Many of today’s innovations in consumer, commercial, industrial, and military products are due to advancements in the electronic sensors they use to detect physical conditions and limits. From cars to household security systems to factory machinery controls, sensors are everywhere. And many of these sensors have the term “smart” attached to them to describe their level of sophistication.
Smart Sensor Technology
A typical, plain sensor detects a physical parameter (temperature, pressure, humidity, etc.) and produces an electrical signal. This signal is then converted by an outside circuit into a readout or alarm that indicates that an action may need to take place to change the parameter. A basic sensor produces a signal but not a reaction.
A “smart” sensor is a sensor that is paired with an embedded processor to receive the sensing signal, analyze it, and initiate outside functions based on pre-programmed algorithms to act on the parameter. In short, a smart sensor initiates a predefined action when it senses an appropriate input. Smart sensors are often coupled with digital connectivity (WiFi, Bluetooth, etc.) to remotely sense and react to a stimulus.
How do Smart Sensors Work
Smart sensors usually have an internal sensing element like a diaphragm or an electronic component that reacts to a stimulus. As we have noted, they also have a processor that analyzes and reacts to the stimulus. And many also have a wireless communication circuit to send data or instructions to outside control elements like switches, relays, or other actuators.
You could build a discrete control solution using a separate sensor, processor, and communication circuit. If you’re a student of electronics, this might be a fun project. Modern silicon-based devices, however, integrate all of these functions on one chip to save space, power, design time, and money.
Smart sensors can also be self-calibrating and self-diagnosing and issue an alert when they are in failure mode or out-of-spec situations. This can save maintenance downtime and get a process or system back to work.
Applications
Smart sensors are available to sense temperature, motion, level, pressure, humidity, mass, light, strain, sound, wind, smoke, occupancy, radiation, magnetism, chemicals, and gasses. There may be others we have missed, but you get our point. This variety allows for their use in a broad range of applications like patient monitoring, HVAC control, alarm systems, and vehicle safety and security networks, to name a few.
Such a broad range of functions and applications means you may need help finding the sensor solution that you need. Our authorized component distributor friends over at Onlinecomponents.com have information available on over 20,000 different sensor and transducer products from 141 individual suppliers. You can begin your smart sensor product search by reaching out to them at: www.onlinecomponents.com.
Smart Sensor Design Considerations
Prior to your search for the sensing solution you need, there are some basic questions you’ll need to answer. In a nutshell, here they are:
- What physical parameter do I need to measure or react to?
- What scale is required?
- What resolution or sensitivity will I need?
- What operating temperature range is required?
- What are my power needs or source?
- Do I have any special needs like high-reliability, ruggedness, shielding, etc.?
- What is my budget?
Summary
Smart sensors make sense because they are, well – smart! They sense, analyze and react – often remotely and without supervision. These benefits make them a perfect sensing solution to enhance safety, efficiency, and features in thousands of products and systems, including yours.
