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Introduction to Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) Topologies

The world around us is of an analog nature, but most processing is done in digital. Since most sensing is achieved through transducers, analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) are needed to convert those analog values to digital form for processing and decision-making. ADCs will always be needed to bridge between these two worlds. And with the new wave of Internet of Things (IoT) and processing at the edge, more computing based on surroundings will be needed, increasing the usage of ADCs on those systems.

From simple functions like reading temperatures to complex ones like security and tampering detection, ADCs have evolved to meet the demands of different applications. With a not one-size-fits-all motto, ADCs have various architectures each with unique traits that allow each of them to shine in certain applications.