Sensor Review

Gábor Harsányi

2001 Sensor Review

doi: 10.1108/EUM0000000005997

Sensors have gained a wide theoretical interest and practical application in biomedicine. They can be used for very different purposes and may offer unique possibilities. The paper gives a broad summary about the biomedical sensor application fields and about their technologies. Finally, the present status and perspectives are summarised.

J.D. Newman; L.J. Tigwell; P.J. Warner; A.P.F. Turner

2001 Sensor Review

doi: 10.1108/EUM0000000005999

Describes the basic principles of biosensors and the history of their development. Assesses their current impact and state of the biosensor market, and looks ahead to future developments.

Don Braggins

2001 Sensor Review

doi: 10.1108/02602280110406909

Fingerprints have been used to identify people for 100 years, and as a form of authentication for almost two centuries. Today's computer and communications oriented world places great importance on authentication, and this article looks at how a new Swedish company, Precise Biometrics, has abandoned traditional fingerprint classification methods for authentication applications, after first describing those traditional methods used for both forensic and civil tasks.

Jeffrey Noruk

2001 Sensor Review

doi: 10.1108/02602280110406918

New weld inspection methods superceding visual inspection are presented. Laser-based sensor technology contained in a handheld scanner for pre- and post-weld inspection enables measurement of joint preparations or finished welds and validation of their geometry against pre-set limits, as well as the analysis of three-dimensional images of weld beads. The range of laser-based sensor equipment available extends to full robotic weld inspection systems, which are applied in arc and laser welding processes on production lines, such as in the automotive industry. The benefits of these systems include higher repeatability, a permanent record for generating trending information, and the production of data helpful in reducing welding consumables used, resulting in significant savings to manufacturers.

Stephen Porter; Mike Mansi; Neil Sumpter; Lindsay Galloway

2001 Sensor Review

doi: 10.1108/02602280110406927

A low cost two dimensional pyroelectric array technology has been developed, together with advanced signal processing algorithms. This enables the availability of intelligent passive infrared detector systems for surveillance, counting, and related applications. The technology has also made possible for the first time a truly affordable low‐resolution thermal imager for condition monitoring, plant maintenance, and process control.

Peter McGeehin

2001 Sensor Review

doi: 10.1108/EUM0000000006000

Reviews the Transducers 2001/EUROSENSORS XV conferences that were held in Munich, 10-14 June 2001. Microengineering figured prominently in the programme, almost half the sessions covering aspects of this subject, including power generation, packaging and wafer bonding, physical effects, machining and etching (also for high aspect ratio), micro-thrusters, -jets, -pumps, -valves, -fluidics, -probes, optical 3D and RF MEMS, resonators, polymer based microsystems and commercialisation. Explicit sensor sessions included materials for gas sensing, chemical and gas sensors, biomedical systems, electrochemical sensors, inertial sensors, magnetic sensors, image, flow and thermal sensors. There were two sessions on actuators. Nano-devices (physical in character) were covered in one session, though nanotechnology as such did not figure in the proceedings.

Sergey A. Piletsky; S. Subrahmanyam; Anthony P.F. Turner

2001 Sensor Review

doi: 10.1108/EUM0000000005998

Molecular imprinting is a generic technology, which introduces recognition properties into synthetic polymers using appropriate templates. Over the last two decades molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have become a focus of interest for scientists engaged in the development of biological and chemical sensors. This is due to the many and considerable advantages they possess in comparison to natural receptors, enzymes and antibodies such as superior stability, low cost and ease of preparation. This brief review covers recent achievements and potential applications of imprinted sensors with specific reference to the environment and biotechnology.

Peter U. Abel; Thomas von Woedtke

2001 Sensor Review

doi: 10.1108/02602280110406954

To overcome the problem of metabolic crashes as hypoglycaemic as well as hyperglycaemic episodes in diabetic patients the continuous or at least very frequent checking of the circulating intracorporal glucose concentration is necessary. Biosensors measuring glucose in vivo are suitable for estimating the transient interstitial glucose concentration in human beings. Biologically and/or biochemically caused processes are responsible for limiting the functional stability of implanted sensors. It is now possible to advance beyond the current practice of hand making glucose sensors in the laboratory and produce these sensors as industrial products with reproducible characteristics. This gives us a real chance to avoid hypoglycaemic and hyperglycaemic metabolic attacks.