A method and system for measuring a load on a tire while the vehicle traveling that include a microprocessor, a tire pressure sensor that is fixed to the tire, and an electromechanical sensor that is fixed to a point on the tire. The electromechanical sensor generates a beginning signal when the point begins to be part of the flat tire contact patch of the tire with the ground, and an ending signal when this point ceases to be part of the patch. The microprocessor calculates the patch contact time period, calculates the flat tire contact patch length from the radius of the tire and the ratio between the patch contact time period and the complete tire rotation period, and calculates the load on the tire from the tire pressure as measured by the pressure sensor and the length of the flat tire contact patch.

A displacement sensor having a rectangular shaped elastic member. A piezoelectric element is attached to a first main face of the elastic member. The piezoelectric element has a rectangular-shaped piezoelectric sheet and electrodes on both main faces of the piezoelectric sheet. The piezoelectric sheet is made of poly-L-lactic acid and is at least uniaxially-stretched. The piezoelectric element is attached so that the uniaxial-stretching direction of the piezoelectric sheet is 45° relative to a long-side direction of the elastic member. When the elastic member is bent along the long-side direction, the piezoelectric sheet is stretched along the long-side direction, and the piezoelectric element generates voltage of predetermined level.

An electric motor with positional sensing is disclosed. A group of permanent magnets are physically attached to a group of piezoelectric actuators which push them toward or pull them away from a second group of permanent magnets when the piezoelectric actuators are electrically activated and/or when the load on the motor is moved by an external force. Alternate configurations using electromagnets are also disclosed. The current induced in the piezoelectric actuators is used to detect the position of the motor and/or elements affixed to the motor.

A novel configuration for the groups of electromagnets which maximizes efficiency in a piezoelectrically actuated motor is also disclosed.

A system for operating a physical measuring chain includes a plurality of physical measuring components at a measuring location. Each of the physical measuring components includes at least one physical sensor, at least one physical transmission means and at least one physical evaluation unit. An identification code is detected of each physical measuring component, and a data network transmits detected identification codes to a data processing unit located remote from the measuring location. The data processing unit includes at least one software and measuring component data. The software reads out measuring component data for transmitted identification codes and thereby generates a digital measuring chain including at least one digital sensor, at least one digital transmission means and at least one digital evaluation unit and the data network transmits the digital measuring chain to a computer unit at the measuring location.

Embodiments of the disclosure provide systems and methods for reflecting optical signals in an optical sensing system. The micromachined mirror assembly includes a micro mirror and at least one actuator mechanically connected to the micro mirror through at least one connection, configured to drive the micro mirror to tilt for a rotation angle around an axis, causing an in-plane stress on the at least one connection. The micromachined mirror assembly also includes at least one piezoelectric sensor configured to detect the rotation angle of the micro mirror based on a signal indicative of the in-plane stress sensed at the at least one connection.

A displacement sensor having a rectangular shaped elastic member. A piezoelectric element is attached to a first main face of the elastic member. The piezoelectric element has a rectangular-shaped piezoelectric sheet and electrodes on both main faces of the piezoelectric sheet. The piezoelectric sheet is made of poly-L-lactic acid and is at least uniaxially-stretched. The piezoelectric element is attached so that the uniaxial-stretching direction of the piezoelectric sheet is 45° relative to a long-side direction of the elastic member. When the elastic member is bent along the long-side direction, the piezoelectric sheet is stretched along the long-side direction, and the piezoelectric element generates voltage of predetermined level.

A muscle activity observation apparatus that includes a sensor module and a detection module. The sensor module includes a piezoelectric sensor. Moreover, the piezoelectric sensor has an output that changes in accordance with a tremor of a tendon or a muscle, and an output that changes in accordance with contraction and relaxation of the tendon or the muscle. A detector of the detection module detects an activity state of the tendon or the muscle using a tremor signal and a contraction-relaxation signal output from the piezoelectric sensor.

A displacement sensor having a rectangular shaped elastic member. A piezoelectric element is attached to a first main face of the elastic member. The piezoelectric element has a rectangular-shaped piezoelectric sheet and electrodes on both main faces of the piezoelectric sheet. The piezoelectric sheet is made of poly-L-lactic acid and is at least uniaxially-stretched. The piezoelectric element is attached so that the uniaxial-stretching direction of the piezoelectric sheet is 45 relative to a long-side direction of the elastic member. When the elastic member is bent along the long-side direction, the piezoelectric sheet is stretched along the long-side direction, and the piezoelectric element generates voltage of predetermined level.

A batteryless rotary encoder is provided, which includes a rotation detecting section and a signal processing section. The rotation detecting section includes a rotational exciter magnet and a piezoelectric transducer. The piezoelectric transducer is constructed by laminating a magnetic material and a piezoelectric transduction sheet, and the magnetic material faces toward the rotational exciter magnet. When the rotational exciter magnet rotates, the rotational exciter magnet attracts or repels the magnet sheet or the magnetic metal sheet so that the piezoelectric transducer is pressed or stretched by the magnet sheet or the magnetic metal sheet to generate a first output signal. The signal processing section includes a counter and a rectifier. The counter receives the first output signal and calculates revolutions of the first output signal to indicate the number of rotations of the rotational exciter magnet. The rectifier receives the first output signal to power the counter.

A displacement sensor having a rectangular shaped elastic member. A piezoelectric element is attached to a first main face of the elastic member. The piezoelectric element has a rectangular-shaped piezoelectric sheet and electrodes on both main faces of the piezoelectric sheet. The piezoelectric sheet is made of poly-L-lactic acid and is at least uniaxially-stretched. The piezoelectric element is attached so that the uniaxial-stretching direction of the piezoelectric sheet is 45 relative to a long-side direction of the elastic member. When the elastic member is bent along the long-side direction, the piezoelectric sheet is stretched along the long-side direction, and the piezoelectric element generates voltage of predetermined level.