Transducer

Transducer

A Transducer is a device that converts one form of energy to another. Energy types include (but are not limited to) electrical, mechanical, electromagnetic, chemical, acoustic or thermal energy. While the term transducer commonly implies the use of a sensor/detector, any device which converts energy can be considered a transducer. Transducers are widely used in measuring instruments.

Types of Transducers

Transducers are often categorized by the type of energy they convert. The types of transducers include:

• Electromagnetic: Includes loudspeaker, antenna, magnetic cartridge, tape head, Hall effect sensor, pickup, tachogenerator, ferrite loopstick, and reed switch.
• Electrochemical: Includes pH probes, electro-galvanic fuel cell, hydrogen sensor, and potentiometric sensor.
• Electroacoustic: Includes microphone, hydrophone, piezoelectric crystal, loudspeaker, sonar transducer, ultrasound transducer, and geophone.
• Photoelectric: Includes photodiode, phototransistor, light-dependent resistor, and photoresistor.
• Thermoelectric: Includes RTD, thermistor, thermocouple, pyrometer, and bolometer.

Applications

Transducers are used in many applications such as:

• In microphones, where sound pressure is converted into an electrical signal.
• In loudspeakers, where an electrical audio signal is converted into sound.
• In thermometers, where temperature differences are converted into a visible scale reading.
• In pressure sensors, where pressure is converted into an electrical signal.

See Also

• Sensor
• Actuator
• Transmitter
• Receiver

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