Have you ever wondered how your smartphone can count your steps or how a smartwatch can read your heart rate and blood pressure with such precision?
Well, the reason behind it is nothing but a chip or device that’s embedded into their system or machinery.
Better known as sensors, these little components or devices are designed to detect, measure, record, indicate, or respond to a physical property like a movement or a situation.
When combined or connected to the Internet, these sensors and actuators become Internet-enabled and hence, are called the Internet of Things (IoT) Sensors.
The primary role of the IoT sensors is to gather data from the users or the surrounding environment and send it across the server for the desired action.
As the main touchpoint for end users, all IoT sensors are meant to work with the utmost efficiency when they are connected to the internet, whether directly or indirectly. Nonetheless, different types of appliances and devices may also have different types of sensors in them.
Types of IoT Sensors and Their Applications
While there are several types of IoT Sensors in the growing digital landscape, some of the rather common include:
1. Temperature/Thermal Sensors
Temperature or Thermal Sensors are one of the most common types of IoT sensors that you can find.
They are used to measure the temperature or heat levels of an object or area.
Available in both contact and non-contact types, thermal sensors can sense, collect, and transfer data over the Internet and initiate a response based on the instructions or algorithms.
Used across various industries such as agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare, and so on, temperature sensors can also help you automate the temperature of rooms, heavy-duty machines, and home appliances.
Some of the common examples of these sensors include thermostats, thermistors, thermocouples, and resistor temperature detectors (RTD).
2. Motion Detectors
Motion Sensors are yet another common type of IoT sensor that you may have seen in real life. For example, the glass door of an office or mall opens on its own as soon as you get close to it. The reason is the presence of a motion sensor on the ground, which sends a signal to the door to open or close upon detecting any movement.
Used primarily for security reasons, motion detectors can also be applied to various systems such as elevator doors, alarms, energy monitors, video surveillance, smartwatches, fitness trackers, etc.
Motion detectors use the technology of passive infrared rays, ultrasonic waves, and microwaves to sense and react.
3. Pressure Sensors
Next up, we have the pressure sensors that are used or designed to detect the pressure levels of a device or area and send information to the control center when any changes in the pressure are detected.
Mainly used to identify leaks and the flow of gases or fluid, pressure sensors have shown immense potential in a number of fields like the automotive and aircraft industry, hydraulic and pneumatic systems, and extraction and drilling.
A few common examples include the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) and the digital pressure sensing device BMP180 which is used for GPS and navigation.
4. Humidity Sensors
Humidity sensors or hygrometers can measure the vapor content or moisture of both air and soil.
Commonly found in heating, cooling, ventilating, and HVAC systems, humidity sensors can be employed in residential and industrial spaces or when the humidity levels of an object or area need to be maintained or controlled.
Apart from HVAC systems, humidity sensors are largely utilized in the food and agriculture industry to maintain ideal humidity levels and prevent any contamination or decomposition.
Modern IoT-enabled humidity sensors can also help you remote control or automate the functionality of a device as the moisture level may increase or decrease several times during a day.
5. Proximity Sensors
Proximity sensors are widely used in our day-to-day life whether we know it or not.
Designed to sense the proximity, or the presence/absence of objects in the desired vicinity, distance, or space, proximity sensors can detect things without even touching or coming into direct contact with them.
As such, they are heavily used in parking vehicles, navigating, monitoring, counting stuff, and determining the available space.
There are many types of proximity sensors depending on the technology they use such as photoelectric, magnetic, capacitive, inductive, and ultrasonic.
Regardless, proximity sensors are commonly used in the retail, industrial, and consumer sectors such as parking lots and elevators.
6. Accelerometers
Accelerometer sensors are instruments that measure the linear acceleration or the velocity of a moving object or body concerning the earth’s surface or gravity.
Popularized by the mighty Apple, it is how your phone screen activates or turns on on its own when you lift the phone or turn the screen up.
Able to sense and react based on several movements such as a tap, tilt, shake, and positioning or orientation of the device, accelerometers are widely used in cell phones, smart watches, GPS systems, and security or anti-theft protocols.
Some of the common types of accelerometer sensors are capacitive, inductive, strain, piezoelectric, and Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS).
7. Level Sensors
Level sensors are used to measure or monitor the levels of various substances including solid, gaseous, or liquid. For example, the car’s gas gauge, which triggers the warning light when the fuel is running out or drops to its minimum level.
In general, though, they are better referred to as liquid-level sensors.
Regardless, they can also be used to detect the level of gases, powders, and granular materials.
As such, they are being widely used in water treatment plants, the food sector, oil and petroleum refineries, and waste management.
8. Smoke Sensors
Smoke sensors detect the presence of smoke, flame, or other harmful gases in a building, room, or specific environment.
Upon sensing the smoke, these smoke sensors can quickly notify the control center or a particular device such as a fire alarm to take the necessary action like sounding the bugle for an urgent evacuation.
As a threat-preventing measure, smoke sensors can be deployed in various settings be it residential, commercial, or industrial.
For example, greenhouses, public transportation, forests, offices, factories, mines, kitchens, hotels, hospitals, and so on.
9. Air Quality Sensors
Perhaps the most eco-friendly of all is the air quality IoT sensors that can detect the quality of air in the atmosphere or the desired areas based on several factors.
For e.g. the air pressure, humidity level, temperature, decibel level, and different types of pollutants such as particulate matter and other harmful chemicals.
Being health-oriented and environmentally friendly, air quality sensors can be used in industrial areas, urban infrastructure, and HVAC systems to improve the quality of air and protect people from harmful chemicals or airborne particles.
10. Chemical/Gas Sensors
Chemical sensors are specially designed to measure the presence or concentration of different chemicals or gases that occur naturally or in man-made premises such as laboratories and manufacturing facilities.
As such, they are mainly used for monitoring and controlling the release, emissions, or leaks of hazardous chemicals and radiations into the environment.
Some of the common use cases of chemical or gas sensors include food quality assurance, gas leak or emission testing, water quality checks, and so on.
11. Infrared Sensors
Infrared or IR sensors can be used to identify a number of things such as infrared radiation, heat, temperature, pressure, or motion of a given object.
By using the properties of infrared radiation, these sensors can detect even the slightest of movement or change in the desired conditions and thus help make the necessary adjustments in controlling, monitoring, and automating the device or machine.
Some of the important ways it can be used include IR imaging or mapping, controlling electronic devices, IR flame sensors to detect the presence of flames or fires, and even robotics.
12. Gyroscope Sensors
Similar to accelerometers, gyroscopes are also used to measure the velocity or acceleration of a particular object but only in terms of angular rotation.
As such, they are built to detect the rotational motions or rpm of a motor and other devices which is too hard to follow up with a human eye.
Common use cases of gyroscope sensors include spacecraft, race cars, motorboats, DSLR cameras, motion-sensitive surveillance cameras, gaming consoles, and so on.
13. Flow Sensors
Flow sensors are mainly used to study the rate of flow of fluids and gases that are used in running a system or process.
These sensors come in various types such as turbine flow sensors, vortex flow sensors, differential pressure sensors, electromagnetic sensors, and rotary piston flow sensors.
That said, they can be used in a variety of places including manufacturing and chemical factories, water treatment plants, the energy sector to manage the flow of oil and natural gas, and in aircraft for fuel flow measurement.
14. & Biomedical Sensors
Last but not least, we have the all-too-important biomedical sensors that are commonly used across a wide range of health apps and the medical community as a whole.
Designed to read and monitor our vital stats, these biomedical sensors can be used to measure various physiological and biological parameters including blood pressure, sugar level, pulse, heart rate, and so on.
As a result, they are heavily used in sports and healthcare to keep a check on the metabolism of an individual, be it an athlete or patient.
Apart from monitoring the vitals, they have also proven quite helpful in managing diseases and chronic health conditions, preventing injuries, and assisting in rehabilitation programs.