23954 results about "Force sensor" patented technology

The invention relates to an instrument for surgery, in particular minimally invasive surgery. The instrument includes means for feeding back a force which is exerted on the working element of the instrument to the operating element. These means include at least a first force sensor for measuring the force which is exerted on the working element, a control unit and a first actuator. On the basis of a signal which originates from the first force sensor, the control unit controls at least the first actuator in order to control the operating element. Furthermore, the means preferably include a first position sensor for measuring a position of the working element with respect to the frame. The control unit advantageously determines an impedance which the working element is subject to as a result of the presence of a tissue or the like, on the basis of which impedance the control unit controls at least the first actuator.

A piston-type infusion pump is provided having an improved method of occlusion detection. The infusion pump includes processing circuitry for controlling the drive mechanism to infuse medication to a patient, including a sensor to track the position of the syringe plunger, thereby metering the amount of medication dispensed to the patient. The processing circuitry also includes a force sensor for providing signals indicative of the presence of occlusions along the infusion path. The operation of the drive mechanism causes delivery of medication to the patient. The infusion pump is constructed to be watertight.

A computing device includes a touch screen display with a plurality of force sensors, each of which provides a signal in response to contact with the touch screen display. Using force signals from the plurality of force sensors, a characteristic of the contact is determined, such as the magnitude of the force, the centroid of force and the shear force. The characteristic of the contact is used to select a command which is processed to control the computing device. For example, the command may be related to manipulating data displayed on the touch screen display, e.g., by adjusting the scroll speed or the quantity of data selected in response to the magnitude of force, or related to an operation of an application on the computing device, such as selecting different focal ranges, producing an alarm, or adjusting the volume of a speaker in response to the magnitude of force.

A gas delivery system accurately measures and optionally regulates mass flow rate in real time. A fluid conduit connects an inlet valve, calibration volume, flow restrictor, and outlet valve in series. Pressure and temperature sensors are coupled to the calibration volume. One or more pressure sensors may be attached across the flow restrictor. Alternatively, an absolute pressure sensor may be attached upstream of the flow restrictor. One embodiment of differential pressure sensors comprises a floating reference differential pressure sensor, including a first transducer attached to the fluid conduit upstream of the flow restrictor and a second transducer attached to the conduit downstream of the flow restrictor. In this embodiment, each transducer receives a reference pressure from a reference source, and optionally, after the calibration volume is charged, the floating reference differential pressure transducers are calibrated. When gas flow is initiated, differential and / or absolute pressure measurements are repeatedly taken, and a measured mass flow rate calculated thereon. Gas flow is adjusted until the measured mass flow rate reaches a target mass flow. Using the temperature / pressure sensors at the calibration volume, repeated calculations of actual flow rate are made to uncover any discrepancy between actual and measured mass flow rates. Whenever a discrepancy is found, the manner of calculating measured mass flow is conditioned to account for the discrepancy; thus, the measured mass flow rate more accurately represents the actual mass flow rate thereby providing an actual mass flow rate more accurately achieving the target mass flow rate.

The invention is a portable gait analyzer comprising of at least one independent rear foot motion collection unit, at least one independent lower shank motion collection unit, plantar pressure collection unit, at least one processing and display unit, and a soft casing unit. A plurality of accelerometers, rate sensors, force sensor resistors, and pressure sensors provide for the acquisition of acceleration signals, angular velocity signals, foot force signals, and foot pressure signals to be processed. At least one central processing unit, a plurality of memory components, input / output components and ports, telemetry components, calibration components, liquid crystal displays components for the processing and outputting of three dimensional acceleration, angular velocity, tilt, and position. The rearfoot motion collection unit and lower shank motion collection unit interact with the processing and display unit to calculate rear foot kinematic data crucial to identify the motions of pronation and supination. The plantar pressure collection unit interacts with the processing and display unit to calculate plantar pressure data crucial to identify the center of pressure line and excessive and abnormal loads on the sole of the foot. These factors of rear-foot kinematics and plantar pressure lead to gait style identification.

A system and method for prosthesis fitting in joints comprising an artificial condyle and a spacer which cooperates with the condyle to form an artificial joint. The spacer embedded with at least one sensor which is responsive to a force generated between the condyle and the spacer. The artificial joint is adapted to move between a flexed position and an extended position defining a range of motion. The sensor is responsive to the force and generates an output representative of that force. The output is transmitted, either wirelessly or other, to a processor which utilizes an analysis program to display a representation of the forces applied. A practitioner utilizing the displayed analysis may intraoperatively determine the adjustments and balancing required within the artificial joint. The system may also utilize a ligament tension sensor which generates data representative of tension on a ligament of the artificial joint, and a joint angle sensor responsive to the range of motion of the artificial joint. The processor may be adapted to store the outputted sensor data to provide the practitioner with statistically relevant historical data.

A method and apparatus for gas control is provided. The apparatus may be used for controlling gases delivered to a chamber, controlling the chamber pressure, controlling the delivery of backside gas between a substrate and substrate support and the like. In one embodiment, an apparatus for controlling gas control includes at least a first flow sensor having a control valve, a first pressure sensor and at least a second pressure sensor. An inlet of the first flow sensor is adapted for coupling to a gas supply. A control valve is coupled to an outlet of the flow sensor. The first pressure sensor is adapted to sense a metric indicative of the pressure upstream of the first flow sensor. The second pressure sensor is adapted to sense a metric indicative of the pressure downstream of the control valve.

A trial intervertebral disk implant includes a first plate, a second plate, adjacent to the first plate, a conformable layer between the first and the second plates, and a pressure sensor within the conformable layer. The pressure sensor measures a distribution of compression force exerted by the first and the second plates on the conformable layer. The trial implant includes indicating means for indicating a position of the first and the second plates relative to each other, and locating means, for locating a position of the trial implant relative to the vertebrae between which said trial implant has been placed. The trial implant further includes at least one retractable member, connected to at least one of the first and the second plates. The retractable member can be extended or retracted through an aperture defined by a surface of the plate that is proximal to an abutting vertebra.

A method and apparatus for measuring the consumption of reactants includes a partial pressure sensor for measuring the partial pressure of a reactant in a reactant stream. The partial pressure sensor includes a first pressure sensor that has a first sensitivity to the composition of the gas stream and a second pressure sensor that has a second sensitivity to the composition of the reactant stream, the second sensitivity being greater than the first sensitivity. A control unit is configured to compare a first pressure signal from the first pressure sensor to a second pressure signal from the second pressure sensor to determine the partial pressure of the reactant in the reactant stream.

The present disclosure provides a control body adapted for use in an electronic smoking article. The control body includes a shell and a coupler that is adapted to connect the control body to a cartridge of an electronic smoking article. The coupler further is adapted to communicate a pressure reduction within the coupler to a pressure reduction space in the shell. Also positioned within the shell is an electronic circuit board having a pressure sensor attached thereto. The electronic circuit board can be positioned to be parallel to a central axis of the shell. A first end of the pressure sensor can be isolated within the pressure reduction space, and a second end of the pressure sensor can be in communication with a normal pressure space within the shell. One or more light emitting diodes can be attached to the electronic circuit board. At least a portion of the coupler can be light transmissive so that light from the LED is visible through the coupler.

A catheter for diagnosis or treatment of a vessel or organ is provided in which a flexible elongated body includes a tri-axial force sensor formed of a housing and a plurality of optical fibers associated with the housing that measure changes in the intensity of light reflected from the lateral surfaces of the housing resulting from deformation caused by forces applied to a distal extremity of the housing. A controller receives an output of the optical fibers and computes a multi-dimensional force vector corresponding to the contact force.

A capture device for remote, virtual on screen data input by hand annotation comprises at least three functional layers including a bottom rigid layer, a middle pressure sensor layer and a top flexible layer. The bottom rigid layer has a surface that provides a mechanical support for writing. The middle pressure sensor layer is adapted to measuring a pressure array or map on the capture active area and to send data representing the measured pressure to a personal computer. The top flexible touch-sensitive passive LCD display layer includes an LCD surface by which whatever is written down on the LCD is impressed graphically due to its liquid crystal physical properties wherein applied pressure changes the crystal particles orientation and light properties, such that when a stylus presses against a writing surface thereof, it leaves a visible trace allowing the user to produce a drawing though no real ink has flown.

A medical instrument system includes a controller and a guide instrument coupled to an instrument driver, the instrument driver configured to manipulate a distal end portion of the guide instrument in response to control signals generated by the controller. A force sensor is associated with the guide instrument or with a working instrument carried by the guide instrument, and generates force signals responsive to a force applied to a respective distal end portion of the guide instrument or working instrument. A position determining system generates position data indicative of a position of the respective guide or working instrument distal end portion associated with the force sensor, and a processor operatively coupled to the force sensor and position determining system processes respective force signals and position data to generate and display a geometric rendering of an internal body tissue surface based on sensed forces applied to the respective instrument distal end portion as the guide instrument is maneuvered within an interior region of a body containing the body surface.

Electrical steering assist systems reduce the operator applied steering effort necessary to operate material handling vehicles. A steer drive unit including a motor is coupled to a steerable wheel for providing steering assist. The amount of steering assist provided by the steer drive unit is determined by a controller that receives input from one or more input sensing devices. The input sensing device(s) may include force sensors that detect an operator applied turning force. The input sensing device(s) may also detect the movement of one steering component relative to another. Further, the input sensing device(s) may include operator activated controls such as a joystick, potentiometer, switches and voice initiated commands. Input sensing device(s) may additionally be provided to detect operational parameters such as the load on the material handling vehicle, vehicle speed, or environmental conditions such as travel path obstruction detection, homing and proximity sensing.

An improved pump, reservoir and reservoir piston are provided for controlled delivery of fluids. A motor is operably coupled to a drive member, such as a drive screw, which is adapted to advance a plunger slide in response to operation of the motor. The plunger slide is removably coupled to the piston. A method, system, and an article of manufacture for automatically detecting a force sensor failure in a medication infusion pump is provided. The electrical current to an infusion pump is measured. Based on the current measurements, the infusion pump detects when the plunger slide is seated in the reservoir, and detects a problem with the force sensor when the force sensor independently fails to register a value indicating that the plunger slide is seated in the reservoir.

A man-machine interface is disclosed which provides force information to sensing body parts. The interface is comprised of a force-generating device (106) that produces a force which is transmitted to a force-applying device (102) via force-transmitting means (104). The force-applying device applies the generated force to a sensing body part. A force sensor associated with the force applies device and located in the force applicator (126) measures the actual force applies to the sensing body part, while angle sensors (136) measure the angles of relevant joint body parts. A force-control unit (108) uses the joint body part position information to determine a desired force value to be applies to the sensing body part. The force-control unit combines the joint body part position information with the force sensor information to calculate the force command which is sent to the force-generating device.

A robotically-controlled drive unit includes a torque sensing mechanism to measure the torque applied to a rotatable body that is configured to tension an actuation tendon to operate robotic surgical tools and catheters. The drive unit includes a motor unit that generates an output torque in response to a robotic control signal. A beam element generates a reactive torque in response to the output torque generated by the rotor, and a force sensor detects the reactive torque and communicates the magnitude of the reactive torque to a robotic controller. The drive unit may further include a mechanism to perform bi-directional torque sensing, examples of which include additional force sensors and compression springs.

A tactile touch-sensitive device for use as an electronic input device for navigating an electronic document on a display device is described. The tactile aspect of the device provides a document location indicator, such as a protrusion or a depression, which may be perceived through the sense of touch. The device may incorporate additional features such as multiple modes of navigation, namely isotonic and isometric scrolling. Various sensors, such as force sensors and capacitive sensors, may provide the user with coarse and fine scrolling capabilities through different types of interactions with the scrollbar. The force sensors may allow the user to alter the rate of scrolling by adjusting the magnitude of force applied. Additionally, capacitive sensors may detect absolute positions of a user's finger movement and navigate through a document pursuant to those movements.

A cassette having a molded flow channel contained on an elastomeric sheet that is bonded or mechanically attached to a rigid substrate. The flow channel projects outwardly from the exterior of the cassette so that a peristaltic pump having pump head rollers mounted radially from the axis of rotation of the pump motor compress the elastomeric flow channels against the rigid substrate during operation.

The invention discloses a system and a method for instant hydrogen production and power generation. The system comprises a hydrogen production subsystem, an air pressure adjusting subsystem and a power generation subsystem, wherein the hydrogen production subsystem is used for preparing hydrogen from methanol water and transmitting the prepared hydrogen to the power generation subsystem in real time through a transmission pipeline; the transmission pipeline is provided with the air pressure adjusting subsystem for adjusting air pressure inside the transmission pipeline; the power generation subsystem is used for generating power by virtue of hydrogen prepared by the hydrogen production subsystem; the air pressure adjusting subsystem comprises a microprocessor, an air pressure sensor, a valve controller and an air outlet valve; the air pressure sensor is arranged in the transmission pipeline, and is used for sensing data of the air pressure inside the transmission pipeline and sending the data of the air pressure to the microprocessor; the microprocessor is used for controlling the on and off of the air outlet valve according to the data of the air pressure sensed by the air pressure sensor. Power can be generated by instantly prepared hydrogen, a hydrogen buffer tank is not required, and thus the portability and mobility of the hydrogen production and power generation system can be improved.

A capacitive force sensor (100) includes a substrate (101) having at least one electrode pair (102,103) defining a capacitance disposed thereon. The substrate (101) is fixed relative to a first plate (106). A drive circuit (104) is configured to apply a voltage relative to a circuit ground (105) to the electrode pair (102,103). The first plate (106) is separated from a second plate (107) that is coupled to circuit ground (105) by a compliance member (108,109). The compliance member (108,109) is configured to oppose a compression force (110) while allowing the first plate (106) to physically move relative to the second plate (107). A capacitive detection circuit (111) is then configured to detect a change the capacitance when the compliance member (108,109) is compressed. The compression force (110) is then determined from the change in capacitance and the spring constant of the compliance member (108,109).

Methods, systems and devices implement changes in operating mode for a media player, wireless telephone, portable computer or other device having a force sensor and a proximity sensor. A force indication is received from the force sensor and a proximity indication is received from the proximity sensor responsive to user input. The device is then switched from a second operating mode to a first operating mode in response to an occurrence of user input being indicated by both the force and proximity indications. A trigger event occurring during one of the operating modes evokes a response by the device that is not evoked by the trigger event in the other of the first and the second operating modes.

Methods and apparatuses for estimating a user's altitude with respect to the mean sea level are provided. According to some aspects, the present invention is able to estimate altitude in both open sky as well as in degraded GPS signal environments such as dense urban canyon environments where GPS performance is affected by fewer available satellites and / or multipath error. According to other aspects, the present invention uses data from a pressure sensor to estimate altitude, either with or without the use of GPS aiding data. According to further aspects, estimated altitude is integrated with other types of dead reckoning data to provide user context detection pertaining to changes of altitude.

A fuel injection device (fuel supply system) of a common rail type fuel injection system for an engine includes a pressure sensor disposed in a fuel inlet of an injector for measuring a fuel pressure at a position where the sensor is disposed and an ECU for sensing various kinds of pressure fluctuations associated with the injection including a pressure leak due to an injection operation of the injector and waving characteristics due to actual injection thereof based on sensor outputs from the pressure sensor. The ECU serially obtains the sensor outputs from the pressure sensor at intervals of 20 μsec.