Interactions with Sensors

I live in a prewar building, so the only sensors I interact with regularly are the motion sensors for the hallway lights — though they’re not very responsive. You really have to jump or wave your arms to get them to turn on.

My daily routine with sensors usually starts when I unlock a Citi Bike or tap my phone to use OMNY on the bus or train, depending on how I choose to commute that day. Once I get off the bus/train or lock my Citi Bike, my next interaction is often with the handicap-accessible door button, which automatically opens the doors. (Though I’m not sure if this counts strictly as a sensor or just a mechanical button.) After that, I interact with the elevator’s door sensor, which detects bodies or large objects to keep the doors from closing prematurely. Once I’m in the office, there aren’t many sensors around except for the motion sensors on the bathroom lights.

When I take a neighborhood walk without a specific destination, I usually notice sensors more often at night — for example, automatic porch lights that turn on when I pass, or Ring cameras that activate as I walk by. These cameras often announce themselves with a recorded message like, “Hello, you are being recorded.”

In terms of how these sensors make themselves known:

• The lights turn on (or don’t), which is a clear indicator.

• The elevator physically responds by reopening if it senses something.

• Ring cameras literally announce their presence.

There are often multiple interactions involved — unlocking a bike, tapping into transit, passing by motion lights — but each is fairly straightforward and generally only has one stage: either they detect you or they don’t.

Take a walk around your neighborhood, or a different one, or imagine a walk you’ve done routinely. Take a count of every interaction with a sensor you see or experience. Blog your findings:

• Identify the sensors and how they sense (or do not sense) you / someone else?

• Does the sensor make itself known to you? If so, how?

• How do you know if the sensor has sensed?

• Is there more than one stage of interaction or multiple interactions?

Feel free to take pictures or video as appropriate, of the most interesting ones. Some sensors might include: pushbuttons, motion sensors, floor mats, cameras, smart devices