"A sensor is a device that produces an output signal for the purpose of sensing a physical phenomenon."
Sensors detect physical or chemical changes in the environment around a robot, while actuators enable it to move or perform functions such as lifting or turning.
Introduction to Sensors and Actuators: An overview of what sensors and actuators are, how they work, and their applications in robotics.
Types of Sensors: Description of various types of sensors including proximity sensors, light sensors, force sensors, temperature sensors, and more.
Types of Actuators: Description of various types of actuators including motors, solenoids, hydraulic and pneumatic actuators, piezoelectric actuators, and more.
Sensor and Actuator Interfacing: Techniques required to interface sensors and actuators with microcontrollers or other computer systems used in robotics.
Calibration and Testing of Sensors and Actuators: Methods of calibrating and testing sensors and actuators to improve accuracy and reliability.
Robotics Perception: Techniques used to perceive the surrounding environment using sensors, such as LIDAR, cameras, and sonar.
Robotics Control Systems: Overview of control systems used to control the movement and behavior of robots, containing PID control, fuzzy control, and modern control theory.
Robotics Programming: Programming methodologies specifically relevant to robotics, including Introduction to Python, ROS (Robotics Operating System), MATLAB/Simulink Robotics.
Robotics Applications: Overview of various robotics applications, including manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, and seismology.
Emerging Sensor and Actuator Technologies: Introduction to innovative emerging technologies in robotics such as new motion sensors, optical sensors, and smart fabrics.
Software Development Kit (SDK): Understanding how one can develop an SDK to interface sensors and actuators with the computer.
Human-Robot Interaction: Development of digital systems that permit human-robot interaction in social and industrial settings.
Ethics and Society: A reflection of ethical and societal questions connected with robotics, including privacy concerns, AI ethics, and responsible robotic creativity.
Robotics Workflow: A comprehensive overview of the robotics workflow development cycle which comprises system architecture design, implementation and testing.
Robotics Project Management: Managing a robotics project efficiently and effectively.
Drones: Overview of drone technology, including types of sensors and motors used, and their uses.
Micro-robotics: Introduction to miniaturized robotics and how micro-robotics works in applications.
Robotics Simulation: Simulation development for evaluating the robotic system for a special task.
Machine Learning: The use of machine learning algorithms in robotics and training robots to learn new tasks.
Internet of Things (IoT) and Smart Home Automation: Understanding smart homes and how sensors and actuators interact to deliver automation.
Proximity sensor: Detects the presence or absence of an object in proximity.
Light sensor: Measures light intensity.
Temperature sensor: Measures temperature.
Pressure sensor: Measures pressure.
Motion sensor: Detects motion.
Accelerometer: Measures acceleration.
Gyroscope: Measures angular velocity.
Humidity sensor: Measures humidity level.
Tilt sensor: Detects the orientation of an object.
Sound sensor: Detects sound level.
DC motor: Converts electrical energy into mechanical energy to produce movement.
Stepper motor: Precisely controls the movement of an object, typically in a rotation.
Servo motor: Precisely controls the position, speed, and acceleration of an object.
Pneumatic actuator: Uses compressed air to produce movement.
Hydraulic actuator: Uses fluid (typically oil) to produce movement.
Solenoid: Converts electrical energy into linear motion.
Piezoelectric actuator: Uses the piezoelectric effect to produce movement.
Electroactive polymer actuator: Uses an electric field to produce movement.
Shape memory alloy actuator: Uses a material that changes shape when heated or cooled to produce movement.
Magnetic actuator: Uses a magnetic field to produce movement.
"Sensors are used in everyday objects such as touch-sensitive elevator buttons... and lamps which dim or brighten by touching the base."
"The uses of sensors have expanded beyond the traditional fields of temperature, pressure, and flow measurement."
"Analog sensors such as potentiometers and force-sensing resistors are still widely used."
"Their applications include manufacturing and machinery, airplanes and aerospace, cars, medicine, robotics, and many other aspects of our day-to-day life."
"There is a wide range of other sensors that measure chemical and physical properties of materials, including optical sensors for refractive index measurement, vibrational sensors for fluid viscosity measurement, and electro-chemical sensors for monitoring pH of fluids."
"A sensor's sensitivity indicates how much its output changes when the input quantity it measures changes."
"Some sensors can also affect what they measure... a room temperature thermometer inserted into a hot cup of liquid cools the liquid while the liquid heats the thermometer."
"Technological progress allows more and more sensors to be manufactured on a microscopic scale as microsensors using MEMS technology."
"In most cases, a microsensor reaches a significantly faster measurement time and higher sensitivity compared with macroscopic approaches."
"Disposable sensors—low-cost and easy‐to‐use devices for short‐term monitoring or single‐shot measurements—have recently gained growing importance."
"Using this class of sensors, critical analytical information can be obtained by anyone, anywhere and at any time, without the need for recalibration and worrying about contamination."
"A sensor... detects events or changes in its environment and sends the information to other electronics."
"With advances in micromachinery... the uses of sensors have expanded beyond the traditional fields of temperature, pressure, and flow measurement."
"...into MARG sensors."
"Everyday objects such as touch-sensitive elevator buttons (tactile sensors)..."
"There is a wide range of other sensors that measure chemical and physical properties of materials, including optical sensors for refractive index measurement..."
"Their applications include manufacturing and machinery, airplanes and aerospace, cars, medicine, robotics, and many other aspects of our day-to-day life."
"Sensors are usually designed to have a small effect on what is measured; making the sensor smaller often improves this and may introduce other advantages."
"...and electro-chemical sensors for monitoring pH of fluids."