Many people understand that the term sensor technology is to obtain data through sensors, but what is actually possible with it?
Using sensor technology to evolve and deepen industries
What is Sensor Technology?
Sensor technology is the measurement of various information by sensors. Sensor technology is a general term for technologies that quantify and utilize information obtained by sensing in this way. Sensor technology includes measurement, quantification, and transmission.
In sensor technology, various possibilities are created by applying quantitative data obtained by sensors. The spread of IoT has further increased its potential and importance. In the IoT where things and the Internet are connected, what is actually handled is information that represents the state of things. Sensor technology plays a role in acquiring this information, and it is expected to be applied to all industries as an indispensable technology for IoT.
What is created by Sensor Technology?
So what will change with the application of sensor technology?
In the days of no sensor technology, information could only be obtained through human beings, such as the eyes, ears, noses, and feel of people. However, with the advent and evolution of sensors and the development of sensor technology, it has become possible to obtain various information that cannot be obtained by human sense alone. In addition, a large amount of quantified information can be delivered from multiple locations at the same time in an instant.
In addition, although the scope of measurement was limited in the past, the development of sensors is progressing now, and it is possible to measure a wide variety of things.
This vast amount of data has many possibilities to create great value through IoT and AI. It can be said that the connection between sensor technology, IoT, and AI has the potential to change people’s lives into new things.
Types of sensing
With the rapid spread of IoT, more diverse and accurate information is required than ever before. As a result, sensor technology is also required to evolve further, and sensors are becoming more diversified and sophisticated.
In addition, sensor technology itself has come to be considered in two main ways as the direction of application. We’ll talk about this later.
Sensors are diversifying
The evolution of sensors is essential for the evolution of sensing technology, and sensors have become diversified and sophisticated in order to sense all objects. The following sensors are expected to be used and the application of the information obtained by them is expected.
- Current sensors, voltage sensors and power sensors
These sensors are essential for measuring and controlling the status of electrical and electronic parts. In addition, it is a sensor related to various fields such as power generation, transmission, distribution, power generation, robots, space development, medical care, etc.
- Pressure sensors and pressure sensitive sensors
Are used in equipment operated by hydraulic, hydraulic, and pneumatic. In addition, pressure sensitive sensors are applied to measure information obtained from human touches sensors.
- Temperature sensors, humidity sensors, wind speed sensors, and barometric pressure sensors
Weather forecasts are closely related to sensing technology. Forecasts are created by sensing and analyzing detailed weather information from many points. These sensors are also active in smart agriculture.
- Ultrasonic sensors, radio wave sensors, and infrared sensors
These sensors measure things that cannot be seen by the human eye. The distance to the object and the movement of things can be measured by ultrasonic waves and radio waves.
- Image sensors and infrared camera
A camera that can analyze the shape, color, and movement of an image sensor or infrared camera can be said to be one of the image sensors that measures information about an image. In this way, it is possible to take pictures in dark places that cannot be seen by the human eye by using infrared rays as a substitute for the human eye and obtaining information from images.
- Chemical sensors and gas sensors
Chemical sensors and gas sensors are used to detect gaseous substances. In particular, it is applied to detection and measurement of gases that affect the human body, flammable gases, fluorophores with the possibility of ozone layer destruction, and greenhouse gases with a high global warming coefficient.
- Taste sensors, olfactory sensors and alcohol checker
Sensing technology is one of the goals of sensor technology to measure information obtained by the five senses of a taste sensor, an olfactory sensor, and an alcohol checker. Among them, sensory things such as taste and smell, which were considered difficult to measure and quantify, can be quantified by sensors in modern times.
- Blood glucose sensor, pulse sensor, skin moisture sensor
Future medical care may be supported by sensing technology. Sensors measure the state in real time, leading to the sophistication of medical care and the elimination of shortages of healthcare professionals. In order to bring people who have been restricted to life closer to a society where people can live with peace of mind, the development of sensors that can be applied to medical care is a field with high expectations.
- Accelerometers, gyroscope Sensors and GPS／GNSS
These sensors, which are known for their application to accelerometers, gyroscopes, GPS/GNSS smartphones, may be said to be sensors that are integrated into everyday life. In addition, it can be said that there is a great possibility of application as an indispensable sensor for robot development.
Sensor technology is roughly divided into two parts.
In recent years, sensor technology has been roughly divided into two categories: “smart sensing” and “remote sensing”.
Smart sensing is an extension of the evolution of sensing technology that has evolved from the beginning. It is a sensing technology used to measure and quantify various situations in the environment, communicate with people, and control things. It continues to develop mainly in the construction industry, logistics industry, and manufacturing industry, but it is also expected to be applied in the medical and agricultural fields.
The other remote sensing technology is a sensor technology that aims to acquire and remotely control information from a remote location. Research continues in the fields of space development and aviation.
In fact, the boundaries between the two are not clearly drawn, and some overlap. There is also the idea that remote sensing is a technology that is on the foundation of smart sensing.
Remotes are attracting attention due to new ways of working that take into account work-life balance through work style reforms and new lifestyles required in relation to the new virus. Under these conditions, new applications for remote sensing are being considered and the range of applications is also expected.
Where will sensor technology go in the future?
The relationship between humans and sensing has a long history that cannot be said to have begun at any time. For example, it can be said that primitive sensing is to measure the strength of the wind by the way the flag flaps. In addition, the control device that leads to the next operation by inputting the information sensed by the sensor has walked along with the major transformation of the manufacturing industry and the history of FA.
However, the spread of IoT has led to major changes in sensor technology and greatly attracting attention. The Internet of Things has expanded the range of ways information is transported and used, and at the same time, the method of acquiring information and the types of information that can be obtained have also attracted attention, and the demand for sensor technology has increased explosively.
There has also been a significant change in the way we analyze the large amounts of data we get. By accumulating all data acquired by sensing technology, treating it as big data, and combining it with AI, the range of applications will further expand. Edge computing also adds real-time information processing. In this way, the application possibilities are infinitely large by adding time axis elements to the amount and direction of information.
By combining sensing technology, IoT, big data, AI, and edge computing, information is expected to create new values, not just numerical values.
The evolution of sensor technology expands the range of information utilization indefinitely.
As the type, quantity, and accuracy of information obtained through sensing increase, the technology that applies it has even greater potential. The combination of sensing and IoT, big data, AI, and edge computing has great expectations not only in various industries, but also in medical and space development.
