The assembly and setup of a sensor platform is vastly improved with FUTEK’s USB Solution. The traditional assembly of a sensor platform is not an easy task. This means that the engineer or technician involved must have thorough experience and understanding of all the products involved and how to integrate them to work cohesively. Furthermore, the individual would need to know how to install all of these components. With the number of variables involved, the room for error is high. With the integration of FUTEK’s USB Kit the complexity of the installation process is reduced. You simply install your sensor and plug it to the USB port and you’re ready.

We know that the performance of a sensor system is critical in a number of applications. Having the most accurate measurement is critical. That is why our USB chip and design integrates the best components to offer the highest resolution, accuracy and nonlinearity available in the industry. FUTEK currently offers 18-21 Bit resolution on our USB Kits, with 0.001% accuracy and non-linearity. If your application requires a higher resolution sample we strongly suggest that you contact us directly so we can provide a custom solution.

FUTEK’s USB Kits offer excellent sampling rates, ranging between 2.5 to 14K samples per second. Since FUTEK Engineers designed the entire USB Kit from the ground, they were able to incorporate the very best electronic components. With these specifications, you are able to achieve an incredibly fast response time for your application.

At FUTEK we believe that our job is to simplify yours. This philosophy is evident in how we run our business and how we design our products. Our USB Solution is proof of our practice. Every day our FUTEK Team works with Engineers and Technicians across the globe to help them select the right test and measure products. Each application is unique and few applications are alike. Most share one ingredient though. They are not simple. We understand our role and do everything we can to make sure we make your job a little simpler.

In January 2008, FUTEK Engineers began their research and development on the new USB Sensor Solution. The team had originally worked on USB technology for Sensors back in 2004 with FUTEK VCAL, a portable calibration verification platform. The advantage of offering a USB Solution was clear. Sensors with analog output could seamlessly interface with digital devices.

As the diagram below indicates, in order to build a Traditional Sensor System Platform, there are several instruments to consider. An ideal platform will include an Amplifier/Signal Conditioner with an Active Analog Filter which will require an external Power Supply. In addition, a Multi-meter (Display) and Data Storage is necessary. Traditional Sensors Systems also had some short comings including the power consumption, unwanted noise, and voltage drop out, that would occur if cable range between the Amplifier and Display instrument was too long. Even if we disregard the economic factor behind such a platform, the task of integrating these instruments all together is no simple feat.

As the second diagram illustrates,utilizing the USB Solution immediately removes the need for an Amplifier (Signal Conditioner), Analog Filter, Power Supply, and Multi-meter. The advantages, besides the cost, are the High Resolution Digital Output, an Integrated Digital Filter to reduce 50HZ/60HZ as well as high frequency noises, the ability to increase the sampling rate for high speed applications, and capability to store calibration values inside the on-board non-volatile memory (in order to apply the real-time calculation to account non-linearity) and also other configurations which are usually stored in a TEDS chip which is no longer needed. The presence of a powerful micro-controller beside a high accuracy delta-sigma Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) not only eliminates analog circuitry (that reduces the sensitivity to environment conditions such as temperature, humidity and noise), but also introduces an intelligent digital system which is able to activate internal circuits such as shunt cal, short circuit protection, built in auto-calibration, integrated temperature sensor, sampling rate changer and etc., following the user prompt. Further more, using the high speed, bi-directional USB link gives the user power to communicate with the sensor by PC based software and monitor/control the functionality of features such as tare, peak, valley and selectable averaging without any need to change the hardware settings manually. Finally, by integrating the FUTEK USB Sensor Solution, the number of instruments interacting would be limited which makes the setup of such a platform much easier.

As the Multiple System diagram (see image to the right) illustrates, the USB Sensor Solution feature can seamlessly integrate a multi sensor platform. No longer will there be a need for multiple instruments to make the platform work. FUTEK Engineers are able to connect up to 16 Sensors using the USB Sensor Solution on one port by utilizing multiple hubs . Furthermore, FUTEK can provide instruments (booster) so the system can be extended to operate on a 150 feet (45 meters) distance with no impact on the electronic noise. Such options are not easily available or user friendly for Sensors that are operating on analog platforms. The greatest advantage with such a system is that it provides flexibility in system control. If there is a failure point in the system, it is much easier to determine where and which precise Sensor it is that has failed.

FUTEK understand the importance of quality. With that in mind, the USB Kit was designed completely by FUTEK Engineers at our Irvine Headquarter in Orange County (California). With a Sampling rate of 2.5 to 14K Samples per second and 21 bit Resolution, the USB Kit offers attractive features to consider instead of a Traditional Sensor System platform. By bringing the design in-house we are able to offer the best resolution, accuracy and non-linearity in the industry.