HC-SR501 PIR Motion Sensor

Sensor

HC-SR501 PIR Motion Sensor

Active 2 Projects 0 Videos

The HC-SR501 is a Passive Infrared (PIR) sensor that detects motion by sensing changes in infrared radiation, typically from the body heat of people or animals moving within its range. It's one of the most common sensors used for motion-activated projects. How It Works:

Difficulty

Beginner → Advanced

Category

Electronics

How it works

How this sensor works

The sensor has a pyroelectric element that detects infrared radiation given off by warm objects. When a person or animal moves within the sensor's field of view, the change in infrared levels triggers the sensor's output pin to go high, signaling that motion was detected.

Applications

Common use cases

Security systems
automatic lighting
motion-activated alarms
occupancy detection
energy-saving automation

Required

Components needed

Arduino Uno
Raspberry Pi Pico
ESP32
HC-SR501 PIR Sensor
Jumper Wires
Breadboard

Projects

Related projects

Build something with this sensor.