An encoder device for determining a kinematic value of the movement of a first object relative to a second object is provided, wherein the encoder device comprises a standard associated with the first object and at least one scanning unit associated with the second object for producing at least one scanning signal by detection of the standard and a control and evaluation unit that is configured to determine the kinematic value from the scanning signal. The control and evaluation unit is here further configured to determine the kinematic value by an evaluation of the scanning signal using a method of machine learning, with the evaluation being trained with a plurality of scanning signals and associated kinematic values.

A light emitting element includes: a substrate; a mesa portion formed on the substrate and including an active layer, a first semiconductor layer, and a second semiconductor layer; a metal layer including a first metal part disposed on a top surface of the mesa portion and connected to the second semiconductor layer and a second metal part formed integrally with the first metal part and extending along a side surface of the mesa portion; an insulating layer formed on the side surface; and a resin layer formed on the insulating layer. The first metal part includes an opening region formed with a light passage opening and a connection region for external connection. The second metal part is formed on the side surface via the insulating layer and the resin layer and overlaps the active layer when viewed in a direction perpendicular to a thickness direction of the substrate.

An optical encoder system is disclosed comprising a movable target arranged to provide a varying reflectance dependent on a position of the target within the system. An emitter is positioned on a first side of the target to illuminate the target and a sensor is positioned on the first side of the target to sense a reflectance from the target, wherein the sensed reflectance is dependent on the position of the target within the system. Also disclosed are a target and a sensor module for use in such a system, a device comprising such a system and a method of determining the position of a moving target using such a system.

Non-contact sensors include an image sensor configured to capture image data of a portion of a surface of a rotatable shaft and an electronic control unit communicatively coupled to the image sensor. The electronic control unit is configured to receive image data having a plurality of frames from the image sensor and store the image data in a memory component of the electronic control unit, determine a transformation in image space between one or more surface features that appear in a first frame of the image data and the same one or more surface features that appear in a second frame of the image data, determine a rotational position of the rotatable shaft at a time of capture of the second frame of the image data based on the transformation and a quantitatively characterized relationship between image space and object space, and store the rotational position of the rotatable shaft.

A controller for use with a position encoder includes one or more motion inputs suitable to couple to motion outputs of the position encoder and a limit input suitable to couple to a limit output of the position encoder. The controller also includes an actuator interface, a command interface, and circuitry coupled to the one or more motion inputs, the limit input, the actuator interface, and the command interface. The circuitry is configured to receive a command through the command interface to move a structural member coupled to the position encoder to a new position and control an actuator through the actuator interface to move the structural member toward the new position. A limit indication is received from the position encoder through the limit input and the controller stops or reverses the movement of the structural member by controlling the actuator in response to receiving the limit indication.

A desktop horizontal joint robot, including: a lift apparatus and a fixation apparatus. The lift apparatus includes: a base, a casing supported on the base, a slider seat liftably arranged within the casing, and a lift driving mechanism configured to move the slider seat. The fixation apparatus includes: a fixation seat in fixed connection with the slider seat, a first rotational shaft rotatably supported at the fixation seat, and a first shaft driving assembly configured to rotate the first rotational shaft. An optical length encoder is arranged within the casing and configured to detect a linear displacement of the slider seat. The fixation apparatus further include a first optical angle encoder configured to detect a rotation angle of the first rotational shaft. The desktop horizontal joint robot features non-wear, high reliability, and long service life.

When extending the leader or tape from a traditional tape measure over a large distance, a user situated away from the body of the tape measure is unable to determine the length that has been extended at the leading edge. Presented herein is a retractable measuring device in which the body of the measuring device is configured to compute and broadcast the amount of tape that has been withdrawn from the body to a receiver. The receiver may be located at the leading edge of the tape or comprise a secondary device such as a smartphone. Alternatively, the broadcast may include tactile, audible, or visual feedback relating to the distance that may be received directly by the user. Additionally, the retractable device may include an interface for setting a desired length and provide either the user or receiver with feedback when the desired length has been reached.

An encoder includes a base section, a spindle gear attached to a turning shaft section, a counter-shaft gear configured to mesh with the spindle gear and including a cylindrical gear section, a magnet provided in the counter-shaft gear, and an annular bearing member provided in the base section and configured to support the counter-shaft gear. When a straight line extending along the shaft section is represented as a first axis and a straight line orthogonal to the first axis is represented as a second axis, the magnet is disposed to overlap the bearing member in a plan view from a direction in which the second axis extends.

An article of footwear and related method includes a midsole, an upper secured with respect to the midsole, and a lace extending through the upper. A motorized lacing system positioned within the midsole, configured to engage with the lace to increase and decrease tension on the lace. The motorized lacing system includes a motor, including a motor shaft, a spool, coupled to the motor shaft, configured to spool and unspool the lace based on the turning of the motor shaft, a processor circuit, and an optical encoder. The optical encoder comprises a three-dimensional encoder defining a major axis and having a surface having a first plurality of segments positioned between a second plurality of segments, and an optical sensor, positioned within optical range of the cylindrical encoder, configured to output a signal to the processor circuit indicative of a detected one of a first and second plurality of segments.

An encoder is provided that is capable of suppressing accuracy deterioration even if a scale is disposed in a tilted manner with respect to a receiving unit by being rotated around an axis (i.e., a rotation axis) orthogonal to a receiving surface. The encoder 1 includes scale 2 and detection head 3. The detection head 3 includes light source (transmitting unit) 4 and light-receiving unit (receiving unit) 5. The light-receiving unit includes light-receiving surface (receiving surface) 50 and converts light received at the light-receiving surface 50 into differential detection signals with two phases and outputs the same. The light-receiving surface 50 includes element array group 7 including four element arrays 71-74 provided in a parallel manner along an orthogonal direction, with each element array 71-74 including a plurality of light-receiving elements (receiving elements) 500. The plurality of element arrays 71-74 in the element array group 7 are disposed at positions where the sum of: (i) a distance in the orthogonal direction from a reference position to a positive phase signal element array 71, 72; and (ii) a distance in the orthogonal direction from the reference position to the negative phase signal element array 73, 74, is the same for all the phases of the at least two phases.