Sensors and outputs — Technology, 7–10 years
Technology can notice something in the world and then respond. Sensors take in information; outputs show, move or play the result.
Notice, decide, respond
A sensor measures something, such as light, sound, heat or movement. A computer uses that information, and an output then does something we can notice, such as showing a message, making a sound or turning a motor.
Why connect machines to the world?
A machine that only follows a clock cannot know whether a room is dark or a wheel is blocked. Sensors solve this problem by giving it fresh information, while outputs let it act instead of only calculating silently.
An automatic night-light
First, a light sensor measures the room: 20 units means bright and 3 means dark. Next, the program checks whether the value is below 5. If it is, the output switches the lamp on; if not, it leaves the lamp off.
A sensor is not a thought
Because a phone can recognise a face or answer a question, it may seem that every part of it understands what it sees. A sensor only measures a signal; software interprets that number, and the result can still be wrong.
Everyday automatic actions
Automatic doors detect people, a smartwatch measures movement and a washing machine senses water levels. In each case, the device receives a measurement and uses it to choose an action or show useful information.
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