Sensor ICs

What is an IC Sensor?

Integrated circuit (IC) sensors are commonly used within circuits and on PCB boards to sense and detect a wide range of parameters. They're available in a wide range of types depending on the factor that is being measured including temperature, pressure, light and movement.

Types of Sensor ICs

ICs are extremely small with reliable performance and are used in almost all electronic devices including computers, cars, smartphones and cameras. In one integrated circuit, there can be thousands of different devices performing a variety of complex task, including multiple types of sensor. In a typical smartphone, you could find up to 14 different types of sensor providing different applications. Here are some of the most commonly used IC sensors and examples of their uses:

• Accelerometers sensors - used to detect acceleration or speed for example within wearable smart devices to detect steps.
• Temperature sensor - measure temperature, commonly used in AC control systems.
• Hall effect sensor ICs - used to measure position change, they can be found within a car gearbox.
• Sound sensors - used to detect decibels or frequency of sound, found in many places including the microphone in a smartphone.
• Proximity sensors - signals are sent that react to the presence of nearby objects.
• Light sensors - can be used to measure ambient light, this can be interpreted and display monitors can adjust their brightness automatically.