We have a number of exciting projects this month. I’m not surprised that the annual Measurement & Sensors issue always generates an especially high number of article proposals. This is a topic every engineer deals with. We hope that the tips and solutions provided in this month’s features and columns leave you with fresh ideas on how to approach even your most difficult applications.

First up, we have Alberto Ricci Bitti’s award-winning wireless monitoring system from the Motorola Flash Innovation 2003 Design Contest (p. 10). The MC68HC908-based system monitors data from 20 sensors. A computer-controlled receiver, an LCD, and a relay output comprise the monitoring station. Data collected from the sensors is displayed on the LCD. Alberto enhanced the system by enabling the computer-controller receiver to trigger an automatic dialer to call the user’s phone with an alarm message.

In this issue, you’ll also find an interesting article about the "crank trigger thing" (p. 20). It might not sound sophisticated, but don’t let that fool you. This is a project for gearheads who want to give their cars a little more kick. Using a Microchip PIC microcontroller and a Motorola pressure sensor, Pete Rizun and William Hue designed a system that eliminates the engine knocking typically caused by aftermarket turbochargers. Commercial systems designed to stop engine knocking work by slowing the ignition timing, often so aggressively that it sacrifices power. Pete and William’s system improves upon commercial solutions by allowing more gradual, adjustable retardation of the crank trigger sensor’s timing signal so that the engine retains its horsepower.

You may remember a few names from the next team of writers from an article they wrote in November 2002 titled "A Low-Power Embedded Thermal Sensor System" (Issue 148). The team of researchers from North Dakota State University is back (with a couple new members) with a practical solution for wireless sensor projects (p. 28). Commercial antennas can be pricey, and are often too expensive for a modest budget. Not willing to settle for an "under-performing" antenna, the team wanted to devise something new that would be just as effective as commercial whip antennas. Interestingly, they discovered that a steel guitar string could be used to create an inexpensive and highly effective monopole antenna.

Fred Eady also needed to watch his pennies when he took a job designing a system to monitor temperature in a small holding tank. He needed to build a control panel interface that uses resistance temperature detectors (RTD) so that the temperature could be monitored in the field. What he came up with is portable and significantly less expensive than lab-grade commercial equipment, yet just as accurate. In his column, "Adaptable Temperature Measurement System," Fred describes the system, which is designed around a Microchip PIC18F452 and a PRTD from RTD Company (p. 60). He also included Bluetooth modules to add wireless capability.

Lastly, for those of you who find designing smart sensors complicated, you’re not alone. Jeff Bachiochi discusses the finer points of IEEE 1451 in his aptly titled column, "Smart Sensor Design" (p. 68).