Chapter 5. Using an ADC to Interface any Analog Sensor with the Raspberry Pi

It is known in the RasPi community that the analog-to-digital convertor (ADC) is not integrated into the RasPi because the onboard processor (BCM2835) does not have any functionality to perform the conversion. Had the Raspberry Pi integrated ADC module, it would have been very easy to interface the sensors, since ADC modules are used to convert analog values into discrete and digital values. Most sensors provide us with the analog signal on their output pins. These analog signals are not understood by the processor as they are varying in nature. Interfacing the ADC module ensures that the correct data will be read by the processor to make appropriate decisions. In a simple manner, the ADC module creates a bridge between the analog sensor and the RasPi core processor. More specifically, ADC modules convert analog signals into digital data and provide the converted data to the RasPi through certain protocols...