Banner Engineering now sells Q5X sensors — high-power mid-range laser distance sensors for reliable detection of challenging targets. The Q5X sensor solves difficult distance-based applications, even at acute angles, at a range from 9.5 centimeters to 2 meters. The high-power laser sensor reliably detects difficult targets, including extremely dark objects, black targets against a black […]
Sensor Tips
Multi-turn encoders operate at -40 to 85C with IP65 rating
Sensata Technologies introduced the availability of MHM5 and MHK5 Absolute Multi-Turn encoders with either Ethernet/IP or ProfiNet interfaces for Factory 4.0 applications. To provide additional design flexibility, these encoders are available in either shafted (MHM5) or blind shaft (MHK5) configurations. These model MH encoders provide up to 16 bits per turn and 14 bits of […]
What’s happening in air quality sensing?
Many people take clean air as a given. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates (2014) that 4 million deaths globally are caused, at least in part, by air pollution. WHO also estimates (2016) that more than 90% of the world’s population lives in regions where air pollutant levels are higher than the WHO specified […]
How can a sensor company successfully integrate with an acquiring larger electronics company?
The acquisition of successful microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensor companies by larger and broader semiconductor manufacturers and even other larger sensor suppliers has occurred frequently within the past few years. While there are numerous post-acquisition steps that need to be taken to successfully integrate the two companies, a co-development project is technical way to demonstrate the […]
Video: Measuring dynamic tilt with an inertial measurement unit (IMU)
ACEINNA has published a new video on YouTube titled How to measure dynamic tilt and orientation with an IMU: Why would one want to know the dynamic tilt angle on a vehicle? Consider a classic example of a plane in the clouds. The pilot can’t see the ground, nor can he or she trust […]
Robots are getting in touch
by Rudy Ramos, Mouser Electronics Often overlooked is the value of a sense of touch in robotics development. Designers focus strongly on discrete features such as power, freedom of movement, and machine vision. However, tactile sensing complements all of these and helps make the most of them. Having a sense of touch also adds unique […]
How can you reduce audio noise in an airport?
At Sensors Expo 2018, Giovanni De Majo from audio and pressure sensor product marketing at ams, demonstrates how his company’s AS3415 Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) chip can help reduce the background noise for headphone users in an airport, car or airplane. Selecting between the noise situation in an airplane car or airport De Majo chooses […]
How can sensors be used for predictive maintenance?
At Sensors Expo 2018, Antonio Cirone from ST Microelectronics demonstrated and discussed different approaches for predictive maintenance for motors, fans and more using accelerometers, environmental and acoustic MEMS sensors. The demo has two motors. The green motor is balanced properly and the red motor is out of balance. Spectrum analysis of the triaxial accelerometer output […]
How can power consumption be reduced for energy harvesting?
At Sensors Expo 2018, Chet Jewan, vice-president of sales and business development from Eta Compute, explains how his company’s computing technology can benefit heart rate monitoring and energy harvesting applications. The first demo, with an Eta Compute chip running at 0.476V powered by solar energy, displays Jewan’s heart rate. A second demo has sensors being […]
How do you get an MCU design to market quickly?
The short answer is with development boards. For more details, at Sensors Expo 2018, an expert from Microchip Technology explains how his company expands the capability of microcontroller (MCU) evaluation boards with numerous MikroElektronika plug-ins using a microbus connector for a variety of applications. In addition, with the MPLAB Code Configurator, base code can be […]