AirNow and PurpleAir report the Air Quality Index (AQI) using different methodologies. With two different techniques to measure air quality (See Pt1), how does the data from the two approaches correlate? While AirNow’s monitors cost tens of thousands of dollars and require significant infrastructure and trained personnel to operate, PurpleAir’s sensors may only cost a […]
Sensor Tips
What is the Air Quality Index? Pt 2
With over 90 forest fires raging along the West Coast, you may feel safe and think you do not need to check the air quality index (AQI) if you don’t live in that region. Think again! A recent satellite image shows that the smoke already extends all the way to Michigan. Don’t smell any smoke? […]
Smart sensors advancements bring new possibilities to industrial automation
By Cliff Ortmeyer, Global Head of Technical Marketing at Newark Sensors are one of the most critical elements of electronic design for Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) applications as, without them, devices have no input (beyond manual human intervention). The good news is that design engineers can now access state-of-the-art sensors that can radically transform […]
What IS the Air Quality Index? Pt 1
Depending on where you live, your age, sensitivity to airborne constituents and other factors, the air quality index (AQI) could be something that you monitor frequently. In the U.S., the AQI developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a nationally uniform color-coded index for reporting air quality. Air agencies use the AQI report and […]
IR digital readout ICs now available as quarter-wafer lot
The Oxygen RD0092 digital readout IC (DROIC) is now available as a quarter-wafer, allowing developers to acquire a reduced minimum order quantity of ICs at lower-cost for evaluation and prototyping. Each fully tested quarter wafer is supplied with a minimum number of guaranteed good die. A full data pack that includes a GUI-based clickable wafer […]
What is the MEMS report card for 2019?
Input for the 21st Annual MEMS Industry Commercialization Report Card Study (for 2019) is currently being requested. Compiled by Roger Grace, President of Roger Grace Associates, the purpose of the Report Card is to provide microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) industry participants with an objective assessment of the critical success factors over time for MEMS and to […]
New sensor from Ibeo Automotive Systems detects environment in four dimensions
The Hamburg-based LiDAR sensor specialist Ibeo Automotive Systems GmbH will begin worldwide delivery of its new ibeoNEXT LiDAR sensor to partners and customers starting in October 2020. The sensor is based on a completely new type of photon laser measurement technology and works completely without moving parts (real solid-state). It generates an additional black-and-white image, […]
What are inertial sensors?
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, […]
What is a Sensor HAT?
HAT is a three-letter acronym (TLA) for hardware attached on top: the terminology used for a hardware specification for add-on modules for the Raspberry Pi model B+. With a HAT, no soldering required, the module simply plugs onto the Raspberry Pi. Taking advantage of this design concept and the popularity of the Raspberry Pi, Avnet has introduced and […]
Kelvin 4-Wire sensing solves the “IR Drop” problem
Novice engineers usually don’t learn about this problem and its solution in school, but “practicing” ones learn about it soon enough! Problem: I need to determine the change in resistance of a low-resistance sensor located many meters away. My plan was simply to apply a known voltage across the thin-wire sensor leads and measure the […]