The invention is a device for gauging the status of a material such as a fat or an oil. The device comprises: a housing; a hollow connecting element; a substrate, attached at the opposite end of the hollow connecting element; a sensor, proximate the substrate, for measuring an electrical property of the material being tested; a protective coating, wherein the protective coating covers the sensor and can be applied using either a thin-film or a thick-film technology; and, an electronic evaluation unit connected via at least one electric line to the sensor; and, is arranged proximate the housing and/or proximate the end of the connecting element that faces the housing.

Sensor device for ion channel recordings; liquid-liquid measurements and resistive pulse particle counting comprising; at least one sensor element; the element comprising a diamond thin film substrate and a pore which is a nanopore or a micropore included in the substrate. This device may be used in analysis, for instance the device may be used for single molecule detection of an apialyte (e.g. DNA), for the analysis of interactions between a sensor element and an analyte, for the detection of pore forming entities, or for the determination of ion transfer.

An electrical force and/or deformation sensor includes a support structure constituted by a rigid plate in one face of which a recess is formed. The bottom wall of the recess is thin and is resiliently deformable under the action of a force or pressure to be measured. At least one piezoresistive sensitive element constituted by a thick-film resistor is applied to the other face of the plate in correspondence with the recess. Electrical conductor elements connected to the sensitive element or elements are also applied to this face of the plate to enable its connection to supply and processing circuits. These circuits may conveniently be produced by thick- or thin-film hybrid circuit technology on the same face of the support plate as that which carries the piezoresistive element or elements. In order to measure absolute pressure, the inlet opening of the recess may be closed by a gas-tight seal so as to define a closed cavity in the thickness of the plate, in which a vacuum is formed.

A system and corresponding method for bulge testing films (e.g. thin films, coatings, layers, etc.) is provided, as well as membrane structures for use in bulge testing and improved methods of manufacturing same so that resulting membrane structures have substantially identical known geometric and responsive characteristics. Arrayed membrane structures, and corresponding methods, are provided in certain embodiments which enable bulge testing of a film(s) over a relatively large surface area via a plurality of different freestanding membrane portions. Improved measurements of film bulging or deflection are obtained by measuring deflection of a center point of a film, relative to non-deflected peripheral points on the film being tested. Furthermore, membrane structures are adhered to mounting structure in an improved manner, and opaque coatings may be applied over top of film(s) to be bulge tested so that a corresponding optical transducer can more easily detect film deflection/bulging. In certain embodiments, a laser triangulation transducer is utilized to measure film deflection/bulging.

1,149,827. Liquid level indicators. ROSEMOUNT ENG. CO. Ltd. Feb.12, 1968 [March 10, 1967], No. 11343/67. Heading G1H. [Also in Division H1] A liquid level sensing device comprises a capsule 20 containing an electrically conducting liquid 21, a flexible support 26 of polymeric material for supporting the capsule 20 from a point electrical connections 28 extending into capsule 20, from the mount for the capsule, the connections being embedded in the polymeric material of the flexible support 26, the capsule 20 being arranged so that the electrical impedance between the connections thereto depends on the angle of tilt of the capsule and capsule 20 and support 26 being arranged so that the capsule is buoyant in a liquid to be sensed but is not buoyant in the air or other gas above the liquid. As shown the capsule has a pair of electrodes at each end and mercury 21 connects together one pair or the other pair depending on the angle of tilt. Capsule 20 is surrounded by expanded polystyrene 29 to give the required buoyancy. Support 26 comprises four copper strips 27, Fig. 2 (not shown) embedded between two layers of a halogenated polymer such as fluorinated ethylene polymer and the assembly of polystyrene 29 is heat-sealed with the polymer 30. A terminal block 33 is provided and a perforated guard tube 34. A number of capsules are mounted vertically beneath each other on a probe inserted from the top or bottom of a tank and the electrode inter -connected to provide an output in binary digital form depending on the liquid level, Fig. 3. The exhausts are shown in their lowest position. If a potential is applied to lead X, that potential will also appear on output leads A, B, C, D. As the liquid level rises, the lowest capsule floats and the output potential disappears from lead D. When the second capsule floats, the output potential is removed from lead C. When the next capsule floats the output potential will reappear on lead D. Thus the potential on leads A, B, C, D will be a reflected binary code in which the presence of the potential is zero and the absence of potential one. Instead of containing mercury the capsule may contain an electrolyte 53, Fig. 8 (not shown) the circuit being broken when an air bubble surrounds one of the electrodes. A changeover switch may be constructed by using a further electrode. A capsule may be used which instead of making and breaking a circuit changes the impedance between two electrodes. The lead wires are connected to thin film metal on metal oxide tracks 63, 64, Fig. 5 (not shown) fixed on to the inside of the capsule and these are bridged by a mercury globule so that the resistance depends on the position of a globule along the tracks as the capsule tilts.

A method includes generating (712) an electrical signal representing a magnetic field using a magnetic field sensor (100) having alternating layers of magneto-strictive material and piezo-electric material (104a-104b, 106). The method also includes performing up-conversion or down-conversion (702-710) so that the electrical signal representing the magnetic field has a higher or lower frequency than a frequency of the magnetic field. The up-conversion or down-conversion is performed before the magnetic field is converted into the electrical signal. The up-conversion or down-conversion could be performed by repeatedly sensitizing (708-710) and desensitizing (704-706) the magnetic field sensor. This could be done using a permanent magnet (108a-108b) and an electromagnet (112), an electromagnet without a permanent magnet, or a movable permanent magnet. The up-conversion or down-conversion could also be performed by chopping the magnetic field. The chopping could involve intermittently shielding the magnetic field sensor from the magnetic field or moving the magnetic field sensor with respect to the magnetic field. L'invention porte sur un procédé qui comprend la génération (712) d'un signal électrique représentant un champ magnétique à l'aide d'un capteur de champ magnétique (100) ayant des couches alternées de matière magnétostrictive et de matière piézoélectrique (104a-104b, 106). Le procédé comprend également la réalisation d'une élévation ou d'un abaissement de fréquence (702-710) de sorte que le signal électrique représentant le champ magnétique a une fréquence plus élevée ou plus faible qu'une fréquence du champ magnétique. L'élévation ou l'abaissement de fréquence est réalisé avant que le champ magnétique ne soit converti en signal électrique. L'élévation ou l'abaissement de fréquence pourrait être réalisé par sensibilisation (708-710) et désensibilisation (704-706) de manière répétée du capteur de champ magnétique. Ceci pourrait être réalisé à l'aide d'un aimant permanent (108a-108b) et d'un électroaimant (112), un électroaimant sans aimant permanent, ou un aimant permanent mobile. L'élévation ou l'abaissement de fréquence pourrait également être réalisée par coupure du champ magnétique. La coupure pourrait impliquer la protection intermittente du capteur de champ magnétique vis-à-vis du champ magnétique ou le déplacement du capteur de champ magnétique par rapport au champ magnétique.

The present invention provides a detection kit and detection method for the drift or deposition characteristic of a sprayed droplet. The detection kit of the present invention comprises a detection membrane on which an immobilized probe is cured, a transition probe capable of specifically binding to the immobilized probe, and a chromogenic probe capable of specifically binding to the transition probe and having a biotin label. The transition probe is added to an agricultural spray liquor as a tracer agent. After spraying, the transition probe is specifically bound to the immobilized probe on the detection membrane. The chromogenic probe having the biotin label is bound to the transition probe by means of hybridization technology. After chromogenic treatment is performed, the amount of droplets is determined according to shading, and a droplet deposition parameter is determined according to the position and size of a chromogenic point. The method of the present invention can not only perform qualitative detection on the drift or deposition distribution of sprayed droplets, but also perform quantitative determination on the drift or deposition amount of the droplets, the coverage density of the droplets, and the particle size of the droplets, to accurately learn about the degree of spraying, improve the utilization rate of a pesticide or a liquid fertilizer, and reduce environmental pollution. La présente invention concerne un kit de détection et un procédé de détection pour la caractéristique de dérive ou de dépôt d'une gouttelette pulvérisée. Le kit de détection de la présente invention comprend une membrane de détection sur laquelle une sonde immobilisée est durcie, une sonde de transition capable de se lier spécifiquement à la sonde immobilisée, et une sonde chromogène capable de se lier spécifiquement à la sonde de transition et ayant un marqueur biotine. La sonde de transition est ajoutée à une liqueur de pulvérisation agricole en tant qu'agent traceur. Après pulvérisation, la sonde de transition est spécifiquement liée à la sonde immobilisée sur la membrane de détection. La sonde chromogène ayant le marqueur biotine est liée à la sonde de transition au moyen d'une technologie d'hybridation. Après la mise en oeuvre d'un traitement chromogène, la quantité de gouttelettes est déterminée en fonction de la tonalité, et un paramètre de dépôt de gouttelettes est déterminé en fonction de la position et de la taille d'un point chromogène. Le procédé de la présente invention peut non seulement effectuer une détection qualitative sur la distribution de dérive ou de dépôt de gouttelettes pulvérisées, mais aussi effectuer une détermination quantitative sur la quantité de dérive ou de dépôt des gouttelettes, la densité de couverture des gouttelettes, et la taille de particule des gouttelettes, pour apprendre avec précision le degré de pulvérisation, améliorer le taux d'utilisation d'un pesticide ou d'un engrais liquide, et réduire la pollution environnementale. 本发明提供了一种喷施雾滴飘失或沉积特性检测试剂盒以及检测方法，本发明的检测试剂盒含有固化有固定探针的检测膜、能够与固定探针特异结合的过渡探针、能够与过渡探针特异结合且生物素标记的显色探针。将过渡探针加到农业喷施液中作为示踪剂，喷施后过渡探针与检测膜上的固定探针特异性结合；将带有生物素标记的显色探针通过杂交技术结合在过渡探针上，经过显色处理后，根据颜色深浅测定雾滴量，根据显色点的位置和大小确定雾滴沉积参数。本发明方法既能够对喷施雾滴的飘失或沉积分布进行定性检测，还能够定量测定雾滴飘失或沉积量和雾滴覆盖密度、雾滴粒径大小，以精准把握喷施程度，提高农药或液体肥料利用率，减少环境污染。

A method includes generating an electrical signal representing a magnetic field using a magnetic field sensor having alternating layers of magneto-strictive material and piezo-electric material. The method also includes performing up-conversion or down-conversion so that the electrical signal representing the magnetic field has a higher or lower frequency than a frequency of the magnetic field. The up-conversion or down-conversion is performed before the magnetic field is converted into the electrical signal. The up-conversion or down-conversion could be performed by repeatedly sensitizing and desensitizing the magnetic field sensor. This could be done using a permanent magnet and an electromagnet, an electromagnet without a permanent magnet, or a movable permanent magnet. The up-conversion or down-conversion could also be performed by chopping the magnetic field. The chopping could involve intermittently shielding the magnetic field sensor from the magnetic field or moving the magnetic field sensor with respect to the magnetic field.