Which fire alarm system component senses the presence of products of combustion or other hazardous conditions and sends a signal to the control panel?

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Automatic initiating devices are the parts of a fire alarm system that detect hazardous conditions, such as smoke or heat, and immediately transmit a signal to the fire alarm control panel. This automatic sensing starts the alarm process without any person needing to act. Examples include smoke detectors, heat detectors, flame detectors, and water-flow switches. This distinguishes them from manual initiating devices, which require someone to trigger the alarm, and from the fire command center (the panel itself) or tactile notification appliances, which either serve as the control interface or merely alert occupants without sensing conditions.