A magnetic field sensor element with a piezo electric substrate having predetermined shear wave velocity V.sub.S, two pairs of interdigital electrodes, arranged on the substrate on the ends of a delay section, having a period length p of at least 10 micrometers, a non-magnetic, electrically non-conductive guide layer arranged on the substrate along the delay section, and a magnetostrictive functional layer arranged on the guide layer, wherein the shear wave velocity in the guide layer is smaller than V.sub.S, wherein a) the substrate is oriented to generate and propagate mechanical shear waves upon applying a temporally periodic, electrical voltage to at least one interdigital electrode pair in the range of frequency V.sub.S/p and, wherein b) the thickness of the guide layer equals at least 10% and at most 30% of the period length p of the interdigital electrodes.

According to one embodiment, a sensor includes a supporter, a film portion, a first element, and a first magnetic portion. The supporter includes a first support portion and a second support portion. The film portion includes a first partial region supported by the first support portion. The first element is provided at the first partial region. The first element includes a first electrode region, a first opposing electrode region, and a first magnetic layer provided between the first electrode region and the first opposing electrode region. A direction from the second support portion toward the first magnetic portion is aligned with a first direction. The first direction is from the first opposing electrode region toward the first electrode region. At least a portion of the first magnetic portion overlaps at least a portion of the first element in a direction crossing the first direction.

An energy converter is formed by bonding a solid soft magnetic material and a solid magnetostrictive material. A vibration power generator is configured to generate power by means of the inverse magnetostriction effect of the magnetostrictive material produced by the vibration of a vibration unit configured using the energy converter. A force sensor device includes a force detection unit that detects magnetization change resulting from the inverse magnetostriction effect of the magnetostrictive material produced when a sensor unit configured using the energy converter deforms, and determines force acting on the sensor unit on the basis of the detected magnetization change. An actuator is configured to vibrate the vibration unit configured using the energy converter by means of the magnetostriction effect of the magnetostrictive material.

A system may include a first sensor and a second sensor. The first sensor may include a driving pole that includes a driving coil that receives a driving current and emits a magnetic flux portion through a structure. The first sensor may also include a sensing pole that may include a sensing coil that receives the magnetic flux portion and generate a first signal based at least in part on the received magnetic flux portion. The first signal is based at least in part on a force on the structure. The second sensor may be disposed on the driving pole and may generate a second signal representative of a distance between the driving pole and the structure. The system may also include a circuit that may adjust the first signal based on the second signal.

A method detects a proportion of a common mode magnetic field transmitted together with a signal magnetic field each emitted by one of at least two magnetic field sensors (S1; S2), wherein the magnetic field sensors (S1; S2) are connected in at least one electric circuit, and at least two differential drive clocks (A; B) reverse the current flowing in the electric circuit.

An energy converter is formed by bonding a solid soft magnetic material and a solid magnetostrictive material. A vibration power generator is configured to generate power by means of the inverse magnetostriction effect of the magnetostrictive material produced by the vibration of a vibration unit configured using the energy converter. A force sensor device includes a force detection unit that detects magnetization change resulting from the inverse magnetostriction effect of the magnetostrictive material produced when a sensor unit configured using the energy converter deforms, and determines force acting on the sensor unit on the basis of the detected magnetization change. An actuator is configured to vibrate the vibration unit configured using the energy converter by means of the magnetostriction effect of the magnetostrictive material.

A sensor system for positioning, orienting, and/or aligning a sensor assembly to a target object are provided. In some embodiments, the sensor system can include a sensor assembly and a control and processing module coupled to the sensor assembly. The control and processing module can be configured to process signals generate by the sensor assembly. The sensor system can include a mounting assembly configured to receive the sensor assembly and to position the sensor assembly relative to a surface of a target object. The mounting assembly can include a retaining element configured to translate along a first axis.

A magneto-elastically-based active force sensor, used with a tow coupling between a towed and a towing vehicle or a coupling between a vehicle body and a suspension of the vehicle, which outputs a signal useful for determining forces acting on the coupling. The outputted force information may be provided by processor-enabled embedded software algorithms that take inputs from the force sensor and other sensors, may be used by one or more vehicle systems during operating of the vehicle, such as engine, braking, stability, safety, and informational systems. The force sensor includes directionally-sensitive magnetic field sensing elements inside the sensor, and shielding may be used around the sensors to reduce the influence of external magnetic fields on the sensing elements. The force sensor may be used with different tow and vehicle weight sensing coupling devices installed on different types of automobile cars and trucks.

A system and a method of monitoring physical properties of a physical medium over time are provided herein. The method may include the following steps: embedding a plurality of acoustic sensors into a physical medium before curing thereof; transmitting an acoustic wave by at least one transmitter coupled to or embedded within said physical medium; repeatedly calculating, over different points of time, a travel time of said acoustic wave between the at least one transmitter and the plurality of acoustic sensors; and analyzing said travel times, to detect a change over time in physical properties of said physical medium associated with said travel time.

A method and an apparatus for detecting a modification of a compound, the modification occurring during a transient period. The method may include: coupling at least one substance portion comprising ferro elastic material to a compound, the substance portion being configured to change a polarization level thereof continuously in response to a strain gradient applied thereto over the a transient period which results in said modification; sensing a physical property of said substance portion affected by the polarization level of the substance portion, due to the modification; and determining, using a computer processor, the modification, based on the sensed physical property of the substance portion.