Sensors

TDK Corporation has expanded its NTC temperature sensor portfolio with the M704 and M705 series for temperature measurement in high-voltage systems. The M704 supports voltage ratings up to 4,000 V AC and temperatures from −40°C to +125°C while the M705 supports up to 2,500 V AC, temperatures up to +180°C and a thermal time constant…

The WSEN-PDMS from Würth Elektronik is a differential pressure sensor with ±1 mbar accuracy and 16-bit resolution, supporting 3.0 V to 5.5 V operation with I²C, SPI and analog interfaces. The sensor provides calibrated pressure data with optional temperature output, operates from −25°C to +85°C and includes CRC support for reliable communication. Available with multiple…

Smartwatches are popular wearable devices that are divided into two broad categories: phone companions and fitness trackers. The phone companion acts as an extension or mini clone of the wearer’s smartphone, staying connected via Bluetooth. Common features include email notifications, calling, messaging, social media integration, calendar management, music control, mobile payments, and voice assistant functionality. While certain…

OMNIVISION has announced the new OG0TC BSI global shutter (GS) image sensor for eye and face tracking in AR/VR/MR consumer headsets and glasses. This release marks the introduction of OMNIVISION’s patented DCG high dynamic range (HDR) technology to the AR/VR/MR market in the 2.2-micron (µm) pixel OG0TC GS image sensor. The OG0TC has a package…

HBK has released the U93A, a compact and easy-to-mount miniature force sensor that offers both digital and analog interface options. The U93A is available as a traditional passive mV/V sensor or can be ordered with different hardwired amplifier modules. Models with 0-10V or 4-20mA analog outputs are available, as well as a digital version with…

onsemi announced the availability of the CEM102, a compact analog front-end (AFE) that enables electrochemical sensing with exceptional accuracy at very low currents. With its small form factor and industry-leading low power consumption, the CEM102 allows engineers to create versatile and compact solutions for industrial, environmental, and healthcare applications such as air and gas detection,…

A network of sensors is embedded throughout vehicles, serving as a critical type of “nervous system” that detects and measures different automotive parameters. This network is essential for a vehicle’s safety, performance, and efficiency. Several types of sensors are responsible for different roles, such as monitoring the temperature of engine components, the speed of the…

Temperature sensors are commonly used in embedded applications to monitor ambient temperature and prevent overheating. As a thermal management of the device, these sensors can issue a warning or trigger a cooling mechanism.  However, the use of these sensors varies, depending on the application. For example, temperature sensors are used in: Industrial equipment for process…

Vishay Intertechnology has introduced three new miniaturized infrared (IR) sensor modules for remote-control systems. Featuring modulated carrier output for code learning applications, the Vishay Semiconductors dual-lens TSMP95000 and single-lens TSMP96000 and TSMP98000 combine a wide supply voltage range from 2.0 to 5.5 V with a low typical power consumption of 0.35 mA at 3.3 V. Featuring a new in-house…

Automotive engineers have already developed semi-autonomous vehicles. Fully self-driving vehicles are not far from reality. According to recent research, autonomous driving (AD) could create $300 billion to $400 billion in revenue by 2035. The self-driving car not only showcases how advanced technology is, but it’s also a subject of controversy. There are valid concerns about…

The term “Biometrics” is derived from “bio’” which means life, and “metrics”, which means measurement. Biometrics is developing for use in various technologies, including the unique identification and recognition of people. The technology at its current juncture is widely used in security and surveillance systems. Biometrics also has the possibility of converging with other technologies…

Inertial sensors are used to transduce inertial force into measurable electrical signals to measure acceleration, inclination, and vibration of an object. Micromachining technology has made it possible to produce MEMS (Micro Electromechanical System) inertial sensors using single-crystal silicon sensor elements. These micron-sized sensors meet all major system design drivers like low-cost, high performance, high precision,…

Advent of CMOS technology in eighties led to the phenomenal growth in semiconductor industry. Transistors have become smaller, faster, consume less power, and are cheaper to manufacture. It is CMOS technology which has enabled very high integration on the chips leading to modern high performance, miniaturized integrated circuits. Apart from the valuable contribution in miniaturization of integrated circuits, CMOS technology found applications in sensing applications. CMOS technology has been adopted to design sensors, especially in the field of imaging. Due to the wide usage of CMOS based image sensors, CMOS sensors are often considered to be a synonym of CMOS based image sensors and have emerged as a competitor to CCD based image sensors.

SPI and I2C are the common serial communication protocols used by sensors for communicating with microcontrollers and microcomputers. Both protocols are master-slave protocols. The sensors often take the part of a slave device within an embedded ecosystem. Most of the time, a sensor only requires sending data to the microcontroller/microcomputer. This remains true even if…

Digital compasses are electronic devices that use sensors to determine the magnetic field, displaying the navigational direction numerically. These types of compasses typically use a magnetometer sensor to measure the strength of the magnetic field to detect the direction. One low-cost, three-axis digital magnetometer is the HMC5883L. It measures the value of the magnetic field…

In this project, we will design a simple application using a 3.5-inch TFT LCD that displays different kinds of graphics and text messages with Arduino. TFT LCDs are the most popular color displays – the displays in smartphones, tablets, and laptops are actually the TFT LCDs only. There are TFT LCD shields available for Arduino…

The measurement of pulse rate or heartbeat is a very common medical procedure. Quite often, the patient kept under observation is essentially monitored via their pulse/heartbeat rate. Pulse rate varies from person to person. The pulse is lower when we are resting because at that time, the body does not need much oxygen, and the…

Light sensors or photosensors, which are designed to measure light intensity, are one of the most commonly used sensors in electronic applications. Light intensity is one of the seven base physical quantities. The measurement of light intensity is useful in many consumer, industrial, and security applications. What is a light sensor? A light sensor is…

Ultrasonic sensors have been a popular method for distance measurement and object detection for many years. Their basic operating principle works by measuring the amount of time it takes for their emitted ultrasonic pulse of sound to bounce off an object and return, hence the name ultrasonic sensor. With the market for autonomous robots, vehicles,…

Temperature is one of the most commonly measured quantities of a device or the conditions surrounding it — and particularly for electronic components. This is because electronic devices and circuitry generate heat and require some type of thermal management. There are several types of temperature sensors that work well for such applications and that offer…