Understanding sensors, actuators, and indicators

The GPIO functionality of the Raspberry Pi and Pico offers a foundation for connecting various sensors and driving indicators like LEDs and controlling actuators like servo motors. By integrating these devices, our devices can both collect data and execute responsive actions based on this information.

For instance, a PIR sensor (A in Figure 5.4) can detect motion in a room, prompting an LED or triggering an alarm. Using temperature and humidity sensors, such as DHT11 (B in Figure 5.4), we can assess environmental conditions and, in response, engage a fan or a heating element.

With distance sensors (C in Figure 5.4), we can measure the closeness of objects and instruct a servo motor to halt a robot, preventing collisions:

Figure 5.4 – Sensors for the Raspberry Pi

Numerous devices can be integrated with our Raspberry Pi and Pico. Robotics alone offers line tracking sensors for directing robots...