems, methods, and apparatus related to a homing mechanism within a drive mechanism of a lacing engine for an automated footwear platform are described. In an example, the homing apparatus can include an indexing wheel, a plurality of Geneva teeth and a stop tooth. The plurality of Geneva teeth can be distributed around a portion of a perimeter of the indexing wheel. Each Geneva tooth of the plurality of Geneva teeth can include side profiles conforming to a first side profile that generates a first force when engaged by an index tooth on a portion of the drive mechanism. The stop tooth can be located along the perimeter of the indexing wheel between two Geneva teeth. Additionally, the stop tooth can include side profiles conforming to a second side profile that generates a second force when engaged by the index tooth.

The present disclosure provides a graphene-based touch sensor device using triboelectric effect, the device comprising: a substrate; a first electrode layer disposed on the substrate; a graphene channel layer disposed on the substrate, wherein the graphene channel layer is flush with the first electrode layer, and is spaced from the first electrode layer; a gate dielectric layer in partial contact with the electrode layer and the graphene channel layer respectively; source and drain electrodes formed on both opposing ends of the graphene channel layer respectively; and a triboelectric layer formed on the first electrode layer, wherein the triboelectric layer generates a triboelectric potential via contact of an external friction material therewith, wherein the contact of the external friction material is detected based on a current change in the graphene channel layer due to the triboelectric potential applied thereto.

A sensor system is adapted for use with an article of footwear and includes an insert member including a first layer and a second layer, a port connected to the insert and configured for communication with an electronic module, a plurality of force and/or pressure sensors on the insert member, and a plurality of leads connecting the sensors to the port.

A system and method for determining the load in a material handling system is disclosed. The load weight detection system measures torque at four operating conditions both at constant speed and during acceleration. The level of torque generated by the motor under each of these operating conditions is stored in the motor drive. The motor drive also receives a signal corresponding to the speed of the hoist motor. Based on the measured torque, as well as the expected torque at no load and at rated load for the measured speed, the motor drive then determines the load present on the hoist. In some systems, two or more hoists are required to operate in tandem to lift a load. Each motor drive determines the weight of the load supported by its respective hoist motor and determines a total weight of the load based on the weights determined by each motor drive.

A monitor configured to be removably coupled to a strut that forms part of a temporary support structure. The monitor may include an electronic monitoring device that includes a load cell. The monitor may be configured to be position in-line with strut and subject to the same forces exerted upon the strut. Further the monitor may be configured to wirelessly communicate the sensor information to a user.

A method for determining sensor parameters of an actively-driven sensor system may include obtaining as few as three samples of a measured physical quantity versus frequency for the actively-driven sensor system, performing a refinement operation to provide a refined version of the sensor parameters based on the as few as three samples and based on a linear model of an asymmetry between slopes of the measured physical quantity versus frequency between pairs of the as few as three samples, iteratively repeating the refinement operation until the difference between successive refined versions of the sensor parameters is below a defined threshold, and outputting the refined sensor parameters as updated sensor parameters for the actively-driven sensor system.

The present invention relates to an ultrahigh sensitive pressure-sensing film based on spiky hollow carbon spheres and the fabrication method thereof. The fabricated spiky hollow carbon spheres composed polydimethylsiloxane sensing film whose spheres were well dispersed in the matrix. The spiky structure is useful for the spheres to trigger Fowler-Nordheim (F-N) tunneling effect and thus enhancing the sensitivity of the material. The carbon material fabricated by the precursor transformation method contains a proper Nitrogen doping, which has efficiently increased the carrier migration ability. The hollow structure can both regulate the density of fillers and help to improve its temperature independence. Calcine the spheres under an inert atmosphere to transform the spiky hollow organic spheres into a carbon one, in this process the Nitrogen fraction and graphitization can be adjusted. The above carbon spheres then can be assembled with polydimethylsiloxane to achieve the composite film. The material of the present invention exhibits ultrahigh sensitivity, high sensing density, transparent, low hysteresis, temperature noninterference, and its processing method is simple, maturity and environment friendly.

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

A swipe gesture detection device may determine a swipe gesture performed on a moving surface element of a vehicle component. The swipe gesture detection device includes a spring, which applies a pre-loading between the moving surface element and a housing element of the vehicle component. The swipe gesture detection device also includes a contactless measuring distance sensor having at least three sensor elements arranged in different positions for detecting a respective distance between the surface element and the housing element.