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1.2 Classification of Sensor

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61 views9 pages

1.2 Classification of Sensor

Uploaded by

vanitha
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Definition of sensor:

Sensor is an input device which


provides an output (signal) with respect
to a specific physical quantity (input).
It is a device that converts signals from
one energy domain to electrical domain.
Classification of Sensor

1.Based on external stimulus:

 All sensors may be of two kinds:


passive and active.
 A passive sensor does not need any
additional energy source and
directly generates an electric signal
in response to an external stimulus.
 That is, the input stimulus energy is
converted by the sensor into the
output signal.
 The examples are a thermocouple, a
photodiode, and a piezoelectric
sensor.

 Most of passive sensors are direct


sensors.
 The active sensors require external
power for their operation, which is
called an excitation signal.
 That signal is modified by the
sensor to produce the output signal.
 The active sensors sometimes are
called parametric because their own
properties change in response to an
external effect and these properties
can be subsequently converted into
electric signals.
 It can be stated that a sensor’s
parameter modulates the excitation
signal and that modulation carries
information of the measured value.
 Example of an active sensor is a
resistive strain gauge in which
electrical resistance relates to a
strain.
To measure the resistance of a
sensor, electric current must be
applied to it from an external
power source.

2.Based on detection:

 Some of the detection techniques


are Electric, Biological, Chemical,
Radioactive etc.
3. Based on conversion phenomenon:

 The input and the output


conversion phenomena are
Photoelectric, Thermoelectric,
Electrochemical, Electromagnetic,
Thermooptic, etc.

4. Based on the selected reference

 Sensors can be classified into


absolute and relative.
 An absolute sensor detects a
stimulus in reference to an absolute
physical scale that is independent
of the measurement
conditions, whereas a relative
sensor produces a signal that
relates to some special case.
An example of an absolute sensor
is a thermistor, a temperature-
sensitive resistor.
Its electrical resistance directly
relates to the absolute temperature
scale of Kelvin.
Another example of the absolute
and relative sensors is a pressure
sensor.
 An absolute pressure sensor
produces signal in reference to
vacuum – an absolute zero on a
pressure scale.
 A relative pressure sensor
produces signal with respect to a
selected baseline that is not zero
pressure, for example, to the
atmospheric pressure.
4.Based on output: Analog and Digital
Sensors.

 Analog Sensors produce an analog


output i.e. a continuous output signal
with respect to the quantity being
measured.
 Digital Sensors, in contrast to Analog
Sensors, work with discrete or digital
data.
 The data in digital sensors, which is
used for conversion and transmission,
is digital in nature.

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