Sensors

• Acoustic sensors measures the level of sound in an environment. Could be used in a security system.
• Accelerometer sensors measures acceleration forces. These may be static forces, such as the continual force of gravity. They can also be dynamic forces, such as those crreated by movement and vibrations. Mobile phones use these, and they can also be used to monitor for earthquakes, can be used in cars to detect a crash too, so they know when to inflate the airbags.
• Flow sensors measures the amount of liquid, gas or steam that is flowing through or around a certain environment. Often used in factories and sites such as nuclear power plants. They make sure that the liquid, gas or steam flows at a constant temperature through an environment, like a pipe.
• Gas sensors measure the presence and concentration of a gas within the immediate atmosphere. They can be used in peoples homes, where they are set to measure a certain gas, such as carbon monoxide.
• Humidity sensors measure the level of moisture in the immediate atmosphere. Can be used in farming and agriculture to make sure that the air in areas such as greenhouses has the correct level of moisture to provide the best growing conditions. Could be used in art galleries too.
• Infra-red sensors measure infra-red radiation. This type of radiation can be emitted in different amounts by both objects and people. Can be used in security systems.
• Level sensors measure whether a substance, such as a liquid, is at a certain level or amount. These sensors can be used in a car to make sure that essential liquids, such as oil and fuel, do not get too low.
• Light sensors measure the ambient light in a certain environment. It can also measure the presence of a direct light, such as a laser beam. These can be used in automatic lighting systems. Streetlights can be fitted with a light sensor.
• Magnetic field sensors measure the presence of a magnetic field that may be emitted by an object. Can be used to count how many cars pass through a certain area, for example into a car park. The car will disrupt the earth’s naturally magnetic field as it passes over the sensor and the data can be captured by the sensor.
• Moisture sensor measures the amount of water that is present in a substance, such as soil. Can also be used by farming and agriculture.
• pH sensors measure the pH level of a substance. Can be used by environmental agencies to make sure local lakes and rivers are not being polluted.
• Pressure sensors measure the force of pressure that is applied to the sensor or device. This could be the pressure created by a solid object, or it could be created by a liquid or gas. Can also be used in a security system.
• Proximity sensors measure how close an object is in comparison to the sensor. It does this by emitting electromagnetic radiation or an electromagnetic field and measures the radiation as it returns to see if there are any changes. Used in robots in manufacturing.
• Temperature sensors measure the temperature of an object or substance by either directly touching it or capturing data from the surrounding environment. Used in air conditioning systems. They allow the temperature of the room to be kept at a certain level.