A smart universal sensor-interface chip (DET.6437)

Research
The attractive and special features of many innovative products depend on the applied sensor systems, which enable their interaction with the physical environment. Today, industrial and consumer technical products require more and more of such sensor systems. Where possible often the use of the so-called "smart sensor systems" is preferred, because this will accelerate product innovation. Smart sensors systems are equipped with sensing elements, and also with electronics needed for accurate signal processing. The signal processing includes everything needed for accurate detection of the sensor signals as well as for communication with computers and microcontrollers. An important feature of such sensor systems is that they are flexible and easy to use. Unfortunately, only a very few types of smart sensors and smart sensor systems do already exist as market products. Therefore, at present the development of sensor electronics is still a complex task, which requires special know-how and experience in a multi-disciplinary field of electronics, physics, mechanics etc. Moreover there is lack of standardisation: At the output side of the electronic sensor systems usually there is no problem, because bus standards, such as RS232. RS485, USB, IEEE 1451 etc., can be used. However, for the input side where the sensing elements are connected to the interface system, no standards are available. Optimisation of the sensor electronics for the numerous types of electrical signals and sensor characteristics requires dedicated designs for each of the particular sensor elements. As a result, in spite of the huge industrial interest, the development of sensor systems progresses rather slowly. It is the aim of the project to solve these problems by developing and introducing novel universal low-cost sensor-interface chips, which are easy to use and can be applied for a wide variety of sensor elements, sensor systems and related products. 

Utilisation
Due to an enormous variety of sensor types the existing sensor industry and sensor research and development is rather fragmented. Sensor research is often performed in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME's), which usually operate on so-called medium- and low-volume markets. Although altogether it concerns a huge research effort of high importance, the separate companies do not have sufficient means to develop complex sensor systems. The novel sensor interface chip will change this unfavourable situation and cause a breakthrough in sensor-system development. The new interfaces are easy-to-use low-cost products and, because of their universal features, can be mass-produced. After a first start, the end user can easily re-use his know-how, components and software for similar set-ups in other applications. This will reduce the costs of developing new products and new applications. The novel chip inherently offers a solution for most of the traditional sensor-interface problems. Besides the chip also evaluation boards for fast prototyping will be developed. Even non-specialists will be able to build a high-performance sensor system in a short time. Therefore, the novel interfaces will accelerate the development of products with built-in sensors.

More information can be found on the webpage of the research group.

Six companies are involved in this project.