Sensors Magazine articles from July 2006

Sensors Magazine archives from July 2006

So much more.(goode sense)
July 1, 2006... The Today at Sensors weblog (www.sensorsmag.com) not only gave us Sensors editors an outlet to report daily from Sensors Expo (June 5-7, www.sensorsexpo.com), but also it lets us tell you more about Expo happenings--among other things--than...

Wireless's domestic turf war.(WIRELESS, BUILDING AUTOMATION)
July 1, 2006... Three major wireless communications protocol rivals have made new moves in home automation, while energy-harvesting pioneer pursues its own path to the building market. Protocol Punches: ZigBee, Z-Wave, Insteon Due for release in Q4...

Materials innovations may challenge noncontact-sensor growth.(PRODUCT TRENDS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... The development of "active," noncontact sensors based on Hall effect, magnetoresistive, and variable-reluctance transformer technologies is penetrating the established market of "passive," contact sensors--and increasingly taking market share...

Safety and security soar, machine vision enters automotive on ramp.(forecasts of automotive sensors market)(Omni-Vision Technologies Inc. and Cognex Corp. are developing machine vision sensors)
July 1, 2006... A recent study by TRW Automotive Inc. reports that 74% of respondents say vehicle safety features and options are more important to them than they were five years ago. And all of the entries on Edmunds.com's Top 10 High-Tech Car Safety...

A light touch.(MEDIA WATCH)
July 1, 2006... CBC News was one of the outlets reporting on a new sensor under development at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. The technology uses light, as well as semiconductive material particles, to image objects and enable an astoundingly delicate...

Under predator's watch.(MEDIA WATCH)
July 1, 2006... CNN correspondent Brent Sadler, who is on assignment in Afghanistan, tells of a close encounter with a sensor-rich Predator UAV, "the U.S. military's most sophisticated killing machine in the war on terror." With Predator, U.S. military...

What's the greatest number of photo-electric sensors you have set up at any one station?(QUICK POLL)
July 1, 2006... What's the greatest number of photoelectric sensors you have set up at any one station? I don't use photoelectric sensors 25% One 0% Two 37.5% Three ...

Calendar.(Calendar)
July 1, 2006... Get an updated list of sensor-relevant industry events: www.sensorsmag.com/events

Second-generation wireless IC.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
July 1, 2006... ZMD AG, Dresden, Germany offers its ZMD44102 second-generation RF transceiver IC and starter kits that comply with IEEE 802.15.4 and are designed for use in ZigBee applications. The transceiver operates in both 902-928 MHz and 868-870 MHz...

Optical encoder engines.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
July 1, 2006... Avago Technologies, San Jose, CA, offers AEDA-3300 Series optical encoder engines for installation in a customer-supplied housing. The encoders are available in 600-20,000 cpr resolutions, and speeds up to 12,000 rpm, depending on resolution....

Portable ultrasonic flowmeter.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
July 1, 2006... The HTTP from Hedland, Racine, WI, is a portable transit-time ultrasonic flowmeter that clamps to the outside of the pipe and provides instantaneous rate and accumulated flow measurements. Features include bidirectional flow capability,...

Current data logger.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
July 1, 2006... The OM-CP-OCTPROCESS from Omega Engineering Inc., Stamford, CT, is a portable battery-powered data logger that measures and records current from [+ or -]1.5 mA to [+ or -]120 mA, depending on model. The device records up to 16,383 current...

RH sensor.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
July 1, 2006... Available in wall, duct, or OSA mounting configurations, the RH sensor from Minco, Minneapolis, MN, provides system accuracies of [+ or -]1%. The humidity sensor combines an IC with a stable polymer element and a platinum RTD for temperature...

Spring-loaded LVDTs.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
July 1, 2006... Macro Sensors, Pennsauken, NJ, offers GHSE 750 spring-loaded position sensors available in ranges of 2.5-100 mm and with max. linearity error of [+ or -]0.25% of F.S. output. The 24 V sensors consist of a spring-loaded shaft running in a...

Visual/thermal security camera.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
July 1, 2006... The Thermal-Eye 2400xp from L-3 Communications Infrared Products, Dallas, TX, is a dual-sensor thermal imaging and visual camera for military, law enforcement, executive security, covert operations, and other security applications. The camera...

Contact image sensor.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
July 1, 2006... Alternative Vision Corp., Tucson, AZ, offers the Tichawa Vision Mini-CIS that provides contact image scanning for computer vision systems and custom document scanners. Available in 4 models, with 100,200,400, or 600 dpi resolution over a 216 mm...

Wireless modem Firmware.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
July 1, 2006... BlueTree Wireless Data Inc., Montreal, QC, Canada, offers Firmware release 2.0 that broadens the capabilities of its IP and GPS Series wireless modems for fleet management, field-service automation, and SCADA. Firmware release 2.0 provides GPS...

Strain transducer.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
July 1, 2006... The BDI strain transducer from Bridge Diagnostics Inc., Boulder, CO, is designed to measure strain on bridges, buildings, cranes, and other civil structures and can be installed within minutes on steel, concrete, timber, and FRP members. The...

Distance measurement sensor.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
July 1, 2006... The PMD laser sensor from IFM Efector Inc., Exton, PA, has a 10 m sensing range, has a 42 X 42 mm housing, and is designed to provide noncontact distance measurement for industrial applications. A 4-digit alphanumeric display indicates measured...

Wireless sensor networking system.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
July 1, 2006... The Sensicast Wireless Advantage from Sensicast Systems Inc., Needham, MA, integrates sensors, software, and mesh networking devices, through its SensiNet mesh networking technology, to allow plant/building managers to quickly deploy sensors....

Compact vision system.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
July 1, 2006... A compact multifunctional vision system, the SmallFrEYE_PC from The Value Engineering Alliance (VEA), Cambridge, MA, was originally developed for manufacture of electronic devices and components. Its architecture supports multitasking and its...

Universal transmitter.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
July 1, 2006... The Model 682A06 from IMI Sensors Div., PCB Piezotronics Inc., Depew, NY, is a programmable, DIN rail mountable universal transmitter that provides loop power for the company's 4-20 mA vibration sensors. The transmitter has a detachable display...

SS pressure sensor.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
July 1, 2006... The Metallux ME680 from Servoflo Corp., Lexington, MA, accepts high-pressure measurements and is available with ranges from 0-10 bar up to 400 bar. Overpressure is >2 X nominal overpressure, burst pressure is 5 X greater than nominal pressure,...

Digital signal conditioner.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
July 1, 2006... The CellMite Model 4337 from Electro Standards Labs, Cranston, RI, connects to a standard strain gauge transducer and simultaneously generates a serial output and a scalable [+ or -]10 V analog output. Features include a 16-character auto...

Continuous level transmitter.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
July 1, 2006... For continuous level measurement in liquids and bulk solids, the Levelflex M from Endress+Hauser Inc., Greenwood, IN, is a top-mounted compact transmitter with guided radar. It can reliably handle measurements of powdery and granular bulk...

Interoperability kit.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
July 1, 2006... The Fieldbus Foundation, Austin, TX, offers its enhanced H1 interoperability test kit (ITK) v5.0 that now lets you test Foundation fieldbus devices using current Device Description 5.0 files. The test kit verifies the functionality of an H1...

Analog output modules.(HANDY NEW PRODUCTS)
July 1, 2006... The USB-3110, USB-3112, and USB-3114 from Measurement Computing Corp., Middleboro, MA, are 16-bit high-drive, USB, analog output modules compatible with both USB 1.1 and 2.0 ports. The USB-3110 offers 4 analog voltage outputs, 8 digital I/O,...

Cells' secrets revealed.(a Georgia research team is using a modified atomic force microscope to study cystic fibrosis )
July 1, 2006... A Georgia Tech research team is using a modified atomic force microscope (AFM) to study the role of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in cystic fibrosis (CF). Although a link has been discovered between elevated levels of ATP, a chemical associated...

Bullets vs. soft body armor.(National Institute of Standards and Technology's research on frangible bullets)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... "Frangible" bullets are designed to break into small bits when they strike a hard surface. This ammunition might appear counter-intuitive, but it is used by law enforcement personnel in areas where ricochets could harm innocent bystanders. Now...

3D facial scans in 40 ms.(SHORT TAKES)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Computer scientists at Sheffield Hallam University, U.K., have developed a new face recognition software that can produce an exact 3D image of a face within 40 ms. A pattern of light is projected on a face, creating a 2D image, from which an...

Census taking made easier.(AuthenTec's EntrePad 1510 fingerprint sensors to be used to capture data)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... AuthenTec's fingerprint sensors will facilitate the 2010 U.S. census by eliminating much of the verifying paperwork the head counters have had to provide in the past. The company's EntrePad 1510 sensor will be embedded in more than 500,000 PDAs...

Blood plasma reveals cancer.(SHORT TAKES)(Quest Diagnostics Inc. )(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Quest Diagnostics Inc. has launched the first of its Leumeta cancer testing assays, designed as an alternative to bone marrow biopsies (which everyone would prefer to avoid). The assays identify and analyze genetic components of leukemia and...

Sensors presents the Best of Sensors Expo awards 2006.(SPECIAL REPORT)
July 1, 2006... The exhibit hall at Sensors Expo & Conference 2006 (www.sensorsexpo.com) boasted more than 200 displays this year, and on opening day we editors joined the crowd of attendees. Besides looking for generally nifty things, our mission was to visit...

The Sensor Web: distributed sensing for collective action; The Sensor Web--a macroinstrument of individual sensing elements that can act as a collective whole--has already been deployed in a number of challenging environments. Here's how its unique properties come into play in real-world applications.(SENSORS AT WORK)
July 1, 2006... Wireless sensor networks seem to be everywhere. Technology magazines talk about them. Universities offer courses on the topic. Companies, both large and small, are working aggressively to push the development of these systems. Despite this...

How are your bearings holding up? Find out with ultrasound: a condition-monitoring program based on ultrasonics can catch problems before they turn into catastrophes, and can find leaks that could be costing you money.(SENSOR DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY)
July 1, 2006... An effective condition-monitoring program provides many benefits, ranging from improved asset availability to reduced energy consumption. One primary focus of condition monitoring is the status of bearings, whose health (or lack of it) can mean...

Dealing with measurement uncertainty: when environmental conditions can affect transducer measurements, data validation helps ensure that each transducer is responding only to the physical property that it is designed to measure. Placebo transducers are one of the data validation tools at your disposal.(INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS)
July 1, 2006... Atransducer is only as good as the signal it initiates through a measurement system. Important design decisions affecting human lives and costly structures (e.g., automobiles, aircraft, and buildings) frequently depend on the analysis of these...

Underwater communication, RFID Viruses, and 802.15.4 interoperability.(MESH, MOBILE, M2M--WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW?)(radio frequency identification equipment)
July 1, 2006... Sending Signals Underwater Can I transmit sensor data wirelessly underwater? Signed, Bubbling with Curiosity Wise Guy: Yes, you can. But with traditional (that is, radio frequency or RF) wireless communications, where you use...

The five-minute filter university, July session.(HANDS-ON SENSOR ENGINEERING)(analog filters)
July 1, 2006... Back in the late 1970s comedian Don Novello (a.k.a. Father Guido Sarducci) had a routine called the "Five-Minute University," which was supposed to impart to you, in the span of only five minutes, all the knowledge you would retain five years...

OPC--a question of relevance.(OPC Foundation )(Column)
July 1, 2006... For ten years, OPC's suite of standards has provided the industrial automation world with open connectivity, but the technology on which its standards are based is no longer on the cutting edge of data sharing. The foundation that rescued...

A (nearly) bionic arm.(Liberating Technologies)(digital signal controllers)
July 1, 2006... The current conflict in Iraq is proving to be a war of amputations. If it's any consolation, an extremely well engineered prosthetic, the Boston Digital Arm (BDA), promises to reproduce much of a lost limb's functionality. The BDA's operating...

Safe boating, everyone!(LifeTag system)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... The cry of "man overboard!" is second only to "fire on shipboard!" as a general alarm for all hands. But what if no one sees that fellow boater or shipmate (or pet) fall into the drink? The Raymarine (www.raymarine.com) LifeTag system, using...

Sensor-specific sites.(Sensorland.com)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... I've mentioned Sensorland.com, a Web site for information on sensing and measurement, before in this column. The people behind Sensorland.com have now added Sensorwatch to the main site. This is a series of internal Web sites, each devoted to a...

Google Earth blog.(RECOMMENDED RESOURCES AND ODDMENTS)(www.gearthblog.com/basics.html)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Google Earth is a virtual globe program that stitches together satellite imagery, aerial photography, and GIS over a 3D globe. The basic program is pretty amazing, but what's even more fun are the overlays--for instance, a 3D model of the Great...

State of the Union analysis.(RECOMMENDED RESOURCES AND ODDMENTS)(http://stateoftheunion.onetwothree.net)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Here's a very different way to look at the State of the Union (SOTU) address through the ages. This Web tool takes the text of all of the SOTU addresses from 1790 to 2006 and maps the words used to give an idea of their relative importance. For...

Questionable Content Web comic.(RECOMMENDED RESOURCES AND ODDMENTS)
July 1, 2006... The quickest way to a man's heart really is through his stomach, because then you don't have to chop through that pesky rib cage. J. Jacques, Questionable Content Web comic, #478, October 27, 2005

Hall-Effect Sensors: Theory and Application, Second Edition.(NEW TO BOOKSHELVES)(Hall-Effect Sensors: Theory and Application, 2d ed.)(Brief article)(Book review)
July 1, 2006... Hall-Effect Sensors: Theory and Application, Second Edition Author: Edward Ramsden Publisher: Newnes, an imprint of Elsevier ISBN: 0-7506-7934-4 In this book, you'll find an explanation of the Hall effect, how various sensor...