Sensors used in the Internet of Things provide a mechanism to connect the required observations and applications, and can also be used for other forms of measurement. Simply speaking from the field of physics, sensors can be divided into: illuminance sensors, noise sensors, temperature and humidity sensors, liquid level sensors, rainfall sensors, etc
Since the birth of sensor technology, it has had a great impact on manufacturers and also changed the development of the manufacturing industry. With the continuous advancement of Internet of Things technology, the combination of sensors and artificial intelligence technology has expanded its influence and application scope, enabling real-time data collection, transmission, and networking, bringing unprecedented connectivity and analysis capabilities to manufacturing processes. Such as smart factories, smart cities, smart buildings, etc. So, what kind of sparks will the combination of sensors and the Internet of Things generate in the future?
1、 What is a smart sensor?
Sensors can obtain data from the environment. The calculation of microprocessors is output by programmed sensors. The communication function that enables the sensor to convey the microprocessor output and take action. These three parts are the main components of intelligent sensors. Smart sensors can include various sensors, transceivers, amplifiers, analog filters, power supplies, and other components. Experts believe that the functionality of IoT sensors should also include wireless communication, intelligent remote computing data, and programmable features to adapt to new needs.
2、 Types of IoT sensors
Sensors used in the Internet of Things provide a mechanism to connect the required observations and applications, and can also be used for other forms of measurement. In the field of physics, sensors can be divided into optical and electromagnetic sensors, thermal sensors, vibration and sound sensors, matter and material sensors, and time and space sensors.
3、 IoT Sensor Use Cases
Firstly, in terms of existing processes and workflows, smart sensors provide greater visibility, identify projects, and determine environmental conditions.
Secondly, in terms of products, IoT sensors can improve processes and the products themselves. In terms of manufacturing, IoT sensors can monitor, control, and improve operations. Adding them to logistics can simplify product delivery methods. Regarding equipment, smart sensors can create new revenue.
Finally, the low cost and more advanced functionality of sensors have enabled a wider and more effective range of use cases. The cost of physical sensors and RFID tags has significantly decreased, and the cost of smart sensor software applications, connectivity options, and deployment has also significantly decreased.
4、 The benefits of smart sensors
Firstly, IoT sensors provide higher visibility in existing workflows and processes, enabling companies to leverage real-time data to identify issues. For example, logistics companies can equip their fleet with sensors to detect the position of each truck.
Driven by big data technology, internal and external data information can be collected and summarized to achieve market forecasting. In manufacturing, historical machine data is collected through sensors to build models that predict when machine components may fail and proactively replace suspicious parts within a planned time.
Related to revenue generation. Due to the widespread application of the Internet of Things, new business models have been created. Manufacturers analyze data collected through smart sensors to provide customers with the services they need.
5、 The Future of Intelligent Sensors
Many sensors are built into the product during manufacturing. Industrial equipment, trains, cars, buildings, etc. are connected to hundreds or thousands of sensors. However, IoT sensors are not limited to new products.
The machine has been in use for a long time, and placing low-cost sensors on old devices to establish a healthy environment that supports the increasing popularity of IoT infrastructure and data flow will lead to the deployment of a large number of sensors in companies. With the widespread application of 5G, it has promoted the expansion of sensors. The fusion of edge computing enables sensors to respond faster and provide effective decisions under the Internet of Things.
In the future, miniaturization of sensors will be an inevitable development trend, and computing power will also become increasingly strong. Sensors will also provide more functions on the same platform, offering different sensing categories for the same device.
People's living environment will also change due to sensors, from wearable devices to professional sensors, all of which can be connected to computers. According to experts' predictions, the total number of IoT devices and potential sensors will triple in the next six years, currently around 25 billion devices, and will grow to 75 billion devices by 2025.