UNIT III

SENSORS AND MACHINE

VISION

Prepared by
T.Michel Raj
Assistant Professor
Jeppiaar SRR Engineering College
Chennai
 SENSORS
Requirements of a sensor, Principles and Applications of
the following types of sensors – Position of sensors
(Piezo Electric Sensor, LVDT, Resolvers, Optical
Encoders, Pneumatic Position Sensors), Range Sensors
(Triangulation Principle, Structured, Lighting Approach,
Time of Flight Range Finders, Laser Range Meters),
Proximity Sensors (Inductive, Hall Effect, Capacitive,
Ultrasonic and Optical Proximity Sensors), Touch
Sensors, (Binary Sensors, Analog Sensors), Wrist
Sensors, Compliance Sensors, Slip Sensors.
 MACHINE VISION
• Camera, Frame Grabber, Sensing and Digitizing
Image Data – Signal Conversion, Image
Storage, Lighting Techniques. Image
Processing and Analysis – Data Reduction:
Edge detection, Segmentation Feature
Extraction and Object Recognition -
Algorithms. Applications – Inspection,
Identification, Visual Serving and Navigation.
 INTRODUCTION
• A transducer is a device that converts one type
of physical variable (E.g Force, Pressure,
Temperature, Velocity, Flow rate ) into other
form.
• Why Conversion To make it use in
digital Computers.
• A sensor is a transducer that is used to make a
measurement of physical variable.
 INTRODUCTION
• Few examples :

– Strain Gauges
– Thermocouples
– Speedometers
– Pitot tubes
All sensors are transducers, but not all transducers
are sensors
 INTRODUCTION
• Calibration is a procedure by which the
relationship between the measured variable of
the converted output signal is established.

• Sensors
– External Sensor
• Contact
• Non Contact
– Internal Sensor
 INTRODUCTION
• Internal State Sensors deals with the detection
of variables such as arm joint position.
• External State Sensors deals with detection of
variables such as range, proximity, guidance.
• Based on the converted signal
– Analog Transducer
– Digital Transducer
 Requirements of Sensors
• Accuracy
• Precision
• Operating Range
• Speed of Response
• Calibration
• Reliability
• Cost & ease of operation
 Characteristics of Sensors
Sensitivity:
It is defined as the change in output response divided by the change
in input response.
Highly sensitive sensors show larger fluctuations in output as a result of
fluctuations
in input.
Linearity:
It represents the relationship between input variations and output variations.

In a sensor with linear output, any change in input at any level within the range will produce
the same change in output
 Characteristics of Sensors
Range:
(Contd…)
It is the difference between the smallest and the largest outputs that a sensor can
provide, or the difference between the smallest and largest inputs with which it can
operate properly.
Response time:
It is the time that a sensor‘s output requires to reach a certain percentage
of total change.
It is also defined as the time required to observe the change in output as a result
of change in input for example, ordinary mercury thermometer response time
and digital thermometer response time.
Frequency response:
The frequency response is the range in which the system‘s ability to resonate
to the input remains relatively high.

The larger the range of frequency response, the better the ability of the system to respond to
varying input
 Characteristics of Sensors
(Contd…)
Reliability:

It is the ratio between the number of times a system operates properly and the
number of times it is tried.
For continuous satisfactory operation, it is necessary to choose reliable sensors
that last long while considering the cost as well as other requirements.
Accuracy:
It shows how close the output of the sensor is to the expected value.
For a given input, certain expected output value is related to how close the
sensor‘s
output value is to this value.
 Characteristics of Sensors
(Contd…)
Repeatability:

is poor.
Also, a specific range is desirable for operational performance as the
performance of robots depends on sensors.
Repeatability is a random phenomenon and hence there is no compensation.

Interfacing:
Direct interfacing of the sensor to the microcontroller/microprocessor is
desirable while some add-on circuit may be necessary in certain special sensors.

The type of the sensor output is equally important. An ADC is required for
analogue output sensors for example, potentiometer output to
microcontroller.
 Characteristics of Sensors
(Contd…)
Size, weight and volume:
Size is a critical consideration for joint displacement sensors.
When robots are used as dynamic machines, weight of the sensor is important.
Volume or spaces also critical to micro robots and mobile robots used for
surveillance.
Cost is important especially when quantity involved is large in the end application.