A surface acoustic wave resonant sensor for measuring a sample comprising a single port surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonator comprising an interdigital transducer and at least one reflective grating. The sensor is provided with a region for receiving the sample, said region being in communication with the at least one reflective grating and the IDT is separated acoustically and electrically from the region for receiving a sample such that the IDT is not mass sensitive to the sample. The sensor is especially suitable for bio sensing applications.

Provided is a method for inspecting at least a portion of a downhole conveyance device. The method, in one embodiment, includes providing a downhole conveyance device, and providing an ultrasonic defect inspection system adjacent the downhole conveyance device. The method, in this embodiment, further includes detecting defects in the downhole conveyance device using the ultrasonic defect inspection system, wherein the detecting includes transmitting ultrasonic waves from the ultrasonic defect inspection system toward the downhole conveyance device, and obtaining defect data by sensing disruptions in the reflected ultrasonic waves caused by defects in the downhole conveyance device.

A device for estimating a mechanical property of a sample is disclosed herein. The device may include a chamber configured to hold the sample; a transmitter configured to transmit a plurality of waveforms, including at least one forcing waveform; and a transducer assembly operatively connected to the transmitter and configured to transform the transmit waveforms into ultrasound waveforms. The transducer assembly can also transmit and receive ultrasound waveforms into and out of the chamber, as well as transform at least two received ultrasound waveforms into received electrical waveforms. The device also includes a data processor that can receive the received electrical waveforms; estimate a difference in the received electrical waveforms that results at least partially from movement of the sample; and estimate a mechanical property of the sample by comparing at least one feature of the estimated difference to at least one predicted feature, wherein the at least one predicted feature is based on a model of an effect of the chamber wall. Finally, the device can also include a controller configured to control the timing of the ultrasound transmitter and data processor.

A system for testing properties of a sample, the system including a test cell. The test cell includes a cell casing having a first end piece, a second end piece, and at least one wall extending between the first end piece and the second end piece. The cell casing defines a pressure boundary enclosing an interior region of the cell. The test cell further includes a sample chamber, a first reservoir, and a second reservoir disposed within the pressure boundary. The sample chamber defines an interior region. The first reservoir fluidly connects to the interior region of the sample chamber. The second reservoir fluidly connects to the interior region of the sample chamber. The test cell also has a piston assembly having a piston fluid chamber and a piston with a stem extending into the piston fluid chamber. The piston partially defines the sample chamber.

A piezoelectric resonator for use in a sensor arrangement for detecting or measuring an analyte in a medium, comprises a quartz crystal plate, having a first crystal surface and a second crystal surface. The first crystal surface is provided with a first electrode, which has a surface area of less than 15 mm.sup.2 and the second crystal surface is provided with a second electrode. The first electrode may have a rectangular surface shape. A flow cell for use in an apparatus for detecting or measuring an analyte in a medium, comprises walls that form a sensing chamber together with the resonator, and inlet and outlet openings for leading a fluid through the sensing chamber. A part of the resonator constitutes one of the walls of the sensing chamber and is arranged such that the first electrode is situated inside the sensing chamber.

An ultrasonic touch sensing system that uses both compressional and shear waves for touch and water detection is disclosed. When no touch or water is present, less shear and compressional wave energy is absorbed, so both shear and compressional wave reflections do not have significant amplitude decreases. When a finger is in contact with the sensing plate, both shear and compressional wave energy is absorbed, so both shear and compressional wave reflections have significant amplitude decreases. When water is in contact with the sensing plate, compressional energy is absorbed but little or no shear wave energy is absorbed, so while compressional wave reflections have significant amplitude decreases, shear wave reflections do not. From these amplitudes, a determination can be made as to whether no touch is present on the sensing plate, whether a touch is present on the sensing plate, or whether water is present on the sensing plate.

A method of detecting sub-surface voids in a sample comprises positioning a probe adjacent to a first point on the sample, emitting an ultrasonic wave from the probe towards the sample, moving the probe towards the sample, measuring a shear force amplitude of a reflection of the ultrasonic wave at the probe as the probe moves towards the sample, creating an approach curve by plotting the measured shear force amplitude of the reflection of the ultrasonic wave as a function of a distance between the probe and the sample, and determining whether a sub-surface void exists at the first point on the sample based on a slope of the approach curve.

An environmental condition may be measured with a sensor (10) including a wire (20) having an ultrasonic signal transmission characteristic that varies in response to the environmental condition by sensing ultrasonic energy propagated through the wire using multiple types of propagation, and separating an effect of temperature on the wire from an effect of strain on the wire using the sensed ultrasonic energy propagated through the wire using the multiple types of propagation. A positive feedback loop may be used to excite the wire such that strain in the wire is based upon a sensed resonant frequency, while a square wave with a controlled duty cycle may be used to excite the wire at multiple excitation frequencies. A phase matched cone (200, 210) may be used to couple ultrasonic energy between a waveguide wire (202, 212) and a transducer (204, 214).

A method, apparatus and system are disclosed for the measuring directly in units of force or mass huge load of form 10 to 1000 tons or more. The system includes a unique load carrying member to which the huge load is applied and based on readings of three types of ultrasonic waves and the change in the dimensions of the load carrying member it is able to directly calculate the force in units of newtons or units of mass in kilograms of the applied load.

A method for non-destructive testing of walls of components, at least one ultrasonic transducer (1) which is fixed to a surface of the wall is used to emit horizontally polarized transverse waves (3) in a lateral propagation direction and compression waves or vertically polarized transverse waves (6) in a radial propagation direction. The at least one ultrasonic transducer (1) and/or at least one further ultrasonic transducer arranged at a known distance from the at least one ultrasonic transducer (1) on the respective wall of the component (2) is/are used to detect horizontally polarized transverse waves (4) reflected by defects and compression waves or vertically polarized transverse waves (7) after or while running the non-destructive testing of the wall in order to determine the respective wall thickness.