loadstar sensors introduction
TRANSCRIPT
Slide 1© Loadstar Sensors 2010. Proprietary & Confidential.
Loadstar Sensors
Company Overview
February 2010
Slide 2© Loadstar Sensors 2010. Proprietary & Confidential.
Loadstar Sensors Summary
• In business for over five years
• Expertise in USB and wireless load cells and systems
• Capacitive sensing technology platform enabling new applications
• Addresses large, established markets with disruptive technology
• 1000+ early adopters with ~50 Fortune 500 customers
• 10 issued patents plus approximately 30 in process
• 15 person core team with deep sensor expertise
• 11,000 sq.ft. design, manufacturing and test facility
• Headquartered in Fremont, California
Leading developer of networked digital force sensors
Slide 3© Loadstar Sensors 2010. Proprietary & Confidential.
• No need for signal conditioning
• Powered directly by PC
• Calibrated data output in pounds
• ASCII command set to access data through your software
• Sizes down to 0.1” and capacities from 1 lb to 10K lbs
•Patents for both capacitive and resistive sensors
World’s First USB Load Cell
Slide 4© Loadstar Sensors 2010. Proprietary & Confidential.
Representative Customers
MedicalEducation/Research
Auto/Aerospace
Consumer/Industrial
Government/Military
Slide 5© Loadstar Sensors 2010. Proprietary & Confidential.
Awards & Recognition
Sensors &
Transducers Magazine
Best Sensor Products 2007
Top 101 Electronic Components
2009
Slide 6© Loadstar Sensors 2010. Proprietary & Confidential.
Press and Editorial Coverage
Slide 7© Loadstar Sensors 2010. Proprietary & Confidential.
Software + Programming$3,000-$5,000
Data Acquisition$99-$3,000
Signal Conditioner$149-$300
Resistive Load Cell$350 - $ 1000+
Big ComplexAnalog Expensive
Traditional solutions are bulky, complex and expensive
You need to have diverse engineering skills to utilize one!
The Problem with Traditional Load Cells
Slide 8© Loadstar Sensors 2010. Proprietary & Confidential.
Loadstar’s Digital Solution
Low Profile Easy to UseDigital Low CostIntegrated
Capacitive
Load Cell
$99 - $ 699
LoadVUE
software
$99 - $ 299
Loadstar makes it easy to use load cells
Anyone can use it. As easy to use as a digital camera!
Slide 9© Loadstar Sensors 2010. Proprietary & Confidential.
How it Works
• Capacitance is the ability of a system to store charge
• It varies directly with area between the plates & dielectric constant
• It varies inversely with the distance between the plates
• The rate at which the current in the capacitor decays can be used to calculate capacitance
• An oscillator circuit is used to convert the charge discharge cycle into frequency
• The frequency is proportional to the capacitance which is proportional to applied load
• Loadstar typically measures a change in d, but has patents for measuring changes in kor A.
d
kAC
A (Area between plates)
(k)
d (Gap between plates)
Freq.
Current
Slide 10© Loadstar Sensors 2010. Proprietary & Confidential.
The advantage of Capacitive Sensing
Key Reasons to use Capacitive Sensing Include:- High sensitivity in small packages- Digital signal less prone to noise issues- Less expensive than comparable resistive sensors- Fully integrated solution with high level digital outputs
vs.
Resistive Load Cell Capacitance Load CellC 1/d
F
F
d
F
C
R L
F
F
L
F
R
Resistivity change is of the order of 0.2% for full scale loading for strain gauge load cells
Capacitance change is of the order of 50-100% for full scale loading for Loadstar’s load cells
Slide 11© Loadstar Sensors 2010. Proprietary & Confidential.
The output of the circuit we use is TTL 0-5V frequency whose frequency changes by 30-100% based on gap change
They can be measured by a microcontroller without need for an ADC
The Benefits of DigitalResistive Load Cell Capacitance Load Cell
Resistive load cells have to resolve micro-volt changes in the midst of noise that could be several orders of magnitude higher
They require careful power regulation & amplification prior to digitization by an ADC
A digital system is inherently less noisy and easier to incorporate into embedded circuits
Slide 12© Loadstar Sensors 2010. Proprietary & Confidential.
Sensor Networking Technology
• One of Loadstar’s key areas of expertise lies in networking load cell output to USB and WiFi enabled devices such as computers and mobile devices like the iPhone
• Loadstar can network thousands of sensors together over the Internet
• Browser-accessible software available to access data from anywhere
Slide 13© Loadstar Sensors 2010. Proprietary & Confidential.
Inventory Control Medical Device
Existing & Other AppsAutomation
• Manage inventory
levels at points of use
• Eliminate manual
counting/reorder
process
• Optimize supply chain
• Software addressable
load sensors
• Heart Catheter with force
sensing tips
• Spinal disk pressure
sensing
• Sense needle pressure
• Micro scale sensors with
high level signals
• Scales
• Automotive brake test
• Aerospace machining
• Test & Measurement
• Fitness & gaming
• Consumer
• Flexible configurations
• Low cost
• Freight Container s
• Fill & Pack stations
• Provide robots with a
sense of touch
• Rugged but sensitive
ease of communications
Adds Up to $4 Billion + Market Opportunity for Load/Force Sensors
$1 Billion+ $0.5 Billion+
$2 Billion+$0.5 Billion+
We are addressing a huge need for smarter load cells
Slide 14© Loadstar Sensors 2010. Proprietary & Confidential.
5 product Groups
Sensors (Capacitive & Resistive)
Interfaces
Controllers
Accessories
Software
Over 100 total SKU’s
Complete Product Line
Loadstar is a one-stop shop for customers requiring load sensing solutions
Slide 15© Loadstar Sensors 2010. Proprietary & Confidential.
End-to-end Solutions
Examples of end-to-end solutions follow
Slide 16© Loadstar Sensors 2010. Proprietary & Confidential.
• Weight sensors are placed under bins
• Sensor concentrators read data and upload to central database
• Browser based software lets you log in and monitor inventory remotely
• Connects to your existing ERP/Warehouse Management Systems
Inventory Management Example
Inventory Management Solution
Slide 17© Loadstar Sensors 2010. Proprietary & Confidential.
3 more SC-
1200s (slaves)
Sensor Router
(Master)
Sample Rack Based Implementation
Slide 18© Loadstar Sensors 2010. Proprietary & Confidential.
Tiny Force Sensors for Medical Device Applications
Medical Applications
Many applications need tiny force sensors that are robust, easy to use and inexpensive.
Slide 19© Loadstar Sensors 2010. Proprietary & Confidential.
Mfr Representatives on Four Continents
You can purchase products from us Online or contact one of our representatives in your region for further assistance
Slide 20© Loadstar Sensors 2010. Proprietary & Confidential.
Why buy from Loadstar
• Cutting edge technology based on patented Capacitive Sensing technology with PC friendly digital outputs
• Easy to use products, designed for a broad variety of end users –not just engineers
• Software friendly design – programmers can easily incorporate into applications without any knowledge of load cells
• Amazingly low prices for our digital load cell products are typically less than those of conventional load cells with millivolt analog outputs!
• Out-of-the-box solutions for Pedal Force Testing, Inventory Management, Fill-and-Pack stations, Force based control
Our PromiseWe guarantee that you’ll love our products and services. If you are
unhappy for any reason, let us know and we’ll be happy to refund your money in full within 30 days.
Slide 21© Loadstar Sensors 2010. Proprietary & Confidential.
Contact Us
Loadstar Sensors
48089 Fremont Blvd.
Fremont, CA 94538
(510) 623-9600