A metamaterial-based substrate (meta-substrate) for piezoelectric energy harvesters. The design of the meta-substrate combines kirigami and auxetic topologies to create a high-performance platform including preferable mechanical properties of both metamaterial morphable structures. The creative design of the meta-substrate can improve strain-induced vibration applications in structural health monitoring, internet-of-things systems, micro-electromechanical systems, wireless sensor networks, vibration energy harvesters, and other applications whose efficiency is dependent on their deformation performance. The meta-substrate energy harvesting device includes a meta-material substrate comprising an auxetic frame having two kirigami cuts and a piezoelectric element adhered to the auxetic frame by means of a thin layer of elastic glue.

An objective of the present invention is to provide a structure of a touch panel which may avoid degradation of visibility. A touch panel device includes a piezo film having a piezoelectric effect, a touch detecting section disposed at a first face of two faces of the piezo film, the two faces extending orthogonally to a thickness direction of the piezo film, wherein the touch detecting section has an electrode structure which is patterned for enabling detection of a touch position, a conductive layer formed at a second face of the two faces of the piezo film, the second face being opposite to the first face, and a coating layer disposed on the first face of the piezo film, wherein the first face is adhered to the touch detecting section via the coating layer by means of an adhesive.

An ultrasound transducer of a vehicle system includes a support member that attaches to and connects to the bottom portion of a membrane of the ultrasound transducer and supports the membrane, wherein the support member includes one or more cantilevers with a first end attaching to the membrane and a second end attaching to a support portion of the support member that attaches to the substrate, wherein the cantilever extends across and floats above the substrate, wherein the first end of the cantilever includes a stub extending away from a surface of the cantilever, wherein the stub extends away from the surface without contacting the substrate, wherein the one or more cantilevers includes one or more piezoelectric layers on the surface of the cantilever.

An ultrasound transducer, wherein the ultrasound transducer includes a membrane including a top portion and a bottom portion, wherein the membrane is configured to vibrate and generate an ultrasound in response to voltage applied the transducer, wherein the membrane includes a perimeter including a plurality of sides and a top surface and a bottom surface with one or more feet extending away from the bottom surface; and a support member that attaches to and connects to the membrane and supports the membrane, wherein the support member includes one or more platforms extending to and attaching to the membrane and a substrate, wherein a first end of the platform connects to the membrane and includes a support portion, wherein the support portion away from the platform, wherein the platform includes the one or more piezoelectric layers, wherein the one or more platforms support and surround the membrane.

A method of manufacturing a porous pressure sensor, comprising: providing a substrate; forming a piezoelectric film on an upper surface of the substrate; performing a porosification process on the piezoelectric film, such as performing a wet etching process or a heat treatment process to form a porous pressure sensing layer; and forming a first electrode and a second electrode on two opposite sides of the upper surface of the porous pressure sensing layer, respectively. The present application is also directed to a pressure sensors manufactured by the method of manufacturing the porous pressure sensor.

Improvements in ingestible electronics with the capacity to sense physiologic and pathophysiologic states have transformed the standard of care for patients. Yet despite advances in device development, significant risks associated with solid, non-flexible gastrointestinal transiting systems remain. Here, we disclose an ingestible, flexible piezoelectric device that senses mechanical deformation within the gastric cavity. We demonstrate the capabilities of the sensor in both in vitro and ex vivo simulated gastric models, quantified its key behaviors in the GI tract by using computational modeling, and validated its functionality in awake and ambulating swine. Our piezoelectric devices can safely sense mechanical variations and harvest mechanical energy inside the gastrointestinal tract for diagnosing and treating motility disorders and for monitoring ingestion in bariatric applications.

A sensor is disclosed which includes a piezoelectric layer, a piezoresistive layer, one or more electrode layers coupled to the piezoelectric layer and to the piezoresistive layer, the piezoelectric layer configured to provide an electrical signal in response to application of a dynamic disturbance, and the piezoresistive layer configured to provide a change in resistivity in response to application of a static disturbance.

A pressure sensor includes: a first substrate; a second substrate having an inner surface and a touch surface that is opposite to the inner surface, wherein the inner surface faces the first substrate with a resistance sensing space therebetween; a first electrode and a second electrode, which are arranged spaced apart from each other in the resistance sensing space; and a piezoresistive pattern arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode and disposed in the resistance sensing space, wherein the piezoresistive pattern includes a porous elastic support and a plurality of conductive carbon structures dispersed in the porous elastic support.

An ultrasonic sensing device includes a housing, a piezoelectric assembly, a board and a plurality of fixing members. The housing includes a connecting board being a metal board and a supporting shell being a plastic member. The supporting shell includes a bottom wall opposite to a disposing opening of the connecting board and a surrounding side wall integrally surrounding and connecting to the bottom wall. The surrounding side wall encloses a portion of the connecting board. The piezoelectric assembly includes an encapsulating body and a piezoelectric sheet enclosed by the encapsulating body. The encapsulating body is disposed on the bottom wall and surrounded by the surrounding side wall. The piezoelectric sheet has a sensing surface exposed to the encapsulating body and facing the bottom wall. The fixing members fix the board on the connecting board, thereby pressing the sensing surface of the piezoelectric sheet to the bottom wall.

A piezoelectric device has a layered structure in which at least a first electrode, a plastic layer, an orientation control layer, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode are stacked, wherein the orientation control layer is amorphous, and the piezoelectric layer with a thickness of 20 nm to 250 nm is provided over the orientation control layer, the piezoelectric layer having a wurtzite crystal structure, and wherein the orientation control layer and the piezoelectric layer are provided between the first electrode and the second electrode.