Sensing Your Surroundings
A student uses his senses other than sight to distinguish between two similar objects.Copyright 2010 Michael Hernandez, Polytechnic Institute of NYU
Students consider human senses and the many everyday human-made sensors so common in their lives. They learn about the three components of biosensors—a special type of sensor—and their functions and importance. With this understanding, students identify various organs in the human body that behave as sensors, such as the pancreas. Using LEGO® MINDSTORMS® robots, provided rbt robot programs and LEGO sensors (light, ultrasonic, sound, touch), students gain first-hand experience with sensors and come to see how engineer-designed sensors play important roles in our daily lives, informing people of their surroundings and ultimately improving our quality of life.
**Note: This activity uses the retired LEGO NXT robot which is no longer available for purchase.
Sensors relay important information about environments in rapid and quantitative ways. Engineers design and use sensors in their everyday work. They create sensors to gather data, make measurements and perform tasks, such as identify diseases, measure pollution and open doors. Sensors monitor the integrity of bridges and other large structures to make sure they are safe for use. Other sensors are designed to diagnose illnesses and monitor treatments through the analysis of blood and tissue samples. In this activity, students experiment with an abundance of sensors and gain an awareness about sensors that are encountered in their daily routines, making strong connections between biotechnology and sensors that are pervasive in the everyday world.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Discuss various types of sensors (for color, distance, sound and touch) and the qualities (external stimulus and output response) that distinguish them from other ordinary objects.
- Define a biosensor, including its three major components: sensitive biological recognition element, transducer, signal processor.
- Describe different sensors in the body.