Electronic Instrumentation and Sensors

Review of systems. Circuit analysis and theorems. Measurement and instrumentation. Sensors, actuators, transducers. Sensed quantities. Passive, active sensors. Resistors, capacitors, inductors as sensing elements. Practical sensor applications. Sensor characteristics. Frequency response. Noise and errors in measurements. Signal conditioning and filtering. Analogue and digital sensors. Analogue-digital conversion. Display of sensed values. Data acquisition and instrument control using a computer.

Learning Outcomes
1. State the general characteristics of electronic measurement systems using sensors, and the differences between various types of sensor technologies
2. Derive expressions for the outputs of a variety of sensor systems based on the inputs and sensing elements deployed
3. Analyse and calculate how a practical measurement system can function for expected and unexpected inputs
4. Design and develop sensors using computer-based simulation tools, and share designed circuits publicly
5. Conduct and report on experiments to verify sensor calibration/measurement and to create a computer-based instrument control