Beyond the natural senses and actuation in living organisms, sensing and actuation is almost exclusively a human activitywhose ultimate purpose is to improve our lives and our interactions with the universe. Sensors and actuators are ubiquitous in our lives, whether we are aware of them or not. But beyond industrial sensors, those that produce many of the products we use, keep our transportation moving, and watch over our safety, there are two types of sensors and actuators that merit separate attention. The first class of devices includes those used to improve and sustain our health. From artificial limbs and organs to implantable devices, robot-assisted surgery, medical tests, and the manipulation of tissue and cells, this class of sensors and actuators is an important part of our health system and, indeed, life. They include systems such as X-ray imaging, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT or CAT) scans, ultrasound scanning, and robotic surgery systems. Still others, of a perplexing variety, are used to test for every conceivable substance and condition in the body. The second class of devices expands our knowledge of the universe around us and, hopefully, allows us to better understand the universe, ourplace in it, and ultimately to live in harmony with it. Sensing of the environment not only benefits us, but contributes to the environment itself and all organisms in it. Off the planet, sensors allow us to protect ourselves from radiation, the effects of solar flares, and maybe even to avoid catastrophic collisions with meteorites, but perhaps most of all, they satisfy our curiosity.

Chapter Contents:

• 2.1 Introduction
• 2.2 Input and Output Characteristics
• 2.2.1 Transfer Function
• 2.2.2 Impedance and Impedance Matching
• 2.2.3 Range, Span, Input and Output Full Scale, Resolution, and Dynamic Range
• 2.2.4 Accuracy, Errors, and Repeatability
• 2.2.5 Sensitivity and Sensitivity Analysis
• 2.2.6 Hysteresis, Nonlinearity, and Saturation
• 2.2.7 Frequency Response, Response Time, and Bandwidth
• 2.2.8 Calibration
• 2.2.9 Excitation
• 2.2.10 Deadband
• 2.2.11 Reliability
• 2.3 Problems

Inspec keywords: sensors; actuators; transfer functions; biomedical measurement; prosthetics; surgery; medical robotics

Other keywords: transfer function; medical tests; sensors; actuators; artificial limbs; X-ray imaging; health system; computed tomography; implantable devices; ultrasound scanning; magnetic resonance imaging; robot-assisted surgery

Subjects: Biological and medical control systems; Biomedical engineering; Sensing and detecting devices; Actuating and final control devices; Robotics; Transducers and sensing devices; Sensing devices and transducers; Patient care and treatment; Biomedical measurement and imaging