Highlights

The author wishes to acknowledge the valuable information provided on smart sensors, their programming and networking methods, and application opportunities by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, USA); by Dr James J. Truchard, CEO, and David Potter, Director, Product Strategy, National Instruments, USA; Sentech Sensors Inc., North Hills, PA, USA, DVT Sensors Corporation, Norcross, GA, USA; Baumer Electric, Sothington, CT, USA and by Endevco Inc., San Juan Capistrano, CA, USA.

The author

Paul G. Ranky is a Professor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT/MERC), Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Multi-lifecycle Engineering Research Center, Newark, New Jersey, USA.

Tel: 00 1 201 493 0521; Fax: 00 1 201 493 0522; E-mail: ranky@admin.njit.edu

Keywords

Sensors, Standards

Abstract

The purpose of developing smart (analog and digital) sensors for networked machine/process monitoring, and other tasks, is to make them as easy and trouble free to deploy, program and maintain, as plugging a keyboard, or mouse into a computer. The IEEE 1451 smart transducer interface standards describe a set of open, common, and network-independent communication interfaces for smart transducers. ( Smartness here means on-board data storage/processing capability, interfaced/integrated with the analog and/or digital sensor.) Several companies and individuals involved in networked control systems of machines, and the measurement and control industries are developing these new standards, in the USA sponsored by the IEEE Instrumentation and...