What type of IoT device can be specifically used to gather environmental data?

Sensors are specifically designed to gather environmental data, making them the most appropriate choice for this question. They function by detecting and measuring physical stimuli—such as temperature, light, humidity, and other environmental factors—and converting these observations into signals that can be processed and analyzed.

These devices play a crucial role in various applications, from smart home systems that monitor indoor climate conditions to large-scale environmental monitoring systems that track weather patterns or pollution levels. Their ability to collect real-time data and communicate it to other devices makes them integral to the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem focused on environmental monitoring.

In contrast, hubs serve as central points for connecting multiple IoT devices but do not gather data themselves. Microcontrollers are used to control the behavior of devices and may process data, but they are not primarily designed for data collection. Systems on a chip (SoCs) integrate multiple components required to run an IoT device but similarly focus on the processing aspect rather than sensing the environment directly. Thus, sensors are the clear choice for gathering environmental data in the context of IoT devices.