A fader device includes a conductive shaft, a conductive moving body, and a conductive portion. The conductive moving body is movable in the longitudinal direction of the shaft and includes a gap between it and the conductive shaft. The conductive portion brings the shaft and the moving body into electrical continuity. A signal generation portion generates a touch sense signal. A detection portion detects contact with the conductive moving body based on a signal output according to a capacitance generated between the conductive shaft and the conductive moving body in response to the touch sense signal.

A displacement sensor comprising: a first electrode and a second electrode displaceably mounted relative to the first electrode; capacitance measurement circuitry configured to make measurements of a capacitance associated with the first and second electrodes and to generate analogue capacitance measurement signals in response thereto; compensation circuitry configured to generate a compensated analogue capacitance measurement signal by reducing a magnitude of a current analogue capacitance measurement signal by an amount indicated by a compensation signal derived from at least one previous analogue capacitance measurement signal; and processing circuitry configured to digitise the compensated analogue capacitance measurement signal and to determine if there is a displacement of the second electrode relative to the first electrode based on the compensated analogue capacitance measurement signal.

A capacitance detection area sensor includes capacitance sensor elements arranged in a two-dimensional array, is shaped into an appropriate shape, and capacitively coupled to an external electrode. To the external electrode, a sensing signal having a potential difference is supplied. The first and second sensor output signals are acquired from a capacitance sensor element capacitively coupled to the external electrode, at the timing of the sensing signal being a first signal and being a second signal, respectively. A differential signal is generated from a difference between the acquired first and second sensor output signals, and an image indicating the shape of the external electrode is generated based on the level of the differential signal, in different colors or different tones.

A sensing apparatus comprising a displacement sensor element arranged to sense a separation between a first element (2) and a second element (3) movably mounted with respect to the first element; an acceleration sensor element configured to sense an acceleration associated with the first element; displacement measurement circuitry (4A) configured to make a measurement indicative of separation on the basis of the sensed separation; acceleration measurement circuitry (4C) configured to make a measurement of acceleration on the basis of the sensed acceleration; and a processing element (4D) configured to output a signal to indicate there is determined to be a change in the separation of the second element relative to the first element on the basis of the measurement indicative of separation and the measurement of acceleration.

A cardan shaft slip distance change detection system for determining the amount of length change of the cardan shaft, including a moveable element and a stationary element associated with a telescopic approach to compensate for the change of distance caused by the vehicle's axle movements. At least two conductive elements are configured as one of them connected to a fixed point, another to the moveable element. A power element is provided to supply power to at least one of the conductive elements. A detection unit measures the electrical value change provided by the electrical interaction between the conductive elements and correlating it with the distance between the conductive elements.

In a pressure-sensitive touch sensor of a capacitance type, a first electrode and a second electrode are provided on a first surface of a base material sheet. The base material sheet is folded between the first electrode and the second electrode so that a surface of the first electrode and a surface of the second electrode face each other. The base material sheet is folded at a fold line portion in which a slit is formed. An elastic layer is provided between folded parts of the base material sheet. The pressure-sensitive touch sensor is configured to detect pressing on the operation surface based on a change in capacitance, which is caused when the elastic layer is compressed and deformed in a thickness direction by a pressing force to reduce a distance between the first electrode and the second electrode.

An occupant or object sensing system in a vehicle includes electrical circuits for capacitive sensing and corresponding circuits shielding the sensing system from interference. A sensing circuit and a shielding circuit may be printed by screen printing with conductive ink on opposite sides of a non-conductive substrate. The substrate is a plastic film or other fabric that has an elastic memory structure that is resilient to stretching. The conductive inks used to print circuits onto the substrate have a similar resilience to stretching such that the substrate and the circuits thereon can be subject to deforming forces without breaking the printed circuits. The substrate may be covered with a carbon polymer layer to provide alternative conductive paths that enable fast recovery for conduction in the presence of any break in the printed conductive traces on the substrate.

An occupant or object sensing system in a vehicle includes electrical circuits for resistive and/or capacitive sensing and corresponding circuits shielding the sensing system from interference. A sensing circuit and a shielding circuit may be printed by screen printing with conductive ink on opposite sides of a non-conductive substrate. The substrate is a plastic film or other fabric that has an elastic memory structure that is resilient to stretching. The conductive inks used to print circuits onto the substrate have a similar resilience to stretching such that the substrate and the circuits thereon can be subject to deforming forces without breaking the printed circuits. The substrate may be covered with a carbon polymer layer to provide alternative conductive paths that enable fast recovery for conduction in the presence of any break in the printed conductive traces on the substrate.

One embodiment includes and I/0 bus including a signal line coupled to a signal source and multiple line switches, each line switch to couple a corresponding I/0 port to the signal line. Switch logic coupled to the I/0 bus may programmatically switch the multiple line switches to couple at least one of the signal source and measurement circuitry to the respective I/0 port.

The invention relates to a pipetting device having an exchangeable pipette tip for suctioning and discharging fluid volumes for use in automated laboratory systems. The invention relates to a pipetting device having a pipette tip detection unit and for detecting a pipette tip on a pipette device of this type. A detection unit detects whether a pipette tip is connected to the pipette tube or determines a characteristic feature of the connected pipette tip. The pipette tip forms at least one portion of a first electrode when the pipette tip is in electrical operative contact with the pipette tube and, e.g., a pipette tip holder, a contact for setting down the pipette tip holder or a working table over which the pipette tube can be moved forms at least one portion of a second electrode.