A sensor is a device that produces an output signal for the purpose of detecting a physical phenomenon.
71-513: In the broadest definition, a sensor is a device, module, machine, or subsystem that detects events or changes in its environment and sends the information to other electronics, frequently a computer processor. Sensors are used in everyday objects such as touch-sensitive elevator buttons ( tactile sensor ) and lamps which dim or brighten by touching the base, and in innumerable applications of which most people are never aware. With advances in micromachinery and easy-to-use microcontroller platforms,
142-444: A certain distance, and where the metal gate is replaced by an ion -sensitive membrane , electrolyte solution and reference electrode . The ISFET is widely used in biomedical applications, such as the detection of DNA hybridization , biomarker detection from blood , antibody detection, glucose measurement, pH sensing, and genetic technology . By the mid-1980s, numerous other MOSFET sensors had been developed, including
213-423: A change in pressure at one point in a liquid is transmitted undiminished to every other part of the liquid and very little energy is lost in the form of compression. However, the negligible compressibility does lead to other phenomena. The banging of pipes, called water hammer , occurs when a valve is suddenly closed, creating a huge pressure-spike at the valve that travels backward through the system at just under
284-471: A digital signal, using an analog-to-digital converter . Since sensors cannot replicate an ideal transfer function , several types of deviations can occur which limit sensor accuracy : All these deviations can be classified as systematic errors or random errors . Systematic errors can sometimes be compensated for by means of some kind of calibration strategy. Noise is a random error that can be reduced by signal processing , such as filtering, usually at
355-422: A fairly constant temperature, making a liquid suitable for blanching , boiling , or frying . Even higher rates of heat transfer can be achieved by condensing a gas into a liquid. At the liquid's boiling point, all of the heat energy is used to cause the phase change from a liquid to a gas, without an accompanying increase in temperature, and is stored as chemical potential energy . When the gas condenses back into
426-404: A gas, a liquid is able to flow and take the shape of a container. Unlike a gas, a liquid maintains a fairly constant density and does not disperse to fill every space of a container. Although liquid water is abundant on Earth, this state of matter is actually the least common in the known universe, because liquids require a relatively narrow temperature/pressure range to exist. Most known matter in
497-403: A given rate, such as when it is being sheared at finite velocity. A specific example is a liquid flowing through a pipe: in this case the liquid undergoes shear deformation since it flows more slowly near the walls of the pipe than near the center. As a result, it exhibits viscous resistance to flow. In order to maintain flow, an external force must be applied, such as a pressure difference between
568-433: A liquid this excess heat-energy is released at a constant temperature. This phenomenon is used in processes such as steaming . Since liquids often have different boiling points, mixtures or solutions of liquids or gases can typically be separated by distillation , using heat, cold, vacuum , pressure, or other means. Distillation can be found in everything from the production of alcoholic beverages , to oil refineries , to
639-557: A medical imaging modality, translating the sense of touch into a digital image is based on the tactile sensors. Tactile imaging closely mimics manual palpation, since the probe of the device with a pressure sensor array mounted on its face acts similar to human fingers during clinical examination, deforming soft tissue by the probe and detecting resulting changes in the pressure pattern. Robots designed to interact with objects requiring handling involving precision, dexterity , or interaction with unusual objects, need sensory apparatus which
710-451: A mixture of otherwise immiscible liquids can be stabilized to form an emulsion , where one liquid is dispersed throughout the other as microscopic droplets. Usually this requires the presence of a surfactant in order to stabilize the droplets. A familiar example of an emulsion is mayonnaise , which consists of a mixture of water and oil that is stabilized by lecithin , a substance found in egg yolks . The microscopic structure of liquids
781-482: A rotating liquid forms a circular paraboloid and can therefore be used as a telescope . These are known as liquid-mirror telescopes . They are significantly cheaper than conventional telescopes, but can only point straight upward ( zenith telescope ). A common choice for the liquid is mercury. Quantities of liquids are measured in units of volume . These include the SI unit cubic metre (m ) and its divisions, in particular
SECTION 10
#1732847485630852-479: A sharp distinction between a biosensor and a standard chemical sensor is superfluous. Typical biomimetic materials used in sensor development are molecularly imprinted polymers and aptamers . In biomedicine and biotechnology , sensors which detect analytes thanks to a biological component, such as cells, protein, nucleic acid or biomimetic polymers , are called biosensors . Whereas a non-biological sensor, even organic (carbon chemistry), for biological analytes
923-402: A small effect on what is measured; making the sensor smaller often improves this and may introduce other advantages. Tactile sensors can be used to test the performance of all types of applications. For example, these sensors have been used in the manufacturing of automobiles (brakes, clutches, door seals, gasket ), battery lamination, bolted joints, fuel cells etc. Tactile imaging , as
994-416: A solid remains rigid. A liquid, like a gas, displays the properties of a fluid. A liquid can flow, assume the shape of a container, and, if placed in a sealed container, will distribute applied pressure evenly to every surface in the container. If liquid is placed in a bag, it can be squeezed into any shape. Unlike a gas, a liquid is nearly incompressible, meaning that it occupies nearly a constant volume over
1065-420: A thermometer moves 1 cm when the temperature changes by 1 °C, its sensitivity is 1 cm/°C (it is basically the slope dy/dx assuming a linear characteristic). Some sensors can also affect what they measure; for instance, a room temperature thermometer inserted into a hot cup of liquid cools the liquid while the liquid heats the thermometer. Sensors are usually designed to have a small effect on what
1136-400: A wide range of other sensors that measure chemical and physical properties of materials, including optical sensors for refractive index measurement, vibrational sensors for fluid viscosity measurement, and electro-chemical sensors for monitoring pH of fluids. A sensor's sensitivity indicates how much its output changes when the input quantity it measures changes. For instance, if the mercury in
1207-412: A wide range of pressures; it does not generally expand to fill available space in a container but forms its own surface, and it may not always mix readily with another liquid. These properties make a liquid suitable for applications such as hydraulics . Liquid particles are bound firmly but not rigidly. They are able to move around one another freely, resulting in a limited degree of particle mobility. As
1278-887: Is a 'tactile element'. Each tactel is capable of detecting normal forces. Tactel-based sensors provide a high resolution 'image' of the contact surface. Alongside spatial resolution and force sensitivity, systems-integration questions such as wiring and signal routing are important. Pressure sensor arrays are available in thin-film form. They are primarily used as analytical tools used in the manufacturing and R&D processes by engineers and technicians, and have been adapted for use in robots. Examples of such sensors available to consumers include arrays built from conductive rubber , lead zirconate titanate (PZT), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), PVDF-TrFE, FET , and metallic capacitive sensing elements. Several kinds of tactile sensors have been developed that take advantage of camera-like technology to provide high-resolution data. A key exemplar
1349-473: Is a device that measures information arising from physical interaction with its environment. Tactile sensors are generally modeled after the biological sense of cutaneous touch which is capable of detecting stimuli resulting from mechanical stimulation, temperature, and pain (although pain sensing is not common in artificial tactile sensors). Tactile sensors are used in robotics , computer hardware and security systems . A common application of tactile sensors
1420-472: Is a fixed amount of energy associated with forming a surface of a given area. This quantity is a material property called the surface tension , in units of energy per unit area (SI units: J / m ). Liquids with strong intermolecular forces tend to have large surface tensions. A practical implication of surface tension is that liquids tend to minimize their surface area, forming spherical drops and bubbles unless other constraints are present. Surface tension
1491-436: Is a self-contained analytical device that can provide information about the chemical composition of its environment, that is, a liquid or a gas phase . The information is provided in the form of a measurable physical signal that is correlated with the concentration of a certain chemical species (termed as analyte ). Two main steps are involved in the functioning of a chemical sensor, namely, recognition and transduction . In
SECTION 20
#17328474856301562-440: Is complex and historically has been the subject of intense research and debate. A few of the key ideas are explained below. Microscopically, liquids consist of a dense, disordered packing of molecules. This contrasts with the other two common phases of matter, gases and solids. Although gases are disordered, the molecules are well-separated in space and interact primarily through molecule-molecule collisions. Conversely, although
1633-436: Is considered to be a promising candidate for these applications as it is a liquid near room temperature, has low toxicity, and evaporates slowly. Liquids are sometimes used in measuring devices. A thermometer often uses the thermal expansion of liquids, such as mercury , combined with their ability to flow to indicate temperature. A manometer uses the weight of the liquid to indicate air pressure . The free surface of
1704-821: Is functionally equivalent to a human's tactile ability. Tactile sensors have been developed for use with robots. Tactile sensors can complement visual systems by providing added information when the robot begins to grip an object. At this time vision is no longer sufficient, as the mechanical properties of the object cannot be determined by vision alone. Determining weight, texture, stiffness , center of mass , coefficient of friction , and thermal conductivity require object interaction and some sort of tactile sensing. Several classes of tactile sensors are used in robots of different kinds, for tasks spanning collision avoidance and manipulation. Some methods for simultaneous localization and mapping are based on tactile sensors. Pressure sensor arrays are large grids of tactels. A "tactel"
1775-408: Is given by where: For a body of water open to the air, p 0 {\displaystyle p_{0}} would be the atmospheric pressure . Static liquids in uniform gravitational fields also exhibit the phenomenon of buoyancy , where objects immersed in the liquid experience a net force due to the pressure variation with depth. The magnitude of the force is equal to the weight of
1846-437: Is important since machinery often operate over a range of temperatures (see also viscosity index ). The viscous behavior of a liquid can be either Newtonian or non-Newtonian . A Newtonian liquid exhibits a linear strain/stress curve, meaning its viscosity is independent of time, shear rate, or shear-rate history. Examples of Newtonian liquids include water, glycerin , motor oil , honey , or mercury. A non-Newtonian liquid
1917-540: Is in touchscreen devices on mobile phones and computing . Tactile sensors may be of different types including piezoresistive , piezoelectric , optical, capacitive and elastoresistive sensors. Tactile sensors appear in everyday life such as elevator buttons and lamps which dim or brighten by touching the base. There are also innumerable other applications for tactile sensors of which most people are never aware. Sensors that measure very small changes must have very high sensitivities. Sensors need to be designed to have
1988-736: Is measured; making the sensor smaller often improves this and may introduce other advantages. Technological progress allows more and more sensors to be manufactured on a microscopic scale as microsensors using MEMS technology. In most cases, a microsensor reaches a significantly faster measurement time and higher sensitivity compared with macroscopic approaches. Due to the increasing demand for rapid, affordable and reliable information in today's world, disposable sensors—low-cost and easy‐to‐use devices for short‐term monitoring or single‐shot measurements—have recently gained growing importance. Using this class of sensors, critical analytical information can be obtained by anyone, anywhere and at any time, without
2059-473: Is no equilibrium at this transition under constant pressure, so unless supercooling occurs, the liquid will eventually completely crystallize. However, this is only true under constant pressure, so that (for example) water and ice in a closed, strong container might reach an equilibrium where both phases coexist. For the opposite transition from solid to liquid, see melting . The phase diagram explains why liquids do not exist in space or any other vacuum. Since
2130-805: Is of vital importance in chemistry and biology, and it is necessary for all known forms of life. Inorganic liquids include water, magma , inorganic nonaqueous solvents and many acids . Important everyday liquids include aqueous solutions like household bleach , other mixtures of different substances such as mineral oil and gasoline, emulsions like vinaigrette or mayonnaise , suspensions like blood, and colloids like paint and milk . Many gases can be liquefied by cooling, producing liquids such as liquid oxygen , liquid nitrogen , liquid hydrogen and liquid helium . Not all gases can be liquified at atmospheric pressure, however. Carbon dioxide , for example, can only be liquified at pressures above 5.1 atm . Some materials cannot be classified within
2201-435: Is one where the viscosity is not independent of these factors and either thickens (increases in viscosity) or thins (decreases in viscosity) under shear. Examples of non-Newtonian liquids include ketchup , custard , or starch solutions. The speed of sound in a liquid is given by c = K / ρ {\displaystyle c={\sqrt {K/\rho }}} where K {\displaystyle K}
Sensor - Misplaced Pages Continue
2272-403: Is referred to as sensor or nanosensor . This terminology applies for both in-vitro and in vivo applications. The encapsulation of the biological component in biosensors, presents a slightly different problem that ordinary sensors; this can either be done by means of a semipermeable barrier , such as a dialysis membrane or a hydrogel , or a 3D polymer matrix, which either physically constrains
2343-447: Is responsible for a range of other phenomena as well, including surface waves , capillary action , wetting , and ripples . In liquids under nanoscale confinement , surface effects can play a dominating role since – compared with a macroscopic sample of liquid – a much greater fraction of molecules are located near a surface. The surface tension of a liquid directly affects its wettability . Most common liquids have tensions ranging in
2414-425: Is the bulk modulus of the liquid and ρ {\displaystyle \rho } the density. As an example, water has a bulk modulus of about 2.2 GPa and a density of 1000 kg/m , which gives c = 1.5 km/s. At a temperature below the boiling point , any matter in liquid form will evaporate until reaching equilibrium with the reverse process of condensation of its vapor. At this point
2485-464: Is the Gelsight technology first developed at MIT which uses a camera behind an opaque gel layer to achieve high-resolution tactile feedback. The Samsung ``See-through-your-skin (STS) sensor uses a semi-transparent gel to produce combined tactile and optical imaging. Strain gauges rosettes are constructed from multiple strain gauges , with each gauge detecting the force in a particular direction. When
2556-559: Is the basis for modern image sensors , including the charge-coupled device (CCD) and the CMOS active-pixel sensor (CMOS sensor), used in digital imaging and digital cameras . Willard Boyle and George E. Smith developed the CCD in 1969. While researching the MOS process, they realized that an electric charge was the analogy of the magnetic bubble and that it could be stored on a tiny MOS capacitor. As it
2627-443: Is the only state with a definite volume but no fixed shape. The density of a liquid is usually close to that of a solid, and much higher than that of a gas. Therefore, liquid and solid are both termed condensed matter . On the other hand, as liquids and gases share the ability to flow, they are both called fluids. A liquid is made up of tiny vibrating particles of matter, such as atoms, held together by intermolecular bonds . Like
2698-1247: The cryogenic distillation of gases such as argon , oxygen , nitrogen , neon , or xenon by liquefaction (cooling them below their individual boiling points). Liquid is the primary component of hydraulic systems, which take advantage of Pascal's law to provide fluid power . Devices such as pumps and waterwheels have been used to change liquid motion into mechanical work since ancient times. Oils are forced through hydraulic pumps , which transmit this force to hydraulic cylinders . Hydraulics can be found in many applications, such as automotive brakes and transmissions , heavy equipment , and airplane control systems. Various hydraulic presses are used extensively in repair and manufacturing, for lifting, pressing, clamping and forming. Liquid metals have several properties that are useful in sensing and actuation , particularly their electrical conductivity and ability to transmit forces (incompressibility). As freely flowing substances, liquid metals retain these bulk properties even under extreme deformation. For this reason, they have been proposed for use in soft robots and wearable healthcare devices , which must be able to operate under repeated deformation. The metal gallium
2769-529: The gas sensor FET (GASFET), surface accessible FET (SAFET), charge flow transistor (CFT), pressure sensor FET (PRESSFET), chemical field-effect transistor (ChemFET), reference ISFET (REFET), biosensor FET (BioFET), enzyme-modified FET (ENFET) and immunologically modified FET (IMFET). By the early 2000s, BioFET types such as the DNA field-effect transistor (DNAFET), gene-modified FET (GenFET) and cell-potential BioFET (CPFET) had been developed. MOS technology
2840-709: The operating temperature range of the component. Oils are often used in engines, gear boxes , metalworking , and hydraulic systems for their good lubrication properties. Many liquids are used as solvents , to dissolve other liquids or solids. Solutions are found in a wide variety of applications, including paints , sealants , and adhesives . Naphtha and acetone are used frequently in industry to clean oil, grease, and tar from parts and machinery. Body fluids are water-based solutions. Surfactants are commonly found in soaps and detergents . Solvents like alcohol are often used as antimicrobials . They are found in cosmetics, inks , and liquid dye lasers . They are used in
2911-408: The advent of cheap optical cameras, novel sensors have been proposed which can be built easily and cheaply with a 3D printer. Liquid A liquid is a nearly incompressible fluid that conforms to the shape of its container but retains a nearly constant volume independent of pressure. It is one of the four fundamental states of matter (the others being solid , gas , and plasma ), and
Sensor - Misplaced Pages Continue
2982-470: The cavities left by the bubbles with tremendous localized force, eroding any adjacent solid surface. In a gravitational field , liquids exert pressure on the sides of a container as well as on anything within the liquid itself. This pressure is transmitted in all directions and increases with depth. If a liquid is at rest in a uniform gravitational field, the pressure p {\displaystyle p} at depth z {\displaystyle z}
3053-459: The classical three states of matter. For example, liquid crystals (used in liquid-crystal displays ) possess both solid-like and liquid-like properties, and belong to their own state of matter distinct from either liquid or solid. Liquids are useful as lubricants due to their ability to form a thin, freely flowing layer between solid materials. Lubricants such as oil are chosen for viscosity and flow characteristics that are suitable throughout
3124-781: The cubic decimeter, more commonly called the litre (1 dm = 1 L = 0.001 m ), and the cubic centimetre, also called millilitre (1 cm = 1 mL = 0.001 L = 10 m ). The volume of a quantity of liquid is fixed by its temperature and pressure . Liquids generally expand when heated, and contract when cooled. Water between 0 °C and 4 °C is a notable exception. On the other hand, liquids have little compressibility . Water, for example, will compress by only 46.4 parts per million for every unit increase in atmospheric pressure (bar). At around 4000 bar (400 megapascals or 58,000 psi ) of pressure at room temperature water experiences only an 11% decrease in volume. Incompressibility makes liquids suitable for transmitting hydraulic power , because
3195-414: The distribution of pressures, and the pattern of forces that would come from pressure sensor arrays and strain gauge rosettes, allowing two-point discrimination and force sensing, with human-like ability. Advanced versions of biologically designed tactile sensors include vibration sensing which has been determined to be important for understanding interactions between the tactile sensor and objects where
3266-443: The ends of the pipe. The viscosity of liquids decreases with increasing temperature. Precise control of viscosity is important in many applications, particularly the lubrication industry. One way to achieve such control is by blending two or more liquids of differing viscosities in precise ratios. In addition, various additives exist which can modulate the temperature-dependence of the viscosity of lubricating oils. This capability
3337-423: The enormous variation seen in other mechanical properties, such as viscosity. The free surface of a liquid is disturbed by gravity ( flatness ) and waves ( surface roughness ). An important physical property characterizing the flow of liquids is viscosity . Intuitively, viscosity describes the resistance of a liquid to flow. More technically, viscosity measures the resistance of a liquid to deformation at
3408-499: The expense of the dynamic behavior of the sensor. The sensor resolution or measurement resolution is the smallest change that can be detected in the quantity that is being measured. The resolution of a sensor with a digital output is usually the numerical resolution of the digital output. The resolution is related to the precision with which the measurement is made, but they are not the same thing. A sensor's accuracy may be considerably worse than its resolution. A chemical sensor
3479-624: The food industry, in processes such as the extraction of vegetable oil . Liquids tend to have better thermal conductivity than gases, and the ability to flow makes a liquid suitable for removing excess heat from mechanical components. The heat can be removed by channeling the liquid through a heat exchanger , such as a radiator , or the heat can be removed with the liquid during evaporation . Water or glycol coolants are used to keep engines from overheating. The coolants used in nuclear reactors include water or liquid metals, such as sodium or bismuth . Liquid propellant films are used to cool
3550-477: The individual elements are solid under the same conditions (see eutectic mixture ). An example is the sodium-potassium metal alloy NaK . Other metal alloys that are liquid at room temperature include galinstan , which is a gallium-indium-tin alloy that melts at −19 °C (−2 °F), as well as some amalgams (alloys involving mercury). Pure substances that are liquid under normal conditions include water, ethanol and many other organic solvents. Liquid water
3621-500: The information from each strain gauge is combined, the information allows determination of a pattern of forces or torques. A variety of biologically inspired designs have been suggested ranging from simple whisker-like sensors which measure only one point at a time through more advanced fingertip-like sensors, to complete skin-like sensors as on the latest iCub . Biologically inspired tactile sensors often incorporate more than one sensing strategy. For example, they might detect both
SECTION 50
#17328474856303692-416: The liquid displaced by the object, and the direction of the force depends on the average density of the immersed object. If the density is smaller than that of the liquid, the buoyant force points upward and the object floats, whereas if the density is larger , the buoyant force points downward and the object sinks. This is known as Archimedes' principle . Unless the volume of a liquid exactly matches
3763-519: The molecules will usually lock into a very specific order, called crystallizing, and the bonds between them become more rigid, changing the liquid into its solid state (unless supercooling occurs). Only two elements are liquid at standard conditions for temperature and pressure : mercury and bromine . Four more elements have melting points slightly above room temperature : francium , caesium , gallium and rubidium . In addition, certain mixtures of elements are liquid at room temperature, even if
3834-407: The need for recalibration and worrying about contamination. A good sensor obeys the following rules: Most sensors have a linear transfer function . The sensitivity is then defined as the ratio between the output signal and measured property. For example, if a sensor measures temperature and has a voltage output, the sensitivity is constant with the units [V/K]. The sensitivity is the slope of
3905-403: The open-gate field-effect transistor (OGFET) introduced by Johannessen in 1970, the ion-sensitive field-effect transistor (ISFET) invented by Piet Bergveld in 1970, the adsorption FET (ADFET) patented by P.F. Cox in 1974, and a hydrogen -sensitive MOSFET demonstrated by I. Lundstrom, M.S. Shivaraman, C.S. Svenson and L. Lundkvist in 1975. The ISFET is a special type of MOSFET with a gate at
3976-518: The pressure is essentially zero (except on surfaces or interiors of planets and moons) water and other liquids exposed to space will either immediately boil or freeze depending on the temperature. In regions of space near the Earth, water will freeze if the sun is not shining directly on it and vaporize (sublime) as soon as it is in sunlight. If water exists as ice on the Moon, it can only exist in shadowed holes where
4047-521: The recognition step, analyte molecules interact selectively with receptor molecules or sites included in the structure of the recognition element of the sensor. Consequently, a characteristic physical parameter varies and this variation is reported by means of an integrated transducer that generates the output signal. A chemical sensor based on recognition material of biological nature is a biosensor . However, as synthetic biomimetic materials are going to substitute to some extent recognition biomaterials,
4118-656: The sensing macromolecule or chemically constrains the macromolecule by bounding it to the scaffold. Neuromorphic sensors are sensors that physically mimic structures and functions of biological neural entities. One example of this is the event camera . The MOSFET invented at Bell Labs between 1955 and 1960, MOSFET sensors (MOS sensors) were later developed, and they have since been widely used to measure physical , chemical , biological and environmental parameters. A number of MOSFET sensors have been developed, for measuring physical , chemical , biological , and environmental parameters. The earliest MOSFET sensors include
4189-414: The sensor slides over the object. Such interactions are now understood to be important for human tool use and judging the texture of an object. One such sensor combines force sensing, vibration sensing, and heat transfer sensing. Recently, a sophisticated tactile sensor has been made open-hardware , enabling enthusiasts and hobbyists to experiment with an otherwise expensive technology. Furthermore, with
4260-460: The speed of sound. Another phenomenon caused by liquid's incompressibility is cavitation . Because liquids have little elasticity they can literally be pulled apart in areas of high turbulence or dramatic change in direction, such as the trailing edge of a boat propeller or a sharp corner in a pipe. A liquid in an area of low pressure (vacuum) vaporizes and forms bubbles, which then collapse as they enter high pressure areas. This causes liquid to fill
4331-626: The sun never shines and where the surrounding rock does not heat it up too much. At some point near the orbit of Saturn, the light from the Sun is too faint to sublime ice to water vapor. This is evident from the longevity of the ice that composes Saturn's rings. Liquids can form solutions with gases, solids, and other liquids. Two liquids are said to be miscible if they can form a solution in any proportion; otherwise they are immiscible. As an example, water and ethanol (drinking alcohol) are miscible whereas water and gasoline are immiscible. In some cases
SECTION 60
#17328474856304402-436: The temperature increases, the increased vibrations of the molecules causes distances between the molecules to increase. When a liquid reaches its boiling point , the cohesive forces that bind the molecules closely together break, and the liquid changes to its gaseous state (unless superheating occurs). If the temperature is decreased, the distances between the molecules become smaller. When the liquid reaches its freezing point
4473-450: The tens of mJ/m , so droplets of oil, water, or glue can easily merge and adhere to other surfaces, whereas liquid metals such as mercury may have tensions ranging in the hundreds of mJ/m , thus droplets do not combine easily and surfaces may only wet under specific conditions. The surface tensions of common liquids occupy a relatively narrow range of values when exposed to changing conditions such as temperature, which contrasts strongly with
4544-732: The thrust chambers of rockets . In machining , water and oils are used to remove the excess heat generated, which can quickly ruin both the work piece and the tooling. During perspiration , sweat removes heat from the human body by evaporating. In the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning industry (HVAC), liquids such as water are used to transfer heat from one area to another. Liquids are often used in cooking due to their excellent heat-transfer capabilities. In addition to thermal conduction, liquids transmit energy by convection. In particular, because warmer fluids expand and rise while cooler areas contract and sink, liquids with low kinematic viscosity tend to transfer heat through convection at
4615-459: The transfer function. Converting the sensor's electrical output (for example V) to the measured units (for example K) requires dividing the electrical output by the slope (or multiplying by its reciprocal). In addition, an offset is frequently added or subtracted. For example, −40 must be added to the output if 0 V output corresponds to −40 C input. For an analog sensor signal to be processed or used in digital equipment, it needs to be converted to
4686-403: The universe is either gas (as interstellar clouds ) or plasma (as stars ). Liquid is one of the four primary states of matter , with the others being solid, gas and plasma . A liquid is a fluid . Unlike a solid, the molecules in a liquid have a much greater freedom to move. The forces that bind the molecules together in a solid are only temporary in a liquid, allowing a liquid to flow while
4757-400: The uses of sensors have expanded beyond the traditional fields of temperature, pressure and flow measurement, for example into MARG sensors . Analog sensors such as potentiometers and force-sensing resistors are still widely used. Their applications include manufacturing and machinery, airplanes and aerospace, cars, medicine, robotics and many other aspects of our day-to-day life. There is
4828-426: The vapor will condense at the same rate as the liquid evaporates. Thus, a liquid cannot exist permanently if the evaporated liquid is continually removed. A liquid at or above its boiling point will normally boil, though superheating can prevent this in certain circumstances. At a temperature below the freezing point, a liquid will tend to crystallize , changing to its solid form. Unlike the transition to gas, there
4899-405: The volume of its container, one or more surfaces are observed. The presence of a surface introduces new phenomena which are not present in a bulk liquid. This is because a molecule at a surface possesses bonds with other liquid molecules only on the inner side of the surface, which implies a net force pulling surface molecules inward. Equivalently, this force can be described in terms of energy: there
4970-428: Was fairly straightforward to fabricate a series of MOS capacitors in a row, they connected a suitable voltage to them so that the charge could be stepped along from one to the next. The CCD is a semiconductor circuit that was later used in the first digital video cameras for television broadcasting . The MOS active-pixel sensor (APS) was developed by Tsutomu Nakamura at Olympus in 1985. The CMOS active-pixel sensor
5041-1103: Was later developed by Eric Fossum and his team in the early 1990s. MOS image sensors are widely used in optical mouse technology. The first optical mouse, invented by Richard F. Lyon at Xerox in 1980, used a 5 μm NMOS sensor chip. Since the first commercial optical mouse, the IntelliMouse introduced in 1999, most optical mouse devices use CMOS sensors. MOS monitoring sensors are used for house monitoring , office and agriculture monitoring, traffic monitoring (including car speed , traffic jams , and traffic accidents ), weather monitoring (such as for rain , wind , lightning and storms ), defense monitoring, and monitoring temperature , humidity , air pollution , fire , health , security and lighting . MOS gas detector sensors are used to detect carbon monoxide , sulfur dioxide , hydrogen sulfide , ammonia , and other gas substances. Other MOS sensors include intelligent sensors and wireless sensor network (WSN) technology. Tactile sensor A tactile sensor
#629370