Lecture 6.physical Sensors Inductive

Inductive Sensors and
Measurement
Dr. Muhammad Shafique
Head of Biomedical Engineering Dept.
Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Riphah International University, Islamabad
Date: 10-12-2020
Inductive Sensors and Measurement
• Based on the electromagnetic induction principle, non-electric quantities,
such as displacement, stress, flux, vibration, can be converted into
variations of self-inductance L or mutual inductance M of the coil, which
will be finally output as voltage or current through a measuring circuit
• This kind of device is called an inductance sensor, which has reliable

performance and high measurement accuracy
• The main shortcoming is that its sensitivity, linearity and measurement

range restrict each other, and the frequency response does not apply to
rapid dynamic measurement
Inductive Sensors and Measurement
Types
• Self-inductance Sensors
– Variable reluctance sensor
– Eddy current sensor
• Differential Transformer Sensors (mutual

inductance sensor)
Measurement
• The measuring circuit of an inductance sensor
mainly includes an AC bridge and resonant circuit.
• An AC bridge converts inductance change to output

voltage, which then will be amplified, go through
phase-sensitive detection circuit, and be filtered.
• However, a noise proof circuit is indispensable for

detection of weak signal when using AC bridge
circuits.
• In resonant circuit measurement, inductive sensors Symmetrical bridge measures unknown inductor by
become a part of the oscillation bridge, where the comparison to a standard inductor.
frequency change indicates the inductance change
Measurement
• In infinitesimal displacement measurement, the high precision of
the results is important.
• However, stabilization of signal stimulus, precision of phase-

sensitive detection circuit, and amplification and filtering of signal
all together influence the quality of the result to a large extent.
• A method for improving the precision was developed a few years

ago, which used a crystal oscillator with a stable frequency as the
signal stimulus.
Measurement
• MAX293 is an eight-level ellipse filter.
• It can convert square waves into

high-precision sine wave signals,
which then will be inputted into a
bandpass filter to generate an
excellent sinusoidal carrier wave
signal.
The MAX293 transition ratio provides sharp rolloff and -80dB of stopband
rejection. It has a fixed response, so the design task is limited to selecting the
clock frequency that controls the filter's corner frequency.
Measurement
• The absolute value circuit (Fig. 3.12b) is the key part of a
phase-sensitive detection circuit.
• It uses unilateral electric devices like diodes to convert

bipolar signals into unipolar signals to realize rectification.
• Since a diode reduces the voltage, an operational amplifier

absolute circuit is used to compensate for the voltage drop.
Fig. 3.12. Method for improving the precision of inductance
sensor: (b) Schematic diagram of single operational
amplifier absolute circuit
Measurement
Another realization of The absolute value circuit
• Notice that for positive input
signals D1 becomes reverse
biased resulting in the active
circuit fragment shown in
Figure 2. A1 drives the
noninverting input of A2
through forward biased diode
D2.
• The feedback to the inverting

inputs of A1 and A2 is from
the output of A2 through
resistors R1 and R2.
• Since no current flows through FIGURE 1. Precision Absolute Value Amplifier has
resistors R1 or R2, in this High Input Impedance and Requires Only Two Matched
condition, VOUT is precisely Resistors
equal to VIN.
Measurement
Another realization of The absolute value circuit
• When the input voltage to the absolute value

amplifier shown in Figure 1 becomes negative,
D2 becomes reverse biased resulting in the
active circuit fragment shown in Figure 3.
• A1 drives R1 through forward biased diode D1

to a voltage equal to VIN. A2, R1, and R2 form
a simple unity gain inverting amplifier
Measurement
2nd method (Simplified)
• A method of pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) was proposed for indirect
inductance measurement without using a variable-frequency oscillator.
• For one RIP sensor, large current from a constant-current source is fed to it
momentarily and periodically, and its inductance is measured during the pulse
excitation period.
• Different from the early design, the feeding current is not flowing through the
inductive sensor continuously.
• Thus the power consumption is reduced dramatically with the technique of PAM,
without losing sensitivity due to the momentarily large feeding current.
Ref: Development of a Respiratory Inductive Plethysmography Module Supporting Multiple Sensors for Wearable Systems
Available at:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233828302_Development_of_a_Respiratory_Inductive_Plethysmography_Module_Supporting_Multiple_Sensors_
for_Wearable_Systems
Measurement
2nd method
• Figure 1 illustrates how the PAM technique works in the Respiratory Inductive Plethysmography (RIP) module.
• A constant-current source generates a peak-to-peak sinusoidal current of 15 mA at 400 kHz.
• The constant current is fed to each inductive sensor (sensing unit) briefly, 100 μs for example, through a CMOS analog switch controlled
by a digital gating signal from the MCU.
• Change in self-inductance of the inductive wire caused by breathing movement results in change of AC impedance of the sensing unit.
Measurement
2nd method (Simplified)
• Thus the voltage across the sensing unit can be detected to reflect the respiratory movement.
• The analog signal from the sensing unit is amplified and demodulated within 100 μs, and the
output is sampled at the end of the excitation
CMOS
switches
Figure 4. System block diagram of the RIP module

Applications in Biomedicine
• Because of the high sensitivity of an inductive sensor, which has a maximum resolution of
0.01 μm, an inductive sensor is mainly used to measure slight displacement in biomedical
engineering.
• A typical application is respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP) (Mazeika and Swanson,

2007), which is probably the most commonly accepted method for quantitative and
qualitative non-invasive respiratory measurements in infants and adults.
• Respiratory measurements, such as, respiratory rate and tidal volume, are important
indicators showing a person’s health condition, therefore are of great significance in first aid
for the family.
• With the help of some techniques proposed for calibration (Poole et al., 2000), RIP may be
used quantitatively, which makes respiration measurement more effective.
• Since both the thoracic and abdominal
area change reflects the value of minute
volume, the long time measurement of a
respiratory movement can be realized
through measuring the variation of the
cross-sectional area.
• In RIP, two elastic belts, into which a

zigzagging (coiled) wire (for expansion and
contraction) is sewn, are essential, with
one worn around the chest, and the other
worn around the abdomen, resembling
two inductance loops (Fig. 3.13).
• Based on the principle of Faraday’s Law, an alternating current applied through a loop of wire
with high frequency and low amplitude generates a magnetic field normal to the orientation
of the loop.
• According to Lenz’s Law, a change in the area enclosed by the loop, which causes a variation
in the self-inductance coefficient, creates an opposing current within the loop directly
proportional to the change in the area.
• The frequency of the alternating current is set to be more than twice the typical respiratory
rate in order to achieve adequate sampling of the respiratory effort waveform.
• In measurement, the breathing activity changes the cross-sectional area of the patient’s
body, and thus changes the shape of the magnetic field generated by the belt, “inducing”
an opposing current that can be measured
• The variation of minute volume ΔV can be
calculated as follows:
• where ΔLR is the output inductance change of

thoracic belt,
• ΔLA is that of abdominal belt,
• K1 and K2 are volume coefficient of chest and
abdomen, respectively.
• With RIP, no electrical current passes through the body.
• Even though a weak magnetic field is present, it does not affect the patient or any
surrounding equipment. Otherwise, the worry about measurement being interfered with by
the surrounding environment is unnecessary.
• The signal produced is linear and is a fairly accurate representation of the change in cross-
sectional area.
• Actually RIP is reliable in measuring respiratory movement, with advantages of convenience,

non-invasive and ambulatory monitoring.
• In addition, RIP has superiority in displaying respiratory frequency, evaluating coordination of

chest and abdomen respiratory movement, with no heart interference
• Over all, RIP is more widely used in sleep respiratory
monitor apparatus to record chest and abdomen
respiratory movement, as well as in diagnosing sleep apnea
syndrome.
• Besides, Moreau-Gaudry et al. (2006) have demonstrated

that RIP has potential in a swallowing monitor to analyze
swallowing disorders and putting in place medical
supervision of swallowing for individuals who might
aspirate, especially in the elderly

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Inductive Sensors and

• This kind of device is called an inductance sensor, which has reliable

• The main shortcoming is that its sensitivity, linearity and measurement

• Differential Transformer Sensors (mutual

• An AC bridge converts inductance change to output

• However, a noise proof circuit is indispensable for

• However, stabilization of signal stimulus, precision of phase-

• A method for improving the precision was developed a few years

• It can convert square waves into

• It uses unilateral electric devices like diodes to convert

• Since a diode reduces the voltage, an operational amplifier

• The feedback to the inverting

• When the input voltage to the absolute value

• A1 drives R1 through forward biased diode D1

• A constant-current source generates a peak-to-peak sinusoidal current of 15 mA at 400 kHz.

Figure 4. System block diagram of the RIP module

• A typical application is respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP) (Mazeika and Swanson,

• In RIP, two elastic belts, into which a

• where ΔLR is the output inductance change of

• Actually RIP is reliable in measuring respiratory movement, with advantages of convenience,

• In addition, RIP has superiority in displaying respiratory frequency, evaluating coordination of

• Besides, Moreau-Gaudry et al. (2006) have demonstrated

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