| Active transducer | Passive transducer |
|---|---|
| The active transducer is also called as self generating type transducer. | The passive transducer is also called as externally powered transducer. |
| The active transducer does not require any auxiliary (external) power supply. | The passive transducer requires auxiliary (external) power supply for transduction. |
| The signal conversion is simpler. | The signal conversion is more complicated. |
| The energy required to produce output is obtained from the physical quantity. | They also derived part of the power required for conversion from physical quantity under measurement. |
| Example of active transducer is bourdon tube. | Example of passive transducer is LVDT (linear variable differential transformer). |
| It generates electric current or voltage directly in response to environmental stimulation. | It gives a change in some passive electrical quantity, such as capacitance, resistance or inductance, as a result of stimulation. |