2. Sensors p.2
Transducers
⢠Transducer
â a device that converts a primary form of energy into a
corresponding signal with a different energy form
⢠Primary Energy Forms: mechanical, thermal, electromagnetic,
optical, chemical, etc.
â take form of a sensor or an actuator
⢠Sensor (e.g., thermometer)
â a device that detects/measures a signal or stimulus
â acquires information from the âreal worldâ
⢠Actuator (e.g., heater)
â a device that generates a signal or stimulus
real
world
sensor
actuator
intelligent
feedback
system
3. Sensors p.3
usable
values
Sensor Systems
Typically interested in electronic sensor
â convert desired parameter into electrically measurable signal
⢠General Electronic Sensor
â primary transducer: changes âreal worldâ parameter into
electrical signal
â secondary transducer: converts electrical signal into analog or
digital values
⢠Typical Electronic Sensor System
real
world
analo
g
signal
primary
transducer
secondary
transducer
sensor
sensor
input
signal
(measurand)
microcontroller
signal processing
communication
sensor data
analog/digital
network
display
4. Sensors p.4
Example Electronic Sensor Systems
⢠Components vary with application
â digital sensor within an instrument
⢠microcontroller
â signal timing
â data storage
â analog sensor analyzed by a PC
â multiple sensors displayed over internet
ÂľC
signal timing
memory
keypadsensor
sensor display
handheld instrument
PC
comm. card
sensor interface
A/D, communication
signal processing
sensor
e.g., RS232
PC
comm. card
internet
sensor
processor
comm.
sensor
processor
comm.
sensor bus sensor bus
5. Sensors p.5
Primary Transducers
⢠Conventional Transducers
large, but generally reliable, based on older technology
â thermocouple: temperature difference
â compass (magnetic): direction
⢠Microelectronic Sensors
millimeter sized, highly sensitive, less robust
â photodiode/phototransistor: photon energy (light)
⢠infrared detectors, proximity/intrusion alarms
â piezoresisitve pressure sensor: air/fluid pressure
â microaccelerometers: vibration, â-velocity (car crash)
â chemical senors: O2, CO2, Cl, Nitrates (explosives)
â DNA arrays: match DNA sequences
7. Sensors p.7ECE 480, Prof. A. Mason
Displacement Measurements
⢠Measurements of size, shape, and position utilize
displacement sensors
⢠Examples
â diameter of part under stress (direct)
â movement of a microphone diaphragm to quantify liquid
movement through the heart (indirect)
⢠Primary Transducer Types
â Resistive Sensors (Potentiometers & Strain Gages)
â Inductive Sensors
â Capacitive Sensors
â Piezoelectric Sensors
⢠Secondary Transducers
â Wheatstone Bridge
â Amplifiers
8. Sensors p.8ECE 480, Prof. A. Mason
Strain Gage: Gage Factor
⢠Remember: for a strained thin wire
â âR/R = âL/L â âA/A + âĎ/Ď
⢠A = Ď (D/2)2
, for circular wire
⢠Poissonâs ratio, Âľ: relates change in diameter D to
change in length L
â âD/D = - Âľ âL/L
⢠Thus
â âR/R = (1+2Âľ) âL/L + âĎ/Ď
⢠Gage Factor, G, used to compare strain-gate materials
â G = âR/R = (1+2Âľ) + âĎ/Ď
âL/L âL/L
LD
dimensional effect piezoresistive effect
9. Sensors p.9
Temperature Sensor Options
⢠Resistance Temperature Detectors (RTDs)
â Platinum, Nickel, Copper metals are typically used
â positive temperature coefficients
⢠Thermistors (âthermally sensitive resistorâ)
â formed from semiconductor materials, not metals
⢠often composite of a ceramic and a metallic oxide (Mn, Co, Cu or Fe)
â typically have negative temperature coefficients
⢠Thermocouples
â based on the Seebeck effect: dissimilar metals at diff. temps. ď signal
10. Sensors p.10
Fiber-optic Temperature Sensor
⢠Sensor operation
â small prism-shaped sample of single-crystal undoped GaAs
attached to ends of two optical fibers
â light energy absorbed by the GaAs crystal depends on
temperature
â percentage of received vs. transmitted energy is a function of
temperature
⢠Can be made small enough for biological implantation
GaAs semiconductor temperature probe
11. Sensors p.11
Example MEMS Transducers
⢠MEMS = micro-electro-mechanical system
â miniature transducers created using IC fabrication processes
⢠Microaccelerometer
â cantilever beam
â suspended mass
⢠Rotation
â gyroscope
⢠Pressure
Electrodes
Ring
structure
Diaphragm (Upper electrode)
Lower electrode 5-10mm
12. Sensors p.12ECE 480, Prof. A. Mason
Passive Sensor Readout Circuit
⢠Photodiode Circuits
⢠Thermistor Half-Bridge
â voltage divider
â one element varies
⢠Wheatstone Bridge
â R3 = resistive sensor
â R4 is matched to nominal value of R3
â If R1 = R2, Vout-nominal = 0
â Vout varies as R3 changes
VCC
R1+R4
13. Sensors p.13ECE 480, Prof. A. Mason
Operational Amplifiers
⢠Properties
â open-loop gain: ideally infinite: practical values 20k-200k
â˘high open-loop gain ď virtual short between + and - inputs
â input impedance: ideally infinite: CMOS opamps are close to ideal
â output impedance: ideally zero: practical values 20-100âŚ
â zero output offset: ideally zero: practical value <1mV
â gain-bandwidth product (GB): practical values ~MHz
â˘frequency where open-loop gain drops to 1 V/V
⢠Commercial opamps provide many different properties
â low noise
â low input current
â low power
â high bandwidth
â low/high supply voltage
â special purpose: comparator, instrumentation amplifier
15. Sensors p.15ECE 480, Prof. A. Mason
More Opamp Configurations
⢠Summing Amp
⢠Differential Amp
⢠Integrating Amp
⢠Differentiating Amp
16. Sensors p.16ECE 480, Prof. A. Mason
Converting Configuration
⢠Current-to-Voltage
⢠Voltage-to-Current
17. Sensors p.17ECE 480, Prof. A. Mason
Instrumentation Amplifier
⢠Robust differential
gain amplifier
⢠Input stage
â high input impedance
⢠buffers gain stage
â no common mode gain
â can have differential gain
⢠Gain stage
â differential gain, low input impedance
⢠Overall amplifier
â amplifies only the differential component
⢠high common mode rejection ratio
â high input impedance suitable for biopotential electrodes with high
output impedance
input stage
gain stage




ďŁ
+
=
3
4
1
12
d
2
R
R
R
RR
G
total differential gain
18. Sensors p.18ECE 480, Prof. A. Mason
Instrumentation Amplifier w/ BP Filter
instrumentation amplifier
With 776 op amps, the circuit was found to have a CMRR of 86 dB at 100 Hz and a noise level of 40 mV peak to
peak at the output. The frequency response was 0.04 to 150 Hz for Âą3 dB and was flat over 4 to 40 Hz. The total
gain is 25 (instrument amp) x 32 (non-inverting amp) = 800.
HPF non-inverting amp
19. Sensors p.19ECE 480, Prof. A. Mason
Connecting Sensors to Microcontrollers
⢠Analog
â many microcontrollers have a built-in A/D
⢠8-bit to 12-bit common
⢠many have multi-channel A/D inputs
⢠Digital
â serial I/O
⢠use serial I/O port, store in memory to analyze
⢠synchronous (with clock)
â must match byte format, stop/start bits, parity check, etc.
⢠asynchronous (no clock): more common for comm. than data
â must match baud rate and bit width, transmission protocol, etc.
â frequency encoded
⢠use timing port, measure pulse width or pulse frequency
ÂľC
signal timing
memory
keypadsensor
sensor display
instrument
20. Sensors p.20ECE 480, Prof. A. Mason
Connecting Smart Sensors to PC/Network
⢠âSmart sensorâ = sensor with built-in signal processing & communication
â e.g., combining a âdumb sensorâ and a microcontroller
⢠Data Acquisition Cards (DAQ)
â PC card with analog and digital I/O
â interface through LabVIEW or user-generated code
⢠Communication Links Common for Sensors
â asynchronous serial comm.
⢠universal asynchronous receive and transmit (UART)
â 1 receive line + 1 transmit line. nodes must match baud rate & protocol
⢠RS232 Serial Port on PCs uses UART format (but at +/- 12V)
â can buy a chip to convert from UART to RS232
â synchronous serial comm.
⢠serial peripheral interface (SPI)
â 1 clock + 1 bidirectional data + 1 chip select/enable
â I2
C = Inter Integrated Circuit bus
⢠designed by Philips for comm. inside TVs, used in several commercial sensor systems
â IEEE P1451: Sensor Comm. Standard
⢠several different sensor comm. protocols for different applications
21. Sensors p.21ECE 480, Prof. A. Mason
Sensor Calibration
⢠Sensors can exhibit non-ideal effects
â offset: nominal output â nominal parameter value
â nonlinearity: output not linear with parameter changes
â cross parameter sensitivity: secondary output variation with, e.g.,
temperature
⢠Calibration = adjusting output to match parameter
â analog signal conditioning
â look-up table
â digital calibration
⢠T = a + bV +cV2
,
â T= temperature; V=sensor voltage;
â a,b,c = calibration coefficients
⢠Compensation
â remove secondary sensitivities
â must have sensitivities characterized
â can remove with polynomial evaluation
⢠P = a + bV + cT + dVT + e V2
, where P=pressure, T=temperature
T1
T2
T3
offset
linear
non-linear