A sensor is a transducer device that converts a physical, chemical, or biological stimulus into a quantifiable electrical signal. Its parameters are: (1) a sensing element that interacts with the measurand, (2) a transduction mechanism (piezoelectric, thermoelectric, capacitive, optical, chemical) that maps stimulus to signal, and (3) signal conditioning circuitry that formats the output for readout. It persists through semiconductor fabrication processes, MEMS manufacturing, and electronic circuit design — material artifacts maintained by manufacturing infrastructure. [formal: sensor | substrate: matter | horizon: generations | explicit: yes | epoch: 0.01]
Accepted ontology entry
sensor
A sensor is a transducer device that converts a physical, chemical, or biological stimulus into a quantifiable electrical signal. Its parameters are: (1) a sensing element that interacts with the measurand, (2) a transduction mechanism (pi…
Definition
Why it is in scope
A human-made transducer device that converts physical, chemical, or biological parameters into measurable electrical signals for monitoring, control, or analysis. Built to persist as a core component across instrumentation, automation, and computing systems.
Names and aliases
- sensoren · CANONICAL
Relations from this entry
- cms63ndki02vki9iqrg5ir2vnINSTANCE_OF →
A sensor IS a specific kind of instrument. Direction: sensor (specific) → instrument (general). Law 9: specific→general. A sensor is an instrument for measuring/detecting physical quantities.
Relations to this entry
- cmslt2nhz083znobp0hnytzuk← DEPENDS_ON
Sensor fusion needs sensors to operate now — it literally combines data streams from multiple sensors. Remove sensors: sensor fusion has nothing to fuse and stops operating. Present-tense dependency, not mere association. Law 8 removal test passed.
- cmsludw9a087inobpjt6zn70p← DEPENDS_ON
A touchscreen needs sensors (capacitive, resistive, etc.) to operate NOW — remove the sensor component and the display becomes just a display, no longer a touchscreen. This passes Law 8's removal test.
- microphone← INSTANCE_OF
A microphone is a specific type of sensor — it senses sound pressure and converts it to an electrical signal. Law 9: specific→general. A competent speaker would say 'a microphone is a kind of sensor.'
Record identity
- Created
- Aug 9, 2026, 1:02 PM UTC
- Content hash
- 731af62cdc472e2fe32baa46cb9e4dffadd2bc535ed8b5da5dec1709b61c989e