Systems, methods, and devices for positioning, orienting, and/or aligning a stress sensor assembly are provided. In some embodiments, a sensor assembly can be received within a retaining element of a sensor mounting assembly. The sensor mounting assembly can include the retaining element, an adjustment mechanism, a first member, a second member, and a third member. The adjustment mechanism can allow the sensor assembly to be displaced linearly in a proximal and/or distal direction. The first and second members can be pivotally coupled to enable the sensor assembly to be rotated about a first axis, and the second and third members can be pivotally coupled to allow the sensor assembly to be rotated about a second axis.

The invention provides a sensor assembly for force sensing, the sensor assembly comprising: a first portion having a first and a second through hole, a second portion having a third and fourth through hole, and a first pin and a second pin coupling the first portion to the second portion. At least one out of the first and the second pin comprises a magnetoelastic based sensor for outputting a signal corresponding to a stress-induced magnetic flux emanating from a magnetically polarized region of the pin. The magnetoelastic based sensor comprises at least one direction sensitive magnetic field sensor in an at least partially hollow portion of the pin, which field sensor is configured for determination of a shear force in at least one direction. The invention further provides a tow coupling comprising the sensor assembly. The invention further provides a method for detecting a load.

A system and method include a gauge device and one or more of a communication device or a pulling assembly. The gauge device may be configured to send a message to display on one or more of the communication device or pulling assembly. Additionally or alternatively, the gauge device may be configured to send the message to be processed by pulling assembly to determine and perform a pull action. Additionally or alternatively, the gauge device may be configured to send the message to be executed by the pulling assembly to perform a pull action.

A Hall sensor having a ball portion on a magnetosensitive portion is provided. A Hall sensor is provided, including: a substrate; a magnetosensitive portion formed on the substrate; an insulating film formed on the magnetosensitive portion; an electrode portion formed on the insulating film; and a ball portion which is provided on the electrode portion and is electrically connected to the electrode portion, wherein in plan view, a projection area of the ball portion accounts for 10% or more of a projection area of the magnetosensitive portion. The projection area of the ball portion may account for 20% or more of the projection area of the magnetosensitive portion. A bonding wire which is electrically connected to the ball portion and is extended from the ball portion in a direction perpendicular to an upper surface of the electrode portion may be further included.

A system and method for magnetizing a ferromagnetic element is disclosed. Electrodes are positioned on opposite surfaces of the ferromagnetic element and a current is applied to the electrodes, resulting in the formation of a magnetically conditioned region on the ferromagnetic element. Magnetic field sensors may be placed proximate the magnetically conditioned region. Output signals from the magnetic field sensors may be indicative of a load or torque applied to the ferromagnetic element.

A strain gauge sensor includes a substrate, at least one resistor comprising a magnetoresistive material on the substrate. The magnetoresistive material exhibits a magnetostriction coefficient that is greater than or equal to () |2| parts per million (ppm) and an anisotropic magnetoresistance effect with an anisotropic magnetoresistance of greater than or equal to () 2% R/R. The strain gauge sensor consists of a single layer of the magnetoresistive material. At least a first contact to the resistor provides a sensor input and a second contact to the resistor provides a sensor output.

Systems and methods for monitoring a mechanical force applied to a wound site repairing structure are disclosed. In an embodiment, the systems include a wound site repairing structure, a magnetoelastic sensor coupled to the wound site repairing structure, and a detection system. The detection system includes an excitation coil configured to transmit a signal to the magnetoelastic sensor and a detection coil configured to detect a signal indicative of a mechanical force applied to the wound site repairing structure. The detection system also includes a detection unit configured to detect the signal indicative of the mechanical force applied to the wound repairing structure.

A magneto-elastically-based active force sensor, used with a tow coupling between a towed and a towing 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 coupling devices installed on different types of automobile cars and trucks.

A sub-micrometer pressure sensor is provided that includes a multilayered magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) pillar that contains a non-magnetic metallic spacer separating a first magnetic free layer from a second magnetic free layer. The presence of the non-magnetic metallic spacer in the multilayered MTJ pillar improves the sensitivity without compromising area, and makes the pressure sensor binary (either on or off) with little or no drift, and sensitivity change over time. Moreover, the resistivity switch in such a pressure sensor is instantly and a low error rate is observed.

A system for measuring torque on a component having a residually magnetized region is provided. The system includes a torque sensor for sensing an electromagnetic characteristic of the component and transmitting a plurality of signals that are indicative of the electromagnetic characteristic. The system also includes a computer communicatively coupled to the torque sensor for receiving the signals. The computer includes a processor and a memory. The processor is programmed to determine, using the signals, that the torque sensor is affected by the residually magnetized region of the component.