3.
2 Input and output devices
SENSORS
3. Hardware
Introduction Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam QA
LO Introduction Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam Q&A
Learning Objectives
✓ be able to define the term sensor
✓ understand how a range of sensors input data into a computer system
✓ describe how a range of sensors are used in many areas of our life
LO Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam QA
LO Introduction Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam Q&A
A normal PC has no way of knowing what is happening in the real world
around it. It doesn’t know if it is light or dark, hot or cold, quiet or
noisy.
How do we know what is happening around us? We use our eyes, our
ears, our mouth, our nose and our skin - our senses.
A normal PC has no senses, but we can give it some: We can
connect sensors to it...
LO Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam QA
LO Introduction Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam Q&A
A sensor is another type of input device.
It is a device that records data about the physical environment around
it. This data is output in form of a signal for a computer to process.
Sensors send data to a microprocessor (computer). Sensors do not
make judgements, decisions or control any output devices.
There are many types of sensors used in a variety of household,
commercial and industrial applications.
LO Introduction Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam QA
LO Introduction Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam Q&A
Sensor Data captured Applications
• Burglar alarm systems (pick up the noise of
these are basically microphones that convert detected footsteps in a security system)
Acoustic sound into electric signals/pulses • Leak detection system (detect the sound of liquids
dripping at a faulty pipe joint)
these are sensors that measure acceleration and • Used in cars to measure rapid deceleration and
motion of an application, i.e. the change in velocity (a apply air bags in a crash
Accelerometer piezoelectric cell is used whose output varies • Used by mobile phones to change between portrait
according to the change in velocity) and landscape mode
these sensors measure the flow rate of a moving
• Used in respiratory devices and inhalers in hospitals
Flow liquid or gas and produce an output based on the
• Measure gas flows in pipes (e.g. natural gas)
amount of liquid or gas passing over the sensor
• Monitor pollution levels (e.g. air at an airport, in a
most common ones are oxygen or carbon dioxide river, carbon monoxide alarms etc.)
sensors; they use various methods to detect the gas • Monitor oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in a
Gas being monitored and produce outputs that vary with greenhouse
the oxygen or carbon dioxide levels present • Monitor oxygen levels in a car exhaust
• Fish tanks / aquariums
LO Introduction Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam QA
LO Introduction Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam Q&A
Sensor Data captured Applications
this is slightly different to moisture; this measures
• Monitor humidity levels in a building
the amount of water vapour in, for example, a
• Monitor humidity levels in a factory
Humidity sample of air (based on the fact that the
• Monitor/control humidity levels in the air in a
conductivity of air will change depending on the greenhouse
amount of water present)
measures water levels in, for example, soil (it is • Control/monitor moisture levels in soil in a
Moisture based on the electrical resistance of the sample greenhouse
being monitored) • Monitor the moisture levels in a factory
these use an invisible beam of infrared radiation
picked up by a detector; if the beam is broken, then
• Turn on car windscreen wipers automatically when it
there will be a change in the amount of infrared
detects rain on the windscreen
radiation reaching the detector (sensor)
Infra-red OR
• Detect intruders in a burglar alarm system (intruder
breaks the infrared beam or body heat is detected)
sensors measure the heat radiation given off by an • Count people entering/leaving a building
object, for example, the temperature of an intruder
or the temperature in a fridge
LO Introduction Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam QA
LO Introduction Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam Q&A
Sensor Data captured Applications
these sensors use ultrasonics (to detect changing
• Monitor levels in a petrol tank in a car
liquid levels in, for example, a tank) or capacitance/
• In a pharmaceutical process where powder levels in
Level conductivity (to measure static levels (for example,
tablet production need to be monitored
height of water in a river) – note, level sensors can • Leak detection in refrigerant (air conditioning)
also be optical or mechanical in nature
• Switching streetlights on or off depending on light
these use photoelectric cells that produce an output
levels
Light (in the form of an electric current) depending on the
• Switch on car headlights automatically when it gets
brightness of the light dark
• Mobile phones (to detect magnetic field changes)
these sensors measure changes in magnetic fields –
• Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
Magnetic field the signal output will depend on how the magnetic
• Detection of cars at traffic lights
field changes
LO Introduction Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam QA
LO Introduction Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam Q&A
Sensor Data captured Applications
• Monitor acidity levels in the soil in a greenhouse
these measure acidity through changes in voltages • Monitor acidity levels in a chemical process
pH in, for example, soil • Pollution monitoring (river)
• Aquariums
• Weighing things (e.g. check the weight of a vehicle)
a pressure sensor is a transducer and generates
• Measure the gas pressure (e.g. nuclear reactor)
Pressure different electric currents depending on the pressure
• Detect intruders in a burglar alarm system
applied • To control traffic lights
• Detect when a face is close to a mobile phone screen
Proximity these sensors detect the presence of a nearby object and switches off screen when held to the ear
• Detect how close to an object a car is when parking
measures temperature of the surroundings by • Control of a central heating system
Temperature sending signals; these signals will change as the • Control/monitor a chemical process
temperature changes • Control/monitor temperature in a greenhouse
LO Introduction Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam QA
LO Introduction Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam Q&A
Actuators
An actuator is a device, controlled by a computer/microprocessor, that can affect
the real-world. It performs an action.
ACTUATOR WHAT IT CAN DO
Light bulb or LED Creates light
Heater Increases temperature
Cooling Unit Decreases temperature
Motor Spins things around
Pump Pushes water / air through pipes
Buzzer / Bell / Siren Creates noise
LO Introduction Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam QA
LO Introduction Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam Q&A
Key words
• ADC (Analogue to Digital Converter) – a device that converts analogue data (for example, data read from
sensors) into a form understood by a computer
• DAC (Digital to Analogue Converter) – device that converts digital data into electric currents that can drive
motors, actuators and relays, for example
• Actuator – an output device that converts electrical energy into mechanical movement
• Analogue – signal, or data, that constantly varies, (collected from the real world)
• Digital – signal/data, that consists of two states, 1 or 0,(computer language)
• Sensors – device that records physical inputs
LO Introduction Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam QA
LO Introduction Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam Q&A
To answer an exam question you must follow some steps. Those steps are always
the same, only the scenario changes.
Name a sensor that could be used (if not part of the question)
Sensor continuously sends digitised data to microprocessor
Microprocessor compares data to stored values
If it matches (here you should adapt to the scenario given),
…microprocessor sends a signal to an actuator (you may identify the actuator) to perform an
action (identify the action)
If not (again adapt to the scenario given),
…microprocessor sends a signal to an actuator (identify the actuator) to perform another action
(identify the action)
Whole process repeats continuously until turned off
LO Introduction Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam QA
LO Introduction Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam Q&A
LO Introduction Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam QA
LO Introduction Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam Q&A
LO Introduction Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam QA
LO Introduction Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam Q&A
LO Introduction Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam QA
LO Introduction Sensors Actuators Key Words Exam Q&A
Worksheets
