Digital Innovation: Use of Motion Sensors in Modern Security Systems

This report explores digital innovation in the field of sensors, focusing primarily on motion detection sensors and their applications in security systems. It begins with an introduction to sensors and their importance in various aspects of life, from industrial applications to medicine. The research aim is to discuss the use of motion-based sensors and their efficiency in the technological world, with objectives including understanding their use for home security, identifying different types, and understanding their features. The literature review covers various sensor types, with a focus on motion detection sensors, detailing passive infrared (PIR), microwave (MW), dual technology, area reflective, ultrasonic, and vibration sensors. It also discusses the working principles of active and passive motion detection sensors and their role in alerting control panels and monitoring centers to potential threats. The report emphasizes the importance of these sensors in enhancing security, saving energy, and providing timely alerts in various scenarios.

Running head: DIGITAL INNOVATION IN THE FIELD OF SENSORS
Digital Innovation in the Field of Sensors
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s note

1DIGITAL INNOVATION IN THE FIELD OF SENSORS
Table of Contents
1. Introduction..................................................................................................................................2
Research Aim...............................................................................................................................3
Research Objectives.....................................................................................................................3
2. Literature Review........................................................................................................................3
3. Research Method.......................................................................................................................13
4. Reflection on the Learning of the Research..............................................................................13
5. References..................................................................................................................................15

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1. Introduction
The science and engineering based on sensors is basically relevant to every aspect of the
life that would include the safety, surveillance, monitoring, security and the general awareness
(Alwis, Sun and Grattan 2013). The use of sensors is essential for the use in various forms of
industrial applications, which includes the control of the several processes, monitoring and the
safety measures of the applications. Sensors are also a major part to the field of medicines that
are mainly being used in monitoring, diagnostics, health of the public and critical care of the
health of the patients (Kumar et al. 2013).
A sensor is a kind of device that has the capability to detect and make responses to some
form of input from the physical based environment. The specific form of input within the sensors
could be in the form of heat, light, moisture, pressure or any other form of phenomena of the
environment (Pantazis, Nikolidakis and Vergados 2013). The output from the sensor would be
basically a signal, which is converted to a display that could be read by humans at the location of
the sensor. This could be transmitted in an electronic manner over a form of network for the
purpose of reading or the further processing of data. In a human based glass thermometer, the
input to the sensor is the temperature. The liquid contained within the thermometer would
expand and contract as a response. This could cause the high or low level on the marked level of
the gauge that could be read by humans.
An oxygen based sensor in the emission control system of the car would be able to detect
the gasoline/oxygen ratio. This would happen with the help of a chemical reaction that would be
able to generate the amount of voltage (Yu et al. 2013). A computer within the engine would be
able to read the level of voltage. If the mixture is not optimum, the balance would be readjusted.

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The motion based sensors within various systems would include the security lights of the
home, automatic based doors and the fixtures of the bathroom would typically emit some form of
energy such as ultrasonic waves, microwaves or beams of light that would be able to detect the
flow of energy that would be interrupted by something that would enter within the path. A photo
sensor would also be able to detect the presence of the transmission of the infrared (IR),
ultraviolet (UV) energy and visible light (Perea-Lopez 2013).
Research Aim
The main aim of this research is to discuss about the details of the use of the motion
based sensors and their efficiency within the technological world. This section also discusses
about the use of the sensor based technology within the security system that are being used
today.
Research Objectives
 To understand the use of the motion based sensors for the security within homes.
 To understand the types of the motion based sensors.
 To understand the various kind of features offered by the motion detecting sensors.
2. Literature Review
In this section, the main discussion is on the motion based sensors. The use of sensors
would be helpful in improving the world through the use of several kind of diagnostics within
several kind of applications. They can also improve the performance of the sources of the energy
such as the fuel cells, solar power and batteries. The use of sensors could also be helpful for
improving the health related conditions and the safety and the security for the people. They can
help in improving the monitoring of the environment (Mukhopadhyay 2015).

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The seed based technologies with the sensor based technology are in the process of
developing for the purpose of the long term vision that would include smart systems. These
intelligent systems would be responsible for monitoring themselves on their own, self-correct
themselves and repairing themselves on their own. They would also be efficient enough to
modify themselves (Amjadi et al. 2014).
Types of Sensors – Different organizations and industries are in the process of using
different kind of sensors for a prolonged time. The advent of the IoT environment has taken the
major responsibility of the sensors and the process of the evolution of the sensors to a different
level (Hwang 2015).
The platforms of IoT can help in functioning and delivering a form of data and
intelligence with the help of a wide variety of sensors. These mainly help to collect the various
forms of data, pushing and then sharing the data with a network of the connected devices. The
devices are able to share information with the help of the combination of the different set of
sensors and a network of communication. The devices have the capability to share information
with each other. They are also capable to improve the functionality and the effectiveness of the
sensors (Kayacik et al. 2014).
The different types of sensors, which are basically used are: Temperature sensor,
Accelerometer sensor, Proximity sensor, IR sensor, Chemical sensor, Smoke sensor and Motion
Detection sensor.
This research is mainly focused on the use of the Motion Detection Sensor and their
various use and the effectiveness of the sensors in everyday applications (Kim et al. 2014).

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A motion based sensor is mainly dedicated towards detecting the motion of any other
object when someone would move around the area of the sensor. A motion based sensor would
be able to use more than one form of technologies in order to detect the movement of a particle
or an object within a certain area. Whenever a particle or an object is sensed by the sensor, a
signal would be sent to the control panel of the security system. This would be in turn connected
to the monitoring center, which would be responsible for alerting the respective person and the
monitoring center against a potential form of threat (Mazumdar et al. 2014).
The Role of the Motion Detection Sensors within Home Security
The primary purpose of the motion detection sensor is to sense any object and thus send
an alert to the control panel within the home system, which would alert the monitoring center.
The motion detection sensors would be able to work when the person would not be present at
home (Prasad et al. 2014). Some of the security based systems are mostly programmable to
record the events with the help of a security camera whenever the motion would be detected.
The motion based sensors stand as a guard and are always ready to face different kind of
situations, which includes the movement of any form within the living space, opening or closing
of the doors or windows or a broken window. The motion detection sensors can also send an
alert to a person in the event of a breakthrough. They are also able to save the valuable form of
energy by using the lighting motion based sensor within unoccupied spaces (Palumbo et al.
2014).
Types of the Motion Detection Sensors
Passive Infrared (PIR) – This kind of the motion detection sensor is capable of
detecting the heat of the body, which is also known as the infrared energy. The passive infrared

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sensors are the popularly used motion sensor that is primarily used in home based security
systems (Chodon et al. 2013). Whenever the system is armed, the motion detectable sensors
would be activated on an automatic basis. When the sensor would warm up, it is able to detect
the level of heat and the movement within the adjacent areas. This would be helpful in creating a
protective grid. Whenever a moving form of an object would block too many zones of grid and
there is a rapid change in the levels of the infrared energy, the motion based sensors would be
tripped (Hers et al. 2013).
Microwave (MW) – This kind of the sensor would be able to send out the pulses of
microwave and this would measure the reflection off the moving object. They would cover a
larger area as compared to the infrared form of sensors. They are mainly vulnerable to the
electric based interference, which is much more expensive (Ivanova et al. 2014).
Dual Technology Motion Sensors – The motion detection sensors can possess the mixed
features in an attempt in order to reduce the falsified alarms. A passive infrared sensor is capable
of combining with the microwave sensor. Since each of the sensor is able to operate within
different areas of the spectrum where one of the sensor is passive and the other one is active, the
dual technology of the motion based sensors are not likely to cause the falsified alarms. This is
due to the fact that in order to trigger the alarm, both of the sensors have to be tripped.
Area Reflective Type – This type of motion detection sensor is capable of emitting
infrared rays from an LED. With the help of the infrared rays, the motion sensor would be able to
measure the approximate distance to the object or the person. They would then be able to detect
whether the object would be within the labelled area (Wang et al. 2013).

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Ultrasonic – This kind of the sensor would be able to send pulses of ultrasonic waves
and then it is capable of measuring the reflection from a moving object.
Vibration – This kind of motion detection sensor is responsible for detecting the form of
the vibration. These kind of sensors can be purchased or they can even be made at home. A home
based vibration sensor makes use of the small mass on a lever that would be activated with the
help of the switch of the alarm when it would vibrate. The homemade motion based sensors are
able to work but still they are also unreliable.
The Working of the Motion Detection Sensor
As the motion detection sensors have become an integral part of the security systems
within the home, hence every person has become familiar with the potential uses of these kind of
motion sensor (Geng, Chen and Pahlavan 2013). These kind of the sensors are a bit similar to the
motion detectors that would open the gateway to the grocery store or it might cause a level of
sink and the toilets within airports.
There are basically two types of the motion detectable sensors such as the active sensors
and the passive sensors. The active form of the motion detection sensors would send out the
ultrasonic waves of sound and the passive form of the motion sensors would detect the infrared
form of energy.
Active Motion Detection Sensors – The active form of the motion detection sensors,
which are also called the radar based motion detectors are capable of sending out the ultrasonic
waves of sound. These are the same kind of waves that are mainly used in the ultrasonic sounds
based on pregnancy (Muller et al. 2015). These kind of waves mainly reflect back to the motion
sensor. This kind of pattern would continue until the pattern would be disrupted by the

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interference of some kind of object. This would trigger the sensor in order to send a signal that
would be able to open an automatic door, open the door of the garage or sound an automatic
based alarm (Cai et al. 2013).
When an object would move within the controlled area of the motion detection sensor at
any particular time, the sensor would look for a particular Doppler (frequency) shift within the
wave when it would return to the motion detectable sensor. This would in general indicate that
the wave would be hit by a moving object (Yavari et al. 2013).
The active based motion sensors make the use of microwaves for the detection of the
movement that are primarily used within applications such as automatic doors within shopping
malls and similar kind of applications. They can also be used within the alarm systems based on
the security within the homes and they are also used within the indoor based lighting systems.
Passive Motion Detection Sensor – There are two popular based passive motion based
sensors. These kind of the sensors are mainly used in residential based homes.
The passive infrared motion detection sensors (PIR) has the capability of detecting the
emitted form of the infrared energy that are mainly given off by the animals or humans in the
form of the heat energy. When there would be a sudden increase within the infrared energy, an
alarm would be sounded within the house or the complex. Various level of small fluctuations
within the infrared energy are not detected by the motion detection sensor because the automatic
alarm would turn off with the rising and the setting of the sun that would change the temperature
of the household in a slight manner (Qian et al. 2014).
The motion of the photo based sensor would generally make use of the laser beams or
any other source of the focused light and the light based sensors. The system that makes use of

9DIGITAL INNOVATION IN THE FIELD OF SENSORS
the motion based sensors would send out a beam of light. The sensor would register the general
change in the level of light. The motion detection sensor would in turn give a signal to the
control box that could be programmable for the purpose of emitting a noise of the bell or would
sound an alarm (Sigg et al. 2014).
Any of the favorable combination of the three form of the motion detection sensors could
be found within the security system of any particular building. They play a major role in keeping
the businesses or home in a safe and secured condition.
Features of Motion Detection Sensor
Wireless Based Motion Detection Sensors – In the recent times, most of the motion
based sensors are wireless. These kind of sensors have a very easy setup process. These sensors
do not require any form of drilling. They are able to communicate with the other components of
the system of security.
Contact based Motion Detection Sensors (Window/Door) – Most of the contact based
motion detectable sensors are based on passive infrared sensors. These kind of sensors are able to
trigger an alarm if the secured window or door would be opened when the system would be
armed.
Pet Immune Motion Detection Sensors – A passive form of the infrared sensor could be
set up in order to ignore the presence of animals up to a certain criteria of their weight. A dual
mode of motion based technology would be much more resistant to falsify the alarms as they
require the triggering of two kind of sensors in such a manner that would be determined by the
manufacturer of the product. These could be set up in order to ignore a larger animal or many
such small animals without the setting up of the false alarm. Some of the pet immune motion

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detection sensors have a certain level of sensitivity, which could be adjusted for such kind of
families who have very active animals.
Video based Motion Detection Sensors – These kind of the motion detection based
sensors have a very advanced form of the processing of the signals. Some of the recordable
motion based sensors start the process of recording whenever they sense the possibility of
motion. The cameras that are mainly controlled by the motion detectable sensors can help in
saving the considerable amount of the storage within the memory by not being able to record the
several hours of the useless camera footage. They are only able to capture the significant stuff.
Best Practices for the Mounting of the Motion Based Sensors
The form of system, which requires professional form of the installation would be known
by the installer of the sensor about the entire process of the installing of the system. However,
the person would be held to be responsible for the setting up of the sensors if the person goes on
to the process of installing of the DIY based home security system. The installation of the home
based sensors would require high level of professionalism. The installer should read all the
instruction that would be provide within the manual as they would require the inclusion of the
basic recommendations related to the placement. Some of the DIY based home security system
also provides prompt messages or gives a call to the representative who would guide the user
throughout the process of the setup.
The motion detectable sensors are not error based and there are high chances of error.
There could be several instances in which there could be falsified alarms. The false alarms
created by the motion detection sensors are mainly caused by electric based failures, poor

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application based engineering, error by the user, lightning, power surges and faulty equipment.
These alarms could also be triggered by the insects, animals and foliage.
There are some form of practices, which should be kept in mind in order to increase the
effectiveness of the sensors and thus help in preventing the falsified alarms. The reading of the
instructions within the manual would be useful in dealing with such kind of issues. The
following tips for the placement of the motion detectable sensors would also be considered:
 The PIR sensors should be kept at a minimum distance of 10-15 feet from the vents for
heating, the effect of sunlight and from the radiators. If the motion based sensor would
detect a swift change within the intensity of the heat such as the passing of the cloud over
the direct entry of sunlight within the living space of the house, it could be easily tripped
by the motion detection sensor (Narayana et al. 2015).
 The motion detection sensors should be placed at certain “choke-points”. These are
considered to the areas where the people would walk through such as the main hallway or
the stairwell. In this way, any intruder would be able to trip the possibility of the sensor
regardless of the fact that the where the sensor would be heading towards. The intruders
would usually move from the master bedroom and hence the sensor would be put near the
room or various other rooms where the valuables of the room would be present within.
 The user would need to walk through the house and thus assess the places where the
intruders would likely be able to enter through or what path they would likely to take. It
must be kept in mind that the motion detectable sensors are able to detect the sense of any
objects that would be within the minimal range of between 50 and 80 feet. At many
situations, it has been found that burglars mainly enter the home through the path of the
back or the front door or the garage door. Hence it is most commonly advisable by the