Robotic Sensors: A Comprehensive Guide

This page provides an overview of robotic sensors and their functions, along with links for further exploration.

Introduction

Modern technology has given us sensors that function similarly to human organs. These sensors are vital in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI). Robotics involves building robots, which are programmable machines that interact with the physical world through sensors and actuators. Robots are designed to operate autonomously or semi-autonomously.

Industrial robots are often programmed to perform repetitive tasks without needing AI. However, robots performing complex tasks rely heavily on AI algorithms. Some of these algorithms are even used in virtual assistants like Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Apple Siri.

List of Robotic Sensors

A typical robot has a movable physical structure driven by motors, sensors, a power supply, and a computer. Robots are designed for various applications, which dictates the types of sensors they use. Here are some of the most common sensors found in robots, often referred to as robotic sensors:

Sensors enable robots to “see,” “hear,” “touch,” and “move” in ways that mimic human capabilities. They provide environmental feedback about the surroundings and terrain.

• Distance, object detection, vision, and proximity sensors are crucial for self-driving vehicles.
• RFID sensors provide identification codes and other information.
• Force sensors allow robots to pick up objects.
• Torque sensors measure and control rotational forces.
• Microphones serve as acoustical sensors, enabling robots to receive voice commands and detect sounds from the environment.

Proximity Sensor

The Proximity sensor used for non-contact detection of an object.

The proximity sensor is used for non-contact detection of objects.

Light Sensor

The Light sensor is used to detect presence, color and intensity of the light.

The light sensor detects the presence, color, and intensity of light.

Ultrasonic Sensor

• The ultrasonic sensor is a transducer that converts electrical energy into sound waves and vice versa.
• These sound waves are above the normal range of human hearing, hence the term “ultrasonic.”
• The sensor has two main parts: a transmitter and a receiver.
• The transmitter converts electrical energy into sound and emits it.
• The receiver receives the echo and converts the received sound waves back into electrical energy.
• The returned echo is measured and used to calculate distance by the ultrasonic sensor.

Infrared Sensor

Infrared sensors emit and detect infrared waves to detect distant objects. The wavelength of infrared waves falls between 700 nm and 1 mm, corresponding to 430 THz to 300 GHz in the electromagnetic spectrum.

Touch Sensor

The touch sensor detects the presence or absence of an object.

Force Sensor

The force sensor measures force along a single axis.

Vision Sensor

The vision sensor detects edges, holes, and corners.

Temperature Sensor

The temperature sensor senses temperature. They determine temperature and help robots avoid harmful heat sources.

Sound Sensor

The sound sensor detects the presence, frequency, and intensity of sound.

Other Sensors

• Physical Orientation Sensor: Determines the coordinates of objects in space.
• Chemical Sensors: Detect the presence and concentration of chemicals or reactants.