ECE Elective 3: Robotics and Sensors

Sensor Definition and Functions

• A sensor is a device that detects and responds to some type of input from the physical environment.
• The function of a pressure sensor is to convert physical pressure into an electrical signal that can be measured.
• A stimulus is any change in the environment that provokes a response from a sensor.

Robotics Components

• A translator in robotics is a device that converts one form of energy or information into another.
• A controller in robotics is a device that directs the actions of other components.
• An actuator in a robotics system is a component that performs a specific action in response to a signal from the controller.

Sensor Technology

• Most pressure, force, and airflow sensors are fabricated using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology.
• A typical sensor chip is about the size of a fingernail.
• Absolute pressure sensors measure pressure relative to a perfect vacuum.
• Gauge pressure sensors provide a measurement relative to atmospheric pressure.
• Differential pressure sensors measure the difference in pressure between two points.

Pressure Sensor Types

• Bourdon tube sensors employ a helical or C-shaped sensing element instead of a hollow capsule.

Materials and Fabrication

• Silicon is commonly used in the fabrication of most pressure, force, and airflow sensors.

Digital Electronics

• The binary number 111111110010 converts to hexadecimal as FE2.
• The decoded message from the ASCII sequence 101001110101001010101100010010110010100000100100010000011010 is "Hello".
• A single hex digit in digital electronics is also known as a nibble.
• The decimal number 59.7 converts to Binary-Coded Decimal (BCD) format as 0101 1001.1100.
• The hexadecimal number 1A3 converts to binary as 0001 1010 0011.
• The decimal equivalent of the binary number 101011 is 43.
• The octal equivalent of the binary number 010111100 is 274.
• The BCD number for decimal 347 is 0011 0100 0111.
• An ASCII character is represented by 7 or 8 bits.
• When using even parity, the parity bit is placed at the end of the data bits.
• An analog signal with a range from 0 to 5V has 2^∞ possible values.
• The decimal equivalent of the hexadecimal letters A through F are 10 through 15.
• The resultant binary of the decimal problem 49 + 01 is 110001.
• The Gray code equivalent of the binary number 1100 is 1101.
• The invalid BCD code is 1010.
• An informational signal that makes use of binary digits is considered to be digital.

Test your knowledge about robotics and sensors in the field of electrical and computer engineering. Explore the concepts of stimuli, sensors, and their role in creating electrical signals.