An electronic device used to measure a physical quantITy such as temperature, pressure or loudness and convert IT into an electronic signal of some kind (e.g a voltage). Sensors are normally components of some larger electronic system such as a computer control and/or measurement system. Analog sensors most often produce a voltage proportional to the measured quantITy. The signal must be converted to digITal form wITh a ADC before the CPU can process IT. DigITal sensors most often use serial communication such as EIA-232 to return information directly to the controller or computer through a serial port. (1997-04-15)