Transducers
UFI offers several standard transducers designed to convert physiological phenomena into electrical signals that can be amplified and filtered by signal conditioners and bioamplifiers to give meaningful physiological measurements. For a general discussion of how to interface transducers to signal conditioners, see our short briefing paper.
Fetrode™
The Fetrode™ dramatically reduces the noise artifacts -- usually due to electrostatic potentials and cable motion -- that can plague bio-electric recordings. The Fetrode does this by placing a miniature high-bandwidth amplifier directly at the active electrode site; it can be snapped onto any standard high-quality electrode. Powered by just 500 microamps at 5VDC, Fetrodes measure only 0.575" (15mm) diameter by 0.5" (13mm) thick and weigh 0.2 ounces (6 grams).
Model 1010 Piezo-electric Pulse Transducer
The 1010 is a rugged, high-bandwidth (2.5 Hz to 5 kHz) transducer designed to monitor and record peripheral pressure pulses, Korotkoff sounds, carotid pulses, small animal respiratory activity, swallowing, and other dynamic biological functions. Small size -- 0.9" (23mm) diameter and 0.5" (13mm) thick -- and high output (20-40 millivolts) make it ideal for both teaching and research applications. And since the 1010 is piezo-electric, it does not require an excitation voltage.
Model 1020 Pulse Plethysmograph
The 1020 is a compact, infrared pulse plethysmograph transducer that can be used to record changes in pulsatile blood flow from fingers, toes, ears, the forehead, and other body locations. The 1020 comes in three configurations: the standard 1020, with a flat face and hook-and-loop strap, is ideal for fingers and other extremities; the 1020FC, built into a comfortable clip fixture, is specifically for fingers; and the 1020EC's small clip attaches easily to the ear lobe or other thin, loose portions of the skin.
Model 1030 Force Transducer
The 1030 Physiological Force Transducer is a semi-isometric strain-gauge type that incorporates a stack of five 3" (76mm) stainless steel leaf springs. Four of the leaves can be moved to modify the overall transducer stiffness to meet the sensitivity (10 mg to 1 kg) required for your experiment. A full-bridge configuration provides temperature compensation. The 1030 weighs about 2 ounces (57g) without the 10-foot (3m) cable.
Model 1040 Physiological Displacement Transducer
The 1040 Physiological Displacement Transducer is a semi-isotonic strain gauge and cantilever-beam device. It uses a 12" x 0.5" x 0.025" (305mm x 13mm x 0.64mm) blade to measure 10 mm to 100 mm motions in many physiological preparations. The nickel-plated steel lever may be placed in any position, offering great flexibility. The 1040 features high linearity and nearly isotonic characteristics. The 1040 weighs about 2 ounces (57g) without the 10-foot (3m) cable.
Model 1132 Pneumotrace II™
The 1132 Pneumotrace II™ is a waterproof and washable piezo-electric respiration transducer that requires no excitation voltage. It generates a high-level (20 to 200 mV), linear signal in response to changes in thoracic circumference. With a transducer package 11" long, 1" wide, and 0.125" thick (280mm x 25mm x 3.2mm) linked to its attached 48-inch (122cm) hook-and-loop strap, the 1132 spans a wide range of instrumented diameters. The 1132 can be used not only to measure respiration rate, but also for studies of respiration volume unless exact measurements are required.
Published references to UFI transducers
References to products with individual web pages have links on those pages.
