They can pass binary signals or even analog waveforms, depending on how they're built. You need extra circuitry to power the LED and read the. An optocoupler is a tiny part that moves signals between circuits without letting electricity jump across. It uses light to do the job, which helps keep things safe. In this guide, you'll learn how they work and how you can use one in your own projects. Optocouplers are very useful when you need to isolate different sections of a circuit, for example in power. Optocouplers, also known as optoisolators, play a vital role in achieving this electrical isolation while allowing signal transmission. The optocoupler comes with two parts LED that releases infrared light and photosensitive devices that sense light from LED.