SENSORS

Why is Sensors important?

Sensors science and engineering is relevant to virtually all aspects of life including safety, security,
surveillance, monitoring, and awareness in general. Sensors are central to industrial applications being
used for process control, monitoring, and safety. Sensors are also central to medicine being used for
diagnostics, monitoring, critical care, and public health.

Deploying sensors and sensing technology has multiple benefits, including predictive and preventive
maintenance. They not only ensure that measurement data is transmitted faster, but also increase
accuracy, thereby improving process control, and enhancing asset health.

A new breed of sensors are capable of wired and wireless transmission, providing a real-time,
continuous data feed from assets and processes. This empowers executives with a more holistic view of
a process plant. Businesses that leverage sensors are more connected, secure, and agile
than ever before.

The key advantages of sensors include improved sensitivity during data capture, almost lossless
transmission, and continuous, real-time analysis. Real-time feedback, and data analytics services ensure
that processes are active, and are executed optimally.

Constant evolution of sensing technology has resulted in today's smart and intelligent sensors. Unlike
conventional analog sensors with no active components, smart sensors contain electrical circuits,
allowing them to take measurements and output values as digital data. These sensors feature
embedded microprocessor units, and have a number of sensing devices mounted on a signal converter.

Intelligent sensors are able to carry out a number of intrinsically intelligent functions, such as the ability
to self-test, self-validate, self-adapt, and self-identify. They understand process requirements, manage a
wide range of conditions, and can detect conditions to support real-time decision making. These
intelligent sensors are programmed for a number of process conditions, allowing executives to derive
the most benefit.

NO PRE-REQUISITES ARE REQUIRED.

Kit inclusions:
1. Arduino Nano
2. 15 Jumper Wires Mini Breadboard
3. One 1kilo ohm Resistor
4. One 9 Volt Battery
5. IR Sensors
6. Ultrasonic Sensors
7. LED Sensors
8. Bluetooth Sensors
9. Temperature Sensors
IR SENSORS:
An infrared (IR) sensor is an electronic device that measures and detects infrared radiation in its
surrounding environment.
There are two types of infrared sensors: active and passive. Active infrared sensors both emit and
detect infrared radiation. Active IR sensors have two parts: a light emitting diode (LED) and a receiver.
When an object comes close to the sensor, the infrared light from the LED reflects off of the object and
is detected by the receiver. Active IR sensors act as proximity sensors, and they are commonly used in
obstacle detection systems (such as in robots).

Passive infrared (PIR) sensors only detect infrared radiation and do not emit it from an LED. Passive
infrared sensors are comprised of:

 Two strips of pyroelectric material (a pyroelectric sensor)

 An infrared filter (that blocks out all other wavelengths of light)
 A fresnel lens (which collects light from many angles into a single point)
 A housing unit (to protect the sensor from other environmental variables, such as humidity)
PIR sensors are most commonly used in motion-based detection, such as in-home security systems.
When a moving object that generates infrared radiation enters the sensing range of the detector, the
difference in IR levels between the two pyroelectric elements is measured. The sensor then sends an
electronic signal to an embedded computer, which in turn triggers an alarm.
ULTRASONIC SENSORS:

Ultrasonic Sensors also known as transceivers when they both send and receive work on a principle
similar to radar or sonar which evaluate attributes of a target by interpreting the echoes from radio
or sound waves respectively. Ultrasonic sensors generate high frequency sound waves and evaluate
the echo which is received back by the sensor. Sensors calculate the time interval between sending
the signal and receiving the echo to determine the distance to an object.

This technology can be used for measuring: wind speed and direction (anemometer), fullness of a
tank and speed through air or water. For measuring speed or direction a device uses multiple
detectors and calculates the speed from the relative distances to particulates in the air or water. To
measure the amount of liquid in a tank, the sensor measures the distance to the surface of the fluid.

Further applications include:

 Humidifiers
 Sonar
 Medical ultrasonography
 Burglar alarms
 Non-destructive testing.
LED SENSORS:
An LED can be used as a photodiode in light detection. This capability may be used in a variety of
applications including ambient light detection and bidirectional communications.
As a photodiode, an LED is sensitive to wavelengths equal to or shorter than the predominant
wavelength it emits. For example, a green LED is sensitive to blue light and some green light, but not to
yellow or red light.
This implementation of LEDs may be added to designs with only minor modifications in circuitry. An LED
can be multiplexed in such a circuit, such that it can be used for both light emission and sensing at
different times.

BLUETOOTH SENSORS:
Bluetooth sensors are small transmitters that broadcast signals to close portable devices
using Bluetooth Low Energy technology. They have an action range of around 90 meters and can only
transmit data but cannot receive it. Once the sensor detects the nearby devices, it sends digital
messages to the targeted devices. Currently, beacons are used proportionally with mobile applications.
These mobile applications obtain a unanimously unique identifier to perform several functions, such as
triggering a location-based action and tracking customers.
TEMPERATURE SENSORS:
A temperature sensor is a device used to measure temperature. This can be air temperature, liquid
temperature or the temperature of solid matter. Thermocouples are based on the Seebeck effect: two
dissimilar metals bearing different temperatures, joint together at at least two different points (a
reference and a measuring point) will produce electromotive force proportional to the temperature.
Different metal-pairs produce different outputs (i.e., temperature ranges). Thermocouples are not as
accurate as thermistors or RTDs but can take readings of very high temperatures ranges over 2000°C).
They are used, for instance, in High Temperature Probes attached to ROVs when exploring
hydrothermal vents.
Thermistors are temperature sensitive resistors. The principle behind the functioning of this sensor is
much like the one from the RTD, however thermistors differ from RTDs in that the material used in a
thermistor is generally a ceramic or polymer, while RTDs use pure metals and, also unlike RTDs, the
resistance of a thermistor decreases with increasing temperature. The temperature response is
different as well; RTDs are useful over broader temperature ranges, while thermistors typically achieve
a higher precision within a limited temperature range, usually −90 °C to 130 °C.
The principle behind this sensor is that of that pure metals change their resistivity with temperature in a
predictable way. RTDs are constructed with metals whose resistivity increases linearly with
temperature. Metals used should a have high boiling point, be easily available in its pure form, be
resistant to corrosion (chemical stability) and have electrical properties that are highly reproducible.
The most commonly used metal is platinum but copper and nickel are also used.