Smart sensors is a promising area for innovation in 2013. The combination of more powerful processors, networking connectivity and mass customization of sensor designs is opening up lots of possibilities for more intelligent sensor solutions. Add to that wireless technology, especially for factory applications, and we can expect to see an area ready to keep developing new products.
I completely agree. In the past I was doing numerous triangulations to basically do he same. The only difference was the distance. My aplications included lond range lasers for target detection.
Great article! We at XYZ Interactive Tech. have developed a distance-based IR sensor that merges the technique of angle measurement and signal strength of a reflected IR pulse. This can be done in a low-cost package to output distance with customized resolution and accuracy. We have extended this principle to design sensors in 2D and 3D to recognize hand gestures for "smart" switching technology applications.
One thing I'm curious about is so-called "smart sensors." If a sensor has on-board hardware and software, is it more able to ignore the objects it doesn't need to see?
Jeff, Thanks for the excellent piece on distance-based sensors. It's interesting how the technologies have evolved to meet increasingly complex application demands.
For 3D printing to make the jump from rapid prototyping to manufacturing, engineers will need to find easier ways to move products from their CAD screens to their printers.
Gigabit and PoE are two networking technologies moving ahead in tandem as industrial users power remote Ethernet devices such as IP security cameras at 1,000 Mbps over existing CAT5 cable.
New versions of BASF's Ecovio line are both compostable and designed for either injection molding or thermoforming. These combinations are becoming more common for the single-use bioplastics used in food service and food packaging applications, but are still not widely available.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 5
Early in my career, I worked as a draftsman and remember the days of drawing on vellum with numbered pencils and Mylar with plastic lead. This was a fun experience in the sense that I ...
I've been using workstations for more than 10 years and love finding ways to get more performance from my system. With demanding professional applications that require more power each ...
A lasting memory from my first job as an engineer in an auto assembly plant is standing on hard concrete at six in the morning, vending-machine coffee clutched in hand, listening to ...
For industrial control applications, or even a simple assembly line, that machine can go almost 24/7 without a break. But what happens when the task is a little more complex? That’s where the “smart” machine would come in. The smart machine is one that has some simple (or complex in some cases) processing capability to be able to adapt to changing conditions. Such machines are suited for a host of applications, including automotive, aerospace, defense, medical, computers and electronics, telecommunications, consumer goods, and so on. This radio show will show what’s possible with smart machines, and what tradeoffs need to be made to implement such a solution.
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