The potential of sensor networks: enterprises, buildings, environment
The collection, integration, and then the use of information in a distributed environment, such as temperature, humidity, light diffusion or dispersion of a gas, is made with the networks of sensors.
The sensors are small devices, sometimes hidden inside objects very common as a digital camera, which provide us with information in the form of electrical impulse. The development of electronics has led to their increasing use versatile, simple thermometer from home, home automation, industrial applications. So, once relegated for use in measuring instruments of precision, in less than ten years, sensors have become an essential part of our daily lives.
But back to the networks, because this sector, which involves researchers from different fields and specializations, it is only the beginning of what can be seen as an important stage of development.
More sensors deployed in an environment and be able to communicate with each other form a network and provide us with a detailed picture of information for an 'infinite possibilities of applications. A 'network architecture is scalable, ie it can be used in small environments such as a room in a building or in whole urban complexes; also with adequate redundancy of sensor nodes, the whole system becomes more fault-tolerant and thus more reliable .
This opens innovative perspectives in various fields, from the control of traffic flows, street lighting, seismic to engineering and robotics. For the ultimate goal of the research is the development of network systems to federations of intelligent agents: once you read the environmental parameters of the system components interact and develop a coordinated and coherent behavior in response to the situation. A great challenge that requires more time and effort, but which for some result as the system Alisee, recently patented by ENEA, for monitoring and improving the energy efficiency of buildings.
01/03/2012
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Translated via software
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Source:
Italian version of CercaGeometra.it