Metrological characteristics of sensors

When selecting a sensor, its characteristics must be carefully evaluated based on the intended application.

• For example, a sensor that will be subjected to temperature variations during the measurement phase must have as little temperature sensitivity as possible, as temperature could affect the result. This is known as an influencing quantity (temperature), so called in metrological terminology because the sensor’s detector “confuses” the effect of temperature with that of the force it is supposed to measure.

  This is a very common source of error, which manufacturers strive to minimize by reducing the sensitivity of their sensors through the installation, near the detector, of a device to compensate for thermal effects. However, in certain applications, it is necessary to estimate...