SOPC-based Embedded Smart Strain Gage Sensor

This paper presents a new design of a system on a programmable chip (SOPC) for smart strain gage sensor. The system is designed to meet flexibility and complex computations required in compensation algorithm of strain gage thermal output. To satisfy the realtime processing constraints in one hand, and parameterization in another hand, parts of the algorithm are implemented in hardware and others are implemented in software. This new architecture, consisting of hardware and software functionalities, is implemented on an Altera APEX20K Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) including a NIOS core processor. A description of the methodology developed for the temperature compensation of the system is reported and the proposed system architecture is described.