Sensorantwort

Sensorantwort, or sensor response, refers to the relationship between the physical quantity a sensor is designed to measure and the output signal the sensor produces. It covers both static and dynamic behavior of the sensing element and any associated signal conditioning.

Static characteristics describe how the output changes with a steady input. Key properties include sensitivity (the slope of the transfer function), linearity (how closely the response follows a straight line), offset, and dynamic range (the span between the smallest and largest measurable inputs). Nonlinearities and hysteresis may also affect performance.

Dynamic characteristics concern how the sensor responds over time. Important metrics are response time (how quickly the output approaches its final value), rise time, settling time, bandwidth, and the time constant of the sensor system. The dynamic response is often captured by a transfer function or impulse response, used to model the sensor’s behavior in time-domain or frequency-domain analyses.

Calibration and modeling are used to relate the measured output to the input quantity, compensate for biases, and linearize the response when needed. Environmental factors such as temperature, illumination, aging, humidity, and contamination can influence sensorantwort, altering sensitivity and speed.

Applications span instrumentation, control systems, data acquisition, automotive and industrial sensing, environmental monitoring, and consumer electronics. Understanding sensorantwort is essential for accurate measurement, system integration, and reliable control, requiring appropriate testing (step, impulse, or frequency response) and regular recalibration where necessary.