NXP’s new single-chip NFC solutions provide security, dual-mode tamper status detection, and battery-free sensing for IoT applications. NXP Semiconductors announced the NTAG 22x DNA family, combining certified security with an innovative tamper status detection mechanism and battery-free sensing to measure a change in ambient conditions, such as moisture, liquid fill level, or pressure. This allows […]
Tactile sensor targets robotic hand applications
Melexis has made a major innovation to improve robots’ ability to interact with fragile or diverse objects. The company has unveiled Tactaxis, a fully integrated tactile sensor that is compact, soft, and provides the 3D force vector acting on its surface. This improves robots’ hands and grippers, making delicate operations such as fruit picking possible. […]
What sensors are in a smart cane? Pt 1
Blind or visually impaired individuals have to rely on other senses and typically have heightened capability – especially for hearing and touch. Using a white cane provides feedback in both of these areas. World Health Organization (WHO) data says that there are more than 253 million visually impaired people worldwide. Many of these individuals rely […]
New Contrinex photoelectric sensors with IO-Link compatibility
AutomationDirect has added Contrinex metal M12 and M18 photoelectric sensors to their lineup of almost 4,000 sensors and switches for process and discrete control applications. These Contrinex sensors offer complete overload protection, are IP67 rated, and are available in diffuse, diffuse with adjustable background suppression, retroreflective, and through-beam models. Select models are IO-Link compatible, providing […]
New Phantom S991 machine vision high-speed camera
Vision Research, a leading manufacturer of digital high-speed imaging systems, brings extreme throughput to machine vision applications with the introduction of the Phantom S991 Machine Vision camera. The Phantom S991 employs CoaXPress-over-Fiber technology to deliver up to 9 Gpx/sec (70 Gbps). This throughput translates to over 900 frames per second (fps) at a full 9 Mpx resolution of […]
How has sensing in industrial automation changed? (Part 3)
In Industry 4.0, another sensor-specific aspect that customers are asking for is packaging that can survive in different harsh factory environments. “When you’re putting them on an oil platform or in a factory or on a motor or in a steel mill or in a paper mill, in those really harsh environments, they need to […]
How has sensing in industrial automation changed? (Part 2)
Sensing has changed a lot since the early days of industrial automation. “Back 250 years ago, your sensors were actually people. They were your manufacturing engineers that would walk around and listen to the machines and hear what’s going on,” says John Tuley, from IoT Business Development -Sensor Solutions at TE Connectivity. In Industry 4.0, […]
LVDT Position Sensors handle extreme pressures, high/low cryogenic temperatures
NewTek offers a customized version of its high-temperature LVDT position sensor for material testing in environments with extreme pressures and high/low cryogenic temperatures. Configured to operate in temperatures exceeding 1000°F (538°C), the NT-HT-1000 Linear Displacement Sensor is used for materials testing in autoclaves and material deformation testing in labs and nuclear applications. Available in configurations […]
How are multi-axis sensors improving product development?
With a multi–axis sensor design, a single load cell sensor can measure 3 axes of force and 3 torque moments simultaneously. These sensors consist of multiple bridges that precisely measure the applied force from one direction with minimal crosstalk from the other axes. Using a multi-axis sensor, forces can be measured simultaneously in three mutually […]
Robot solution for automating the lettuce harvest
Lettuce is a valuable crop in Europe and the USA. But labor shortages make it difficult to harvest this valuable field vegetable, as sourcing sufficient seasonal labor to meet harvesting commitments is one of the sector’s biggest challenges. Moreover, with wage inflation rising faster than producer prices, margins are very tight. In England, agricultural technology […]
How has sensing changed in industrial automation? (Part 1)
The Industrial Revolution or what we might call Industry 1.0 started over 250 years ago. In 1771 Richard Arkwright, today known as Father of the Factory System, used water to power the first fully automated spinning mill. One hundred years later, the automotive assembly line initiated the Second Industrial Revolution or Industry 2.0 with significantly […]
Mid range pressure sensors highlight better accuracy and economics
Superior Sensor Technology announced an extension to its ND Series with two new pressure sensor families for mid-pressure range applications. These new devices will enable manufacturers to cost-effectively develop more accurate and stable products for numerous industrial equipment applications operating at low to mid pressure ranges. The new families include the ND Series absolute mid-pressure […]
What sensing events will be held in 2022?
January is a great time to line up major sensing activities for the rest of the year. The following provide an idea of what will occur in 2022 for sensor experts to attend or present the results of their recent efforts. Fast approaching, the 7th Annual Sensors Global Summit 2022 will be held March 2-3 […]
3D sine/cosine Hall-effect position sensor IC features small size
Allegro MicroSystems, Inc. announced its new A33230 3D sine/cosine Hall-effect position sensor IC. The A33230 is the smallest 3D sine/cosine sensor currently available in the market, and offers system designers a cost-effective solution for automotive and industrial applications with a quick time to market. The A33230 contains two discrete analog signal paths for superior high-speed performance, and the tiny SOT23-W package size makes it ideal for situations where PCB space is at a premium. […]
Torque sensor houses sensing head and electronics separately
Sensor Technology has extended its new range of torque sensors with a model that has the sensing head and electronics in separate housings. This has two advantages: the sensing head can fit into very confined spaces, and the electronics can be located in a position where they are protected from physical damage, dust, dirt, moisture, […]
Kaman Measuring Highlights SMT-9700 Position/Displacement System
The Measuring Division of Kaman Precision Products, Inc., highlights the availability of its SMT 9700 position/displacement system, which provides high-resolution noncontact position/displacement feedback of virtually any electrically conductive target. Kaman’s flexible SMT 9700 features easy, cost-effective performance customization that provides an excellent fit for customer applications — and at significant cost savings for volume applications. […]
Ultrasonic ToF sensors work at short and long ranges
TDK Corporation has introduced the Chirp ICU-10201 and ICU-20201, two new high-performance, ultra-low power integrated ultrasonic Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensors for short- and long-range detection. The new MEMS sensors embed a more powerful on-chip processor with higher computational power; the enhanced processing capabilities allow a wide range of application algorithms to fit and to run on-chip, […]
MEMS microphones feature SoundWire compatibility
TDK Corporation has introduced the T5828 SoundWire MEMS microphone as part of the SmartSound family of performance products for mobile, TWS, IoT and other consumer devices. This family of high-performance microphones pushes the boundaries of microphone acoustic performance, providing advanced feature sets in small package footprints. The T5828 SoundWire MEMS microphone offers a high acoustic […]
Six-axis MEMS motion sensors features supreme vibration rejection, temperature stability
TDK Corporation announced the availability of the InvenSense ICM-45xxx SmartMotion ultra-high-performance (UHP) family of 6-axis MEMS motion sensors. This family introduces the on-chip self-calibration, industry’s lowest power consumption, and world’s first BalancedGyro™ (BG) technology. BalancedGyro technology by TDK is the first-of-its-kind gyroscope MEMS architecture that enables supreme vibration rejection and temperature stability performance, an enhancement […]
24-position optical encoder features integrated pushbutton
C&K has launched a new optical rotary encoder, the ENC Series 24-Position Optical Encoder with an integrated pushbutton. The new ENC Series encoder was developed as an improvement to our very successful 16 Position Optical Encoder. In addition to adding 50% more detent positions, the 24-position encoder also includes an oft-requested right angle connector socket […]
ILPS-19 Series linear position sensors
Harold G. Schaevitz Industries LLC has expanded its sensor product offering by adding a line of ILPS-19 Series Inductive Linear Position Sensors using LVIT Technology; contactless devices designed for factory automation and a variety of industrial or commercial applications such as motor sport vehicles, automotive testing, solar cell positioners, wind turbine prop pitch and brake position, […]
How can you sense ripening fruit?
A diet high in fruit (and vegetables) can reduce the risk of developing heart disease, cancer, inflammation and diabetes. But the fruit needs to be fresh for a sustainable, healthy diet. Several techniques are being used to detect ripening fruit. One company, smartGAS in Germany, has two different sensors to detect the ethylene (C2H4) that […]
How can you see through walls?
It depends on what you want to “see” and how much you want to pay. To locate a stud, the old school technique of tapping a tool on the wall for acoustic differences used hearing rather than sight and it was free. Initially, battery-operated stud finders used magnets to find screws and nails and provided […]
How can smart sensors help solve the supply chain problem?
According to a recent article/analysis from Deloitte, (Smart sensors and supply chain innovation), “Companies should consider investing in smart sensors to increase value capture through their supply chains after carefully prioritizing their business objectives and defining their use cases.” Several recent developments lead them to this recommendation. The capabilities of today’s smart sensors are a […]
What are the varieties of electromechanical on/off switches?
Despite wide use of “soft” on/off switching, the traditional electromechanical switch is still often required or preferred and is available in countless versions. Let’s look at some available switch styles. 1) The knife switch It doesn’t get simpler than the knife switch. The first and simplest switch is the knife switch (Figure 1). This style […]