Sensors Magazine articles from June 2005

Sensors Magazine archives from June 2005

Just say "Wow!".(EDITORIAL)
June 1, 2005... Recent articles on other "wow" projects: SensorNet (see "Advancing Sensor Web Interoperability," Sensors, April 2005, www.sensorsmag.com/articles/0405/14/) Sensor Information System (see "Reality Mining: Browsing Reality with Sensor...

Guidance in flight.(Business Sense)(Crossbow Technology Inc.'s Springtail)(Brief article)
June 1, 2005... Remember Steve Fossett, the pilot who successfully guided his Global Flyer in the first solo round-the-world flight? The Global Flyer relied on the Altitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS) from Crossbow Technology, Inc. (www.xbow.com), for...

Machine vision tightens focus.(Business Sense)(Cognex Corp.'s acquisition of DVT Corp )(DALSA's acquisition of Coreco Inc.)
June 1, 2005... Cognex Corp. (www.cognex.com), which calls itself the world's leading supplier of machine vision systems, has joined with another machine vision leader in its purchase of DVT Corp (www.dvtsensors.com). "This is the largest acquisition that...

More vendors combine sensors and RFID.(Business Sense)
June 1, 2005... RFID tags and sensing devices are being used together for synergistic effect, and vendors are increasingly vying to win the surge with new offerings. In addition to Sensitech (www.sensitech.com) and Savi Technology (www.savi.com), mentioned in...

Market growth.(Business Sense)
June 1, 2005... According to market research firm ARC (www.arcweb.com), the worldwide market for distributed control systems (DCSs) will grow at a CAGR of close to 4% through 2008 to reach almost $12 billion. The DCS market has returned to recovery," says...

Calenda.(Calendar)
June 1, 2005... For a full listing of sensor-related events, go to www.sensorsmag.com/events. Random Vibration & Shock Testing Training July 12-14, Bothell. WA www.equipment-reliability.com/course2.htm NCSL International Workshop & Symposium...

Magnetic imaging + audio = truth about tapes.(Research & Developments)(National Institute of Standards and Technology-David Pappas' real-time magnetic imaging system)
June 1, 2005... The question of whether an audiotape has been tampered with in some way--erased, overdubbed, or otherwise altered--has for years vexed forensic investigators as well as archivists. Remember the 18.5 min. gap in a certain tape made in the White...

Tracking the wild wind.(Research & Developments)(ENSCO Inc.'s research)(Brief article)
June 1, 2005... The summer of 2004 might not have set hurricane records, but hundreds of thousands of lives were disrupted by either a hurricane or the threat of one on its way. Improved know-ledge of the paths these storms are most likely to take will lead to...

N[O.sub.x] sensor could help reduce auto emissions.(Research & Developments)(nitrogen oxide)(Brief article)
June 1, 2005... Automotive emissions are a problem that just keeps getting worse. Among the offenders is nitrogen oxide (N[O.sub.x]), which resists decomposition in the oxygen-rich exhaust conditions from diesels and today's lean-burn gasoline engines....

The big eyeball will pull hazardous duty.(Research & Developments)(Interscience Computer Corp.'s C-View- surveillance device )(Brief article)
June 1, 2005... InterScience, a contract R & D company, is developing a spherical surveillance device that provides a hemispherical field of view. C-View, with the approximate dimensions of a softball, has a range of a 360[degrees] horizontal and >180[degrees]...

Short fakes.
June 1, 2005... Ed Ramsden, regular Sensors contributor and Editorial Advisory Board Member, writes as follows: January 2005 marked the 30th anniversary of the first generally available personal computer, the Altair 8800, which was advertised as a project/kit...

The muhammed Ali of crustaceans.(AppSnaps)(peacock mantis shrimp )(Brief article)
June 1, 2005... The peacock mantis shrimp (Odontodactylus scyllarus) is distinguished by its brilliant coloration--and its mighty punching ability. This shrimp, about 9 cm long, can deliver a 51 mph jab delivering more than 200 lb. of force with its forelegs....

Where's my field?(AppSnaps)(Seth Dabney-turbidity sensors )(Brief article)
June 1, 2005... Even the best farming practices won't give you much of a crop if your land keeps disappearing from under you. The classic method of determining soil loss is to measure runoff rate and periodically collect either a single composite sample or...

Make it snippy and make it right, robot.(AppSnaps)(designing a high-response robotic positioning system)
June 1, 2005... Dennis Teague, a field service engineer with Rockwell Automation, stopped by the Fluke booth at a recent trade show. He had a tough challenge: He needed a way to display the results of fine-tuning a high-response robotic positioning system used...

High-performance mesh networking makes its mark on M2M: mobile broadband mesh networking for wireless machine-to-machine (M2M) communications could be the next big thing in wireless.(PUTTING SENSORS TO WORK)
June 1, 2005... Recent attention to wireless machine-to-machine (M2M) communications may portend the next big revolution for the wireless industry. Automatic and ad hoc communications between machines, particularly in industrial settings, will provide new ways...

Strain sensor basics and signal conditioning tips.(SENSOR TECHNOLOGY & DESIGN)
June 1, 2005... strain gauges are fairly straightforward devices that output a voltage signal based on a change in resistance when the object to which they are attached to undergoes tension or compression. They are available in three basic types: full-, half-,...

Wireless sensing--keeping energy requirements low: the two principal drivers of wireless sensing are mobility and cost reduction. Don't let a power hog trip them up!(INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS)
June 1, 2005... Sensing technology has changed over the past 50 years from one sensor connected to one actuator, to several sensors connected to one concentrator over a star network (most often analog), to sensors connected digitally to a central station...

Sensors Wow!(PUTTING SENSORS TO WORK)
June 1, 2005... The editors of Sensors aim to get your motor running, crank up the idea mill, inspire you with tales of sensing technology applied in interesting, unusual ways. So we've written a number of stories we hope will leave you with a sense of "wow!"...

The promise of Ultra-wideband.(INTELLLIGENT SYSTEMS)(radio frequencies)
June 1, 2005... Ultra-wideband is attracting attention: It promises data rates >500 Mbps, reliable operation in extremely noisy environments, and high-accuracy ranging. But lack of standards and concerns over interference issues pose significant hurdles to its...

Safety first with ultrasonic sensors: ultrasonic detection of arcing, tracking, and corona in enclosed electrical cabinets helps reduce the potential for personal injury and equipment outage.(PUTTING SENSORS TO WORK)
June 1, 2005... Arc flash can be considered a short circuit through the air. It produces tremendous stored-up energy that can travel outward from electrical equipment (see Figure 1). An arc flash produces temperatures as high as 35,000[degrees]F, hotter than...

Product news.
June 1, 2005... Product News is but a sampling of the many, many products we've seen recently. The ones included this month reflect a trend, are different enough to make me sit up and take notice, or are nice implementations of current technology. At the...

New 100-page temperature sensor catalog.(FREE LITERATURE)
June 1, 2005... 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...

MeasuringPAD.(FREE LITERATURE)
June 1, 2005... It's a rugged hand-held instrument for rapidly collecting, monitoring, and displaying multiple sensor inputs in a wide range of manufacturing, laboratory, plant operations, and quality control applications. Configured and operated through a...

Pressure sensors & transduscers.(FREE LITERATURE)
June 1, 2005... Kavlico's 4-color, quad-fold capability brochure has just been re-issued detailing the latest information about their standard and custom sensors and transducers. Included are typical performance specifications and features, a company profile,...

New--S17BNCSYS.(FREE LITERATURE)
June 1, 2005... Simple Intensity[TM] ICP[TM](PCB) powered Acoustic Intensity Survey probe. Utilizing two 7052SYS Type 1.5[TM] Titanium diaphragm microphone systems, the SI7BNC probe is fully adjustable from 12.5 mm to 100 mm, permitting optimum measurement...

2004 full-line signal conditioning catalog.(FREE LITERATURE)
June 1, 2005... New 240 page catalog of Instrument Class[R] industrial signal conditioning, data acqusitition and data communication products that protect and condition critical signals from RTDs Thermocouples, Load Cells and other sensor devices. Includes DIN...

Precision Inductosyn[R] position transducers.(FREE LITERATURE)
June 1, 2005... Farrand Controls--manufacturers of precision Inductosyn[R] and Electrosyn[R] transducers used for accurate measurement of angular or linear position displacements. Rotary transducers provide absolute and incremental position information...

Non-contact rotary torque sensor.(FREE LITERATURE)
June 1, 2005... 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...

The consumer guide to non-contact level gauges.(New to Bookshelves!)(Brief article)(Book review)
June 1, 2005... The Consumer Guide to Non-Contact Level Gauges Authors: David W. Spitzer and Walt Boyes Published by Copperhill and Pointer, Inc. ISBN: 1-932095-07-1 This report discusses the current state of noncontact level sensing...

S.O.S. Mathematics.(Mel's Picks)
June 1, 2005... Many thanks to Scott Sokolik for recommending the S.O.S. Mathematics site. What you'll find here is math review material covering algebra, trigonometry, calculus differential equations, complex variables, and matrix algebra as well as tables of...

Remote Sensing Tutorial.(Mel's Picks)(Brief article)
June 1, 2005... If you're interested in remote sensing, I urge you to go to the Remote Sensing Tutorial. Dr. Nicholas M. Short, Sr., is the principal author and won NASA's Excellence in Outreach award for the site in 2003. If you want to know what things...

The Web is a truly wondrous place.(Mel's Picks)
June 1, 2005... The Web is a truly wondrous place. Did you know that there's a site dedicated to selling oversized versions of things? You can get a pencil that's almost 6 ft. long, giant glasses, foot-long paper clips, and an array of other suitable...

Quote of the month.(Mel's Picks)
June 1, 2005... A great many people think they are thinking when they are really rearranging their prejudices. --Edward R. Murrow (1908-1965)

If you could be any lord of the rings character, who would you be?(Quick Poll)
June 1, 2005... If you could be any Lord of the Rings character, who would you be? 32.6% Gandalf 27.7% Legolas 19.8% Aragorn 9.9% Other 6.9% Frodo 2.9% Gimli Quick Polls are posted on the Sensors Online site every two weeks. Cast...