Novotechnik U.S. introduces the RFC4800 Series of touchless angle sensors measuring angular position up to 360°, revolution counter, and speed—without wear. The RFC 4800 is now available with an IO-Link output interface. Its serial communication protocol needs only three wires to transmit measured values and status information simultaneously. The status bit can signal a controller […]
Sensor Tips
How can sensors help cleanup waterways?
Twenty years after its first-generation design was introduced (2002), iRobot’s Roomba has spawned many competitors for indoor cleanup and made several advancements to its initial capabilities. Interactive Autonomous Dynamic Systems (IADYS) has applied the autonomous robot concept to address cleaner and safer water in rivers, canals, lakes, ponds, shipyards and more. IADYS’ Jellyfishbot autonomously collects […]
How do sensors improve wind turbine performance?
Wind turbines are very complex machines. It takes a lot of sensors to ensure their continuous operation generating green energy. This FAQ reviews some of the sensors used to monitor wind turbine operations, such as: Eddy current sensors monitor the lubricating gap of the shaft, how the turbine shaft rotates both axially and radially inside […]
How many types of radar are there?
Radio detection and ranging (radar) uses reflected radio waves to detect and determine the distance, angle, and velocity of objects relative to the radar system. A basic radar system consists of a transmitter producing electromagnetic waves in the radio or microwave spectrum (these can be pulsed or continuous), a transmitting antenna, a receiving antenna (often […]
Human-like skin sensor detects objects for robotics apps
BeBop Sensors, Inc. announced the BeBop Sensors RoboSkin line of skin-like coverings for tactile awareness for humanoid robots and prosthetics. A true nervous system for robots at less than 1mm thick, RoboSkin is the only technology that fits all robotic body parts: limbs, fingers, feet, head, and torso, to make robots “feel” better. RoboSkin’s advanced fabric-based sensor skin […]
How are sensors involved in the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge?
Released earlier this year, the National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan addresses several areas to safely get Americans back to their more normal routines. One of the key points of the Preparedness Plan is the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge (CAiBC). The CAiBC calls on all building owners and operators, schools, colleges and universities, and organizations of […]
How can a machine recognize hand gestures?
Gesture recognition is a user interface that allows computers to capture and interpret non-verbal communication, including facial expressions, head movements, body positioning, and hand motions as commands. Hand gestures are an increasingly common mode of computer control, and the types of sensors used to recognize hand gestures is growing. This FAQ briefly reviews how hand […]
Want to feel better?
With its 1-mm thick RoboSkin smart fabric sensor technology, BeBop Sensors, Inc. can provide tactile awareness for humanoid robots and prosthetics so they can feel interactions similar to humans. The skin-like coverings enable a true nervous system and human-like touch sensing of objects for any part of a robot including limbs, fingers, feet, head and […]
New Alliance linear position transducers from AutomationDirect
AutomationDirect has added new stainless steel linear variable inductance transducers (LVITs) from Alliance Sensors Group to their growing lineup of linear position sensors. These sensors convert the linear displacement of an object into a proportional analog output of 0 to 10 VDC or 4 to 20mA (depending on model). The compact LZ13 series has a […]
Case Study: Vision-based sports analytics for Europe’s top football clubs
Football is not only the world’s favorite pastime but also a multi-billion-dollar industry. Individual players can command millions of dollars in salaries and transfer fees. With so much at stake, coaches and scouts need to make the most informed personnel choices, then, keep their players on top condition. For the most advanced real-time empirical data, […]
