Sensors and Actuators

in IoT
Definition of Sensor
• Sensors are used for sensing things and devices etc.
• A device that provides a usable output in response to a
specified measurement.
• The sensor attains a physical parameter and converts it
into a signal suitable for processing (e.g. electrical,
mechanical, optical) the characteristics of any device or
material to detect the presence of a particular physical
quantity.
Types of sensors and its usage
• Temperature:
• By definition, “A device, used to measure amount of
heat energy that allows to detect a physical change in
temperature from a particular source and converts the
data for a device or user, is known as a Temperature
Sensor.”
• Only a couple of years ago, their uses mostly included
A/C control, refrigerators and similar devices used for
environmental control. However, with the advent of the
IoT world, they have found their role in manufacturing
processes, agriculture and health industry.
• In the manufacturing process, many machines require
specific environment temperature, as well as device
temperature. With this kind of measurement, the
manufacturing process can always remain optimal.
• On the other hand, in agriculture, the temperature of
soil is crucial for crop growth. This helps with the
production of plants, maximizing the output.
• Following are some sub-categories of Temp Sensors:

• Thermocouples: It is voltage devices that indicate temperature measuring with a change in

voltage.

• Resistor Temperature Detectors (RTD) and Thermistors: Both of these type of sensors
changes their resistance value as per the temperature. Thermistors are commonly made
with ceramic or polymer materials while RTDs are made of pure metals. Thermistors are
always better in performance on various parameters like accuracy, response time, etc.
• IC (Semiconductor): These sensors are in the form of semiconductor ICs and it
takes advantage of the variable resistance properties of semiconductor materials. It
can provide a direct temperature reading in digital form, especially at low
temperatures.

• Infrared sensors: It detects temperature by intercepting a portion of emitted

infrared energy of the object or substance, and sensing its intensity, can be used to
measure temperature of solids and liquids only, Not possible to use it on gases
because of their transparent nature.
• Humidity sensors
• Humidity is defined as the amount of water vapour in an
atmosphere of air or other gases. The most commonly
used terms are “Relative Humidity (RH).
• These sensors usually follow the use of temperature
sensors, as many manufacturing processes require
perfect working conditions. Through measuring
humidity, you can ensure that the whole process runs
smoothly, and when there is any sudden change, action
can be taken immediately, as sensors detect the change
almost instantaneously.
• Their applications and use can be found in Industrial &
residential domain for heating, ventilating, and air
conditioning systems control. They can also be found in
Automotive, museums, industrial spaces and
greenhouses , meteorology stations,Paint and coatings
industries, hospitals & pharma industries to protect
medicines
• Gas sensor
• Gas sensors are specifically used to monitor changes of
the air quality and detect the presence of various gases.
• Like chemical sensors, they are used in numerous
industries such as manufacturing, agriculture and
health and used for air quality monitoring, detection of
toxic or combustible gas, hazardous gas monitoring in
coal mines, oil & gas industries, chemical laboratory
research, manufacturing – paints, plastics, rubber,
pharmaceutical & petrochemical etc.
• Following are some common Gas sensors:
• Carbon dioxide sensor Nitrogen oxide sensor
• Oxygen sensor Breathalyzer
• Ozone monitor Carbon monoxide
detector
• Electrochemical gas sensor
• Gas detector
• Hygrometer
• Ultrasonic:
• An ultrasonic sensor is a device that detects an object
and measures the distance to it. It measures the
distance by emitting ultrasound and receiving the wave
that the object reflects.
• Ultrasonic means the range of the frequencies. Its range
is greater than audible range(>20kHz) so even it is
switched on, you can’t sense these sound signals.
• Only specific speakers and receivers can sense those ultrasonic
waves.
• It is used to detect the presence or to measure the distance of target
similar to radar or sonar.
Fire Detector(Smoke Senser)
• A smoke sensor is a device that senses smoke (airborne
particulates & gases), and it’s level.
• They have been in use for a long period of time. However, with
the development of IoT, they are now even more effective, as
they are plugged into a system that immediately notifies
the user about any problem that occurs in different industries.
• Smoke sensors are extensively used by the manufacturing
industry, buildings, and accommodation infra to detect fire
and gas incidences. This serves to protect people working in
dangerous environments, as the whole system is much more
effective in comparison to the older ones
• Common Types of Smoke Sensors
• Smoke sensors detect the presence of Smoke, Gases and Flame surrounding
their field. It can be detected either optically or by the physical process or by
the use of both the methods.
• Optical smoke sensor (Photoelectric): Optical smoke
sensor used the light scatter principle trigger to
occupants.
• Ionization smoke sensor: Ionization smoke sensor works
on the principle of ionization, kind of chemistry to
detect molecules causing a trigger alarm.
IR sensors

• An infrared sensor is a sensor that is used to sense

certain characteristics of its surroundings by either
emitting or detecting infrared radiation. It is also
capable of measuring the heat being emitted by
objects.
• They are now used in a variety of IoT projects built by
IoT development companies, especially in Healthcare as
they make monitoring blood flow and blood pressure
simple. They are even used in a wide array of regular
smart devices such as smartwatches and smartphones
as well.
• Other common use includes home appliances & remote
control, breath analysis, Infrared vision (i.e. visualize heat
leaks in electronics, monitor blood flow, art historians to see
under layers of paint), wearable electronics, optical
communication, non-contact based temperature
measurements, automotive blind-angle detection.
• Their usage does not end there, they are also a great tool for
ensuring high-level security in your home. Also, their
application includes environment checks, as they can detect
a variety of chemicals and heat leaks. They are going to play
an important role in the smart home industry, as they have a
wide range of applications.
Water quality sensor

• Water quality sensors are used to detect the water

qualityin water distribution systems.
• Water is practically used everywhere. These sensors
play an important role as they monitor the quality of
water for different purposes. They are used in a variety
of industries.
• Following is a list of the most common kind of water
sensors in use:
• Chlorine Residual Sensor: It measures chlorine
residual (i.e. free chlorine, monochloramine & total
chlorine) in water and most widely used as to destroy
the bacteria and to clean water because of its efficiency.

• Total Organic Carbon Sensor: TOC sensor is used to

measure organic element in water.
• Turbidity Sensor: A turbidity sensor is a device used to
measure the clarity or cloudiness of a liquid, which is often water. The
turbidity of water indicates how much suspended material (such as
dirt, algae, and other particles) is present in the liquid, which can
affect water quality.
• Conductivity Sensor: Conductivity measurements are
carried out in industrial processes primarily to obtain
information on total ionic concentrations (i.e. dissolved
compounds) in water solutions.
• pH Sensor: It is used to measure the pH level in the
dissolved water, which indicates how acidic or basic
(alkaline) it is.

• Oxygen-Reduction Potential Sensor: The ORP

measurement provides insights into the level of
oxidation/reduction reactions occurring in the solution.
Light sensor
• Light sensors are a type of photodetector (also called
photosensors) that detect light. Different types of light sensors
can be used to measure illuminance, respond to changes in the
amount of light received, or convert light to electricity.
• These sensors convert rays of light into electronic
signals by measuring the quantity of light and then
turning it into a form that can be read by an instrument,
in our case the IoT system. Light sensors have a
multitude of IoT applications, from office management
to agriculture.
Nosie Sensor(sound sensor)
• Noise sensors, as the name suggests, record the noise levels in the
given environment. It can be an entire city, a room, a car, etc. In IoT,
these sensors are used to build safe working and living
environments for people. They are also used to send warning
notifications to the right people when noise levels go beyond the
stipulated threshold limit.
Actuators
• An IoT device is made up of a Physical object (“thing”)
+ Controller (“brain”) + Sensors + Actuators +
Networks (Internet).
• An actuator is a machine component or system that
moves or controls the mechanism of the system.
• Sensors in the device sense the environment, then
control signals are generated for the actuators
according to the actions needed to perform.
• Actuators a basically the muscle behind a mechatronics system that
accepts a control command and produce a change in physical system
by generating force, motion, heat, flow, etc….
Types of Actuators :
• 1. Hydraulic Actuators –
• A hydraulic actuator uses hydraulic power to perform a
mechanical operation. They are actuated by a cylinder
or fluid motor.
• The mechanical motion is converted to rotary, linear, or
oscillatory motion, according to the need of the IoT
device.
• Ex- construction equipment uses hydraulic actuators
because hydraulic actuators can generate a large
amount of force.
• Advantages :
• Hydraulic actuators can produce a large magnitude of force and
high speed.
• Used in welding, clamping, etc.
• Used for lowering or raising the vehicles in car transport carriers.
• Disadvantages :
• Hydraulic fluid leaks can cause efficiency loss and issues of
cleaning.
• It is expensive.
• It requires noise reduction equipment, heat exchangers, and high
maintenance systems.
Pneumatic Actuators
• Pneumatic actuators work on the same concept as hydraulic actuators
except compressed gas is used instead of liquid.
• Energy , in the form of compressed gas is converted into linear or
rotary motion.
• Compressed air energy is transformed into mechanical
motion by pneumatic actuators. In this instance,
compressed air or gas is introduced into a chamber to
increase pressure.
• These actuators are commonly used in conjunction with
valves to regulate the amount of air that passes through
the valve. They provide a significant amount of force
with only modest pressure changes.
• . Example- Used in robotics, use sensors that work like
human fingers by using compressed air.
• Advantages :
• They are a low-cost option and are used at extreme
temperatures where using air is a safer option than
chemicals.
• They need low maintenance, are durable, and have a
long operational life.
• It is very quick in starting and stopping the motion.
• Disadvantages :
• Loss of pressure can make it less efficient.
• The air compressor should be running continuously.
• Air can be polluted, and it needs maintenance.
Electric actuators

• Electric actuators is an electromechanical device that converts

electrical energy into mechanical energy.
• Most electric actuators operate through the interaction of magnetic
fields and current carrying conductors to generate force.
• Such actuators need electricity to function. Famous
examples include robotics equipment, manufacturing
gear, and electric vehicles.
• Advantages :
• It has many applications in various industries as it can
automate industrial valves.
• It produces less noise and is safe to use since there are no
fluid leakages.
• It can be re-programmed and it provides the highest
control precision positioning.
• Disadvantages :
• It is expensive.
• It depends a lot on environmental conditions.
Thermal actuators

• Thermal actuators are devices that convert thermal energy into

mechanical motion.
• They exploit the expansion and contraction of materials in response
to changes in temperature to produce controlled movement.
• These actuators are used in a variety of applications, such as valves,
sensors, switches, and precise control systems.
Magnetic actuators

• Magnetic actuators are devices that use magnetic fields to produce

mechanical motion or force.
• They convert electrical energy into motion through electromagnetic
principles and are widely employed in industries such as robotics,
automation, aerospace, and consumer electronics.
Difference between Sensors & Actuators
• The primary distinction between a sensor and an
actuator is that a sensor is utilized to detect
environmental changes. In contrast, an actuator is
utilized to control environmental or physical changes.
Sensors and actuators are both required for the system
to perform properly.