The present disclosure provides an effective stress cell for direct measurement of effective stress in saturated soil. The effective stress cell comprises a sensing diaphragm, a porous diaphragm, a connector and a strain sensor. The porous diaphragm allows pore-water to enter the interior space between the sensing diaphragm and the porous diaphragm to provide complete balance of pore-water pressures in the front and back of the sensing diaphragm. Thus, the effective stress cell can directly and accurately measure the effective stress in saturated soil using only one diaphragm at one location without measuring pore-water pressure.

An electronic cigarette and a method of controlling the electronic cigarette are disclosed, the electronic cigarette includes a controller; and at least one air pressure sensor coupled with the controller; the at least one air pressure sensor is configured for detecting a first air pressure in an air flow path of the electronic cigarette and a second air pressure of an ambient atmosphere where the electronic cigarette is located, and sending the first air pressure and the second air pressure to the controller; the controller is configured for receiving the second air pressure and the first air pressure and controlling an atomizer to be on or off based on a pressure differential between the first air pressure and the second air pressure.

An apparatus in the field of optics technology, can include a reflector, a reflector substrate, and an extinction component. The reflector can be mounted on the reflector substrate. The extinction component can be arranged on a front surface of the reflector substrate. The reflector can be configured to reflect incident light signals. The extinction component can be configured to reduce the scattered light produced by the incident light signal on the reflector substrate. An optical scanning device (for example, lidar) having such features may greatly reduce the scattered light inside the lidar, reduce the detection blind area caused by the stray light, and greatly improve the receiving and detecting capabilities of the lidar.

A method for measuring pressure includes securing a flow channel to a chassis of a measurement device, the flow channel having a flexible wall with a first mechanical engagement feature presented from an external surface thereof. The method also includes engaging the mechanical engagement feature with a complementary engagement member connected to a force transducer, the securing being effective to immobilize the flow channel relative to the force transducer, and detecting at least one of the position and orientation of the of the flow channel relative to transducer and comparing to at least one of a predefined position and orientation. Further, the method includes generating a signal responsive to the detecting, flowing a fluid through the flow channel, and transmitting forces caused by displacement of the flexible wall through the complementary engagement member to the force transducer. Further, electrical signals are generated responsively to a state of the force transducer.

A load-sensing device is arranged in a package forming a chamber. The package has a deformable substrate configured, in use, to be deformed by an external force. A sensor unit is positioned in direct contact with the deformable substrate and is configured to detect deformations of the deformable substrate. An elastic element within of the chamber is arranged to act between the package and the sensor unit to generate, on the sensor unit, a force keeping the sensor unit in contact with the deformable substrate. The deformable substrate may be a base of the package, and the elastic element may be a metal lamina arranged between the lid of the package and the sensor unit. The sensor unit may be a semiconductor die integrating piezoresistors.

A microelectromechanical pressure sensor structure that comprises a planar base, a side wall layer and a diaphragm plate. The side wall layer forms side walls that extend away from the planar base into contact with the diaphragm plate. The side wall layer is formed of at least three layers, a first layer and a second layer of insulating material and a third layer of conductive material, wherein the third layer is between the first layer and the second layer. The conducting layer provides a shield electrode within the isolating side wall layer. This shield electrode is adapted to reduce undesired effects to the capacitive measurement results.

A glass wafer is provided that includes a sheetlike glass substrate with an opening. The sheetlike glass substrate is configured for use in a sensor selected from a group consisting of a pressure sensor, a piezoresistive sensor, a capacitive pressure sensor, and a piezoresistive pressure sensor. The opening is defined in the glass substrate from a first surface to a second, opposite surface. The opening has a cross-sectional area that is delimited by a straight portion having a minimum length of at least 10 μm and a side face with a surface characterized by a skewness (Ssk) of at most 5.0.

A semiconductor structure is provided. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate, a plurality of vias, a signal transmitting portion, a heater and a sensing material. The plurality of vias penetrates the substrate, wherein each of the plurality of vias includes a conductive or semiconductive portion surrounded by an oxide layer. The signal transmitting portion is disposed in the substrate, wherein adjacent vias of the plurality of vias surrounds the signal transmitting portion. The heater is electrically connected to the signal transmitting portion, and the sensing material is disposed over the heater and electrically connected to the substrate. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure is also provided.

A slew rate detection circuit connected to a sensor detects when an analog electrical signal from the sensor indicates a slew rate that exceeds a threshold value, and generates an interrupt electrical signal when the slew rate is detected as exceeding the threshold value. A control circuit determines a measurement value of the physical property in response to receiving the interrupt signal. The control circuit is connected to an A/D converter, which converts the analog electrical signal into a digital electrical signal, and performs a plurality of sensing system operations including determining the measurement value of the physical property as a function of the digital electrical signal.

A blood pressure measurement module includes a base, a valve plate, a top cover, a micro pump, a driving circuit board, and a pressure sensor. The valve plate is disposed between the base and the top cover. The micro pump is in the base. The pressure sensor is disposed on the driving circuit board. An inlet channel of the top cover and the pressure sensor are connected to a gas bag. The micro pump operates to inflate the gas bag to press the skin of a user. The pressure sensor detects a pressure change in the gas bag so as to detect the blood pressure of the user.