APPENDIX H: SENSOR TERMINOLOGY

A. SENSITIVITY

The sensitivity of the sensor is defined as the slope of the output characteristic curve
(dY/dX) (Figure 1). An ideal sensor has a large and preferably constant sensitivity in its
operating range.
In some sensors, the sensitivity is defined as the input parameter change required to
produce a standardized output change. In others, it is defined as an output parameter
change for a given change in input parameter.
For example, in an electronic temperature sensing system, if the output voltage
increases by 1 V, when temperature changes by 0.1oC, then the sensitivity will be
10V/oC.

Figure 1. Ideal curve and sensitivity error.

B. RANGE

The range of the sensor is the maximum and minimum values of applied parameter that
can be measured.
For instance, if the measurement range of a temperature sensor is between -100 and
300 oC, exposing it to temperatures outside this range may cause damage or generate
inaccurate readings.

C. RESOLUTION

Resolution is the smallest detectable incremental change of input parameter that can be
detected in the output signal. Resolution can be expressed either as a proportion of the
reading (or the full-scale reading) or in absolute terms.
D. ACCURACY

Accuracy is the capacity of a measuring instrument to give RESULTS close to the actual /
true value of the measured quantity. In other words, the accuracy of the sensor is the
maximum difference that will exist between the actual value (which must be measured
by a primary or good secondary standard) and the indicated value at the output of the
sensor.
The accuracy can be expressed either as a percentage of full scale or in absolute terms.
For example, considering a temperature sensing system, when the real temperature is
20.0 oC, the system is more accurate, if it shows 20.1 oC rather than 21.0 oC.

E. PRECISION

Precision represents capacity of a sensing system to give the same reading when
repetitively measuring the same quantity under the same conditions.
In other words, if exactly the same value were measured a number of times, an ideal
sensor would output exactly the same value every time. But real sensors output a range
of values distributed in some manner relative to the actual correct value.
For instance, a temperature sensing system is precise, if when the ambient temperature
is 21.0 oC and it shows 22.0, 22.1, or 21.9 oC in three different consecutive
measurements. It is not considered precise, if it shows 21.5, 21.0, and 20.5 oC although
the measured values are closer to the actual temperature.

Figure 2. Accuracy and Precision

F. RESPONSE TIME

Response Time -- Sensors do not change output state immediately when an input
parameter change occurs. Rather, it will change to the new state over a period of time,
called the response time. The response time can be defined as the time required for a
sensor output to change from its previous state to a final settled value within a tolerance
band of the correct new value.

Figure 3. Response Time

G. LINEARITY

The linearity of the transducer is an expression of the extent to which the actual
measured curve of a sensor departs from the ideal curve.

Figure 4. Linearity

H. STABILITY

Stability is a sensing system’s ability to produce the same output value when measuring
the same measurand over a period of time. That is, with a given input you always get the
same output. Stability deals with the degree to which sensor characteristics remain
constant over time. Changes in stability can be due to components aging, decrease in
sensitivity of components, etc.
I. HYSTERESIS

Hysteresis -- A transducer should be capable of following the changes of the input

parameter regardless of which direction the change is made; hysteresis is the measure
of this property. It is not a problem with the response time of the sensor, but it is an
inherent property that is undesirable.

Figure 5. Hysteresis

J. REFERENCES

[1] http://www.ni.com/white-paper/14860/en/

[2] K. Kalantar-zadeh, Sensors: An Introductory Course, DOI 10.1007/978-1-4614-5052-

8_2, # Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013