Sensor Type

A is a type of ninja that is capable of detecting the presence of other people through their chakra. A skilled sensor can detect their targets from a great distance, as well as differentiate the characters by their chakra signature alone. Such examples include Karin being able to tell exactly who is among a crowd of people, and Fū being able to tell that a sensor type is within a group of persons. Karin is good enough to tell if her targets are lying based on any fluctuations of their chakra. Mū can discern between chakra signatures of shinobi from different populations. Other sensors are also able to tell when other sensors are using this technique.

Throughout the series, various characters have commented on the 'feel' of a person's chakra and similar comments regarding the ability to sense high levels of chakra a little, leading to the possibility that chakra sensing is merely a more refined version of this by either teaching or being simply born more sensitive. Several other methods of sensing have also been displayed such as Gaara's sand.

According to Karin, sensor types have different specialties depending on their villages: Konoha shinobi often use ninken. Karin's sensing abilities are derived from her Mind's Eye of the Kagura; it is unknown if other sensors also have a specific techniques to do so, or if it is just a general skill.

Trivia

 * Sages, who utilise natural energy, can also detect presence of people through their chakra, making them somewhat like sensors.
 * Kisame Hoshigaki's blade, the Samehada, is attracted to intense chakra, allowing him to hunt down such individuals.
 * After gaining control of the Nine-Tails' chakra, Naruto has displayed the Nine-Tails' ability to sense others' presence by detecting negative emotions, an ability Mito Uzumaki, a former Nine-Tails' jinchūriki also had and something that other sensors cannot do.
 * In Shippūden episode 226, the sensor type shinobi that was on the ship exhibited the ability to sense things that would generally fall out of the realm of sensors, such as being able to tell that they were far away from the depth charges being fired, seemingly sense air currents underwater as well as tell that there was a large subterranean hot spring underneath them.