A directional force sensor and sensing system are described. The directional force sensor includes a leaf spring and one or more load sensors disposed about the leaf spring such that in response to a force applied to the leaf spring, the one or more load sensors provide a signal. A controller is coupled to receive signals from the one or more directional force sensors and determines characteristics of forces applied to the directional force sensors.

A strain gauge includes a flexible resin substrate; a functional layer formed of a metal, an alloy, or a metal compound, directly on one surface of the substrate; a resistor formed of a film including Cr, CrN, and Cr.sub.2N, on one surface of the functional layer; and an insulating resin layer with which the resistor is coated.

Circuitry for biasing a sensor comprises a bias generator module configured to receive a supply voltage and to generate a bias voltage for biasing the sensor. The circuitry further comprises a control module configured to compare a voltage indicative of the supply voltage to a threshold voltage and to output a control signal to the bias generator module based on the comparison. The bias generator module is configured to control the bias voltage based on the control signal.

A circuit is provided that includes a strain gauge resistor having a center axis and multiple conductor layer segments and a trim region extending along the center axis; wherein a first portion of the strain gauge resistor is located on one side of the center axis and a second portion of the strain gauge resistor is located on an opposite side of the center axis.

An apparatus for sensing a physical attribute is shown, that includes a first track (511) defining a first electrode on a substrate (512), a second track (513) defining a second electrode on said substrate and an active film (514) in cooperation with a first sensor portion (516) of the first electrode and a second sensor portion (517) of the second electrode. The second electrode includes a first extended portion (517) to establish a first additional resistance not cooperating with the active film.

A controller configured for detecting a disturbance using a comparison of outputs of at least two sensors and for determining a pressure from the outputs of the at least two sensors. A ratio of the measurement sensitivity and the disturbance sensitivity should be different for the at least two sensors. A method for monitoring disturbances of a sensor assembly includes comparing the outputs of the at least two sensors. The controller and related method provide, while requiring only two sensors, a redundant system that is also able to detect excessive disturbances on a sensor assembly.

A pressure sensing device is provided. The pressure sensing device includes a force sensor. The pressure sensing device further includes a rigid force conductor and a soft deformable object. The rigid force conductor is disposed between the force sensor and the soft deformable object.

A method for measuring a load on a rotor blade of a wind power plant includes deriving a deflection of the rotor blade from an acceleration value, determining a signal drift component of the deflection by using an absolute value, and determining the load by using the signal drift component and the deflection and material characteristics of the rotor blade. The acceleration value represents an acceleration on the rotor blade, and the absolute value represents an absolute measured value from an absolute sensor on the rotor blade.

A pressure/force sensor comprises a diaphragm structure including a sensing element and a lead structure extending from the diaphragm structure and including first and second traces electrically coupled to the sensing element. The diaphragm structure and the lead structure include a circuit assembly comprising a common insulating layer and a common conductor layer on the insulating layer. The conductor layer includes at least a portion of the sensing element and at least the first trace.

An electrical circuit includes an SG full bridge circuit, a first resistor series connection connected between the terminals of an energy supply gate of the SG full bridge circuit and having a first tap between two resistors, and a second resistor series connection connected between the terminals of a signal gate of the SG full bridge circuit and having a second tap between two resistors.