Barograph uses the new iPhone pressure sensor

The new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus each have a pressure sensor that gives readings for barometric pressure. Barograph (free), displays real-time pressure data from that sensor. Weather watchers will know dropping pressure usually means bad weather is coming, rising pressure means good weather.

The app's main interface is a graph that looks for very small changes. Initially it might seem uneven, but you can usually spot a trend pretty easily. The app charts the pressure and your relative altitude.

If you leave the app or lock your phone, the readings stop after 30 seconds so the app is not a battery drain. Pressure readings are in kiloPascals, not a measurement consumers typically use when reading barometers, but what you are looking for is trends. It would be nice if the app gave you the ability to see the data in U.S. non-metric readings.

You can share your barometric readings via Facebook, Twitter and email, if that suits your fancy. You can also save the graph to your image library.

Developer Jackson Myers told me the app is a first try, and it will get more sophisticated, but it does provide an interesting look into some of the new data the iPhone sensors are offering.

The app of course requires iOS 8 or greater, and must run on an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus.

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Miniature pressure sensors for medical touch

A new kind of flexible, transparent pressure sensor, developed at the University of California, Davis, for use in medical applications, relies on a drop of liquid.

The droplet goes in a flexible sandwich of the substance polydimethylsiloxane, or PDMS. The sensor acts as a variable electrical capacitor. When the sensor is pressed down, the sensing droplet is squeezed over conductive electrodes, increasing its capacitance.

"There's a huge need for flexible sensors in biosensing," said Professor Tingrui Pan, who led the research project.

He and his colleagues used the sensor successfully in measuring the pulse in the human neck. The sensor also could be used in "smart gloves," giving physicians an enhanced ability to measure the firmness of tissues and detect tumors, and in "smart contact lenses," to monitor intraocular pressure without affecting vision.

Pan's research paper — for which graduate students Baoqing Nie and Siyuan Xing and ophthalmology professor James Brandt served as co-authors — appeared in the December issue of the journal Lab on a Chip.

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Global Pressure Sensors Market Worth USD 7.92 Billion by 2020

The Pressure sensors and transmitters market is slated to grow at 7.1% year on year for the next five years. The market is estimated to reach $7.92bn by 2020.

The demand for Pressure sensors services is growing at a steady pace across the globe. Pressure sensors are used in all industries for detecting and differentiating different types of pressures, with the demand increasing mainly due to global investment patterns. Other such factors include developments in automation market, increasing demand from end users and innovation in the technology which impact pressure sensor market.

In the report, the market has been segmented by geography as North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (RoW). Market size and forecast is provided for each of these regions. A detailed qualitative analysis of the factors responsible for driving and restraining growth of the Pressure sensor market and future opportunities are provided in the report.

Companies Mentioned:

• ABB Ltd
• ALPS
• Ametek Inc
• Amphenol
• AMSECO
• Amsys
• Bosch Sensortec
• Continental AG
• Denso Corp
• Endress+Hauser AG
• Environdata
• Epcos AG
• Freescale Semiconductor
• GE Measurement & Control
• Honeywell International Inc
• Infineon Technologies
• Keyence
• Measurement Specialties Inc
• Murata

Report Structure:

1. Global Pressure Sensors - Market Overview

2. Executive Summary

3. Global Pressure Sensors - Market Landscape

4. Global Pressure Sensors - Market Forces

5. Global Pressure Sensors Market - Strategic Analysis

6. Global Pressure Sensors Market - By Applications

7. Global Pressure Sensors Market - By Product Type

9. Global Pressure Sensors Market - By Verticals

10. Global Pressure Sensors Market-Geographic Analysis

11. Market Entropy

12. Company Profiles (Overview, Financials, SWOT Analysis, Developments, Product Portfolio)

13. Appendix

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United Kingdom Pressure Sensor Market 2016 Analysis and Forecast to 2022

The UK Pressure sensors market is expected to increase to $0.56 billion by 2018 at a CAGR of 8.24% over the period 2014-2020. U.K. dominates the market due to prominence of industrial sector in this country. Increasing demand from the automotive segment that uses pressure sensors to a greater extent for various applications (TPMS, exhaust gas pressure of EGR System). High growth in MEMS and piezoelectric pressure technologies are increasing the demand for pressure sensors, Pressure transmitters are incorporated with added functionality and along with pressure, can also monitor temperature variations, detect leaks and provide feedback to the control system. With end users looking for better asset management, such combination sensing systems will find greater demand in the future making the pressure sensors market to grow lucratively.
Currently, the market is dominated by Piezoresistive and Capacitive sensors as they are heavily used in automotive, medical, petrochemical, Oil and gas industries. Optical and resonant solid-state sensors are expected to exhibit high growth over the forecast period due to their applications in hazardous environments. Technological advancements and nanotechnology applications are the future opportunities for pressure sensor market.
The UK Pressure Sensors Market is segmented on the basis of Technology (Piezoresistive Sensors, Capacitive Sensors, Electromagnetic Sensors, Resonant Solid State Sensors, Optical Sensors and Others) and End User Industry (Medical, Industrial, Oil & Gas, Petrochemical, Automotive, Consumer Electronics and Others).
This report describes a detailed study of the Porter’s five forces analysis, market segments, and current market trends. All the five major factors in these markets have been quantified using the internal key parameters governing each of them. It also covers the market landscape of these players which includes the key growth strategies and competition analysis.
The report also considers key trends that will impact the industry and profiles over 10 leading suppliers of Pressure Sensors Market. Some of the top companies mentioned in the report are Bosch (Germany), Honeywell International (U.S.), Freescale Semiconductor (U.S.), Infineon Technologies (Germany), Panasonic Corporation (Japan), and among others.
What the report offers
1. Market Definition for UK Pressure Sensors Market along with identification of key drivers and restraints for the market.
2. Market analysis for the UK Pressure Sensors Market, with region specific assessments and competition analysis on a regional scale.
3. Identification of factors instrumental in changing the market scenarios, rising prospective opportunities and identification of key companies which can influence the market on a regional scale.
4. Extensively researched competitive landscape section with profiles of major companies along with their strategic initiatives and market shares.
5. Identification and analysis of the Macro and Micro factors that affect the UK Pressure Sensors Market on regional scale.
6. A comprehensive list of key market players along with the analysis of their current strategic interests and key financial information.
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Global Pressure Sensor Market to Register 6.2% CAGR from 2014 to 2020

The global pressure sensors market is poised to display a consistent CAGR of 6.2% from 2014 to 2020, according to a recent market study published by Transparency Market Research. The market’s valuation of $6.53 billion in 2013 will reach $9.36 billion by 2020.

The report states that the increasing production of motor vehicles is one of the major factors driving growth of the global pressure sensors market. In addition, the industry has immensely benefitted from the latest regulatory norms for the use of pressure sensors in automobiles to gauge vehicular emissions. The increasing utilization of technologically advanced microelectrochemical systems (MEMS) has played a pivotal role in bolstering demand for pressure sensors. Moreover, rapid urbanization in the Middle East and Asia Pacific is enabling this market to chalk out a strong growth trajectory.

However, the high installation cost of pressure sensors is detrimental to the market’s growth. The report identifies this as a critical constraint that manufacturers need to address for sustainable growth. Nevertheless, technological advances will open new growth opportunities in the pressure sensors market in the forthcoming years.

By technology, the report classifies the global pressure sensors market into piezoresistive, optical, electromagnetic, capacitive, and resonant pressure sensors. Among these, the piezoresistive segment held the largest share of the market in 2014 with a valuation of $1.82 billion. This segment is expected to retain its dominance until the end of the forecast period, adds the report.

On the basis of application, the automotive sector dominated the market in 2014 with a valuation of $1.69 billion. The increasing production of motor vehicles around the world will result in this segment retaining a leading position until the end of the forecast period. However, as per the report, the consumer electronics segment will display the fastest growth at a CAGR of 6.9% from 2014 to 2020.

Geography-wise, in 2014, Asia Pacific dominated the global pressure sensors market and the region is expected to be the most lucrative market for pressures sensors until the end of 2020. The continuous expansion of the automotive industry in China, India, Japan, and South Korea will favor the growth of the pressure sensors market in APAC. The region will be trailed by North America and Europe.


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Pressure Sensor Market growth is estimated to reach at $11 billion by 2022

The global pressure sensor market is segmented on the basis of industry applications, technology and geography. The report on Global Pressure Sensor market Forecast 2015-2022 provides detailed overview and predictive analysis of the market.

The global pressure sensor market is expected to grow exponentially due to huge adoption of its applications such as automotive, oil & gas, consumer electronics, medical, utility, industrial segment and so on. The increasing demand for global pressure sensor market products such as piezo resistive pressure sensor is major driver for the market.

Global pressure sensor market is expected to contribute highest in North America followed by Europe. The global rise in adoption of global pressure sensor market products are expected to create huge scope in emerging economies. The launch of new products is expected to boost the market significantly in the next few years. ABB Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH, Denso Corporation, The Emerson Electric Company, Freescale Semiconductor, Inc, General Electric, Honeywell International, Inc., Measurement Specialties, Inc, Omron Corporation and STMicroelectronics N.V. are the leading companies in the global pressure sensor market. Product launches, expansion and partnerships are the key winning strategy of the market.


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BluCub Humidity Sensor Sends Humidity Data To Your iPhone 5S

We all like to know, well, everything about our environment. How warm it is, how humid it is, what it’s like outside, and so on. BluCub is designed to give you all of that, and in a tiny little package.

Know When It’s Saturated

The idea is fairly simple: BluCub packs a thermometer and a hygrometer (humidity sensor, for you non-scientists) into a black box roughly half the size of your iPhone. The idea is that it can be stuck somewhere discreet and used to track data both right away and over time, and within a reasonable range, namely what Bluetooth 4.0 can provide. Then, when you’re in range, just fire up the iOS 7 app and get the information you need.

Data Data Everywhere

At first it may seem less than obvious as to why you’d want something like this glued to the wall or lying on the counter, but if you think about it, there are a lot of places it’s good to know temperature and humidity. If you’ve got wines you want to preserve, you can stick this in your wine rack and track how they’re doing. If you’ve got allergies, it’ll help you figure out the ideal humidity to keep your sinuses clear. And if you just want to show your obnoxious coworker that, yes, it’s a little warm in here, you’ve now got a handy thermometer you can both check.

A Question Of Temperature

Of course, not all of us will need environmental sensors we can check with our phones, but this is a useful set of tools crammed into a surprisingly tiny package. If you want one, though, you’ll need to act quickly; BluCub is currently the subject of an IndieGoGo campaign in Britain, and you’ll have to pay roughly $65 total to have one shipped to you.

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Asia Pacific Led the Pressure Sensors Market

Global pressure sensors market was valued at USD 6.53 billion in 2014, growing at a CAGR of 6.2% from 2014 to 2020. Pressure sensors are typically used for measuring pressure of gas or liquids. These sensors usually act as a transducer and generate electrical signals as a function of the pressure imposed on them.

Pressure sensors are typically used for measuring pressure of gas or liquids. These sensors usually act as a transducer and generate electrical signals as a function of the pressure imposed on them. Pressure sensors are also indirectly used for measuring other variables such as gas/fluid flow, water level, speed and altitude. With technological advancements in several industry verticals such as automotive, healthcare, and oil and gas, the applications and functionalities of pressure sensors is evolving continuously. Modern day pressure sensors utilize digital technology for providing better sensing performance and efficiency.

The global pressure sensors market is expected to witness a substantial growth during the forecast period. This is due to its increasing demand across various application sectors such as automotive, industrial and medical sector. The increase in automobile production worldwide is stimulating the growth in demand for pressure sensors and associated components. In addition, government regulations around the world related to motor vehicle safety are also influencing the growth of this market. Automotive is the largest revenue generating application segment in this market. Consumer electronics segment is analyzed to be the fastest growing application segment in the pressure sensor market.

Adoption of new technologies such as MEMS and NEMS is also contributing to the growth in demand for pressure sensors globally. However, maturity of end user segment is acting as a restraining factor for the growth of pressure sensors market, especially in North America and Europe. The development of smart city infrastructures in the Middle East and Asia Pacific is also influencing the growth of overall pressure sensors market. Asia Pacific is analyzed to dominate the global pressure sensors market throughout the forecast period. The region's dominance is attributed to increasing production of motor vehicles in countries such as Japan, South Korea, China, and India. Moreover, rapid level of industrialization in this region is also contributing to growth of pressure sensors market.

This market research study analyzes the pressure sensors market on a global level, and provides estimates in terms of revenue (USD billion) from 2014 to 2020. It recognizes the drivers and restraints affecting the industry and analyzes their impact over the forecast period. Moreover, it identifies the significant opportunities for market growth in the coming years.

The market in the report is segmented on the basis of geography as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), and Rest of the World (RoW), and these have been estimated in terms of revenue (USD billion). In addition, the report segments the market based on the sensor technology, which include piezoresistive pressure sensors, electromagnetic pressure sensors, capacitive pressure sensors, resonant solid state pressure sensors, optical pressure sensors and others. It also segments the market on the basis of application as automotive, oil and gas, consumer electronics, medical, industrial and others. All these segments have also been estimated on the basis of geography in terms of revenue (USD billion).

For better understanding of the pressure sensors market, detailed analysis of supply chain was done. A detailed Porter's five forces analysis was done for better understanding of the intensity of the competition present in the market. Furthermore, the study comprises market attractiveness analysis, where the applications are benchmarked based on their market scope, growth rate and general attractiveness.

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Sensirion develops protective cover for humidity sensors

Sensirion now offers a protective cover for selected humidity sensors of the SHT3x series. The SHT3x protective cover is an optional polyimide foil directly attached to the top surface of the sensor. It covers the SHT3x’s complete sensing area and thus acts as a reliable shield against pollution during SMT assembly of the sensor and subsequent processes, such as conformal coating or potting. The protective cover is designed to withstand multiple reflow soldering cycles. To enable correct sensor operation, it must be removed after assembly.

A flap on the cover extends over the outer dimensions of the sensor package on one side and is designed to allow the cover to be peeled off easily with tweezers. After peeling off, the sensor will operate as specified in the datasheet. All typical conformal coating procedures, such as brushing, spraying or potting, can be used as long as the protective cover is attached. The cover will effectively protect the sensor opening from direct exposure to these coatings and other possible pollutants during the production process.

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Texas Instruments – Low Power, High Accuracy Digital Humidity Sensor with Temperature Sensor (HDC1080DMBR)

This HDC1080 digital humidity sensor with integrated temperature sensor from TI offers competitive solutions in a wide range of common applications from HVAC, smart thermostats and room monitors, white goods, printers, handheld meters and medical devices. It provides excellent measurement accuracy at very low power. It operates over a wide supply range and the humidity and temperature sensors are factory calibrated.

One of the key features of the HDC1080 is its low power consumption, which makes the device suitable in battery or power harvesting applications. It monitors the supply voltage level giving useful information in battery-powered systems such as informing the user to replace the battery.

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Toyota recalls 390,000 vehicles over fuel pressure sensors

 Toyota Motor Corp on Wednesday recalled around 390,000 vehicles in Japan and overseas to tighten a fuel pressure sensor attachment to the delivery pipe to remedy an issue which may result in leakage.

The recall by the Japanese automaker affected around 326,000 vehicles sold in Japan, including the Crown, the luxury sedan model made for the domestic market, and the Mark X sedan, along with the Lexus IS250. Production periods ranged from December 2003 to October 2007.

A total of 64,000 Lexus IS250 and GS300 vehicles were also recalled in Europe, Oceania, Asia and other regions.

Separately, Toyota recalled nearly 17,000 Crown and Crown Majesta models in Japan, produced between January 2008 and July 2013, over electrical issues with the stereo amplifier system.

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Miniature SMD capacitive humidity sensor

Based on the high-end humidity sensor HC1000 and HC101, HC109 was developed to meet the demands of automatic assembly lines for mass production at a competitive price. Typical applications are automotive or home appliances. HC109 humidity sensors are positioned on the PCB at the same time as other SMD components and soldered using the reflow soldering method. Their small dimensions allow an easy and space saving design.

They humidity sensor HC109 show the same advantages as HC1000 and HC101, such as high reproducibility of the sensor data and outstanding linearity over the whole humidity range. The temperature dependence is also highly reproducible and allows software temperature compensation. This means high accuracy over a wide temperature range, which is essential for instance to calculate dew point temperature

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Reverse Costing Analysis of STMicroelectronics's HTS221 Humidity Sensor

The HTS221 humidity sensor is the first environment sensor from STMicroelectronics which follows the train of new open cavity combos. Assembled in a 6-pins LGA 2 x 2 x 0.9mm package; the HTS221 is a digital humidity and temperature sensor equipped with a sensor die and an ASIC. It has operating ranges of -40+125°C, 0100 % relative humidity for 16bit output data for temperature and humidity.

The relative humidity sensor uses a polymer dielectric planar capacitor digital measurement technology which allows a precise response in very compact size. The integrated heater allows a high ODR.

This device uses a new type of package built around an original holed cap developed by STMicroelectronics for mobile phones and for industrial application with a temperature range from -40 °C to +120 °C.

The report presents deep technology and cost analysis of HTS221 with an exhaustive package analysis. It also includes a technology and production cost comparison with Bosch BME280 humidity and pressure sensor and with Sensirion SHTC1 humidity MEMS.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Glossary

2. Overview/Introduction, Companies Profile

3. Physical Analysis

4.Package
- Package Views & Dimensions
- Package Opening
- Wire bonding Process
- Package Cross-Section

5. ASIC Die
- View, Dimensions & Marking
- ASIC Delayering
- ASIC main blocks identification
- ASIC Process
- ASIC Die Cross-Section

6. Pressure & Humidity Die
- View, Dimensions & Marking
- MEMS Humidity Sensing Area
- Cap
- MEMS Humidity Cross-Section
- MEMS processes

7.Comparison with Bosch BME280 and Sensirion SCHTC1 pressure sensor

8. Manufacturing Process Flow

9. ASIC Front-End Process
- MEMS humidity Process Flow
- Wafer Fabrication Units
- Packaging Process Flow & Assembly Unit

10. Cost Analysis

11. Main steps of economic analysis
- Yields Hypotheses
- ASIC Front-End Cost
- ASIC Back-End 0 : Probe Test & Dicing
- ASIC Front-End Cost
- MEMS HumidityWafer & Die Cost
- MEMS HumidityFront-End Cost
- MEMS Humidity Back-End 0 : Probe Test & Dicing
- Back-End : Packaging Cost
- Back-End : Packaging Cost per Process Steps
- Back-End : Final Test Cost
- BME280 Component Cost

12. Estimated Price Analysis

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Turning Bacterial Spores into Electromechanical Humidity Sensors

Scientists at University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) are taking the unique approach of using the natural stimuli responses in bacterial spores to create high-accuracy humidity sensors. Spores have a hygroscopic membrane that allows water to flow in and out of the cell as the environmental humidity changes, making them magnitudes more responsive than polymers commonly used in humidity sensors.
By integrating graphene quantum dots (GQDs) on the surface of the spores, scientists can measure the changes in electron tunneling between each dot, or the bio-device’s conductivity, as the transmembrane hydraulic pressure causes the spore to shrink or expand. The spores could eventually be used in the human body to monitor organ function, cancer status, and hydration.
Osmosis, or the transport of water along a concentration gradient, occurs in living cells with a water-permeable membrane. Water osmoses from high to low water concentration, until equilibrium is achieved between bodies. So, the spore intakes water when the environmental water concentration becomes higher than that of the spore, and loses water when its water content is higher than that of the environment. All the while, hydraulic pressure relative to the spore’s interior and its environment increases as the spore expands, and decreases as the spore shrinks. The scientists were able to relate these changes in relative pressure to changes in conductivity.
The scientists placed a graphene-covered spore on a silica-on-silicone chip, spanning two gold/chromium electrodes, separated by 5 microns. They ran a bias voltage (35 meV) across the spore to spur electron transport between the graphene dots. The scientists varied humidity by passing N2 gas around the device. Meanwhile, they measured the change in conductivity due to the changes in electron tunneling distance between GQDs, as the spore shrank and expanded. As the spore shrinks, spacing between the GQDs also shrinks, facilitating the transport of electrons between dots.
In conclusion, a 300 Torr (about a thousandth of atmospheric pressure) change in relative pressure due to altering humidity causes a 1.63-nm change in electron tunneling between graphene dots. This yields an impressive five-fold change in conductivity. Because spores are so responsive, they hold lots of potential as bio-electromechanical humidity sensors.

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Humidity Sensor Market Developments, Trends and 2021 Forecasts for Manufacturers

Reports adds new report Global and Chinese Humidity Sensor Industry, 2016 Market Research Report that provides 2016-2021 forecasts for the global and Chinese markets covering information on raw materials as well as overall market dynamics.
The 'Global and Chinese Humidity Sensor Industry, 2011-2021 Market Research Report' is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the global Humidity Sensor industry with a focus on the Chinese market. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Humidity Sensor manufacturers and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the industry.
Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including its definition, applications and manufacturing technology.
Then, the report explores the international and Chinese major industry players in detail.
In this part, the report presents the company profile, product specifications, capacity, production value, and 2011-2016 market shares for each company.
Through the statistical analysis, the report depicts the global and Chinese total market of Humidity Sensor industry including capacity, production, production value, cost/profit, supply/demand and Chinese import/export.
The total market is further divided by company, by country, and by application/type for the competitive landscape analysis. The report then estimates 2016-2021 market development trends of Humidity Sensor industry. Analysis of upstream raw materials, downstream demand, and current market dynamics is also carried out.
In the end, the report makes some important proposals for a new project of Humidity Sensor Industry before evaluating its feasibility. Overall, the report provides an in-depth insight of 2011-2021 global and Chinese Humidity Sensor industry covering all important parameters.

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Europe Humidity Sensor Industry analysis for 2016 shared in new research report

The Europe Humidity Sensor Industry 2016 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Humidity Sensor industry.

The report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Humidity Sensor market analysis is provided for the Europe markets including development trends, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions development status.

Development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and Bill of Materials cost structures are also analyzed. This report also states import/export consumption, supply and demand Figures, cost, price, revenue and gross margins.

The report focuses on Europe major leading industry players providing information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis is also carried out. The Humidity Sensor industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed. Finally the feasibility of new investment projects are assessed and overall research conclusions offered.

With 154 tables and figures the report provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.

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Need for Pressure Sensors

Since a long time, pressure sensors have been widely used in fields like automobile, manufacturing, aviation, bio medical measurements, air conditioning, hydraulic measurements etc. A few prominent areas where the use of pressure sensors is inevitable are:

1. Touch Screen Devices: The computer devices and smart phones that have touch screen displays come with pressure sensors. Whenever slight pressure is applied on the touch screen through a finger or the stylus, the sensor determines where it has been applied and accordingly generates an electric signal that informs the processor. Usually, these sensors are located at the corners of the screen. So when the pressure is applied, usually two or more such sensors act to give precise location information of the location.

2. Automotive Industry: In automotive industry, pressure sensors form an integral part of the engine and its safety. In the engine, these sensors monitor the oil and coolant pressure and regulate the power that the engine should deliver to achieve suitable speeds whenever accelerator is pressed or the brakes are applied to the car.

For the purpose of safety, pressure sensors constitute an important part of anti-lock braking system (ABS). This system adapts to the road terrain and makes sure that in case of braking at high speeds, the tires don’t lock and the vehicle doesn’t skid. Pressure sensors in the ABS detail the processor with the conditions of the road as well as the speed with which the vehicle is moving.

Air bag systems also use pressure sensors so that the bags get activated to ensure the safety of the passengers whenever high amount of pressure is experienced by the vehicle.

3. Bio Medical Instrumentation:  In instruments like digital blood pressure monitors and ventilators, pressure sensors are needed to optimize them according to patient’s health and his requirements.

 4. Industrial Uses: Pressure sensors are used to monitor gases and their partial pressures in industrial units so that the large chemical reactions take place in precisely controlled environmental conditions. In oil industry, sensors detail with the depth that the oil rig has reached while exploring.

5. Aviation: In the airplanes, these sensors are needed to maintain a balance between the atmospheric pressure and the control systems of the airplanes. This not only protects the circuitry and various internal components of the airplane but also gives exact data to the system about the external environment. Also, particular levels of air pressure need to be maintained in the cockpit and the passengers lobby to provide nominal ground like breathing conditions.

6. Marine Industry: For ships and submarines, pressure sensors are needed to estimate the depth at which they are operating and for detailing the marine conditions so that the electronic systems can remain safe. Oxygen requirements of under water projects are also regulated by the pressure sensors.

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Elmos Semiconductor AG: SMI: Highly Stable, Highly Accurate Medium Pressure Sensors

SMI (Silicon Microstructures, Inc.), a subsidiary of Elmos, is proud to introduce the SM3041 fully digital, medium pressure MEMS differential and gauge sensor family. The sensor has better than 1% initial accuracy and less than 1% accuracy shift over life (1% shift over 1000hr HTOL at 150C). This makes it one of the most stable medium pressure sensors in the market. Furthermore it is the first SMI sensor with the AccuStable marking. Only products combining an extraordinary accuracy with a long-time stability are allowed to have this high quality label.

The pressure sensor family is developed with special focus on the following markets: Medical (ventilators, oxygenators, wound therapy, fluid evacuation and others), Industrial (gas flow, pneumatic gages, pressure switches) and Consumer (sport equipment, appliances). The manufacturing line is qualified to the highest industry standards (ISO9001 & ISO/TS 16949).
The SM3041 Series is developed and manufactured with state-of-the-art pressure transducer technology and CMOS mixed signal processing technology. It produces a digital, fully signal conditioned output. The integrated temperature compensation ranges from -20 to +85 C. Standard differential parts are offered at +/-5 and +/-15psi, but the device can be fully customized per customer requirements anywhere in the range of +/-2.5psi to +/-15psi. The SM3041 family has an I2C digital communication interface. The device is offered in several JEDEC SOIC16 package configurations, with dual vertical ports, dual horizontal ports or a single vertical port.

Combining the pressure sensor with a signal-conditioning ASIC in a single package simplifies their use. The pressure sensor can be mounted directly on a standard printed circuit board and a calibrated pressure signal can be acquired from the digital interface. This eliminates the need for additional circuitry, such as a compensation network or microcontroller containing a custom correction algorithm.

The SM3041 is shipped in sticks or tape & reel.

SMI is offering proven solutions to a range of industries, based on application-specific ICs, sensors and complete microsystems. SMI is an ISO/TS16949:2009 certified premier developer and manufacturer of MEMS-based pressure sensors for a broad range of markets, with over 25 years of experience. SMI's design, production and quality control processes have enabled it to develop both the most sensitive and smallest MEMS pressure sensors available on the market today.

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Dynamic calibration of pressure sensors for engines

The characterisation of the pressure sensors used to develop the next generation of petrol and diesel engines is crucial to optimising their design, improving efficiency and reducing emissions. The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) has developed shock tube facilities for the calibration of these sensors under the dynamic pressure conditions that they experience in use.

Manufacturers of petrol and diesel engines are continually seeking to improve the accuracy of the pressure measurements necessary to develop better engines. For petrol engines, intake manifold and in-cylinder pressure measurements are used to determine combustion efficiency. Diesel engine manufacturers aim to improve injector performance by direct measurement of pressures at the injectors. Sensor performance is critical under these demanding applications where the combustion of air/fuel mixtures causes flame fronts that reach temperatures of 2000 °C, and the detection of events such as engine knocking requires sensor response times that are measured in microseconds.

The accuracy of current pressure sensors is limited by not having the means to calibrate them under conditions that match those that will be encountered in use and, in particular, by only calibrating the sensors at static pressures. Parameters such as the resonance frequency of the sensors and associated fittings (e.g. mounts, connectors and pipe work), and damping and rise-times have to be estimated through computer modelling, increasing uncertainty in the sensor output under normal working conditions.

To address this problem, NPL's shock tube facilities are able to calibrate these sensors under the dynamic pressure conditions that they experience in real-world conditions. Dynamic calibration requires a source with known characteristics in both amplitude and frequency. A shock wave generated in a shock tube has a rise time of the order of 1 nanosecond, and the amplitude of the pressure step generated upon reflection of the wave from the end face of the tube can be calculated. This makes it an ideal candidate for a pressure calibration standard if it can be verified that the magnitude of the pressure step can be determined accurately from ideal gas theory using readily measured parameters such as shock wave velocity and static temperatures and pressures.

NPL has manufactured and characterised two shock tubes, of 1.4 MPa and 7 MPa capacity, investigating the effect of diaphragm material, thickness and configuration, and driven section length, on their performance.

The facility is now operational and providing traceable dynamic calibrations for pressure sensors. It has already been used by a major transducer manufacturer to investigate the dynamic characteristics of a range of their pressure sensors and associated instrumentation. In addition to the applications in the development of automotive engines, the facility has the ability to investigate the performance of gas turbines and also for the calibration of instruments used in blast studies.

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New pressure sensor could help detect breast tumors one day

A new transparent, bendable pressure sensor could be incorporated into a pair of latex gloves and one day help doctors check women for breast cancer, without requiring X-rays, researchers say.

Doctors often touch and feel patients' bodies, applying small amounts of pressure with their hands, when assessing patients' health. For instance, any hard spots or lumps may be a sign of abnormalities such as tumors.

In fact, doctors may rely heavily on their "tactile feeling" of a patient's body to figure out whether the person may have cancer, said study senior author Takao Someya, a professor of electrical engineering at the University of Tokyo.

Pressure sensors could help doctors analyze their patients' health with greater precision than is possible with their natural sense of touch, the researchers said. "Tumors are normally more rigid than breast tissue, so we can input that data to a sensor-attached glove," Someya told Live Science.

However, because human bodies are generally soft, sensors that touch bodies must be soft too, in order to work well. But so far, pressure sensors that are soft have been vulnerable to bending, and these devices could not distinguish their own bending from the variations in pressure in the object they were supposed to measure, the researchers said.

"Many groups are developing flexible sensors that can measure pressure, but none of them are suitable for measuring real objects, since they are sensitive to distortion," study lead author Sungwon Lee, also of the University of Tokyo, said in the statement. 

Now, the scientists say they have developed an ultrasensitive transparent pressure sensor that can accurately detect pressure even when the sensor is distorted to an extraordinary degree.

The researchers made the sensor from composite fibers containing graphene, which are sheets of carbon just one atom thick, and carbon nanotubes, which are carbon pipes only nanometers (billionths of a meter) in diameter. They took meshes of these pressure-sensitive, 300-to-700-nanometer-wide fibers and embedded them in thin, light, transparent, elastic plastic sheets.

When this flat sensor is bent, the nanofibers can shift around in the spaces inside the mesh, so their sensor capabilities do not change much even when the sensorsare bent to an extreme degree. However, the sensor can still respond when compressed by pressure.

In experiments, the device successfully measured pressure even when it was placed on the soft, movable 3D surface of a balloon that researchers pressed their fingers into. In addition, when the scientists wrapped their sensor around an artificial blood vessel made of plastic and filled with water, they found that "it could detect small pressure changes," as well as how fast the pressure was changing, Lee said in the statement.

The researchers noted that it was too early to suggest that pressure-sensitive gloves could replace mammography, which uses X-rays to diagnose and locate breast tumors. Still, one day, "the new sensors may offer easy and painless monitoring of tumors without exposure to radiation," Someya said.
This new sensor could also make robots sensitive to pressure, Someya said.

"Imagine that you are shaking hands with a robot that has soft skin," Someya said. "Currently, there is no pressure sensor that accurately works" once it is bent, he said. If the pressure sensor malfunctions, shaking hands with such a robot could be very dangerous, since the robot might end up accidentally crushing a person's hand.

In the future, the researchers want to design a stretchable pressure sensor that can accurately detect pressure even when the device is stretched, Someya said.

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