A low power force detection system includes variable capacitors, a drive sense module, and a processing module. A drive sense circuit of the drive sense module is operable to provide an analog and frequency domain signal to a variable capacitor. The drive sense circuit is further operable to detect a characteristic of the variable capacitor based on the analog and frequency domain signal and to generate a representative signal of the characteristic. The processing module is operable to generate a digital value based on the representative and to write the digital value to memory.

An electrode structure includes: a base material; a conductive fabric on a first surface of the base material; and one or more conductive wires on a second surface of the base material so as to be electrically insulated from the conductive fabric. The second surface is opposite to the first surface of the base material. The base material includes: a first area and a second area. The first area is fitted into a groove of the rim and the second area is placed in a part of a rim of a steering wheel other than the groove, when the base material is attached to the rim. The one or more conductive wires are arranged at a lower wiring density in the first area than in the second area.

A martial arts training device with scoring system, device comprising a padded device designed to be struck by a participant; and a scoring system attached to padded device, scoring system comprising: an impedance-based impact sensing mechanism that detects a source of impact comprising at least one impedance changing mechanism that changes impedance as each of conductive material is moved towards and away from impedance changing mechanism as the first participant delivers the impact; an impact sensing mechanism for which mechanically detects the force of impact creating electrical charges; at least one impedance-based impact measuring scoring system determining the source of the impact that occurred based on a change in impedance electromagnetically in said impedance changing mechanism; and at least one impedance changing rate determination engine configured to determine a rate at which the impedance changes in impedance changing mechanism; and at least one impact force determination engine configured to determine a magnitude of a force of the impact based on the rate at which the impedance changes in impedance changing mechanism and the impedance changing a rate data.

A martial arts training device with scoring system, device comprising a padded device designed to be struck by a participant; and a scoring system attached to padded device, scoring system comprising: an impedance-based impact sensing mechanism that detects a source of impact comprising at least one impedance changing mechanism that changes impedance as each of conductive material is moved towards and away from impedance changing mechanism as the first participant delivers the impact; an impact sensing mechanism for which mechanically detects the force of impact creating electrical charges; at least one impedance-based impact measuring scoring system determining the source of the impact that occurred based on a change in impedance electromagnetically in said impedance changing mechanism; and at least one impedance changing rate determination engine configured to determine a rate at which the impedance changes in impedance changing mechanism; and at least one impact force determination engine configured to determine a magnitude of a force of the impact based on the rate at which the impedance changes in impedance changing mechanism and the impedance changing a rate data.

A system may include a sensor configured to output a sensor signal indicative of a distance between the sensor and a mechanical member associated with the sensor, a measurement circuit communicatively coupled to the sensor and configured to determine a physical force interaction with the mechanical member based on the sensor signal, and a compensator configured to monitor the sensor signal and to apply a compensation factor to the sensor signal to compensate for changes to properties of the sensor based on at least one of changes in a distance between the sensor and the mechanical member and changes in a temperature associated with the sensor.

A strain sensor for capacitive strain measurement has a flat and electrically conductive first conductor element and a flat and electrically conductive second conductor element. The two conductor elements oppose one another and are laterally displaceable relative to one another, so that the two conductor elements, proceeding from a first condition, may be displaced relative to one another into a second condition. An overlap between the two conductor elements is different in the first condition from the second condition. First and second springs attach the conductor elements to first and second attaching regions of the strain sensor. The first attaching region is disposed at a first reference point of a body to be measured, and/or the second attaching region is disposed at a second reference point of the body to be measured.

A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface arranged opposite to the first surface; a stress-sensitive sensor disposed at the first surface of the substrate, where the stress-sensitive sensor is sensitive to mechanical stress; a stress-decoupling trench that has a vertical extension that extends from the first surface into the substrate, where the stress-decoupling trench vertically extends partially into the substrate towards the second surface although not completely to the second surface; and a plurality of particle filter trenches that vertically extend from the second surface into the substrate, wherein each of the plurality of particle filter trenches have a longitudinal extension that extends orthogonal to the vertical extension of the stress-decoupling trench.

A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface arranged opposite to the first surface; a stress-sensitive sensor disposed at the first surface of the substrate, where the stress-sensitive sensor is sensitive to mechanical stress; a stress-decoupling trench that has a vertical extension that extends from the first surface into the substrate, where the stress-decoupling trench vertically extends partially into the substrate towards the second surface although not completely to the second surface; and a plurality of particle filter trenches that vertically extend from the second surface into the substrate, wherein each of the plurality of particle filter trenches have a longitudinal extension that extends orthogonal to the vertical extension of the stress-decoupling trench.

A sensor apparatus includes a sensor device (2), for attaching to an outer surface of a compression garment (1), and a controller. The sensor device (2) comprises a first mounting point (70), attached to a first point on the garment (1), and a second mounting point (45), attached to a second point on the garment (1). The sensor device (2) senses displacement between the first (70) and second mounting points (45). The controller processes information representative of the sensed displacement to estimate a pressure exerted by the compression garment (1) on a wearer of the garment (1).

A stretchable sensor is provided. The stretchable sensor includes a first stretchable electrode including a first elastomer and a first conductor dispersed in the first elastomer, a stretchable active layer formed on the first stretchable electrode and including a third elastomer and an ion conductor dispersed in the third elastomer, and a second stretchable electrode formed on the stretchable active layer and including a second elastomer and a second conductor dispersed in the second elastomer. The stretchable sensor is effectively capable of sensing a temperature without being affected by strain and recognizing strain without being affected by temperature.