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Existe una diversidad de formas de clasificar sensores según diferentes autores, sin embargo éstas
se traslapan entre si, pudiéndose clasificar de acuerdo a cuatro criterios, con base en:
• El tipo de entrada o variable a medir: Mecánica, Térmica, magnética, radiante, química.
• El tipo de señal entregada por el sensor: Analógicos (continuos) o digitales (discretos).
• Los principios eléctricos involucrados en su operación: Termoeléctrico, piezoeléctrico,
fotoeléctrico, resistivo, capacitivo, inductivo, etc.
• La necesidad o no de fuente de energía: Activos y Pasivos.
The first category are transducers that require external power. These are the passive transducers,
producing a variation in some electrical parameter, such as resistance, capacitance, and so on,
which can be measured as a voltage or current variation. The second category are transducers of
the self-generating type, producing an analog voltage or current when stimulated by some
physical form of energy. The self-generating transducers do not require external power.
Another issue in discussions of sensor is the distinction between passive sensors and active
sensors. Unfortunately, competing texts use exactly opposite definitions of these terms. This text
adopts the form that is used by most people in the electronic instruments field and is also
consistent with usage in other technical areas.
An active sensor is one that requires an external ac or dc electrical source to power the
device. An example of an active sensor is the resistive strain gage pressure sensor that requires a
+7.5Vdc regulated power supply to operate. Without that external excitation potential there is no
output from the sensor.
A passive sensor, on the other hand, is one that either provides its own energy or derives it
from the phenomenon being measured. An example of a passive sensor is the thermocouple
(which is often used to measure temperature in research settings).