A force or pressure sensing device comprises one or more magnets resiliently held spaced from one or more magnetic sensors such that pressure on the device displaces the magnets relative to the magnetic field sensors. The device may be incorporated into an insole of a shoe, or integrated into a shoe, or integrated into a seat, cushion, mattress or saddle. The device includes one or more magnetic focussing elements on the opposite side of the magnetic field sensor from the magnets to focus and condition the magnetic field passing through the sensor. The magnetic focussing elements may be permanent magnets or magnetic materials having a high magnetic permeability such as mu-metals. Additional magnetic focussing elements may be placed adjacent to the magnets. Plural magnetic field sensors can be arranged in a symmetrical arrangement in a plane below the one or more magnets so that shear forces applied to the device causes lateral relative displacement of the magnet and magnetic field sensors changing the magnetic field sensed by the magnetic field sensors. The device can also include a motion detector such as an accelerometer which may be integral with the magnetic field sensor.

A force or pressure sensing device comprises one or more magnets resiliently held spaced from one or more magnetic sensors such that pressure on the device displaces the magnets relative to the magnetic field sensors. The device may be incorporated into an insole of a shoe, or integrated into a shoe, or integrated into a seat, cushion, mattress or saddle. The device includes one or more magnetic focussing elements on the opposite side of the magnetic field sensor from the magnets to focus and condition the magnetic field passing through the sensor. The magnetic focussing elements may be permanent magnets or magnetic materials having a high magnetic permeability such as mu-metals. Additional magnetic focussing elements may be placed adjacent to the magnets. Plural magnetic field sensors can be arranged in a symmetrical arrangement in a plane below the one or more magnets so that shear forces applied to the device causes lateral relative displacement of the magnet and magnetic field sensors changing the magnetic field sensed by the magnetic field sensors. The device can also include a motion detector such as an accelerometer which may be integral with the magnetic field sensor.

A climb assist system dynamically adjusts a rate and a level of load assist that the system provides to a climber during traverse of a structure. The system includes a load sensor system configured to detect the state of the climber, such as the load applied by the climber to an assist rope, to provide an upward support force on the climber to compensate the climber's weight. Additionally, the system includes a sender configured to transmit data to a receiver of the system. The system includes a controller configured to interpret the received data and thereafter provide control through a controlled motor and drive system to provide load assist to the climber. A safety function of the system is configured to receive data indicative of a rate of descent of the climber, and slow or stop the descent if one or more conditions are met.

A high sensitivity force gauge using a magnetic PDL trap system is provided. In one aspect, a force gauge includes: a PDL trap having a pair of dipole line magnets and a diamagnetic rod levitating above the dipole line magnets; an actuator with an extension bar adjacent to the PDL trap; a first object of interest attached to the diamagnetic rod; and a second object of interest attached to the extension bar, wherein the actuator is configured to move the second object of interest toward or away from the PDL trap via the extension bar. A method for force measurement using the present force gauge is also provided.

Described herein are magnetic sensors (e.g., force sensors) as well as methods of making and using thereof The magnetic sensors can employ a soft magnetic composite (e.g a composite comprising a population of magnetic particles dispersed within an elastomeric resin) paired with a magnetometer. These sensors can overcome many of the traditional shortcomings that have hampered the effectiveness of existing compression sensors in certain applications, including large size, a lack of 3-dimensional sensing capacity, need for sensors to incorporate rigid components, and/or signal quality issues associated with the orientation or deformation of soft composites under compression.

A novel sensor, intended for use in applications for robots, prosthetics, biomedical devices, or the internet of things, using a ferrous magnetic fluid is presented here. The sensor includes a deformable member containing the magnetic fluid therein and an array of Hall effect sensors to measure the changing magnetic field in the fluid as the deformable member is deformed. The sensor was found to be sensitive to varying applied pressure and is capable of resolving both the location and amplitude of externally applied forces. The range of applications for this novel pressure sensor are broad, ranging from robotics to biomedical devices and the Internet of things. The novel sensor can also be used as an orientation sensor or an accelerometer, torque detector and linear shear forces detector.

A metamaterial force sensor, the sensor comprising: one or more metamaterial modules, each module comprising a plurality of mechanical unit cells operatively interconnected to allow force transmission therethrough; a transducer operatively coupled to the or each module, the transducer being configured to output a signal corresponding to a displacement of the or each module in response to a force transmission, wherein each of the mechanical unit cells provides a predetermined range of displacement, based on preconfigured structural parameters of said unit cell, in response to force transmissions, and wherein at least two of the mechanical unit cells of the or each module are configured with different predetermined ranges of displacement in response to force transmissions resulting in multiple sensitivity regimes.

The present invention relates to a device for measuring grip strength including a basis; a cover coupled to the basis to form an enclosed pressure space separated from the outside; a cap disposed between the basis and the cover and configured to form a sensing space separated from the pressure space; magnets mounted on the cap or the basis to form a magnetic field; and a magnetic sensor for detecting change in the magnetic field. With this configuration, when measuring the grip strength of the user's hand, accuracy or sensitivity may be increased.

A magnetic load sensor is provided which is high in axial rigidity. The load sensor includes a pair of parallel plate coupled together by coupling pieces. The coupling pieces are inclined relative to the axial direction such that when an axial load is applied to the parallel plates, the parallel plates are displaced relative to each other in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction, due to deflection of the coupling pieces. A magnetic target is mounted to the parallel plate, and a magnetic sensor element is mounted to the parallel plate such that when the parallel plates are displaced relative to each other in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction, the magnetic target and the magnetic sensor element are displaced relative to each other in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction.

The present invention provides a deformation detection sensor for a sealed secondary battery, that makes it possible to detect deformation resulting from swelling of a cell with a high degree of sensitivity, that does not restrict capacity, and that has excellent stability. The deformation detection sensor for a sealed secondary battery includes a polymer matrix layer 3 and a detection unit 4. The polymer matrix layer 3 contains a magnetic filler that is dispersed therein and that changes an external field in accordance with deformation of the polymer matrix layer 3. The detection unit 4 detects change in the external field. The polymer matrix layer 3 is sandwiched in a gap between adjacent cells 2 and mounted in a compressed state.