Sensors technology refers to technology that measures and detects changes in the properties of the environment. With this technology, the changes can be measured, processed, and analyzed. Industries use sensors for processes like monitoring and controlling different stimuli.
Types of sensors
Sensor technology comes in many different forms. The most common ones are covered below.
Temperature sensors
Temperature sensors are used in a wide range of industries. These include manufacturing, chemical processing, food and beverage, and HVAC. One type of temperature sensor is the thermocouple. These are made of two metals that are joined together, and they are designed to generate a voltage that is proportional to the temperature changes.
Infrared (IR) sensors are also widely used in industry. They measure temperature by detecting thermal radiation emitted by an object.
Other types of temperature sensors are thermistors, resistance temperature detectors, and bimetallic temperature sensors. Companies can choose temperature sensors based on factors like temperature range, response time, environmental conditions, and cost.
Pressure sensors
These are used to ensure process efficiency and safety in the workplace. One commonly used pressure sensor is the strain gauge pressure sensor. This is used to measure static and dynamic pressures in applications like HVAC systems and aerospace industries.
Companies also use capacitive pressure sensors. These are made with two parallel plates that detect changes in capacitance. These pressure sensors are mostly used in applications that require high levels of accuracy, including medical devices and automotive applications.
Other types of pressure sensors are resonant wire pressure sensors and optical pressure sensors. EFE has a variety of pressure sensors for different industries.
Proximity sensors
These sensors detect objects that are in close proximity. They are used in industries like packaging, robotics, and manufacturing. The purpose of these sensors is to promote safety.
One sensor that falls in this category is the inductive proximity sensor. This type uses electromagnetic fields to detect metallic objects. Whenever a metallic object enters the sensing range, it triggers a change in the electromagnetic field of the sensor. Inductive sensors are mostly used in automation applications.
Other types of proximity sensors are ultrasonic proximity sensors and photoelectric proximity sensors.
What is sensor fusion?
This process is also known as sensor data fusion or sensor integration. It refers to the process of combining data from different sensors to get a more comprehensive understanding of the environment or system. This technology is essential because one sensor may not provide sufficient information to make accurate assessments.
Sensor fusion technology uses different techniques. One of these is data-level fusion, where raw sensor measurements from different sensors are processed together. It uses methods like averaging, weighted summation, or statistical methods.
Another technique is feature-level fusion. This involves extracting relevant features from the sensor data. These features are later combined to create a more comprehensive representation.
The other technique used in sensor fusion is decision-level fusion. This works by combining individual outputs from multiple sensors. To combine these decisions, the technology uses methods like voting and weighting.
Finally, sensor fusion can be done using the contextual fusion approach. This method takes into account the context to help individuals understand the situation better. The context can include prior knowledge, system models, environmental factors, and temporal information.
What are Internet of Things (IoT) sensors?
Internet of Things refers to the network of devices that are able to communicate with each other over the internet. IoT sensors are an essential part of this technology. They are used to collect and transmit data that enables different applications. Some widely-used IoT sensors are temperature sensors, humidity sensors, motion sensors, light sensors, and proximity sensors.
Conclusion
Sensor technology helps companies monitor and control different factors in manufacturing. It comes in different forms, including temperature sensors, pressure sensors, and proximity sensors. Companies usually combine the outputs of different types of sensors using sensor fusion technology. This way, they are able to get a more comprehensive understanding of the system.
