Especially with the trend of the Internet of Things, smart sensors have received unprecedented attention. As the foundation of smart manufacturing, smart sensors have been quietly applied to various industries.
The development of sensors can be divided into three stages:
The first stage of structural sensors emerged in the 1950s, which used changes in structural parameters to sense and convert signals.
The second stage of solid-state sensor development began in the 1970s. These sensors, such as thermocouple sensors and Hall sensors, utilize the Hall effect and thermoelectric effect of materials. They are composed of solid-state components such as semiconductors, dielectrics, and magnetic materials.
The third stage, characterized by the emergence and rapid development of intelligent sensors, began at the end of the 20th century. It represents the current mainstream of sensors. Capable of data processing, self-adaptation, self-diagnosis, and detection of external information, it is a product of the combination of computer technology and detection technology.
Intelligent sensors are system-level products that integrate microprocessors, drivers, software algorithms, sensing units, and communication chips. They refer to multi-component integrated circuits with functions such as information acquisition, information storage, information exchange, and information processing.
The computing unit processes the input signal according to the settings, the sensing unit is responsible for signal acquisition, and then communicates with other devices through a network interface. The basic structure of a smart sensor generally includes a sensing unit, a computing unit, and an interface unit. Smart sensors can be implemented using modular, integrated, or hybrid structures.
Sensor technology is the cornerstone of intelligent manufacturing. Driven by today's intelligent era, the rise and development of high-performance, high-reliability, multifunctional, and complex automatic measurement and control systems, as well as the Internet of Things based on RFID technology, increasingly highlights the importance and urgency of rapidly developing intelligent sensors with sensing and cognitive capabilities.
A truly intelligent sensor should have the following functions:
1) Self-calibration, self-standardization, and automatic compensation functions;
2) Automatic data collection, data processing, and logical judgment functions;
3) Self-adjusting and adaptive functions;
4) A certain degree of storage, identification, and information processing capabilities;
5) Standard digital output or symbol output function, two-way communication;
6) Algorithm judgment and decision processing functions.
The core technologies enabling these functions in smart sensors are sensing materials, MEMS chips, driver programs, and application software. MEMS chips, in particular, have become a crucial carrier for smart sensors due to their lightweight, low power consumption, small size, high reliability, and integration with microprocessors.
