SMART TRANSDCUER & INTERFACE WITH IEEE 1451

Advancement in semiconductor technologies coupled with emergence of newer frontiers of

specialisation like microelectronics has immensely contributed in the evolution of sensors.
Traditionally, sensors are weighed against improved performance and lower costs but since
emergence of the trend of mass products, the focus is on the addon features that a sensor could
carry along with it. Smart sensor technology aims at arming the sensors with a range of
diagnostic and decision making capabilities to validate measurements. The emergence of
microprocessor has also played an important role in the development of smart sensors
A basic block diagram of a closed loop system is shown in figure 1. The elements in the system
are conventional in their application. Narrowing down to the sensor of the system, it is
responsible only for sensing and transmitting the signal from the plant to the controller output.
Process instrumentation optimisation demands more out of such sensors. Let us consider a
scenario of the measurement exceeding the span of the device. The device will loose its
relevance and the process will be halted. Maneuvering such span and range requirements for
every individual sensor will be wastage of time and energy. Hence, a sensor, which can readjust
its span and range reach as per requirements, will be an introduction of intelligence under this
circumstance. Such an amount of decision-making (however small) could be foreseen as trait of
Smartness in a Sensor.
Such situations are in big numbers and naturally would bring in along with them a number of
arguments for what is intelligence. (a) Adjustment of the 4-20 mA signal Using the span and
zero setting functions, it is possible to arrange for a 1-mA change in the output signal to
correspond to a given change in the measured quantity. This is particularly useful in matching
existing recorders or indicators. (b) Digital Communication It is generally possible to set the
scaling of an instrument so that the measured variable (e.g. slew rate) shown on the hand held
communicator or on the operator display appears at the desired or specified units of measure.
This can be set quite independently of the scaling of the 4-20 mA signal
and avoids calculation errors by the operators converting from percentage flow rate to
engineering units.
2. SMART MATERIALS: Defining boundaries apart, the real work is in achieving them. It is
imperative to find materials, which are capable enough in executing the above requirements.
There are basically five groups of component, which can be classified for the type of smart
materials. They are: Piezoelectric, Electrostrictors, Magnetostrictors, Shape Memory Alloys,
Multi Functional Composites The first four of the above list are said to be Ferroic materials in
the sense that they have active domain walls i.e., crystallographic boundaries that can be moved
by applying an external force or field. The resulting changes in the shape of their materials are
large enough to make them useful as actuators. It will be interesting to know the individual
structural characteristics of these materials.
3. DEVELOPING A STANDARD INTERFACE FOR SMART SENSORS: One of the most
important parts of data acquisition system is the user interface. Users control the system and
view the acquired data through this interface. Its design determines how easy the system is to
operate and will either help or hinder users in analyzing test data. The lack of such universal
interface standard impedes the incorporation of intelligent features such as on board electronic
data sheets, on board ADC, signal conditioning, and device type identification and
communication handshaking circuitry into the sensor. To over come this drawback, IEEE has
developed new hardware independent standards encompassing the formation of two separate
software models
 IEEE 1451.1: Developing a network independent common object model for Smart
transducers.
 IEEE 1451.2: Enabling connection of transducers to network processors.
IEEE 1451.1 STANDARD The architecture comprises of a network, a Network Capable
Application Processor (NCAP) and a Smart Transducer Interface Module (STIM). The proposed
standard present a high level functional object-oriented model of a smart transducer. The object
model consists of a series of functional blocks that can be plugged into a logical backplane to
form a working system. The physical connection between the NCAP and STIM is a 10 pin TII
(Transducer Independent Interface). The TII is built around synchronous serial communications
based on the Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) protocol. The TEDS (Transducer Electronic Data
Sheet) contains data that describes the STIM as a whole including functions and physical
boundaries. Eight TEDS formats are used as standard of which two are required and six are
optional. These standards are described as IEEE 1451.2 standard. IEEE 1451.2 standard are for
enabling connection of transducers to network processors.
 BIO SENSOR

A Biosensor is an analytical device. The sensor which integrates the biological elements with the
Physiochemical transducer to produce an electronic signal is proportional to a single analyte and
which is fetched into a detector.

Working of Biosensors

The preferred biological material like enzyme is preferred for conventional methods like physical
or membrane entrapment and non covalent or covalent binding. The preferred biological material
is in contact with the transducer. To produce a bound analyte through the analyte binds to the
biological material which produces the electrical response to be measured. In some cases the
analyte changed to a product and have some probability to associate with the release of heat,
gases like oxygen, electrons or hydrogen ions.

Types of Biosensors

There are different types of Biosensors based on the sensor devices and the biological materials
and some of them are discussed below.

Electrochemical Biosensor

Electrochemical Biosensors is a simple device. It measures the measurement of electronic

current, ionic or by conductance changes carried by bio-electrodes.

Electrochemical Biosensor

Amperometric Biosensor

The Biosensors are based on the electrons movement, i.e. electronic current determination as a
reaction of enzyme-catalyzed redox reaction. Generally a normal contact voltage passes through
the electrodes to analyze. In the enzymatic reaction which produces the substrate or product can
transfer the electrons with the surface of electrodes to be reduced.
Amperometric Biosensor

As a result an alternate current flow can be measured. The substrate concentration is directly
proportional to the magnitude of the current. The reduction of oxygen is acquired through the
oxygen electrodes and it is a simple way to from an Amperometric biosensor. The example is the
determination of glucose by glucose.

The above description is about the first generation of Amperometric biosensor and it has a direct
transfer of electrons which are released from the electrodes are having some difficulties. The
second generation Amperometric biosensors are developed in a mediator takes the electrons and
transfer to the electrodes.

Blood Glucose Biosensor

The blood glucose Biosensors are used widely throughout the world for diabetic patients. It has a
single use disposable electrodes with glucose oxide and derivatives of a mediator (Ferrocence)
and the shape of the blood glucose Biosensor looks like a watch pen. With the help of
hydrophilic mesh electrodes are converted. The Blood glucose Biosensor is a good example of
Amperometric Biosensor.
 CHEMICAL SENSOR

Chemical sensors respond to measurands through various chemicals and chemical reactions.

They have the ability to identify and quantify liquid or gaseous chemical species. This class of
sensors is currently used in many chemical analysis techniques, such as mass
spectroscopy, chromatography, infrared technology and others due to the miniaturization of
sensors. There are a variety of chemical sensors with various methods of transduction. The
transduction methods of chemical sensors can be organized into three classes based on their
modes of measurement: (i) electrical and electrochemical properties, (ii) changes in the physical
properties, and (iii) optical absorption of the chemical analytes to be measured.
Electrochemical sensors are the most common approach, and operate by reacting with the
chemical solutions and producing an electrical signal that is proportional to the analyte
concentration These types of sensors can be classified into three categories according to their
operation mode
●Potentiometric, which relies on the measurement of voltage. To measure the concentration of
analytes it is necessary for a combination of electric and ionic current to flow in a closed circuit.
A practical application of this sensing principle will be given in the biosensors section.
●Amperometric, which relies on the measurement of current. These sensors have been shown to
be effective in a broad range of applications, such as volatile organic compounds detection in
soils and groundwater, detection of mines and analytes detection in blood .
●Conductometric relies on the measurement of either conductivity or resistivity. This type of
sensor comprises a capacitor that changes its capacitance when exposed to the desired analyte.
The capacitance of the sensor changes due to a selectively absorbing material such as polymers
or other insulators. These absorbing materials serve as the dielectric layer of the capacitor and
their permittivity changes with exposure to the analyte. These sensors are commonly used to
detect humidity as well as carbon dioxide and volatile organic compounds In the humidity
sensor case, the dielectric layer comprises a water-sensitive polymer

AIR POLLUTION MONITORING SYSTEM

Air quality monitors typically have three sensors; oxygen, carbon monoxide, and carbon
dioxide.
The Oxygen Sensor is an electrochemical sensor. Any gas which can be oxidized or reduced
electrochemically can be detected by means of a fuel based electrochemical sensor. The
consumption of oxygen produces a current (µA) which is linearly proportional to the
concentration of gas in air. Since the oxygen sensor is constantly exposed to oxygen, the
normal life of the sensor is between 1-2years.
The Carbon Monoxide Sensor is also an electrochemical sensor which operates by the same
basic principles as the oxygen sensor. Electrochemical sensors consume minute amounts of
gas, the absorption of gas and electric output being controlled by a "diffusion barrier".
The Carbon Dioxide Sensor is a infrared detection sensor which operates by transmitting an
infrared beam through the sample, which absorbs the energy of the beam depending on the
concentration of carbon dioxide present, and detecting how much of the infrared beam's
energy is left after passing through the sample and converting that to a reading in
concentration of carbon dioxide.