What is a barometric pressure sensor? What is it used for?

From time to time there are questions about barometric pressure sensors.

1. What is it used for besides weather forecasting?

2. What types of sensors are around?

3. What is better, piezorestistive or capacitive technology?

I want to share some quick thoughts, also the demand for these devices is growing a lot recently.

Do you know that almost every high-end smartphone and smartwatch have barometers on board?

https://www.thetechedvocate.org/how-to-use-your-phone-as-a-barometer-or-altimeter/

Many, many phones are now available with barometric pressure sensors.

https://www.epey.co.uk/phone/sensors/barometer/

In general, barometric pressure sensors detect the atmospheric pressure values and height changes and are used in smartphones, smartwatches, drones, IOT devices, home appliances etc. Current barometric pressure sensors are visible in a wide variety of products that use MEMS technology.

Barometric pressure sensors that use MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) technology fall into two main categories, piezoresistive and capacitive types.
In general, capacitive versions of this sensor are superior for their low noise and low power consumption current. Piezorestistive are more robust. Nevertheless both technologies are widely used and will see their usage in the different industries.

Here you find a nice overview to give you some orientation why barometric pressure sensors are so helpful.

BMP585 https://www.bosch-sensortec.com/products/environmental-sensors/pressure-sensors/bmp585/

BMP581
https://www.bosch-sensortec.com/products/environmental-sensors/pressure-sensors/bmp581/

BMP384
https://www.bosch-sensortec.com/products/environmental-sensors/pressure-sensors/bmp384/

BMP390
https://www.bosch-sensortec.com/products/environmental-sensors/pressure-sensors/bmp390/

Possible Applications

Smartwatches/Smartphones

Atmospheric pressure value reading, Indoor and outdoor navigation, altitude measurement, activity tracking, stair detection, fall detection, Indoor localization like E911 etc.

Home appliances

Vacuum robot cleaners with suction detection to differentiate carpet from hard floor, dust bin capacity detection, filter clogging detection.

Health

Inhalation count, inhalation flow measuremen for smart inhalers or CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machines.

Wireless Router

WAP (Wireless Access Point) for WI-FI 6 Hz localization applications. Some more background information can be found here:

https://www.bosch-sensortec.com/white-paper-vertical-location-service.html

https://youtu.be/prMgNQ1Jd-8

Water Level measurement

Barometric pressure sensors are ery reliable to measure the water level in home appliances or industrial applications.

Barometric pressure sensors help to save water thus energy

Thanks for reading, for more information click here:

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