What Is an IR Sensor?
The human face seen through an infrared camera.Copyright 2014 Jarek Tuszynski, CC-BY-SA-3.0, Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AThermal_image_-_face_-_2.jpg
Students learn about infrared energy and how it is used to sense the surrounding environment. They review where infrared falls on the electromagnetic spectrum and learn how infrared sensors work, as well as various ways engineers and scientists create and apply infrared technology to study science and collect information for security, communications, medical, research and other purposes. Pre/post-quizzes and a take-home assignment are provided. Learning the concepts prepares students to conduct the associated activity in which they design and program Arduino-controlled robots that use IR sensors to follow a line and make designated stops, much like the automated guided vehicles used in industry and commerce.
Engineers design products that use infrared (IR) sensors to "sense" the surrounding environment such as by detecting the heat of an object or its motion. Some IR sensors detect objects' temperatures by measuring the amount of infrared radiation that is naturally emitted by the objects. Other devices detect the presence of objects by emitting their own IR radiation forward and then measuring the amount reflected back. Engineers incorporate IR sensors into a variety of consumer products such as security cameras, remote control devices, night vision equipment, chemical analysis instruments, as well as other technology that collects data about the universe.
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Describe what infrared waves are and identify their wavelengths.
- List ways infrared is used by scientists and engineers in various products to study science and collect information.
- Explain how an infrared sensor works.
- Explain how to use an infrared sensor to detect the presence of an object.