RGB light sensors help product manufacturers improve both mobile and fixed (TV) viewing for users. Intersil’s ISL29125 RGB digital light sensor includes on-chip IR filtering technology and high angular response in a 1.65 mm x 1.65 x 0.75 mm form factor. With an operating voltage range of 2.25 V to 3.63 V, the sensor delivers […]
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Detect the Presence or Absence of Liquid in a Transparent Pipe
Using through-beam sensing technology with a 950-nm infrared LED, Autonics BL Series liquid level sensors can accurately detect the presence or absence of liquid in a transparent pipe. This could be for a critical monitoring situation in process control or other applications. For this approach to work, the W23 X H14 X L13-mm sensor requires […]
New Programmable Digital Hall Effect Sensors
Melexis Technologies NV’s newest programmable digital Hall effect sensors have an integrated EEPROM. With this memory, the MLX92231 and MLX92211 magnetic switching thresholds (including hysteresis) can be configured to match a customer’s specific application requirements. The factory pre-programmed MLX92211 targets applications requiring Hall effect latch characteristics, while the MLX92231 supports applications for Hall effect […]
IC Provides Power and Added Features for Energy Harvesters
Ambient light or thermal energy harvesting devices provide energy with a wide voltage range for wireless sensors and other low power applications. To make this energy useful, it must be regulated at specific voltages required by other circuitry. STMicroelectronics SPV1050 is an ultra low-power energy-harvesting IC that provides both 1.8V and 3.3V regulators to power […]
Hall-Effect Sensors Target Commutating Brushless DC Motors
Using a quad Hall element and proprietary programming, Honeywell Sensing and Control developed a high sensitivity and fast response, latching sensor without using the traditional chopper-stabilization technique. Benefits of the new design include: high sensitivity, repeatability, and fast response time that all contribute to a more efficient brushless DC (BLDC) motor design. The SS360PT (SO-23 […]
Motion Tracking Targets Always On Wireless Applications
Announced at CES 2014, the InvenSense ICM-20628 system on chip (SoC) boasts the world’s highest performance and lowest power fully autonomous 6-axis motion tracking solution. The single-chip design combines industry-leading gyroscope and accelerometer specifications with InvenSense third generation digital motion processing and algorithms while consuming less than 2mW. New features of the sensor include: Self-calibration […]
Photoelectric and Ultrasonic Sensors Use the Same Design
Photoelectric sensors target applications with very small objects and high speed operation. Ultrasonic sensors detect almost every object. Until now, choosing one design approach posed significantly difficulties if the other type was desired later. With the same design approach, Baumer’s U500 ultrasonic sensor added to its existing portfolio of NextGen sensors changes that. The new […]
Wearable Connected Watch & Development Kit
Announced as the first of a kind at CES2014, MEMSIC’s sensor development kit (SDK) MMW-SDK allows system designers to add an integrated e-Compass to a connected watch. Meta Watch Ltd worked with MEMSIC to integrate the e-Compass into its MetaWatch family of smart watches. The e-Compass uses MEMSIC’s recently introduced MMC3416xPJ ultra low noise, low […]
Affordable Thermal Imager Announced for Smartphones
At CES 2014, thermal imaging company FLIR announced the FLIR ONE™ personal thermal imaging device that targets consumer applications. The non-contact device detects infrared (IR) energy (heat) and converts it into an electronic signal for displaying a thermal image on a smartphone screen and performing temperature calculations. In its report on “Uncooled Infrared Imaging Technology […]
Google’s Acquisition of Hardware Supplier Advances IoT Connectivity
With Google Inc’s announcement of its plans to acquire Nest Labs Inc, the Internet of Things (IoT) received a tremendous boost. Nest Labs makes smart thermostats and smoke alarms that have a high degree of connectivity. The Nest Protect smoke alarm uses six sensors: photoelectric smoke sensor, carbon monoxide (CO) sensor, heat sensor, light sensor, […]