Understanding Smart Sensors

July 15, 2013

The third edition of Understanding Smart Sensors recently came out. It is authored by Randy Frank, who I got to know back when he was an engineer working at Motorola's old Semiconductor Products division, which later became Freescale Semiconductor. Randy was around at the beginning of smart sensing, when the idea of a sensor combined with conditioning electronics on the same chip was just a pipedream, and Kurt Petersen was writing technical papers at IBM that would eventually form the foundation of MEMs technology.

So Randy has been around long enough to know a thing or two about smart sensing, and he covers the topic pretty well in his new book. Randy's 367-page tract can serve as a good way to get familiar both with the basics of smart sensing and with its start of the art. He starts with the basics of smart sensors and continues with the fundamentals of micromaching as it is practiced today. Also covered in detail are micromachined structures such as cooling channels and heating elements, up through mechatronics systems incorporating MEMs relays and embedded sensors.

Standards for smart sensing evolve all the time, so it was good to see that Randy covers those having the most impact today, such as standards for TEDS and Sensor plug-and-play. The topic of energy harvesting for wireless sensor nodes has also become prominent in the last couple of years, and Randy provides a good overview of the technology of what's going on as these systems get applied in monitoring structures, building automation, and a variety of remote monitoring scenarios.

For those who need to get up to speed quickly on smart sensing, Randy's book can be a good resource.

Sponsored Recommendations

NEW Low Profile, Ultra Compact Power Supplies

March 13, 2024
Learn more HERE about Altech's Power supplies!

Altech's Liquid Tight Strain Relifs Catalog

March 13, 2024
With experienced Product Engineers and Customer Service personnel, Altech provides solutions to your most pressing application challenges. All with one thought in mind - to ensure...

Industrial Straight-Through Cable Gland

March 13, 2024
Learn more about Altech's cable glands and all they have to offer for your needs!

All-In-One DC-UPS Power Solutions

March 13, 2024
Introducing the All-In-One DC-UPS, a versatile solution combining multiple functionalities in a single device. Serving as a power supply, battery charger, battery care module,...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Machine Design, create an account today!