In some examples, a method is described. The method may include obtaining an electrical signal as an input signal. The method may also include generating a reference signal based on the input signal. Moreover, the method may include generating a device-under-test signal based on the input signal and based on a device-under-test capacitance between a first contact point and a second contact point. The first contact point may be electrically coupled to a first contact mechanism configured to contact a first contact area of the device-under-test. The second contact point may be configured to be electrically coupled to a second contact mechanism configured to contact a second contact area of the device-under-test. The method may also include generating a comparison signal based on a comparison between the reference signal and the device-under-test signal. Additionally, the method may include emitting an output signal that is based on the comparison signal.

A fluid sensor for detecting a content change, in particular a liquid front, in a sensor portion of a fluid system, wherein the fluid sensor includes at least one sensor electrode, the sensor electrode having an electrode potential and a capacitive behavior, the sensor electrode thus being capable to store electrical energy in an electrical field formed by the sensor electrode when being charged, causing the electrode potential to change accordingly, a capacitance value of the sensor electrode varies when the content changes, the fluid sensor includes evaluation electronics, the evaluation electronics including a unidirectional electrical device (UED), and an AC source, the AC source is coupled via the UED to the sensor electrode to charge the sensor electrode, and the evaluation electronics include a discharge path coupled to the sensor electrode for discharging the sensor electrode.

Non-biological objects, biological specimens and living tissues are examined using electric fields to identify regions of differing permittivity and conductivity. Substantially parallel electrodes are deployed in capacitive alignment with an object and energization pulses are generated for application to any of the electrodes as a transmitter. Output signals from any remaining electrode are monitored, in which a peak value of an output signal is indicative of permittivity and a decay rate of an output signal is indicative of conductivity. A first set of n electrodes (one to fifteen) is selected, each of which is capacitively coupled with a second set of m electrodes (two to eight) that are the nearest neighbouring electrodes to an electrode selected from the first set.

The present disclosure describes a personal vaporizer which can detect whether or not a cartridge of the personal vaporizer has been breached. The cartridge includes a conductive shell. The conductive shell can include two or more conductors which are electrically isolated from each-other. Prior to operation, the personal vaporizer can use the two or more conductors to assess whether or not an outer shell of the cartridge has been breached. In some implementations, if it is determined that the cartridge has been breached, the personal vaporizer can shut down, or otherwise fail to operate normally.

A sensor assembly includes a capacitive probe, a resistive element, an electronic circuit and an optical interface. A capacitance of the capacitive probe and a resistance of the resistive element are indicative of characteristics of an environment. The electronic circuit is configured to convert the capacitance and the resistance into optical data. The optical interface is configured to provide the optical data to an optical link.

The present invention relates to a method for cancelling effects of changes in interconnection capacitances on capacitive sensor readings, and an apparatus configure to perform such method. The sensor readings are provided by a capacitive sensor connected with an interface circuitry. The interface circuitry has at least two interconnections comprising a sensor interconnection and a compensating interconnection. The method comprises obtaining a total sensor capacitance value from the capacitive sensor, and obtaining a total compensating interconnection capacitance value from the compensating interconnection, calculating a compensated sensor capacitance value by reducing the obtained total compensating interconnection capacitance value multiplied with a weight coefficient from the obtained total sensor capacitance value and providing at an output of the interface circuitry an electrical signal corresponding to the compensated sensor capacitance value. The weight coefficient is independent of changes of relative permittivity in the immediate environment of the capacitive sensor and its interconnections.

Device and methods for use in a biosensor comprising a multisite array of test sites, the device and methods being useful for modulating the binding interactions between a (biomolecular) probe or detection agent and an analyte of interest from a biological by modulating the pH or ionic gradient near the electrodes in such biosensor. An electrochemically active agent that is suitable for use in biological buffers for changing the pH of the biological buffers. Method for changing the pH of biological buffers using the electrochemically active agents. The methods of modulating the binding interactions provided in a biosensor, analytic methods for more accurately controlling and measuring the pH or ionic gradient near the electrodes in such biosensor, and analytic methods for more accurately measuring an analyte of interest in a biological sample.

The present specification discloses a dialysis system having a reservoir module with a reservoir housing defining an internal space, a surface located within the internal space for supporting a container that contains dialysate, and a conductivity sensor located within the internal space, where the conductivity sensor has a coil, a capacitor in electrical communication with the coil, and an energy source in electrical communication with the circuit.

It is presented a detection module (10) for detecting capacitance variations in a plant (20), comprising one or more electrodes (11) configured and arranged to be put in electrical communication with the plant (20), one or more capacitive sensors (12) in electrical communication with the electrodes (11), configured to measure capacitance through the electrodes (11) and convert it to voltage values, a control unit (13) in communication with each capacitive sensor (12), having at least one electrical or wireless communication port (14′, 14″) to other detection modules (10) or to external devices (0), and being configured to read said voltage values, process them for obtaining processed voltage values, compare said processed voltage values with a threshold value, and send a control signal to one or more external devices (0) via said at least one communication port (14′, 14″) when said processed voltage values exceed the threshold value, and a user-accessible potentiometer (15) in electrical communication with the control unit (13), the potentiometer (15) being configured to adjust said threshold value. It is also presented an interface system and a method for detecting interactions of a user with a living plant and communicating control signals using at least one of said detection module (10).

A sensor device includes: a first protective layer; at least one pad positioned on an upper part of at least a part of the first protective layer; at least one sensing pattern layer positioned on an upper part of at least a part of the first protective layer and electrically connected to one of the at least one pad; a flexible body layer positioned on upper parts of the at least one pad and the at least one sensing pattern layer; and a shield plate layer positioned on an upper part of at least a part of the flexible body layer.