for sensors: smarter is better.

Ryan Wynn, data collection product manager of National Instruments (Austin, TX; www. ni. com)
, Talking about \"smart\" sensors and, uh, no-so-smart (i. e. , dumb)sensors.
Basically, smart sensors are defined by the recently passed standard IEEE 1451 smart sensor interface standard.
A smart--
Say a hot couple-
Compared to the stupid sensor, which contains all the information describing the sensor embedded in it, the data sheet is a piece of paper.
As a practical way, this means there is a \"plug-in\"and-
Playback function: Automatic calibration and linearity.
\"It is no longer necessary to have a large number of technicians put all these sensors into it and then calibrate them.
\"Because the details of the calibration of a particular sensor are much more detailed than those on the paper data sheet, it also means that the accuracy is improved: the information obtained by the sensor is better. With non-
Smart sensors, data tables are generally generic, not as specific as IEEE 1451 devices (
Commonly known as \"TEDS sensor\", the initial word acronym comes from \"Sensor Electronic Data Sheet \". \")
In the information found on the TEDS storage chip (EEPROM)
There are: sensor manufacturer, serial number, measurement range and calibration information.
For example, National Instruments is a company that provides software and hardware to create virtual Instruments for a variety of test requirements.
When asked about the relationship between smart sensors and these systems, Wynn replied that data acquisition systems can be deployed more easily.
That is to say, the NVH system will include sensors such as accelerometer, strain gauge, force sensor, etc.
, Multiple of each.
About 200 channels may be involved.
With smart sensors, Wynn explained, it\'s much easier than it used to be, and some technicians said, \"plug in sensors like a PC\'s peripheral.
\"While this is good for those in the new sensor market, Wynn admits that the car companies have thousands of traditional sensors that are not smart. So what to do?
Obviously, while TEDS devices offer a faster set-up and a better means of precision, the return on investment in replacing all existing sensors with new sensors makes no economic sense.
There is another \"flavor\" of TEDS, says Wynn: virtual TEDS.
\"We have a sensor partner program instead of having a TEDS binary in the EEPROM on the chip,\" he said . \".
They provide binary TEDS files that we store in the database.
Therefore, the user can download the TEDS file and use it in LabView 7.
1, \"recently launched graphic development products for high-
Modular instrument for performance
Time data acquisition systems and handheld devices.
Wynn admits, \"the sensor has not changed for a long time.
However, this change is noteworthy. --