Sensewhen

Sensewhen is not a single, universally defined term, but a compound word that appears in various fields to describe the moment when sensing information leads to an action. It is used informally to refer to the decision point in perception–action cycles, sensor-driven systems, and event-driven software where conditions must be met before proceeding.

In computing and automation, sense-when describes the logic that evaluates sensor data and triggers an action once a condition is satisfied. The exact criteria—what to sense, what threshold to use, and how long a condition must hold—are implementation-specific and can involve techniques such as debouncing, hysteresis, or time-based checks. This concept helps separate sensing from acting and emphasizes the timing of responses.

In robotics and embedded systems, sense-when rules guide when actuators should be engaged to conserve power, reduce wear, or improve responsiveness. Common examples include sensing a temperature threshold before cooling activates, or detecting proximity before initiating a halt or maneuver. These rules are part of broader control strategies and are tailored to the hardware and application domain.

As a term, sensewhen also appears in software naming, with variants like senseWhen or SenseWhen used as function or method identifiers. There is no canonical definition or standard spelling, and the term may also be encountered in branding or product names independent of a unified concept.

See also: sensing, perception-action cycle, event-driven programming, threshold, debounce.