In a preferred embodiment, there is provided a method for preparing a capacitive pressure sensor, the sensor comprising a pair of conductive plate layers and a dielectric layer disposed therebetween, the dielectric layer comprising a dielectric polymer formed with a polymerization mixture fluid, wherein the method comprises placing the polymerization mixture fluid over a mold surface having a first three dimensional pattern thereon to form the dielectric polymer, thereby forming a second three dimensional pattern on a surface of the dielectric polymer complementary to the first three dimensional pattern.

A biomass impact sensor for sensing impacts of biomass material may include a pressure sensitive film having a first sensing face and a second opposite face, a first layer of a first material composition directly abutting the first sensing face having a first stiffness, and a second layer of a second material composition directly abutting the second opposite face. The first layer and the second layer may be joined along opposite edges of the pressure sensitive film to envelope the sensing material layer on the opposite edges.

An apparatus comprises an electrically active layer having a first plurality of substantially parallel electrodes and a second plurality of substantially parallel electrodes, wherein the first plurality of electrodes are not parallel to the second plurality of electrodes, such that there exists a matrix of intersection points between the electrodes. A signal generator is configured to generate excitation signals and is connected to the first plurality of electrodes, and a signal detector is configured to detect output signals from the second plurality of electrodes, wherein an output signal from one of the second plurality of electrodes is indicative of the degree of capacitive coupling to one of the first plurality of electrodes on application of an excitation signal thereto. A flexible top layer is sealed to the electrically active layer to define at least one hermetic void between portions of the top layer and portions of the electrically active layer.

A pressure sensor system is provided. In another aspect, a wireless intraocular pressure sensor includes a deformable or stretchable inductor. A further aspect of an intraocular pressure sensing system includes a deformable inductor sized to contact an eye. Another aspect provides an organ pressure sending system including a passive inductor with a wavy, serpentine or undulating shape.

A capacitive pressure transducer includes a shielded spacer positioned between the capacitor electrodes and driven with a separate voltage source.

A MEMS device, e.g., a flexible MEMS pressure sensor, is formed by disposing a sacrificial layer, such as photoresist, on a substrate. A first flexible support layer is disposed on the substrate, and a first conductive layer is disposed over a portion of the first support layer. A liquid or gel separator, e.g., silicone oil, is disposed on an internal region of the first conductive layer. A second flexible support layer encapsulates the first conductive layer and the separator. A second conductive layer disposed over the second support layer at least partially overlaps the first conductive layer and forms a parallel plate capacitor. A third flexible support layer encapsulates the second conductive layer and second support layer. Soaking the sensor in hot water releases the sensor from the sacrificial layer.

A pressure sensing unit is provided. The pressure sensing unit includes a membrane and a pressure sensing pad group. The membrane has a first surface and a second surface. The pressure sensing pad group includes a first pressure sensing pad, a second pressure sensing pad, and a ground pad that are spaced apart from one another. The ground pad and one among the first pressure sensing pad and the second pressure sensing pad are located at the first surface of the membrane, another one among the first pressure sensing pad and the second pressure sensing pad is located at the second surface of the membrane, and an orthographic projection of the ground pad projected onto a reference plane is located between orthographic projections of the first pressure sensing pad and the second pressure sensing pad that are projected onto the reference plane. Therefore, a signal-to-noise ratio can be increased and an erroneous detection can be prevented.

A microscale sensor structure is provided that enables backside electrical connection to flush-mounted microscale sensors without through-wafer-vias (TWVs). A flush-mounted microscale sensor can be fabricated without TWVs by providing a sensor support substrate with openings for electrical connection access to the backside of a device layer. Backside electrical connection is made to the sensing element(s) of the device layer through the openings in the support substrate. Electrical isolation of the sensing element(s) from the support substrate is accomplished through use of an insulating support substrate and/or an insulating layer between the support substrate and the device layer.

Embodiments of the invention include devices, systems and methods for operating a pressure wave detector. Embodiments include attaching a plurality of members and a ground plate to a substrate, and coupling the ground plate with the plurality of members attached to the substrate. Embodiments also include measuring a pressure wave by at least one of the plurality of members, converting the pressure wave into an electrical signal representing the pressure wave, and monitoring the pressure wave over a configurable period of time.

A flexible passive capacitance pressure sensor includes a first polymeric substrate and a second polymeric substrate. An elastic dielectric sensing material is positioned between the inner-facing surface of the first polymeric substrate and the inner-facing surface of the second polymeric substrate. A first plurality of wires are positioned on the outer-facing surface of said first polymeric substrate, and a second plurality of wires positioned on the outer-facing surface of said second polymeric substrate. The plurality of wires form a flexible capacitor. With the reduced profile enabled by such a capacitor, the flexible passive capacitance pressure sensor can have a thickness of less than 200 microns.