A method of controlling an active aerodynamic system of a vehicle includes calculating a first spring force estimated value from at least one sensed vehicle handling characteristic, and a second spring force estimated value from a nominal spring characteristic curve. When a difference between the first and second spring force estimated values is equal to or greater than a spring threshold value, a nominal spring characteristic curve is adjusted to define an adjusted spring characteristic curve, and the active aerodynamic system is controlled using the adjusted spring characteristic curve. When the difference between the first and second spring force estimated values is equal to or greater than the spring threshold value, a signal may also be engaged to provide a service recommendation.

The present disclosure provides a navigation method and system which does not require a remotely located tracking system, or additional targets or other devices to be installed on the patient or object being tracked. The system uses one flexible component in physical contact with the patient/object and measures relative position as a function of forces that are generated by the flexing component as it is bent. The system translates forces into navigational commands for a robot, other manipulator, or for human manual navigation. A method for transforming a pre-planned motion pathway into a sequence of forces for this mode of navigation is also described. This system is also applicable in the field of manufacturing robotics, where the locations of objects or assemblies may not be precisely known or constant. The method and system disclosed herein can be used to maintain known position of an object/assembly or to navigate movement of a robot relative to an object/assembly as in the case of machining.

The invention is directed at an optical sensor device, comprising a sensing element for receiving an input action, an optical fiber comprising an intrinsic fiber optic sensor, and a transmission structure arranged for exerting a sensing action on the optical fiber in response to the input action received by the sensing element, wherein the optical fiber in a first connecting part thereof is connected to a reference body and wherein the optical fiber in a second connecting part thereof is to the transmission structure for receiving the sensing action, the first connecting part and the second connecting part of the optical fiber being located on either side of the intrinsic fiber optic sensor, wherein the transmission structure comprises a bi-stable spring having a first and a second stable deflection position and a negative stiffness range around an unstable equilibrium position between the first and second stable deflection position, and wherein the optical fiber between the transmission structure and the reference body is pre-stressed such as to be tensed, said optical fiber thereby acting as a spring having a first spring constant of positive value, wherein the optical fiber thereby counteracts a spring action of the bi-stable spring such as to operate the bi-stable spring in a deflection position range within the negative stiffness range, the deflection position range not including the unstable equilibrium position of the bi-stable spring.

A measuring element for registering forces comprises a first measuring arm extending in a longitudinal direction of the measuring element, a second measuring arm extending in the longitudinal direction, a deformation section connecting the first measuring arm and the second measuring arm to one another in an elastically deformable manner, and a transformer unit arranged on a first side or a second side of the deformation section. The first measuring arm and the second measuring arm can be deflected relative to one another in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The transformer unit responds to deformation and is situated fully within the deformation section.

A modular safety fence assembly is disclosed. The safety fence may include a fence panel assembly having a top rail, a bottom rail, and mesh panel. The safety fence panel assembly may also support post assembly capable of supporting the fence panel assembly and an anchor assembly which may anchor the support post assembly to the floor using one or more relatively shallow holes formed in the floor.

A force measurement mechanism comprises two force input members (105, 106), a pair of cantilever springs (101, 102), and a force measuring means (107). One portion of each cantilever spring is held by a first constraint means (103) and one portion of each cantilever spring is held by a second constraint means (104) with each cantilever spring having an unconstrained length between the first and second constraint means that is free to bend. The constraint means (103, 104) hold the cantilever springs (101, 102) in a parallel and spaced apart arrangement. The force input members (105, 106) are attached via the constraint means so that relative movement of the force input members bends the cantilever springs (101, 02), and the force measuring means (107) is arranged to measure force applied between the force input members.

The present invention relates to a deformation sensor comprising a structure in which an ion-conductive polymer layer is sandwiched between soft electrodes, wherein non-uniform ion distribution is generated in the ion-conductive polymer layer by deformation, thereby generating a potential difference between the electrodes.

A method for determining a strength of a bond and/or a material using a bond tester apparatus, said method comprising the steps of applying a mechanical force to said bond, determining, by a sensor component comprised by said bond tester apparatus, said applied force to said bond by measuring, by said sensor component, a displacement of said sensor component caused by said applied force and calculating, by said sensor component, said applied force on the basis of a first component which comprises a direct relationship with said measured displacement and on the basis of at least one of a second component, a third component and a fourth component.

A load detection system detects loads applied to a landing gear assembly during landing. The landing gear assembly includes an axle coupled to a piston rod of a compressible shock strut and a wheel rotatably mounted the axle. A torque link includes a lower link coupled to the piston rod of the shock strut so that compression of the shock strut rotates the link about a first axis. The load detection system includes a probe rotatably coupled about a second axis. The probe engages a ground surface when the shock strut is uncompressed and the wheel contacts the ground surface. The lower link rotates the probe as the shock strut compresses. A sensor senses a position of the probe, which corresponds to a load on the wheel when the shock strut is uncompressed and the wheel is in contact with the ground surface.

The invention has the objective of offering a sensor that allows for measuring the pressure force of the springs on the carbon brushes as well as the actual brush pressure on its contact surface. This is obtained by measuring between the carbon brush, and there is limited space through its holder, and the contact surface and is therefore characterized by the fact that the sensor is thinner than 4 mm, and that it is provided with a target (4) which is suspended in the sensor (1) by means of a mechanically deformable section (3), and where the sensor is fitted with one or more strain gauges (2) that is/are set up as such that it can detect the shearing of the mechanical deformable measuring section under pressure. In contrast to the existing measuring sensors, the measuring strips also connect the suspension points of the mechanically deformable elements with the sensor and/or the suspended target or measuring point through which sensitivity increases and makes the sensor useful for such applications.