Smart Sensor

 

Smart Sensor

A smart sensor is a device that takes input from the physical environment and uses built-in compute resources to perform predefined functions upon detection of specific input and then process data before passing it on.

Smart sensors enable more accurate and automated collection of environmental data with less erroneous noise amongst the accurately recorded information. These devices are used for monitoring and control mechanisms in a wide variety of environments including smart grids, battlefield reconnaissance, exploration and many science applications.

The smart sensor is also a crucial and integral element in the internet of things (IoT), the increasingly prevalent environment in which almost anything imaginable can be outfitted with a unique identifier and the ability to transmit data over the internet or a similar network. One implementation of smart sensors is as components of a wireless sensor and actuator network (WSAN) whose nodes can number in the thousands, each of which is connected with one or more other sensors and sensor hubs, as well as individual actuators.

Compute resources are typically provided by low-power mobile microprocessors. At a minimum, a smart sensor is made of a sensor, a microprocessor and communication technology of some kind. The compute resources must be an integral part of the physical design -- a sensor that just sends its data along for remote processing isn't considered a smart sensor.

How do smart sensors work?

A smart sensor ties a raw base sensor to integrated computing resources that enable the sensor's input to be processed.

The base sensor is the component that provides the sensing capability. It might be designed to sense heat, light or pressure. Often, the base sensor will produce an analog signal that must be processed before it can be used. This is where an intelligent sensor's integrated technology comes into play. The onboard microprocessor filters out signal noise and converts the sensor's signal into a usable, digital format.