Input Devices

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Group assignment

This week we’ve been having fun probing analog and digital signals. This was made possible by our “EM125 HANDHELD DIGITAL OSCILLOSCOPE”.

To probe these signals, we used an ultrasonic sensor (HC-SR04) for digital signals and a temperature sensor (LM35) for analog signals.

To begin probing, connect the ground clip of the oscilloscope probe to the ground reference of the input device. This ensures a common ground reference between the oscilloscope and the device being measured. Then, carefully attach the probe tip to the signal you want to measure.

Analog signal

we used a temperature sensor which we supplied with a 5V voltage using our small voltage generator.

For analog signals, adjust the oscilloscope’s settings to capture the appropriate range and time scale. This may involve setting the vertical scale to match the amplitude of the signal and adjusting the timebase to capture the desired time period. By observing the waveform displayed on the oscilloscope’s screen, you can analyze the voltage levels, frequency, amplitude, and any distortions or noise present in the analog signal.

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Digital signal

To probe this signal, we used an ultrasonic sensor (HC-SR04).

For digital signals, ensure that the oscilloscope is set to the appropriate triggering mode, such as edge triggering. Digital signals are typically characterized by discrete voltage levels, such as logic high (1) and logic low (0). Adjust the vertical scale and timebase to properly display the digital waveform. The oscilloscope will display the voltage transitions, rise and fall times, pulse widths, and other timing characteristics of the digital signal. This information can help diagnose issues like signal integrity problems, jitter, or timing violations.

When probing digital signals, it’s important to ensure that the oscilloscope’s bandwidth and sampling rate are sufficient to accurately capture high-frequency digital signals without aliasing or distortion.

Here, we can note that the signal is not perfectly square because it is a trig and an echo. There is signal attenuation because not all of the sonar waves will come back to the sensor