Sensors Magazine articles from August 2001

Sensors Magazine archives from August 2001

It's (Almost) Show Time (Again)!(Sensors Expo & Conference Spring 2001)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... I hope you didn't miss Sensors Expo & Conference Spring 2001 in Chicago in June-a particularly good show. But if you did, we've got a report beginning on page 14 that highlights the happenings. If you're thinking about attending Sensors...

Human Machine Interface.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... The global Human Machine Interface (HMI) software market, which exceeded $461 million in 2000, will reach $741 million by the end of 2005, projects a recent study by the ARC Advisory Group (Dedham, MA). Its challenge, however, will be to ease...

ARC Advisory Group.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... The ARC Advisory Group reports a growing need for higher-quality process control in the magnetic flowmeter industry, which has been measuring the flow of electrically conductive liquids for 50 years. The growth rate is the highest in Asia and...

MicroStructures Technology (MST).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... The MicroStructures Technology (MST) and MEMS market has not yet realized its potential in the U.S., reports a recent study from the Venture Development Corp. (VDC) (Natick, MA). Beyond barriers that include capital-intensive demands of the...

Robert Bosch Corp.(patent infringement settlement)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Robert Bosch Corp. and Robert Bosch GmbH join four other companies that have settled with Kathleen Calabrese, widow of the late control bus inventor Frank Calabrese, over infringement of his patent. The other companies in the No. 4,322,849...

Magnequench International Inc.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Magnequench International Inc. (Anderson, IN), manufacturer of specialized magnetic powders and magnets, filed suit against 10 major electronic and computer firms in the U.S., Asia, and Europe for infringements of four of its patents. With $2.4...

Material ConneXion.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Engineers and industrial designers seeking to connect with designers of polymers, glass, ceramics, carbon-based materials, metals, and natural materials and their derivatives can visit the new facility for Material ConneXion (New York,...

National Instruments.(achievements and awards)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... On May 31, National Instruments (Austin, TX) will honor its three founders, Dr. James Truchard, Jeff Kodosky, and Bill Nowlin, at a celebration of the company's 24th year of consecutive double-digit growth, achieving a net revenue of $410...

Ansoft Corp.(purchased product line from Agilent Technologies)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Ansoft Corp. (Pittsburgh, PA) has purchased the high-frequency structure simulator (HFSS) product line from Agilent Technologies (Palo Alto, CA). As part of the agreement, Agilent may also purchase up to 60 licenses of Ansoft HFSS. Ansoft's...

AuthenTec, Inc.(pattern-recognition algorithm licensing)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... AuthenTec, Inc. (Melbourne, FL), makers of semiconductor fingerprint authentication ICs, will license Bioscript's (Toronto, Canada) pattern-recognition algorithm technology with its FingerLoc and EntrePad sensors for wireless applications. The...

BP Chemicals Inc.(automation architecture)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... In designing its new 1,4-butanediol (BDO) plant, BP Chemicals Inc. (Lima, OH) will use the full capability of fieldbus with the scalable PlantWeb automation architecture of Fisher-Rosemount, now doing business as Emerson Process Management (St....

Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, Inc.(analytical equipment purchasing program)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, Inc. (Columbia, MD), has offered an Equipment Grant Program to allow qualified academic and nonprofit organizations to buy major analytical instruments for scientific research and education. The program...

People.(ceramic engineering chair Henk Venweij)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Dr. Henk Venweij has been named the Orton Chair of Ceramic Engineering in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and has assumed the role of director for the National Science Foundation's Center for Industrial Sensors and...

IR Temporal Artery Thermometer Compensates for Ambient Temperature.(infrared)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Taking the temperature of a squirming, unconscious, or convulsive person is a difficult task. Even "ear thermometers," which measure tympanic temperature, must be guided past a bend in the ear canal to give an accurate reading. Clearly, the...

Smart Paint Senses Structural Vibrations.(piezoelectric paint )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Researchers led by Dr. Jack Hale at Newcastle (England) University have developed a piezoelectric paint that can be sprayed onto the surface of structures such as bridges, aircraft, ships, and oil rigs. The paint is loaded with a fine powder of...

You're Still Helping--and Does Anyone Have a Spare Computer?(infrared video cameras help disabled)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Our appeal for a way to allow Becky, a victim of Lou Gehrig's disease, communicate has traveled far. We received an e-mail note from Croatia as well as suggestions from two, more local humanitarian engineers: Here is a link to a wonderful...

WEB PICKS.(search engines)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... As the Web has grown, it's become more of a challenge to find what you're looking for (well, if we're being honest we'd change that from "challenge" to "sometimes fiendishly difficult"). I've mentioned various search engines in here but until...

Best of Sensors Expo Spring 2001.
August 1, 2001... The co-location of Sensors Expo & Conference Spring 2001 with the Robots & Vision show was a synergetic arrangement, as attendees for either show were able to visit the other free of charge. Festivities began on Monday with preshow conference...

Measuring Temperature and Liquid Level in Cryogenic Fluids.
August 1, 2001... The Cryo-Tracker, a single probe capable of measuring liquid and ullage temperatures and liquid level inside cryogenic tanks, has been developed to solve mass gauging problems that engineers and technicians encountered while testing sub-cooled...

When Data Acquisition Means Intelligent Systems.
August 1, 2001... What I really mean is... For several years now, Sensors has devoted a portion of its regular monthly coverage to issues beyond sensing, but integral to making sensors happy and productive in the world. We started out placing these articles...

Sensor Agents-- When Engineering Emulates Human Behavior.
August 1, 2001... Researchers are studying the human mind to find ways of enabling smart sensors to mimic our ability to learn, make decisions, communicate, and work together. Will these intelligent agents be managing your plant in 10 years? Imagine a...

Machine Vision--Moving Beyond the End of the Line.
August 1, 2001... New technology gives you cost-effective distribution of machine vision at key points along a manufacturing line. Ethernet networking gives you central management of that vision activity. The results: better process control and more efficient...

Emerging Trends in Machine Vision.
August 1, 2001... Evolutionary and revolutionary--developments in machine vision technology are rapidly moving us toward the day when "faster, cheaper, more accurate, more robust", will no longer be mutually exclusive demands. Faster, cheaper, more...

Clamp -On Flowmeters for Fluids.
August 1, 2001... Clamp-on transit time flowmeters for liquids have been around since the 1960s. Now the technology extends to gases. This article was first planned as a sequel to "High-Temperature Flow Measurement with Wetted and Clamp-On Ultrasonic...

A Comprehensive Guide to Industrial Networks.
August 1, 2001... In Part 1 of this series, I reviewed popular network protocols--what they're used for and how they enhance the value of a product. In Part 2, I described the hardware and software requirements of each of these networks and some basic design...

Occupancy Sensor.
August 1, 2001... We are looking for an occupancy sensor that senses human presence. The sensor must detect movement of humans while they are sleeping or sitting. The supply voltage should not be more than 24 VDC. Total area to be sensed is [sim]50 by 50 ft. The...

Pipeline Hydrocarbon Leak Sensor/Transmitter.
August 1, 2001... I am searching for a sensor/transmitter that can detect and transmit hydrocarbon leaks (crude oil/gas) on a pipeline. The technology should be based on pressure drop, cover a range of [greater than]100 km, and have capability for integration...

Detecting Sediment Buildup to Activate Flush Cycle.
August 1, 2001... I am seeking a recommendation for how to detect a "flush" cycle condition in what is called a Hydrocylone. Krebs Engineers manufactures the Hydrocyclone, which is described as a free-vortex liquid cyclone. The device separates out the trash...

Vacuum Sensor.
August 1, 2001... I am looking for a battery-operated vacuum transmitter that can be mounted on a rotating piece of equipment. I currently have 10 small chambers that rotate around in the cycle. I would like to measure the actual vacuum depth with an RF output...

Glass Detection.
August 1, 2001... In the flat-panel industry, we are using glass substrates for deposition processes in a vacuum. I am looking for a laser (or other very thin beam) outside the vacuum to detect the presence of the glass (0.7 mm thick) at a distance of 2 m....

Small-Diameter Pressure Transducers.
August 1, 2001... I am looking for small-diameter (must fit in a 3/4 in. pipe), SDI-12 pressure transducers. I need at least 0.05% F.S. accuracy, and better if possible. I am willing to entertain other technologies if they are suitable for low current drain,...

Ultrasonic Sensors.
August 1, 2001... Our firm is considering using ultrasonic sensors to detect double-document feed. We build high-speed document scanners and need to prevent the feeding of two documents at the same time. The difference of a single sheet of paper (with varying...