ELECTRONIC

SENSORS AND
TRANSDUCER
TABLE OF CONTENTS
01 02
Classification of Sensors and
Sensors
its types

03 04
Classification of Transducers and
Transducers
its types

05 06
Difference between Importance of Sensors
Sensors and and Transducers
Transducers
 01
Sensor
 Sensors

● It is a device that is used to measure the physical changes in the nearby

environment and gives output in an easy-to-read format for the user.
● It is defined as a input device wherein it produces an output (signal) with
respect to a specific physical quantity(input).
 Sensors
● It is used in objects such as touch-sensitive elevator buttons(tactile
sensor) and lamps which dim or brighten by touching the base.

● In a data acquisition system, sensors are usually used in getting the data
needed such as the temperature, humidity, acceleration and etc.

Environment: Data
Temperature
Humidity
Sensors Acquisition
System
 02
Classification of Sensors
and its types
 Classification of Sensors

Active Passive
An active sensor is one which
A passive sensor detects the
transmits a signal into the
naturally emitted microwave
environment and then measures
energy within its field of view
the response that comes back.
 Classification of Sensors

Analog
Analog signals are continuous
signals. it is a time-varying
signal where the quantity it is
representing varies with time.
(e.g. Current, voltage,power).
Digital
It is an electronic or electrochemical
sensor, where data is digitally
converted and transmitted.
Types of Sensor

Temperature Sensor
● Thermistors are temperature-dependent resistors,
changing resistance with changes in temperature.
They are very sensitive and react to very small
changes in temperature. They are best used when a
specific temperature needs to be maintained, and
when monitoring temperatures within 50°C of
ambient.

● Thermocouple is a sensor that measures

temperature. It consists of two different types of
metals, joined together at one end.
Types of Sensor

Proximity sensor
● Ultrasonic sensor is a non-contact type electronic
device that measures the distance of a target object
by emitting ultrasonic sound waves, and converts the
reflected sound into an electrical signal.

● Analog Capacitive sensor is an electronic device

that is used to detect the targets like liquids or solids
without any physical contact.
Types of Sensor

Light Sensors
● Photoresistor (also known as a Photocell, or light-
dependent resistor, LDR, or photoconductive cell)
is a passive component that decreases resistance
with respect to receiving luminosity (light) on the
component's sensitive surface.

● Infrared (IR) sensor is an electronic device that

measures and detects infrared radiation in its
surrounding environment.
Types of Sensor

Motion Sensors
● Passive Infrared (PIR) Sensor it include a thin
Pyroelectric film material, that responds to IR
radiation by emitting electricity.

● Microwave Sensor it generates microwave pulses

and then calculate their reflection off of objects, in
order to know whether objects are moving or not.
Types of Sensor
Environment Sensor

● Humidity Sensor (hygrometers) it detect the water

vapor content in the air surrounded by the humidity
sensor. By means of a transmitter, the measured
humidity value is converted into an electrical signal
and then shown on the display.

● Seismic sensor is an instrument used for measuring

ground motion. It measures ground motion in a
dynamic manner. Seismic sensors can be of
displacement type, or velocity type, or acceleration
type.
 03
Transducer
 Transducers

-A transducer is a device that converts one form of energy into another form.

-It converts a non-electrical signal into an electrical signal and vice versa.

-A sensor is used in conjunction with a signal conditioning.

-The transducer can be an input transducer or an output transducer.

 Characteristics of Transducer

There are some characteristics of a transducer that determines the

overall performance of a transducer.

It is divided into two types:

● Static Characteristics
● Dynamic Characteristics
 Characteristics of Transducer

Static Characteristics

These characteristics do not depend or vary with variation in the input signal or with time. Here are some
of the static characteristics.

Accuracy
The accuracy of a transducer is the maximum difference between its actual value and the indicated value.
It is expressed in a percentage of the actual value. A transducer must have high accuracy to measure the
physical quantity accurately.

Linearity
The ability of a device to vary its output linearly with the input signal is called linearity. The output is in
proportional with the input signal. A transducer having linearity has a more accurate reading and it can
easily translate the signal to its corresponding output value.

Robust
A transducer must be able to withstand extreme environmental conditions and mechanical stress. A
rugged and robust transducer’s performance Is not affected by its environment.
 Characteristics of Transducer

Repeatability
The ability of a transducer to generate an identical output signal multiple times when applied with the same
input signal. The output signal must repeat itself and do not vary with time.

Stability
The capability of a transducer to provide a stable output and does not fluctuate.

Sensitivity
The ability of a device to sense the smallest change in a physical quantity and translate it efficiently into an
electrical signal is called sensitivity. A device having higher sensitivity can measure more accurately and
precisely.

Size
A transducer having a small size is crucial for installing compact devices without taking much space.
 Characteristics of Transducer

Dynamic Characteristics

The dynamic characteristics of a transducer are dependent of time and they may vary little. Here are some
of the dynamic characteristics of a transducer:

Dynamic Range
The dynamic range is the ratio between the highest amplitude and the lowest amplitude the device can
efficiently convert. A transducer having a high dynamic range has better performance and sensitivity.

Error
The error is the difference between the measured reading and the actual reading. The error can be caused
by various factors.

Speed
The speed of a transducer plays a vital role in its performance as it shows how quickly it translate a physical
quantity into a stable electrical signal.
 Characteristics of Transducer

Noise
Noise is a random unwanted signal that distorts and inflicts error in the original signal. A transducer adds
noise in its signal. A low amplitude signal is more affected by noise than a high amplitude signal.

Hysteresis
Hysteresis is the ability of a device whose output not only depends on its current input but the previous
input as well.

Efficiency of Transducer
The efficiency of a transducer is the ratio of output power to input power. The percentage efficiency of a
transducer is never 100% as some of the energy is wasted during the process of conversion. For example,
the efficiency of a photovoltaic cell is below 30%. Most of the energy is wasted in the form of heat and
reflection.
 04
Classification of Transducers and
its types
 Classification of Transducer

Active
An active transducer is a self-
generating type transducer that can
produce an electrical voltage or
current output without utilizing any
external power source.
Passive
passive transducer produces a change
in some passive electrical quantity,
such as capacitance, resistance, or
inductance, as a result of stimulation.
Passive transducers usually require
additional electrical energy.
 Classification of Transducer
Analog
An analog transducer converts
physical quantities into an electrical
signal that is analog in nature i.e. its
magnitude is continuous with time. Its
output is a continuous function.
Digital
A digital transducer converts a physical
quantity into an electrical signal that is
digital in nature i.e. the output signal is
discrete and non-continuous both in
magnitude and time. The output signal is
in binary form “1” and “0” called bits. It is
used for interfacing the transducer
directly with a microcontroller.
 Input and Output Transducers

Input transducers has mainly two parts that are closely related to
each other:

Sensor or Sensing element-This part of the transducer responds to

the physical changes in the nearby environment. The response of the
sensing element depends on the physical phenomenon.
 Input and Output Transducers

Transduction element- The transduction element of the transducer

converts the output from the sensor into an appropriate electrical
signal.
 Input and Output Transducers
An output transducer or inverse transducer which converts the
electrical quantity into a form of non-electrical quantity. In other
words, the transducer is a kind of actuator that has an electrical input
and the non-electrical output

Actuator- It is a device that controls the mechanism or a system by a

signal from a control system.
Input and Output Transducers
 05
Difference of Sensors and Transducers
 Difference between
Sensors and Transducers

Sensor Transducer
-A device that detects the physical changes in the -A device that converts the energy from one
nearby environment. form to another.

-A sensor detects the physical changes only and
can’t give feedback to the control system on its
own.
-It senses physical quantity and converts it into
analog quantity.
-A transducer is generally used to provide
feedback to the control system.
-It converts electricity to electromagnetic
waves.
 Function

Transducer
Converts one form of energy
from another form of energy.
Includes a sensor in it.
Sensor
Detects a physical quantity or
state and produces a signal
varying in strength to represent
quantity.
 Components

Transducer Sensor
A sensor and an accompanying Only the sensor itself.
circuit for signal conditioning,
and or a signal conditioning
circuit and an actuator.
 Examples

Transducer Sensor
Gyroscope, Potentiometer, Light Sensor, Humidity Sensor,
Accelerometer, GPS…. IR Sensor, LIDAR Sensor….
 06
Importance of Sensors and Transducers
Importance of Sensors and Transducers

Sensors and transducers are used everyday in

our lives, from the microphone in your
computer or phone, to the speedometer in
your vehicle and into the touchscreens of our
smartphones. They are an integral part of our
lives in interacting with technology that allows
us to physically connect into the digital world
we created.
Importance of Sensors and Transducers

Without sensors, our devices of today will not

be able to exist. We will not be able to send
rockets to the moon, predict the weather,
detect earthquakes, take pictures, be able to
use navigation apps and even to have a
working smart device.
Importance of Sensors and Transducers

One can argue that the development of

sensors truly connected the circuitries of our
devices into the physical world in both ways.
Through the input and output of a transducer,
we will maybe one day, be truly one with the
digital world.