A multibend sensor has a plurality of electrodes located along the sliding or reference strip that are not uniformly paced. More electrodes can be placed in those regions where more precise measurements of movement are desired. To save costs fewer electrodes need to be placed in regions where there is no need to measure the bending.

Disclosed is an apparatus and method for evaluating a status of a refractory material in metallurgical vessels, including furnaces and ladles, wherein an external structure at least partly surrounding the refractory material impairs the propagation of radiofrequency signals. The apparatus and method are operative to identify flaws and determine the erosion profile and thickness of refractory material and the level or rate of penetration of molten material into the refractory material, using radiofrequency signals. The apparatus comprises an antenna embedded in the refractory material or positioned inside the chamber of the vessel designed to collect data associated with the propagation of radiofrequency signals transmitted by the antenna into the refractory material. Moreover, signal processing techniques allow determining the status of the internal wall of the vessel due to operational wear, age, and presence of flaws, cracks, corrosion, and erosion to improve the operational life and maintenance of the vessel.

Provided is a data glove which imparts little discomfort when worn, and is capable of accurately detecting movement of a hand, comprising: a glove main body; and a plurality of strain sensors which are disposed on the dorsal side of the glove main body in regions corresponding to at least one finger, and which detect stretch and contraction of the glove main body. The strain sensors preferably include a first strain sensor and a second strain sensor which are disposed on the dorsal side of the glove main body to correspond respectively to a proximal interphalangeal joint and a metacarpophalangeal joint of at least one finger of the second through fifth fingers, and which detect stretch and contraction of the glove main body in a proximal-distal direction. The data glove preferably further comprises a plurality of stretch prevention parts which limit the elongation of the glove main body.

The present invention discloses a sensing circuit, a processing method of the sensing circuit and a curved surface profile measuring method. Conductors of the sensing circuit are arranged in flexible protection bodies in a braiding manner, and the conductors and the flexible protection bodies are at a compressed state. Therefore, the sensing circuit of the present invention has better flexibility and tensile property, can be attached to a surface of equipment, can be used for sensing multiple situations of the equipment, such as slight touch and collision of a large displacement, and can also be applied to precise measurement of a size of a curved surface profile.

The present invention discloses a sensing circuit, a processing method of the sensing circuit and a curved surface profile measuring method. Conductors of the sensing circuit are arranged in flexible protection bodies in a braiding manner, and the conductors and the flexible protection bodies are at a compressed state. Therefore, the sensing circuit of the present invention has better flexibility and tensile property, can be attached to a surface of equipment, can be used for sensing multiple situations of the equipment, such as slight touch and collision of a large displacement, and can also be applied to precise measurement of a size of a curved surface profile.

A distributed sensor network for soft growing robots is provided. Sensor bands are distributed at discrete intervals along the length of the flexible tube, and the sensor bands each are wrapped circumferentially around the diameter of the flexible tube. Each sensor band has one or more sensors and one or more semi-rigid islands containing a self-contained microcontroller, and one or more communication lines to an aggregator microcontroller located at the base of the soft growing robot communicatively connecting signals from the sensor bands. A casing laminates the distributed sensor network. In one example the encasing has cavities or a tooth geometry to allow bending. The casing is flexible to not hinder the growth of the soft growing robot, yet protecting the distributed sensor network.

A method of capturing haptic content of an object, where the capturing involves a plurality of communication devices includes recognizing haptic content captured by a first communication device and properties associated with the captured haptic content and recognizing properties associated with a second communication device, and determining, at least partly based on the acquired properties, whether or not the second communication device is to participate in the capturing of the haptic content. Haptic content captured by the second communication device is then recognized by the haptic device, and a combination of the haptic content captured by the first communication device with the haptic content captured by the second communication device, can then be initiated. A haptic device and a system, capable of executing the method suggested above are also described.

A capacitive imaging glove includes electrodes implemented throughout the capacitive imaging glove and drive-sense circuits (DSCs) such that a DSC receives a reference signal generates a signal based thereon. The DSC provides the signal to a first electrode via a single line and simultaneously senses it. Note the signal is coupled from the first electrode to the second electrode via a gap therebetween. The DSC generates a digital signal representative of the electrical characteristic of the first electrode. Processing module(s), when enabled, is/are configured to execute operational instructions (e.g., stored in and/or retrieved from memory) to generate the reference signal, process the digital signal to determine the electrical characteristic of the first electrode, and process the electrical characteristic of the first electrode to determine a distance between the first electrode and the second electrode, and generate capacitive image data representative of a shape of the capacitive imaging glove.

A capacitive imaging glove includes electrodes implemented throughout the capacitive imaging glove and drive-sense circuits (DSCs) such that a DSC receives a reference signal generates a signal based thereon. The DSC provides the signal to a first electrode via a single line and simultaneously senses it. Note the signal is coupled from the first electrode to the second electrode via a gap therebetween. The DSC generates a digital signal representative of the electrical characteristic of the first electrode. Processing module(s), when enabled, is/are configured to execute operational instructions (e.g., stored in and/or retrieved from memory) to generate the reference signal, process the digital signal to determine the electrical characteristic of the first electrode, and process the electrical characteristic of the first electrode to determine a distance between the first electrode and the second electrode, and generate capacitive image data representative of a shape of the capacitive imaging glove.

A multibend sensor is able to provide information regarding bending of the sensor data in a manner able to mitigate error propagation. A reference strip and a sliding strip are separated from each other by a spacer. Electrodes are located on the reference strip and the sliding strip. The bending of the multibend sensor will be reflected in the shifting of the sliding strip with respect to the reference strip and the measurements obtained from the electrodes.