14 Temperature, Flow Control, and Vision Sensors – Review Questions

(PC: “Hand holding magnifying glass among a lot of questions. Finding answers to questions and solving problems” by wuestenigel is licensed under CC BY 2.0.)

Questions to review:

1. Multiple Choice: Thermistors and resistance temperature detectors (RTDs) are both types of temperature sensors. What is the key difference in their operating principle? a) Thermistors have a positive temperature coefficient, while RTDs have a negative temperature coefficient. b) Thermistors are more suitable for high-temperature measurements, while RTDs are better for low-temperature ranges. c) Thermistors are typically slower to respond to temperature changes compared to RTDs. d) Thermistors require a constant voltage source, whereas RTDs operate on a current-based principle.

2. Short Answer: Explain the difference between a positive displacement flow sensor and a turbine flow sensor. In what types of applications might you use each sensor?

3. Application Problem: A 3D printing machine requires a sensor to monitor the temperature of the filament during printing to ensure consistent quality. What factors would you consider when selecting a suitable temperature sensor for this application?

4. Challenge Question: Imagine you are designing a smart irrigation system for a garden. How could a combination of flow sensors and liquid-level sensors be used to optimize water usage?

5. True or False: Vision sensors require a direct line of sight to the object they are detecting.

6. Open Ended: Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using infrared temperature sensors compared to thermocouple sensors for measuring the temperature of a moving object on a conveyor belt.

7. Matching: Match the following vision sensor components with their corresponding functions:

    a) Camera lens
    b) Image sensor
    c) Image processing unit (IPU)
    d) Illumination source

    i) Focuses light onto the image sensor
    ii) Converts light into an electrical signal
    iii) Analyzes the captured image data
    iv) Provides light for the camera to capture an image in low-light conditions

8. Design Challenge: You are tasked with designing a system to automatically sort colored balls on a conveyor belt. Describe the key functionalities of the vision sensor system you would develop for this task.

9. Think-Like-an-Engineer: Edge detection is a fundamental concept in image processing used by vision sensors. Explain the purpose of edge detection and how it can be used to identify objects in an image.

10. Research and Report: Choose a specific application of vision sensors mentioned in the module (e.g., facial recognition, object sorting in a warehouse) and research the image processing techniques used to achieve the desired functionality. Prepare a short report summarizing your findings.