Computers and Sensors:
Sensor Basics
Because sensors just send information to the computer, they can be placed just about anywhere. For example, they can be located where something moves, like the brake pedal, or just monitor a condition, such as monitoring engine temperature.
 Sensors also come in variety or shapes and sizes based on their location and the type of information they need to capture. In general, there are two broad categories of sensors, active and passive.
Active vs Passive Sensors
Active sensors automatically send their own signal with information back to the computer. It works kind of like checking in and giving an update or a report. Passive sensors on the other hand, just respond to queries from the computer and don't initiate communication with the computer. In either case, sensors provide a lot of information back to the computer. |