Apparatus and Method for the Detection of Properties of a Pipe There is described herein a system for determining one or more properties of a pipe, the system comprising an attachment pad, at least one sensor configured to be coupled to the outside of a pipe wall, wherein the attachment pad is configured to overlie one or more of the at least one sensor such that the one or more sensor may be positioned between the pipe and the attachment pad, and to prevent slippage of the one or more sensor on the pipe. There is also described an attachment pad, a sensor, and a pipe.

A strain gauge (10, 40, 50), a pressure sensor (20, 60), and an interventional medical catheter. The strain gauge (10, 40, 50) comprises a substrate (11) and at least two sensitive gages (1, 2) provided on the substrate (11), the at least two sensitive gages (1, 2) being arranged along two mutually perpendicular directions and sharing one ground port (3). The pressure sensor (20, 60) comprises an elastomer (21, 61) and the strain gauge (10, 40, 50) provided on the elastomer (21, 61). The interventional medical catheter comprises a catheter distal end and the pressure sensor (20, 60) provided at the catheter distal end. The present application not only saves the trace space for mounting and using the strain gauge (10, 40, 50) on the interventional medical catheter, facilitating the successful mounting and use of the strain gauge (10, 40, 50) on the interventional medical catheter, improving the adaptability of the strain gauge (10, 40, 50), but also reduces the size of the strain gauge (10, 40, 50), thereby shortening the length of the elastomer (21, 61) of the pressure sensor (20, 60) and reducing the size of the interventional medical catheter.

A method for making a strain sensor is provided. The method includes growing an iron (Fe) thin seed layer with patterns on a top surface of a silicon oxide isolation layer formed on a top surface of a silicon wafer; synthesizing a plurality of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs) on top surfaces of the iron (Fe) thin seed layer to form electrodes of the strain sensor;

forming a first polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layer disposed on and between adjacent VACNTs of the plurality of VACNTs; peeling the first PDMS layer and the plurality of VACNTs embedded in the first PDMS layer off from the top surface of the silicon oxide isolation layer; and forming a second PDMS layer on a bottom surface of the plurality of VACNTs embedded in the first PDMS layer.

A strain gauge includes a flexible resin substrate and a resistor formed of material including at least one of chromium or nickel, the resistor being situated on one side of the substrate. The strain gauge includes a conductive layer formed on the other side of the substrate.

A strain gauge includes a flexible resin substrate and a resistor formed of a film that includes Cr, CrN, and Cr.sub.2N, the resistor being situated on or above the substrate. A film thickness of the resistor is greater than or equal to 100 nm and less than or equal to 700 nm.

A method of 3D printing in which a 3D product is built up layer by layer by jetting from print heads includes forming part of a 3D product by a functional binder jetting process; jetting one or more material in a 2D pattern to form a structure on said part; completing the formation of the 3D product by continuing the functional binder jetting process, so that said structure becomes embedded in said product. Functional binder jetting may include: providing a layer of a powder bed; jetting a functional binder onto selected parts of said layer, wherein said functional binder infiltrates into pores in the powder bed and locally fuses particles of the powder bed in situ; sequentially repeating applying a layer of powder on top and selectively jetting functional binder, multiple times, to provide a powder bed bonded at selected locations by printed functional binder.

A strain gauge (10, 40, 50), a pressure sensor (20, 60), and an interventional medical catheter. The strain gauge (10, 40, 50) comprises a substrate (11) and at least two sensitive gages (1, 2) provided on the substrate (11), the at least two sensitive gages (1, 2) being arranged along two mutually perpendicular directions and sharing one ground port (3). The pressure sensor (20, 60) comprises an elastic body (21, 61) and the strain gauge (10, 40, 50) provided on the elastic body (21, 61). The interventional medical catheter comprises a catheter distal end and the pressure sensor (20, 60) provided at the catheter distal end. The present application not only saves the trace space for mounting and using the strain gauge (10, 40, 50) on the interventional medical catheter, facilitating the successful mounting and use of the strain gauge (10, 40, 50) on the interventional medical catheter, improving the adaptability of the strain gauge (10, 40, 50), but also reduces the size of the strain gauge (10, 40, 50), thereby shortening the length of the elastic body (21, 61) of the pressure sensor (20, 60) and reducing the size of the interventional medical catheter.

A strain gauge includes a substrate formed of resin and having flexibility and a functional layer formed of a metal, an alloy, or a metal compound, directly on one surface of the substrate. The strain gauge includes a resistor formed as a film that contains Cr, CrN, and Cr.sub.2N and into which an element contained in the functional layer is diffused. The resistor is provided on one surface of the functional layer. A first substance having a function of controlling growth of crystal grains as a main component of the resistor, is added to the resistor.

A strain gauge includes a flexible resin substrate, and a functional layer formed of a metal, an alloy, or a metal compound, on one surface of the substrate. The strain gauge includes a resistor formed as a film containing Cr, CrN, and Cr.sub.2N, on one surface of the functional layer. The strain gauge includes an insulating layer formed of an inorganic material, the resistor being coated with the insulating layer. The strain gauge includes an insulating resin layer formed of an organic material, the insulating layer being coated with the insulating resin layer.

An apparatus comprising at least one sensor to detect the position and/or orientation of a body portion of a subject, the sensor in communication with a computing device to process sensor data and optionally a transmitter to transmit sensor data between the sensor and the computing device and/or one or more computing devices.