The International System of Units (SI) and the Place of “Force” in European, Asian and American Graphic Representations. The New SI (2019) -- Metrological Characteristics in the Measurement Process, with Examples in Weighing Cells -- General Classification of the Electrical Methods and Principles for Measuring Mechanical Quantities -- Application of Electromagnetic and Optical Methods in Small Force Sensing -- Strain Gauges – Resistive and Other Principles -- Wheatstone Bridges – Basic and Similar Configurations -- Evolution of Strain Gauge Force Transducers – Design, Fabrication, Testing, Calibration and Databases -- Testing Equipment to Investigate Elastic Constants of Rocks and Composites -- Static and Dynamic Stiffness in Connection with Ball Screws and Reinforced Concrete Components -- Methods and Means for Measuring Cables Tension -- Measurement of the Axial Loads Transmitted to the Foundation by High Voltage Circuit Breakers when Acting -- A New Weigh-in-Motion and Traffic Monitoring System -- Robotic and Biomedical Applications Related to Human Hands -- Multifunctional Transducers for Force and Other Non-Electrical Quantities -- Multicomponent Force and Moment Transducers -- Equipment for Determining Aerodynamic Forces on Flapping Wings -- Strain Gauge Balances for Testing Car and Flight Models in Wind-Tunnel Applications -- Recent Evolution of Smart Force Transducers -- New Achievements in the Field of Intelligent Force Transducers. Traceability -- Virtual Instrumentation and Force Transducer for Measurements in Dentistry -- A Supplement on Photoelastic and Digital Techniques in Force Measurements. .

This handbook could best be described as a “potpourri” of ideas and applications in the field of measurement, instrumentation and transducers. Among them, Strain gauges – Wheatstone bridges – Force transducers – Mechanical testing – Electrical measurement – Virtual instrumentation are dominating the story, like a red thread, a root of all facets treated by the author. It is addressed mainly to students, technicians, engineers, researchers and other people desiring to broaden their knowledge area and get new specific information. The book’s table of contents is rather balanced, going from simple to complex in 21 chapters. Most delicate subjects, such as force feedback, force control, force vision, smart / intelligent force transducers, virtual measurement, are gradually presented and properly explained. More than 200 illustrations (colorful, complex, suggestive, and informative) and 260 bibliographical references (a quarter from which belonging to the author) bring a plus of value and strength to this spectacular and unique work about various applications with strain gauge force transducers (SGFTs) and their characteristics. It is to be noted the uniform figuring of the strain gauges, connected in Wheatstone bridge after their bonding on the elastic elements of single- or multi-component SGFTs, observing the adopted color convention: red – increasing resistance for (mechanical) tension (T) and blue – decreasing resistance for compression (C). Perhaps one could object to somehow “overloading” certain pictures. An explanation could be the author’s desire to “squeeze” more information into individual images. This could be a great advantage especially for young people, who prefer “concentrated” information and quick learning. Both online and printed editions enjoy and benefit from the “kaleidoscopic” (and often “encyclopedic”) content of this book.