Abstract
In Understanding Smart Sensors, Randy Frank describes and reflects on some of today's hottest topics within the field of integrated microsystems. Microsystems technology is mentioned more and more often as being a key enabling technology for the future development of the information age.
The book reviews the basics of microsystems and their possible integration into larger systems providing processing power and communication links to the sensors. The focus is set on system architectures and interfaces, their standards and protocols, assigning to them the key role for a possible breakthrough in the application of microtechnology for sensors.
The text is well structured with a good overview supported by solid background knowledge and experience in sensor microtechnology. It is very educational and easy to read. Therefore, the book is well suited as an introduction to the field, for students and others without much background in microtechnology. For an expert it lacks more in-depth treatment of the many topics touched upon and is for the same reason less useful as a reference. Some of the very brief descriptions are imprecise and are wrong in a few cases. Due to the very rapidly developing nature of this field, examples are occasionally already out of date.
In summary,Understanding Smart Sensors is a good introduction to the very interseting and promising field of integrated sensors.
Matthias Müllenborn