Stress sensor

A stress or magnetic field sensor comprises a generally elongate magnetically soft amorphous or nanocrystalline electrically resistive element and biasing means for applying to the element a bias magnetic field of which the component directed along the length of the sensor has an amplitude variation pattern along the element. A periodically varying pattern has the effect of reducing the sensitivity of a stress sensor to external ambient fields (FIG. 3 shows that with a sawtooth bias field the sensitive portions a of a sensor move to positions b in the presence of an ambient field, but their number remains the same). A ramped bias field enables the position of the sensitive region of the sensor to be controlled, for measuring local stress, or for mapping an external magnetic field. Control of the regions where the sensor is active may include selective conductive coating of portions of its length. Potential uses of the stress sensor include a pressure sensor, embedment in moving parts (using rf communication) such as vehicle tyres, aircraft wings or machine parts, and in structures such as bridges where stray magnetic fields are a problem.