Techniques are disclosed to use existing vehicle speakers alone or in conjunction with other sensors (e.g. SRS sensors and/or microphones) that may already be implemented as part of the vehicle to identify acoustic signatures. Suitable low-cost and widely available hardware components (e.g., relays) may be used to modify the vehicle's existing speakers for a bi-directional mode of operation. Moreover, the vehicle's existing of audio amplifiers may be used to amplify signals collected by the speakers when operating in “reverse,” and process these collected signals to determine vehicle state information.

There is provided a building facility vibration measurement device that can easily ascertain whether specs are sufficient for measurement of vibration of a building facility. A building facility vibration measurement device includes: an acceleration detection unit configured to detect acceleration; an acceleration collection unit configured to collect the acceleration detected by the acceleration detection unit; an accuracy calculation unit configured to calculate detection accuracy of the acceleration from information on the acceleration collected by the acceleration collection unit; and a judgement unit configured to, based on the detection accuracy calculated by the accuracy calculation unit, judge whether vibration of a building facility can be measured.

A method of distinguishing a first physical phenomenon captured in a sensory measurement time waveform from a second physical phenomenon captured in the waveform includes: receiving the waveform on a processor from a sensor in sensory contact with an object undergoing first and second physical phenomena, wherein the first phenomenon is a comparatively fast event; deriving a first rate of change data stream from the time waveform with a processor operable on a processor, wherein each value of the first rate of change data stream is based on a difference in extreme amplitudes of the waveform during a first interval of waveform samples; and analyzing with the processor the derived first rate of change data stream to distinguish the comparatively fast first physical phenomena from the second physical phenomenon captured in the waveform.

Disclosed is a pipeline suspension inspecting gauge which comprises a mobile carrier and a power supply module, a primary controller, a positioning module, a vibration sensor, a variable-frequency excitation device, a secondary controller, and a data processing assembly which are arranged on the mobile carrier. The power supply module, the positioning module, and the secondary controller are all electrically connected with the primary controller; the variable-frequency vibration excitation device, the vibration sensor, and the data processing assembly are all electrically connected with the secondary controller. The pipeline suspension inspecting gauge is simple in structure and high in measurement sensitivity.

A method in which an acoustic sensor disposed in a polishing apparatus can be accurately calibrated is disclosed. In this method, polishing sounds of a substrate are acquired using an acoustic sensor; and then at least two distinctive sounds, having distinctive frequencies respectively, are selected from the acquired polishing sounds. Further, the at least two distinctive sounds are output from a sound source coupled to any of a polishing table, the acoustic sensor, and a substrate holder to cause the at least two distinctive sounds to be input to the acoustic sensor. Next, output values of the acoustic sensor are calibrated, such that the output values of the acoustic sensor relative to the at least two distinctive sounds come within an allowable range.

A method in which an acoustic sensor disposed in a polishing apparatus can be accurately calibrated is disclosed. In this method, polishing sounds of a substrate are acquired using an acoustic sensor; and then at least two distinctive sounds, having distinctive frequencies respectively, are selected from the acquired polishing sounds. Further, the at least two distinctive sounds are output from a sound source coupled to any of a polishing table, the acoustic sensor, and a substrate holder to cause the at least two distinctive sounds to be input to the acoustic sensor. Next, output values of the acoustic sensor are calibrated, such that the output values of the acoustic sensor relative to the at least two distinctive sounds come within an allowable range.

A method and apparatus for determining the location of a material located behind an obstruction. A plurality of acoustic resonators (6) having a known resonant frequency are dispersed in the material (3), the material to be located on a first side of the obstruction (2). An instrument (5) is provided at an opposite side of the obstruction to the material. The instrument emits an acoustic signal and measures a response. If the resonant frequency is detected, it is determined that the material is located substantially adjacent to the instrument. The apparatus may be used for determining the height of cement slurry located between a well casing wall and a borehole.

A method and apparatus for determining the location of a material located behind an obstruction. A plurality of acoustic resonators (6) having a known resonant frequency are dispersed in the material (3), the material to be located on a first side of the obstruction (2). An instrument (5) is provided at an opposite side of the obstruction to the material. The instrument emits an acoustic signal and measures a response. If the resonant frequency is detected, it is determined that the material is located substantially adjacent to the instrument. The apparatus may be used for determining the height of cement slurry located between a well casing wall and a borehole.

Various embodiments of an apparatus for measuring binding kinetics of an interaction of an analyte material present in a fluid sample are disclosed. The apparatus includes a sensing resonator having at least one binding site for the analyte material; actuation circuitry adapted to drive the sensing resonator into an oscillating motion; measurement circuitry coupled to the sensing resonator and adapted to measure an output signal of the sensing resonator representing resonance characteristics of the oscillating motion of the sensing resonator; and a controller coupled to the actuation and measurement circuitry, wherein the controller is adapted to detect an individual binding event between the at least one binding site and a molecule of the analyte material.

Various embodiments of an apparatus for measuring binding kinetics of an interaction of an analyte material present in a fluid sample are disclosed. The apparatus includes a sensing resonator having at least one binding site for the analyte material; actuation circuitry adapted to drive the sensing resonator into an oscillating motion; measurement circuitry coupled to the sensing resonator and adapted to measure an output signal of the sensing resonator representing resonance characteristics of the oscillating motion of the sensing resonator; and a controller coupled to the actuation and measurement circuitry, wherein the controller is adapted to detect an individual binding event between the at least one binding site and a molecule of the analyte material.