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Magnetoresistive Sensors – What the Heck are They
So there you are, sitting at your kitchen table and you big brother is going out of his way to convince you that you are stupid. You tell him “if your so smart then how do they make blackberry jam”? He quickly snaps back without batting an eye”. Boiled blackberries, sugar, corn syrup and fruit pectin. Damn! You thought that you had him, but things quickly go from bad to worse when he leans over the table stares you directly in the eye and says. “OK smart ass, so tell me, whats a magnetoresistive sensor”?
Whats the Answer?
But wait! You suddenly remember that you had read an article on them some time back on the Internet and the smoke in your head is beginning to clear. So, there he is smirking while he looks down on you and then as if by some sort of magic it all starts to come out of your mouth.
They Detect Moving Metal
“Magneto resistive sensors are a class of electrical sensors that rely on magnets or magnetized malarial as their central component for sensing and or gaging movement in metal objects. They come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and are used in many consumer goods”. They are able to detect movement and then convert what they detect into electrical impulses which can then be transmitted by wire.
Large and Small Magnetoresistive Sensors
Smaller magnetoresistive sensors use a magnetized silicon strip as the magnetic detector but some larger magnetoresistive sensors, such as electric guitar pickups have actual magnets in them. Also, while some magnetoresistive sensors are calibrated to detect movement in actual ferrous metal such as this used anti-lock braking systems. Others are calibrated to detect finite amounts of metal that is impregnated into substances.
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