'''Physical computing''' means building interactive [[physical system]]s by the use of [[software]] and hardware that can sense and respond to the [[analog signal|analog]] world.{{clarify|reasin=If there is any distinction from an embedded system, mention it here.|date=September 2016}} While this definition is broad enough to encompass thingssystems such as smart automotive traffic [[control system]]s or factory [[automation]] processes, it is not commonly used to describe them. In thea broadbroader sense, physical computing is a creative framework for understanding human beings' relationship to the [[Digital data|digital]] world. In practical use, the term most often describes handmade art, design or [[DIY]] hobby projects that use [[sensor]]s and [[microcontroller]]s to translate analog input to a [[software system]], and/or control [[electro-mechanical]] devices such as [[Electric motor|motor]]s, [[Servomechanism|servo]]s, [[lighting]] or other hardware.
Commercial implementations range from consumer devices such as the [[Sony Eyetoy]] or games such as [[Dance Dance Revolution]] to more esoteric and pragmatic uses such asincluding [[machine vision]] usedutilized in the automation of quality inspection along a factory [[assembly line]]. [[Exergaming]] can be considered a form of physical computing. Other implementations of physical computing include [[speech recognition|voice recognition]], which senses and interprets sound waves via microphones or other soundwave sensing devices, and [[computer vision]], which applies algorithms to a rich stream of [[video]] data typically sensed by some form of camera. [[Haptic technology|Haptic]] interfaces are also an example of physical computing, though in this case the computer is ''generating'' the physical stimulus as opposed to ''sensing'' it. Both [[motion capture]] and [[gesture recognition]] are fields that rely on computer vision to work their magic.
