Rotary shaft encoders convert an angular position into an electrical quantity or digital code that a computer can use to determine the location of a connected object. Encoders come in two varieties — absolute and incremental — and most rely on optoelectric or magnetic sensors. Both types divide a 360° rotation into hundred or thousands of equally spaced units, or counts. Thus, engineers can choose an angular resolution that meets their needs. An absolute encoder indicates a specific position within the shaft's 360° rotation and an incremental position indicates the change in rotation from one position to another. (You also can derive velocity and acceleration from encoder signals.)
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