Sensor
noun
A device that detects or measures a physical property and records, indicates, or otherwise responds to it.
The alarm system had sensors installed to detect movement.
Often appears as...
- motion sensor
- temperature sensor
Usage tips
Technical
noun
Part of a machine or instrument that detects changes in the physical environment.
The airplane's sensors detected a change in air pressure.
Often appears as...
- pressure sensor
- position sensor
Usage tips
Technical
noun
Component in a device used to convert a physical phenomenon into an electrical signal.
The heart rate sensor on your smartwatch converts your pulse into an electrical signal.
Often appears as...
- proximity sensor
- magnetic sensor
Usage tips
Technical
noun
A device that detects or measures a physical property and records, indicates, or otherwise responds to it.
The alarm system had sensors installed to detect movement.
Often appears as...
- motion sensor
- temperature sensor
Usage tips
Technical
noun
Part of a machine or instrument that detects changes in the physical environment.
The airplane's sensors detected a change in air pressure.
Often appears as...
- pressure sensor
- position sensor
Usage tips
Technical
noun
Component in a device used to convert a physical phenomenon into an electrical signal.
The heart rate sensor on your smartwatch converts your pulse into an electrical signal.
Often appears as...
- proximity sensor
- magnetic sensor
Usage tips
Technical
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Detect and Respond
Sensors are not just passive; they actively respond to changes they detect.
The floodlight turns on automatically because its sensor responds to movement.
Pro Tip 2/3Various Forms
Sensors can be visible gadgets or hidden within devices.
Cars have multiple hidden sensors to monitor engine performance.
Pro Tip 3/3Technical Vocabulary
The word 'sensor' is often found in technical or specialized discussions.
During the tour of the space station, the guide explained how each sensor worked.
Pro Tip 1/3Detect and Respond
Sensors are not just passive; they actively respond to changes they detect.
The floodlight turns on automatically because its sensor responds to movement.
Pro Tip 2/3Various Forms
Sensors can be visible gadgets or hidden within devices.
Cars have multiple hidden sensors to monitor engine performance.
Pro Tip 3/3Technical Vocabulary
The word 'sensor' is often found in technical or specialized discussions.
During the tour of the space station, the guide explained how each sensor worked.
Pro Tip 1/3Detect and Respond
Sensors are not just passive; they actively respond to changes they detect.
The floodlight turns on automatically because its sensor responds to movement.
Pro Tip 2/3Various Forms
Sensors can be visible gadgets or hidden within devices.
Cars have multiple hidden sensors to monitor engine performance.
Pro Tip 3/3Technical Vocabulary
The word 'sensor' is often found in technical or specialized discussions.
During the tour of the space station, the guide explained how each sensor worked.
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Video examples
Photography as...
- So you can see your aperture. That's what your camera's doing automatically. There's only three things cameras do. So you have a sensor. You have an aperture and a shutter. That's what a camera is. - That's right, yep. - Everything with those basics. - You know, we always say art imitates life. I feel like that is pretty spot on and transcends any walk of life
Video examples
Elon Musk: A future...
Right. You know, so from a sensors and actuators standpoint, it's certainly been demonstrated by many that it's possible to make a humanoid robot. The things that are currently missing are enough intelligence for the robot to navigate the real world and do useful things without being explicitly instructed.
Video examples
Will future spacecraft...
But the next real-world generation of spacecraft may be much, much smaller. We're talking fit-inside-your-pocket tiny. Imagine sending a swarm of these microspacecraft out into the galaxy. They could explore distant stars and planets by carrying sophisticated electronic sensors
Video examples
Could we create dark...
Now, the detectors take snapshots of about a billion of these collisions per second to find signs of extremely rare massive particles. To add to the difficulty, the particles we're looking for may be unstable and decay into more familiar particles before reaching the sensors.
Video examples
Meet Spot, the robot dog...
that's telling it what to do, and the computer is listening through its sensors. But that's really only half of the story. The real story is that the computer is on one side, making suggestions to the robot, and on the other side are the physics of the world.
Video examples
Beautiful Butterfly...
some studies have found that butterflies will raise one leg in the air to kind of do their pre-flight checks as if they're checking the wind see if they can take off and then yeah they've got sensors in their feet and once they realize the conditions are
Video examples
The Astronaut of the...
the front or you can use some sensors to collect various types of chemical or physical data but definitely the most exciting part and the most exciting tool is of course submersibles there are chariots down into the deep ocean you're actually able
Video examples
Elon Musk talks Twitter,...
basically real world uh intelligence and uh scaling up manufacturing um those are two things that tesla is very good at uh so then we basically just need to design the the uh specialized actuators and sensors that are needed for a humanoid robot
Video examples
The incredible...
in the best way. And what we're doing with them is taking a traditional race-car chassis and giving it a nervous system. So we instrumented it with dozens of sensors, put a world-class driver behind the wheel,
Video examples
Brazil’s indigenous...
history here our sensors leave you here without disease we don't have a life plaintiff or indigenous people represent life and continuance and hope not juice
Video examples
Photography as...
- So you can see your aperture. That's what your camera's doing automatically. There's only three things cameras do. So you have a sensor. You have an aperture and a shutter. That's what a camera is. - That's right, yep. - Everything with those basics. - You know, we always say art imitates life. I feel like that is pretty spot on and transcends any walk of life
Video examples
Elon Musk: A future...
Right. You know, so from a sensors and actuators standpoint, it's certainly been demonstrated by many that it's possible to make a humanoid robot. The things that are currently missing are enough intelligence for the robot to navigate the real world and do useful things without being explicitly instructed.
Video examples
Will future spacecraft...
But the next real-world generation of spacecraft may be much, much smaller. We're talking fit-inside-your-pocket tiny. Imagine sending a swarm of these microspacecraft out into the galaxy. They could explore distant stars and planets by carrying sophisticated electronic sensors
Video examples
Could we create dark...
Now, the detectors take snapshots of about a billion of these collisions per second to find signs of extremely rare massive particles. To add to the difficulty, the particles we're looking for may be unstable and decay into more familiar particles before reaching the sensors.
Video examples
Meet Spot, the robot dog...
that's telling it what to do, and the computer is listening through its sensors. But that's really only half of the story. The real story is that the computer is on one side, making suggestions to the robot, and on the other side are the physics of the world.
Video examples
Beautiful Butterfly...
some studies have found that butterflies will raise one leg in the air to kind of do their pre-flight checks as if they're checking the wind see if they can take off and then yeah they've got sensors in their feet and once they realize the conditions are
Video examples
The Astronaut of the...
the front or you can use some sensors to collect various types of chemical or physical data but definitely the most exciting part and the most exciting tool is of course submersibles there are chariots down into the deep ocean you're actually able
Video examples
Elon Musk talks Twitter,...
basically real world uh intelligence and uh scaling up manufacturing um those are two things that tesla is very good at uh so then we basically just need to design the the uh specialized actuators and sensors that are needed for a humanoid robot
Video examples
The incredible...
in the best way. And what we're doing with them is taking a traditional race-car chassis and giving it a nervous system. So we instrumented it with dozens of sensors, put a world-class driver behind the wheel,
Video examples
Brazil’s indigenous...
history here our sensors leave you here without disease we don't have a life plaintiff or indigenous people represent life and continuance and hope not juice
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Evgeny Morozov
Belarusian Writer
Sleephackers go to bed with sensors on their wrists and foreheads and maintain detailed electronic sleep diaries, which they often share online. To shift between sleep phases, sleephackers experiment with various diets, room and body temperatures, and kinds of pre-sleep physical exercise.
Quote examples
David Cohen
American Businessman
If you look at the history of innovation, the innovations coming through the defence department have been some of the most important innovations ever. Little things like drones, sensors, and the Internet of Things are defence-type initiatives, but the big one is the Internet itself.
Quote examples
Peter Diamandis
American Businessman
As sensors and networks continue to expand around the world, we'll see violence drop even further. After all, when there's a danger that your actions can be caught on tape and shown around the world, you're more responsible for your behavior.
Quote examples
Ralph Merkle
American Scientist
Lighter computers and lighter sensors would let you have more function in a given weight, which is very important if you are launching things into space, and you have to pay by the pound to put things there.
Quote examples
Bear Grylls
British Explorer
When I'm in 'Man vs. Wild' mode, it's not pleasure. Every sensor is firing and I'm on reserve power all the time and I'm digging deep - and that's the magic of it as well, and that's raw and it's great.
Quote examples
Ren Ng
Malaysian Businessman
When a regular camera focuses physically, what the regular camera is doing is adjusting the lens relative to the sensor to bring different parts of the scene into focus.
Quote examples
Robert Scoble
American Author
There is a shirt company that is making sensors that go into your clothing. They will watch how you sit, run or ski and give data on that information.
Quote examples
Jimmy Fallon
American Comedian
Thank you... motion sensor hand towel machine. You never work, so I just end up looking like I'm waving hello to a wall robot.
Quote examples
Jordana Brewster
American Actress
Parking is a nightmare for me... I still have sensors on my car that help me park.
Quote examples
Carrie Nugent
American Scientist
NEOWISE needed a cryogen coolant to keep its sensors cool, and that ran out.
Quote examples
Evgeny Morozov
Belarusian Writer
Sleephackers go to bed with sensors on their wrists and foreheads and maintain detailed electronic sleep diaries, which they often share online. To shift between sleep phases, sleephackers experiment with various diets, room and body temperatures, and kinds of pre-sleep physical exercise.
Quote examples
David Cohen
American Businessman
If you look at the history of innovation, the innovations coming through the defence department have been some of the most important innovations ever. Little things like drones, sensors, and the Internet of Things are defence-type initiatives, but the big one is the Internet itself.
Quote examples
Peter Diamandis
American Businessman
As sensors and networks continue to expand around the world, we'll see violence drop even further. After all, when there's a danger that your actions can be caught on tape and shown around the world, you're more responsible for your behavior.
Quote examples
Ralph Merkle
American Scientist
Lighter computers and lighter sensors would let you have more function in a given weight, which is very important if you are launching things into space, and you have to pay by the pound to put things there.
Quote examples
Bear Grylls
British Explorer
When I'm in 'Man vs. Wild' mode, it's not pleasure. Every sensor is firing and I'm on reserve power all the time and I'm digging deep - and that's the magic of it as well, and that's raw and it's great.
Quote examples
Ren Ng
Malaysian Businessman
When a regular camera focuses physically, what the regular camera is doing is adjusting the lens relative to the sensor to bring different parts of the scene into focus.
Quote examples
Robert Scoble
American Author
There is a shirt company that is making sensors that go into your clothing. They will watch how you sit, run or ski and give data on that information.
Quote examples
Jimmy Fallon
American Comedian
Thank you... motion sensor hand towel machine. You never work, so I just end up looking like I'm waving hello to a wall robot.
Quote examples
Jordana Brewster
American Actress
Parking is a nightmare for me... I still have sensors on my car that help me park.
Quote examples
Carrie Nugent
American Scientist
NEOWISE needed a cryogen coolant to keep its sensors cool, and that ran out.
Example 1 of 10
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