Sensors are inexpensive but very useful for small businesses and home users alike. They can be used by small businesses to control sprinklers and automotive fluid levels and in the home, they can keep track of your pets. Sensors measure data as and when the data becomes available and they then send this data via the Internet or Bluetooth to a smartphone or cloud based service.
Small businesses can use these sensors to transform their businesses from reactive models to more proactive ones and they can prove to be of immense value to the customer. With these sensors, small businesses are able to manage customer relationships and create a new stream of revenue. Here is a brief look at top 5 smart sensors for Arduino and Raspberry Pi.
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Humidity Sensor: DHT11 / DHT22
These two smart sensors are able to measure humidity in the air and they are also capable of measuring temperature. The DHT22 has remarkable accuracy and hence is considered more useful. The DHT11 can be used in different applications including HVAC, weather stations, medical equipment that measures humidity as well as in automotive industries.
Additional Information on Amazon: SMAKN® DHT22 Sensor Module
[Passive Infrared Motion Sensor](EMY PIR Motion Sensor)
This particular smart sensor offers certain benefits over other comparable products. It is not only very affordable but it is designed to only transmits signals whenever it detects motion. It is also possible to vary the resistance to ensure that only when something moves close to the sensor that a signal is transmitted. This smart sensor can be used in outdoor projects as well as in buildings where it can help to activate lighting and do other similar tasks.
Additional Information on Amazon: [EMY PIR Motion Sensor](EMY PIR Motion Sensor)
Real Time Clock: DS1307 RTC
When you connect the Raspberry Pi to the Internet, it will ask you for the precise time. This can prove to be problematic in applications that do not use the Internet but where the date and time are important. To fix this problem an RTC or Real Time Clock is used which after initialization can save the current time even without power because it is powered by a small battery. Since neither Raspberry Pi nor Arduino carry an RTC module, this particular smart sensor can prove to be very useful when used in weather stations, and is also useful for logging data from a project.
Additional Information on Amazon: Adafruit DS1307 Real Time Clock
Radio Model: 433 MHz Set
The 433 MHz Set makes it very simple to transmit signals via a radio. This particular smart sensor is very affordable and so is used in a variety of projects. It works with a number of devices including radio controlled outlets and the codes can also be recorded and transmitted for specific tasks. It is particularly useful when used in an area that does not have Internet connectivity.
Additional Information on Amazon: Longruner Wireless Transceiver Module
Motor Controller Model: 28BYJ-48 Stepper Motor
Step motors are able to perform for a specific number of steps in a single revolution. The 28BYJ-48 Stepper Motor is a very popular stepping motor because it has plenty of steps and it is also very affordable. In fact, it has 512 steps and each step has 8 sequences which results in full revolution of 4096 steps. It is perfect for small projects that a small business may be working on.
Additional Information on Amazon: Elegoo 5V Stepper Motor + ULN2003