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SCHEMATICS - VOLTAGE AMPLIFIERS

Voltage amplifiers have various uses, but are usually used for boosting smaller
voltages to larger ones. Suppose you have a sensor that has a voltage range of
10mv to 50mv. Few microcontrollers can measure this tiny amount! So what you
would need to do is amplify this range to say 1V to 5V (since digital logic is
usually 5V).

Where can you buy op-amps?

Check the ads on the right


and the robot parts list.

I would like to stress that voltage amplifiers are for amplifying low
current/voltage signals (such as from force and torque sensors), not powering
things like motors. It is for low current applications only. If you would like to
power motors, consider getting power amps. Now that we are clear on uses, lets
talk about how to make an amplifier. To make a basic voltage amplifier circuit, all
you usually need are two resistors and an op-amp (Operational Amplifier). Op-
amps are cheap IC chips available at any electronics distributer, often coming as
dual packages and having other neat features.

Op-Amps have a special power source requirement. Typically it is 20V+ and


20V- to the positive and negative pins, respectively. However, your power source
does not actually need to exceed your desired voltage output. For example,
suppose your desired output is between the range of 0V and 5V. This is typical of
any digital circuit for a microcontroller. You would then only need to apply 0V
(ground) to the negative pin and 5V to your positive pin. You would usually not
actually need a negative voltage unless you were to use an inverting amplifier
(described below).

If you DO however need a negative voltage source, you can do this by placing
batteries in series, and using the center connection as ground (shown here).

Non-Inverting Amplifier Circuit

Use this type of amplifier if you want to increase your low voltage to a
proportionally higher voltage.
To choose resistor values, solve this equation:
(Vout-Vin)/Vin = Rb/Ra
Just plug in your desired Vout. Note that you cannot get a Vout higher
than your original power source, sorry.

Inverting Amplifier Circuit

Use this type of amplifier if you want to convert a positive voltage into a
proportional negative voltage.

To choose resistor values, solve this equation:


(-Vin)/Vout = Ra/Rb
Just plug in your desired Vout. Note that you cannot get a Vout greater
than your original power source, sorry.

Voltage Follower (Buffer)

If you have a circuit which is driving a heavy load (such as a motor or a


light) and it is preventing your circuit from functioning properly, then you
would need a voltage follower. Voltage followers prevent things such as
back EMF problems or timer circuit problems. For example, Vout is
always what Vin is. So it does not matter what happens at Vout, Vin will
always be at the proper voltage. This is useful if you use a timer circuit to
control a heavy load. Without the voltage follower, your load would drain
the capacitor rendering it non-functional.

Voltage Difference Amplifier

Suppose you have two different signals but all you care about is the signal
difference between both. So why would you get two different signals?
Some sensors have a + and - signal line and not just a single signal line.
Torque cells and force transducers have dual signal lines, for example.
There are also occasions when you want to measure a scenario but the
environment significantly changes during your measurement
(interference). What you would do is have one sensor measure what you
want plus environmental effects, and the other sensor to just measure
purely the environmental effects. To get a signal void of environmental
effects, you would just subtract the 2nd sensor value from the first sensor
value. Atomic Force Microscopes use this method as tiny environmental
temperature changes can affect results dramatically.

To choose resistor values, solve this equation:


Vout = R2/R1*(V2-V1)
V2 and V1 are the signals. Just plug in your desired Vout. Also note that
R2/R1 is your gain value, meaning its how much your signal is amplified.

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