What type of devices are used to detect signals and measure physical properties such as temperature?

The correct answer is sensors, as they are specifically designed to detect and measure various physical properties in their environment, including temperature, pressure, humidity, light, and motion. Sensors convert these physical properties into signals that can be read and processed by other devices, such as computers or controllers.

For example, a temperature sensor will measure the actual temperature of its surroundings and output this data in a form that can be easily interpreted. This ability to gather real-time data is essential in many applications, including environmental monitoring, automation, and industrial control systems.

Actuators are devices that perform actions in response to commands, typically converting electrical signals into physical movement. Computers serve as processing units that handle data inputs and execute software applications, but they do not directly measure physical properties. Processors are components within computers that execute instructions and manage data processing; they don't serve the function of detecting or measuring physical properties.