Sensor Tips

A wide range of sensor technologies is required to support augmented reality and virtual reality (AR/VR) systems. Today’s AR/VR implementations are mostly focused on visual and audio interfaces and rely on motion tracking and listening/voice recognition sensors. That’s beginning to change with new types of sensors and various types of haptics being introduced. This FAQ […]

Acoustic leak detection sensor technologies rely on the fact that liquid and gas leaks are noisy. However, it’s not necessarily a noise that the human ear can detect, it can be in the ultrasonic region. Leaky water pipes are a significant environmental challenge – UN Sustainable Development Goal No. 6 states that clean (drinking) water […]

Novotechnik U.S. introduces the RFC4800 Series of touchless angle sensors measuring angular position up to 360°, revolution counter, and speed—without wear. The RFC 4800 is now available with an IO-Link output interface. Its serial communication protocol needs only three wires to transmit measured values and status information simultaneously. The status bit can signal a controller […]

Twenty years after its first-generation design was introduced (2002), iRobot’s Roomba has spawned many competitors for indoor cleanup and made several advancements to its initial capabilities. Interactive Autonomous Dynamic Systems (IADYS) has applied the autonomous robot concept to address cleaner and safer water in rivers, canals, lakes, ponds, shipyards and more. IADYS’ Jellyfishbot autonomously collects […]

Wind turbines are very complex machines. It takes a lot of sensors to ensure their continuous operation generating green energy. This FAQ reviews some of the sensors used to monitor wind turbine operations, such as: Eddy current sensors monitor the lubricating gap of the shaft, how the turbine shaft rotates both axially and radially inside […]

BeBop Sensors, Inc. announced the BeBop Sensors RoboSkin line of skin-like coverings for tactile awareness for humanoid robots and prosthetics. A true nervous system for robots at less than 1mm thick, RoboSkin is the only technology that fits all robotic body parts: limbs, fingers, feet, head, and torso, to make robots “feel” better. RoboSkin’s advanced fabric-based sensor skin […]

Released earlier this year, the National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan addresses several areas to safely get Americans back to their more normal routines. One of the key points of the Preparedness Plan is the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge (CAiBC).  The CAiBC calls on all building owners and operators, schools, colleges and universities, and organizations of […]

Gesture recognition is a user interface that allows computers to capture and interpret non-verbal communication, including facial expressions, head movements, body positioning, and hand motions as commands. Hand gestures are an increasingly common mode of computer control, and the types of sensors used to recognize hand gestures is growing. This FAQ briefly reviews how hand […]

With its 1-mm thick RoboSkin smart fabric sensor technology, BeBop Sensors, Inc. can provide tactile awareness for humanoid robots and prosthetics so they can feel interactions similar to humans. The skin-like coverings enable a true nervous system and human-like touch sensing of objects for any part of a robot including limbs, fingers, feet, head and […]

Radio detection and ranging (radar) uses reflected radio waves to detect and determine the distance, angle, and velocity of objects relative to the radar system. A basic radar system consists of a transmitter producing electromagnetic waves in the radio or microwave spectrum (these can be pulsed or continuous), a transmitting antenna, a receiving antenna (often […]

AutomationDirect has added new stainless steel linear variable inductance transducers (LVITs) from Alliance Sensors Group to their growing lineup of linear position sensors. These sensors convert the linear displacement of an object into a proportional analog output of 0 to 10 VDC or 4 to 20mA (depending on model). The compact LZ13 series has a […]

Football is not only the world’s favorite pastime but also a multi-billion-dollar industry. Individual players can command millions of dollars in salaries and transfer fees. With so much at stake, coaches and scouts need to make the most informed personnel choices, then, keep their players on top condition. For the most advanced real-time empirical data, […]

STMicroelectronics is enhancing vehicle safety with its latest global-shutter image sensors for driver monitoring systems (DMSs). DMSs continually watch the driver’s head movements to recognize signs of drowsiness and distraction, enabling systems in the vehicle to generate warnings that can preserve the safety of occupants. Traffic agencies estimate that about 95% of road traffic accidents […]

In 2022, the Wear 2022 Conference will be held in Scottsdale, AZ, June 7-9, 2022, at the DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Paradise Valley, and available online as well. The annual conference examines the significant breakthroughs and new opportunities made possible through the integration of textiles and technology through wearables. Among the driving forces for wearables […]

The new 36 sensor series from Leuze detects objects even at large operating ranges. Manufacturers and operators of highly automated systems benefit from the cost-optimized design of these sensors. The accurate detection of objects requires reliable technology: Leuze has developed the new 36-sensor series exactly with this in mind: Thanks to their detection performance, these […]

Embedded vision components are ever-popular and being incorporated into a plethora of applications. What all these applications have in common is the need to pack more functionality into tight spaces. Often, it is advantageous for these systems to make decisions on the edge. To enable such systems, including the ability to prototype quickly, Teledyne FLIR has introduced the […]

In today’s supply chain situation, this has to be among the most frequently asked questions (FAQs). However, even under what may have been considered normal times prior to COVID-19, it still is a legitimate FAQ. Tracking shipments that are critical or essential may allow more expensive tracking solutions but if the cost is reasonable, many […]

Researchers at Boston College, Giner Labs and Boston University say the answer is a graphene electronic multiplexed sensor (GEMS) platform that enables the simultaneous sensing of four different target opioid-derived molecules in wastewater samples. The graphene-based field effect transistors detect four different synthetic and natural opioids, while shielding them from wastewater’s harsh elements. The ability […]

If you go to the Wikipedia page on absolute encoders, you’ll find descriptions of these devices mentioning multiple code rings, glass or plastic discs, and configurations of sliding contacts arranged so each contact wipes against a metal disc at a different distance from a turning shaft. Actually, you’d be hard pressed to find any of […]

Superior Sensor Technology announced their ND Series pressure sensors offer advanced air measurement capability that greatly improve the speed and altitude control of drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).  Based on the company’s advanced NimbleSense architecture, the ND series pressure sensors are not sensitive to noise, provide extreme accuracy, offer fast response times, use minimal power, and are designed […]

SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping) is used in autonomous vehicles of all types to build a map and simultaneously locate the vehicle in that map. SLAM algorithms allow the vehicle to analyze and map out unknown environments. With this map information, the vehicle can implement path planning and obstacle avoidance. Visual SLAM uses cameras and/or […]

NewTek Pre-calibrated Linear Position Sensors serve as long-term replacements for potentiometers (pots) that become unreliable over time due to their contacting operation and effects from vibration and other environmental parameters. As potentiometers rely on mechanical contact to provide position feedback, components wear out and are affected by heat, vibration, and humidity, making output progressively noisier […]

The accurate detection of objects requires reliable technology: Leuze has developed the new 36 sensor series exactly with this in mind: Thanks to their perfect detection performance, these sensors are suitable for the demanding requirements in intralogistics, packaging systems, and the automotive industry. They detect objects with different optical properties – even at a great distance, with vibration, […]

Roger Grace Associates has announced the call for abstracts covering medtech/wearable applications for a full-day symposium preceding the Sensors Converge conference. Both the symposium and conference will take place at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, CA. The pre-conference symposium will address printed/flexible stretchable (P/F/S) and functional fabric (FF) Sensors and electronics from a […]

Network security involves software and computer-based hardware/firmware to provide access to the authorized and restrict access to the unauthorized. In contrast, physical or brick and mortar security starts with sensors and, if the security system is connected to the internet, it also requires the same network security measures. Protecting a residence, commercial building or an […]