Sensors

A sensor is another type of input device. It is a device that records data about the physical
environment around it. This data is output in the form of a signal for a computer to process. It is
this signal that becomes the input for the computer.
Sensors can replace the need for a human to detect and record these changes. As it is a device
and not a human doing this it may be less prone to error and natural variance in results.

Light sensors
Alight sensor is a device that detects light. It will detect the ambient light level, meaning how
bright or dark it is. Light sensors can be used in street lights, as a way of turning them on and
off. Light sensors are used in many different ways and are built into many of the devices and
systems we use on a daily basis. A security system can make use of light sensors. The sensors
can beam light from pone sensor to another and if a beam of light i9s broken by

Temperature sensors
A temperature sensor is a device that measures heat generated by an object or system. By
measuring the change in heat, the sensor can detect changes in temperature. A temperature
sensor will normally be one of two types, contact sensors and non-contact sensors. Contact
temperature sensors need to have actual physical contact with an object to measure its
temperature and the object can be solid, liquid or gas. A non-contact temperature sensor
measures energy that is transmitted or radiated from an object.
Many household appliances use temperature sensors to regulate their temperature.
Refrigerators can be set at a certain temperature. A temperature sensor will take regular
samples of the temperature inside the refrigerator and adjust the temperature to keep it at a
constant level. A temperature sensor in an oven will do the same thing to keep it at the
temperature set.
A heating system in our household uses a particular kind of temperature sensor called a
thermostat.
Another sensor that measures temperature is an infrared sensor. Infrared sensors detect
infrared radiation that emits from a person or object. Infrared waves are emitted by many
things but they cannot be seen by the human eye.

Motion Sensors
A motion sensor detects movement. They are also known as motion detectors and they are
commonly used in security systems. The motion sensor will detect the movement of an intruder
and can sound an alarm when this occurs. Motion can be detected in different ways and the
two main ways are through detecting heat (this would use infrared technology) or by sending
out microwaves that bounce off objects and would detect a change in the usual pattern if
moving objects where to interrupt them.
Motion sensors can be used in lighting rooms in a business or even a household. Businesses
have started using motion detectors to detect where a person walks into a room so that the
lights are turned on when they do. Once the sensor stops detecting motion in the room it will
automatically switch the lights off. This can help save energy and also money for the business as
lights are only turned on when they are needed and are not left on in a room wasting energy.
Motion sensors can also be used in automatic doors. The sensor will detect when a person is
approaching and open the doors in time for them to walk through. This can be a great benefit
for people with disabilities who may struggle to open a door with ease. Allowing a door to
automatically open so they can pass through can improve their access to many businesses such
as retail stores.

Magnetic field sensors

Magnetic sensors detect changes in magnetic fields. They measure the strength and direction of
a magnetic field and respond to its changes. The earth itself has a magnetic field and magnetic
field sensors can be used to detect where north, south, east and west are. These kind of sensors
exist in our mobile phones and are called ‘magnetometers’, they allow an application on our
phone to act as a compass for us. Magnetic sensors in a mobile phone could also be used to
‘wake up’ the phone by turning the screen on. A magnet can be placed inside the cover of a
mobile phone case. When the magnet field sensor detects the magnet is close by, the mobile
phone screen will turn off as it will assume the cover is closed. When the magnetic field gets
weaker as the cover is opened and moved away from direct contact with the mobile phone, the
screen will turn on.
.
Gas sensors
A gas sensor detects the presence of gas in a certain area and can trigger a response if the
amount gets too high. Gas sensors are often used to detect the presence of carbon monoxide in
our homes, business or larger area. A carbon monoxide detector that contains a gas sensor can
be placed in the rooms of a household or business that makes use of a gas central heating
system or gas fireplace. They will measure the level of carbon monoxide in the room and trigger
an alarm or warning when the level gets too high. This is extremely important as humans can
suffer from carbon monoxide poisoning that can be fatal if we are exposed to too much. Gas
detectors can be used in many areas of industry. They can be used in a nuclear plant to detect
any gases that could cause fire and a potentially critical situation. They can also be used in
waste water treatment plants to detect any toxic gases that may be present when trying to
purify the water.

Pressure sensors
A pressure sensor measures the pressure of a liquid or a gas. Lots of pressure sensors are used
in our daily lives to measure the pressure of a liquid flowing through pipes. It is extremely
important for the pressure of such things to be measured as it too much liquid is flow in
through a pipe it may burst. Pressure is measured by causing a certain material used in the
area, for example the pipe, to conduct electricity at a certain rate. The level will be matched to
a set level of pressure that can be monitored. If more liquid flows through, causing too much
pressure, the level of electricity conducted will increase and this can trigger a warning of too
much pressure occurring in that area.
Moisture and humidity sensors
A moisture sensor measures the amount of moisture in a certain material whereas a humidity
sensor measures the amount of moisture in the air, along with temperature. The most common
use of a moisture sensor is in detecting the moisture levels in the soil. In order to get the best
quality crop, the farmer would benefit from measuring the level of moisture in the soil on their
land. This way they can keep it at a constant level and the best level to get the highest quality
crop. Through measuring the moisture in the soil, a farmer can create an automated system
that will water the crop automatically when the moisture levels of the soil get too low. It will
also alert them when the water levels become too high so that action can be taken to make
sure the crop is not ruined.

pH sensors
A pH sensor measures how acidic or alkaline a material is. The pH is measured on a scale. The
value 7 of a pH scale means a material is pH neutral. A pH of less than 7 indicates a material, is
acidic and a pH of more than 7 indicates a material is alkaline. It is extremely important that the
pH is correct for the water we drink in order for us to remain healthy. The pH of most pure
water would be 7, so most water treatment plants will try and get as close as possible to this. A
water treatment plant will measure the pH of the water that it holds to make sure that it does
not become too acidic or too alkaline because it could be very damaging to their reputation if
they were to risk this happening. The level of pH is also monitored in aquariums, the tanks that
fish are kept in. It is important for the pH level to be set at a certain point for different types of
fish. It is even more important that the pH level remains consistent as any changes could be
fatal for fish.

Review Questions
i. Define the term ‘sensor’
ii. Identify three different sensors that could be used to increase safety in a nuclear plant
and describe how they would do this.
iii. Explain two drawbacks of using motion sensors in a security system and suggest how
they would be overcome.
iv. Describe how an infrared sensor works.
v. Explain how the use of moisture sensors can improve farming.
vi. Describe how a light sensor is used to read a barcode

References
1. Cambridge IGCSE Computer Science Coursebook. Sarah Lawrey and Donald Scott.