In a method of operating a payload-carrying vehicle having a system configured to provide torque to ground contacting elements, the method includes, repeatedly measuring a force applied by a user to the vehicle; determining a direction and a magnitude of the measured force; determining a respective amount of torque to apply to each of the ground contacting elements as a function of the determined direction and magnitude; and providing the respective determined amount of torque to each of the ground contacting elements.

Measuring devices and methods for ascertaining an operating parameter at a shaft are disclosed. The shaft may be supported by at least one bearing. In one example, the measuring device includes at least one first sensor element configured to detect an absolute angle of the shaft and at least one second sensor element configured to detect a change in a distance of the shaft from the at least one second sensor element. A computing device may be configured to calculate one or more operating parameters at the shaft from the absolute angle of the shaft and the change in the distance.

A performance measuring system integrated with an article of clothing, the system has a computing unit for coordinating, processing and transmission of sensor data connected to a bus and an antenna. A sensor for measuring performance characteristics is connected to the bus; the bus facilitates transmission and reception of control and data values between the computing unit and the sensor. Also, an antenna is connected to the computing unit for communicating with other computing devices and transmission of sensor data. The other computing devices display the sensor data to a user or forward the sensor data onto another communication media such as the internet or interactive television. A social networking system sharing athletic statistics using a webservice, a personal processing unit connectible to the webservice, and a computing unit having an activity program for at least one sensor. This system has an activity update service integrally associated with the webservice.

Described are shape-memory polymers that have a branched or telechelic prepolymer having a low polydispersity crosslinked with a stoichiometric amount of a multifunctional crosslinker. Also described are methods of making shape-memory polymers by crosslinking a stoichiometric amount of a multifunctional crosslinker with a branched or telechelic prepolymer having a low polydispersity. Methods of measuring the energy storage capacity of a shape-memory polymer are also disclosed.

An electronic measuring system for bicycles comprising a user interface device allowing a user to select a pedalling arc, a power meter apparatus which is configured to measure at least one force exerted by the user during pedalling, when the pedal is moving in the pedalling arc, determine a measurement quantity associated with the force measured in the pedalling arc, and determine the user's performance data in the pedalling arc on the basis of the determined measurement quantity.

An athletic performance data acquisition system comprises a sensor system configured to removably attach to an article of clothing worn by an athlete and one or more external devices. The sensor system comprises one or more sensors configured to measure one or more athletic performance parameters for the athlete and a computing unit configured to monitor and transmit the one or more athletic performance parameters. The one or more external devices is remote from the article of clothing and comprises a personal computing device. The sensor system is configured to store the one or more athletic performance parameters for later transmission to the one or more external devices. The personal computing device is configured to transmit the athletic performance parameters to a server system running a web service that enables users to do one or more of share and compare the one or more athletic performance parameters, socialize, and compete.

A system for measuring power generated by a skier is disclosed. The power generated by the skier may be calculated based upon each complete revolution of a ski pole or ski movement. To do so, the system may include various sensors that measure a force exerted on a ski pole or ski, the angle of the ski pole or ski, and the velocity of the skier at various time instants within each ski pole or ski revolution. A processing unit may calculate power generated by the skier in the skier's direction of travel using the force exerted in the skier's direction of travel during a complete revolution of ski pole (or ski) movement and the velocity of the skier.

In an aspect, a method of operating a plunger lift system, a controller and a plunger lift system in a well is provided. The velocity of a plunger is measured by a velocity sensor positioned proximate a top of the well when the plunger passes the velocity sensor. The measured velocity can then be used to determine a kinetic energy of the plunger as it passed the velocity sensor. Each time the plunger passes the velocity sensors, the kinetic energy of the plunger can be determined. This determined kinetic energy can then be used to determine if the well should be shut down or if portions of the plunger lift system should be replaced.

A heavy-duty, high-power and large-torque chassis dynamometer for a multi-environmental system, comprising a power testing platform disposed on the ground and a rack located below the power testing platform. A fixed base and a sliding base are sequentially disposed on an inner side of the rack in a length direction of the power testing platform, a pair of first hub assemblies are mounted on the fixed base through a plurality of support frames, a sliding platform is disposed on the sliding base, and a pair of second hub assemblies are mounted on the sliding platform through a plurality of support frames. Tension sensor assemblies are connected to outer circumferences of the first hub assemblies and outer circumferences of the second hub assemblies, and are fixedly disposed on the support frames.

A cycling power meter includes at least one sensor and a controller. The controller is configured to derive a cycling power based on at least one output of the least one sensor and perform a zero-power calibration on the basis of the at least one output in a non-load condition. The calibration occurs through the steps of: computing at least one statistical index relative to the at least one output; evaluating whether the at least one statistical index A) falls or B) does not fall within a respective predetermined set of values; and performing the calibration in case A) or not performing the calibration in case B).