Technology can notice changes — Technology, 4–6 years
Sensors let a device notice something nearby, such as light, touch, heat or movement, and respond to it.
What a sensor does
A sensor is a part that notices one kind of change around it. It might notice that a hand touched something, that a room became dark, or that something moved nearby. The sensor sends this information to a device, which may then do a job.
Why let a device notice?
A person cannot watch every place and press every button at the right moment. Sensors solve this problem by noticing a change for us. People began using simple automatic devices so lights, alarms and other machines could react when something happened.
A light that comes on
Imagine a small night light with a light sensor. First, the room is bright, so the sensor tells the light to stay off. Next, you cover the sensor with your hand; it notices darkness and tells the light to come on. Remove your hand, and the room becomes bright again.
A sensor is not a person
It is easy to say that a sensor sees, hears or understands like a person. Usually it only notices a particular thing, such as brightness, touch or movement, and follows what it was made to do. This mistake makes sense because the device can react at just the right time.
Sensors in everyday places
Automatic doors can use a sensor to notice someone approaching and open. A fridge light can use a sensor or a switch to notice that the door is open. Street lights may notice when it gets dark. These devices do not guess; they respond to a change they can detect.
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