Energy Education

Transducer

Transducers are devices that convert one form of energy (an input signal—usually physical, like motion) to another (an output signal—usually electrical).[1] The term "transducer" is the collective term for sensors and actuators. The purpose of a sensor is to respond to a physical property input (non-electric, like motion) and convert it into an electrical signal that is compatible with an electronic circuit. An actuator on the other hand can be described as the opposite of a sensor. It converts electrical energy into typically non-electrical energy. [2] For example, an electric-'eye' (which opens automatic doors for people) is a sensor, and a robot's arm is an actuator.

Another type of transducer (specifically, a sensor) is a microphone picking up someone signing (Figure 1). This input signal (the person's voice) is converted by the transducer into an electronic signal. This signal is processed and transmitted, perhaps over a radio wave. This radio wave hits a receiver, like a cell phone and a transducer turns the signal into sound that can be heard.

Figure 1. A signal, like the sound of someone singing goes through a transducer and turns that into an electronic signal. As another example, an electronic signal can be run through a transducer and put out a sound.[3]

To learn more about transducers visit basic electronics tutorials.

For further reading

References

  1. ↑ Atkins, T., & Escudier, M., "A Dictionary of Mechanical Engineering. : Oxford University Press", 2013
  2. ↑ Fraden J, "Handbook of Modern Sensors Physics, Designs, and Applications," Fourth Edition. Springer, 2016, p.3
  3. ↑ By Brews ohare [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons
Retrieved from "https://energyeducation.ca/wiki/index.php?title=Transducer&oldid=7872"