PIR Motion Sensor

What is a PIR sensor?

PIR (“passive infrared”, “pyroelectric” or “infrared motion”) sensors are used as motion sensors. They can determine whether a human being (and in the case of the Adafruit PIR sensor, an animal) has entered or left the module’s detection area.

Strong, cheap and ultra-compact, these small sensors are frequently used not only to design small electronic objects and gadgets making use of motion detection, but also for prototyping.

PIR Motion Sensor by Adafruit: practical and adaptable

Like all PIR sensors, this motion sensor module designed by Adafruit is extremely easy to use and pretty energy efficient. Better still, it offers a certain flexibility since you can:

• decrease its power requirements and pass from 5 to 3V (with a few soldering operations to bypass the regulator);
• adjust the motion sensor’s response time (between 2 and 4 seconds);
• adjust the module’s sensitivity; and
• position your sensor as you want thanks to the 30 cm cable with socket also supplied with the PIR sensor.

Technical specifications of the Adafruit PIR Sensor

• Supply: 5-16V
• Digital output signal: 3.3V
• Range: 7 m
• Detection cone: 120°
• Adjustable response time (2-4 sec.) and sensitivity
• 30 cm cable included
  • Length: 24.03 mm
• Width: 32.34 mm
• Screw hole distance: 28 mm
• Screw hole diameter: 2 mm
• Height (with lens): 24.66 mm
• Weight: 5.87 g

Resources for the 189 Motion Sensor

Everything you always wanted to know about PIR sensors can be found below!

• Learn more about PIR sensors