While there is no single standard that could be applied to support a claim that a sensor is “smart,” Smart Sensors are typically characterised by on-board intelligence and the ability to communicate via a digital network. With the emergence of both the Internet of Things (IoT) and the Industrial IoT (IIoT), new sensors and associated applications are emerging every day. Increasingly, these sensors are “smart”, a requirement for IoT sensors as well as for many industrial applications.
Sensors are everywhere, both in industry and in our everyday lives. In industrial facilities, they measure process variables such as temperature, pressure, level, flow, pH, and turbidity; electrical variables such as voltage, current, and frequency; and mechanical variables such as rotation, number of cycles, position, direction of travel, static and dynamic pressures, proximity; environmental variables such as humidity, vibration, wind speed and direction; and so on.
Ilika plc (LON: IKA) has world class expertise in accelerated materials innovation, including in the automotive, aeronautical and electronic components sectors. Global brands such as Rolls-Royce and Toyota have long-term collaborations with Ilika. High throughput technology enables functional materials to be made, characterised and tested up to 100 times faster than traditional techniques. Robust datasets enhance intellectual property value, optimise product performance and reduce time to market, thereby maximising return on R&D investment.