The presented schematic shows how to build a simple PIR motion sensor. PIR sensors allow motion sensing, it is almost always used to detect whether someone has moved in or out of the sensors range.

Passive InfraRed sensors (PIRs) are electronic devices which are used in some security alarm systems to detect motion of an infrared emitting source, usually a human body. All objects, living or not, ...

A passive infrared sensor (PIR sensor) is an electronic sensor that measures infrared (IR) light radiating from objects in its field of view. They are most often used in PIR-based motion detectors.

[ladyada] has a freshly-published and amazingly thorough tutorial on passive infrared (PIR) motion sensors. Most often seen in security floodlights and automatic doors, in creative hands these sensors ...