Sensors and Sensor Circuit Design
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Sensors and Sensor Circuit Design
This course is part of Embedding Sensors and Motors Specialization
Instructors: James Zweighaft
61,524 already enrolled
Included with
1,214 reviews
1,214 reviews
What you'll learn
Use the core features of the Cypress PSOC development kit.
Choose the right temperature sensor, rotary sensor and amplifier for an application.
Interface sensors, LCD, and ADC to the PSOC development kit.
Skills you'll gain
- Electronics Engineering
- Schematic Diagrams
- Design Specifications
- Debugging
- Electronic Components
- Thermal Management
- Electronic Hardware
- Laboratory Experience
- Hardware Design
- Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Electronics
- Electronic Systems
- Development Environment
- Engineering, Scientific, and Technical Instruments
- Embedded Systems
Tools you'll learn
Details to know
5 assignments
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There are 5 modules in this course
This course can also be taken for academic credit as ECEA 5340, part of CU Boulder’s Master of Science in Electrical Engineering degree.
After taking this course, you will be able to: ● Understand how to specify the proper thermal, flow, or rotary sensor for taking real-time process data. ● Implement thermal sensors into an embedded system in both hardware and software. ● Add the sensor and sensor interface into a microprocessor based development kit. ● Create hardware and firmware to process sensor signals and feed data to a microprocessor for further evaluation. ● Study sensor signal noise and apply proper hardware techniques to reduce it to acceptable levels. This course includes specific hardware and software requirements. Please review the FAQ below for complete details.
In module 1 you will learn how to specify and use temperature sensors in an embedded circuit. First, you will learn about common types of sensors and actuators found in common products such as smart phones and automobiles. Then you will get a high-level overview of analog and digital interfaces, followed by a deep dive into thermistors, RTD’s, and thermocouples. For each of these three types of thermal sensors, we define the core theory and formulae, give you examples of how commercial sensors are packaged, and explain what you need to know to purchase them on a web site.
What's included
10 videos4 readings1 assignment
10 videos•Total 64 minutes
- 1: Course Introduction•2 minutes
- 2: Common Types of Sensors and Motors•7 minutes
- 3: Analog and Digital Interfaces•3 minutes
- 4: Temperature Sensors and Applications•7 minutes
- 5: Thermistors: Basic Facts•4 minutes
- 6: Thermistors: How They Work•6 minutes
- 7: RTDs: Basic Facts•5 minutes
- 8: RTDs: How They Work•10 minutes
- 9: Thermocouples: Basic Facts•7 minutes
- 10: Thermocouples: How They Work•12 minutes
4 readings•Total 191 minutes
- Course Updates and Accessibility Support•1 minute
- Non-Credit Students: Welcome and Where to Find Help•10 minutes
- Week 1 Online Articles•120 minutes
- Week 1 Videos•60 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
- Week 1 Quiz•30 minutes
In module 2 you will learn how to design a complete temperature sensor system within a development kit environment. We will teach you how to assign internal components to the schematic. This includes pins, amplifiers, MUX’s, DAC’s, and ADC’s. Then you will learn how to wire in external parts: resistors, thermistors in particular, to the kit. Finally, you will take a deep dive into interfacing a thermistor and associated front end components to the development kit. This includes lessons on using the schematic portion of the kit, as well as writing application software in c code.
What's included
14 videos2 readings1 assignment
14 videos•Total 143 minutes
- 1: PSOC Creator, Introduction and Documentation•10 minutes
- 2: PSoC Creator 2 Pin Assignment•2 minutes
- 3: Automatically Generated Code•11 minutes
- 4: Adding the LCD display to the Nscope and Developent Kit•9 minutes
- How UART’s work •19 minutes
- 6: Debugging with GPIO and DACs•10 minutes
- 7: Documenting Components not in the PSoC Chip•7 minutes
- 8: Pin Types•10 minutes
- 9: Digital to Analog and Back Again•11 minutes
- 10: A Basic Sensor Interface in PSoC•17 minutes
- 11: Thermistor Lab, Part 1•8 minutes
- 12: Thermistor Lab, Part 2•13 minutes
- 13: Thermistor Lab, Part 3•9 minutes
- 14: Thermistor Lab, Part 4•6 minutes
2 readings•Total 130 minutes
- Hardware & Software Requirements•10 minutes
- Week 2 Online Articles•120 minutes
1 assignment•Total 60 minutes
- Week 2 Quiz•60 minutes
In module 3 you will learn how rotary sensors work and how to specify them for purchase. In our videos rotary sensors include both optical encoders and resolvers. You will also learn the design intricacies of flow sensors, along with their appropriate applications. The videos will discuss variable area, differential pressure, vortex, ultrasonic, turbine, thermal mass flow, and coriolis flow meters.
What's included
15 videos3 readings1 assignment
15 videos•Total 66 minutes
- 1. Module 3 Introduction•0 minutes
- 2: Summary of Rotary Sensors and Applications•4 minutes
- 3: Optical Encoders: How They Work•7 minutes
- 3a: Measuring Encoder Speed•4 minutes
- 4: Optical Encoders: Applications•7 minutes
- 5: Resolvers: How They Work•8 minutes
- 6: Resolvers: Applications•6 minutes
- 7: Flow Sensors and Applications•8 minutes
- 8: Variable Area Flow Sensors•4 minutes
- 9: Differential Pressure Flow Sensing•3 minutes
- 10: Vortex Flow Meters•3 minutes
- 11: Ultrasonic Flow Meters•2 minutes
- 12: Turbine Flow Meters•2 minutes
- 13: Thermal Mass Flow Meters•4 minutes
- 14: Coriolis Flow Meters•4 minutes
3 readings•Total 360 minutes
- Week 3 Online Articles #1•180 minutes
- Week 3 Online Articles #2•120 minutes
- Week 3 Videos•60 minutes
1 assignment•Total 20 minutes
- Week 3 Quiz•20 minutes
In module 4 you will learn the theory and practical application of amplifiers and circuit noise. You will review how gain is calculated in inverting, non-inverting, summing, differential, and instrumentation amplifiers. We will then contrast theoretical vs. real-world amplifier performance, and give examples of how commercial chips specs are interpreted. Then we will discuss the causes of noise in sensor circuits, how the noise affects sensor accuracy, and some steps you can take to reduce noise in your sensor circuit designs.
What's included
10 videos2 readings1 assignment
10 videos•Total 56 minutes
- 1: Module 4 Introduction•2 minutes
- 2: Why Study Amplification?•3 minutes
- 3: Basic Amplifiers•8 minutes
- 4: Instrumentation Amplifier•10 minutes
- 5: Amplifier Imperfections•10 minutes
- 6: Amplifier Frequency Response•4 minutes
- 7: Noise in Sensors•5 minutes
- 8: Johnson and 1/f Noise•5 minutes
- 9: Shot and Quantization Noise•5 minutes
- 10: How Noise Affects Sensor Accuracy•4 minutes
2 readings•Total 240 minutes
- Week 4 Online Articles #1•120 minutes
- Week 4 Online Articles•120 minutes
1 assignment•Total 20 minutes
- Week 4 Quiz •20 minutes
This module contains the materials you need to complete the thermistor lab assignment.
What's included
2 readings1 assignment
2 readings•Total 130 minutes
- Thermistor Data Collection Assignment•10 minutes
- Thermistor Lab Screen Shots•120 minutes
1 assignment•Total 60 minutes
- Course Project Quiz•60 minutes
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This course is part of the following degree program(s) offered by University of Colorado Boulder. If you are admitted and enroll, your completed coursework may count toward your degree learning and your progress can transfer with you.¹
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Reviewed on Apr 24, 2020
This course is very good. Concise, very informative, and provides a lot of useful material. I would like to include more on filtering, both software and hardware.
Reviewed on Jun 27, 2025
great course . The only problem is that this kind of microcontroller isnt available and cant be optained easily so that was a minor setback to me when i started with this course
Reviewed on Aug 23, 2020
this coursera is very good app and both of learn project work and other in this app and all learning vedio very important and easy to learn
Frequently asked questions
Hardware Requirements
You will need to buy the following components in order to complete the labs in this course. These parts may be purchased off the DigiKey website, www.Digikey.com. Or, you may obtain the specs from the site, and purchase them elsewhere.
You need one of each of these parts:
● 428-3390-ND (PSOC 5LP Prototyping kit)
● NHD-0216BZ-RN-YBW-ND
● 570-1229-ND
● A105970CT-ND
Additional Hardware Used in this Specialization
● Breadboard
● Wire (various gauges and lengths)
● Oscilloscope
The courses will also invite you to use a USB-connected oscilloscope. If you do not already have one, faculty have suggested the following model:
Other models recommended include:
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
More questions
Financial aid available,