Their name offers a very simple definition of a pressure sensor - they are a type of electronic measurement device, designed for registering and recording changes in applied pressure. However, when people ask, 'what is a pressure sensor?', they are normally looking to find out more about how a pressure sensor works.
The basic working principle of a pressure sensor requires any proportional change in applied pressure to cause a physical reaction in the sensing element of the device.
This typically triggers the production of an output voltage, and the resulting values can then be conditioned (adjusted for environmental factors) and transmitted as analogue or digital output signals. These readings vary as further pressure changes are detected, allowing for ongoing monitoring of applied pressure over time.
There are several main types of these electronic measurement devices available to buy in the UK, including absolute pressure sensors, capacitive pressure sensors, differential pressure sensors, piezoelectric pressure sensors, and strain gauge pressure sensors.