Hall Effect Sensors in Automotive Applications
July 28, 2011 by Randy Frank
Filed under Featured, Position, Speed
At Sensors Expo 2011, Gwenn Gmeinder, business development manager at Hamlin demonstrates the company’s Hall Effect speed sensing technology in transmission gear teeth and EGR valve (rotational)
sensing applications.
For more information about Hamlin Hall Effect sensors for sensing gear teeth, click here.
To watch the video, click here.
MEMS Thermal IR Sensor Detects Occupancy
July 26, 2011 by Randy Frank
Filed under Featured, MEMS Sensor Technology, Proximity, Temperature
Donna Sandfox, MEMS product manager with Omron Electronic Components discusses the company’s thermal IR Sensor at Sensors Expo 2011. With eight microelectromechanical system (MEMS) chips in the sensor, the D6T-8L can determine occupancy for several building automation, commercial and consumer applications.
The sensor is in development so for more information consult Omron Electronic Components.
To watch the video, click here.
Inductive Proximity Sensor for Extreme Radiation & Temperatures
July 25, 2011 by Randy Frank
Filed under Frank Talk, Proximity, Signal Conditioning
Touch Sensing Demonstration
July 25, 2011 by Randy Frank
Filed under Capacitive, Featured, Touch Sensing
The Embedded System Conference was held in conjunction with Sensors Expo 2011 in Chicago. Rob Ostafia, Group Leader Curriculum Development at Microchip Technology explains the company’s products for capacitive touch sensing through several demo boards.
For more information about Microchip Technology touch sensing, click here.
To watch the video, click here.
Infrared Temperature Sensor Monitor
July 21, 2011 by Randy Frank
Filed under Featured, Temperature
At Sensors Expo 2011, an expert from Dexter Research shows Sensor Tips’ Randy Frank the company’s infrared TSM temperature sensor module monitoring soil and leaf temperature. The TSM has better than 0.5°C repeatability in the 0-50°C range.
For more information about Dexter Research TSM, temperature sensor module, click here.
To watch the video, click here.
Non Contact Temperature Sensing for Industrial Applications
July 20, 2011 by Randy Frank
Filed under Featured, Temperature
At Sensors Expo 2011, Wayne Baer from Dexter Research shows Randy Frank the SLA64. The device is a 64-channel linear thermopile array for non contact temperature sensing in industrial applications.
For more information about Dexter Research products, click here.
To watch the video, click here.
Thermal Energy Harvesting Using Nextreme’s Thin-film Technology
July 18, 2011 by Randy Frank
Filed under Energy Harvesting, Featured
Jim Mundell, chief operating officer of Nextreme Thermal Solutions demonstrates the company’s thin film energy harvesters to Randy Frank at Sensors Expo 2011. Nextreme’s Thermobility WPG-1S Wireless Power Generator was a best of Sensors Expo winner in 2011. The thermal energy harvester takes advantage of Texas Instruments/ Cymbet Energy Harvesting Development Tool.
To watch the video, click here.
Sensors Enable Portable Healthcare Innovations
July 14, 2011 by Randy Frank
Filed under Featured, MEMS Sensor Technology, Motion, Pressure
Sensors as well as communication ICs and microcontrollers provide the enabling technologies for several new innovations in healthcare. A Kalorama Information Dec. 1, 2010 report estimates that the global market for medical mobile apps hit $84.M in 2010, increasing more than 2X its 2009 level of $41M. This is just the downloadable software portion of the market enabled by wireless sensing.
In spite of the difficulties in obtaining medical approvals for hardware, some companies are making definite progress in applying these advanced technologies.
Proteus Biomedical has developed a U.S. FDA 510K cleared and European Union CE Mark-certified personal patch-based wearable sensors for continuous physiologic sensing and monitoring. Proteus’ personal monitoring technology uses multiple sensors to monitor parameters including heart rate, physical activity, and sleep patterns. The figure shows an example of the types of measurements and monitoring system the company has developed.
This is just one example of how the pace is accelerating for healthcare monitoring. Lifecomm, a mobile health and wellness venture of Hughes Telematics, Qualcomm’s Health & Life Sciences Division, and American Medical Alert are working together to launch a 3G personal emergency response service (PERS) at the end of 2011. Lifecomm’s solution will include motion sensors and automatically initiate a call for help in the event of a fall.
Micronor launches Model MR330 fiber-optic position sensor
Micronor (www.micronor.com) has unveiled the first commercially offered fiber-optic position sensor suitable for long-distance position sensing without being affected by ground loop issues — the Model MR330 fiber-optic position sensor. Its optical design provides immunity to all electro-magnetic interference such as radiation, magnetic fields, lightning and other extreme conditions.
Without any electronic component, the position sensor can measure absolute angular position more than zero to 360 degrees with speeds exceeding 2,500 rpm and 13-bit (8192-count) resolution. An optical technique integrated in an active controller and a passive sensor, held together by a 62.5/125 multimode duplex fiber-optic link allows the position sensor to track multiple turns to 12-bits (4096-revolutions). Powered by 24 VDC, the optical sensor’s controller sends a burst of light to the sensor’s code disk that modulates the light’s spectral components based on angular position. The position data is embedded in the light’s optical spectrum and led back to the controller for accurate position readout.
“The uniqueness of the system is that the sensor is entirely passive, meaning that there are no electronic components whatsoever in the unit,” said Robert Rickenbach, Chief Engineer at Micronor.
“The result is that the sensor can be directly deployed in extreme environments where conventional electronic-based encoders have distinct limitations.”
The accuracy and EMI immunity of MR330 make it ideal for application requiring for precise position measurement and motion control in challenging environments, such as satellite antennas, oil rigs, actuator systems, solar panel arrays, steel mills, transportation systems and medical instrumentation. The optical sensors also conform to the ATEX requirements, making it suitable for use in mines and other explosive environments. Its immunity to lighting makes it ideal for various outdoor applications including antennas and wind turbines.
Electromagnetic Vibration Energy Harvesting
July 11, 2011 by Randy Frank
Filed under Energy Harvesting, Featured
Roy Freeland, president of Perpetuum discusses the company’s applications of vibration energy harvesters by well-known companies at Sensors Expo 2011. The company’s products, including its PMG FSH free-standing energy harvester, are used by companies including National Instruments, GE Bently Nevada, Emerson Rosemount, Honeywell, Siemens and more.
For more information about Perpetuum vibration energy harvesters, click here.
To watch the video, click here.
