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 […]
Magnetic
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 to optimize building and home automation designs to be more energy-efficient
By Brian Dempsey, system design engineer, Texas Instruments The numbers are a wake-up call: According to the United Nations, the buildings and construction sector accounted for 36% of the world’s energy consumption in 2018, contributing to a worrisome carbon footprint. And those percentages continue to grow. As a result, the race is on. Industrial design […]
Sensors and the future of food tech
Scientists and research engineers are developing technologies to boost food yield economically and efficiently in order to feed the world’s growing population. New ideas continue to emerge as the scientific community devotes time and energy in solving this problem. One futuristic approach involves creating an ideal environment for growing food in the air without soil, […]
AMS extends magnetic position sensors portfolio with automotive-grade and ISO26262 safety-compliant dual die integrated circuits
AMS has announced a new series of magnetic position sensors with increased safety and diagnostic capabilities to help automotive OEMs achieve the highest in ISO26262 ASIL system safety-level compliance. The AS5270A/B devices are ideal for many automotive applications including brake and gas pedals, throttle valve and tumble flaps, steering wheel position, chassis ride-height, Exhaust Gas […]
Z-Series magnetic marker types for angle sensor applications
Novotechnik, U.S. introduces a selection of four magnetic marker types designed to suit various mounting applications for their RFC- and RFD- Series of touchless rotary angle sensors that provide absolute, rotary position. These two sensor families utilize a magnetic pickup to provide a touchless measurement range of 0° to 360° and makes measurements through air […]
What position is this thing in?
Associated questions could include: Has it moved? In what type of motion? How close is it? While accelerometers, gyroscopes and magnetometers provide inertial measurement units (IMUs) for position sensing in smart phones and other portable products, many other sensing technologies have been used to determine position, long before the smart phone. In industrial applications, more […]
Magneto-inductive sensors as alternative for conventional sensors
Magneto-inductive sensors combine the advantages of both inductive and magnetic sensors. The sensor measures with high dynamics the distance to a magnet, which is fixed at the measurement object. The magnet movement effects a change in the magnetic flow in the sensor element which is detected by the sensor coil. This results in a linear […]
Hollow-Shaft Rotary Encoders
With its ECI 4000/EBI 4000 rotary encoder series, HEIDENHAIN adds to its existing line of inductive position encoders. The modular devices have a 90-mm hollow shaft without an integral bearing and consist of a scanning unit and the scale drum. They have an overall height of only 20 mm. The single-turn version of the ECI 4000 features resolution […]
Magnetometer targets wearable devices with low-noise output
MEMSIC Inc. has announced the availability of its MMC3630KJ, an ultra-small size, BGA package, magnetometer for portable devices. In recent years, the market for MEMS sensors market has grown rapidly and is widely adopted in consumer electronics, industrial control, automotive electronics and other fields. New technology based on motion sensing fusion is playing an increasingly […]
