Signal Conditioning and Processing
Signal conditioning and processing forms the critical interface between the physical world and electronic measurement and control systems. Raw signals from sensors and transducers rarely possess the characteristics needed for direct use: they may be too small, too noisy, nonlinear, or in the wrong format for subsequent processing stages. Signal conditioning circuits transform these imperfect signals into clean, accurate representations suitable for analog-to-digital conversion, display, recording, or control applications.
The discipline encompasses a broad range of techniques from simple amplification and filtering to sophisticated linearization and isolation. Whether measuring temperature with a thermocouple, detecting strain with a bridge circuit, or capturing light intensity with a photodiode, signal conditioning circuits must extract the desired information while rejecting interference, compensating for sensor nonidealities, and protecting downstream electronics from potentially damaging signal levels.