Smart Sensor: Sense → Condition → Process → Network → Output

Unit 1 • Smart Devices • WJEC Digital Technology

A smart sensor doesn’t just detect: it senses the environment, conditions the raw signal, processes it into information, communicates over a network, then produces a digital (or quasi-digital) output.

Activity 1 — Put the smart sensor stages in the correct order

Drag the cards into the numbered slots from first ➜ last.

Card bank

Tip: You can drag cards back here if you change your mind.

Ordered pipeline

Activity 2 — Match the stage to its definition

Choose the best definition for each stage.

Sensing Element

Signal Processing

Digital / Quasi-Digital Output

Signal Conditioning

Network

Activity 3 — Which stage am I?

Pick the stage that best fits each scenario.

3.1 A tiny voltage from a thermistor is boosted and filtered to remove noise.

Signal Conditioning Sensing Element Signal Processing Network Digital Output

3.2 An onboard microcontroller turns accelerometer readings into a fall-detected event.

Signal Processing Sensing Element Signal Conditioning Network Digital Output

3.3 A Zigbee module sends JSON data packets to a home hub.

Network Sensing Element Signal Conditioning Signal Processing Digital Output

3.4 A PIR detects movement in a corridor.

Sensing Element Signal Conditioning Signal Processing Network Digital Output

3.5 The device emits a HIGH pulse to trigger a relay.

Digital Output Sensing Element Signal Conditioning Signal Processing Network

Your Score

Click “Calculate Total” after checking each activity.

Teacher tip: ask students to upload the .txt or screenshot to GoFormative/Teams.