Sensors

The primary functions of a sensor include monitoring, feedback, and intelligent control. Sensors monitor conditions by providing data to displays, controllers, or recording devices. They also enable feedback by detecting changes in a phenomenon and allowing systems to adjust and maintain operating parameters within a desired range. In more advanced applications, sensors add intelligence to systems by supplying data that can be processed to support complex, autonomous decision-making.

A sensor is a device that detects physical, chemical, or environmental changes and converts them into electrical signals that can be measured, recorded, or used for control. Sensors are essential in applications such as industrial automation, robotics, HVAC systems, and smart home technologies. They operate by sensing variables like temperature, pressure, motion, or humidity and converting them into electrical outputs such as voltage, current, resistance, capacitance, frequency, or digital data (e.g., I²C, SPI, or 4–20 mA signals). Common sensor types include temperature, pressure, position, level, force, speed, vibration, flow, optical, and humidity sensors. Selecting an appropriate sensor depends on the required output signal and the system’s ability to process or amplify that signal.