The present invention discloses a method and an analysis apparatus for determining an operational state of a contact device. The method comprising detecting a change in one of temperature and/or proximity data of a contact surface of the contact device with reference to a baseline value. Thereafter, the method comprising generating at least one of temperature profile and proximity profile from the detected change in the at least one of temperature and/or proximity data of the contact surface of the contact device and the baseline value. Lastly, the method comprising comparing the at least one of temperature profile and/or proximity profile with corresponding standard profiles stored in a memory of an analysis apparatus and determining the operational state of the contact device based on the comparison. The contact device may be one of a contact surface, a stethoscope, or a surface monitor.

A vehicle a sensor system disposed adjacent to a headrest portion of a seat within a passenger compartment of the vehicle. The sensor system includes at least one of an air velocity sensor, an air temperature sensor, a radiant heat flux sensor, a heat flux sensor, or a humidity sensor. The sensor system is positioned near the headrest, facing a forward end of the vehicle, in a position that is not blocked by a head of a passenger seated in the seat. The sensor system provides data related to the air velocity, the air temperature, the radiant heat flux, the heat flux, or the relative humidity, enabling a climate controller to accurately calculate a current Equivalent Homogenous Temperature (EHT) of a passenger seated in the seat. The climate controller may then control a climate system of the vehicle based on the calculated EHT to provide a desired EHT.

A vehicle a sensor system disposed adjacent to a headrest portion of a seat within a passenger compartment of the vehicle. The sensor system includes at least one of an air velocity sensor, an air temperature sensor, a radiant heat flux sensor, a heat flux sensor, or a humidity sensor. The sensor system is positioned near the headrest, facing a forward end of the vehicle, in a position that is not blocked by a head of a passenger seated in the seat. The sensor system provides data related to the air velocity, the air temperature, the radiant heat flux, the heat flux, or the relative humidity, enabling a climate controller to accurately calculate a current Equivalent Homogenous Temperature (EHT) of a passenger seated in the seat. The climate controller may then control a climate system of the vehicle based on the calculated EHT to provide a desired EHT.

The present invention provides apparatuses comprising a plurality of junctions providing a Seebeck effect, configured as alternating hot and cold junctions. The apparatus can be configured such that the cold junctions exhibit a different thermal behavior than the hot junctions in response to incident radiation. The junctions can be connected in series, such that the sum of the Seebeck effect from the plurality of junctions provides a sensitive, inherently calibrated indication of heating of the apparatus responsive to incident radiation, and therefore of the radiation itself.

Various methods and devices for ultrasensitive infrared photodetection, infrared imaging, and other optoelectronic applications using the plasmon assisted thermoelectric effect in graphene are described. Infrared detection by the photo-thermoelectric uses the generation of a temperature gradient (ΔT) for the efficient collection of the generated hot-carriers. An asymmetric plasmon-induced hot-carrier Seebeck photodetection scheme at room temperature exhibits a remarkable responsivity along with an ultrafast response in the technologically relevant 8-12 μm band. This is achieved by engineering the asymmetric electronic environment of the generated hot carriers on chemical vapor deposition (CVD) grown large area nanopatterned monolayer graphene, which leads to a record ΔT across the device terminals thereby enhancing the photo-thermoelectric voltage beyond the theoretical limit for graphene. The results provide a strategy for uncooled, tunable, multispectral infrared detection.

A thermographic sensor is proposed. The thermographic sensor includes a plurality of sensing elements each comprising at least one thermo-couple. The thermographic sensor is integrated on a semiconductor on insulator body that is patterned to define a grid suspended from a substrate; for each sensing element, the grid has a frame with the cold joint of the thermo-couple, a plate with the hot joint of the thermo-couple and one or more arms sustaining the plate from the frame. The frames include one or more conductive layers of thermally conductive material for thermally equalizing the cold joints with the substrate. Moreover, each sensing element may also include a processing circuit for the thermo-couple that is integrated on the corresponding frame. A thermographic device including the thermographic sensor and a corresponding signal processing circuit, and a system including one or more thermographic devices are also proposed.

An example method includes determining, at an aggregated point in time, an aggregated space node motion amount detected in a plurality of node sensing areas of a plurality of the nodes. The determining the aggregated space node motion amount includes compiling a plurality of sensing records from a subset or all of the nodes created by the subset or all of the nodes at a time substantially close to the aggregated point in time. The method additionally includes computing a temporal aggregated motion amount detected in a node sensing area of a respective node over time, using the aggregated time node motion amount. The method further includes computing a spatial aggregated motion amount in a portion of a space, using the aggregated space node motion amount, wherein the portion of the space correlates to the node sensing areas of the plurality of nodes.

An improved nozzle for use with a fire hose having an infra-red temperature sensor that is aligned with an output of the nozzle. The sensor will detect the infrared energy produced by a fire hot spot and provide a visual indication of the energy on a display. The temperature sensor operates a thermometer and is placed in the center of the discharge nozzle allowing water to pass around the sensor. A laser is positioned next to the sensor on the outlet of the nozzle to project a high intensity visible light toward the area that the IR sensor is directed.

An improved nozzle for use with a fire hose having an infra-red temperature sensor that is aligned with an output of the nozzle. The sensor will detect the infrared energy produced by a fire hot spot and provide a visual indication of the energy on a display. The temperature sensor operates a thermometer and is placed in the center of the discharge nozzle allowing water to pass around the sensor. A laser is positioned next to the sensor on the outlet of the nozzle to project a high intensity visible light toward the area that the IR sensor is directed.

The present invention relates to a method for controlling a flux distribution (30) of evaporated source material (20) in a system (10) for thermal evaporation with electromagnetic radiation (120), wherein the system (10) comprises an electromagnetic radiation source (110) for providing an electromagnetic radiation (120), a vacuum chamber (12) containing a reaction atmosphere (16) and a detector (40) for measuring electromagnetic radiation (120), wherein a source material (20) and a target material (18) to be coated are arranged in the vacuum chamber (12) and the radiation source is arranged such that its electromagnetic radiation (120) impinges at an angle, preferably at an angle of 45°, on a source surface (22) of the source material (20) for a thermal evaporation and/or sublimation of the source material (20) below the plasma threshold, and wherein the detector (40) for measuring electromagnetic radiation (120) is arranged such that electromagnetic radiation (120) reflected on the source surface (22) reaches the detector (40). Further, the present invention relates to a detector (40) for measuring electromagnetic radiation (120), the detector (40) preferably suitable for a method according to the present invention, and additionally to a system (10) for thermal evaporation with electromagnetic radiation (120) suitable for the method according to the present invention.