| Sensor | |
|---|---|
| |
| Category: | Functional Block |
| Status: | Functional |
| Function: | |
| Triggers events when objects enter or leave its detection range. | |
| Fits small ship | |
| Mass: | 61.2 kg |
| Fits large ship and station | |
| Mass: | 61.2 kg |
| Data Controls: | [edit] [purge] (?) |
A 
Sensor is a functional block designed to automatically trigger events. The detection area can be set to any size as large as 50 meters in any direction. Sensors are useful for automation (opening and closing airlocks and hangar doors, automatic lights, protecting players from lethal grinders) or security (proximity alerts, traps).
The block is visually small but occupies a whole block of building space. It exists for large as well as small grid and is very cheap to build.
Here is how to use them:
- Place the sensor.
- Set up the range.
- Set up which targets to detect.
- Select which actions to trigger.
For a related block that can detect more events, see also Event Controller.
Set up the range[]
You define the extend of the detection range in six directions: left, right, top, bottom, back, front. The block is right side up when it looks like a one-eyed face with a mouth below, the eye is facing in the "front" direction in terms of range setting.
You can place the sensor any way you want and it will work, you just need to reinterpret the directional labels in the control panel when configuring it relative to where the sensor is facing and not where you are facing.
The minimum extend is 0.1m cube unit around the sensor. The largest extend is 50m.
Tip: To make the detection range visible while testing, first, open any Info Screen and enable the "Show sensors field range" checkbox. Then enable Show on HUD in the individual sensor's control panel.
Set up which targets to detect[]
Sensors can be set to detect any combination of the following:
- players (not seated!)
- owner, friendly, neutral, or enemy
- small ships and small blocks
- large ships and large blocks
- floating objects (ores, tools, items)
- stations and platforms
- subgrids
- asteroids
Caveats: Players inside cockpit blocks or cryopods or (control or toilet) seats are not detected as players! Sensors only detect players on foot or jetpacking. If you have an alert/light/vent tied to the presence of a player, sitting down will disrupt the detection. See also the related SEAT mod. Verify whether this has been addressed in version 1.200.
If you want to trigger different actions for different detection targets, set up separate sensors.
If you need a sensor for oxygen levels, use an Air Vent. To detect different events, see also Event Controller.
Set up actions[]
The simplest action is to enable the checkbox for "audible proximity alert". The sensor will quickly tick three times when it is triggered. This option is helpful while testing (assuming you are in audible range) or to purposely alert players of the sensor's presence (at an airlock, for example). To mute the audible proximity alert, disable this setting.
Click the Set up Actions button. Each sensor has two action slots:
- The left slot is the action to trigger when the target enters the range.
- The right slot is the action to trigger when the target leaves the range.
An action can be anything available in the Control Panel Screen of the grid. To set up an available action, right-click a block icon in the toolbar config and select an action from the icon's menu. The first selection becomes the entering action, and the second becomes the leaving action.
To change an assigned action but keep the block, right-click the slot and select a new action from the menu. To reset the assigned block together with the action, right-click the action slot and select Remove from Toolbar.
You can assign actions to one, or both slots, or leave them empty. But you cannot assign the same action as both entering and leaving action.
The actions are triggered once by the first detected target that enters or leaves, respectively. The action does not automatically repeat while the condition is met.
- If you need the sensor to trigger more than one action, build a Timer Block, set up your actions inside the timer block, and then make the two sensor actions "timer block start" and "stop".
- To repeat actions, do the same, but additionally make the last action of the timer block re-start itself, and make the Leaving action stop the timer.
What the colors mean[]
When the light is red, the block is switched off or unpowered, and does not detect anything.
When the light is green, the sensor is powered and ready to detect.
When the light is blue, it has detected something (and has triggered actions, if any were set up).
Usage examples[]
- Your base detects friendly players inside and automatically opens airlocks close-by. (With additional timer blocks, you can even de- and re-pressurize the airlock to save oxygen.)
- Your ship detects approaching enemy ships and PBWs, and activates a Sound Block (set to play "enemy detected" or a siren), switches on defense systems, switches on the safe zone, changes the ship lights to "red alert", or similar.
- A sensor detects floating objects inside the volume of a battle ship and plays a warning sound. When blocks are destroyed, they drop floating scrap which is detected by the sensor as an indicator of damage.
- A station detects a friendly drone and opens the hangar doors. The drone detects the station and docks and drops off its cargo through a connector or ejector/collector.
- A construction ship detects players in front of its grinder and welder and automatically switches them off until the player has left the lethal area of effect.
- A 3D printer welder detects the proximity of the grid being welded and withdraws the welder to not collide when proceeding.
- Sensors can also switch off and on other sensors, which is useful in a longer action sequence to prevent a new sequence from starting while the first one is ongoing. This is relevant for example for automatic airlocks or docking sequences.
Recipe[]
| Sensor | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Component | Large Ship/Station Required | Large Ship/Station Optional | Small Ship Required | Small Ship Optional |
 Steel Plate | 2 | — | 2 | — |
 Computer | 1 | — | 1 | — |
 Detector Components | 1 | — | 1 | — |
 Construction Comp. | 2 | — | 2 | — |
