Sensor Technologies and Safety Standards for Automated Entrances

This course provides specialized technical training in the selection, integration, calibration, and maintenance of detection and safety systems used in automated pedestrian doors, vehicular gates, and access barriers. Technicians examine the core operational principles of active infrared, passive infrared, microwave Doppler radar, inductive loop, and contact edge sensing technologies. Substantial emphasis is placed on industry safety standards governing entrapment prevention, clearance thresholds, and operational speeds to safeguard pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Students learn to interpret wiring schematics, configure monitored sensor circuits, program hold-open timers, and map detection zones to eliminate dangerous blind spots. Practical laboratory sessions emphasize systematic diagnostic routines, signal noise mitigation, and standardized field compliance evaluations using calibrated measurement equipment. By mastering sensor architecture and safety compliance methodologies, learners build the requisite skills to evaluate, tune, and verify reliable automated entrance operations across diverse commercial, industrial, and institutional environments.

InstructorJacob Calhoun

Prerequisites

ADG 101

Course outline

Lectures, virtual labs, and graded assignments — completed in your browser.

01Lesson 1: Introduction to Automated Entrance Safety Standards and Regulatory Frameworkslecture

02Lesson 2: Microwave Doppler Radar Principles and Motion Detection Patternslecture

03Lesson 3: Active and Passive Infrared Presence Sensing Technologieslecture

04Hands-on Lab: Sensor Wiring, Pattern Adjustment, and Detection Field Mappinglab

05Lesson 5: Photoelectric Beams, Light Curtains, and Optical Safeguardslecture

06Lesson 6: Electromechanical Safety Edges, Bump Strips, and Wireless Monitoringlecture

07Lesson 7: Inductive Loop Principles, Vehicle Detector Tuning, and Geometrylecture

08Hands-on Lab: Inductive Loop and Contact Edge Diagnostic Testinglab

09Lesson 9: Pedestrian Door Safety Zones, Force Limits, and Kinetic Energy Calculationslecture

10Lesson 10: Vehicular Gate Entrapment Protection and Monitored External Inputslecture

11Hands-on Lab: Standardized Safety Compliance Auditing and Field Testinglab

12Lesson 12: Environmental Interference, False Trigger Mitigation, and Weather Shieldinglecture

13Lesson 13: Supervised Sensor Circuit Interfaces, Controller Logic, and Relay Integrationlecture

14Capstone Service Project: Multi-Zone Safety and Detection System Commissioningassignment

Syllabus

["Week 1: Lesson 1: Introduction to Automated Entrance Safety Standards and Regulatory Frameworks", "Week 2: Lesson 2: Microwave Doppler Radar Principles and Motion Detection Patterns", "Week 3: Lesson 3: Active and Passive Infrared Presence Sensing Technologies", "Week 4: Hands-on Lab: Sensor Wiring, Pattern Adjustment, and Detection Field Mapping", "Week 5: Lesson 5: Photoelectric Beams, Light Curtains, and Optical Safeguards", "Week 6: Lesson 6: Electromechanical Safety Edges, Bump Strips, and Wireless Monitoring", "Week 7: Lesson 7: Inductive Loop Principles, Vehicle Detector Tuning, and Geometry", "Week 8: Hands-on Lab: Inductive Loop and Contact Edge Diagnostic Testing", "Week 9: Lesson 9: Pedestrian Door Safety Zones, Force Limits, and Kinetic Energy Calculations", "Week 10: Lesson 10: Vehicular Gate Entrapment Protection and Monitored External Inputs", "Week 11: Hands-on Lab: Standardized Safety Compliance Auditing and Field Testing", "Week 12: Lesson 12: Environmental Interference, False Trigger Mitigation, and Weather Shielding", "Week 13: Lesson 13: Supervised Sensor Circuit Interfaces, Controller Logic, and Relay Integration", "Week 14: Capstone Service Project: Multi-Zone Safety and Detection System Commissioning"]