Special Report: Sensors and AFEs

Though the digital world likes all things digital, it needs to turn to the analog side to find out about the real world. Sensors provide this input, but most are invariably analog in nature and they require analog front ends (AFEs) to provide the analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) with good signals from the sensors that often bring noisy, low-voltage data. AFEs provide amplification and filtering before those digital programs come into play. 

Creating, choosing, and using AFEs and sensor applications can be challenging, depending on a designer's background and expertise. Designing AFEs requires significant analog expertise, while implementing sensors and AFEs can be done with minimal analog understanding. 

We explored the challenges and opportunities for future development as part of Electronic Design's Sensors and AFEs Week. We’ve assembled all of the content from the event for you to peruse and download for future reference. We take a look at the issues from different perspectives from designers of embedded applications that need analog support, to those offering analog solutions for others to utilize.