A method of monitoring a curing process for fiber reinforced composite materials that includes positioning an actuator on uncured composite material at a first location. At least one sensor is positioned at a second location that is spaced apart from the first location. The actuator excites waves in the composite part at the first location. At least one sensor is positioned at a second location that is spaced apart from the first location. The actuator excites waves in the composite part at the first location. The waves propagate through the composite part due to internal reflection. At least one wave metric is measured at the second location utilizing the sensor. At least one parameter of the curing process may be adjusted based, at least in part, on a wave metric measured by the sensor.

Embodiments of the invention provide an energy harvesting mechanism comprising a central conductive element and a plurality of transductive elements. Each transductive element is positioned to be in contact with a corresponding peripheral length segment of the central conductive element. Also each transductive element is deformable in a characteristic radial direction to convert its deformation into a corresponding electrical signal. The plurality of transductive elements are arranged so that any one of the plurality of transductive elements is capable of being deformed in the characteristic radial direction to trigger the corresponding electrical signal. Embodiments of the mechanism can be used for harvesting energy from a variety of bio-kinetic events such as a heartbeat, respiration, muscle contraction or other movement. Such embodiments can be used for powering a variety of implanted medical devices such as pacemakers, defibrillators and various monitoring devices.

An implantable scaffold is provided including multiple piezoelectric films and at least one compressible intervening layer. A first of the piezoelectric films is on a first side of the compressible intervening layer and a second of the plurality of piezoelectric films is on a second side of the compressible intervening layer opposite the first piezoelectric film. Upon applying a mechanical force to the first piezoelectric film, the first piezoelectric film deforms towards the second piezoelectric film. Also provided is a method of treatment leveraging the implantable scaffold.

Disclosed herein is a composition and a method for energy harvesting and the autonomous detection of structural failure. This method can be used to monitor, for example, the structural integrity of unmanned aircraft systems.

The invention provides hybrid photovoltaic-piezoelectric energy harvesting devices in the form of flexible filaments. The devices harvest energy from ambient light, and also from environmental motions and vibrations. They are particularly suitable for incorporation into fabrics and clothing.

The invention relates to an assembly for nondestructive material testing with which shear waves are emitted and detected in elastic surfaces of components or workpieces, in which piezoelectric transducer elements are arranged above one another in multiple planes and the piezoelectric transducer elements arranged in adjacent planes can each be operated oppositely to one another. The piezoelectric transducer elements can be piezoelectric fibers and/or piezoelectric plate-like elements that are connected to or embedded in an elastically deformable material.

Provided is a technique related to a new sensor unit which is flexible in that the sensor unit can be installed in various locations such as inside of a structure with a large curvature, and which can stably measure multi-directional deformation and very efficiently and wireless measure deformation information, and thus provided is a technique of a sensor structure which can be universally utilized in various systems for measuring deformation information. The sensor unit using an electro-active polymer for the wireless transmission/reception of deformation information, according to a first embodiment of the present invention, comprises: a first sensor part formed from a fiber or film comprising a ferroelectric electro-active polymer material; a second sensor part configured to include the first sensor part therein, and formed from a matrix comprising a dielectric elastomer electro-active polymer material; and an electrode part provided to come into contact with the first sensor part or the second sensor part and, when an external force is applied to the first sensor part or the second sensor part, transmits to the outside an electric signal generated by the first sensor part or the second sensor part.

A piezo-driven, vibrating beam is applicable to surgical procedures. A rod of piezoelectric material defines a length with proximal and distal ends. A pattern of electrodes, disposed adjacent to and along the length of the rod of piezoelectric material, is adapted for connection to a generator operative to stimulate the piezoelectric material, causing the rod to assume one or more vibratory states. In preferred embodiments, the proximal end of the rod of piezoelectric material is adapted for coupling to a blocking mass causing the vibratory states to be concentrated at the distal end of the rod of piezoelectric material. The pattern of electrodes may comprise interdigitated fingers, and the system may further include a material encapsulating the rod and the pattern of electrodes. Preferred embodiments may further include a plurality of coextensive, parallel rods forming a basic unit, each rod having a separate pattern of electrodes adjacent thereto.

Technology for a thermal switch is described. The thermal switch can include a first conducting layer. The thermal switch can include a second conducting layer. The thermal switch can include a material layer in between the first conducting layer and the second conducting layer. The material layer can be a conductor when above a defined temperature and a dielectric when below the defined temperature. The thermal switch can be operable to close an electrical circuit when the material layer is a conductor and open the electrical circuit when the material layer is the dielectric.

A piezoelectric device includes a membrane having fibres of a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), having average diameter between 100 nm and 2000 nm, and at least one oxide having piezoelectric properties in a subdivided form having at least one average size between 1 nm and 100 nm. Preferably, the PHA fibres are produced by electrospinning. Advantageously, demonstrating good piezoelectric properties and considering that the piezoelectric device includes PHA, a biodegradable and biocompatible material, the device can be used in biological systems, for example in flexible micro-actuator systems for drug delivery and in the engineering of biological tissues (such as, for example, in pacemaker devices).