sensor
NounWordNet 3.0
Noun (1)
- any device that receives a signal or stimulus (as heat or pressure or light or motion etc.) and responds to it in a distinctive mannerSynonyms: detectorsensing element
Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)
Sensor \Sen"sor\, a. Sensory; as, the sensor nerves. [1913 Webster]
Free On-line Dictionary of Computing
sensor
<hardware> An electronic device used to measure a physical quantity such as temperature, pressure or loudness and convert it into an electronic signal of some kind (e.g a voltage). Sensors are normally components of some larger electronic system such as a computer control and/or measurement system.
Analog sensors most often produce a voltage proportional to the measured quantity. The signal must be converted to digital form with a ADC before the CPU can process it.
Digital sensors most often use serial communication such as EIA-232 to return information directly to the controller or computer through a serial port.
(1997-04-15)