According to an aspect there is provided an apparatus comprising at least one electrode and a movable sensor membrane, wherein the apparatus comprises means for: measuring a voltage or a current; determining an amount of external pressure based on the measured voltage or current; based on the determined amount of external pressure, providing electrostatic feedback force such that the movable sensor membrane is undeflected; and determining a correlation between the electrostatic force feedback and the external pressure.

A MEMS pressure sensor is provided having a membrane made with one of plurality of metal layers. A lid is positioned above the membrane and connected to a plurality of cavity walls at distal ends of the membrane. The lid includes an array of holes positioned on a region of the lid. A fixed metal electrode is positioned below the lid.

A multi-layer electrode of a capacitive pressure sensor is manufactured by roll to roll printing a conductive layer onto a polymer layer and forming a mutual capacitance sensor layer of the capacitive pressure sensor, co-extruding a conductive polymer layer and a foam dielectric layer and forming a coextruded layer of the capacitive pressure sensor, and pressure rolling the mutual capacitance sensor layer and the coextruded layer together and forming the multi-layer electrode. The conductive polymer layer includes between about 2 wt. % to about 15 wt. % graphene and between about 0.01 wt. % and 5 wt. % of the carbon nanotubes. Also, the conductive polymer layer has a flexural modulus equal to or greater than 5,000 MPa and an electrical resistivity less than or equal to 10 Ohm/mm.sup.3, and the polymer layer and/or the conductive polymer layer is formed from recycled polyethylene terephthalate.

A telemedical interface pressure monitoring system is provided for intermittent or continuous monitoring of the pressure that occurs at the interface between the body and a support surface such as with a compression device, cast or resting surface. The system simultaneously measures interface pressure at multiple compression positions as well as provide real-time measurement data to both patients and clinicians. The system uses an array of one or more sensors and a data collection and transmission node with a microprocessor and transmitter/receiver that transmits the sensor data to a receiver such as a mobile device or cloud or clinic server for remote display, evaluation and automatic recording. Remote receivers can also control compression devices associated with the node.

The present invention discloses a pump for measuring a pressure of fluid to be transferred, a fluid transport system using the same, and a method for operating the system. The pump includes a pumping portion alternately generating a positive pressure and a negative pressure; a first diaphragm which is provided on one side of the pumping portion and of which a shape is changed as the positive pressure and the negative pressure are alternately generated; a transport chamber which sucks and discharges a transport target fluid corresponding to the deformation of the first diaphragm; a second diaphragm which is provided on the other side of the pumping portion; a monitoring chamber which is provided on one side of the second diaphragm and of which a pressure changes corresponding to the deformation of the second diaphragm; and a pressure measuring portion measuring a pressure change of the monitoring chamber.

A sensor membrane structure is provided. The sensor membrane structure includes a substrate, a first insulating layer, and a device layer. The substrate has a first surface and a second surface that is opposite to the first surface. A cavity is formed on the first surface, an opening is formed on the second surface, and the cavity communicates with the opening. The cavity and the opening penetrate the substrate in a direction that is perpendicular to the first surface. The first insulating layer is disposed on the first surface of the substrate. The device layer is disposed on the first insulating layer. The first insulating layer is disposed for protecting the sensor membrane structure from overetched and remain stable during the etching process, increasing the yield of the sensor membrane structure.

A sensor includes a detector including an element substrate, a membrane including an outer surface, an inner surface on an opposite side of the outer surface, and a diaphragm, a side wall provided on the element substrate and supporting a portion of the inner surface of the membrane outside the diaphragm, and a fixed electrode provided on the element substrate and surrounded by the side wall, facing the inner surface of the membrane with a space therebetween and having an electrostatic capacitance between the fixed electrode and the diaphragm. A first recess portion is provided in the outer surface of the membrane between the center of the diaphragm and the side wall in the thickness direction of the membrane.

The present publication discloses a micromechanical structure including at least one active element, the micromechanical structure comprising a substrate, at least one layer formed on the substrate forming the at least part of the at least one active element, mechanical contact areas through which the micromechanical structure can be connected to other structures like printed circuit boards and like. In accordance with the invention the micromechanical structure includes weakenings like trenches around the mechanical contact areas for eliminating the thermal mismatch between the active element of the micromechanical structure and the other structures.

A fluid-dynamic device with integrated sensor element includes a first chamber suitable for the containment and/or the passage of a fluid, provided with an inlet opening operatively connectable to a fluid-dynamic circuit and configured to allow a fluid to enter the first chamber, and with a separate outlet opening, operatively connectable to a fluid-dynamic circuit and configured to expel said fluid from the first chamber. The first chamber includes at least one portion elastically deformable due to the action of the fluid contained therein and/or passing through the first chamber, to which a sensor element is associated which is sensitive to the deformation of the elastically deformable portion of the first chamber.

The invention relates to a method for monitoring the function of a capacitive pressure measurement cell (10) which has a measuring capacitor (C.sub.M) and a reference capacitor (C.sub.R), to which an internal excitation voltage U.sub.E0 in the form of an alternating square-wave signal is applied. According to the invention, in order to allow the detection of a disturbing influence on the measurement result owing to, in particular, moisture-induced leakage currents, it is proposed that the corresponding voltage values U.sub.1, U.sub.2 be sensed from the voltage signal U.sub.COM during the falling and/or rising signal curve at least two defined times t.sub.1, t.sub.2, and the two pairs of values t.sub.1; U.sub.1 and t.sub.2; U.sub.2 are used to determine a linear equation U=f(t), wherein the linear equation U=f(t)

within the falling or rising signal curve is used to calculate the time t.sub.x at which the voltage value U.sub.x set as a threshold value or switchover point in the comparator-oscillator (SG) is reached, wherein—either the time t.sub.x is compared with the actual switchover time of the comparator-oscillator (SG) and an error signal is generated in the event of significant deviation,—or the time t.sub.x is used to define a hypothetical switchover point of the comparator-oscillator (SG), from which a hypothetical working frequency is calculated, and an error signal is generated if there is significant deviation of said hypothetical working frequency from the actual working frequency of the comparator-oscillator (SG).