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WHAT IS SENSOR?
– a device that detects or measures a physical property and records, indicates, or otherwise
responds to it.
– a device that detects and responds to some type of input from the physical environment. The
specific input could be light, heat, motion, moisture, pressure, or any one of a great number of
other environmental phenomena.
CLASSIFICATION OF SENSORS
Active sensor
Passive sensor
– It generates its own electric signal and does not require a power source, e.g.
thermocouples, magnetic microphones, piezoelectric sensors, photodiode.
Contact sensor
– A sensor that requires physical contact with the stimulus, e.g. strain gauges,
temperature sensors
Non-contact sensor
– It requires no physical contact, e.g. most optical and magnetic sensors, infrared
thermometers, etc.
Absolute sensor
Relative scale
TYPES OF SENSORS
Temperature Sensor
Proximity Sensor
– A non-contact type sensor that detects the presence of an object. Proximity Sensors can be
implemented using different techniques like Optical (like Infrared or Laser), Ultrasonic, Hall
Effect, Capacitive, etc.
Accelerometer
– Are integrated circuits or modules used to measure the acceleration of an object to which they
are attached. They are used in applications including: vehicle dynamics, mobile phone
orientation detection, image stability, tilt, tap detection and anti-theft devices.
– Are light based sensor that are used in various applications like Proximity and Object Detection.
IR Sensors are used as proximity sensors in almost all mobile phones.
Two types:
1. Transmissive Type
Pressure Sensor
– A device that senses pressure and converts it into an electric signal where the amount depends
upon the pressure applied.
Light Sensor
– a special type of light sensor which is used in this automatic light sensor circuit.
These light dependent resistors are passive and doesn’t produce any electrical
energy.
Ultrasonic Sensor
– A non-contact type device that can be used to measure distance as well as velocity of an object.
An Ultrasonic Sensor works based on the properties of the sound waves with frequency greater
than that of the human audible range.
– Achieved by using a basic unit with different sensors for smoke, LPG and alcohol. So, different
alarms can be made by simply changing the input sensor.
Touch Sensor
– A type of equipment that captures and records physical touch or embrace on a device and/or
object. It enables a device or object to detect touch, typically by a human user or operator.
Color Sensor
Humidity Sensor
Tilt Sensor
– An instrument that is used for measuring the tilt in multiple axes of a reference plane.
Flow and Level Sensor
– A device for determining the level or amount of fluids, liquids or other substances that flow in an
open or closed system.
Two types:
Optoelectronic Sensor
– A device that produces an electrical signal proportional to the amount of light incident on its
active area.
Three types:
Advantages:
– Long sensing distance; the light beam needs only to travel in one
direction from the transmitter to the receiver.
– High operational reliability; interference reflections rarely trigger the
receiver.
– Detection of even the smallest objects by additionally mounting lenses
or screens.
Disadvantages:
– High installation cost with two devices having to be mounted, wired and
adjusted.
2. Retro-reflective sensor Type R
– The light transmitter and receiver in retroreflective sensors are
accommodated in one enclosure. The light beam emitted by the transmitter is
reflected back to the receiver by a reflector (e.g. triple reflector or reflective
film). An interruption in the light paths is evaluated and changes the output
signal at the receiver.
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
– Shorter sensing range than a through beam system since the light beam
has to travel from the transmitter (light source) to the reflector and back
to the receiver
– Highly polished objects can act as reflectors and may cause
malfunctions
Advantages:
Disadvantages: