Sensors Magazine articles from April 2006

Sensors Magazine archives from April 2006

Let's get visible.(goode sense)
April 1, 2006... In meteorology, the word "visibility" refers to the distance that can be seen clearly. The newly hot discipline of business process management (BPM) has generated a new definition for this long view, one that will increasingly depend on...

Sensors help advance health care.(medical sensors)
April 1, 2006... Several recent announcements have described sensors for faster, less costly, and less intrusive disease detection as well as other types of health care. In the former category, the new superDimension/Bronchus System (SDBS) works like a GPS,...

NAE honors CCD inventors with prestigious prize.(National Academy of Engineering gives Charles Stark Draper Prize to Willard S. Boyle and George E. Smith)(charge-coupled devices )(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... On February 21, the National Academy of Engineering presented the coveted 2006 Charles Stark Draper Prize to Willard S. Boyle and George E. Smith, inventors of charge-coupled devices (CCDs), during a ceremony in Washington, DC. Boyle and...

Better bomb detection.(Small Business Innovation Research Program contracts RF Monolithics Inc. and Nanotherapeutics Inc.)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... A $2.4 million Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract focuses on an improved system to detect improvised explosive devices (IEDs). RF Monolithics Inc. is participating along with Nanotherapeutics Inc., which has patented a method of...

Heightened profile for nanotech?(EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... During a hearing on the future of nanotechnology by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Altair Nanotechnologies president and CEO Alan J. Gotcher, PhD, urged increased federal funding, suggesting that nanotech be...

Wal-mart tests sensor networks.(MEDIA WATCH)
April 1, 2006... InformationWeek says that Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is experimenting with sensor technology, pursuing two "proof-of-concepts" that would speed products to shelves and provide customers with better quality produce. http://tinyurl.com/qw5k5

Technology for trapped miner rescue.(using sensors in mining)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... In Sensors' weblog, Today at Sensors, Executive Editor Stephanie Henkel has been calling for implementation of sensor technology in mining operations to address needless loss of life (www.sensorsmag.com/tas/2006-02-22). Thankfully, U.S. safety...

Sensor suggested VX nerve agent.(MEDIA WATCH)
April 1, 2006... The Washington Post reported that a false sensor reading triggered a three-hour evacuation of the Russell Senate Office Building in early February and marked the biggest nerve-agent scare yet at the Capitol complex. http://tinyurl.com/17gtf

Have you ever been badly burned by a false sensor reading?(QUICK POLL)
April 1, 2006... Have you ever been badly burned by a false sensor reading? Yes 41.2% No 58.8% Cast your vote in the current Quick Poll at www.sensorsmag.com Note: Table made from pie chart.

USB-based tilt sensor.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... The DLP-TILT from Saelig Co. Inc., Pittsford, NY, is a USB-powered intelligent board with a 2-axis, [+ or -]2 g accelerometer for motion sensing and control. It can be used for tilt sensing for up to [+ or -]60[degrees] from center in both X...

Magnetic sensors.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... Honeywell SSEC, Minneapolis, MN, offers its HMC1041Z, HMC1042L, and HMC1043 magnetoresistive sensors for low-field magnetic sensing. The 1.08 X 4.10 X 1.05 mm HMC1041Z vertical sensor is for compact magnetic sensor applications such as vehicle...

CO, N[O.sub.2] sensor.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... Z Gard DS sensors from MSA Instrument Div., Pittsburgh, PA, detect the presence of carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide gases in various applications. The unit uses electrochemical sensors and provides either an addressable RS-485 output or...

Anti-fouling transducer.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... The submersible Series 705 level transducer from Pressure Systems Inc., Hampton, VA, provides depth measurement in adverse conditions and features a wide Teflon-coated sensing area with a flush elastometric diaphragm to prevent clogging. Custom...

Tubular proximity sensors.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... North American Operating Div. of Schneider Electric, Palatine, IL, offers Telemecanique CS6 auto-adaptable inductive proximity sensors. The fully shielded cylindrical inductive proximity sensors, part of the company's Osiconcept family, are...

Analog front end.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... The MCP2030 from Microchip Technology Inc., Chandler, AZ, is a stand-alone 3-channel transponder analog front end for smart, low-frequency wireless authentication applications, such as passive keyless entry, tire pressure monitoring systems,...

Wireless serial device server.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... The LS100W from Sena Technologies Inc., Milpitas, CA, serial device server is designed to connect RS-232 serial devices such as medical equipment, manufacturing machinery, DA devices, printers, and scales to a host computer via an 802.11b...

MEMS mass flowmeters.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... Siargo Inc., Cupertino, CA, offers FS1000, FS2000, and FS3000 Series MEMS mass flow sensors for medical and environmental applications. The FS1000 Series measures flows from 0~250 Ipm. The FS200 Series can perform bidirectional measurement and...

Accelerometer with integral electronics.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... VIP Sensors, San Juan Capistrano, CA, offers its Model 2010A stud-mounted piezoelectric accelerometer with integral electronics (IEPE) for general vibration measurements on structures or objects. Features include a high SNR, high output...

Linear current sensors.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... Allegro MicroSystems Inc., Worcester, MA, offers ACS706 isolated integrated current sensing devices that can measure either AC or DC currents. The bidirectional sensors have a power lead frame designed for extremely low power loss and combine a...

Positive displacement flowmeter.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... JVK Series positive displacement flowmeters from AW Co., Franksville, WI, feature Kynar bodies, Teflon gears, and ceramic shafts for use in chemical dispensing of acid and caustic-based fluids. The flowmeters use nonintrusive optically based...

Wireless multigas monitor.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... RAE Systems Inc., San Jose, CA, offers the AreaRAE Responder and RAELink 2-E ATEX-certified wireless multigas monitor for the European market. The AreaRAE Responder supports up to 5 simultaneous gas sensors including oxygen, LEL and...

Ultrasonic sensors.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... Pepperl+Fuchs Inc., Twinsburg, OH, offers a family of 12 mm dia. analog and switch-point ultrasonic sensors with digital programming, quick-disconnect cables, and automatic temperature compensation. Features include an adjustable 50-400 mm...

Temperature sensor design kit.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... The Noninvasive Sensors Design Kit (part number TB-S1) from Minco, Minneapolis, MN, includes 2 Thermal-Ribbon RTDs, a waterproof Thermal-Tab RTD, and a Bolt-on Sensor RTD with a TempTran 4-20 mA temperature transmitter. The kit gives you the...

Data logger/DA system.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... Composed of compact SLX718 units and miniature SensorLex 8B analog signal conditioners, the isoLynx SLX7.18 from Dataforth Corp., Tucson, AZ, offers stand-alone or PC-tethered data logging. You can change I/O on a per-channel basis for each of...

Magnetic proximity sensors.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... Hoyt Electrical Instrument Works Inc., Penacook, NH, offers its C12 bi-stable sensor and magnet and ELE sensors for positioning and speed sensing applications. Magnetic sensors can sense a magnet almost 2 in. away and are offered with dry...

Meet the road monitor.(New Hampshire Department of Transportation uses multiple sensors )
April 1, 2006... New Hampshire's Department of Transportation, in conjunction with Plymouth State University, is about to tackle a particularly thorny problem: unpredictable road surface conditions. The Road Weather Information System (RWIS) consists of...

Progress in reverse.(ADVANCING SENSOR TECHNOLOGY)(MICO to supply hydraulic brakes to Preco Electronics Inc. )
April 1, 2006... This is an unusual item for the R & D department, but there was simply no other space for it in this issue. And we think the technology is important enough to warrant a deviation from our standard fare. In a nutshell, radar-based object...

When bridges move: GPS-based deflection monitoring; Kinematic GPS trials measure 3D displacements--to milimeter precision--of scotland's forth road bridge.(global positioning systems)
April 1, 2006... Major bridges are designed to accommodate specific levels of traffic and wind loading, as well as to withstand deterioration over time. But it's not unusual for them to experience levels greater than those initially anticipated. As a result of...

Can wireless standards work together? The industrial world has spawned numerous standards bodies. Can they bridge the chasms between IT, RF, and wireless industrial bus protocols with standards that deliver coexistence and interoperability?(INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS)
April 1, 2006... The introduction of wireless data transport into the industrial sector represents a convergence of the monitoring and control world, wireless sensor technology, and the IT community. Each element of this triad has its own standards and...

Noncontact temperature sensors: what you need to know up front; give noncontact IR thermometers the special attention they need, and they will give you the accurate temperature measurements you need.(SENSOR DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY)
April 1, 2006... Are you sure a contact-type sensor can't handle your application? If it can, stay away from noncontact devices. They present special challenges. And don't be led in either direction solely by initial purchase and installation costs. You will...

New directions in automotive smarts: do you dread stopping on a hill? Worry about wet brakes? The Mercedes-Benz S-Class automobiles are showcasing a family of remarkable new safety features.(SENSORS AT WORK)
April 1, 2006... Television ads are doing automotive engineering a disservice, focusing as most do on snappier looks, more horsepower, and occasionally on some mysterious quality that not even alert viewers can figure out. The truth is that the automotive...

Sensors control the world! Part 2.(HANDS-ON SENSOR ENGINEERING)(Column)
April 1, 2006... In last month's column I outlined a simple circuit that could control temperature by turning a heater on and off. One primary drawback of this binary controller circuit is that even in a steady-state condition, the controlled process...

Service-oriented architectures.(ENTERPRISE INTELLIGENCE FROM YOUR SENSORS)
April 1, 2006... The rise of service-oriented architectures (SOAs) marks a radical change in the way software applications are conceived, designed, and implemented. The new paradigm breaks down applications into individual functions, eliminates the barriers...

134 kHz ISM, safety again.(MESH, MOBILE, M2M--WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW?)(Industrial-Scientific-Medical frequency)
April 1, 2006... Why Use 134 kHz? From what I've read, wireless sensors and other wireless devices work at ISM frequency bands of 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz. But I've read, too, about "ISM-compliant" RFID tags and readers that work at 134 kHz. Is 134 kHz an...

Down the hole.(SNAPSHOTS FOR APPLICATION INSPIRATION)(temperature sensing in oil wells)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Conditions inside an oil well are pretty intense with temperatures from 120[degrees]C-300[degrees]C and pressures to several thousand psi. However, monitoring the temperature inside the well is important to understand and control well behavior...

Cool running.(SNAPSHOTS FOR APPLICATION INSPIRATION)(designing bobsled runs)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... What's 1650 m long, has a 114 m vertical drop, and supports an object that can reach a max. speed of 130 km/hr.? The answer is the bobsled run at San Sicario near Torino, Italy. The run, a concrete and steel structure, is covered with snow and...

Keeping track of motors.(SNAPSHOTS FOR APPLICATION INSPIRATION)
April 1, 2006... When you build 14,000 small engines a day, keeping track of them for QC purposes is pretty important. You want to spot problems before the final engine assembly stage and identify any missteps that occur during manufacture. Billy DePew, a...

GPS.(RECOMMENDED RESOURCES AND ODDMENTS)
April 1, 2006... Back in 1994, at the University of Texas at Austin, Peter H. Dana wrote an overview of the global positioning system (GPS). You can read this online, courtesy of the Geographer's Craft Project at the University of Colorado at Boulder, and it is...

Internet.(RECOMMENDED RESOURCES AND ODDMENTS)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... How many of you are familiar with podcasts? These are Web feeds of audio or video files available on the Internet for you to download or subscribe to. There are many, many podcasts out there, covering quite the range of topics. I'm just going...

PeepHenge.(RECOMMENDED RESOURCES AND ODDMENTS)
April 1, 2006... Finally, since Easter is this month, I present to you PeepHenge, in which Peeps (those colorful and whimsical marshmallow shapes that are so sweet they make my teeth itch) have been carefully assembled into a replica of Stonehenge. Actually,...

Paula Poundstone.(RECOMMENDED RESOURCES AND ODDMENTS)
April 1, 2006... The wages of sin are death, but by the time taxes are taken out, it's just sort of a tired feeling.

Introduction to Data Mining.(NEW TO BOOKSHELVES)(Brief article)(Book review)
April 1, 2006... Introduction to Data Mining Authors: Pang-Ning Tan, Michael Steinbach, and Vipin Kumar Publisher: Addison Wesley, Pearson Education ISBN: 0-321-32136-7 We're awash in data and that requires new approaches to analyzing very...