3. Sensor technology

Sensors are devices that allow any electronic equipment to perceive the physical world. Sensors help electronics see, listen to, smell, taste and touch. All these are realised by a sensor interface which translates physical world signals to a form that electronics can understand.

via GIPHY

Essentially, sensors transform non-electrical or chemical quantities to electrical signals. What types of measurements are we talking about?

  • Thermal: temperature, heat, heat flow etc.
  • Mechanical: force, pressure, speed, flex, acceleration, position etc.
  • Chemical: concentration etc.
  • Magnetic: magnetic field strength etc.
  • Radiation: wavelength, intensity and in general characteristics of electromagnetic waves.
  • Electrical: voltage, current, load etc.
A sensor micro-system transforms these signals to electrical ones and then processes them accordingly.