Do the doors at the grocery store open by magic?

How do the doors at the grocery store know to open when you stand in front of them??! Sometimes it sure does seem like magic, but it’s actually because of the awesome technology of sensors!

Just like its name, the job of the sensor is to sense things in its surroundings. Sensors work by detecting things like sound, light, pressure (weight), or motion. Depending on the needs of the device, different sensors are all made to detect different things. When the sensor that controls an automatic door (like those at the grocery store or in an office building) identifies changes in what it measures (such as more weight or less light or passing motion), it sends a signal to perform the task it’s made to do: Open the door! 

Because they use sensors to gather information and perform tasks, technology like automatic doors can actually be considered types of robots! While you may think of robots as machines that look like humans, the truth is that robots can actually be any type of moving machine that is programmed to perform tasks and gather information from its surroundings. That means that everything from automatic doors to vending machines to remote-controlled toys can be thought of as robots! – Neat!! 

Next time you’re at the supermarket or another store with automatic doors, take a look around and see if you can spot the sensor that controls that set of doors. You won’t be able to see some sensors because they can be built under the floor in front of the door. But often they are mounted above the door, looking like a black camera-like box! 

If you’re able to spot a sensor, does it look like what you imagined??