The present invention relates to control (apparatus 70). The control apparatus (70) comprises a mass of resilient conductive material (56) having an electrical property which changes in dependence on deformation of the conductive material. The control apparatus (70) further comprises at least three electrodes (74, 76, 78, 80, 82, 84) in contact with the mass of resilient conductive material (56) at spaced apart locations to thereby define at least two electrical paths through the mass of resilient conductive material between different pairs of the electrodes. The control apparatus (70) is configured such that there is a change in a measurable electrical property between each of the at least two different pairs of electrodes in dependence on deformation of the mass of resilient conductive material. More than one of the at least three electrodes (74, 76, 78, 80, 82, 84) move upon deformation of the mass of resilient conductive material (56).

The present invention relates to control (apparatus 70). The control apparatus (70) comprises a mass of resilient conductive material (56) having an electrical property which changes in dependence on deformation of the conductive material. The control apparatus (70) further comprises at least three electrodes (74, 76, 78, 80, 82, 84) in contact with the mass of resilient conductive material (56) at spaced apart locations to thereby define at least two electrical paths through the mass of resilient conductive material between different pairs of the electrodes. The control apparatus (70) is configured such that there is a change in a measurable electrical property between each of the at least two different pairs of electrodes in dependence on deformation of the mass of resilient conductive material. More than one of the at least three electrodes (74, 76, 78, 80, 82, 84) move upon deformation of the mass of resilient conductive material (56).

A thumb stick arrangement and a method of operating said arrangement that involves minimal moving parts and reduced friction near a zero position. Use is made of force sensors, and specifically of inductive force sensing methods. Additionally, rotation of a force lever can be measured using Hall or TMR sensing techniques to add more user interface options.

Disclosed herein is a torque insensitive three dimensional force measurement device and load cell therefor. A pivotally movable load element eliminates torque by moving independently of a sensor. The load element aligns with the direction of an input force. The pivotally movable load element decomposes an input force vector into force components that are measured by at least three radially symmetric beams spaced about a central axis. Each of the beams has a fixed end and a free end. The beams are operatively constrained at their fixed end and free to deflect at their free end. Each of the beams is disposed to deflect independently from a component force transmitted by the load element. Each beam has at least one strain gauge operatively bonded thereto. A force measurement device further comprises a base, circuit board, nonvolatile memory, random access memory, a processor, and a display screen.

A simulator joystick force calibration method aims to solve problems such as low simulation fidelity of joystick forces that compromises training effectiveness, lack of a fixed reference standard, and the positioning of measurement sensors that leads to non-intuitive force sensing data with significant deviations. The method includes: recording joystick forces at all positions via sensors connected in a joystick; obtaining actual flight force feedback from a standard aircraft instructor; determining whether the joystick forces are normal; if yes, moving, based on different positions of a force measurement surface, the joystick to different angles by dynamometers; recording joystick force values displayed on the dynamometers at each angle, and comparing the joystick force values with corresponding verified normal simulator data; and calculating an average as a standard simulator joystick force parameter. The method can rapidly identify and correct joystick force deviations, and enable dynamic adjustments based on actual flight feedback.

A joystick/thumb stick that uses a single central magnet to determine the position of a user activated lever, and which includes force sensing circuitry to provide additional information for calibration and switch selection purposes.

An optical pressure sensor including an optical radiation source and an optical guide that may be optically coupled to the radiation source and may be configured to obtain a total internal reflection condition. The optical guide may define an interface wall. The sensor may also include an element elastically deformable and transparent to optical radiation that has a face facing said interface wall and configured so that a pressure exerted on the deformable element changes a contact area with the interface wall so that the optical guide assumes a frustrated total internal reflection condition with emission of an output optical radiation towards the first face of the deformable element dependent on the exerted pressure. The sensor may further include a photoresistor optically coupled to the second face of the deformable element and configured to provide an electrical signal dependent on the output optical radiation.