Department of Education

10 National Capital Region

S CH OOL S DI V I S I ON OF F I CE
M A R I K I NA CI T Y

SPECIAL SCIENCE CLASS PROGRAM

Robotics

Quarter 2 – Module 4
Sensors

Writer: Efren R. Manzano

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 What I Need to Know
The purpose of this module is to help you understand Sensors .

After going through this module, you are expected to understand Sensors.

Specifically, you are expected to:

1. define Sensors
2. familiarize with the different types of Sensors
3. integrate Sensors to other components
4. choose Sensor

What I Know

Identify and describe 5 Robotic Sensor (with example photo) and describe the following
images. (15pts)

Module 4 Sensors

What’ s In

Robots use a variety of different electromechanical sensors to explore and understand

their environment and themselves. Emulating a living creature’s senses is currently
very difficult, so researchers and developers have resorted to alternatives to biological
senses.

Although a robot cannot tell you if a substance tastes good or if an odour smells bad,
the steps involved in analyzing the chemical composition can give it far more
information than a normal human could about its properties. Additionally, robots can
not only sense but give accurate values of a variety of environmental factors that
humans are otherwise unaware of or incapable of sensing.

Robots can “see” but have a hard time understanding what they are looking at. For
instance, Distance sensors would indicate the distance to an object, but would not stop
a robot from bumping into it.

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 What’ s New

In your own understanding, What are the Criterias in the selection of Sensor? Give 5
Criterias and briefly discuss (15 points)

What Is It

Robotic sensors are used to estimate a robot's condition and environment. These
signals are passed to a controller to enable appropriate behavior. Sensors in robots are
based on the functions of human sensory organs. Robots require extensive information
about their environment in order to function effectively.

Types of Robotic Sensor

1. CONTACT SENSOR
-Requires physical contact against other objects to trigger

Example 1

PUSH BUTTON

Switches, buttons, and contact sensors are used to detect physical contact
between objects and are not just restricted to humans pushing buttons.
 Advantages: very low cost, easy to integrate, reliable
 Disadvantage: single distance measurement

Example 2

PRESSURE SENSOR

Senses pressure and converts it into electric signal.

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 2. DISTANCE SENSOR

- Fast and accurate measurement, precise positioning and

detection of a wide range of materials.

Example 1

ULTRASONIC RANGE FINDERS

use acoustics to measure the time between when a signal is sent versus
when its echo is received back. Ultrasonic range finders can measure a
range of distances.

 Advantages: medium range (several meters) measurement.

 Disadvantage: surfaces and environmental factors can affect the readings.

Example 2

Infrared

Infrared light, which as we saw is used in communication, can also be

used to measure distance. Some infrared sensors measure one specific
distance while others provide an output proportional to the distance to an
object.

 Advantages: low cost, fairly reliable and accurate.

 Disadvantage: closer range than ultrasonic

Other Examples

LASER

"light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation"

Lasers are used when high accuracy, or long distances (or both) are
required when measuring the range to an object. Scanning laser
rangefinders use spinning lasers to get a two dimensional scan of the
distances to objects.

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 Advantages: Very accurate, very long range.
 Disadvantage: Much costlier than regular infrared or ultrasonic sensors.

ENCODERS

It uses mini infrared transmitter/receiver pairs and send signals when the
infrared beam is broken by a specifically designed spinning disk. The number of
times the beam is broken corresponds to the total angle travelled by a wheel.
Two encoders give you a relative distance in two dimensions.

 Advantages: Assuming there is no slip, the displacement is absolute.

 Disadvantages: Additional programming required

LINEAR POTENTIOMETER

A linear potentiometer is able to measure the absolute position of an object. A

resistive band changes resistance depending on where a force is applied.

 Advantages: Position is absolute. A resistive band requires pressure to be

applied at a given position.
 Disadvantages: Range is very small

STRETCH AND BEND SENSORS

It is made up of a material whose resistance changes according to how much it

has been stretched. A bend sensor changes according to how much it has been
bent. These can be used to determine a small angle or rotation.

 Advantages: useful where an axis of rotation is internal or inaccessible

 Disadvantages: not very accurate, and only small angles can be measured


STEREO CAMERA SYSTEM

Stereo vision provides depth information when using multiple cameras. Robots
equipped with cameras can be some of the most capable and complex robots
produced. A camera that is combined with the right software, can provide color
and object recognition.

 Advantages: Can provide depth information and a good feedback about a robot’s
environment.
 Disadvantage: Complex to program and use the information

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 3. POSITIONING SENSOR

- any device that permits position measurement. It can either be

an absolute position sensor or a relative one. They can be
linear, angular, or multi-axis.

Example

GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM

It uses the signals from several satellites orbiting the planet to
help determine its geographic coordinates. Regular GPS units
can provide geographical positioning down to 5m of accuracy
while more advanced systems involving data processing and
error correction.

 Advantage: Does not requires markers or other references.

 Disadvantage: Can only function outdoors.

4. ROTATION SENSOR

- A sensor that measures the turning movement of a wheel for

purposes of calculating distance

Example

POTENTIOMETER
It is essentially a voltage divider and provides an analog voltage
corresponding to the angle the knob is rotated to.

 Advantages: simple to use, inexpensive, reasonably accurate, provides

absolute readings.
 Disadvantage: most are restricted to 300 degrees of rotation

5. ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION SENSOR

- describes the processes and activities that need to take place to
characterise and monitor the quality of the environment.

Example

LIGHT SENSOR
It can be used to measure the intensity of a light source, be it natural or
artificial. Usually, its resistance is proportional to the light intensity.

 Advantages: usually very inexpensive and very useful

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  Disadvantage: cannot discriminate the source or type of light.

 Sound sensor- A sound sensor is essentially a microphone that returns a

voltage proportional to the ambient noise level. More complex boards can
use the data from a microphone for speech recognition.

Advantages: inexpensive, reliable

Disadvantages: more meaningful information requires complex
programming

What’ s More

What Are the other types of Robotic Sensor?

What I Have Learned

Explain briefly the importance of a Robotic Sensor

Read and answer each question. Choose the letter of the best answer. Write your
chosen letter on a separate sheet of paper.

1. Requires physical contact against other objects to trigger

A. Position Sensor B. Contact Sensor C. Distance Sensor D. Rotation Sensor

2. A sensor that measures the turning movement of a wheel for purposes of calculating
distance
A. Position Sensor B. Contact Sensor C. Distance Sensor D. Rotation Sensor

3. Describes the processes and activities that need to take place to characterise and
monitor the quality of the environment.
A. Position Sensor B. Contact Sensor C. Distance Sensor D. Environmental
Condition Sensor

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4. Fast and accurate measurement, precise positioning and detection of a wide range
of materials.

A. Position Sensor B. Contact Sensor C. Distance Sensor D. Environmental

Condition Sensor
5. Any device that permits position measurement. It can either be an absolute position
sensor or a relative one. They can be linear, angular, or multi-axis.

A. Position Sensor B. Contact Sensor C. Distance Sensor D. Environmental

Condition Sensor

Additional Activities

Online Learners:
Visit the link below for other types of Sensors

Link:
https://www.robotshop.com/en/motors-actuators.html

Offline Learners:
Identify other types of Robotic Sensor

References

ROBOTICS POWERPOINT PRESENTATION

https://www.robotshop.com/en/motors-actuators.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robotics

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 Development Team of the Module
Writer: Efren R. Manzano

Reviewers: Jessica S. Mateo

Noreen Mabbagu
Vandon Bolera
Management Team:
Sheryll T. Gayola
Assistant Schools Division Superintendent
OIC, Office of the Schools Division Superintendent

Elisa O. Cerveza
Chief, CID
OIC, Office of the Assistant Schools Division Superintendent

Jessica S. Mateo
EPS-Science

Ivy Coney A. Gamatero

EPS – LRMS

For inquiries or feedback, please write or call:

Schools Division Office- Marikina City

Email Address: sdo.marikina@deped.gov.ph

191 Shoe Ave., Sta. Elena, Marikina City, 1800, Philippines

Telefax: (02) 682-2472 / 682-3989

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