Sensors:

A sensor is a device that measures a physical

quantity and converts it into a signal which can be read by an observer or by an
instrument. For example, a mercury thermometer converts the measured
temperature into expansion and contraction of a liquid which can be read on a
calibrated glass tube. A thermocouple converts temperature to an output voltage
which can be read by a voltmeter. For accuracy, all sensors need to be calibrated
against known standards.

Types of Sensors:

Because sensors are a type of transducer, they change one

form of energy into another. For this reason, sensors can be classified according to
the type of energy transfer that they detect. Over the years, many other types of
sensors have been developed to measure physical properties: motion, light
frequency and intensity, pressure, acoustic waves, distance, mass flow, motion, etc.
Most of these devices were designed to take individual measurements in time and
space.
Some Important Sensors:

There are many types of sensors but we

cannot discuss them all here. Here are some important types of sensors.

(1) INFRARED PROXIMITY SENSOR:

An infrared sensor is an electronic device that emits and/or detects infrared

radiations in order to sense some aspect of its surroundings. Infrared sensors
can measure the heat of an object, as well as detect motion. Many of these
types of sensors only measure infrared radiation, rather than emitting it, and
thus are known as passive infrared (PIR) sensors.
APPLICATION:

Proximity sensors are used in manufacturing processes -- for

example, to measure the position of machine components. They are also used in
security systems, in applications such as detecting the opening of a door, and in
robotics, where they can monitor a robot or its components' nearness to objects
and steer it accordingly.

(2) LIGHT DEPENDENT RESISTORS:

LDRs or Light Dependent Resistors are very

useful especially in light/dark sensor circuits. Normally the resistance of an
 LDR is very high, sometimes as high as 1000 000 ohms, but when they are
illuminated with light resistance drops dramatically.

APPLICATION:

When the light level is low the resistance of the LDR is high. This prevents
current from flowing to the base of the transistors. Consequently the LED
does not light. However, when light shines onto the LDR its resistance falls
and current flows into the base of the first transistor and then the second
transistor. The LED lights. The preset resistor can be turned up or down to
increase or decrease resistance, in this way it can make the circuit more or
less sensitive.

LDR or a photo sensor finds its application in many robotics/embedded

system applications such as line following robot, Light seeking robot, garage
door opener when cars light is incident upon it, solar tracker etc.
(3) PRESSURE SENSOR:

A pressure sensor detects a pressure difference between a

detecting pressure and atmospheric pressure or fluid pressure and converts the
detected pressure difference into an electric signal. Pressure sensors are used to
measure pressures of gases or liquids and have a wide range of uses in
industrial, commercial and consumer applications.

APPLICATION:

Pressure sensors are extensively used in a large and

increasingly varied field, including important areas such as medical
instrumentation, automotive applications such as engine control and tyre
pressure monitoring, industrial process control and the avionics industry. For
example, in industrial process control, a pressure sensor can be used to measure
the pressure of a process fluid. The pressure measurement can then be used as
an input to a formula which provides an indication of another process variable
such as a fluid level or a flow rate. A pressure sensor may convert an amount of
pressure into an electrical value. For example, a pressure sensor may use a
sensor diaphragm or membrane positioned parallel to a plane of a wafer to
convert an amount of pressure into a capacitance value. Pressure sensors are
widely utilized in motor vehicles to control and/or monitor vehicle operation.
Pressure sensors are commonly employed in automotive vehicle applications to
control and monitor various aspects of vehicle operation.

(4) IMAGE SENSOR:

An image sensor is a device that converts an optical

image to an electric signal. It is used mostly in digital cameras and other
imaging devices. The light sensitive chip inside a digital camera that can read
levels of light & transform them into an image. An electronic device capable
of reacting to the impact of photons, converting them to an electrical current
that is then passed on to the AD converter. The most commonly image
sensors used in digital imaging are CCD, CMD and CMOS.
 APPLICATION:

Special sensors are used in various applications such

as thermal imaging, creation of multi-spectral images, video laryngoscopes,
gamma cameras, sensor arrays for x-rays, and other highly sensitive arrays
for astronomy. Hamamatsu offers high-quality image sensors for various
types of digital dental x-ray imaging: intra-oral, panoramic, and
cephalometric. Each sensor has the advantages of high resolution, high
signal-to-noise ratio, and wide dynamic range. They are also durably
constructed to ensure stable image quality over a long lifetime.

(5) HUMIDITY SENSOR:

 A humidity sensor also called a hygrometer, measures
and regularly reports the relative humidity in the air. A humidity sensor
senses relative humidity. This means that it measures both air temperature
and moisture. Relative humidity, expressed as a percent, is the ratio of actual
moisture in the air to the highest amount of moisture air at that temperature
can hold. The warmer the air is, the more moisture it can hold, so relative
humidity changes with fluctuations in temperature.

APPLICATION:

They may be used in homes for people with illnesses affected by humidity; as
part of home heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems; and
in humidors or wine cellars. Humidity sensors can also be used in cars, office
and industrial HVAC systems, and in meteorology stations to report and
predict weather.
 NATIONAL INSTITUE OF MECHATRONICS ENGINEERING

ASSIGNMENT NO. 1
MECHATRONICS SYSTEM DESIGN
SOHAIM JADOON
Class no. 19
SUBMITTED TO: ENGR. ZUBAIR