Three-dimensional (3D) micro-scale shells are presented with openings of various sizes and geometries on the surface. The shell consist of a suspended ring-shaped resonator, multiple support beams, a support post, and a cap region that connects the support beams to the support post. Shells with openings of various sizes and geometries allow the creation of micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) sensors and actuators with a wide range of engineered mechanical and electrical properties. The openings on the shell surface can, for example, control the mechanical quality factor (Q) and resonance frequencies of the shell when the shell is used as a suspended proof mass of a mechanical resonator of a vibratory gyroscope. The shells can also serve as mechanical supporting layers and/or an electrode connection layer for MEMS actuators and sensors that use 3D shells as proof masses.

A sensor array. The sensor array includes a gyroscope device, including: a MEMS gyroscope including a seismic mass which is excitable to carry out oscillations; a driver circuit for exciting and maintaining an oscillating movement of the seismic mass; and a sensing unit. The sensor array further includes a control unit for selecting one of at least two different predefined operating modes of the gyroscope device, at least one sensing operating mode, in which rotation rate sensor signals are detected and/or preprocessed, and at least one stand-by operating mode, in which no rotation rate sensor signals are detected and/or preprocessed, being predefined as operating modes. The sensor array further includes a further sensor device for detecting further sensor signals; and a digital data processing unit for the rotation rate sensor signals and the further sensor signals.

A positioning device includes an camera, a detector, and a circuit. The camera is mounted on a moving body, and captures an image of surroundings of the moving body to acquire a captured image. The detector is mounted on the moving body, detects motion of the moving body, and outputs a detection signal indicating a detection result. The circuit processes the detection signal using a correction value for correcting a bias error included in the detection signal without depending on the motion of the moving body. The circuit computes the position of the moving body based on the captured image acquired by the camera and the detection signal processed. If the circuit determines that the moving body is stationary, the circuit updates the correction value of the bias error based on the detection signal output by the detector.

An electric toothbrush includes a gyro sensor inside a main body. The gyro sensor detects an angular velocity of the main body and the main body includes a head portion, a neck portion, and a grip portion in a longitudinal axis direction. An angle formed by a longitudinal axis of the main body in a state that brush bristles of the head portion contact with a brushing site in a dentition with respect to the longitudinal axis of the main body in a state that the brush bristles of the head portion contact with a reference position in the dentition is obtained, based on an output from the gyro sensor. A corresponding point corresponding to the brushing site on an approximate curve that curves corresponding to the dentition is obtained based on the angle, and coordinates of the corresponding point are used as a translational position of the brushing site.

The invention relates to the field of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) gyroscopes. The MEMS gyroscope of the present invention drives oscillation of at least one proof mass in a primary drive mode at a first frequency and in a secondary drive mode at a second frequency, different to the first frequency. The primary drive mode and secondary drive mode are orthogonal. Sense circuitry measures oscillation of the at least one proof mass in a sense mode, which is orthogonal to the primary drive mode and the secondary drive mode, in order to determine the angular rate of rotation of the MEMS gyroscope about sense axes parallel to the movement of the at least one proof mass in the primary and secondary drive modes.

In a multi-axial angular velocity sensor, a substrate part perpendicular to a D3 axis includes a pair of long sides parallel to a D2 axis and a pair of short sides parallel to a D1 axis. Three sensor elements for the three axes are mounted on an upper surface of the substrate part. A piezoelectric body of each of the sensor elements comprises a plurality of arms. Theses arms extend in a predetermined direction of extension in a plane perspective of the upper surface. The piezoelectric body has the direction of extension as its long direction. Two of the three sensor element are arranged side by side in a direction along the short sides of the substrate part with orientations so that the directions of extension become parallel to the long sides. A remaining one is arranged in a direction along the long sides relative to the two elements with an orientation so that the direction of extension becomes parallel to the short sides.

Three-dimensional (3D) micro-scale shells are presented with openings of various sizes and geometries on the surface. The shell consist of a suspended ring-shaped resonator, multiple support beams, a support post, and a cap region that connects the support beams to the support post. Shells with openings of various sizes and geometries allow the creation of micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) sensors and actuators with a wide range of engineered mechanical and electrical properties. The openings on the shell surface can, for example, control the mechanical quality factor (Q) and resonance frequencies of the shell when the shell is used as a suspended proof mass of a mechanical resonator of a vibratory gyroscope. The shells can also serve as mechanical supporting layers and/or an electrode connection layer for MEMS actuators and sensors that use 3D shells as proof masses.

A conformable garment may fit snugly against, and may exert pressure against, skin in a region of a user's body. The garment may house multiple sensors that touch the user's skin. Each sensor may exposed to the user's skin through a hole in an inner surface of the garment. The garment may include elongated channels. Flexible, stretchable wiring may pass through a hollow central region of each channel. This wiring may provide electrical power to the sensors, and may enable wired communication between the sensors and a main hub. Each sensor may include an integrated chip and may be encapsulated in a waterproof material. Each sensor may output electrical signals that encode digital data and that are transmitted, via the wiring, to a main hub housed in the garment. The encapsulated sensors and the wiring may remain in the garment when the garment is washed.

Three-dimensional (3D) micro-scale shells are presented with selectively removed regions/openings and which can be used in sensors and actuators, including gyroscopes. Example shells consisting of a suspended ring-shaped resonator that is supported using multiple beams that are not in the plane of the ring and are attached to a support post can be formed. Shells with various sizes and geometries of selectively removed regions and openings allow the creation of micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) sensors and actuators with a wide range of engineered mechanical and electrical properties. These shells can be used to form stacked 3D structures for various types of MEMS sensor and actuator devices, such as resonant gyroscopes, with sense and drive electrodes that conform to the curved profile of the resonant shell using for gyroscopes. 3D shells formed from a starting parent substrate are released and separated from their parent substrate using a number of techniques.

An electric toothbrush includes a gyro sensor inside a main body. The gyro sensor detects an angular velocity of the main body and the main body includes a head portion, a neck portion, and a grip portion in a longitudinal axis direction. An angle formed by a longitudinal axis of the main body in a state that brush bristles of the head portion contact with a brushing site in a dentition with respect to the longitudinal axis of the main body in a state that the brush bristles of the head portion contact with a reference position in the dentition is obtained, based on an output from the gyro sensor. A corresponding point corresponding to the brushing site on an approximate curve that curves corresponding to the dentition is obtained based on the angle, and coordinates of the corresponding point are used as a translational position of the brushing site.