Digital readout manometer using an optical mouse

Abstract

The manometer remains a useful pressure measuring instrument in the laboratory and in industry despite it being discovered centuries ago. One of the major limitations of this instrument lies with its inability to produce digital readouts for automated data acquisition. In this work, we demonstrate this ability via the incorporation of an optical mouse to sense liquid level movement. The approach is very easy to implement and inexpensive. It is also shown to be able to provide digital pressure measurements with good accuracy and repeatability. © 2007 IOP Publishing Ltd.