Why are some analogic instruments better at measuring than digital ones? (e.g. blood pressure)
Digital circuitry generally allows for lower power and much greater complexity. That greater complexity allows for digital filtering and processing, which means digital instruments almost always have greater *potential* accuracy. However, everything starts analog because the world itself is analog.
The Short Answer
Digital circuitry generally allows for lower power and much greater complexity. That greater complexity allows for digital filtering and processing, which means digital instruments almost always have greater *potential* accuracy. However, everything starts analog because the world itself is analog. To get any information to a digital system, you need to build a transducer that converts the universe's analog information into digital information. This requires slightly different techniques than you'd use for purely mechanical methods – and it may well be more expensive to get the precision of a mechanical device. It is almost certainly possible to make a blood pressure sensor for a digital system that is far more accurate than any purely mechanical sensor – if for no other reason that digital readouts can display greater precision than the human eye can detect on an analog readout – but it may well be too expensive to do so given the level of accuracy that's actually needed.
Analysis
Key Concepts: Digital, greater, analog
This explanation focuses on digital, greater, analog and spans 158 words across 6 sentences. At 111% above the average Technology explanation (75 words), this is one of the more thorough answers in this category, reflecting the complexity of the underlying question.
What This Answer Covers
The explanation opens with: “Digital circuitry generally allows for lower power and much greater complexity.” It then elaborates by presenting a contrasting perspective, ultimately building toward a complete picture across 6 connected points.
How This Compares in Technology
Ranked #21 of 500 Technology questions by answer depth (top 5%). This places it in the comprehensive tier — the top quarter of most thoroughly answered questions. Questions at this depth typically involve multi-faceted topics requiring nuanced explanation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a simple explanation for why some analogic instruments better at measuring than digital ones? (e.g. blood pressure)?
Digital circuitry generally allows for lower power and much greater complexity. That greater complexity allows for digital filtering and processing, which means digital instruments almost always have greater *potential* accuracy. However, everything…
How detailed is this explanation compared to similar Technology questions?
This is one of the most thorough answer at 158 words, ranked #21 of 500 Technology questions by depth. The key concepts covered are digital, greater, analog.
What approach does this answer take to explain some analogic instruments better at measuring than digital o?
The explanation uses root cause analysis and contrasting perspectives across 158 words. It is categorized under Technology and addresses the question through 2 analytical lenses.