A Guide to IoT Sensors and Devices: Types of Sensors and Its Applications

Have you ever thought how do the smart devices know about the whereabouts of the world?
Simple. Through IoT sensors and devices. The sensors let the device know what is going on in the world and after assessing the data, the device continues to work accordingly. Thus, the sensors are a fundamental part of the smart devices. Let’s check the different types of common sensors and their applications.

Temperature Sensor

Through this sensor, the device measures the temperature of different objects and works according to the information. After being installed, these sensors use different ways to measure the temperature of a specific object or the surface. The IoT sensor technology is so advanced that it does not require the device to touch the object or the surface to measure its temperature. 

Application: These types of sensors generally used in the thermostats and other related devices.

Proximity Sensor

These sensors are used to detect motions. By using the electromagnetic radiations or radars, these sensors determine the proximity of a living being.

Applications: These types of sensors are generally used for parking and in the retail industry.

Optical Sensors

These types of IoT sensors and devices are mostly used in cameras. The role of the optical sensors is to receive, emit and convert light into digital signals. The sensors first detect the electromagnetic energy and channel it to the processing unit of the device.

Applications: The optical sensors are mostly used in the mines, oil refineries, and chemical industries.


Pressure Sensors

As the name suggests, these sensors determine the pressure of the gas, liquid etc. This type of IoT sensor technology converts the physical energy into electromagnetic signals. After the conversion is complete, the signals are sent to the processors of the device. The presence of these kinds of sensors in barometers helps the weathermen in forecasting.

Applications: These types of sensors are used in the touch screen devices, automotive industries and the weather monitoring devices.

Humidity Sensors

In some of the industries, it is important to know the quantity of humidity in the air along with the temperature. In such cases, the humidity sensors come as the savior.

Applications: These types of sensors are mostly used in the weather-related devices and the thermostats.

Above mentioned IoT sensors are some of the most used ones. Apart from those, there are many sensors which are used in the day to day activity. One such sensor is the touch sensor which is used in almost every type of mobile devices.