Resistive Sensors
Resistive sensors are electronic components that measure physical quantities by detecting changes in electrical resistance. They operate on the principle that resistance varies in response to stimuli like pressure, force, position, or environmental conditions, converting these physical changes into measurable electrical signals. Common examples include potentiometers for position sensing, strain gauges for force measurement, and thermistors for temperature detection.
Developers should learn about resistive sensors when building embedded systems, IoT devices, or hardware prototypes that require low-cost, reliable sensing of physical parameters. They are essential for applications like robotics (e.g., joint position feedback), automotive systems (e.g., throttle position sensors), and environmental monitoring (e.g., humidity sensors), offering simplicity and direct integration with analog-to-digital converters. Understanding resistive sensors enables effective interfacing with microcontrollers for real-world data acquisition.