Look through the collection of industrial sensors that follows, and count the number of devices with advanced communications, networking or fabrication technology.
Only one device claims to use IEEE P1451.4 smart sensor technology. Two devices offered a HART connection, but HART has been around for 20 years. Only one offered an Ethernet connection. We saw no sensors with MEMS technology, either. All the rest stayed with tried and true sensor interfacing methods, such as 4-20 mA, 0-5 VDC, and so on.
Today's sensors are smaller and faster than ever before, provide extreme accuracy and resolution, and perform better than ever. But their manufacturers seem to be resisting the adoption of any other kind of modern technology.
The following industrial sensors represent a cross section of what is actually available today. They may not have MEMS technology or Ethernet connections, but the sensors that follow do represent advanced sensor technology.
(Note: This is the first of three segments covering the Round-Up on Industrial Sensors. Look for the second installment the third week of March.)
Automation Systems Interconnect