A portable inspecting device includes PZT transducers and performs active sensing to measure the characteristics of bolted connections. The PZT transducers are mounted on opposing ends of spring-loaded rods and can be moved apart to accommodate a structure for testing. The springs cause the PZT transducers to push against opposing parts of the structure in a stable but temporary fashion. The device can be physically moved to inspect the status and health of multiple different bolted connections.

An acoustic while drilling receiving transducer array adopts a full-digital structure and a non-oil-filled rubber encapsulation arrangement mode, and the full-digital device of the acoustic while drilling receiving transducer array includes first modules, configured to carry out acoustic-to-electric conversion on weakly received acoustic signals of strata; second modules, configured to carry out amplification, filtering, gain control and digital-to-analog conversion on the weakly received acoustic signals; and a third module, configured to control interfaces of the device and convert external input and output signals.

An aircraft control system includes a flow control device and a control circuit. The flow control device is configured to control a flow of air around an aircraft. The control circuit is configured to control the flow control device so that a pressure distribution loaded on a surface of a structure that constitutes the aircraft is equal to a control value of a pressure distribution calculated based on a physical quantity detected by a sensor provided in the aircraft. The physical quantity relates to the air.

A system features an acoustic sensor configured to mount on a wall of a mixing drum, sense an acoustic characteristic of a mixture of a slurry, including concrete, contained in a mixing drum when rotating, and provide acoustic sensor signaling containing information about the acoustic characteristic sensed; and a signal processor configured to receive the acoustic sensor signaling, and determine corresponding signaling containing information about a slump characteristic of the mixture of concrete contained in the mixing drum, based upon the signaling received.

A transducer for monitoring integrity of an adhesive bond between a first element and a second element, the transducer comprising: a transducing adhesive, the transducing adhesive provided to act as at least one of: an actuator to convert an electrical signal to an acoustic signal and a sensor to convert an acoustic signal to an electrical signal; and an electrode provided on the transducing adhesive, the electrode provided to perform at least one of: providing an electrical signal to the transducing adhesive and receiving an electrical signal from the transducing adhesive; wherein, in use, the transducer is provided at least partially in the adhesive bond between the first element and the second element, and the acoustic signal is passed through the adhesive bond.

A system features an acoustic sensor configured to mount on a wall of a mixing drum, sense an acoustic characteristic of a mixture of a slurry, including concrete, contained in a mixing drum when rotating, and provide acoustic sensor signaling containing information about the acoustic characteristic sensed; and a signal processor configured to receive the acoustic sensor signaling, and determine corresponding signaling containing information about a slump characteristic of the mixture of concrete contained in the mixing drum, based upon the signaling received.

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device, a transport belt, an optical sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and a controller. The transport belt transports the recording sheet. The optical sensor emits light to the transport belt, and receives the light reflected by the transport belt. The ultrasonic sensor transmits ultrasonic wave to the transport belt, and receives the ultrasonic wave transmitted through the transport belt. The controller decides whether an output from each of the optical sensor and the ultrasonic sensor represents a normal value or an abnormal value, and executes predetermined control, depending on a combination of decision results about the respective outputs from the optical sensor and the ultrasonic sensor.

There is provided an ultrasonic transducer assembly for inspecting a sample. The assembly includes a support, a flexible printed circuit board having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end being affixed to the support and the distal end extending away from the support, one transducer or an array of transducers mounted on the support and positioned near or at the proximal end, each transducer being made from a flexible porous piezoelectric material and being operatively connected to the flexible printed circuit board, and a power unit mounted on the flexible printed circuit board and positioned near or at the distal end, the power unit being operatively connected to the flexible printed circuit board. The flexible printed circuit board comprises conductive channel(s). There are also provided methods for manufacturing the assembly and methods for inspecting the sample.

In described examples of a CMOS IC, an ultrasonic transducer having terminals is formed on a substrate of the IC. CMOS circuitry having ultrasonic signal terminals is formed on the substrate. At least one metal interconnect layer overlies the ultrasonic transducer and the CMOS circuitry. The at least one metal interconnect layer connects the CMOS circuitry ultrasonic signal terminals to the terminals of the ultrasonic transducer.

The present invention discloses an integrated thermocouple waveguide sensor system comprise one or more of compatible wave propagation mediums joined at one junction with at least one ultrasonic energy transducer on at least one open end of one or more wave guides and a method using the integrated thermocouple waveguide sensor system with arrangement of at least one waveguide thermocouple for integrated measurement of multiple and simultaneous physical properties of the waveguide material itself and that of the surrounding media using the Seebeck phenomena and the ultrasonic guided wave phenomena. The surrounding media properties and waveguide material properties are measured based on the ultrasonic waveguide parameters and the temperature is measured by the thermocouple.