ABSTRACT
Since the future embodies an expansion in robotics technologies, automation cannot work without sensors to provide input data. Consequently, this chapter starts with a discussion on all of the natural (human) sensors and moves on to explain most of the active and passive sensors available in the market place. A simple explanation of how each sensor technology works in practice, is followed by how output data is digitised and used by a control system. The speed and operation of modern computer control centres are reviewed, along with the basics of the commercial software they use for analytics. Quantum computing's impact on the world with its greater speeds leading to even more technological advances is discussed at the end of the chapter. An exercise on using sensors and ‘Further Reading’ complete the treatise.
