Businessweek

Measurement Specialties, Inc. designs, develops, and manufactures sensors and sensor-based systems for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and end users worldwide. The company produces and markets a range of sensors that use technologies to measure precise ranges of physical characteristics. Products, Markets, and Applications The company's products include sensors for measuring pressure, linear/rotary position, force, torque, piezoelectric polymer film sensors, custom microstructures, load cells, vibrations and acceleration, optical absorption, humidity, gas concentration, gas flow rate, temperature, fluid properties, and fluid level. The majority of the company’s sensors include components (sensing elements), devices, or transducers that convert fundamental physical measurands. These signals are used in various applications, including information display, processing, interpretation, or control. The company’s sensors are used for engine and vehicle, medical, general industrial, consumer and home appliance, military and commercial aerospace, environmental water monitoring, and test and measurement applications. The company’s technologies include piezoresistive silicon, polymer and ceramic piezoelectric materials, application specific integrated circuits, micro-electromechanical systems, foil strain gauges, electromagnetic force balance systems, fluid capacitive devices, linear and rotational variable differential transformers, anisotropic magneto-resistive devices, electromagnetic displacement sensors, hygroscopic capacitive structures, ultrasonic measurement systems, optical measurement systems, negative thermal coefficient ceramic sensors, 3-6 degree of freedom force/torque structures, mechanical resonators, magnetic reed switches, multipoint scanning algorithms, and submersible hydrostatic level detection. Pressure Pressure Components, Sensors, and Transducers: These products are used in disposable catheter blood pressure, wrist watch altimeter, process instrumentation, fluid level, intravenous drug administration monitoring, engine performance, barometric pressure, HVAC/building automation, wind tunnel testing, water level management, monitoring, automotive electronic stability control systems, paint spraying machines, fertilizer dispensers, hydraulics, refrigeration, automotive transmission, instrumentation-grade aerospace and weapon control systems, sub-sea pressure, ship cargo level, and steel mills. Force Load Cells: These products are used in automotive occupancy weight sensing, bathroom scales, exercise equipment, appliance monitoring, intravenous drug administration monitoring, and multiple sensing for aerospace, military, and other markets. Position Linear Variable Differential Transformers: The company offers linear variable differential transformers. Rotary Position Transducers: These products are used in machine control systems and instrumentation. Magneto-Resistive Sensors and Magnetic Encoders: These products are used in automotive systems controls, pump counting and control, and transmission position feedback. Tilt/Angle Sensors: These products are used in heavy equipment level measurement, auto security systems, tire balancing, and instrumentation. Piezo Film Traffic Sensors: These products are used in traffic survey, speed and traffic light enforcement, toll, and truck weigh-in-motion. Custom Piezoelectric Film Sensors: These products are used in medical diagnostics, ultrasonic pen digitizers, musical instrument pickups, electronic stethoscope, security systems, anti-tamper sensors for data protection, and electronic water meters. Vibration Accelerometers: These products are used in crash test sensors, anthropomorphic dummy sensors, road load dynamics, aerospace traffic alert and collision avoidance systems, instrumentation, cardiac activity sensors, audio speaker feedback, and appliance load balancing. Humidity Relative Humidity Sensors: These products are used in auto anti-fogging systems, diesel engine controls, air climate systems, reprography machines, and respirators. Fluid Properties Fluid Monitoring Sensors: These products ar