Pressure, temperature, chemical and IR (infrared) sensors are some of the most popular sensors used across various different industries today. The benefits each of these sensors offer are unique and prove advantageous for their respective sectors.
Sensors continue to become “game changers” for numerous industries. With the increasing use of IoT (Internet of Things), the demand for sensors is on the rise. With this backdrop, this article takes a look at four different types of the most popular sensors currently used across the manufacturing, healthcare, aviation and agriculture industries.
Pressure sensors
A pressure sensor is capable of sensing pressure for liquids and gases and then transforming it into an electric signal. With the assistance of these sensors, companies can adopt IoT systems to monitor the systems in real-time. It can also be used to measure fluid/gas flow, speed, water level and altitude. For example, in the automotive industry, pressure sensors are used in the engine to monitor the oil and coolant pressure. These sensors are also used as a safety mechanism in anti-lock braking systems (ABS) in vehicles. Pressure sensors are also used in the aviation, marine, industrial, bio-medical instrumentation industries as well.
Temperature sensors
A temperature sensor is used to measure temperature or heat energy from a given source through an electric signal. With IoT systems in place, temperature sensors can be used across the manufacturing, agriculture and health industry. In the manufacturing sector, it is vital that machines or devices are placed in a suitable environment to ensure that the systems are maintained at a constant temperature at all times. The sensors are able to solve this issue by offering data that help track the temperature in the given space.
Chemical sensors
As the name suggests, chemical sensors are used to gather information on diverse segments such as composition, presence of a particular element or ion, chemical activity, partial pressure and more. Chemical sensors are used in the industrial environment for monitoring and process-control, to detect harmful, explosive, radioactive chemicals and also for recycling processes in laboratories as well as in the pharma industry. The various types of chemical sensors include the electrochemical gas sensor, chemical field-effect transistor, pH glass electrode, Zinc oxide nanorod sensor and chemiresistor.
IR sensors
An infrared sensor can be defined as an electronic device that that is sensitive to some aspects of the surroundings. An IR sensor can measure the heat of an object as well as detect motion. This sensor only measures infrared radiation and are used across sectors such as healthcare, home appliances, wearable electronics, non-contact based temperature measurements, etc. IR sensors can also be utilised to carry out environment checks, as it can detect many types of chemicals and heat leaks.
Sensors have improved efficiency as well as productivity in industries and with Industry 4.0 being adopted even in developing countries, the sensors market is anticipating significant growth in the near future.
