What is the difference between an optical sensor and a PIR sensor?

Asked 2 years ago

Hello. I'm deciding whether to buy an optical sensor or a PIR sensor for my HR company, but I don't understand what the difference is. As far as I know, both of these sensors count the number of people in an office. Is this correct? Does anyone know what distinguishes these sensors from one another?

Optical sensor Pir sensors Sensor

Abril Knapp

Tuesday, December 20, 2022

PIR sensors work by detecting thermal energy (heat) radiating from objects, while optical sensors work by detecting light rays. So, they definitely work differently. Optical sensors won't detect any motion when there's no light (like at night), but PIR sensors detect motion in all light settings even though they're not as accurate as optical sensors during the day. 