introduction
book-reviews: materials science and devices
links: online chemical sensors
links: The Sensor Magazine
links: Sensor Expo
links: to Accelerometer News
links: Sensor Research
link: basis volume advanced materials and sensors
Introduction:
Sensors are devices that detect phenomena such as heat, force, chemical concentrations etc. and translate these into electrical signals (usually voltage or current). Sensors interfaced to computers are applied as in the schematic below.
Common sensors include
Thermocouples: for measuring temperature
pH electrodes for measuring acidity
Linear voltage differential transformer (LVDT) for measuring displacement of distance
magnetometers for measuring magnetic quantities
In the schematic above, the buffer is usually an amplifier for analogue signal conditioning and. The interface circuit consists of mixed analogue and digital circuit elements.
Sensors probably represent the largest potential application of computers in this and coming centuries. But the field of sensors is disparate. Often many and expensive technologies are needed to create a useful sensor. This is in contrast to say conventional microelectronics which is largely reliant on one material; silicon. As a result of the relative high cost of R&D, sensor implementations have lagged behind say communications, and office automation applications of computers. However sensor applications are the most important applications of computers. In the coming years it will dwarf all the current computer applications combined.
Basis volume is a company involved in sensor development and implementation for the last two decades. On the left is a link to Basis Volume and to international groups deployed in sensors .
Basis Volume as a sensor focused company has a has a superb collection of books at very affordable prices. And on-line ordering facilities are available.
If you are currently working in sensors:
(1) you can publish short bulletins on sensor types, sensor interfacing, sensor algorithms etc here. We are familiar with
membrane based miniature chemical gas sensors
selected ion selective electrodes
miniature solid stale electrochemical sensors
solid state accelerometers
piezo-pressure transducers
semiconductor vacuum pressure transducers
mixed conductor sensors
MEMS
Please contact us via email.
(2) you can publish book reviews of sensors books with us. Please email your book review with title, author and ISBN of the book.