An MEMS pressure sensing element is disclosed, comprising a substrate with a groove; a pressure-sensitive film on the substrate for sealing an opening of the groove to form a sealed cavity body; and a pressure-sensitive beam suspended in the sealed cavity body and parallel with the pressure-sensitive film provided with varistors, wherein a center of the pressure-sensitive beam is fixedly connected to that of the pressure-sensitive film, and a periphery is fixedly connected to a bottom wall of the groove of the substrate, such that the pressure-sensitive film drives the pressure-sensitive beam to bending deformation under an external pressure.

A sensor for detecting the pressure of a fluid includes a sensor body having a membrane subject to elastic flexure as a result of the pressure of the fluid, and an electrical circuit configured for measuring an elastic flexure or deformation of the membrane portion. A detection element is prearranged for interacting with the electrical circuit when an elastic flexure of the membrane portion is of a degree at least equal to a safety limit, to generate thereby information representative of an excessive pressure of the fluid or an anomalous state of the device.

Robots and sensor systems having a compliant member for maintaining the position of a sensor are disclosed. In one embodiment, a robot includes a rigid surface, one or more compliant members attached to the rigid surface, and a sensor device. The sensor device includes an inflatable diaphragm operable to be disposed around the one or more compliant members, the inflatable diaphragm having a port, and a pressure sensor fluidly coupled to the port and operable to detect a pressure within the inflatable diaphragm. The one or more compliant members prevent lateral movement and rotational movement of the sensor device.

Robots for lifting objects are disclosed. In one embodiment, a robot includes a rail system, a body structure coupled to the rail system, a first arm coupled to a first side of the body structure, one or more first arm actuators providing the first arm with multiple degrees of freedom, a second arm coupled to a second side of the body structure, one or more second arm actuators providing the second arm with multiple degrees of freedom, and a lift actuator operable to move the body structure along the rail system. The one or more first arm actuators and the one or more second arm actuators are operable to wrap the first arm and the second arm around an object and hold the object against the body structure. The lift actuator is operable to move the body structure such that the object is lifted on the rail system.

A process fluid pressure transmitter is provided. The process fluid pressure transmitter includes a pressure sensor having an electrical characteristic that changes in response to a deformation of the pressure sensor in response to pressure. Measurement circuitry is coupled to the pressure sensor and is configured to provide an indication of the electrical characteristic. An isolation diaphragm is configured to contact the process fluid and deform in response to process fluid pressure. A substantially incompressible fill fluid fluidically couples the isolation diaphragm to the pressure sensor. An overpressure compliant structure is coupled to the fill fluid and is configured to be substantially rigid at pressures below a selected threshold, but to deform in response to pressure above the selected threshold.

Robots including a lifting actuator for lifting object are disclosed. In one embodiment, a robot includes a rail system extending in a system direction, a body structure coupled to the rail system, the body structure comprising an array of flexible tactile sensors, wherein each flexible tactile sensor of the array of flexible tactile sensors is operable to produce a signal determinative of a magnitude and a direction of a force applied to the flexible tactile sensor, and a lift actuator operable to move the body structure along the rail system.

A pressure sensor includes a stem including a base wall and a side wall extending in a first direction crossing the base wall; a first resistive film pattern provided in an outer region of an outer base surface of the base wall, the outer region overlying the side wall in plan view from the first direction; and a second resistive film pattern provided at least partly in an inner region of the outer base surface, the inner region not overlying the side wall in plan view from the first direction. The first resistive film pattern includes circumferentially oriented pattern portions connected with a turn, the circumferentially oriented pattern portions extending along a circumferential direction and having different distances from a center of the outer base surface.