Disclosed herein is a commonality platform for a plurality of sensors in which each sensor is generated using common core sensor electronics. Each individual sensor, instead of downstream electronics, incorporates the electronics for interpreting and reporting the data measured from the mechanical displacement structure of each sensor.

A system for generating an electrical signal responsive to a pressure input, a sensory system, and a method for generating an electrical signal responsive to a pressure input. The system comprises a diaphragm configured to be subjected to the pressure input; a microfluidic channel with a first end thereof coupled to the diaphragm such that the pressure input generates a corresponding pressure change in the microfluidic channel; one or more magnets disposed in a carrier liquid in the microfluidic channel; and one or more coils disposed along the microfluidic channel and for generating the electrical signal based on Faraday effect by the magnets moving, under the pressure change in the microfluidic channel, through the respective coils.

The invention relates to a marker device and a tracking system for tracking the marker device, wherein the marker device comprises a rotationally oscillatable magnetic object and wherein the rotational oscillation is excitable by an external magnetic field, i.e. a magnetic field which is generated by a magnetic field providing unit 20, 31 that is located outside of the marker device. The rotational oscillation of the magnetic object induces a current in coils, wherein based on these induced currents the position and optionally also the orientation of the marker device is determined. This wireless kind of tracking can be carried out with relatively small marker devices, which can be placed, for instance, in a guidewire, the marker devices can be read out over a relatively large distance and it is possible to use a single marker device for six degrees of freedom localization.

Pressure sensors are disclosed that may perform health monitoring in-situ in harsh operating environments. The pressure sensors may be based on a Clapp-type oscillator that includes one or more resistors, one or more inductors, capacitors, a sensor, and a transistor. Such pressure sensors may be particularly well-suited various applications, such as gas turbine engines, oil and gas extraction, vehicle engines, and exhaust monitoring.

A pressure sensor includes a chamber comprising a conductive portion and a deformable portion coupled to the conductive portion and susceptible to deformation in response to a pressure differential between an interior of the chamber and an exterior of the chamber; at least one coil responsive to an AC coil drive signal; at least one magnetic field sensing element disposed proximate to the at least one coil and to the conductive portion of the chamber and configured to generate a magnetic field signal in response to a reflected magnetic field generated by the at least one coil and reflected by the conductive portion; and a circuit coupled to the at least one magnetic field sensing element to generate an output signal of the pressure sensor indicative of the pressure differential between the interior of the chamber and the exterior of the chamber in response to the magnetic field signal.

A wireless pressure sensing unit (20) comprises a membrane (25) forming an outer wall portion of a cavity and two permanent magnets (26,28) inside the cavity. One magnet is coupled to the membrane, and at least one magnet is free to oscillate with a rotational movement. At least one is free to oscillate with a rotational movement. The oscillation takes place at a resonance frequency, which is a function of the sensed pressure, which pressure influences the spacing between the two permanent magnets. This oscillation frequency can be sensed remotely by measuring a magnetic field altered by the oscillation. The wireless pressure sensing unit may be provided on a catheter (21) or guidewire.

Temperature sensors, pressure sensors, methods of making the same, and methods of detecting pressures and temperatures using the same are provided. In an embodiment, the temperature sensor includes a ceramic coil inductor having a first end plate and a second end plate, wherein the ceramic coil inductor is formed of a ceramic composite that comprises carbon nanotubes or, carbon nanofibers, or a combination of carbon nanotubes and carbon nanofibers thereof dispersed in a ceramic matrix; and a thin film polymer-derived ceramic (PDC) nanocomposite disposed between the first and the second end plates, wherein the thin film PDC nanocomposite has a dielectric constant that increases monotonically with temperature.

According to one embodiment, a sensor includes a first film, a first sensor portion, and first to fourth terminals. The first film includes first to second electrode layers, and a piezoelectric layer. The first film is deformable. The first sensor portion is fixed to a portion of the first film. A first direction from the portion of the first film toward the first sensor portion is aligned with a direction from the second electrode layer toward the first electrode layer. The first sensor portion includes first to second sensor conductive layers, first to second magnetic layers, and a first intermediate layer. The first terminal is electrically connected to the first electrode layer. The second terminal is electrically connected to the second electrode layer. The third terminal is electrically connected to the first sensor conductive layer. The fourth terminal is electrically connected to the second sensor conductive layer.

The invention relates to a marker device and a tracking system for tracking the marker device, wherein the marker device comprises a rotationally oscillatable magnetic object and wherein the rotational oscillation is excitable by an external magnetic field, i.e. a magnetic field which is generated by a magnetic field providing unit 20, 31 that is located outside of the marker device. The rotational oscillation of the magnetic object induces a current in coils, wherein based on these induced currents the position and optionally also the orientation of the marker device is determined. This wireless kind of tracking can be carried out with relatively small marker devices, which can be placed, for instance, in a guidewire, the marker devices can be read out over a relatively large distance and it is possible to use a single marker device for six degrees of freedom localization.

A pressure sensor includes a chamber comprising a conductive portion and a deformable portion coupled to the conductive portion and susceptible to deformation in response to a pressure differential between an interior of the chamber and an exterior of the chamber; at least one coil responsive to an AC coil drive signal; at least one magnetic field sensing element disposed proximate to the at least one coil and to the conductive portion of the chamber and configured to generate a magnetic field signal in response to a reflected magnetic field generated by the at least one coil and reflected by the conductive portion; and a circuit coupled to the at least one magnetic field sensing element to generate an output signal of the pressure sensor indicative of the pressure differential between the interior of the chamber and the exterior of the chamber in response to the magnetic field signal.