TYPES OF SENSORS

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION
Different Types of Sensors

We live in a World of Sensors. You can find different types of Sensors in our homes,
offices, cars etc. working to make our lives easier by turning on the lights by detecting our
presence, adjusting the room temperature, detect smoke or fire, make us delicious coffee,
open garage doors as soon as our car is near the door and many other tasks.

All these and many other automation tasks are possible because of Sensors. Before
going in to the details of What is a Sensor, What are the Different Types of Sensors and
Applications of these different types of Sensors, we will first take a look at a simple example
of an automated system, which is possible because of Sensors (and many other components
as well).

Real Time Application of Sensors

The example we are talking about here is the Autopilot System in aircrafts. Almost all
civilian and military aircrafts have the feature of Automatic Flight Control system or
sometimes called as Autopilot.

An Automatic Flight Control System consists of several sensors for various tasks like
speed control, height, position, doors, obstacle, fuel, maneuvering and many more. A

Pravara poly loni Page 1

 TYPES OF SENSORS

Computer takes data from all these sensors and processes them by comparing them with pre-
designed values.

The computer then provides control signal to different parts like engines, flaps,
rudders etc. that help in a smooth flight. The combination of Sensors, Computers and
Mechanics makes it possible to run the plane in Autopilot Mode.

All the parameters i.e. the Sensors (which give inputs to the Computers), the
Computers (the brains of the system) and the mechanics (the outputs of the system like
engines and motors) are equally important in building a successful automated system.

But in this tutorial, we will be concentrating on the Sensors part of a system and look
at different concepts associated with Sensors (like types, characteristics, classification etc.).

What is a Sensor?

There are numerous definitions as to what a sensor is but I would like to define a
Sensor as an input device which provides an output (signal) with respect to a specific
physical quantity (input).

The term “input device” in the definition of a Sensor means that it is part of a bigger
system which provides input to a main control system (like a Processor or a Microcontroller).

Another unique definition of a Sensor is as follows: It is a device that converts signals

from one energy domain to electrical domain. The definition of the Sensor can be understood
if we take an example in to consideration.

Pravara poly loni Page 2

 TYPES OF SENSORS

The simplest example of a sensor is an LDR or a Light Dependent Resistor. It is a

device, whose resistance varies according to intensity of light it is subjected to. When the
light falling on an LDR is more, its resistance becomes very less and when the light is less,
well, the resistance of the LDR becomes very high.

We can connect this LDR in a voltage divider (along with other resistor) and check
the voltage drop across the LDR. This voltage can be calibrated to the amount of light falling
on the LDR. Hence, a Light Sensor.

Now that we have seen what a sensor is, we will proceed further with the
classification of Sensors.

Classification of Sensors

There are several classifications of sensors made by different authors and experts. Some are
very simple and some are very complex. The following classification of sensors may already
be used by an expert in the subject but this is a very simple classification of sensors.

In the first classification of the sensors, they are divided in to Active and Passive. Active
Sensors are those which require an external excitation signal or a power signal.

Passive Sensors, on the other hand, do not require any external power signal and directly
generates output response.

The other type of classification is based on the means of detection used in the sensor. Some
of the means of detection are Electric, Biological, Chemical, Radioactive etc.

The next classification is based on conversion phenomenon i.e. the input and the output.
Some of the common conversion phenomena are Photoelectric, Thermoelectric,
Electrochemical, Electromagnetic, Thermooptic, etc.

The final classification of the sensors are Analog and Digital Sensors. Analog Sensors
produce an analog output i.e. a continuous output signal with respect to the quantity being
measured.

Digital Sensors, in contrast to Analog Sensors, work with discrete or digital data. The data in
digital sensors, which is used for conversion and transmission, is digital in nature.

Pravara poly loni Page 3

 TYPES OF SENSORS

CHAPTER 2

DIFFERENT TYPES OF SENSORS

The following is a list of different types of sensors that are commonly used in various
applications. All these sensors are used for measuring one of the physical properties like
Temperature, Resistance, Capacitance, Conduction, Heat Transfer etc.

 Temperature Sensor
 Proximity Sensor
 Accelerometer
 IR Sensor (Infrared Sensor)
 Pressure Sensor
 Light Sensor
 Ultrasonic Sensor
 Smoke, Gas and Alcohol Sensor
 Touch Sensor
 Color Sensor
 Humidity Sensor
 Tilt Sensor
 Flow and Level Sensor

We will see about few of the above mentioned sensors in brief. More information about the
sensors will be added subsequently. A list of projects using the above sensors is given at the
end of the page.

Temperature Sensor

One of the most common and most popular sensor is the Temperature Sensor. A Temperature
Sensor, as the name suggests, senses the temperature i.e. it measures the changes in the
temperature.

In a Temperature Sensor, the changes in the Temperature correspond to change in its physical
property like resistance or voltage.

Pravara poly loni Page 4

 TYPES OF SENSORS

There are different types of Temperature Sensors like Temperature Sensor ICs (like LM35),
Thermistors, Thermocouples, RTD (Resistive Temperature Devices), etc.

Temperature Sensors are used everywhere like computers, mobile phones, automobiles, air
conditioning systems, industries etc.

A simple project using LM35 (Celsius Scale Temperature Sensor) is implemented in this
project:

TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED SYSTEM.

Proximity Sensors

A Proximity Sensor is a non-contact type sensor that detects the presence of an object.
Proximity Sensors can be implemented using different techniques like Optical (like Infrared
or Laser), Ultrasonic, Hall Effect, Capacitive, etc.

Some of the applications of Proximity Sensors are Mobile Phones, Cars (Parking Sensors),
industries (object alignment), Ground Proximity in Aircrafts, etc.

Proximity Sensor in Reverse Parking is implemented in this Project:

REVERSE PARKING SENSOR CIRCUIT.

Infrared Sensor (IR Sensor)

Pravara poly loni Page 5

 TYPES OF SENSORS

IR Sensors or Infrared Sensor are light based sensor that are used in various applications like
Proximity and Object Detection. IR Sensors are used as proximity sensors in almost all
mobile phones.

There are two types of Infrared or IR Sensors: Transmissive Type and Reflective Type. In
Transmissive Type IR Sensor, the IR Transmitter (usually an IR LED) and the IR Detector
(usually a Photo Diode) are positioned facing each other so that when an object passes
between them, the sensor detects the object.

The other type of IR Sensor is a Reflective Type IR Sensor. In this, the transmitter and the
detector are positioned adjacent to each other facing the object. When an object comes in
front of the sensor, the sensor detects the object.

Different applications where IR Sensor is implemented are Mobile Phones, Robots, Industrial
assembly, automobiles etc.

A small project, where IR Sensors are used to turn on street lights:

STREET LIGHTS USING IR SENSORS.

Ultrasonic Sensor

An Ultrasonic Sensor is a non-contact type device that can be used to measure

distance as well as velocity of an object. An Ultrasonic Sensor works based on the properties
of the sound waves with frequency greater than that of the human audible range.

Pravara poly loni Page 6

 TYPES OF SENSORS

Using the time of flight of the sound wave, an Ultrasonic Sensor can measure the distance of
the object (similar to SONAR). The Doppler Shift property of the sound wave is used to
measure the velocity of an object.

Arduino based Range Finder is a simple project using Ultrasonic Sensor:

PORTABLE ULTRASONIC RANGE METER.

The following is a small list of projects based on few of the above mentioned Sensors.

Light Detector using LDR

A Light Detector or a Light Sensor is a device or circuit that detects the intensity of
the light incident on it. Different types of light detectors are LDRs (or Light Dependent
Resistors), Photo Diodes, Photo Transistors, etc.

All these devices are called as Photoelectric Devices as they convert light energy to electric
energy. These Light Detectors or Sensors can detect different types of light like visible light,
ultraviolet light, infrared light etc.

In this project, we have designed a simple Light Detector using LDR. When the light falls on
the LDR, the light stays off and when the light stops falling on LDR, the LED glows. We
have designed two types of circuits: one using an OP – AMP (Operational Amplifier) and
other using just transistors.

Pravara poly loni Page 7

 TYPES OF SENSORS

Pravara poly loni Page 8

 TYPES OF SENSORS

Light Detector using LDR and OP – Amp

Circuit Diagram

Pravara poly loni Page 9

 TYPES OF SENSORS

Components Required

 LM358 OP – Amp IC
 Small LDR
 10 KΩ Resistor
 10 KΩ Potentiometer
 White LED
 220 Ω Resistor
 Connecting wires
 Power supply (9V Battery)

Working of the Circuit

The main components of the project are LM358 Op – Amp and LDR. First let us see about
LDR (Light Dependent Resistor). An LDR, as the name suggests, is a type of resistor, whose
resistance changes depending on the intensity of the light surrounding it.

Typically, when light is incident directly on the LDR, its resistance will be very low and
when there is no light i.e. in darker conditions, its resistance jumps to few mega Ohms.

We will use this feature of the LDR is our project to detect light and turn on an LED. For this
we have used an Operational Amplifier. The Op – Amp is configured in Comparator mode
i.e. it will compare the voltages at inverting and non – inverting terminals and
correspondingly generate a HIGH or LOW output.

We have connected the wiper terminal of the 10 KΩ Potentiometer to the inverting terminal
of the OP – Amp. To the non – inverting terminal, we have connected the junction of a 10
KΩ Resistor and the LDR. These two will form a potential divider feeding its output to the
OP – Amp.

When the light is incident on the LDR, its resistance decreases. Hence, the non – inverting
voltage is lower than the inverting voltage and as a result, the LED remains OFF.

Pravara poly loni Page 10

 TYPES OF SENSORS

When there is no light falling on the LDR, the resistance of the LDR becomes very high and
as a result, the voltage at the non – inverting terminal will be more than the voltage at
inverting terminal. The output of the Op – Amp will be high and the LED is turned ON.

Construction and Output Video

Light Detector using LDR and Transistors

Circuit Diagram

Components Required

 2 x BC547 NPN Transistors

 Small LDR
 1 KΩ Resistor
 10 KΩ Potentiometer
 White LED
 330 Ω Resistor
 Connecting wires
 Power supply (9V Battery)

Working of the Circuit

In the previous circuit, we have seen a simple Light Detector using LDR and an Op – Amp. If
you don’t have an Op – Amp, then the above circuit will be helpful. It uses just two transistor
to perform the light detection operation.

Pravara poly loni Page 11

 TYPES OF SENSORS

In this circuit, we have used two transistor in the form of Darlington Pair. Even though a
single transistor would be suffice, Darlington Pair ensures that there is enough current at the
output.

The construction of the circuit is very simple. A 10 KΩ Potentiometer and the LDR form the
biasing resistors of the first Transistor. When there is light incident on the LDR, its resistance
will become less.

Hence, there will not be any biasing voltage to the first transistor. As a result, it will not be
turned. As there is no output from the first transistor, the second transistor will not be turned
on and hence, the LED stays OFF.

When the light incident on the LDR is removed i.e. under darker conditions, the resistance of
the LDR will become very high. Hence, the voltage from the POT will take a less resistance
path i.e. it turns ON the first transistor.

This will in turn ON the second transistor as its input is connected to the output of the first
transistor. As a result, the LED, which is connected to the output of the second transistor will
be turned ON.

Applications

 Simple Light Detector Circuit can be used in many applications like automatic
switching of appliances up on detecting light, security systems, etc.
 This circuit can be used in alarm system, where increasing intensity of light will trigger
the alarm.
 It can also be used in cupboards or wardrobes. When the door is opened, the light will
automatically turned on.

Smoke Detector Alarm Circuit

A Smoke Detector is a smoke sensing device that indicates fire. Smoke Detectors are very
common in homes, offices, schools and industries. Smoke Detectors are very useful devices
as the damage caused by fire accidents is catastrophic.

Now a days, smoke detectors and smoke alarms are very cheap as its usage is increasing and
cost of manufacturing is decreasing. In this project, we are implementing a simple Smoke
Detector Circuit using simple hardware.

We used a Gas/Smoke sensor for detecting smoke. The article is divided into information
about Smoke sensor, circuit diagram and working.

Pravara poly loni Page 12

 TYPES OF SENSORS

A Brief Introduction to Smoke Sensor

There are two types of smoke detectors. Optical or Photoelectric smoke detectors and
Ionization smoke detectors.
Optical smoke detectors consists of a light source like LED and a light detector like
photocell.

The photocell conducts as long as the light falls on it. When there is smoke, the light from the
source is interrupted and the photocell doesn’t conduct.

Ionization smoke detectors consists of two electrodes and an ionization chamber filled with
ions. When there is no smoke, the ions move freely and the electrodes conduct normally.

In the presence of smoke, the chamber is filled with smoke and interrupts the movement of
ions. The electrodes do not conduct anymore. Depending on the type of sensor and
manufacturer, the conductivity conditions may change but the idea remains the same.

Based on the output of the smoke detector, an alarm system can be implemented.

Pravara poly loni Page 13

 TYPES OF SENSORS

The sensor used in this project is MQ-2 Gas/Smoke sensor. It is sensitive to LPG, Hydrogen,
Smoke, Methane, Propane, Alcohol, Butane and other industrial combustible gases.

It has two electrodes made of Aluminum Oxide (Al2O3) and a heating element made of Tin
dioxide (SnO¬2) which acts as the main sensing layer.

Circuit Diagram

Components Required

 MQ-2 Sensor
 LM358
 10KΩ
 330Ω
 LED
 0.1µF
 10KΩ POT

Pravara poly loni Page 14

 TYPES OF SENSORS

Working

Smoke Detectors are amazing devices as they are small, cheap yet very useful. In this project,
we implemented a simple Smoke Detector Circuit with adjustable sensitivity.

We used a Smoke Sensor MQ-2 as the main sensory device. The working of the circuit is
simple and is explained below.

LM358 acts as a comparator in this circuit. The inverting terminal of LM358 is connected to
POT so that the sensitivity of the circuit can be adjusted.

The output of LM358 is given to an LED as an indicator although a buzzer can be used as an
alarm. The non-inverting terminal of LM358 is connected with output of smoke sensor.

Initially, when the air is clean, the conductivity between the electrodes is less, as the
resistance is in the order of 50KΩ. The inverting terminal input of comparator is higher than
the non-inverting terminal input. The indicator LED is OFF.

In the event of fire, when the sensor is filled with smoke, the resistance of the sensor falls to
5KΩ and the conductivity between the electrodes increases.

This provides a higher input at the non-inverting terminal of comparator than the inverting
terminal and the output of comparator is high. The alarming LED is turned ON as an
indication of presence of smoke.

Note

 The heating element in the Smoke Sensor must be preheated before it can sense any
smoke or gas.
 The sensor gets hot because of the heating coil and it is advised not to touch the sensor
while it is switched on.
 The sensitivity of the circuit to different concentrations of smoke can be adjusted by
using the POT.
 The output LED can be replaced with a loud buzzer for effective alarm.

Pravara poly loni Page 15