|
|
|
Instrumentation Expert
|
|
Instrumentation is a fundamental component of all control systems. In keeping with our thermostat analogy; the instrumentation system within the thermostat is what measures and displays the air temperature. The three essential elements of an instrumentation system will be present in all modern thermostats. These three elements are the transducer, signal conditioning and output signal.
A transducer is a device that converts one form of energy to another. In the case of the thermostat, the transducer converts the heat energy in the air into electrical energy that corresponds to the temperature. Other transducers include a tachometer that converts rotational energy into electrical energy, a microphone converts sound pressure into electrical energy and a motion sensor converts infra-red energy into electrical energy. An ideal transducer responds only to the form of energy present in the measurand to the exclusion of all other forms of energy and should minimize the energy extracted from the measurand.
Most transducers convert only a tiny amount of energy. Indeed, minimal extraction of energy from the measurand is a desirable attribute of most transducers. This tiny amount of energy must be amplified to do anything useful with it. This is the signal conditioning part of the instrumentation system. The signal is amplified and typically filtered to remover unwanted signal (noise). Modern instrumentation systems will often convert the signal into digital form during this stage.
Finally the instrumentation system produces an output signal. This output signal is typically used for display,
for example the temperature your thermostat displays, and for control action - your thermostat turning the heater off and
on.
|
|
|
I have worked extensively with
instrumentation and can support your litigation efforts in that
regard as an instrumentation expert witness. My qualifications
include peer-reviewed publications and over thirty years of
engineering experience with software, robotics,
instrumentation, medical devices, computer-controlled machines
and factory automation.
|
|
|
|
Software, Robotics
and Computer Controlled Machines |
|
|
|
|