Sensors Magazine articles from December 2003

Sensors Magazine archives from December 2003

Got you covered: 'tis the season of giving. Give me a this or that.(Editorial)
December 1, 2003... Common wisdom in the publishing trade dictates a certain approach to the design of the cover--arguably the most important page in a magazine. But as with common wisdom in engineering, that approach is clearer in theory than in practice. ...

Business sense.(NASA signs contract with Integrated Sensing Systems, Inc. )
December 1, 2003... NASA has granted Integrated Sensing Systems, Inc. (ISSYS, Ypsilanti, MI, www.mems-issys.com) three Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts to develop wireless, batteryless, implantable pressure and flow sensors, and create a...

Calendar.(report shows ultrasonic flowmeters are fastest growing)(Ferro Solutions forms partnership with millenial Net)
December 1, 2003... Photonics West, featuring Optoelectronics 2004 and LASE 2004 January 24-29, San Jose, CA www.spie.org/info/pw MEMS 2004 IEEE International Conference January 25-29, Maastricht, The Netherlands info@mems2004.org ...

Ultrasonic Doppler velocimeter tames tough flows.(Research & Developments)(velocimeter designed by Pacific Northwest national Laboratory)
December 1, 2003... Q: What do tomato paste, mustard, chocolate, peanut butter, and shampoo have in common? A: They're non-Newtonian fluids (the rate of shear is not proportional to the corresponding stress) and their flow rates are absolute bears to measure. ...

Soil spills its secrets to OMIS.(Research & Developments)(On-the-Fly Mechanical Impedance Sensor devised for soil testing)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Farmers are always being yanked around by something. Either it won't rain or it won't quit. Crops bake or freeze. Tornadoes whirl in just as the corn's ready for harvest. And in some parts of the country, soil compaction keeps roots from...

Application snapshots that show how handy a sensor can be. Meddling with metal's mettle.(APP Snaps)(Southwest Research Institute invents embedded sensor that detects rust)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Rust and corrosion hidden under coatings or in hard-to-see places is a major problem in bridge deck structures, automotive components, electronic packages, and aircraft structures. By the time the damage is detected (when it's become visible),...

Application snapshots that show how handy a sensor can be. The need for speed.(APP Snaps)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... When the folks at nextScan decided to design and build a new microfilm scanner that could scan up to 300 pages a minute, they were faced with a few challenges. Not only did they have to build from scratch the complex applications needed to run...

Application snapshots that show how handy a sensor can be. Burning down the house.(APP Snaps)(fire tracking system devised by ACCESS I/O tested at Redstone Arsenal)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Observing flames in a test environment is one way to analyze fire behavior without putting anyone's life at risk. With this in mind, the fire department at Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, AL, started its own fire in a four-unit test house and...

Acoustic inspection and analys of liquids in sealed containers: inspectors with the U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection are beta testing a new, portable surveillance tool designed to thwart fraud and smuggling at our borders and ports.(Technology and Design)
December 1, 2003... Even before terrorism cast a long shadow over international and interstate commerce, customs inspectors naturally wanted to know what was in sealed transport vessels coming across our borders and how much of it each container held. Today, the...

Packaging MEMS: new manufacturing methodology substantially reduces smart MEMS costs; an innovative capping technology opens doors to broader applications.(Putting Sensors to Work)(microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) receive new packaging to reduce costs)(Cover Story)
December 1, 2003... In the past 20 years, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have become an increasingly substantial and visible part of the sensor industry. Since the early 1990s, MEMS inertial sensors in particular have rapidly improved in performance,...

Standards-based wireless networking alternatives: the number of wireless choices is growing. Here's how to select the appropriate technology for your application.(Intelligent Systems)
December 1, 2003... The primary role of any sensor or sensor-based system is to acquire information, be it temperature, flow rate, inventory level, machine health, or any of the other parameters we'd like to measure. While generating sensor data is fairly...

Jack of all trades: the self-contained throughbeam sensor; among the dizzying array of specialized photoelectrics, fork sensors (self-contained throughbeams) are proving surprisingly useful in many applications.(Technology and Design)(related article: Fork sensors at a glance)
December 1, 2003... When they first arrived on the scene, photoelectric sensors debuted as throughbeam devices using lights and reflectors. Over the years, they've blossomed into full lines of specialized designs, each excelling at a certain job. Today's sensors...

Test data anomalies--when tweaking's ok.(Intelligent Systems)
December 1, 2003... Here's the scenario: We have performed an essential (perhaps single-opportunity) test and taken the measurements we need to assess our specimen's performance. Now we have two options: * Publish the data as they are. * Examine the data...

New isolated analog signal conditioning catalog.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... New 230 page catalog of high quality isolated analog and digital I/O modules to protect and condition critical industrial data acquisition and control signals from RTDs, Thermocouples, and other sensor devices. Includes Instrument Class[TM] DIN...

Hyde Park introduces a powerful triple play.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Three new short form catalogs provide a quick overview of Hyde Park's leading ultrasonic sensors, and the new productivity-enhancing Osiconcept[R] devices: Osiris[R] photoelectric sensors and Osiprox[R] inductive sensors. These sensors for the...

Sound and vibration sensor catalog.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... New catalog from PCB Piezotronics features products for the measurement of acceleration, shock, vibration, and acoustics, all backed by PCB's Total Customer Satisfaction guarantee. Catalog includes accelerometers, microphones, modally-tuned[R]...

New Hyde Park short form sonic catalog.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Offers a quick overview of Hyde Park's leading ultrasonic sensors. It features the Virtu[TM] VMl Series Sensor, a high performance proximity sensor with dual mounting capability, for under $100, a price breakthrough for ultrasonics. It also...

Free 2004 NI measurement and automation catalog.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... The National Instruments catalog is the leading virtual instrumentation resource for engineers and scientists seeking the most productive customer-defined software and hardware tools. You will find everything you need from product...

Mass flow meters for gases.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... TSI Inc., Shoreview, Minnesota, a worldwide leader in air and gas measurement technology, manufactures high performance mass flowmeters to measure gases for a wide range of critical applications. High accuracy, low pressure drop, wide flow...

Jewell inclinometers/accelerometers for tilt applications.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Jewell DC-Operated Gravity-Referenced Tilt Sensors are solving more tilt/acceleration problems than ever. Jewell applies to engineering know-how and develops innovative new products to provide customized solutions. Fully self-contained...

Motion and position sensing solutions.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Admotec's new brochure shows how electromagnetic sensors provide cost-effective, high-performance solutions for motion and position sensing in demanding conditions and industries. Case histories of magnetroresistive encoders and solid rotor...

New 100-page temperature sensor catalog.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... The new 100-page RTD & Thermocouple Sensor Assemblies Handbook from Conax Buffalo Technologies provides detailed technical information in an easy-to-use format to help specifiers select the correct sensor assembly for an application. An...

Intelligent sensors and wireless sensor networks.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Crossbow's 2003 Catalog features a complete line of Solid-State Gyro, Acceleration, Tilt, and Magnetometer products as well as DataLoggers and Wireless Sensor Networks. Visit our website at www.xbow.com, email us at info@xbow.com, or call us at...

New - S17BNCSYS.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Simple Intensity[TM] IC[P[TM].sup.(PCB)] powered Acoustic Intensity Survey probe. Utilizing two 7052SYS Type 1.5[TM] Titanium diaphragm microphone systems, the S17BNC probe is fully adjustable from 12.5 mm to 100 mm, permitting optimum...

AutomationDirect[R].(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... AutomationDirect[R] offers 3,500 brand name and private-labeled products through a new 1,300-page desk reference and Online Automation Superstore. The desk reference features product descriptions, technical information and price lists for PLC...

Force & pressure measuring systems.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Cooper Instruments & Systems provides a range of measurement products: load cells, pressure transducers, LDVT's, torque transducers/gages, electronic/mechanical force gages, crane scales, and test stands. We also provide a full range of...

Thermocouples, make your own.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... DCC's HotSpot welding unit allows thermocouple wire to be formed into freestanding beads or welded to metal surfaces. The HotSpot provides a quick, simple, accurate, low cost means of fabricating thermocouples on a "when needed and where...

Low-cost data acquisition starter kits.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Maybe you've always wanted to try PC-based data acquisition. Or maybe you acquire data now but aren't pleased with the results or performance. Here is your chance to discover our solution. Just visit our Web site and choose from DATAQ...

High-performance plastic connectors.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... This Fischer brochure features plastic-shell connectors which completely intermate with the metal-shell line. The 405 Series offers up to 40 gold-plated contacts in an 18 mm body. Cable strain reliefs, sealing caps and crimp contacts are also...

Fluid sensor with relay contact.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... George Risk Industries, Inc. manufactures a full range of fluid sensors that will detect any conductive non-flammable liquid. All models have relay contacts for output control of an external device and are triggered by a moisture bridge across...

DASYLab v7.0.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... This easy-to-use data acquisition software for Windows-based PCs is available in Lite, Basic, Full and Pro versions. DASYLab is an excellent solution for non-programmers who need to do data acquisition, analysis, and control. Drivers are...

Delta F oxygen analyzers.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Six pages describe Delta F Corp. and the manufacturing of trace and percent oxygen analyzers with ranges from 0-25% to 0-1 ppm, available with up to 75 parts per trillion (PPT) sensitivity. Also described are advancements in nondepleting sensor...

Laser micromachining services.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Gateway Laser Services provides contract services utilizing a new laser micromachining process for the production of very small features with extremely high precision. This service is for those who must meet exacting standards and require...

Custom OEM sensors & services.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... New brochure describes HBM's custom OEM sensor design, development and manufacturing services. If you need to build sensing capability into your products, HBM's OEM Sensor Team can help you make it happen. HBM can draw on more than 50 years of...

OEM Spectrometer modules.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Zeiss Monolithic Miniature Spectrometers (MMS) covering 190-2200nm are rugged, temperature stable and very sensitive devices for a variety of applications including medical, color, process, industrial and portable field measurements. For...

Honeywell pressure transducers and barometers.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... New catalog details Honeywell's complete family of precision pressure products. Featuring high accuracy and stability, these products offer application solutions for: avionics, flight testing, meteorology, engine test cells, flow and pressure...

Linear displacement--LVDTs, inductive, capacitive, draw-wire.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... New catalog describes standard models with ranges from 0.01 in. to several yards. Variety of mechanical configurations and electrical interfaces with AC or DC inputs and voltage or 4-20 mA 2-wire loop outputs available. Submersible models and...

Internally gauged force transducers.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Designers and manufacturers of internally gauged forced transducers for use in product research, development, testing, and control programs in industrial, automotive, and aerospace industries. Patented transducer designs include force sensing...

Honeywell Magnetic Sensors.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... New catalog features Honeywell's family of Magnetometers and Magnetic Sensors. Sensitive and reliable, these magnetoresistive sensors provide cost-effective solutions in many applications: navigation systems, compassing, current sensing,...

Pressure sensors and transducers.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Kavlico's newly released capability brochure highlights 20 of their standard and custom sensors, transducers and transmitters for flow, level, differential, absolute and gage pressure measurements. Typical product specifications and features...

Solartron Metrology.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... We are the world's largest manufacturer of analogue and digital gauging probes. Together with our range of LVDT displacement transducers, linear encoders and conditioning electronics makes us the leading supplier of precision measurement....

Non-contact rotary Torque sensor.(Literature Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Based on a revolutionary new technology using SAW (Surface Acoustic Wave) strain sensing elements, TorqSense offers a superior solution to non-contact rotary torque or viscosity measurement in industrial applications. Optional RPM Pickoff...

Industrial rotary sensors.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... Avtron Manufacturing, Inc., Independence, OH, offers its M85 Thin-Line encoders/tachometers for general industrial use. The devices incorporate the company's Wide-Gap sensor technology, which eliminates alignment procedures and, compared to...

In-process viscometer.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... The AVM3003 from BiODE, Inc., Westbrook, ME, is 1.3 X 1.1 X 0.4 in., weighs 4 oz., is hermetically sealed for immersion in the fluid stream, and measures fluid viscosity from 10-10,000 cP. Features include integrated temperature measurement...

Thermal imaging video system.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... The ThermoCorder from Indigo Systems Corp., Goleta, CA, integrates a tiny (1.35 X 1.45 X 1.90 in., [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Integrated radio, I/O.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... The MCR-RAD from Phoenix Contact Inc., Harrisburg, PA, is an integrated FHSS radio and I/O module designed to eliminate cable and conduit for analog and digital signals in harsh industrial environments. Modules are available as a...

Contrast sensor.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... In applications involving changing ambient light conditions and temperatures, the KRTM 20 from Leuze-Lumiflex, Inc., Rockaway, NJ, can recognize up to 25,000 contrast marks/s without the need for frequent readjustment. The sensor uses 3...

Digital imaging sensors.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... Designed for level measurement and control in molten metal applications, the Selcom Xline laser sensors from LMI Technologies (USA), Inc., Southfield, MI, make multiple measurements along the line and use Class II lasers. Advanced data...

Radio transceiver.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... The Easy-Radio ER900FHTRS frequency-hopping radio transceiver from North American Radio Solutions LLC, Saco, ME, can transfer serial data bidirectionally over a range of up to 500 m LOS. The transceiver combines a low-power RF transceiver,...

Block gauge.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... The Solartron Block gauge from Solartron Metrology Ltd., Gastonia, NC, has a measuring range of 5 mm and repeatability better than 0.25 [micro]m for precision measurement within cavities, internal diameters, or where access is difficult or...

X-ray detectors.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... Suited for applications such as food inspection for foreign objects and contaminants, package content inspection, security screening, and NDT of manufactured parts, the f2 Series of X-Scan X-ray linear array detectors from Detection Technology,...

Chilled mirror hygrometers.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... DewStar Series hygrometers from Shinyei Corp. of America, New York, NY, offer NIST-traceable measurement of dew point/frost point, pressure, and temperature, measuring humidity from -75[degrees]C to 85[degrees]C with an accuracy of [+ or...

DA with GPS time stamping.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... Symmetric Research, Kirkland, WA, offers the PAR4CH four-channel, 24-bit A/D system and the PARGPS timing module. The PAR4CH has a dedicated ADC for each channel and connects to a standard PC parallel port. It includes a 2 MB memory buffer and...

MEMS accelerometers.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... The ADXL203 (dual-axis) and ADXL103 (single-axis) from Analog Devices, Inc., Norwood, MA, are high-precision, low-power, single IC iMEMS accelerometers with signal-conditioned voltage outputs. Range is [+ or -]1.7 g (typical); sensors can...

Temperature, humidity loggers.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... Models SM300 (temperature), SM320 (remote temperature), SM325 (dual remote temperature), TM320 (temperature and humidity), and TM325 (remote temperature and humidity) from Dickson Co., Addison, IL, are midsize display data loggers with alarms...

Dew-point transmitter.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... Designed to measure dew point (Td) and frost point (Tf) from -60[degrees]C to 60[degrees]C in air pressurized up to 15 bar and in harsh industrial environments, the Series EE35 from E+E Elektronik GmbH, Engerwitzdorf, Austria, provides [+ or...

Transport temperature logger.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... For temperature-dependent shipments, the ebro EBI 6 temperature logger from Dresser Instruments, Stratford, CT, measures from -25[degrees]C to 40[degrees]C, with [+ or -]0.8[degrees]C accuracy and 0.1[degrees]C resolution, and can store 4000...

Thermography system.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... EZ THERM from Electrophysics Corp., Fairfield, NJ, is a thermography camera with a megapixel visible flash camera, digital thermal/visible image and voice-note recording, and an integrated Compaq 5000 Series iPAQ PDA. The camera features a 320...

Noncontact rotary transducers.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... Honeywell Sensing and Control, Freeport, IL, offers its RT600 and RT700 Series transducers that offer full 360[degrees] absolute position capability. An automatic centering feature eliminates the need to mechanically adjust the sensor to the...

Strain-gauge signal conditioner.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... Featuring individual remote-sensed excitation supplies on each channel, the Model V385 from Highland Technology, Inc., San Francisco, CA, is an 8-channel VME strain-gauge signal conditioner that supports generic strain-gauge and load-cell...

Signal conditioner.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... The Model WV448 from Eurotherm, Action Instruments Group, San Diego, CA, is a bridge or strain-gauge input isolating signal conditioner that provides a proportional, selectable DC output. The high-density, DIN-rail-mount device is field...

Multigas detector.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... The Solaris from MSA Instrument Div., Pittsburgh, PA, provides simultaneous detection of CO, [O.sub.2], [H.sub.2]S, and combustible gas. Weighing 100 dB, and a strong vibrating alarm. A rechargeable battery provides >14 hr. continuous run time....

High-speed vision sensor.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... Combining image acquisition as fast as 1.4 ms with advanced measurement algorithms, the F210 high-speed vision sensor from Omron Electronics LLC, Schaumburg, IL, also does internal trending for statistical process control and tolerance...

Miniature temperature probes.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... LSMN Mini Series probes from Selco Products Co., Anaheim, CA, feature response accuracy to [+ or -]0.1[degrees]C and 0.035 in. dia. X 0.250 in. length or 0.055 in. dia. X 0.125-0.375 in. length, nominal. Performance characteristics include...

Differential pressure sensor.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... UKSensors Div., SchusterSensor Ltd., London, U.K., offers the ES1210 HIT-Series miniature, PCB-mount, wet-wet differential pressure sensor available in ranges from 0-2 to 0-100 psid. Features include a piezoresistive silicon pressure sensing...

Incremental inclinometers.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... US Digital Corp., Vancouver, WA, offers the T4, T5, and T6 single-axis digital tilt sensors that report the angle of an object with respect to gravity. The devices use optical shaft encoder technology to provide unlimited range and reduce...

Temperature controllers.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... The 1/16 DIN LDE and LME from Barber Colman, a unit of Eurotherm Invensys plc, Leesburg, VA, are additions to its Series 7 product line and are designed for straight-forward applications that require an easy-to-use, economical temperature...

High numerical aperture fiber.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... CeramOptec Industries, Inc., East Longmeadow, MA, offers Optran Plus Advantage, silica/silica optical fiber with a numerical aperture of 0.30. Core sizes for stock fibers are from 100-600 [mu]m, and performance is from 160-2500 nm. The fibers...

Intensified imaging camera.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... The DiCam-PRO from The Cooke Corp., Auburn Hills, MI, is a digital intensified CCD imaging system that can achieve a gating or exposure time of 3 ns, enabling you to study events that are of extremely short duration and that exhibit low or high...

Fiber-optic signal conditioner.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... Available in 4- or 8-channel versions, the UMI signal conditioner from FISO Technologies Inc., Ste-Foy, QC, Canada, is capable of measuring the absolute cavity length of the company's Fabry-Perot fiber-optic transducers. It can perform...

Serial-to-Ethernet radio.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... The OS2400-Ethernet-STE from Locus, Inc., Madison, WI, communicates with legacy serial devices and can be remotely configured; its serial device server establishes a transparent connection between a serial device and an Ethernet host. The radio...

CAN PC Card adapter.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... Contemporary Control Systems, Inc., Downers Grove, IL, offers the ICPCM-CO, a PC Card adapter that lets OEMs connect CAN networks to a notebook computer. It does not require an external power supply and features a 128 KB onboard CAN buffer, 2...

Plug-and-play sensors.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... Lion Precision Inductive, Colorado Springs, CO, offers inductive plug-and-play sensors with TEDS, allowing instruments and/or software to self-configure from data read directly from the sensor. Systems can also warn operators if a sensor is...

Medical-grade thermistor.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... The MCD (Micro Beta-Chip) probe from Beta THERM Sensors, Shrewsbury, MA, is targeted for applications requiring high-precision temperature readings, such as catheter-administered cardiac ablation, thermodilution, urology, and oncology. The...

Urea sensors.(Product News)
December 1, 2003... Urea-/water-based selective catalytic reduction systems inject urea into the exhaust stream to directly reduce formation of N[O.sub.x] compounds. Kavlico Corp., Moorpark, CA, offers a 2-sensor approach to reducing the formation of these...

Check these out!(companies with new or revised web sites)(Directory)
December 1, 2003... FYI: The following companies have recently created a Web site, redesigned an existing one, or added new materials or tools. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] New/Redesigned Blue Road Research www.bluerr.com Boston Gear ...

Web picks.
December 1, 2003... There are a number of job boards available online and I'll point out a relative newcomer. The Defense Talent Network is a job board for the defense contracting, aerospace, and homeland security industries. When I checked their job listings,...

Web picks.
December 1, 2003... Thank you to Maribeth Buchanan for recommending The Guide to Shooting Rubber Bands. This encyclopedic site, created and maintained by Tim Morgan, tells you everything you need to know about rubber bands as armaments. It doesn't just give you...

Web picks.
December 1, 2003... Let me introduce you to the Degree Confluence Project, started by Alex Jarrett in February 1996. Its stated aim is to visit each of the latitude and longitude integer degree intersections in the world and take pictures at each location. It's an...