Actuators, Sensors and Electronics

Energy conversion devices, power electronics, sensors, MPUs and other modules are key components of physical systems. Electromagnetic, electrostatic, electroacoustic, piezoelectric, photoelectric, hydraulic, thermoelectric, ultrasonic and other transducers convert electromagnetic, mechanical, thermal and chemical energy from one form to another. Actuators, sensors and transducers ensure energy transductions yielding motions and measurements of physical quantities. Examples of transducers are smart piezoelectric ceramic, electrostatic and electromagnetic devices used for actuation and sensing. There are specifics in design and selection of actuators, sensors and transducers within a modular system organization. Active and passive rotational and translational transducers are characterized by the source of energy, phenomena exhibited, physics of energy conversion and transduction, etc. Traducers are characterized by: Force and torque densities; Energy density; Efficiency and losses; Repeatability, linearity and hysteresis; Stability and sensitivity; Accuracy, precision, resolution, static error and dynamic error; Dynamic range and bandwidth; Dimensionality, weight and volumetric; Failure rate, lifetime, etc.