SENSOR AND ACTUATOR

CHAPTER 1:

Introduction to sensors and

actuators
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1. Definition

There are main three questions:

1. What is a transducer ?

2. What is a sensor ?

3. What is an actuator ?
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• Transducer is a device or mechanism that convert

an energy form one form to another form.
Basically, Transducer is a energy converting
device

• The input of transducer can be mechanical,

thermal, electromagnetic, electric, chemical and
radiation.
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• The output of transducer can be any kind of

useful of physical form (i.e. mechanical,
thermal, electromagnetic, electric, chemical and
radiation).

input output
Transducer
Physical Physical
form form
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Electrical Radiation

Physical
Electromag
form Mechanical
netic

Thermal Chemical
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• Sensor is a device that convert energy from one

form to the electrical signal. Sometime, sensor
and transducer is synonym.

• The input of sensor can be mechanical, thermal,

electromagnetic, electric, chemical and
radiation.
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• The output of sensor can be any kind of useful

of electrical signal (i.e. voltage, current,
resistance, capacitance or inductance).

input output
Sensor
Physical Electrical
form signal
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Voltage Current

Electrical
signal

Capacitance Inductance

Resistance
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input output
Sensor
Physical Electrical
form signal

input output
Transducer
Physical Electrical
form signal

Is transducer the same as sensor?

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Transducer Sensor +signal conditioning

• Signal conditioning is the manipulation

signal(analog signal) to meet the requirement of
the next stage for further processing.

• Normally, signal conditioning consists of

amplifier, converter (Analog-to-digital) and
signal processing technique.
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• Actuator is a device that convert the electrical

signal to physical form. Basically, the physical
is the motion (mechanical signal).

input output
Actuator
Electrical Motion
signal
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Output
Input Thermal Light Electrical Motion Magnetic

Thermal

Light

Electrical

Motion

Magnetic

Transducer Sensor Actuator

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2. Detectable phenomenon

Two questions are needed to answer:

1. Which energy form that sensor can detect?

2. What kind of quantity that sensor detect?

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Acoustic

Biological

Mechanical
Detected Physical
Sensor
energy
Optical

Chemical

Thermal
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Spectrum
Amplitude

quantity
Acoustic Wave Polarization

Phase
Wave velocity
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Biology/Chemical

Fluid Gas

Acid Base DNA Enzyme Antigen

quantity

Concentration
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Strain
Pressure quantity
Velocity

quantity quantity
Position Mechanical Acceleration

Force quantity
Stress

Torque
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Temperature

quantity
Thermal Thermal conductivity

Heat flow
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Refraction index

quantity
Optical Reflectivity

Absorption
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3. Classification

We can classify the sensor based on following:

A. Sample category

In this part, sensor is divided base on their

category. Example: Physical sensor, chemical
sensor or biological sensor…etc.
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B. Signal domain

The sensor can be also classified by the signal

domain such as thermal sensor, chemical sensor,
mechanical or magnetic sensor…etc.

C. Input

The difference types of input like temperature,

pressure, humidity…etc.
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D. Output

We can divide the type of base on their output

signal. i.e. voltage, current, charge, capacitor,
inductance or resistance…etc.

E. Conversion phenomena

The conversion phenomena also uses for grouping

the sensor such as: photoelectric, thermoelectric
or elastoresistive phenomena
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F. Power supply

According to power supply, sensor can be divide

into two group, Modulating sensor or self-
generating sensor.

G. Material

Different types of material such as organic,

inorganic, metal or semiconductor can also use to
classify the type of the sensor.
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4. Applications

Sensor is used in various applications:

• Robotic and automation

• Communication

• Military and Aerospace

• Medical application

• Industrial
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5. Selection

There are three main factors that use for choosing

a sensor:

• Environmental factor

• Sensor characteristic

• Economic factor
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Temperature
range

Corrosion
Susceptibility
to EM effect
Size
Environm
Humidity effect ent
factor Overrange
protection
Self-test
capability
Ruggedness

Power
consumption
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Static characteristic

Sensor characteristic

Dynamic characteristic
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Availability

Economic factor Cost

Life-time
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6. Example

Ultrasonic Sensor Potentiometer Pressure sensor

Accelerometer Sensor Encoder Sensor

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Infrared Sensor Photoresistor Temperature Sensor

Temperature and Humidity Sensor Induction Sensor

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END
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HOME WORK
1. What is the different between transducer and
sensor? please explain with at least one
example.

2. Find two difference types of temperature and

classify them base on their output signal.