The invention relates to a pressure sensor, forces after one to three directions, normal to the sensor plane and tangential to the sensor plane, as well as torques, the sensor being based on the variation of reactive or mixed impedances when applying normal forces or pressure and/or tangential forces or torques on the sensor structure. The sensor has a structure that includes a closed and watertight space, so that the behavior of the sensor is little or not affected by varying environmental conditions.

An apparatus is described. The apparatus includes a substrate and one or more sensor components formed on the substrate. And, the apparatus includes one or more electrical circuits formed on the substrate electrically coupled with at least one of the one or more sensor components formed on the substrate.

Pressure sensors having ring-tensioned membranes are disclosed. A tensioning ring is bonded to a membrane in a manner that results in the tensioning ring applying a tensile force to the membrane, flattening the membrane and reducing or eliminating defects that may have occurred during production. The membrane is bonded to the sensor housing at a point outside the tensioning ring, preventing the process of bonding the membrane to the housing from introducing defects into the tensioned portion of the membrane. A dielectric may be introduced into the gap between the membrane and the counter electrode in a capacitive pressure sensor, resulting in an improved dynamic range.

Embodiments are directed to sensors that detect objects attached to a vehicle. The sensor includes a layered capacitive structure. The sensors utilize a deformable dielectric layer sandwiched between two conductive layers. The layered capacitive structure measures capacitance changes caused by an applied force to the uppermost layer of the capacitive structure.

An apparatus and method for monitoring a vehicle driver having at least one sensor for measuring pressure and/or humidity. The sensor includes at least one capacitor having at least two electrodes, which may be arranged horizontally on a flexible support material. At least one dielectric layer may be arranged between the electrodes. At least one electrode, and/or the dielectric layer, and at least one, at least partially liquid-permeable and/or liquid-absorbing moisture layer may be arranged on a side facing away from a support material. At least one electrode and/or the dielectric layer may be arranged transversely between the support material and the moisture layer. A capacitance may be changed by liquid on the dielectric layer, and a processing unit measures and/or stores values from the sensor, creating a capacitive humidity sensor. The processing unit may send the to a central CPU, wherein this data may be processed by the processing unit.

An apparatus and method for measuring pressure and/or humidity, having at least one sensor for measuring pressure and/or humidity. The sensor has at least one capacitor having at least two electrodes that are arranged in a horizontal direction relative to one another along and on a flexible support material. At least one dielectric layer is arranged between the electrodes. At least one at least partially moisture-permeable and/or moisture-absorbing layer is arranged in some places on a side, facing away from a support material, of the electrode and/or the dielectric layer. The at least one electrode and/or the dielectric layer are arranged transversely between the support material and the moisture layer. In this way, a capacitance is at least partially changed by moisture hitting the dielectric layer, and a processing unit is designed and provided to measure and/or store this change, so as to create a capacitive moisture sensor.

An apparatus and a method for measuring pressure, gas and/or humidity, the apparatus having at least one sensor with at least one capacitor comprising at least two electrodes that are arranged in a horizontal direction relative to one another along and on a flexible support material. At least one dielectric layer is arranged between the electrodes and at least one at least partially moisture-permeable and/or moisture-absorbing and/or gas-permeable and/or gas-absorbing moisture layer is arranged at least in some places on a side, facing away from a support material, of at least one electrode and/or the dielectric layer. At least one electrode and/or the dielectric layer are thus arranged transversely between the support material and the moisture layer. A capacitance is at least partially changed by moisture hitting the dielectric layer, and a processing unit measures and/or stores this change, so as to create a capacitive moisture sensor.

Low drift force sensing conductors include small conductive balls in the ink used to create the conductor. The use of conductive balls reduces sensor drift while avoiding unwanted side-effects like temperature sensitivity. The conductive balls are made of sized synthetic graphite, a derivative of petroleum pitch or coal tar or any other suitable substance. Force sensors incorporating these balls also demonstrate enhanced sensitivity to low forces.

A textile with an electrically conductive first side and an electrically conductive second side where the two sides are separated by an electrically insulating part of the textile and where the electrically conductivity is provided by a graphene coating on the respective sides and where a capacitance can be formed between the respective conductive sides.

A removable electronics device and related pre-fabricated sensor assemblies having different sensor layouts are provided. The removable electronics module includes one or more processors, an inertial measurement unit, a first communication interface configured to communicatively couple the removable electronics device to one or more computing devices, a second communication interface configured to communicatively couple the removable electronics device to a plurality of pre-fabricated sensor assemblies, and a housing at least partially enclosing the processor, the inertial measurement unit, the first communication interface, and the second communication interface. The housing includes a first opening in at least one longitudinal surface and adjacent to at least a portion of the first communication interface and a plurality of second openings in a lower surface and adjacent to the plurality of contact pads of the second communication interface.