The Internet of Things (IoT) is changing how we interact with our surroundings.
But how can IoT sensors help improve our lives and businesses?
As a leader in IoT technology, we at Bluebot use these sensors to enhance visibility and control over water usage and flow rate in your environments.
Our expertise and innovative solutions help you manage resources more efficiently, proving that you can rely on us for trustworthy and impactful results.
Here, we’ll explore the most common types of IoT sensors and how they can boost efficiency, cut costs, and prevent accidents in various settings.
IoT sensors are electronic modules or chipsets that can detect ambient or system conditions and transmit data to IoT technology applications.
They’re commonplace in every environment using IoT devices, from smart homes and buildings to smart cities.
On a broad scale, there are two common types of sensors used in IoT applications: passive sensors, that detect changes in their environment without a power supply, and active sensors that require a power source.
However, sensors can also be defined by the type of data they gather and the use cases they support. Here are some of the most common types of IoT sensors.
Smart water sensors are devices that can monitor water usage and quality in real-time. They use various technologies, such as ultrasonic, electromagnetic, mechanical turbine or propeller, for flow-based measurement to detect water flow, leaks, and pressure changes.
These sensors then send data wirelessly to centralized systems for decision making using communication protocols like LoRa and LoRaWAN.
The Bluebot LoRa water meter and LoRaWAN water meter both use these types of sensors to help homeowners and building managers capture and analyze data about water usage, live flow rate, and more.
This can help individuals identify patterns in water usage, optimize resource allocation, and reduce water bills.
Using a flow sensor is great for providing instant insights into leaks and risks. Because of this, they’re often used for remote vacation home monitoring to help defend homeowners against leaks and floods.
Flow sensors can even contribute to sustainability efforts by promoting responsible water consumption and conservation, making them valuable for eco-friendly consumers.
Temperature sensors monitor the ambient temperature of an environment or an object. They can detect changes in temperature through various methods, such as resistance temperature detection, thermocoupling, and infrared sensors.
A temperature sensor captures data about current temperature, historical temperature trends, and temperature changes and submits it to a central computer system.
This data can help users analyze environmental conditions and detect anomalies. It can also assist with predictive maintenance strategies, by alerting users to potential issues with environments or devices.
Temperature sensors are excellent for optimizing environmental conditions in different environments, from industrial factories to smart homes.
They can even help prevent equipment from overheating, improve energy efficiency, and track product performance in real time.
A humidity sensor, sometimes called a hygrometer, measures moisture levels in the area, usually leveraging capacitive, resistive, or thermal conductivity methods.
While capacitive sensors measure humidity by detecting changes in electrical conditions caused by moisture in the air, resistance sensors track electrical resistance. Thermal conductivity sensors detect humidity based on the heat conductivity of air.
Like other IoT sensors, humidity sensors capture a lot of data about current relative humidity and historical humidity trends in an environment over time.
They’re great tools for optimizing the performance of HVAC systems to ensure home and building comfort.
In industrial settings, they can maintain ideal conditions for manufacturing processes, and reduce the risk of product spoilage and damage.
A pressure sensor detects changes in the pressure levels of gas and liquids, converting physical pressure into an electronic signature. There are various types of pressure sensors, such as piezoelectric, capacitive, and strain gauge sensors.
Most of these sensors use LoRa and LoRaWAN, like other IoT sensors, to send data to users in real time.
By monitoring the absolute pressure, differential pressure, and gauge pressure of different systems, pressure sensors can support predictive maintenance strategies and help organizations regulate pressure in various use cases and applications.
In automotive systems, pressure sensors monitor and control tire and engine pressure, boosting performance and safety.
In industrial processes, they ensure machinery can operate within safe limits.
Even in healthcare, pressure sensors are used in devices like blood pressure monitors.
Proximity sensors are one of the most common types of IoT sensors, used in many different environments.
A proximity sensor detects the presence or absence of objects in an environment, using ultrasonic, infrared, inductive, and capacitive means. These sensors capture data about the presence, distance, and absence of objects in their data range for various purposes.
For instance, they can be used in car wash technology systems to inform a system when to start distributing liquid based on the presence of a vehicle.
In the automotive space, they can help power parking assistance and collision avoidance applications.
They can even improve user interfaces in consumer electronics, like when your smartphone automatically shuts down the screen’s touch-sensitive components when you hold the device to your ear.
Plus, proximity sensors can help companies manufacture products by detecting object positions and triggering actions automatically.
Accelerometers are sensors that measure changes in an object’s velocity. They use various principles to operate, like other IoT sensors.
There are capacitive accelerometers that detect changes in capacitance caused by acceleration, there are piezoelectric accelerometers that generate an electric charge in response to mechanical stress, and there are MEMS accelerometers that use micro-scale components to measure acceleration along multiple axels.
Accelerometers collect data about acceleration, looking at everything from the magnitude and force of acceleration to its direction, tilt angles, vibration, and frequencies.
They’re used in various fields. In consumer electronics, they enable screen rotation in smartphones and tablets. In the automotive space, they can help detect collisions and deploy airbags.
In sports and fitness smart devices, they can even track physical activity and movements, giving people insights into their health and performance.
Gyroscopes, or gyrometers, are another of the most common types of IoT sensors. They’re used to measure the rate of rotation around an axis.
Gyroscopes convert the force of a rotation into an electrical signal, sending data on rotational movement to IoT technology apps through LoRa and LoRaWAN.
Gyroscopes can capture data on angular velocity around various axes, analyzing the speed and direction of a rotation. This can help with calculating orientation, rotational motion, and angular displacement.
In various industries, gyroscopes have numerous use cases.
They allow for image stabilization features in cameras and motion control in gaming. In automotive systems, they can power electronic stability and anti-roll control systems.
They also help to improve orientation and control in the aerospace and robotics space.
Sometimes called photodetectors, light sensors measure the “intensity” of light they’re exposed to. They use various technologies to collect data.
A light sensor can capture data on the duration, variation, and intensity of light in an environment, offering insights into measurements of illuminance, light levels over time, and light intensity.
They’re common in smartphones, where they can adjust screen brightness based on ambient light, reducing battery consumption.
They can also be used in smart home systems to reduce energy consumption by adjusting artificial lighting according to natural light levels.
In agriculture, light sensors can monitor sunlight exposure to improve crop growth and yield. Plus, in security systems, they can trigger lighting and alarms in response to changing light levels.
Another of the top IoT sensors with many use cases, gas sensors detect the presence and concentration of gases in an environment. They use electrochemical sensors, infrared lighting, and metal oxide semiconductor components to detect data about gas levels.
Depending on the type of gas sensor you use, these tools can capture data on the concentration, intensity, and even type of gas in an environment.
They can show changes in patterns and trends over time and identify sudden leaks, which makes them ideal for environmental monitoring and safety.
In industrial settings, they can detect hazardous gases in a work environment to reduce risks to personnel. In environmental monitoring, they can also help track air quality and pollutant levels.
Most of us also have gas sensors in our homes that inform us if there are high levels of carbon monoxide in the air.
Motion sensors detect movement in a specific area. They can capture data on movement presence, speed, direction, and frequency, and send that data to security systems and other applications using LoRa and LoRaWAN connectivity.
Motion sensors operate using a range of different technologies, such as passive infrared (PIR), ultrasonic, microwave, and dual-technology sensors.
Typically, these types of sensors are most common in the security landscape. They can help security systems in a smart home or business environment detect unauthorized or suspicious movement, instantly triggering alarms.
They can also trigger lighting and climate control systems in smart homes, based on their insights into room occupancy, improving energy efficiency. Plus, in retail spaces, they enable interactive displays to work when people pass by a specific screen.
Image sensors are a type of IoT sensor used to capture visual information and transform it into electric signals. They can capture light and convert it into electronic signals for users.
These sensors are frequently found in radar, sonar, night vision equipment, and biometric devices.
Image sensors capture data on light intensity, image resolution, and color, sometimes including pixel-level information about videos and detailed images.
In video and photography, they make it possible to create high-resolution images and video content.
In the medical industry, they support diagnostics through techniques like endoscopy and X-ray imaging.
Image sensors are even used in automotive applications to provide drivers with assistance systems like lane-keep assist or collision avoidance.
Finally, vibration sensors measure vibrations in machinery and structures, detecting information about amplitude, frequency, and patterns of vibrations. They also use various technologies, like capacitive, accelerometer-based, or piezoelectric sensors.
Vibration sensors play an important role in many industries and support various use cases.
In industrial settings, they help monitor equipment health, predicting failures before they occur and reducing downtime.
They can even enable companies to implement predictive maintenance strategies that extend the lifespan of their systems.
In structural health monitoring, they detect vibrations that could indicate damage or wear in bridges, buildings, and other infrastructures, ensuring safety and integrity.
In the automotive and aerospace industries, they improve vehicle and aircraft reliability.
With so many IoT sensors to choose from, it can be difficult to determine exactly what you need at first. Ultimately, making the right choice depends on your use cases and what you want to accomplish.
When you’re looking for the ideal IoT sensors for your needs:
Identify the purpose of your sensor. Are you using water flow meters to reduce water consumption and stay one step ahead of leaks?
Do you need to track the humidity or temperature in an environment to improve comfort? Do you want to capture multiple different types of data at once for predictive maintenance?
The best sensors should be compatible with your existing infrastructure. Consider your communication protocols, like LoRa and LoRaWAN, and integration capabilities with other devices or systems.
For instance, you might want to use proximity sensors and motion sensors simultaneously.
The best IoT sensors should be able to send accurate data to you in real-time. This can be particularly crucial in certain environments, such as the industrial landscape or the healthcare industry.
Check the sensor’s specifications and consider running tests to determine its accuracy.
IoT sensors that consume minimal power are often better for individuals who want to minimize energy costs and consumption.
Low power consumption from devices can also be crucial to extending the operational life of the sensor and reducing the need for ongoing maintenance.
IoT sensors come in many different forms but they all allow us to capture and analyze crucial data about a range of systems and environments.
The best IoT sensors will help give you complete visibility into your home or building and the assets within it, improving safety, comfort, energy efficiency, and even predictive maintenance strategies.
Discover the benefits of IoT sensors today with Bluebot. Our intelligent IoT water flow sensors are excellent for reducing water consumption, minimizing costs, improving energy efficiency, and even helping you stay one step ahead of leaks and floods.
Users that deploy Bluebot water meters across their property save an average of 30% on their water costs. Start monitoring like a pro today.
An IoT sensor is a device that collects data about a machine, environment, or asset and transmits data from the physical world to a digital application or system through an internet connection. It can enable real-time monitoring and analysis of valuable data for a range of use cases.
IoT sensors can be used for various purposes. They can monitor temperature, humidity, water consumption, and even gas levels. They can also monitor proximity to objects or motion. They’re applied in various industries, from healthcare to manufacturing, automotive design, and more.
IoT sensors provide real-time insights into valuable data about an environment or asset in a building. They can give users valuable visibility into trends and patterns, help them improve efficiency levels in buildings, enable predictive maintenance, and even enhance user safety.
Although IoT sensors are valuable, there are some challenges to overcome, such as data security risks with the transmission of data and high deployment and maintenance costs. There can also be occasional issues to address with sensor accuracy and reliability.
