The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for establishing residual stresses in objects, in particular in coated objects, and to a method and an apparatus for coating objects. The method comprises: impinging a surface (8) of the object (5) with laser light and generating a hole or a pattern of holes and/or locally heated points in the object (5); establishing the surface deformations by an optical deforming measuring method after the object (5) is impinged by laser light; establishing the residual stresses present in the object (5) from the measured surface deformations, wherein the generation of the hole pattern is carried out by an optical scanning apparatus which comprises an optical deflection and/or modulation arrangement for controllable deflection and/or modulation of the laser light, and/or a focusing arrangement for controllable focusing of the laser light.

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for establishing residual stresses in objects, in particular in coated objects, and to a method and an apparatus for coating objects. The method comprises: impinging a surface (8) of the object (5) with laser light and generating a hole or a pattern of holes and/or locally heated points in the object (5); establishing the surface deformations by an optical deforming measuring method after the object (5) is impinged by laser light; establishing the residual stresses present in the object (5) from the measured surface deformations, wherein the generation of the hole pattern is carried out by an optical scanning apparatus which comprises an optical deflection and/or modulation arrangement for controllable deflection and/or modulation of the laser light, and/or a focusing arrangement for controllable focusing of the laser light.

A device for analysis of mechanical and thermal loading of structures can include: a first member comprising first material; a second member comprising second material; and a third member comprising the first material. The second member can be fastened at least partially between the first and third members. The device can be configured to mechanically load the first, second, and third members by applying equal and opposite force to protruding ends of the first, second, and third members. A device for analysis of mechanical and thermal loading of structures can include: a first member comprising first material; and a second member comprising second material. The first member can be fastened at least partially between portions of the second member. The device can be configured to mechanically load the first and second members by applying equal and opposite force to protruding ends of the first and second members.

A device for analysis of mechanical and thermal loading of structures can include: a first member comprising first material; a second member comprising second material; and a third member comprising the first material. The second member can be fastened at least partially between the first and third members. The device can be configured to mechanically load the first, second, and third members by applying equal and opposite force to protruding ends of the first, second, and third members. A device for analysis of mechanical and thermal loading of structures can include: a first member comprising first material; and a second member comprising second material. The first member can be fastened at least partially between portions of the second member. The device can be configured to mechanically load the first and second members by applying equal and opposite force to protruding ends of the first and second members.

Systems, apparatus and methods are provided for measuring moving vehicle information. Moving vehicle information may be measured by a sensor configured to respond to one or more wheels of the moving vehicle, where one or more of the wheels change the characteristic impedance of the sensor at the wheel's contact location. An electrical time domain reflectometry signal processing system which is capable of measuring the change in the impedance of the sensor and converting the impedance change to a signal may be connected operatively to the sensor. A data-processing system receives the signal and extracts the moving vehicle information therefrom.

An apparatus includes a sensor assembly. The sensor assembly includes a transmission-line assembly having an electrical transmission-line parameter configured to change, at least in part, in response to reception, at least in part, of a vehicular load of a moving vehicle moving relative to a vehicular roadway to the transmission-line assembly positionable, at least in part, relative to the vehicular roadway.

An apparatus includes a sensor assembly. The sensor assembly includes a transmission-line assembly having an electrical transmission-line parameter configured to change, at least in part, in response to reception, at least in part, of a vehicular load of a moving vehicle moving relative to a vehicular roadway to the transmission-line assembly positionable, at least in part, relative to the vehicular roadway.

In one aspect, a load cell includes an elastic body, first optical unit, second optical unit, detector, and computation unit. The first optical unit has a light source, a first diffraction grating on which light from the light source is incident, and a light-receiving unit. The first optical unit is fixed to a first end portion of the elastic body and arranged within a hollow portion of the elastic body. The second optical unit has a second diffraction grating on which diffracted light from the first diffraction grating is incident to generate interference light. The second optical unit is fixed to a second end portion of the elastic body and arranged within the hollow portion. The detector detects the interference light. The computation unit computes a relative displacement amount of the second diffraction grating relative to the first diffraction grating on the basis of a signal obtained by the detector.

In one aspect, a load cell includes an elastic body, first optical unit, second optical unit, detector, and computation unit. The first optical unit has a light source, a first diffraction grating on which light from the light source is incident, and a light-receiving unit. The first optical unit is fixed to a first end portion of the elastic body and arranged within a hollow portion of the elastic body. The second optical unit has a second diffraction grating on which diffracted light from the first diffraction grating is incident to generate interference light. The second optical unit is fixed to a second end portion of the elastic body and arranged within the hollow portion. The detector detects the interference light. The computation unit computes a relative displacement amount of the second diffraction grating relative to the first diffraction grating on the basis of a signal obtained by the detector.

Techniques for providing a tamper mechanism for semiconductor devices are disclosed herein. The techniques include, for example, providing at least one die and at least one strain gauge, orienting the at least one strain gauge to the die, forming an encapsulated semiconductor device by encapsulating the die and each strain gauge within a mold compound to maintain respective orientation, and measuring an initial strain value for the at least one strain gauge after forming the encapsulated semiconductor device.