Recitation 3: Sensors Basics (By: Lifan Yu)
Hardware Required
- Arduino or Genuino Board
- Piezo electric disc
- 1 Megohm resistor
- solid surface
In this recitation we built a circuit including a vibration detector.
Question 1: Vibration sensors can be used in mechanical industries. Factories nowadays use a huge number of mechanical devices in production. Vibration sensors can detect the machines’ rate of vibration. If machines are not running properly or something goes wrong, the sensors are able to detect them. In this way people in charge of these machines can know whether machines are running properly. Also, this kind of vibration detection can help people find out the cause for abnormal vibration. Thus, help prevent damage caused by abnormally running machines.
Question 2: I agree that code is like following a tutorial. Codes control computers and devices connected to them. Code is a kind of language the computer can understand. Computers are
being lead to things by codes because running codes is what computers unconditionally perform. When we want our computers to do certain things, we tell them by coding. It’s just like an instructor teaching students how to do certain things using the kind of language that students can understand.
Question 3: Computers influence us in countless ways. For example, the central computers in meteorological stations computer future weather according to past weather records. People can prepare in advance what belongings to bring in certain weathers. Computers help us have a deeper insight into what’s happening in our world.
Also, we now tend to write and take notes on computers. Computers examine our spelling and grammar mistakes. We are less able to remember certain words and grammars because we rely on computers to correct us.
Moreover, computers help people analyze big data and solve real-life problems. A newly appeared type of “doctor”, is actually computers using database to analyze patients’ diseases and give diagnosis. Their diagnosis are usually very accurate. They may also help doctors understand a patient’s condition better. Human abilities can be extended using computers.