Windows.Devices.Sensors Namespace

Provides access to the supported types of sensors and related motion data.

Classes

Accelerometer

Represents an accelerometer sensor.

This sensor returns G-force values with respect to the x, y, and z axes.

For an example implementation, see the accelerometer sample.

AccelerometerDataThreshold

Provides access to accelerometer data thresholds (also known as change sensitivity).

AccelerometerReading

Represents an accelerometer reading.

AccelerometerReadingChangedEventArgs

Provides data for the accelerometer reading– changed event.

AccelerometerShakenEventArgs

Provides data for the accelerometer-shaken event.

ActivitySensor

Represents a sensor that provides the activity and status of a sensor.

ActivitySensorReading

Represents the reading of an activity sensor that provides readings for the sensor.

ActivitySensorReadingChangedEventArgs

Represents data for the reading–changed event of the sensor.

ActivitySensorReadingChangeReport

Represents data for the sensor trigger.

ActivitySensorTriggerDetails

Represents details about the sensor triggering.

AdaptiveDimmingOptions

Provides the ability to manage the dimming behavior of the PC screen based on whether a user is detected by the human presence sensor.

Altimeter

Provides an interface for an altimetric sensor to measure the relative altitude.

For an example implementation, see the altimeter sample.

AltimeterReading

Represents an altimeter reading.

AltimeterReadingChangedEventArgs

Provides data for the altimeter reading– changed event.

Barometer

Provides an interface for a barometric sensor to measure atmospheric pressure.

For an example implementation, see the barometer sample.

BarometerDataThreshold

Provides access to barometer data thresholds (also known as change sensitivity).

BarometerReading

Represents a barometer reading.

BarometerReadingChangedEventArgs

Provides data for the barometer reading– changed event.

Compass

Represents a compass sensor.

This sensor returns a heading with respect to Magnetic North and, possibly, True North. (The latter is dependent on the system capabilities.)

For an example implementation, see the compass sample.

CompassDataThreshold

Provides access to compass data thresholds (also known as change sensitivity).

CompassReading

Represents a compass reading.

CompassReadingChangedEventArgs

Provides data for the compass reading–changed event.

DetectedPerson

Represents a detected person as detected by the human presence sensor.

Gyrometer

Represents a gyrometer sensor that provides angular velocity values with respect to the x, y, and z axes.

GyrometerDataThreshold

Provides access to gyrometer data thresholds (also known as change sensitivity).

GyrometerReading

Represents a gyrometer reading.

GyrometerReadingChangedEventArgs

Provides data for the gyrometer reading– changed event.

HeadOrientation

Represents an object that describes the orientation a user's head is facing relative to the human presence sensor, in terms of roll, pitch, and yaw.

HeadPosition

Represents an object that describes the location of a user's head relative to the human presence sensor, in terms of azimuth and altitude.

HingeAngleReading

Provides access to the data exposed by the hinge angle sensor in a dual-screen device.

HingeAngleSensor

Represents the hinge angle sensor in a dual-screen device.

HingeAngleSensorReadingChangedEventArgs

Provides data for the ReadingChanged event.

HumanPresenceFeatures

Represents the system settings supported by a human presence sensor.

HumanPresenceSensor

Represents a sensor that detects whether a user is present, absent, or not interacting with their device.

HumanPresenceSensorReading

Represents a single reading from a HumanPresenceSensor.

HumanPresenceSensorReadingChangedEventArgs

Provides data for the HumanPresenceSensor.ReadingChanged event.

HumanPresenceSensorReadingUpdate

Represents a single, updated reading from a HumanPresenceSensor.

HumanPresenceSettings

Represents the various human presence system settings.

Inclinometer

Represents an inclinometer sensor that provides pitch, roll, and yaw values corresponding to rotation angles around the x, y, and z axes, respectively.

InclinometerDataThreshold

Provides access to inclinometer data thresholds (also known as change sensitivity).

InclinometerReading

Represents an inclinometer reading.

InclinometerReadingChangedEventArgs

Provides data for the inclinometer reading-changed event.

LightSensor

Represents an ambient-light sensor that provides the ambient-light reading as a LUX value.

LightSensorDataThreshold

Provides access to light data thresholds (also known as change sensitivity).

LightSensorReading

Represents an ambient light–sensor reading.

LightSensorReadingChangedEventArgs

Provides data for the ambient-light sensor reading-changed event.

LockOnLeaveOptions

Provides the ability to manage the locking behavior of the PC screen based on whether a user is detected by the human presence sensor.

Magnetometer

Represents a magnetic sensor.

MagnetometerDataThreshold

Provides access to magnetometer data thresholds (also known as change sensitivity).

MagnetometerReading

Represents a magnetometer reading.

MagnetometerReadingChangedEventArgs

Provides data for the magnetometer reading– changed event.

OrientationSensor

Represents an orientation sensor.

This sensor returns a rotation matrix and a Quaternion that can be used to adjust the user's perspective in a game application.

For an example implementation, see the orientation sensor sample.

OrientationSensorReading

Represents an orientation-sensor reading.

OrientationSensorReadingChangedEventArgs

Provides data for the orientation-sensor reading-changed event.

Pedometer

Provides an interface for a pedometer to measure the number of steps taken.

For an example implemenation, see the pedometer sample.

PedometerDataThreshold

A threshold for the Pedometer sensor. When the threshold conditions are met, the sensor trigger will activate.

PedometerReading

Represents a pedometer reading.

PedometerReadingChangedEventArgs

Provides data for the pedometer reading– changed event.

ProximitySensor

Provides an interface for a proximity sensor to determine whether or not an object is detected.

For an example implementation, see the proximity sensor sample.

ProximitySensorDataThreshold

A threshold for the ProximitySensor. When the threshold conditions are met, the sensor trigger will activate.

ProximitySensorDisplayOnOffController

Provides a controller responsible for turning on or off the phone display based on the readings from the ProximitySensor.

ProximitySensorReading

Represents a reading from the proximity sensor.

ProximitySensorReadingChangedEventArgs

Provides data for the reading– changed event of the proximity sensor.

SensorDataThresholdTriggerDetails

Provides data for what sensor triggered the data threshold monitoring task.

SensorQuaternion

Represents a Quaternion.

SensorRotationMatrix

Represents a 3x3 rotation matrix.

SimpleOrientationSensor

Represents a simple orientation sensor.

For an example implementation, see the simple orientation sensor sample.

This sensor detects the current quadrant orientation of the specified device as well as its face-up or face-down status.

SimpleOrientationSensorOrientationChangedEventArgs

Provides data for the sensor reading–changed event.

WakeOnApproachOptions

Provides the ability to manage the waking behavior of the PC screen based on whether a user is detected by the human presence sensor.

Interfaces

IHumanPresenceSensorExtension

Defines the implementation for a type that supports inspecting and modifying human presence sensor readings in the pipeline between the sensor and the system.

IHumanPresenceSensorExtensionPlugin

Defines the implementation for a type that supports inspecting and modifying human presence sensor readings in the pipeline between the sensor and the system.

ISensorDataThreshold

Identifies a threshold for sensor data. When this threshold is crossed, the sensor trigger will activate.

Enums

AccelerometerReadingType

Indicates the type of accelerometer.

ActivitySensorReadingConfidence

Specifies the confidence of a sensor reading.

ActivityType

Specifies activity types of a sensor.

HumanEngagement

Specifies the possible engagement states supported by a HumanPresenceSensor.

HumanPresence

Specifies the possible detection states supported by a HumanPresenceSensor.

MagnetometerAccuracy

The sensor's accuracy.

See One Dev Minute - Sensor calibration for a short video overview on how to calibrate the magnetometer.

PedometerStepKind

The type of step taken according to the pedometer.

SensorOptimizationGoal

Indicates whether power or precision should be optimized for sensors.

SensorReadingType

Specifies the sensor reading type.

SensorType

Indicates the type of sensor.

SimpleOrientation

Indicates the orientation of the device.

Remarks

This namespace provides access to the sensor types listed in the table below. The driver for a sensor must indicate that the hardware is integrated with the PC chassis for it to be accessible via this namespace. Sensors not marked as PC-integrated, even if they are of a supported type, will not be accessible. Driver developers can refer to SensorConnectionType enumeration for more details.

SensorDescription
AccelerometerDetects acceleration along three axes (x, y, and z).
InclinometerDetects angle of incline along three axes (pitch, roll, and yaw).
GyrometerDetects angular velocity along three axes.
CompassDetects heading in degrees relative to magnetic north (and due north when integrated with onboard GPS).
LightDetects ambient lighting level in lumens.
OrientationCombines the data from the accelerometer, compass, and gyrometer sensors to provide smoother and more sensitive rotation data than can be obtained from any of the sensors alone. See the

In addition, this namespace provides access to the following motion (or movement) data.

DataDescription
QuaternionA Quaternion is a rotation of a point [x,y,z] around an arbitrary axis.
Rotation MatrixA Rotation Matrix represents a rotation around 3 axes (x, y, and z).

Sensor data is provided relative to the device's fixed sensor coordinate system, and is independent of display orientation. For applications that rely on sensor data for input control or to manipulate elements on the screen, the developer must take current display orientation into account and compensate the data appropriately. For more info about the sensor coordinate system, see Sensor data and display orientation.

For some samples that demonstrate using various sensors, see Windows Sensor Samples.

See also