A piezoelectric base material includes an elongated inner conductor, and a piezoelectric layer covering a periphery of the inner conductor. The piezoelectric layer includes a piezoelectric yarn wound around the inner conductor, and an adhering section that maintains a state in which the piezoelectric yarn is wound around the periphery of the inner conductor. The piezoelectric yarn includes an optically active polypeptide fiber that is a fiber including an optically active polypeptide. The piezoelectric layer has an elastic modulus Y of from 1.0 GPa to 8.0 GPa as measured by a microhardness measurement in accordance with JIS Z 2255.

The present invention relates to a sensing system that, in a preferred embodiment, can be readily integrated into load-lifting structures (such as wings and landing gears) to provide real-time DPHM and obviate/mitigate catastrophic problems. Broadly, the present sensing system combines at least one shim portion with at least one nanogenerator such as a TENG or a PENG. A major advantage of the present sensing system is that it combines in a single structure the following functions: (a) gap management in the component in which the sensing system is installed, (b) collection/storage of measured data for the component in which the sensing system is installed, (c) harvesting/storing energy from operation environment of the component in which the sensing system is installed (e.g., DPHM data when the present sensing system is used for assessment of an aircraft's structural conditions), and (d) wireless transmission of measured data for the component in which the sensing system is installed to a user interface.

A piezoelectric body that is excellent in endurance, flexibility and bendability is achieved. A piezoelectric member includes: belt type first and second conductive rubber sheets that face each other; and a piezoelectric layer formed between an upper surface of the first conductive rubber sheet and a lower surface of the second conductive rubber sheet. The piezoelectric layer is made of a piezoelectric coating material with which at least either one of the upper surface of the first conductive rubber sheet and the lower surface of the second conductive rubber sheet is coated. When a pressure is applied to the piezoelectric layer through at least either one of the first conductive rubber sheet and the second conductive rubber sheet, a potential difference is generated between the first conductive rubber sheet and the second conductive rubber sheet.

The invention relates to an assembly for nondestructive material testing with which shear waves are emitted and detected in elastic surfaces of components or workpieces, in which piezoelectric transducer elements are arranged above one another in multiple planes and the piezoelectric transducer elements arranged in adjacent planes can each be operated oppositely to one another. The piezoelectric transducer elements can be piezoelectric fibers and/or piezoelectric plate-like elements that are connected to or embedded in an elastically deformable material.

This disclosure relates to fiber actuators for providing haptic feedback, and haptic actuation resulting from mechanical and/or electrostatic (non-mechanical) interactions with the fiber actuators. Such fiber actuators are useful in structural materials, including as elements of wearables or accessories.

Provided are a piezoelectric device capable of exhibiting high power-generation performance without impairing flexibility and a method of manufacturing the piezoelectric device. The piezoelectric device includes a multilayer structure 1 in which a polymer nonwoven fabric 3 holding or containing piezoelectric ceramic particles 4 and a polymer resin sheet 2 containing piezoelectric ceramic particles are stacked such that at least one layer of the polymer nonwoven fabric is included. This multilayer structure can provide an electric power output equal to or larger than the electric power output produced by a multilayer structure in which a layer of the polymer resin sheet is stacked on each of two main surface sides of a layer of the polymer nonwoven fabric.

Methods and apparatus related to arrays of piezoelectric strands. Some implementations are directed to using an array of piezoelectric strands, along with associated driving and sensing components, to enable determination of one or more properties of external force(s) applied to the array, such as what areas of the array have external force being applied, a measure of the applied external force(s), material properties of object(s) applying the external force(s), etc. Each of the piezoelectric strands of an array may include at least a longitudinally extending piezoelectric material and a longitudinally extending conductive electrode.

This disclosure relates to conformable displays, including macro-fiber composite (MFC) actuators. The MFC actuators are configured to displace the conformable displays in a linear direction. The conformable displays can be thin, flexible and deformable.

The invention relates to an electrode containing reduced graphene oxide nanofiber surface (25) with increased mechanical stress resistance, produced by electrospray method to increase efficiency by using in piezoelectric nanogenerators (40) with graphene electrodes.

This disclosure relates to fiber actuators for providing haptic feedback, and haptic actuation resulting from mechanical and/or electrostatic (non-mechanical) interactions with the fiber actuators. Such fiber actuators are useful in structural materials, including as elements of wearables or accessories.