This disclosure relates to a fluid conduit that incorporates electronic sensors printed on a flexible substrate and attached to an exterior wall of the fluid conduit. The sensors are configured to sense an operating parameter of the fluid conduit. A protective layer is arranged to be deposited over the substrate and over at least selected portions of the electronic material.

A geosynthetic sensor that incorporates an arrangement of a first layer of lengths of electrically conductive geosynthetic and a second layer of lengths of electrically conductive geosynthetic where each said length undergoes a change in electrical resistance or capacitance when subject to changes in any one or more of: pressure; strain; water content; or temperature.

A transmitter for predicting stress on a formwork element during and/or after pouring a building material, in particular concrete, into a space enclosed by a formwork including the formwork element, the formwork element comprising a form face and a support structure which is attached to the form face and supporting the form face, wherein the form face is separated from or integrated into the support structure, the system comprising data acquisition means, at least one sensor unit, a control unit and a transmission unit.

Methods for performing maintenance operations using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The methods are enabled by equipping a UAV with a maintenance tool capable of performing a desired maintenance operation (e.g., nondestructive inspection) on a limited-access surface of a large structure or object (e.g., a wind turbine blade). The UAV uses re-orientation of lifting means (e.g., vertical rotors) to move the maintenance tool continuously or intermittently across the surface of the structure while maintaining contact with the surface of the structure undergoing maintenance.

A sensor for measuring the fatigue life of a structure subjected to repetitive loads is disclosed. The sensor includes a backing material arranged for securement to the structure, and a foil arranged for securement to the backing material. The foil includes a conductive path along which electrical current flows at an initial resistance measured prior to the structure being subjected to repetitive loads. A crack initiation feature in the form of a notch is located on the conductive path. In response to repetitive loads applied to the structure, one or more cracks propagate from the crack initiation feature across the conductive path to cause electrical resistance to increase whereby the progression of fatiguing of the structure may be determined.

Methods and devices detect a deterioration state of a load bearing capacity in an elevator suspension member arrangement having several suspension members, such as belts, including electrically conductive cords incorporated into an elastomer material. Deterioration is determined by applying alternating electric voltages to the cords included in legs of a circuitry. Phase shifts between the alternating voltages, for example by determining sum voltages and/or differential voltages, provide valuable information about a condition of the belt. A fixation arrangement of the suspension member arrangement is adapted to enable or simplify the proposed measurements. Furthermore, counting a number of performed bending cycles provides further information to be taken into account for determining the current deterioration state of the belts. Overall, deteriorations in a suspension member such as broken cords, shunts between cords, connections between cords and ground potential and/or deterioration due to corrosion of cords may be easily detected.

Systems and methods for monitoring eye health. The systems and methods monitor eye health by measuring scleral strain by way of an implantable monitor, a wearable monitor configured in eyeglasses, or an external monitor using a portable tablet computing device.

Certain embodiments of the strain monitor may be utilized to measure the strain on any surface to which it is attached, including, but not limited to, the skin of a patient or the surface of a structure such as a building or a bridge.

A method for monitoring the surface of a device to physical and/or environmental exposure, the method comprising: • (a) attaching at least one sensor including a reactance autotuning integrated circuit to a surface of a device; • (b) attaching a reader in proximity to the sensor; • (c) measuring a reference reactance of the sensor with the reader at a selected frequency; • (d) continually monitoring for changes in the reactance of the sensor at the selected frequency, wherein changes to the reactance are digitized by the autotuning circuit; and • (e) comparing differences between the reference reactance and changes to the monitored reactance to determine if said surface of the device has been subjected to physical and/or environmental exposure.

Systems and methods for printed multifunctional skin are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a smart device includes providing a structure, placing a sensor over an outer surface of the structure, and placing conductive traces over the outer surface of the structure. The conductive traces electrically connect the sensor to electronics.

Method and investigation device associated therewith, for measuring stresses in an agglomerate structure including a binder and a bonded substance, comprising the steps of providing, at one or more points on said structure, at least one investigation device able to measure at least three deformations of said investigation device that are oriented relative to one another on three axes, detecting the corresponding at least three deformation measurements, and calculating a stress that is proportional to a combination of said at least three deformation measurements at the corresponding point.