Sensors and Sensor Circuit Design

Sensors and Sensor Circuit Design

This course is part of Embedding Sensors and Motors Specialization

Instructors: James Zweighaft

55,021 already enrolled

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5 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

4.6

(1,180 reviews)

Advanced level

Designed for those already in the industry

Flexible schedule

Approx. 25 hours

Learn at your own pace

93%

Most learners liked this course

5 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

4.6

(1,180 reviews)

Advanced level

Designed for those already in the industry

Flexible schedule

Approx. 25 hours

Learn at your own pace

93%

Most learners liked this course

What you'll learn

Use the core features of the Cypress PSOC development kit.
Choose the right temperature sensor, rotary sensor and amplifier for an application.
Interface sensors, LCD, and ADC to the PSOC development kit.

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

5 assignments

Taught in English

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This course is part of the Embedding Sensors and Motors Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
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There are 5 modules in this course

This course can also be taken for academic credit as ECEA 5340, part of CU Boulder’s Master of Science in Electrical Engineering degree.

After taking this course, you will be able to: ● Understand how to specify the proper thermal, flow, or rotary sensor for taking real-time process data. ● Implement thermal sensors into an embedded system in both hardware and software. ● Add the sensor and sensor interface into a microprocessor based development kit. ● Create hardware and firmware to process sensor signals and feed data to a microprocessor for further evaluation. ● Study sensor signal noise and apply proper hardware techniques to reduce it to acceptable levels. You will need to buy the following components to do the two course projects based on the videos in this module. Note that if you have already purchased the PSOC 5LP PROTOTYPING KIT, you do not need to buy it again. These parts may be purchased off the Digikey web site, www. Digikey.com. Or, you may obtain the specs from the site, and purchase them elsewhere. These are the part numbers typed out, so you can copy and paste them into the Digikey web site. You will need one of each part. 428-3390-ND NHD-0216BZ-RN-YBW-ND 570-1229-ND A105970CT-ND Additional equipment needed: • Wire - various gauges and lengths • Breadboard • Oscilloscope – suggested models are: o PICOSCOPE 2204A-D2 available on www.digikey.com or o Digilent 410-324 | OpenScope MZ available on www.newark.com Depending on your budget, you can also investigate these models: o Hantek HT6022BE20MHz - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009H4AYII o SainSmart DSO212 - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074QBQNB7 o PoScope Mega50 USB - https://www.robotshop.com/en/poscope-mega50-usb-mso-oscilloscope.html o ADALM2000 - https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/analog-devices-inc./ADALM2000/7019661

In module 1 you will learn how to specify and use temperature sensors in an embedded circuit. First, you will learn about common types of sensors and actuators found in common products such as smart phones and automobiles. Then you will get a high-level overview of analog and digital interfaces, followed by a deep dive into thermistors, RTD’s, and thermocouples. For each of these three types of thermal sensors, we define the core theory and formulae, give you examples of how commercial sensors are packaged, and explain what you need to know to purchase them on a web site.

What's included

10 videos2 readings1 assignment

10 videosTotal 63 minutes

1: Course Introduction2 minutesPreview module
2: Common Types of Sensors and Motors6 minutes
3: Analog and Digital Interfaces3 minutes
4: Temperature Sensors and Applications6 minutes
5: Thermistors: Basic Facts3 minutes
6: Thermistors: How They Work6 minutes
7: RTDs: Basic Facts5 minutes
8: RTDs: How They Work10 minutes
9: Thermocouples: Basic Facts7 minutes
10: Thermocouples: How They Work11 minutes

2 readingsTotal 180 minutes

Week 1 Online Articles120 minutes
Week 1 Videos60 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Week 1 Quiz30 minutes

In module 2 you will learn how to design a complete temperature sensor system within a development kit environment. We will teach you how to assign internal components to the schematic. This includes pins, amplifiers, MUX’s, DAC’s, and ADC’s. Then you will learn how to wire in external parts: resistors, thermistors in particular, to the kit. Finally, you will take a deep dive into interfacing a thermistor and associated front end components to the development kit. This includes lessons on using the schematic portion of the kit, as well as writing application software in c code.

What's included

14 videos2 readings1 assignment

14 videosTotal 143 minutes

1: PSOC Creator, Introduction and Documentation10 minutesPreview module
2: PSoC Creator 2 Pin Assignment2 minutes
3: Automatically Generated Code11 minutes
4: Adding the LCD display to the Nscope and Developent Kit9 minutes
How UART’s work 18 minutes
6: Debugging with GPIO and DACs9 minutes
7: Documenting Components not in the PSoC Chip6 minutes
8: Pin Types10 minutes
9: Digital to Analog and Back Again10 minutes
10: A Basic Sensor Interface in PSoC16 minutes
11: Thermistor Lab, Part 18 minutes
12: Thermistor Lab, Part 213 minutes
13: Thermistor Lab, Part 39 minutes
14: Thermistor Lab, Part 45 minutes

2 readingsTotal 130 minutes

Hardware Needed to Do Course Project Based on This Module10 minutes
Week 2 Online Articles120 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 60 minutes

Week 2 Quiz60 minutes

In module 3 you will learn how rotary sensors work and how to specify them for purchase. In our videos rotary sensors include both optical encoders and resolvers. You will also learn the design intricacies of flow sensors, along with their appropriate applications. The videos will discuss variable area, differential pressure, vortex, ultrasonic, turbine, thermal mass flow, and coriolis flow meters.

What's included

15 videos3 readings1 assignment

15 videosTotal 66 minutes

1. Module 3 Introduction0 minutesPreview module
2: Summary of Rotary Sensors and Applications3 minutes
3: Optical Encoders: How They Work6 minutes
3a: Measuring Encoder Speed3 minutes
4: Optical Encoders: Applications6 minutes
5: Resolvers: How They Work8 minutes
6: Resolvers: Applications5 minutes
7: Flow Sensors and Applications8 minutes
8: Variable Area Flow Sensors4 minutes
9: Differential Pressure Flow Sensing2 minutes
10: Vortex Flow Meters2 minutes
11: Ultrasonic Flow Meters2 minutes
12: Turbine Flow Meters2 minutes
13: Thermal Mass Flow Meters3 minutes
14: Coriolis Flow Meters4 minutes

3 readingsTotal 360 minutes

Week 3 Online Articles #1180 minutes
Week 3 Online Articles #2120 minutes
Week 3 Videos60 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 20 minutes

Week 3 Quiz20 minutes

In module 4 you will learn the theory and practical application of amplifiers and circuit noise. You will review how gain is calculated in inverting, non-inverting, summing, differential, and instrumentation amplifiers. We will then contrast theoretical vs. real-world amplifier performance, and give examples of how commercial chips specs are interpreted. Then we will discuss the causes of noise in sensor circuits, how the noise affects sensor accuracy, and some steps you can take to reduce noise in your sensor circuit designs.

What's included

10 videos2 readings1 assignment

10 videosTotal 55 minutes

1: Module 4 Introduction1 minutePreview module
2: Why Study Amplification?3 minutes
3: Basic Amplifiers8 minutes
4: Instrumentation Amplifier9 minutes
5: Amplifier Imperfections9 minutes
6: Amplifier Frequency Response4 minutes
7: Noise in Sensors4 minutes
8: Johnson and 1/f Noise5 minutes
9: Shot and Quantization Noise5 minutes
10: How Noise Affects Sensor Accuracy3 minutes

2 readingsTotal 240 minutes

Week 4 Online Articles #1120 minutes
Week 4 Online Articles120 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 20 minutes

Week 4 Quiz 20 minutes

This module contains the materials you need to complete the thermistor lab assignment.

What's included

2 readings1 assignment

Instructors

Instructor ratings

4.6 (319 ratings)

James Zweighaft

University of Colorado Boulder

4 Courses98,270 learners

Jay Mendelson

University of Colorado Boulder

7 Courses100,267 learners

Offered by

University of Colorado Boulder

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Build toward a degree

This course is part of the following degree program(s) offered by University of Colorado Boulder. If you are admitted and enroll, your completed coursework may count toward your degree learning and your progress can transfer with you.¹

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4.6

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Reviewed on Sep 3, 2020

A very good course that helps you to learn all types of sensors and their applications in day to day life

Reviewed on Apr 24, 2020

This course is very good. Concise, very informative, and provides a lot of useful material. I would like to include more on filtering, both software and hardware.

Reviewed on Aug 21, 2022

i'm student of electrical engineering and this course help me to boost my skill related to electronics optical devices and its working.

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Frequently asked questions

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When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.

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