robotics

• Tilt sensor


  A component that can detect the tilting of an object
• Tilt sensor


  • Equivalent to a pushbutton activated through a different physical mechanism
  • Environmental-friendly version of a mercury-switch
  • Contains a metallic ball inside that will commute the two pins of the device from on to off and vice-versa if the sensor reaches a certain angle
• Gravity inclinometer


  One of the most practical gravity inclinometers, invented by William B. Melick in 1889, consisting of a rotating scale and fixed pointers
• Abney level


  A well-known inclinometer, invented by William Abney before 1880, consisting of a small telescope, a semicircle divided into degree and a bubble tube
• Uses of tilt sensors

  • Construction equipment like cranes and excavators to monitor the angle of the boom and prevent tipping
  • Surveying equipment to ensure accurate measurements
  • Vehicles for electronic stability control systems to detect the car's tilt and prevent rollovers
  • Car alarms to detect if the vehicle is being towed or jacked up
  • Aircraft to measure the aircraft's pitch and roll
  • Spacecraft for orientation control
  • Mobile phones and tablets for screen orientation
  • Gaming controllers for motion detection
  • Solar panels and wind turbines to optimize the angle for maximum energy production
  • Medical equipment to monitor the angle of medical beds and wheelchairs
  • Security systems to detect any unauthorized movement or tampering
  • Robotics for balance control and navigation
• Types of tilt sensors

  • Electrolytic sensors
  • Force balance sensors
  • Solid state sensors
  • Capacitive tilt sensors
  • Accelerometers
• Hygrometer


  Derived from Greek words "hygros" (moisture) and "metron" (measure), meaning "moisture measure"
• The term "hygrometer" was coined to describe instruments designed to measure humidity levels in the air


  Late 17th century
• Electrolytic sensors


  • Angles can be measured and reported as degrees, arc minutes, or arc seconds
  • Pitch readings are incredibly precise in many applications
  • Great accuracy and tiny size are readily maintained
• Humidity sensors


  • Have a history dating back to the early 20th century
  • Advancements in technology led to more sophisticated humidity sensors, including capacitance and thermal conductivity
  • Today, humidity sensors are essential in various industries, improving comfort, efficiency, and quality
• Inventors of hygrometer


  • Horace Bénédict de Saussure
  • Robert Hooke (1635–1703)
  • Johann Heinrich Lambert (1728–1777)
  • Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519)
  • Francesco Folli
• Folli hygrometer


  Also known as "wet-and-dry bulb hygrometer", consists of two thermometers, one with a wet bulb and the other with a dry bulb
• Force balance sensors


  • Intended for DC and low frequency acceleration measurements
  • Capable of measuring levels from as low as 0.0001g up to 200g's over a frequency range from DC to 1000Hz
• Humidity sensors are essential for maintaining optimal environmental conditions, promoting health and safety, ensuring product quality, and contributing to energy efficiency across various industries and applications by providing precise monitoring and control of humidity levels
• Some humidity sensors are inspired by insects' ability to detect humidity changes through their hairs (biomimicry)
• Modern sensors use nanostructures like nanowires for increased sensitivity and faster response times
• Solid state sensors


  • Detect or measure a physical property and record, indicate, or respond to it
  • Have no mobile parts and must not be confused with transducers or actuators
• Capacitive tilt sensors


  • Designed to take noncontact measurements of tilt and inclination
  • Can operate both as sensors and switches
  • Capacitive sensing is independent of the base material and relies on variation of capacitance when the geometry of the capacitor is changing
• Accelerometers


  • Instruments for measuring, displaying, and analyzing acceleration and vibration
  • Can be used as tilt sensors but the resolution is limited in the tilt direction and they have high power consumption
• Tilt Sensor


  Also known as Inclinometers, they measure the tilt of an object and give an electrical signal as an output depending on the input
• Tilt Sensor


  • Provides valuable information about an object's vertical and horizontal inclination
• Single-axis tilt sensor


  Can only measure angular changes around one axis, using the principle of inertia to measure acceleration
• Dual-axis tilt sensor


  Can measure angular changes around two axes, with the inclined surface part being a point or line
• Force balance tilt sensors

  • Gravity-referenced, capable of measuring levels from 0.0001g to 200g, frequency range from DC to 1000Hz, advantages include high accuracy, broad measurement range, temperature insensitivity, disadvantage is high cost
• MEMS tilt sensors


  • Small sensors with movable proof mass plates attached to a reference frame through a mechanical suspension system, combining mechanical and electrical components on a chip, used in many medical, industrial, aerospace, consumer and automotive applications
• Tilt Sensor


  • Joystick sensor, gives two-dimensional input by converting measured tilt into an electrical signal
• SW-520D Tilt Sensor


  Detects orientation or inclination of an object about the horizontal plane, consists of a metal rolling ball inside a conductive housing with contacts that change state when tilted beyond a certain angle
• Sensitivity Adjustment


  Ability to adjust the sensor's sensitivity to detect changes in tilt angle
• VCC


  Voltage supply input for the sensor, provides the necessary electrical energy for the tilt sensor to operate
• GND


  Ground connection, the reference point in an electrical circuit from which voltages are measured
• DO


  Digital Output, provides a digital signal or output based on the tilt angle or position of the sensor
• Status LED


  Indicates the current status or condition of the sensor, can be programmed to light up or change color based on certain conditions
• Power LED


  Indicator that shows when the sensor is receiving power
• Ultrasonic sensor


  An instrument that measures the distance to an object using ultrasonic sound waves
• Ultrasonic sensor


  • Uses a transducer to send and receive ultrasonic pulses that relay back information about an object's proximity
  • Common obstructions/obstacles include: Dirt, Snow, Ice, Other Condensation
• Working principle of ultrasonic sensor

  Sends an ultrasonic pulse out at 40 kHz, which travels through the air, and if there is an obstacle or object, it will bounce back to the sensor
• Ultrasonic sensor development


  Research advancements began in the early 20th century
• Paul Langevin


  A French physicist and inventor, made a significant contribution in the early twentieth century by developing sonar technology for underwater navigation and communication during World War I
• Ultrasonic sensor development timeline

  • 1929-1935: Sergei Skolov studied using ultrasonic waves when detecting metal objects
  • Mulhuaser also uses ultrasonic Waves by using two transducers to detect the flaws of solid objects
  • 1931: Floyd Firestone and Simon developed pulsed ultrasonic testing using a pulse-echo technique
• Parts and functions of ultrasonic sensor

  • Transmitter: Generates a high-frequency sound wave
  • Receiver: Acts like a microphone, listening for the sound wave to return
  • Echo: Captures the returning sound wave
  • Trig: Trigger pin to initiate the measurement cycle
  • VCC: Power supply for the sensor
  • Output (Echo): Outputs a pulse proportional to the distance to the object