Abstract
Since most of stimuli are not electrical, from an input to the output, a sensor may have several energy conversion steps before it produces and outputs an electrical signal. For example, pressure inflicted on a fiber optic pressure sensor, first results in strain in the fiber, which, in turn, causes deflection in its refractive index, which, in turn, results in an overall change in optical transmission and modulation of photon density. Finally, photon flux is detected by a photodiode and converted into electric current. In this chapter, we discuss the overall sensor characteristics, regardless of a physical nature or steps that are required to make energy conversions. Here, we consider a sensor as a “black box” where we concern only with relationships between its output electrical signal and input stimulus. Also, we will discuss the key point of sensing: computation of the input stimulus value from a measured sensor’s electric output.
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Notes
- 1.
This third-order polynomial approximation yields good approximation only for ks ≪ 1. In general, the error of a power series approximation is subject of a rather non-trivial mathematical analysis. Luckily, in most practical situations that analysis is rarely needed.
- 2.
This function is generally known as the Stefan-Boltzmann law (Sect. 3.12.3).
- 3.
This method is also known as the Newton–Raphson method, named after Isaac Newton and Joseph Raphson.
- 4.
The flow rate can be measured in foot per minute (fpm).
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Fraden, J. (2010). Sensor Characteristics. In: Handbook of Modern Sensors. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6466-3_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6466-3_2
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