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Sensor

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Devakumar
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12 views

Sensor

Uploaded by

Devakumar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Sensors: Different Types of

Sensors
TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1. Sensors: Different Types of Sensors


2. Type1: Temperature
3. Type2: IR Sensors
4. Type3: UV Sensors
5. Type4: Touch Sensor
6. Type5: Proximity Sensor
7. Advanced Sensor Technology

Sensors are sophisticated devices that are frequently used to detect and respond to
electrical or optical signals. A Sensor converts the physical parameter (for example:
temperature, blood pressure, humidity, speed, etc.) into a signal which can be
measured electrically. Let’s explain the example of temperature. The mercury in the
glass thermometer expands and contracts the liquid to convert the measured
temperature which can be read by a viewer on the calibrated glass tube.

Criteria to choose a Sensor


There are certain features which have to be considered when we choose a sensor.
They are as given below:
1. Accuracy
2. Environmental condition - usually has limits for temperature/ humidity
3. Range - Measurement limit of sensor
4. Calibration - Essential for most of the measuring devices as the readings changes
with time
5. Resolution - Smallest increment detected by the sensor
6. Cost
7. Repeatability - The reading that varies is repeatedly measured under the same
environment

Classification of Sensors
The sensors are classified into the following criteria:
1. Primary Input quantity (Measurand)
2. Transduction principles (Using physical and chemical effects)
3. Material and Technology
4. Property
5. Application

Transduction principle is the fundamental criteria which are followed for an efficient
approach. Usually, material and technology criteria are chosen by the development
engineering group.

Classification based on property is as given below:


· Temperature - Thermistors, thermocouples, RTD’s, IC and many more.
· Pressure - Fibre optic, vacuum, elastic liquid based manometers, LVDT, electronic.
· Flow - Electromagnetic, differential pressure, positional displacement, thermal mass,
etc.
· Level Sensors - Differential pressure, ultrasonic radio frequency, radar, thermal
displacement, etc.
· Proximity and displacement - LVDT, photoelectric, capacitive, magnetic, ultrasonic.
· Biosensors - Resonant mirror, electrochemical, surface Plasmon resonance, Light
addressable potentio-metric.
· Image - Charge coupled devices, CMOS
· Gas and chemical - Semiconductor, Infrared, Conductance, Electrochemical.
· Acceleration - Gyroscopes, Accelerometers.
· Others - Moisture, humidity sensor, Speed sensor, mass, Tilt sensor, force,
viscosity.

Surface Plasmon resonance and Light addressable potentio-metric from the Bio-
sensors group are the new optical technology based sensors.CMOS Image
sensors have low resolution as compared to charge coupled devices. CMOS has the
advantages of small size, cheap, less power consumption and hence are better
substitutes for Charge coupled devices. Accelerometers are independently grouped
because of their vital role in future applications like aircraft, automobiles, etc and in
fields of videogames, toys, etc. Magnetometers are those sensors which measure
magnetic flux intensity B (in units of Tesla or As/m2).
Classification based on Application is as given below:
· Industrial process control, measurement and automation
· Non-industrial use – Aircraft, Medical products, Automobiles, Consumer electronics,
other type of sensors.

Sensors can be classified based on power or energy supply requirement of the


sensors:
· Active Sensor - Sensors that require power supply are called as Active Sensors.
Example: LiDAR (Light detection and ranging), photoconductive cell.
· Passive Sensor - Sensors that do not require power supply are called as Passive
Sensors. Example: Radiometers, film photography.

In the current and future applications, sensors can be classified into groups as
follows:
· Accelerometers - These are based on the Micro Electro Mechanical sensor
technology. They are used for patient monitoring which includes pace makers and
vehicle dynamic systems.
· Biosensors - These are based on the electrochemical technology. They are used for
food testing, medical care device, water testing, and biological warfare agent detection.
· Image Sensors - These are based on the CMOS technology. They are used in
consumer electronics, biometrics, traffic and security surveillance and PC imaging.
· Motion Detectors - These are based on the Infra Red, Ultrasonic, and
Microwave / radar technology. They are used in videogames and simulations, light
activation and security detection.
Sensor
A sensor is a device which is capable of converting any physical quantity to be
measured into a signal which can be read, displayed, stored or used to control
some other quantity. This signal produced by the sensor is equivalent to the
quantity to be measured. Sensors are used to measure a particular
characteristic of any object or device. For example a thermocouple, a
thermocouple will sense heat energy (temperature) at one of its junction and
produce equivalent output voltage which can be measured by a voltmeter. More
the temperature rise, higher the voltage read by the voltmeter. All sensors
need to be calibrated with respect with some reference value or standard device
for accurate measurement. Below is the figure of a thermocouple.

Note that a transducer and a sensor are not the


same. In the above given example of thermocouple. The thermocouple acts as a
transducer but the additional circuits or components needed like the voltmeter,
a display etc together from a temperature sensor. Hence the transducer will just
convert the energy from one form to another and all the remaining work is done
by the additional circuits connected. This whole device forms a sensor. Sensors
and transducers are closely related to each other.

Characteristics of Sensors
A good sensor should have the following characteristics 1. High Sensitivity:
Sensitivity indicates how much the output of the device changes with unit
change in input (quantity to be measured). For example the voltage of a
temperature sensor changes by 1mV for every 1°C change in temperature than
the sensitivity of the sensor is said to be 1mV/°C. 2. Linearity: The output should
change linearly with the input. 3. High Resolution: Resolution is the smallest
change in the input that the device can detect. 4. Less Noise & Disturbance. 5.
Less power consumption.

Types of Sensors
Sensors are classified based on the nature of quantity they measure. Following
are the types of sensors with few examples. 1. Acoustic & sound sensors e.g.:
Microphone, Hydrophone.

2. Automotive sensors e.g.: Speedometer, Radar gun, Speedometer, fuel ratio


meter.

3. Chemical Sensors e.g.: Ph sensor, Sensors to detect presences of different


gases or liquids.

4. Electric & Magnetic Sensors e.g.: Galvanometer, Hall sensor (measures flux
density), Metal detector.

5. Environmental Sensors e.g.: Rain gauge, snow gauge, moisture sensor.

6. Optical Sensors e.g.: Photodiode, Phototransistor, Wave front sensor.

7. Mechanical Sensors e.g.: Strain Gauge, Potentiometer (measures


displacement).
8. Thermal & Temperature sensors. e.g.: Calorimeter, Thermocouple,
Thermistor, Gardon gauge.

9. Proximity & Presences sensors A proximity or presences sensor is the one


which is able to detect the presences of nearby objects without any physical
contact. They usually emit electromagnetic radiations and detect the changes in
reflected signal if any. e.g.: Doppler radar, Motion detector.
Further classification can be done based on the principle of operation and nature
of output signal (analog or digital).

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