Sensor Definition and 403 Threads

  1. S

    Embeeded RPM sensor calculation programming assistance

    Hi i am doing a side project of displaying RPM speed on the Altera development board DE0 which i have running at 10MHZ. i have got a digital input from a hall effect sensor that has a frequency range from 1.6 to 166.6 Hz. the signal incoming has a duty cycle of 50% to calculate the...
  2. J

    Question about Terminal Velocity Lab- without motion sensor

    Hello, We are doing a lab studying terminal velocity. Unfortunately we do not have a motion sensor, so we are dropping coffee filters at a certain height (both scrunched and flat- while increasing their numbers), and noting their final speeds. The thing I don't quite understand is whether...
  3. A

    Creating a Highly Sensitive Sound Sensor: Challenges and Considerations

    Anyone has got an idea about a sound sensor ( that is really sensitive !) , i.e., can sense the sound levels of 20-25 db to convert them to electrical signals...or atleast how to make such a sensitive sensor...
  4. A

    Throttle Position sensor Working

    Almost all the cars now use an Electronic Throttle Body for Controlling airflow into the engine. In order to make the system Fail-safe, manufacturers use two Potentiometers for the throttle position sensor feedback. My doubt is regarding the method used for tapping output from both the...
  5. P

    Quiscent voltage as mention in my hall sensor

    Hi! I am using this hall sensor http://docs-europe.electrocomponents.com/webdocs/0d88/0900766b80d88153.pdf i got 2 problems: 1. When i vary the magnetic field, the hall sensor is acting like digital, i mean, it showing either high value or low value... Its not varying linearly as the distance...
  6. M

    Troubleshooting My Circuit Sensor: Is It Working?

    I want to build my own circuit sensor. I opened the digital scale.I built the circuit on breadboard.The sensor is silverish color in the picture. I have completed my circuit on breadboard but don't know how will this sensor work. Can someone tell me what is the mechanism of this specific...
  7. N

    How Do Image Sensors Convert Light into Electrical Signals?

    I understand the role of an image sensor is to convert incoming light into electrical charge (by splitting the light into RGB values and then measuring the intensities of each), but how does this occur? I know the answer is very basic (the sort of sensors I'm talking about are CCDs and CMOS)...
  8. A

    Sensor in car to calculate weight distribution?

    Hello, I’m currently working on a project in which I need to know the weight distribution in the four tires of a car at all times. I was thinking to install strain gauges somewhere in the chassis, or displacement sensors by the suspension. However I don’t feel these methods will give me...
  9. C

    Why Does a VR Crank Sensor's Inductance Change with Different Casings?

    I helped my colleagues simulate inductance of vr crank sensor in Maxwell but my simulation result is quite different compared to the test one. Our sensor is quite simple, just a piece of permenant magnet, a piece of flux concentrator made of normal steel, and one copper coil hooked outside of...
  10. G

    Why Am I Misunderstanding the Output Resistance in This Circuit Analysis?

    Output resistance problem Homework Statement Hi, I am not getting the answers right, and I think I misunderstand the logic behind this circuit. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/577/screenshotfvm.png/ Homework Equations I know that the equation of Vin is Vin=(VsRin)/(Rs+Rin) and...
  11. A

    Improving Resolution of Sensor Output

    I'm working on a sensor signal conditioning circuit. The sensor output has a 2.5V DC bias with a peak-to-peak voltage swing of about 50mV. The signal output is put through a demodulator and then filter (LPF) to obtain a DC voltage proportional to the out of the sensor. The problem is I need to...
  12. H

    Searching for O2 Sensor (specs in thread)

    Hey guys - I've been looking to find an oxygen sensor that fits certain criteria. I've been looking through oxygen sensors on Google and I can't really figure out what kinds of inexpensive oxygen sensors are available that aren't meant to go inside car exhausts. I would really appreciate it if...
  13. _maxim_

    How Can I Accurately Measure Temperature on Rotating ZrO2 Devices?

    I need to read out the temperature of ZrO2 devices which rotate along their axis between 10-100 kHz by using dry compressed air. The external diameters of each device are: 1mm, 3mm or 4mm, and they rotate inside a special stator The actual rotation speed is read by an optical fiber...
  14. F

    Wire loop area induction sensor

    Hi, I'm working on an idea and i need some guidance say i have a wire loop of a single wire (not solenoid) the area of the loop is about 1-2 cm^2 now say i change the area of the loop slightly by about 0.1%-0.01% could i measure with today's electronics this slight change of L thanks in...
  15. G

    Electric motor temperature sensor locations

    Hi guys, I'm trying to design a brushless motor for an EV with temperature sensing for both the copper coils in the stator and the permanent magnets in the rotor, but I'm not sure how to add a temperature sensor on the neodymium magnets in the rotor. Wouldn't the high levels of varying...
  16. L

    Distance Measuring Sensor Advice

    Hi There, I'm looking for ideas on finding the position of objects (such as a hand or foot) placed in a tank. Without using a camera soultion, I think the use of something like a minature laser range finder or IR proximity sensor. My problem is that I need to find distances between 5cm (min...
  17. T

    Heat transfer from a heated enclosure to a temp sensor in open air.

    Hello everybody, I am trying to figure out if a heated enclosures will effect my temperature readings from a temperature probe. As shown in the picture below, the arrow in the middle shows an enclosure 9"x7"x8" that has a 30 watt heater inside and a battery backup system 27"x 22" x 18" on the...
  18. K

    Sensor for Relative Satellite Motion

    Hi, What kind of sensor can be used for finding the relative position between 2 satellites? Thanks.
  19. V

    Magnetic Sensor Sensitivity units mV/V/gauss, etc.

    So I've been looking at magnetic sensor datasheets and I see the sensitivity is usually listed in units of mV/V/gauss. What does this mean? Let's say I need to sense changes in a magnetic field that usually ranges from about 10 gauss ( 1 mT ) to about 130 gauss ( 13 mT ). And I need to be able...
  20. M

    Seismic sensor and accelerometer

    Both Seismic sensors and accelerometers are used for sensing vibration. Then what is the difference between them?
  21. K

    Exploring the Gas Sensing Properties of Zinc Oxide Nanostructures

    I am just confuse about zinc oxide being a gas sensor. What I am implying is that why it can detect gases such as methane and C2H5OH? What are the properties of ZnO as a gas sensor?and what is the physics behind this gas detection?
  22. C

    IR Distance Sensor: Will this receiver work?

    I've developed a new concept called "Ambient Light Ignoring Infrared Active Distance Sensor". It consists of a transmitter with an infrared LED which uses a traditional LM555 timer to oscillate a frequency of 5kHz and a modified receiver which consists of a common emitter setup, NPN...
  23. N

    Need help with MQ137 NH3 Sensor Circuit?

    hi everybody. a friend of mine needs to make an ammonia sensor from the mq137 sensor, but we couldn't find a circuit anywhere. can any of you guys help us out? we need it to trigger a relay when a preset threshold is reached. thanks in advance!
  24. P

    Need help with vector mathematics for solar sensor

    Hi ALL, I'm glad I found this Forum. I'm an engineer, rusty with my math, building a practical prototype sensor that will characterize energy from 8 directions at shallow angle, upon a solar array. I need help with expression showing the summation of each of the 9 sensors (with the...
  25. L

    Adapting touch sensor to mechanical control system

    Hi. I've just started working with the MPR121 capacitive sensor (at the moment I'm working with the MPR121 breakout board sold by sparkfun) for an application that involves detecting a toolhead's distance above a work surface. It's not a problem to ground part of the tool head and some initial...
  26. S

    Touch/Motion Sensor Capabilities

    Hi, I need a little help trying to determine the possibility of incorporating touch and motion sensor technology in material like rubber, plastic or glass. My question is as follows: Is it possible to incorporate touch and motion sensor technology in material like rubber, plastic or glass...
  27. W

    Finding the frequency of noisy data for a pulse sensor

    I have a simple home built pulse sensor that uses light from an LED to measure the opacity of my skin. As my heart beats the opacity of my skin goes up an down in a saw tooth like pattern. The frequency of this wave is my heat beat. The frequency is easy enough to find manually (by counting the...
  28. I

    Self-Mixing Interferometer vs Capacitive Sensor

    I'm trying to build a non-contact displacement sensor, sensitive to motion in the micrometer to millimeter range, for a research project. My two best choices are a self-mixing laser interferometer and a capacitive displacement sensor. Has anyone had enough experience with these types of sensors...
  29. M

    Suggest a sensor for the following variables?

    Homework Statement Suggest a sensor with a signal conditioning can be used for measuring each of the following physical variables "heat, electrical current, angular displacement, pressure and heart beats"? Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution Heat: sensor: thermometer or...
  30. H

    Beam Curvature Measurement with a Capacitive Sensor

    Hi, I am trying to measure the center deflection of a simply supported beam with a capacitive sensor. The beam's surface that is the sensor's target is originally flat. After applying equal forces on the two edges of the beam, its center curves upwards (away from the capacitive sensor) thus...
  31. K

    How to reduce the force exerted by a guitar string to a Vernier sensor?

    I am doing a project, where I am measuring the tension exerted by different guitar strings from different sets for the classical guitar. I have a Vernier dual force sensor to do it, so the method would be just attaching one end of the guitar string to the Vernier sensor, while the other end...
  32. E

    Z-direction acceleration with accelerometer/magnetic-field sensor

    Hi all, We're working on a project where we try to calculate the distance traveled by a mobile phone which is thrown in the air (only vertical movement, not horizontal). We use the accelerometer to get the acceleration in the x-, y-, and z-axis. Now we try to fix the error caused by the...
  33. Andre

    How Does the X3 Sensor Technology Compare in Image Quality and Sensitivity?

    Andy has elaborated about photo sensors https://www.physicsforums.com/showpost.php?p=3091595&postcount=2. The essential part: This gives the impression that a lot is wasted. If a "red" photon happens to hit a blue filter, it's lost. So every "pixel" containing two green and a red and a blue...
  34. C

    Suggestion for proximity sensor?

    Hello! So, pet project. Basically, I'd like to be able to monitor the distance between two moving points, with distances varying from 0-2m or so, with a resolution of at least 5cm or so. (The actual application is to measure the distance between a person's feet while moving, running, jumping...
  35. C

    Calculate the pressure experienced by the sensor ?

    Homework Statement A sensor is at rest in a fuel tank , it is at a depth of 0.34m and the fuel has a specific gravity of 0.7 . Calculate the pressure experienced by the sensor ? Homework Equations I guess Pressure = force/area The Attempt at a Solution I considered gravity as...
  36. N

    Fiber Optic PPR biochemicals detection sensor

    I was reading this journal on FO-PPR sensor and had a doubt. Couldn't exactly google for an answer as it was unclear. "Integration of fiber optic-particle plasmon resonance biosensor with microfluidic chip" by a group of scientists. I have attached the pdf. Under the section "Preparation of...
  37. N

    Motion sensor and motor control device help

    Hi, I am currently designing a stabilisation device for use in water. The general idea is using an inertial motion sensor to detect the orientation and propellors to correct it. I have very little knowledge in this area and was wondering whether I can use a phidget to achieve a wireless feedback...
  38. L

    How Does an Opamp Circuit with a Temperature Sensor Work?

    Homework Statement I am trying to figure out how this ckt works. But no idea, where to even begin. see attachment tp.png Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution Q1 is diode connected. The Vbe temperature dependence is amplified to indicate the temperature. -2mV/ deg C Gain...
  39. S

    Is it possible to use a PIR motion sensor with a mini-USB cable?

    Hi all, I am trying to connect a Parallax PIR motion sensor to a mini-usb cable. The PIR sensor has three pins: GND (negative), VCC (positive) and OUT. The USB cable has four connections: GND, VCC and the DATA (+ and -). I am able to power up the sensor and see a voltage spike when...
  40. S

    Hall Effect Current Sensor Measurement Fluctuations at low current measurements

    Hi, I was trying to measure DC link current on a switched mode power supply when I came across a quirk of my circuit. I'm using an LEM HX 03-p SP2 hall effect current transducer to measure current. I couple the output node of my current transducer to ground via a 2KΩ resistor. The device's...
  41. A

    Is There a Small WiFi-Enabled Human Motion Sensor?

    Hello I'm designing a project and i need a sensor that can detect human motion.I would like to detect the output signal of this sensor by searching it via laptop or mobile phone as if they are searching for a wifi signal. I would like to know if such sensor is available or should i build a...
  42. P

    How to use this pressure sensor?

    I feel really stupid for asking this.. but how does this sensor work? I'm not really good at electronics. What I mean is, if I have air flow through a pipe, how would I use this, through the small pipe that comes out the top? Or maybe put it inside the tube? Or is this an atmospheric pressure...
  43. H

    Kalman, White Noise, Sensor Specification, Discretization?

    Hi. I have a few questions about sensor specifications and its implementation in a Kalman Filter and simulation of gyroscope/accelerometer output. Abbreviation used: d - discrete c - continuous Q1: From book: Aided Navigation - Farrell (you don't need the book to understand the...
  44. _maxim_

    Hall Effect Magnetic Flux Sensor in very Strong Magnetic Fields

    Dear PFs I am facing a problem with finding a good Hall-effect magnetic flux sensor which should be fixed in the top of a probe working in a very intense magnetic field. The probe must be aligned to a certain degree with respect to the direction of the main field. The requested alignement...
  45. F

    Hall Effect sensor to monitor home electrical apparatus

    Hi Guys, I'm currently doing my final year project which my title is to design a remote sensor to monitor home electrical apparatus by using hall effect sensor. I've build a basic circuit and amplifier to test my hall effect sensor ic ( linear) with a magnet. Everything works fine and now...
  46. F

    Force Sensor Wireless Solution- Academic Project

    Hi friends, I'm an outsider with a management science background looking for a solution into a technical matter I can't resolve by scouring the net. I am working on an academic project that will allow me to track multiple pressure or force points and have that information transmitted...
  47. P

    Help me S beam load cell as gravity sensor

    hye guys... i need to do some design which need me to use S beam load cell as gravity sensor...anyone have ideas about my project?
  48. I_am_learning

    Can Temperature Sensing Prevent Milk from Boiling Over?

    I don't know about you people, but I often loose my milk, because it boils and spills out, just when I am not looking at it. :) Is it possible to alarm when it is just about to boil, by sensing its temperature? My concern is, is temperature a reliable indicator (impurities, varying degree of...
  49. J

    What Type of Sensor Can Measure the Distance Between Hands Accurately?

    I am beginning a new project in which I plan on using the distance between my hands as a measurement. Being new to electrical engineering, I am not quite sure of what type of sensor to use to accomplish this. I would the sensor in one hand to only pick up the receiver in the other hand, not just...
  50. J

    How to measure signal from a piezoelectric sensor?

    Hello, I'm not an electrical engineering student so please bare with me... anyways if let's say you swallow a pill containing a piezoelectric sensor to measure adsorption of a molecule in the stomach how can you detect the changes in frequency? if there is no "physical" electrical connections...
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