Systems for screening and health monitoring of materials are provided. The system can include a material embedded with magneto-electric nanoparticles (MENs), a laser configured to direct incident laser light waves at a target area of the material, an optical filter disposed between the laser and the material, and an analyzer configured to detect the laser light reflected from the material.

A system for assaying forces applied by cells includes an optically transparent substrate comprising a soft material having a Young's modulus within the range of about 3 kPa to about 100 kPa. An array of molecular patterns is disposed on a surface of the optically transparent substrate, the molecular patterns include fluorophore-conjugated patterns adherent to cells. The system includes at least one light source configured to excite the fluorophore-conjugated patterns and an imaging device configured to capture fluorescent light emitted from the fluorophore-conjugated patterns. Dimensional changes in the size of the patterns are used to determine contractile forces imparted by cells located on the patterns.

A system includes a sensor network comprising a network of optical sensors coupled to structural members of a structure loaded by vehicles or by an environmental event. A processor is operatively coupled to the sensor network. The processor is configured to receive the strain measurements from the network of optical sensors, calculate total strain energy using the received strain measurements, detect a heavy load on the structure in response to the total strain energy exceeding a total strain energy threshold developed for the structure, and determine whether the heavy load results from a superload vehicle or the environmental event. A transmitter is operatively coupled to the processor and configured to transmit one or both of an alert and a condition assessment report for the structure to a predetermined location in response to determining that the heavy load results from the superload vehicle or the environmental event.

A U-bolt (10) according to the present disclosure is a U-bolt (10) including a pair of shaft parts (11) arranged in a first direction and extending in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, a bridge part (12) connecting one end of each of the pair of shaft parts (11) and includes a photonic crystal thin film (14) which is stuck to at least a part of at least one shaft part (11) of the pair of shaft parts (11) and changes its color according to strain of the shaft part (11).

An example method injects a source light into a sensor cavity body, configured with an optical path including first and second reflecting surfaces, and structured to change the optical path distance between the first and second surface in response to subject condition. Sensor reflection optical signals are received from the senor cavity body, with first reflection signals from the first reflecting surface and se second reflection signals from the second reflecting surface and routed to an interferometer with a first optical path to a first reflector and a second optical path to a second reflector. Interferometer reflector signals, including reflections of the sensor reflection signals from the first reflector and the second reflector are received and phase shift coupled into separate channel signals, including first channel signals, second channel signals, and third channel signals, mutually spaced with respect to phase. A computerized dynamic obtains dynamic measurement of the subject condition, through detecting changes in the optical path distance based on the first, second, and third channel signals.

Disclosed is a force sensor, including: at least one measurement cell, each measurement cell being filled with a filling material in which at least one inclusion of a substance is embedded; for each cell, at least one light source arranged in order to illuminate the inclusion embedded in this cell; for each cell, a measurement system including at least one optical measurement point arranged in order to capture light originating from the inclusion embedded in this cell; for each cell, a unit arranged in order to convert optical signals originating from the measurement system of this cell to a signal representative of a force exerted on this cell, this signal being dependent on a movement of the inclusion embedded within the filling material of this cell.

A system for assaying forces applied by cells includes an optically transparent substrate comprising a soft material having a Young's modulus within the range of about 3 kPa to about 100 kPa. An array of molecular patterns is disposed on a surface of the optically transparent substrate, the molecular patterns include fluorophore-conjugated patterns adherent to cells. The system includes at least one light source configured to excite the fluorophore-conjugated patterns and an imaging device configured to capture fluorescent light emitted from the fluorophore-conjugated patterns. Dimensional changes in the size of the patterns are used to determine contractile forces imparted by cells located on the patterns.

Provided are a material for pressure measurement, including a color forming layer that contains microcapsules A encapsulating an electron-donating colorless dye precursor and microcapsules B not encapsulating an electron-donating colorless dye precursor, in which a volume standard median diameter D50A of the microcapsules A and a volume standard median diameter D50B of the microcapsules B satisfy Equation 1; a material composition for pressure measurement; and a material set for pressure measurement:
D50A<D50BEquation 1.

A computer-implemented method for applying passive strain indicators to a component includes creating a plurality of surface curves and a plurality of data points on each of the plurality of surface curves, the plurality of surface curves and the plurality of data points defining the exterior surface of the component. The method further includes receiving data indicative of a user input selection of a selected surface curve of the plurality of surface curves, a selected data point of the plurality of data points on the selected surface curve, and a selected rotation angle. The method further includes determining an output dimension, location, and orientation of a passive strain indicator. The method further includes providing one or more control signals to a passive strain indicator application system to cause the system to apply the passive strain indicator having the output dimension, location, and orientation to the component.

At least one fiber-optic sensor unit measures a mechanical variable which affects a rail having a certain length and a neutral axis that extends along said length of the rail. The at least one fiber-optic sensor unit is disposed at an angle of 30 to 60, in particular 45, relative to the neutral axis or at an angle of 30 to 60, in particular 45, relative to the neutral axis. The at least one fiber-optic sensor unit is irradiated with primary light in order to generate a signaling light in a reflection mode or transmission mode. The intensity of the signaling light is sensed. The signaling light is evaluated.