Position sensor

A position sensor is a sensor that detects an object's position. A position sensor may indicate the absolute position of the object (its location) or its relative position (displacement) in terms of linear travel, rotational angle or three-dimensional space. Common types of position sensors include the following:


 * Capacitive displacement sensor
 * Eddy-current sensor
 * Hall effect sensor
 * Inductive sensor
 * Laser Doppler vibrometer (optical)
 * Linear variable differential transformer (LVDT)
 * Photodiode array
 * Piezo-electric transducer (piezo-electric)
 * Position encoders:
 * Absolute encoder
 * Incremental encoder
 * Linear encoder
 * Rotary encoder
 * Potentiometer
 * Proximity sensor (optical)
 * String potentiometer (also known as a string potentiometer, string encoder or cable position transducer)
 * Ultrasonic sensor

Literature

 * David S. Nyce: Linear Position Sensors: Theory and Application, New Jersey, John Wiley & Sons Inc. (2004)