Our Technology

Capacitive Sensors

Inductive Sensor

Industrial sensor technology draws on an eclectic range of physical processes. They can be microscopic, macroscopic, organic or non-organic, but in general they all convert a physical quantity to an electrical signal. The physical sensor will be configured such that it, in effect, forms and electronic component. The measured quantity then influences the parameters of this component and an interface circuit is used generate a useful signal.

The interface circuit will normally consist of two parts, a stimulation generator and a measurement. The stimulation is used to induce electrical activity in the component and measurement circuit will measure the quantity of this signal passing through the component. Signal conditioning can be used to increase the signal-to-noise ratio. Examples include FM or AM demodulation and cross-correlation techniques. In material sensors, some discrimination functionality can be introduced using spectroscopy.

We have expertise in both the construction of and the interfacing to sensors based upon capacitive, inductive or resistive elements. We have build single unit sensors or multiple sensors arranged in an array for electrical impedance tomography (EIT). The graphic shows an EIT system I designed to detects objects in a wall cavity.