The present invention relates to a heated joystick that is configured to be used with heavy-duty machines, excavators, snowplows, dump trucks and the like. The heated joystick comprises integrated heating elements for heating the surface of the joystick, a controller for controlling the operation of the integrated heating elements, and a wiring circuit to power the integrated heating elements and the controller. The wiring circuit can be connected to an external battery or to the vehicle's power system to supply power to the heated joystick. The heated joystick with the integrated heating elements provides heating of a joystick surface, thereby allowing an operator to easily hold the joystick with their bare hands in cold weather conditions.

Various examples are provided of low power, rapid response on-device heaters and methods of calibrating the device within a linear operating region, which is reached and maintained through control of the on-device heater. A system to be calibrated includes a sensor to measure the temperature and relative humidity of the system, a heater coupled to the sensor, a heater controller coupled to the heater to control the heater to heat the system, and a processor coupled to the sensor and the heater controller. The processor controls the heater based on temperature measured by the sensor to perform a calibration process for the system including calculating a calibration factor, and to determine whether to abort the calibration process based on relative humidity measured by the sensor indicating that the system is outside the linear operating region.

A system for determining a health status of a positive temperature coefficient resistor (PTCR) heater assembly includes a PTCR heater assembly and a health monitoring system. An input voltage is provided to the PTCR heater assembly to provide heating. The health monitoring system includes a first sensor configured to sense the input voltage at the PTCR heater assembly and a second sensor configured to sense a current through the PTCR heater assembly. The health monitoring system is configured to determine a baseline characteristic and an observed characteristic each relating to an inrush peak of the PTCR heater assembly and based on the input voltage and the current. The health monitoring system compares the observed characteristic to the baseline characteristic to assess a health status of the PTCR heater assembly and outputs the health status for PTCR heater assembly diagnostics and/or prognostics.

Embodiments of the invention are directed to an apparatus that includes a moveable gripper element including a flexible inner sleeve. A mechanical energy source mechanism is communicatively coupled to the moveable gripper element, and a sensor network is communicatively coupled to the moveable gripper. A controller is communicatively coupled to the mechanical energy source mechanism and the sensor network. The flexible inner sleeve defines an adjustable opening. The controller controls the mechanical energy source mechanism to transfer to the moveable gripper element a gripping force configured to move the moveable outer sleeve, reduce a size of the adjustable opening, and bring the flexible inner sleeve into an initial level of thermal contact with a container positioned within the adjustable opening. The controller is configured to, subsequent to establishing the initial level of thermal contact, control the mechanical energy source mechanism to make adjustments to the gripping force.

A metal heater includes a metal substrate with a groove, a resistive heater disposed within the groove, and a fill metal disposed over the resistive heater and substantially filling the groove, wherein the fill metal has a lower melting temperature than the metal substrate. The fill metal can be indium and a cover plate can be bonded to the metal substrate and over the indium. A method of manufacturing the metal heater and a method of operating the metal heater are also provided.

In an example, a system includes a BAW resonator. The system also includes a first heater configured to heat the BAW resonator, where the first heater is controlled by a first control loop. The system includes a circuit coupled to the BAW resonator. The system also includes a second heater configured to heat the circuit, where the second heater is controlled by a second control loop.

There is provided a transport device which transports a web-shaped substrate from a first atmosphere of a first atmosphere temperature to a second atmosphere of a second atmosphere temperature different from the first atmosphere temperature along a transport path, the transport device including a plurality of pass rollers that are disposed in the transport path and that each support the substrate, and a plurality of heaters that heat the plurality of pass rollers respectively. The plurality of heaters perform heating such that the closer a pass roller is to an upstream side of the transport path, the closer a temperature to which the pass roller is heated is to the first atmosphere temperature and the closer a pass roller is to a downstream side of the transport path, the closer a temperature to which the pass roller is heated is to the second atmosphere temperature.

A semiconductor or other substrate can include one or more electrodes, located directly or indirectly on the substrate, separated from each other and coupled to the substrate. At the two or more electrodes, non-zero frequency time-varying electrical energy can be received. The time-varying electrical energy can be coupled via the two or more electrodes to trigger a displacement current to activate free carriers confined within the semiconductor substrate to generate frequency-controlled heat in the semiconductor substrate.

Provided are embodiments including a system for performing health monitoring. The system includes a measurement device configured to measure pressure of an environment, a heating element of the heater section coupled to the measurement device, a first sensing element operably coupled to a first region of the measurement device, and a second sensing element operably coupled to a second region of the measurement device. The system also includes a programmable logic that is configured to generate a status signal or flag based at least in part on conditions of the first region or the second region of the measurement device, a processing system configured to control the heating element responsive to reaching a threshold temperature, and a display configured to display a status of the first region or second region of the measurement device based at least in part on the status signal or flag.

Provided are embodiments including a system for performing health monitoring. The system includes a measurement device configured to measure pressure of an environment, a heating element of the heater section coupled to the measurement device, a first sensing element operably coupled to a first region of the measurement device, and a second sensing element operably coupled to a second region of the measurement device. The system also includes a programmable logic that is configured to generate a status signal or flag based at least in part on conditions of the first region or the second region of the measurement device, a processing system configured to control the heating element responsive to reaching a threshold temperature, and a display configured to display a status of the first region or second region of the measurement device based at least in part on the status signal or flag.