Here's a simplified and well-organized explanation of your

detailed notes on IoT, sensors, and types of temperature &

proximity sensors, broken into easy-to-understand points:

🌐 IoT Platforms and Sensors (Simplified)

🚀 What IoT Platforms Do:

 Collect data using various sensors.

 Send and share this data across a network of connected

devices.

 Help the entire system get smarter by learning from the

collected data.

 Devices communicate and improve functionality by working

together.

🔍 What is a Sensor?

 A sensor detects changes in the environment (like heat,

motion, or light).

 It converts physical changes into electrical signals that can

be understood by electronic systems.

✅ A good sensor should:

1. Be sensitive to the thing it's supposed to measure.

2. Ignore other irrelevant changes.

3. Not affect the thing it's measuring.

📏 Sensor Properties

Property Description

Minimum and maximum values it can

Range
measure.

Sensitivi Smallest detectable change in the

ty input.

🧠 Sensor Classification
Type Description

Doesn’t need power to work (e.g.,

Passive
thermocouples).

Needs external power (e.g., motion

Active
sensors).

Analog Continuous output (like dimming light).

Digital Discrete output (like ON/OFF).

Detection
Mechanical, chemical, etc.
Method

Temperature Sensors

These sensors measure how hot or cold something is.

🔧 Types of Temperature Sensors:

1. Thermocouples

o Output: Voltage

o More accurate above 500°C

o Voltage increases with temperature

2. RTD (Resistor Temperature Detector)

o Output: Resistance

o Preferred below 500°C

o Resistance increases with temperature

o Based on Ohm’s Law (I = V/R)

3. Thermistors

o "Thermally sensitive resistors"

o Resistance changes with temperature

o Very sensitive and fast

4. IC (Semiconductor) Sensors

o Work well in low temperatures

o Direct digital temperature reading

 o Use changing conductivity of semiconductors

5. Infrared Sensors

o Non-contact temperature measurement

o Detect infrared energy from objects

o Common in thermometers, thermal cameras

📡 Proximity Sensors

Used to detect objects without touching them.

🎯 Applications:

 Retail: Notify users of offers near them

 Vehicles: Detect obstacles while reversing

 Parking spaces: Show availability

🔍 Types of Proximity Sensors:

1. Inductive Sensors

o Detect metal objects only

o Work using magnetic fields

o Not good in wet or dirty areas

2. Capacitive Sensors

o Detect both metal and non-metal

o Use capacitance changes

o Can detect liquids, plastics, glass, etc.

o Used in:

 Liquid levels, touchscreens, position sensing, etc.

🧠 Summary Table:

Measures /
Sensor Type Key Feature Common Use
Detects

Thermocoupl High temp, Industrial

Temperature
e voltage output heating
 Measures /
Sensor Type Key Feature Common Use
Detects

Accurate, below
RTD Temperature Labs, electronics
500°C

Thermistor Temperature Very sensitive HVAC, batteries

Consumer
IC Sensor Temperature Digital output
electronics

Infrared Temperature Based on IR Thermometers,

Sensor (non-contact) energy cameras

Inductive Automation,
Metal objects Magnetic field
Sensor robotics

Capacitive All types of Capacitance Liquid detection,

Sensor objects change UX

Here's a neatly summarized version of your content, organized by

sensor type for clarity and quick reference:

Capacitive Sensor

 Uses a metal plate and an internal oscillator; target acts as

a second capacitor plate.

 Generates an electrostatic field (not electromagnetic like

inductive sensors).

 As the target nears, capacitance increases, triggering the

sensor output.

Photoelectric Sensor

 Detects presence/absence using a beam of light.

 Suitable for non-metal objects and long-distance sensing.

 Alternative to inductive sensors.

Ultrasonic Sensor

 Measures distance using ultrasonic waves (like sonar).

  Sends a pulse, receives echo, and calculates distance based
on time lapse.

 Works well in harsh environments.

Pressure Sensor

 Converts pressure into electrical signals.

 Useful in IoT systems, especially in water systems and

heating systems.

 Can detect abnormal pressure changes and alert systems

automatically.

Water Quality Sensor

Used in water distribution & treatment systems. Common types:

 Chlorine Residual Sensor – Measures disinfectant levels.

 TOC Sensor – Measures organic content.

 Turbidity Sensor – Measures suspended solids.

 Conductivity Sensor – Detects ionic concentration.

 pH Sensor – Measures water’s acidity or alkalinity.

 ORP Sensor – Measures oxidation/reduction potential.

Chemical Sensor

 Detects changes in liquids or air.

 Applications: industrial monitoring, safety, pharma,

recycling, space, etc.

 Common types:

o Chemical FET

o Electrochemical Gas Sensor

o Chemiresistor

o IR Sensor

o Zinc Oxide Nanorod Sensor

Gas Sensor

 Detects specific gases and air quality.

 Applications: manufacturing, agriculture, HVAC, health,

mining, labs.

 Types include:

o CO₂ Sensor

o NO₂ Sensor

o Catalytic Bead

o Electrochemical Gas Sensor

o Breathalyzer

o Hydrogen/Oxygen Sensor

o Carbon Monoxide Detector

o Ozone Monitor

Smoke Sensor

 Detects smoke, gases, flames.

 Integrated with IoT systems for instant alerts.

 Types:

o Optical/Photoelectric – Detects light deflection caused

by smoke.

o Ionization – Uses radioactive materials to sense ion

flow disruption.

Infrared (IR) Sensor

 Detects infrared radiation and heat.

 Applications:

o Healthcare (blood flow, pressure)

o Wearables, remote controls, thermal imaging

o Security, smart devices, environmental monitoring

Level Sensor

 Measures fluid levels in containers/systems.

 Types:

o Magnetic Float – Activates switch based on float

position.

o Conductive – Uses liquid conductivity to complete

circuit.

o Pneumatic – Measures air level, not in direct contact

with liquid.

o Magnetostrictive – Uses wire and magnet field

interruption.

o Magnetoresistive – Uses extra magnet for precise

positioning.

 Applications:

o Fuel gauging, sea level monitoring, pharma,

beverages, tsunami warnings, medical & industrial
systems

Image Sensor

 Converts optical images to electronic signals.

 Used in:

o Cameras, night vision, thermal imaging

o Medical imaging, radar/sonar, biometrics

o Automobiles (object detection, road signs)

 Types:

o CCD (Charge-Coupled Device)

o CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor)

Thanks for sharing that comprehensive info on IoT boards and

processors! Here's a summarized comparison table to help you
quickly differentiate and decide which board might best suit your
project needs:

Connectivit
Board Processor Key Features Price
y

WiFi, Linux OS (Debian),

1GHz Allwinner
C.H.I.P Bluetooth 4GB storage, 8 GPIO, $9
R8
4.0 no HDMI (TRRS only)

Arduino-compatible,
Mediatek MT2502A, GPS, GSM,
rich SDK & APIs,
Linkit 260MHz ARM7 GPRS, WiFi, $59
rapid IoT
One EJ-S Bluetooth
prototyping

1MB Flash, 128KB

STM32F205, WiFi
Particle RAM, mobile & web
120MHz ARM (Broadcom $19
Photon IDE, Arduino
Cortex-M3 BCM43362)
compatible

MT7620n Node.js support,

(580MHz) + WiFi, JavaScript friendly,
Tessel 2 $44
SAMD21 Ethernet 64MB RAM, modular
(48MHz) sensors & actuators

Wearable-friendly,
Adafruit N/A USB support, $19.
Atmega32u4
Flora (wearables) Arduino compatible, 95
Neopixels

Accelerometer, temp
Bluetooth
LightBlue sensor, RGB LED,
ATmega328p Low Energy $30
Bean battery powered,
(BLE)
Arduino-compatible

Runs
WiFi, Android/Debian,
Udoo ARM Cortex-A9 $64.
Bluetooth Arduino pinout,
Neo + Cortex-M4 90
4.0 HDMI, powerful
motion sensors

1GB RAM, 4GB Flash,

Dual-core Atom
WiFi, runs Yocto Linux,
Intel + Quark
Bluetooth cloud-certified (AWS, $70
Edison (microcontroller
4.0 IBM, MS), Arduino
)
breakout available
 Connectivit
Board Processor Key Features Price
y

BCM2837 WiFi, Runs Raspbian, 40

Raspberr 1.2GHz quad- Bluetooth GPIO pins, HDMI,
$35
y Pi 3 core ARM 4.1, USB ports,
Cortex-A53 Ethernet Python/Java support

14 Digital I/O, 6
Arduino Via modules Analog In, excellent $22.
ATmega328P
Uno (no native) community, 57
beginner-friendly

Which one should you pick?

 For Wearables: Adafruit Flora or LightBlue Bean

 For Beginners: Arduino Uno or Particle Photon

 For Advanced IoT Projects: Intel Edison or Udoo Neo

 For Low Budget Prototyping: C.H.I.P or Raspberry Pi

 For Mobile-connected devices: Mediatek Linkit One or Tessel

2

 For Web & Cloud Integration: Tessel 2, Photon, Edison

Let me know if you want a visual chart or recommendation based

on a specific use case (like home automation, health monitoring,
etc.).