Types Of IoT Sensors

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Sensors For The IoT Devices

In this article, you are reading what is IoT Sensors and the Types of IoT Sensors.

What is the IoT Sensors?

Sensors are the troops of the “Internet of Things”, the physical elements on the ground doing the essential work of monitoring processes, taking measurements, and collecting data.

A device that detects or measures a physical property and records, indicates or responds to it in another way.

In the broadest definition, a sensor is a device, module or subsystem whose purpose is to detect events or changes in its environment and to send the information to other electronic components, frequently a computer processor.

Types of IoT Sensors

Not all sensors are made the same and every IoT installation requires a specific type of IoT sensor. At the same time, the physical quantities which are measured by sensors and stored or processed subsequently are mentioned. We’ll take a look at several types of IoT sensors and their corresponding use cases.

Here is a list of the different types of IoT sensors commonly used in various applications. All of these sensors are used to measure any of the physical properties like temperature, resistance, capacitance, conduction, heat transfer, etc.

• IoT Temperature Sensor
• IoT Proximity Sensor
• Accelerometer Sensor
• IR Sensor (Infrared Sensor)
• Pressure Sensor
• Light Sensor
• Ultrasonic Sensor
• Alcohol and Smoke Sensor
• Touch Sensor
• Colour Sensor
• Humidity Sensor
• Tilt Sensor
• Flow and Level Sensor

Temperature Sensor

An IoT temperature sensor is an electronic device that measures the temperature of its surroundings and converts input data into electronic data to record monitor or report changes in temperature.

A thermometer is the most basic form of a thermometer used to measure the degree of heat and coolness.

Proximity Sensor

An IoT proximity sensor is a non-contact sensor that detects movement/presence of objects without physical contact and relays that information captured into an electrical signal.

An IoT Proximity sensor is used today in phones, recycling plants, self-driving cars, anti-aircraft systems, and assembly lines.

Accelerometer Sensor

An accelerometer is an electronic sensor that can measure the force of acceleration, whether caused by gravity or by movement. An accelerometer can measure the speed of movement of an object it is attached.

With the evolution of smartphones, the number of sensors present in them is going up to enhance the user’s experience.

The accelerometer is one such sensor which is an absolute necessity in today’s time. It mainly takes care of the orientation of the screen for landscape (horizontal) and portrait (vertical) viewing.

IR Sensor (Infrared Sensor)

Infrared sensors are sensors that can detect infrared radiation. Infrared waves are not visible to the human eye. It has a wavelength greater than visible light; visible light has the wavelength in the range of 0.4 to 0.7 micrometers. Infrared ray has a wavelength greater than 0.7 micrometers.

Initially, infrared sensors were available in multimedia phones for communication. Some of you might be wondering keeping two mobiles in a straight line, touching together to start sending multimedia files. That is deprecated by the rise of RF-based communications. Nowadays IR is once again put in smartphones for some cool purpose. Usually, whenever you are changing a TV channel and it got stuck in some awkward channel and you want to change it ASAP but unable to change because the remote is out of battery power. For assisting users to control appliances like TV, set-top box, air conditioner, audio systems, etc., IR blaster in smartphones is used.

Pressure Sensor

A pressure sensor is a device that senses pressure and converts it into an electrical signal, the amount of which depends on the pressure applied.

Pressure sensors are of various types. One of the most popular pressure sensors is Piezoelectric crystal. A piezoelectric crystal generates an electro-volt if pressed.

Light Sensor

The light sensor is a device that converts light energy of various wavelengths from infrared to UV into an electrical signal.

Light sensors respond to the light presence and transmit a signal thereby facilitating control of that said light presence.

Ultrasonic Sensor

The Ultrasonic sensor is generally used to measure the distance of an object using sound waves.

Ultrasound is sound that is not audible to the human ear as its lowest operating frequency is still above the threshold frequency of human hearing which is around 20KHz.

Ultrasonic sensors are almost completely insensitive to interfering factors (such as extraneous light, dust, smoke, mist, vapor, lint, oily air, etc.).

They are best suited for the detection of transparent and dark objects, reflective surfaces, shiny objects, and bulk materials and liquids.

Alcohol and Smoke Sensor

Alcohol sensors are used to check the alcohol concentration in a sample. There are sensors like MQ3 that detect the alcohol content of the breath. Nowadays, they are mainly used by the traffic police.

Most of the chemical sensors have a certain type of chemical reaction which results in the production of voltage or current.

Since, smoke is a type of effect of a chemical reaction, depending on the type of chemical present and the changes produced by those chemicals, it will be used to detect it.

For example, the Breath analyzers for alcohol tests are done by one type of sensor which gives voltage for the amount of alcohol from the breath of the person.

Touch Sensor

Touch sensors are also called sensitive to touch, force, or pressure. They are one of the simplest and most useful sensors.

The operation of a touch sensor is similar to that of a simple switch. When there is contact with the touch sensor surface, the circuit is closed inside the sensor and there is current flow. When the contact is released on the touch sensor, the circuit is open and no current flows.

Colour Sensor

A colour sensor detects the colour of the surface. This sensor typically detects colour in the RBG scale. This sensor can classify the colour as red, blue, or green. These sensors are also equipped with filters to reject unwanted IR light and UV light.

Humidity Sensor

A humidity sensor is an electronic device used to measures and report both moisture and air temperature in its environment and converts its findings into a corresponding electrical signal.

Humidity sensors are very widely used sensors, some humidity sensors can be found in smartphone devices and also integrated into larger embedded systems. Humidity sensors are commonly used in the medical, automobile, HVAC, meteorology, and manufacturing industries.

Tilt Sensor

A tilt sensor is a device that is used for measuring tilting position with its original reference.

This sensor provides valuable information about the horizontal and vertical tilt of the aircraft so that the pilot of the aircraft can easily understand the obstacle management process during flight.

Flow and Level Sensor

Flow sensors are used to measure in an open channel, such as a stream, irrigation channel, or pressure less sewer pipe, etc.

In the large industrial facilities, commercial and residential buildings require a large amount of water. The public water supply system is used to meet this requirement. To monitor the amount of water supplied and used, the water flow must be measured.

Flow sensors are used around the world, including in medical technology, industrial processes, and HVAC and smart energy applications.

Liquid level sensors are called sensors used to detect liquid levels or interfaces between liquids such as water and oil or solids and liquids.

So, we have finally discussed our topics which are – about what is IoT sensors, which sensor are for IoT devices, and types of IoT sensors.

So, there is all about IoT sensors, types of IoT sensors which we need to know. We hope you get a clear understanding of everything in this article. If you want to ask anything, please feel free to contact us by commenting down below.

Also Read: Beginner’s Guide to Understand the Internet of Things