Do Robots Have Feelings?
Can robots be happy or sad? Discover how robots 'feel' using sensors and code!
How Do Robots See in the Dark?
Humans bump into walls at night, but robots have cool tricks to see when it's pitch black.
How Do Airbags Deploy So Fast?
Using sodium azide and a chemical rapid expansion to inflate the bag in milliseconds.
How Do Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) Work?
Pumping the brakes thousands of times a second to prevent the tires from skidding.
How Do Breathalyzers Work?
Using a chemical reaction or infrared spectroscopy to measure alcohol vapor in breath.
How Do Cameras Capture Images?
Focusing light through a lens onto a sensor to freeze a moment in time.
How Do Elevators Know Where to Stop?
Using rotary encoders and magnetic sensors to track exactly which floor the car is at.
How Do Satellites Take Pictures?
Using digital sensors and line scanners to image the Earth from orbit.
How Do Smart Thermostats Save Energy?
Learning your schedule using motion sensors and adjusting temperatures automatically when you leave.
How Do Smartwatches Measure Heart Rate?
Photoplethysmography: using green light to track blood flow under your skin.
How Do Smoke Detectors Work?
Using a tiny bit of americium-241 to ionize the air, triggering an alarm when smoke disrupts it.
How Do Touchpads Work?
Sensing capacitance changes from your finger's moisture and natural electric charge.
How Do Traffic Lights Know Cars are There?
Inductive loops, radar, and cameras used for traffic management.
How Do Vending Machines Detect Fake Coins?
Using electromagnets and light sensors to check the size, weight, and metallic composition.
How Does 3D Touch Work?
Measuring microscopic changes in distance between glass and backlight to calculate pressure.
How Does a Lie Detector Work?
Measuring physiological responses like heart rate, blood pressure, and skin conductivity.
How Does a Metal Detector Work?
Inducing a magnetic field and sensing the distortion when it hits metal.
How Does a Thermostat Work?
Bimetallic strips, thermistors, and how your house knows when to turn on the heat.
How Does Face ID Work?
Projecting thousands of infrared dots to map the 3D geometry of your face.
What is a Geiger Counter?
A device used to detect and measure ionizing radiation.
The Control Award: Algorithms for the Real World
Stop writing 'magic code'. Learn how to document your software sensors, filters, and logic to win the Control Award.
Custom Sensor Boards: Beyond the Rev Hub
Why pay $40 for a sensor you can build for $2? Designing custom PCBs for break-beams and limit switches.