Over the last twenty years there has been tremendous growth in the research and development of sensors and sensor signal processing methods. Advances in materials and fabrication techniques have led to a departure from traditional sensor types and the development of novel sensing techniques and devices, many of which are now finding favor in indust

Sensor fundamentals -- Application considerations -- Measurement issues and criteria -- Sensor signal conditioning -- Acceleration, shock and vibration sensors -- Biosensors -- Chemical sensors -- Capacitive and inductive displacement sensors -- Electromagnetism in sensing -- Flow and level sensors -- Force, load and weight sensors -- Humidity sensors -- Machinery vibration monitoring sensors -- Optical and radiation sensors -- Position and motion sensors -- Pressure sensors -- Sensors for mechanical shock -- Test and measurement microphones -- Strain gages -- Temperature sensors -- Nanotechnology-enabled sensors -- Wireless sensor networks: principles and applications.

Biological sensors are usually remarkably small, sensitive and efficient. It is highly desirable to design corresponding artificial sensors for scientific, industrial and commercial purposes. This book is designed to fill an urgent need for interdisciplinary exchange between biologists studying sensors in the natural world and engineers and physical scientists developing artificial sensors. The main topics cover mechanical sensors, e.g. waves and sounds, visual sensors and vision and chemosensors. Readers will obtain a fuller understanding of the nature and performance of natural sensors as well as enhanced appreciation for the current status and the potential applicability of artificial microsensors.

Tor Essentials presents new editions of science fiction and fantasy titles of proven merit and lasting value, each volume introduced by an appropriate literary figure. After thousands of years of searching, humans stand on the verge of first contact with an alien race. Two human groups: the Qeng Ho, a culture of free, innovative traders, and the Emergents, a ruthless society based on the technological enslavement of minds. The group that opens trade with the aliens will reap unimaginable riches. But first, both groups must wait at the aliens' very doorstep, for their strange star to relight and for the alien planet to reawaken, as it does every two hundred and fifteen years... Amidst terrible treachery, the Qeng Ho must fight for their freedom and for the lives of the unsuspecting innocents on the planet below, while the aliens themselves play a role unsuspected by Qeng Ho and Emergents alike. More than just a great science fiction adventure, A Deepness In the Sky is a universal drama of courage, self-discovery, and the redemptive power of love. This new Tor Essentials edition of Vernor Vinge's A Deepness In the Sky includes an introduction by the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Award-winning Jo Walton, author of Among Others. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Over the last twenty years there has been tremendous growth in the research and development of sensors and sensor signal processing methods. Advances in materials and fabrication techniques have led to a departure from traditional sensor types and the development of novel sensing techniques and devices, many of which are now finding favor in indust

Mechatronics is a multidisciplinary field combining Mechanical, Electronic, Computer, and other Engineering fields to develop intelligent processes and products. Based on thirty years of extensive work in industry and teaching, this book provides an overview of the sensors and sensor systems required and applied in mechatronics with an emphasis on understanding the physical principles and possible configurations of sensors rather than simply a discussion of particular types of sensors. Well illustrated with examples of commercially available sensors and of recent and future developments, this book offers help in achieving the best solution to various kinds of sensor problems encountered in mechatronics. In a clear and detailed manner, the author reviews the major types of transducers, presents a characterization of the state-of-the-art in sensing technology and offers a view on current sensor research. This book will be a vital resource for practicing engineers and students in the field. - Comprehensive coverage of a wide variety of sensor concepts and basic measurement configurations encountered in the mechatronics domain - Written by a recognized expert in the field who has extensive experience in industry and teaching - Suitable for practicing engineers and those wanting to learn more about sensors in mechatronics

Sensing Approaches for Precision Agriculture aims to bring together the ‘state of the art’ of the most popular sensing techniques and the current state of research on the application of sensors in Precision Agriculture (PA). Sensing is of great value in PA because it provides cheap and immediate data for management. This book gives a broad overview of sensing in PA and a coherent introduction for new professionals and research scientists. Readers are introduced to the potential applications of a range of different sensors, how they should be used properly and their limitations for use in PA. Chapters on specific topics and case studies provide depth and enable implementation of the methods by users. A general introduction about sensing techniques in PA is followed by Chapters 2–9 on the most important specific techniques in sensing and Chapters 10–13 include mini-case studies, each showing cutting-edge applications for different sensing methods. Finally, there is an Epilogue on how we expect sensors and analysis to develop.