SENSORS & Various Types of sensor

“SENSOR" are devices that receive stimuli commonly detected by the five senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste and convert them to human readable display.

Different types of sensors

1.Ultrasonic sensors

Ultrasonic sensors measure the distance of objects by using ultrasonic waves( frequency too high for humans to hear) . The sensor head emits an ultrasonic wave and receives the wave reflected back from the target. Ultrasonic Sensors measure the distance to the target by measuring the time between the emission and reception.

Applications :

• People Detection.
• Presence Detection.
• Box Sorting using a Multi-Transducer System.
• Easy Control of Trash Collection Vehicles.
• Bottle Counting on Drink Filling Machines.
• Robot sensing

2.Heartbeat sensor

It is used to measure the heart rate (i.e. speed of the heartbeat. )

It is designed to give digital output of heat beat when a finger is placed on it. When the heart beat detector is working, the beat LED flashes in unison with each heart beat.

This digital output can be connected to microcontroller directly to measure the Beats Per Minute (BPM) rate.

3.Smoke sensor

A smoke detector is a device that senses smoke, typically as an indicator of fire.

Applications:

It is generally installed in buildings & accommodation areas.

4.Rain sensor:

A rain sensor is one kind of switching device which is used to detect the rainfall.

Application:

• Automatic systems used in regions where rainfall is observed during the months of irrigation.
• These devices automatically turn off the irrigation system upon receiving a desired amount of rainfall and enable the system to resume its preset conditions when the device is dried

5.Color sensor

A color sensor detects the color of the material. This sensor usually detects color in RBG scale, can categorize the color as red, blue or green. These sensors are also equipped with filters to reject the unwanted IR light and UV light.

Application:

• Used in various industries including food and beverage, automotive and manufacturing.
• These sensors are widely used in consumer electronics for backlight control and display calibration.

6.Taste sensor

A multichannel taste sensor, namely an electronic tongue, with global selectivity is composed of several kinds of lipid/polymer membranes for transforming information about substances producing taste ( saltiness, sourness ,sweetness, umami and bitterness)into electrical signals, which are input to a computer.

Applications:

• It have several applications in various industrial areas:
• The pharmaceutical industry, food and beverage sector.
• It can be used to: analyze flavor ageing in beverages (for instance fruit juice, alcoholic or non alcoholic drinks, flavored milk, etc.)

7.Gyroscope

Gyroscope sensor is a device that can measure and maintain the orientation and angular velocity of an object.

Application:

Example: gyroscope is present in our smartphone to sense angular rotational velocity and acceleration(Landscape mode).

• It is used in compasses and automatic pilots on ships and aircraft.
• The inertial guidance systems installed in space launch vehicles, missiles, and orbiting satellites.

8.Alcohol sensor

An alcohol sensor detects the attentiveness of alcohol in the air and an analog voltage is an output reading.

Applications:

• When a drunk person breathes near the alcohol sensor it detects the ethanol in his breathe and provides an output based on alcohol concentration.
• Automatic Engine Locking System-can be used in various vehicles for detecting whether the driver has consumed alcohol or not.

9. Hall effect sensor

A Hall effect sensor is a type of sensor which detects the presence and magnitude of a magnetic field, then it is able to sense the position of objects.

Applications:

• Current transformers, Position sensing, switch.
• Proximity sensing, speed detection, tachometers.
• Anti-lock braking systems, magnetometers, DC motors.

10. Proximity sensor

A proximity sensor is able to detect the presence of nearby objects without any physical contact. It often emits an electromagnetic field or a beam of electromagnetic radiation and looks for changes in the field or return signal.

Types:

• Inductive Proximity Sensors.
• Capacitive Proximity Sensors.
• Ultrasonic proximity Sensors.
• IR Proximity Sensors

Applications:

• This is Used in automated production lines for object detection, position, inspection and counting.
• Proximity sensors are used in smartphones to detect if a user is holding their phone near their face.
• Part detection on industrial conveyor systems.
• Collision detection on robots.

11. Touch sensor

A touch sensor is an electronic sensor used in detecting and recording physical touch. It’s a small, simple, low-cost sensor. Present day, touch sensors can replace mechanical buttons and switches.

The two types: capacitive touch sensors and resistive touch sensors.

Applications:

Touch sensors are in mobile phones, remote controls, control panels, etc.

12.Water Flow sensors

It is to monitor the amount of water being supplied and used.

We are able to know the rate of flow of water by measuring velocity or displacement.

Applications:

It measure the fluids such as measuring milk in a dairy industry. sewage water, slurries, and other dirty liquids.

13. Humidity sensor

Humidity sensor measure and report the moisture (Water Vapour) and air temperature of the surrounding environment (air, soil, confined spaces).

Applications:

Used in printers, automobiles, weather stations, refrigerators, food processing.

14.IR Sensor

An infrared (IR) sensor is an electronic device that measures and detects infrared radiation in its surrounding environment.

TYPES:

Passive infrared sensor(PIR SENSOR)-measures infrared (IR) light radiating from objects in its field of view.

Active infrared sensor- it does both, emit and detect infrared radiation.

Applications:

• Smart Home and IoT
• Motion Detection Using PIR Sensor
• Automatic Door Opening System.
• Security Alarm System.
• Human Detection Robot Using .

15.Gas sensor

Gas sensors (also known as gas detectors) are electronic devices that detect and identify different types of gasses. They are commonly used to detect toxic or explosive gasses and measure gas concentration.

Applications:

These are employed in factories and manufacturing facilities to identify gas leaks, and to detect smoke and carbon monoxide in homes.

16.Accelerometer:

Accelerometers are the electronic sensor that measure linear acceleration. They can be also used for specific purposes such as inclination and vibration measurement.

Applications:

• It is used to measure vibration on cars, machines, buildings, process control systems and safety installations.
• They can also be used to measure seismic activity, inclination, machine vibration, dynamic distance and speed with or without the influence of gravity.

17. Image Sensor

An image sensor is a device that allows the camera to convert light – into electrical signals.

Applications:

• Used in digital cameras, camera phones.
• Medical imaging equipment.
• Night vision equipment such as thermal imaging devices, radar, sonar.

18.Level Sensor

A level sensor is a device that is designed to monitor, maintain, and measure liquid levels. Once the liquid level is detected, the sensor converts the perceived data into an electric signal.

Applications

• In Automobiles for measuring the amount of gasoline left.
• Livestock water tanks, Flood and spill alarms,Rain barrel monitoring,Reservoir monitoring .

19.Sound Sensor

A Sound sensor is defined as a module that detects sound waves through its intensity and converting it to electrical signals.

Applications:

• Used in phones, computers, music systems.
• Security and Monitoring systems such as burglar alarms, door alarm, etc.
• Home automation such as lighting your house by detecting whistle/clap instead of physically turning the light switch.
• Ambient sound recognition and sound level recognition.

………..“More that YOU read ,more things you will know"………..

SATHYA PRIYA N
Thank you..