Pranjal Kapur 18BIS0141

Digital Assignment 1
1. There are X ray machines in Dr. Bob’s clinic. These machines
use X ray detectors/sensors. Scintillation X ray detectors are
most commonly used for medical purposes.
So, an X-ray beam is passed through the body where a portion
of the X-rays are either absorbed or scattered by the internal
structures, and the remaining X-ray pattern is transmitted to a
film for recording or further processing by a computer.

Applications-
X-ray imaging exams are recognized as a valuable medical tool
for a wide variety of examinations and procedures. They are
used to-
• noninvasively and painlessly help to diagnose disease and
monitor therapy;
• support medical and surgical treatment planning; and
• guide medical personnel as they insert catheters, stents, or
other devices inside the body, treat tumours, or remove blood
clots or other blockages.

Limitations-
As in many aspects of medicine, there are risks associated with
the use of X-ray imaging, which uses ionizing radiation to generate
images of the body. Ionizing radiation is a form of radiation that
has enough energy to potentially cause damage to DNA. Risks
from exposure to ionizing radiation include-
• a small increase in the possibility that a person exposed to
X-rays will develop cancer later in life.
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• tissue effects such as cataracts, skin reddening, and hair

loss, can sometimes occur at relatively high levels of
radiation exposure to the body.
• possible reactions associated with an intravenously
injected contrast agent, or “dye”, that is sometimes used
to improve visualization.

2. There is a tanning shop where a tanning bed is present. A tanning

bed, also known as a sun-bed, is a machine used to produce an
artificial tan by imitating the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The UV
radiations are produced with the help of bulbs or UV lamps. They
lead to faster melanin production than what happens under the sun
giving a golden colour to your skin.
A normal tanning bed contains around 10—15 lamps fixed beneath
the bed. Each of these lamps uses an electric power of 100 to 200
watts to illuminate.
Applications-
Two sensors, known as choke and ballast, are fixed inside the bulbs
to regulate the rate of current flowing through the bulbs.
• A choke is an inductor designed to have a high reactance to a
particular frequency when used in a signal-carrying circuit.
• An electrical ballast (sometimes called control gear) is a device
intended to limit the amount of current flowing in an electric
circuit.
Both of these sensors are collectively used to control the UV rays
that are being produced by the bulbs and keeping them at an
optimum level so that it doesn’t reach harmful levels.
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Limitations-
• Tanning beds may prove to be very harmful to the sensitive
parts of the body such as eyes. If a person lies on the bed
without covering his eyes, the rays may penetrate into the
cornea of the eyes and result in cataract. If not properly cured,
it may also cause permanent blindness.
• These sensors are not prone to power surges. Frequent power
surges can lead to malfunction.
• Too much heat can also damage the components in the sensors
and disrupt current flow in the bulbs.

3. There is a photographer’s shop, where there are cameras with

image sensors. It captures light and converts it into a digital image.
The most common types of sensors are CCD (charged coupled
device) and CMOS (complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor).
Applications-
• It detects and conveys information used to make an image by
converting the variable light waves passing through or
reflecting off objects into signals, small bursts of signals that
convey the information.
• It is used in electronic imaging devices of both analog and
digital types, which include digital cameras, camera modules,
medical imaging equipment, night vision equipment such as
thermal imaging devices, radar, sonar, and others.
Limitations-
• Greater sensitivity differences among the pixels due to
production tolerances, can lead to stronger colour noise in case
of Bayer sensors and is fixed pattern noise in case of
monochrome cameras.
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• Significantly lower fill factor (ratio of light-sensitive surface to

entire pixel surface) in some environmental conditions with the
consequence of decreased sensitivity to light. In case of low
brightness, there is often increased image noise making it really
hard to capture a good image.

4. There is a radio antenna sensor throughout in the telephone

tower. A type of radio frequency sensor has been used. It uses radio
waves of frequency 10kHz - 1MHz for telecommunication.
Applications-
• Garage door openers
• Wireless alarm or monitoring systems
• Industrial remote controls
• Smart sensor applications
• Wireless home automation systems
Limitations-
• Uncontrolled radiation of RF affects pre-adolescent children,
pregnant women, elderly humans, patients with pace makers,
small birds, flora and fauna, small insects etc.
• The areas near RF cellular towers have been observed with
more lightening compare to other areas.
• Crops and vegetation are affected if they are planted near
phone towers.
• RF waves can be easily intruded by hackers and crucial
personal/official data can be decoded for malicious motives. In
order to avoid this situation, radio frequency wave-based
transmission is used with highly secured algorithms such as
AES, WEP, WPA etc. RF signal can also be modulated either
using frequency hopping or spread spectrum techniques to
avoid this kind of eavesdropping.
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5. In Ray’s TV shop, infrared sensors are present in the TV remotes.

An infrared sensor is an electronic device, that emits in order to
sense some aspects of the surroundings. An IR sensor can measure
the heat of an object as well as detect motion. An infrared sensor
intercepts a portion of the infrared energy radiated by an object.
Applications -
• Automation and feedback control.
• Used to monitor and measure human body temperatures with
one second time response. For e.g.- Thermometers.
• Reliability and maintenance needs from building heating to
electrical power generation and distribution.
Limitations-
• High initial cost.
• Complex - support electronics required
• Field of view and spot size may restrict sensor applications.
• Measuring accuracy can be affected by dust, smoke,
background radiation, etc.

6. There is a tachometer sensor present in the taxi. A tachometer is a

sensor device used to measure the rotation speed of an object such
as the engine shaft in a car, and is usually restricted to mechanical or
electrical instruments. This device indicates the revolutions per
minute (RPM) performed by the object. The types of tachometers
commonly found are: analog tachometers, digital tachometers,
contact and non-contact tachometers, time and frequency
measuring tachometers.
Applications-
• Automobiles, airplanes, trucks, tractors, trains and light rail
vehicles.
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• Laser instruments.
• Medical applications.
• Analog audio recording.
• Numerous types of machinery and prime movers.
• Estimating traffic speed and volume.

Limitations-
• Mechanical tachometer imposes load on rotating shafts which
they are connected to, thus absorbing the power and leading to
loss of energy.
• At high speeds, it has a non-linear relationship between speed
and output thus they are limited to low speeds.
• Electric tachometers are hard to calibrate.
• Chances of operational error.