4. ADC

Most sensors take analogue measurements. This means the output changes smoothly from one value to another.

Analogue to digital

All computers need digital data in order to process it further.  Digital data only has two values either 0 and 1 or On and Off.

In order for the data collected by the sensor to be handled by the computer, it needs to be converted from an analogue signal to a digital signal.  To do this, a special piece of hardware is needed called an analogue-to-digital converter or ADC.

The ADC is connected between the sensor and the computer’s input-output port and it is called an ‘interface’. In the diagram below, the ADC is providing the input to the CPU.

input process

 

Challenge see if you can find out one extra fact on this topic that we haven't already told you

Click on this link: Analogue to Digital Converter