Inductive Sensors for Traffic Lights: Difference between revisions
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==The Main Idea== | ==The Main Idea== | ||
The inductive sensors used in traffic sensors are very interesting pieces of equipment. They are the black loops of wire that you may have noticed on the surface of roads near an intersection. These loops of wire have a constant current flowing through them. When a large conductor, like the bottom of a car or truck, passes over the loop of wire, the electric field in the wire is altered and this change can be detected by an element like a transistor to signal a processor to change the light from green to yellow. | |||
===A Mathematical Model=== | ===A Mathematical Model=== | ||
Revision as of 19:57, 6 December 2015
Induction is the electromagnetic concept of moving a conductor over a region of magnetic field in order to generate a current. It can also be applied to detect changes in electric fields, which is how it is very useful in creating sensors, such as those used in regulating traffic under traffic lights on major roads.
The Main Idea
The inductive sensors used in traffic sensors are very interesting pieces of equipment. They are the black loops of wire that you may have noticed on the surface of roads near an intersection. These loops of wire have a constant current flowing through them. When a large conductor, like the bottom of a car or truck, passes over the loop of wire, the electric field in the wire is altered and this change can be detected by an element like a transistor to signal a processor to change the light from green to yellow.
A Mathematical Model
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A Computational Model
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