A haptic actuator assembly comprising a haptic actuator and a pre-load device is presented. The haptic actuator is configured to generate a displacement along a first axis, wherein the haptic actuator is a piezoelectric actuator. The pre-load device is adjacent to the haptic actuator and configured to generate a compressive load on the haptic actuator along the first axis. The pre-load device includes a first component and a second component that are disposed on opposing surfaces of the haptic actuator, and are configured to generate a magnetic force that attracts the first component and the second component to each other in order to generate the compressive load on the haptic actuator along the first axis. The first component is a permanent magnet, and the second component is at least one of another permanent magnet, an electromagnet, or a ferromagnetic component that comprises ferromagnetic material.

An imaging system includes: a transceiver cell for generating a pressure wave and converting an external pressure wave into an electrical signal; and a control unit for controlling an operation of the transceiver cell. The transceiver cell includes: a substrate; at least one membrane suspending from the substrate; and a plurality of transducer elements mounted on the at least one membrane. Each of the plurality of transducer elements has a bottom electrode, a piezoelectric layer on bottom electrode, and at least one top electrode on the piezoelectric layer. Each of the plurality of transducer element generates a bending moment in response to applying an electrical potential across the bottom electrode and the at least one top electrode and develops an electrical charge in response to a bending moment due to the external pressure wave.

A driving circuit and a driving method are provided. The driving circuit includes a charging circuit and a discharging circuit. The charging circuit is configured to receive an input voltage to charge the piezoelectric load. The piezoelectric load discharges electricity through the discharging circuit. Operation states of the charging circuit and the discharging circuit are controlled. During a first operation interval of an operation period, the charging circuit charges the piezoelectric load so that a power supply voltage signal provided to the piezoelectric load corresponds to the reference voltage in a first interval. During a second operation interval of the operation period, the piezoelectric load discharges electricity through the discharging circuit so that the power supply voltage signal corresponds to the reference voltage in a second interval. The driving circuit according to the present disclosure requires a few switches, thereby facilitating circuit integration.

A method of generating haptic effects on a haptic-enabled device having a control unit and a haptic output device is provided. The method comprises receiving a haptic track that describes a time-varying magnitude envelope for driving the haptic output device to generate a haptic effect. The method further comprises generating a periodic drive signal with a time-varying frequency that is based on magnitude values of the time-varying magnitude envelope described in the haptic track. The method further comprises outputting the periodic drive signal to the haptic output device, to cause the haptic output device to generate the haptic effect based on the periodic drive signal.

A method of generating haptic effects on a haptic-enabled device having a control unit and a haptic output device is provided. The method comprises receiving a haptic track that describes a time-varying magnitude envelope for driving the haptic output device to generate a haptic effect. The method further comprises generating a periodic drive signal with a time-varying frequency that is based on magnitude values of the time-varying magnitude envelope described in the haptic track. The method further comprises outputting the periodic drive signal to the haptic output device, to cause the haptic output device to generate the haptic effect based on the periodic drive signal.

A haptic actuator assembly includes a haptic actuator configured to output displacement along a perpendicular axis and a pre-load device. The pre-load device is disposed adjacent to the haptic actuator and configured to generate a compressive load on the haptic actuator along the perpendicular axis to oppose expansion of the haptic actuator along the perpendicular axis. The pre-load device includes a casing and at least a first spring component. The casing includes a cover and a base spaced apart from and extending parallel to the cover. The haptic actuator is disposed between the cover and the base, and the first spring component is configured to exert a force in order to create the compressive load on the haptic actuator along the perpendicular axis.

A vibration device includes a piezoelectric element, a vibration member to which the piezoelectric element is bonded, and a wiring member connected with the piezoelectric element. A method for vibrating the vibration device includes inputting a signal including a fundamental frequency component to the piezoelectric element through the wiring member, and vibrating the vibration device in a vibration mode that includes the fundamental frequency component and does not approximately include a high order frequency component that is n times (n represents an integer of 2 or more) the fundamental frequency component. The fundamental frequency component is lower than the resonance frequency component of the vibration device.

An obstacle detection sensor includes: a controller configured to determine a detection condition of an obstacle on a road; a distance sensor unit configured to acquire distance information by oscillating a vibration wave and receiving a reflected wave of the oscillated vibration wave; a communication unit configured to communicate with an outside to acquire road surface information; and a storage unit configured to store detection relationship information for identifying the obstacle based on the distance information, in which the controller compares the detection relationship information read from the storage unit with the distance information and the road surface information acquired from the distance sensor unit and the communication unit to determine the detection condition.

A cartridge may include: a housing; a reservoir located in the housing and storing an aerosol generating material; an atomizer located in the housing and configured to generate vibration to atomize the aerosol generating material to an aerosol; a liquid delivery element configured to absorb the aerosol generating material stored in the reservoir and deliver the absorbed aerosol generating material to the atomizer; and a resistor located in the housing and configured to eliminate noise of a signal applied to the atomizer.

Disclosed is an aerosol generating apparatus including a liquid storage configured to accommodate an aerosol generating material; a vibrator configured to generate ultrasonic vibration to atomize the aerosol generating material into an aerosol; and a processor configured to, based on a correlation between frequencies within a predetermined range including a resonant frequency of the vibrator and impedances of the vibrator changed by application of the frequencies within the predetermined range, determine an operating frequency for controlling the vibrator to a second temperature higher than a first temperature reached by application of a voltage of the resonant frequency and control the vibrator to the second temperature by applying a voltage of the operating frequency to the vibrator.