One sensing tool that has played an important role since the beginning of COVID-19 is data loggers. Data loggers use a wide variety of sensors to measure everything from temperature to illuminance. One specific type of data logger equipped with a CO2 sensor has been used since the beginning of the pandemic to monitor and […]
What is the difference between a pressure sensor and a load cell?
A load cell is a type of force sensor and it has a direct relationship to pressure, since: pressure = force/area Eq. 1 The load cell’s electrical output is proportional to the mechanical force applied to it. The force can be hydraulic or pneumatic and the transducer is normally based on strain gauges. Other types […]
How have drone sensors advanced?
Large Predator B drones, built by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and first flown in 2001, are used by the military to perform multi-mission Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions over land or sea. Sensing payloads in the MQ-9A Predator B remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), include: Multi-Spectral Targeting System Model B (MTS-B) Electro-optical/Infrared (EO/IR), Lynx multi-mode […]
What is the difference between a thermal IR sensor and a quantum IR sensor?
Infrared radiation (IR) can be detected by thermal IR and quantum IR sensors. A thermal IR sensor uses infrared energy as heat for detection and its sensitivity is independent of wavelengths. Therefore, it can detect objects in the near IR, mid IR, and far IR bands. The non-contact detectors do not require cooling after exposure […]
What is the difference between active and passive RFID?
Radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags are used to track and identify personnel (including implanted RFID) and inventory/assets in warehouses, work-in-process (WIP) in manufacturing plants, animals in laboratories, on farms or in the wild and to provide access control and for automatic toll collection for vehicles in consumer as well as government applications. The RFID tag is […]
How can the new temperature-sensitive COVID-19 vaccines’ temperatures be ensured?
The newly developed COVID-19 vaccines require low temperature storage to ensure their efficacy. For the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) specifically states that it should be stored in an ultra-cold freezer, thermal shipping container or refrigerator. The ultra-cold freezer’s temperature should be maintained between -80°C and -60°C (-112°F and […]
What is the future of the IoT Sensors Market?
In its report “IoT Sensors Market Research Report,” Market Research Engine expects the global IoT sensors market to grow from $10.08 billion in 2019 to $10.38 billion in 2020 at a growth rate of a mere 3.03%. The slow growth in 2020 is attributed to the economic slowdown worldwide from the COVID-19 outbreak. Expecting a […]
How is LVDT technology used for sensing?
Linear variable-differential transformer (LVDT) technology’s capability to accurately measurement linear movement is used to provide a position to electrical output for pressure, acceleration and force measurements. For example, in a pressure sensor, the sensing element is a diaphragm that moves a rod or cylindrical core inside the coils of a differential transformer to change the […]
How can police locate where a gunshot came from?
Time is of the essence. When an active shooting occurs, the key to preventing and/or minimizing injuries and death is quickly identifying exactly where the shooter is, end the threat and then treat and transport victims. Gunshots have unique audio characteristics so microphones can detect and provide information for location analysis. With its ShotSpotter site […]
What is the difference between an absolute and incremental position encoder?
Measuring the position of a rotating shaft, speed or direction of motion typically requires a rotary encoder. The two main types of encoding techniques are: absolute and incremental encoders. The absolute encoding technique provides a specific and unique position value for every point of rotation when it is switched on. Absolute encoding is commonly achieved […]
