Sensors Magazine articles from February 2004

Sensors Magazine archives from February 2004

MEMS progress and its impact.(Guest Editorial)(microelectromechanical systems)
February 1, 2004... This year marks not only Sensors' 20th anniversary, but also the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the piezoresistive effect, key to the operation of the paradigm-shifting sensor technology known as MEMS (microelectromechanical systems)....

Wireless everywhere.(Business Sense)(wireless networking equipment industry)
February 1, 2004... Wireless topics figure prominently in sensor news this month, headed by two announcements from Ember Corp. (Boston, MA, www.ember.com), whose CTO Rob Poor is acting director of the Wireless Industrial Networking Alliance (www.ember.com/WINA)....

Calendar.(Calendar)
February 1, 2004... Effective Persuasion Skills for the Technical Professional February 23-24, Los Angeles, CA www.uclaextension.edu/shortcourses Manufacturing Conference at SOUTH-TEC 2004 March 2-4, Charlotte, NC www.sme.org/southtec ...

Accolades.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Congratulations are in order! ASM International, the society for materials engineers and scientists, has presented its 2003 Engineered Materials Achievement Award to Cool Polymers (Warwick, RI, www.coolpolymers.com) for CoolPoly...

Nanotech springs forward.(Research & Developments)(nanostructures development and research)
February 1, 2004... Zhong Lin Wang and colleague Xiang Yang Kong at Georgia Tech's Center for Nano-science and Nanotechnology have advanced their work with nanobelts by fabricating nanosprings, a new class of structures that spontaneously form helical shapes from...

Exotic new material feels and heals itself.(Research & Developments)(materials research)
February 1, 2004... A research team headed by Sia Nemat-Nasser at the University of California, San Diego, is investigating a new structural material with embedded sensing capabilities. The work is part of an ongoing project to create a strong structural material...

Short Takes.(Computer industry, Consumer electronics industry)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Our spirits were lifted when NASA's Spirit landed safely, looked around, and sent us pictures of Mars. Clearly, robotic exploration is the only way to go for the foreseeable future. So please put your hands together for this glorious union of...

Smart, switchable surfaces could aid nanoscale assembly, microfluidics.(Research & Developments)(coating materials)
February 1, 2004... Materials researchers at Iowa State University, headed by Vladimir V. Tsukruk and Eugene R. Zubarev, have demonstrated a novel coating that makes surfaces smart--they can be switched back and forth on the nano scale between glassy-slick and...

Nanotubes prove the best semiconductors.(Research & Developments)
February 1, 2004... Physicists at the University of Maryland, led by Michael Fuhrer at the Center for Superconductivity Research, have demonstrated that semiconducting carbon nanotubes have the highest mobility of any known material at room temperature. Mobility...

Ubiquitous computing for the sofa spud.(Research & Developments)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Mads Haahr (www.random.org/mads) and fellow researchers at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, are working on a smart couch with microchip load cells in the legs that let it recognize a sitter by weight. At present, all the sofa can do is issue...

Leaving Las Vegas.(AppSnaps)(Airports)
February 1, 2004... For frequent fliers who say a little prayer whenever they bid their baggage au revoir, odds are they'll end up reunited at journey's end. But given the number of layovers, missed connections, and general confusion in our airports lately, those...

Being off color is no joke.(AppSnaps)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Commercial printers count on consistency. Variables such as different papers and inks, fluctuations in humidity and temperature, and static electricity can all cause unwelcome changes in color output, and if colors are even slightly off from...

SCARA robot works on its pickup line.(AppSnaps)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... A major pharmaceutical company needed a fully automated packaging process to load tablets into cavity blister packs. When the tablets were packaged manually, the company had to deal with scrap rates as high as 25%, which was common because of...

A new densitometer based on MEMS silicon microtube technology; a novel fluid density meter incorporating silicon microtubes represents the first major breakthrough in densitometer technology in more than 35 years.(Sensor Technology and Design)(Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems )
February 1, 2004... Vibrating-tube density meters date back to the 1920s, when a way to measure the audio frequency of fluid-filled vibrating columns was first devised. Between 1965 and 1973, densitometers took advantage of electronically controlled U-shaped...

Bridging the gap: extending Bluetooth to ultra-low-powered equipment: a new wireless technology extends Bluetooth networks where both ultra-low-power operation and long range are essential.(Intelligent Systems)(WAVENIS by Coronis Systems)
February 1, 2004... Looking for a challenge? Try designing a communications network that can exchange data wirelessly over a range of several hundred meters, communicate with the external world, and accommodate electronic devices with power consumption...

The principles of piezoelectric accelerometers; read this and you will learn how quartz piezoelectric accelerometers work and how to power and instrument them.(Sensor Technology and Design)
February 1, 2004... The piezoelectric effect, discovered in 1880 by Pierre and Jacques Curie, remained a mere curiosity until the 1940s. The property of certain crystals to exhibit electrical charges under mechanical loading was of no practical use until very high...

When safety matters: using active RFID down the mines.(Intelligent Systems)(Radio Frequency Identification )
February 1, 2004... It's been said that if you think safety is expensive, try an accident. Growing demand for safety in workplaces around the world has resulted in tighter regulations. Keeping track of people and equipment for safety and security can be a...

MOS air quality sensors make vehicle cabins safer; federal and local emissions standards are cleaning up automotive exhausts, but they're not much help to occupants of a car that's stuck in traffic or passing a pulp mill. Here's a sensor that will clear the air.(Putting Sensors to Work)(metal oxide semiconductor)(Cover Story)
February 1, 2004... Stringent air quality standards have forced U.S. automakers to regulate automotive emissions, but not much attention has been paid to the air inside the vehicle's cabin other than ensuring that it remains at a comfortable temperature. Now, with...

Temperature, resistance measurement.(Product News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... The Microlink 752 from Biodata Ltd., Manchester, U.K., plugs into a computer's USB port and accepts up to 16 analog voltage, resistance, and temperature inputs; it also offers output control and counting. Features include up to 24 digital...

Thermocouple input module.(Product News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Available with 8, 16, or 32 inputs, the MicroDAQ USB-73-T from Eagle Technology, Cape Town, South Africa, has 14-bit resolution and plugs into the USB port of a laptop or desktop PC. It supports standard Type J, K, E, T, R, S, B, and C...

Linear motor encoder.(Product News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Designed for the high speeds, high accelerations, and millions of cycles found in linear motor applications, the LME from Trilogy Systems Corp., Webster, TX, is available in 1 and 5 [micro]m resolutions and has a very small read head. The read...

Humidity calibration system.(Product News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... GE General Eastern Instruments, Inc., Wilmington, MA, offers the Humilab NIST-traceable humidity generator and chamber for calibrating a variety of humidity sensors, transmitters, and instruments. Using a time-proportioned, divided-flow...

Differential pressure sensors.(Product News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Designed for particulate filter monitoring systems for diesel engines, differential (dp) sensors from Kavlico Corp., Moorpark, CA, are ceramic capacitive-based and designed for narrow pressure ranges (0-5 psid) and high overpressure...

Carbon dioxide sensors.(Product News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Ocean Optics, Inc., Dunedin, FL, offers fluorescence-based fiber-optic sensors that measure dissolved C[O.sub.2] in biochemical and environmental samples such as freshwater and seawater. The real-time sensors have a dynamic range of 0%-25% and...

Ultrasonic distance sensor.(Product News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Software-programmable 942-T Series sensors from Honeywell Sensing and Control, Freeport, IL, have scan ranges from 150-3500 mm and offer an analog output and 2 switching outputs in the same housing. The sensors feature 4-20 mA or 0-10 VDC...

Hydrogen leak detector.(Product News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... The compact H2000 from Sensistor Technologies, Inc., North Billerica, MA, uses hydrogen as a tracer gas to detect leaks as small as 5 X 1[0.sup.-7] mbarl/s. Using a 5% hydrogen in 95% nitrogen mixture, the device can disclose and localize...

Inductive displacement sensor.(Product News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... The ECA110 from Lion Precision Inductive, Colorado Springs, CO, is an embeddable displacement sensor designed for those OEM applications that require high-precision, high-resolution analog position feedback. The sensor consists of one of the...

4-channel A/D modules.(Product News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... D5000M Series 4-channel analog input DA modules from DGH Corp., Manchester, NH, communicate using Modbus RTU and combine wide-range analog signal conditioning, A/D conversion, and RS-232 or RS-485 output. Models are available to measure...

Pulse radar transmitter.(Product News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... The low-noise SmartWave from BinMaster, Lincoln, NE, is a self-adjusting pulse radar transmitter for distances up to 100 ft. The unit adjusts its microwave pulse amplitude and width to a target distance and target reflection properties. The...

Shaft speed sensor.(Product News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Suitable for demanding, hazardous, and industrial environments, the SpeedTalker DN from Electro-Sensors, Inc., Minnetonka, MN, is a DeviceNet-enabled speed sensor with speed switch functionality. Able to operate in any DeviceNet network without...

Wireless DA module.(Product News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... The CellTerra, a 4 by 3 in. rugged, outdoor wireless transmission unit (WTU) from Advanced Workflow Solutions Corp. Inc., Austin, TX, performs DA, communications, and control of sensors and field instrumentation. The WTU communicates across...

Subminiature current sensors.(Product News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... The MS-15 and MS-30 Hall effect current sensors from Sypris Test and Measurement Magnetics Div., Orlando, FL, measure up to 30 A in industrial applications and feature AC and DC current measurement capability. They use a unipolar power source,...

Digital pressure controllers.(Product News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Series 7252 dual-output pressure controllers from GE Ruska, Houston, TX, incorporate two of the company's quartz pressure sensors, each with its own control output, allowing you to simultaneously control two separate pressures. Two models are...

Low-noise, 16-bit ADC.(Product News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... The LTC2433-1 from Linear Technology Corp., Milpitas, CA, is a [DELTA][SIGMA] ADC with no missing codes, noise performance of 1.45 [micro][V.sub.rms], and the ability to resolve differential inputs of [+ or -]50 mV to 16 bits without needing a...

Mixed-signal test instrument.(Product News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... The Synasys Model MiNT8300 from MiNT Systems Corp., San Jose, CA, is a modular mixed-signal instrument system with multiple plug-ins to facilitate signal measurement, analysis, and testing. You can install up to 3 modules plus an additional 12...

Compact temperature transmitter.(Product News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... NOSHOK, Inc., Berea, OH, offers the Series 800 PT-Compact Plus transmitter with a platinum 100 [ohm] sensor and 2-wire 4-20 mA, 3-wire 0-10 VDC, 2-wire Pt100, 3-wire Pt100, or 4-wire Pt100 outputs. Standard temperature ranges are from...

Universal analog module.(Product News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... The 1769sc-IF8u from Spectrum Controls, Inc., Bellevue, WA, accepts either 8 current, voltage, resistance, thermocouple or 4 RTD inputs and is designed for use with the Allen-Bradley CompactLogix and MicroLogix 1500 platforms. You can mix and...

Compact flow switch.(Product News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Model F106 Series inline flow switches from Pressure Controls, Inc., Belleville, NJ, are available in all SS or all brass and have field-adjustable settings from 1-30 gpm. Suited for use in various medical and process control machines, the...

General-purpose force sensors.(Product News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Series 208C ICP piezoelectric force sensors from PCB Piezotronics, Inc., force/Torque Div., Depew, NY, measure dynamic and quasi-static forces from 0.0001 to 5000 lb. The all-welded hermetic design uses stable preloaded quartz disks, enabling...

16-bit DA system.(Product News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... The Burr-Brown ADS1112 from Texas Instruments Inc., Tucson, AZ, is a multichannel 16-bit [DELTA][SIGMA] ADC supplied in compact MSOP and leadless QFN packages and designed for high-resolution measurement applications that require low power...

Inductive analog sensors.(Product News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... TURCK Inc., Minneapolis, MN, has expanded its line of inductive analog sensors. Major cylindrical styles (12, 18, 30 mm) are now available with an extended linear sensor range up to 100% longer and are designated analog+. Repeatability of all...

Segmented photodiode.(Product News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Suited for use in targeting and guidance systems, machine tool alignment, beam centering, surface profiling, and position measurement, the UV-SPOT PSD from UDT Sensors, Inc., Hawthorne, CA, is a common-substrate photodiode segmented into 4...

Small footprint controller.(Product News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... The 2 by 2.5 in. QCard from Mosaic Industries, Inc., Newark, CA, fits handheld or space-constrained applications and is suited for interfacing to sensors and actuators in machine automation, industrial control, robotics, and scientific...

Pressure transmitter with HART.(Product News)(Designed for the oil production indus)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Designed for the oil production industry, the small watertight/submersible Model 970 from Viatran Corp., Grand Island, NY, offers simultaneous analog and digital communications via HART. Pressure range is 100-100,000 psi. HART communications...

Incremental angle encoder.(Product News)(ERP 880 encoder consists of the scanning unit with circular scale and housing with a cable)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... The ERP 880 from Heidenhain Corp., Schaumburg, IL, has a circular scale with 90,000 grating periods; after signal acquisition, 180,000 sinusoidal signal periods are available for evaluation. The encoder consists of the scanning unit with...

MEMS inclinometer.(Product News)(SCA61T Series inclinometers from VTI Technologies, Inc., )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... SCA61T Series inclinometers from VTI Technologies, Inc., Dearborn, MI, and Vantaa, Finland, have internal temperature measurement and compensation, offer long-term stability better than 0.25 mg, and come in [+ or -]0.5 g and [+ or -]1 g...

Web picks.
February 1, 2004... Just for fun, go visit Mr. Picassohead and unleash your inner impressionist. Using Picassoesque facial feature elements (noses, hair, ears, mouths, and so on), you assemble a face, sign it, then sit back to admire your masterpiece. Created by...