Sensors

Environmental, motion, and current sensors: address pins, self-heating, counterfeit detection, and interface modes.

Written and verified by John Merton · verified 2026-07-10

Sensors convert physical quantities — temperature, pressure, humidity, acceleration, current — into electrical signals. This category covers digital sensors that speak I2C or SPI (BME280, MPU6050, ADS1115, INA219) and the rare digital sensor that speaks 1-Wire (DS18B20). The selection starts with interface: I2C is the default for short-board sensing because two pins handle addressing and data, but it cannot run long cables; 1-Wire runs long cables but needs ROM-code management in firmware.

The gotchas in this category are supply-side: self-heating in gas and humidity sensors, counterfeit detection for the DS18B20 (the most counterfeited component in the hobby supply chain), and address-pin conflicts when two identical sensor ICs share a bus. Each part page documents the specific traps for that sensor.

How to choose

The axes below are the criteria you actually weigh when selecting a part in this category.

Interface: I2C, SPI, 1-Wire, or analog: I2C is the default for short runs and multi-sensor buses. SPI is faster but needs a CS pin per sensor. 1-Wire runs long cables but needs ROM-code management. Analog is simple but one ADC pin per sensor.; See:DS18B20 BME280 MPU-6050 INA219
Accuracy, resolution, and self-heating: A sensor's headline accuracy is at 25 °C with the recommended supply. Self-heating from the sensor's own current consumption adds error that the datasheet quantifies but the front page omits.; See:DS18B20 BME280 INA219
Address pins and multi-sensor buses: I2C sensors with one address pin can support two devices on a bus. Sensors with two address pins support more. When you need more sensors than addresses, you need a multiplexer or a different sensor.; See:BME280 INA219
Supply voltage and interface voltage compatibility: A 1.8 V sensor on a 3.3 V I2C bus needs level translation or a voltage-compatible sensor variant. Check the sensor's VDD range and the I/O voltage thresholds.; See:BME280 MPU-6050 DS18B20

All parts in this category

Compare specs

Parts in this guide verified against manufacturer datasheets; latest 2026-07-10.

MPN	Package	Lifecycle	Headline spec
BME280	8-pin LGA (metal lid), 2.5 × 2.5 × 0.93 mm	Active	Pressure range / accuracy: 300–1100 hPa operating; absolute accuracy ±1.0 hPa (300–1100 hPa, 0–65 °C)
MPU-6050	24-lead QFN, 4 × 4 × 0.9 mm	EOL	Accelerometer full-scale ranges: ±2, ±4, ±8, ±16 g (AFS_SEL 0–3)
DS18B20	TO-92 (3-pin)	Active	Measurement range: −55 °C to +125 °C measurement range
INA219	SOT-23-8 (TI package code DCN); also SOIC-8 (D)	Active	Operating supply range: 3 min to 5.5 max V

All categories

Found an error? Submit a correction — we verify every correction against the manufacturer’s datasheet.