A sensor is a device that can convert specific physical quantities (such as light, sound, pressure, temperature, vibration, humidity, velocity, acceleration, the presence, movement, dust particles, etc.) into electrical signals to detect, measure, or indicate them. When the sensor senses and sends information, the actuator is activated and begins to operate. The actuator receives signals and sets its required actions so that it can take action in the environment.
Smart sensors refer to intelligent sensor devices that can perceive, collect, autonomously judge, analyze, and process external environmental information. Intelligent sensors are multi-component integrated circuits with information collection, processing, exchange, storage, and transmission functions. They are system level devices that integrate sensors, communication modules, microprocessors, drivers and interfaces, as well as software algorithms. They have self-learning, self diagnosis, and self compensation capabilities, as well as perception fusion and flexible communication capabilities.
Compared with general sensors, smart sensors have the following advantages:
Self check, self calibration, and self diagnosis: The self diagnosis function performs self check when the power is turned on and determines whether the component has a fault through diagnostic testing. In addition, online correction can be made based on usage time, and the microprocessor uses stored measurement characteristic data for comparison and verification.
Inductive fusion: Intelligent sensors can simultaneously measure multiple physical and chemical quantities, providing information that can more comprehensively reflect the laws of material motion. For example, fusion liquid sensors can simultaneously measure the temperature, flow rate, pressure, and density of a medium. How can mechanical sensors simultaneously measure the three-dimensional vibration acceleration, velocity, displacement, etc. of a certain point on an object.
High precision: Intelligent sensors have information processing functions, which can not only correct various deterministic system errors through software, but also compensate for random errors and reduce noise appropriately, thereby greatly improving sensor accuracy.
High reliability: The integrated sensor system eliminates some unreliable factors of traditional structures and improves the anti-interference performance of the entire system. It also has diagnostic, calibration, and data storage functions, with good stability.
High cost-effectiveness: Under the same precision requirements, the cost-effectiveness of multifunctional intelligent sensors is significantly higher than that of ordinary sensors with single functions, especially after integrating cheaper microcontrollers.
Diversified functions: Intelligent sensors can achieve comprehensive measurement of multiple sensors and parameters, and expand the scope of measurement and use through programming; Having a certain degree of adaptability, it can change the range and form of output data accordingly according to changes in the detection object or conditions; Equipped with digital communication interface function, it can be directly sent to remote computers for processing; It has multiple forms of data output and is suitable for various application systems.
Signal normalization: The analog signal of the sensor is normalized by an amplifier and then converted into a digital signal by an analog-to-digital converter. Microprocessors also perform digital normalization in various digital transmission forms such as serial, parallel, frequency, phase, and pulse.