DynaTAC 8000x launched in 1983, was the first commercially available smartphone in the world from Motorola. At that time no one can even imagine that one-day mobile phones will become as powerful as computers. Whether you want to click an amazing photo in low lighting conditions or you want to control your home appliances right from your phone. Today’s smartphones can fulfill your needs.
Have you ever asked yourself how your mobile detects light and adjust the screen’s brightness, how your mobile counts your steps, how your phone sends you a warning when your CPU is overheated, or how it knows whether you hold it in landscape or portrait? The answer is with the help of sensors. These are the tiny devices that give superpowers to your phone. So let’s see what is sensors and how they give superpowers to your phone.
What is Sensors?
The sensor is a device that detects and majors the changes in the nearby environment and sends that data to the operating system or processor. They sense and collect data for which they are made. Like ambient light, the sensor is made for detecting light, so it is an expert in detecting the light.
There are three main categories of sensors that smartphones have.
- Motion Sensors
- Environment Sensors
- Position Sensors
Motion Sensors
These sensors measures axis-based motion sensing, like acceleration forces and rotational forces along with three axes. This category includes an accelerometer, gravity sensors, and gyroscopes sensors.
Environmental Sensors
These sensors measure environmental parameters like air pressure, temperature, light, and humidity, etc. This category includes barometers, photometers, and thermometers.
Position Sensors
These sensors measure the physical position of a device. Whether your device is in Landscape mode or Portrait mode or in which direction. This category includes orientation sensors and magnetometers.
Let’s see the standard sensors that your smartphone is having.
- Accelerometer
- Ambient Light Sensor
- Ambient Temperature Sensor
- Air Humidity Sensor
- Barometer Sensor
- Finger Print Sensor
- Gyroscope Sensor
- Harmful Radiation Sensor
- Magnetometer
- NFC Sensor
- Proximity Sensor
- Pedometer Sensor
Accelerometer Sensor
The accelerometer detects axis-based motion sensing. It senses the changes in the orientation of smartphones with respect to the x, y, and Z-axis.
Today many camera apps provide specific orientation-based features like Portrait Mode or Panorama mode, also when you see photos in portrait mode then it looks different and if you hold the phone in landscape mode then it looks different, also some flagship phones provide the flip-to-silence feature. So all features are based on this Accelerometer sensor.
Ambient Light Sensor
The ambient light sensor detects the light around your environment. Your screen’s auto brightness is working because of this sensor. This sensor detects the light around you and sends back that data to the operating system and then based on that data operating system adjusts the brightness.
Ambient Temperature Sensor
The temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature around your environment. This is not a standard sensor for all phones. Only some special flagship phones like Galaxy S4 or Galaxy S5 have this kind of sensor.
Air Humidity Sensor
The air humidity sensor is used to detect the humidity around your environment. This sensor helps in some advanced fitness apps.
Barometer Sensor
The barometer is used to detect atmospheric pressure. It can also detect the distance from sea level. It can basically do two tasks. First, if your phone has a barometer then the barometer will help GPS accurately detect your location. and the second one is your phone can help you to detect many fitness activities like tracking the steps you walk throughout the day etc.
Finger Print Sensor
Today everyone’s primary choice for security is a Fingerprint sensor. When you enroll your fingerprints for the first time, this sensor basically creates a map of your fingerprint. Then next time when you put your finger on the sensor, it just matches it with registered once. If it matches then your phone will unlock. This is how basically fingerprint sensor works. You can see it in today’s almost all phones.
Gyroscope Sensor
A gyroscope or Gyro sensor is an advanced version of the accelerometer. While the accelerometer detects axis-based motion sensing, Gyroscope works with the accelerometer and detects each degree of change in orientation. It provides highly precious motion sensing.
When you capture 360-degree shots or Panorama shots then this is the sensor that senses the changes in orientation and snaps the photos in every degree. When you play racing games then this is the sensor that senses your actions.
Harmful Radiation Sensor
This is a really rare sensor. Which is designed for specifically some persons. This sensor is used to detect harmful radiation in the nearby environment. Again this is not a standard sensor. It is specially designed for special persons who need it.
Magnetometer Sensor
A magnetometer works like a compass in your phone. It measures magnetic fields and can tell you where is north.
When you use Apple Maps or Google Maps that is the magnetometer that tells where is the north. There are some metal detector apps that use a magnetometer to detect metal presence.
NFC Sensor
With the wide adoption of cashless payment, NFC is one of the fastest growing technology in smartphones. NFC sensor or Near Field Communication Sensor is a technology by which two electronic devices can communicate with each other by bringing them within 4 cm of each other. They can quickly send encrypted data to each other such as payment details. Today many smartphones have built-in support for NFC. If your phone has NFC support then you can do payments by just tapping it with other NFC-enabled devices. No need for anything else. Payments were never made so easy.
Proximity Sensor
The proximity sensor detects the presence of an object. In the mobile phone, it detects the distance between sensor and object (generally it is your ear or hand). During calls, your screen automatically goes off. This action is done via the proximity sensor.
Pedometer Sensor
You can tell the Pedometer is an advanced version of the Accelerometer. It is mostly used to track your steps. If your phone has a pedometer then it can accurately detect your steps. Definitely, this work can also be done via Accelerometer but the results which come from the pedometer will be far more accurate. Because it is specifically designed for that task. Again this comes only in some advanced flagship phones.
