Engineers have been learning about the use of sophisticated location systems from members of the animal kingdom, for years. The outcome is the development of the linear position sensor. One example is bat, who moves about in the dark, missing obstacles because they have a very sophisticated sonar system. Cats use their whiskers as location sensors. These send messages that give information of their position relative to the environment, to the brain, to alert them of any danger.

Any industry that is reliant on having tools, or equipment, positioned precisely, have a need for linear positioning technology. Scientific and military establishments often use this technology in their projects. These position sensors can also be found in calipers, scanners, and in fact almost anything that can be regarded as high precision machinery. The accuracy of the sensors can go down to less than . 001 mm, so they are ideal for applications that have to be extremely precise.

You will find many different kinds of positional sensors, but the task they perform is basically the same. That is, they have to measure the positional relationship between the object being monitored, and the environment they are in. It does not matter what kind of sensor is being used the part they have to play, whether it is in engineering or research, is extremely important to the society of today.

These sensors have a lot of different applications, depending on what industry they are being utilized within. One application within the oil and gas industry, is to monitor undersea equipment for serviceability. This task is extremely important in order to prevent any disasters to the environment. The sensors used in this form of operation have to be extremely reliable, and the fact that disasters are very few and far between, shows that they are.

As robotic engineering takes a more prevalent part in manufacturing, the use of positional sensors is becoming ever increasingly important. With regards to the manufacture of automobiles, they are used to make sure that the required components are located correctly. Some of the automobiles that are built these days, also make use of these sensors to assist in parking, setting off audible warnings when they hazard is approached.

Sensors are often used in environments, or situations, that humans cannot operate in. They are often exposed to very extreme environmental conditions, such as an ocean floor. They can also be exposed to large variations in temperature, and subject to immense vibration.

Utilizing these sensors within an environment that can be very dirty, requires special precautions to be taken. An example of an environment like this would be a fabrication workshop. The encoder would have to be enclosed to prevent ingress of dirt damaging the sensor. In certain cases the accuracy of the results recorded by an enclosed sensor are not as good as one that is open. Open instruments can only be used in areas that are clean.

There are a lot of different applications that can make use of a linear position sensor. They can be used to monitor pipelines on the seabed, or within space exploration. They are so commonplace in modern day society, you probably do not notice them at all. Though if you do own a cat, they are using their positional sensors all of the time.

Author Bio: Find an expansive selection of scientific technologies, including the strain gauge, mass flow sensor, and the linear position sensors. These specialized tools are popular among many industries. Choose from load cells to a gauge strain to the accelerometer.

Category: Computers and Technology
Keywords: technology, business, industry, software, engineering, sensors, applications, computers