index.jd revision 1d56f41c9d1dcccf1faef343047375cb14799678 
1page.title=Sensors
2@jd:body
3
4<div id="qv-wrapper">
5  <div id="qv">
6  <h2>Topics</h2>
7    <ol>
8      <li><a href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/sensors/sensors_overview.html">Sensors Overview</a></li>
9      <li><a href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/sensors/sensors_motion.html">Motion Sensors</a></li>
10      <li><a href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/sensors/sensors_position.html">Position
11          Sensors</a></li>
12      <li><a href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/sensors/sensors_environment.html">Environment
13          Sensors</a></li>
14    </ol>
15  <h2>Key classes and interfaces</h2>
16    <ol>
17      <li>{@link android.hardware.Sensor}</li>
18      <li>{@link android.hardware.SensorEvent}</li>
19      <li>{@link android.hardware.SensorManager}</li>
20      <li>{@link android.hardware.SensorEventListener}</li>
21    </ol>
22  <h2>Related samples</h2>
23    <ol>
24      <li><a href="{@docRoot}resources/samples/AccelerometerPlay/index.html">Accelerometer
25          Play</a></li>
26      <li><a
27href="{@docRoot}resources/samples/ApiDemos/src/com/example/android/apis/os/RotationVectorDemo.html">
28API Demos (OS - RotationVectorDemo)</a></li>
29      <li><a
30href="{@docRoot}resources/samples/ApiDemos/src/com/example/android/apis/os/Sensors.html">API Demos
31(OS - Sensors)</a></li>
32    </ol>
33  </div>
34</div>
35
36<p>Most Android-powered devices have built-in sensors that measure motion, orientation,
37and various environmental conditions. These sensors are capable of providing raw data with high
38precision and accuracy, and are useful if you want to monitor three-dimensional device movement or
39positioning, or you want to monitor changes in the ambient environment near a device. For example, a
40game might track readings from a device's gravity sensor to infer complex user gestures
41and motions, such as tilt, shake, rotation, or swing. Likewise, a weather application might use a
42device's temperature sensor and humidity sensor to calculate and report the dewpoint, or a travel
43application might use the geomagnetic field sensor and accelerometer to report a compass
44bearing.</p>
45
46<p>The Android platform supports four broad categories of sensors:</p>
47
48<ul>
49  <li>Motion sensors
50    <p>These sensors measure acceleration forces and rotational forces along three axes. This
51      category includes accelerometers, gravity sensors, gyroscopes, and rotational vector
52      sensors.</p>
53  </li>
54  <li>Environmental sensors
55    <p>These sensors measure various environmental parameters, such as ambient air temperature
56      and pressure, illumination, and humidity. This category includes barometers, photometers, and
57      thermometers.</p>
58  </li>
59  <li>Position sensors
60    <p>These sensors measure the physical position of a device. This category includes
61      orientation sensors and magnetometers.</p>
62  </li>
63</ul>
64
65<p>To access these sensors, you can use the Android sensor framework. The sensor framework provides
66several classes and interfaces that help you perform a wide variety of sensor-related tasks. To
67learn more about the framework and the sensors that are supported on the Android system, read the
68following documents:</p>
69
70<dl>
71  <dt><strong><a href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/sensors/sensors_overview.html">Sensors
72        Overview</a></strong></dt>
73    <dd>Learn how to list the sensors that are on a device, set up sensor event listeners, and
74      acquire sensor data. Also learn best practices for accessing and using sensors.</dd>
75  <dt><strong><a href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/sensors/sensors_motion.html">Motion
76        Sensors</a></strong></dt>
77    <dd>Learn how to use the sensors that provide acceleration data, such as the accelerometer,
78      gravity sensor, and linear acceleration sensor. Also learn how to use the sensors that
79      provide rotational data, such as gyroscopes and rotational vector sensors.</dd>
80  <dt><strong><a href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/sensors/sensors_position.html">Position
81      Sensors</a></strong></dt>
82    <dd>Learn how to use the sensors that provide orientation and compass data, such as the
83      orientation sensor and the geomagnetic field sensor.</dd>
84  <dt><strong><a href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/sensors/sensors_environment.html">Environment
85        Sensors</a></strong></dt>
86    <dd>Learn how to use the sensors that provide environmental data, such as the light,
87      humidity, pressure, temperature, and proximity sensors.</dd>
88</dl>
89