Patent ID: 6842009

Claim:
A sensing system for at least one target, the system comprising: a member with an embedded charge; at least one input electrode; at least one output electrode; at least one common electrode, the at least one input and output electrodes are spaced from and on substantially opposing sides of the member from the at least one common electrode, wherein at least one of the member and the input and output electrodes is movable with respect to the other; one or more probes that engage with the target, the probes are connected to the at least one of the member and the input and output electrodes which is movable with respect to the other; an input system coupled between the at least one input electrode and the at least one output electrode, the input system providing an input signal; and an output monitoring system coupled between the at least one output electrode and the at least one common electrode, the output monitoring system detecting a change in an output signal when the target engages with the one or more probes.