Transducer

From Free net encyclopedia

A transducer is a device, usually electrical or electronic, that converts one type of energy to another for the purpose of measurement or information transfer. Most transducers are either sensors or actuators. In a broader sense, a transducer is sometimes defined as any device that converts energy from one form to another.

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List of transducers

This list is confined to the narrower definition of the term.

Electrochemical:
- pH probe
Electromechanical:
- (electromechanical output devices are generically called actuators)
- electroactive polymers
- galvanometer
- MEMS
- motor, linear motor
- potentiometer when used for measuring position
- strain gauge
- switch
Electroacoustic:
- gramophone pick-up
- hydrophone - converts changes in water pressure into an electrical form
- loudspeaker, earphone - converts changes in electrical signals into acoustic form
- microphone - converts changes in air pressure into an electrical signal
- piezoelectric crystal - converts pressure changes into electrical form
Photoelectric:
- Laser diode, light-emitting diode - convert electrical power into forms of light
- photodiode, phototransistor, photomultiplier tube - converts changing light levels into electrical form
Electromagnetic:
- cathode ray tube (CRT) - converts electrical signals into visual form
- fluorescent lamp, light bulb - converts electrical power into visible light
- magnetic cartridge - converts motion into electrical form
- photocell or light-dependent resistor (LDR) - converts changes in light levels into resistance changes
- tape head - converts changing magnetic fields into electrical form
- Hall effect sensor - converts a magnetic field level into electrical form
Electrostatic:
- electrometer
- liquid crystal display (LCD)
Thermoelectric:
- thermocouple
- Peltier cooler
- thermistor (includes PTC resistor and NTC resistor)
Other:
- Geiger-Müller tube used for measuring radioactivity.