COMMERCIALISATION | CORNER T
he excitement around a trillion sensor world is great for the small technology community but a lot of people have been asking the following question: how can we take the
data developed from that many sensors and provide solutions for the 21st century world? Today, current data transmission, data analysis and sensor power solutions are neither available nor scalable to meet the demands of a trillion sensor world. The trillion sensor data output problem is analogous to the problem observed when any group embraces large data sets. Signal processing and associated analytical capability in this case rapidly becomes the gating parameter in extracting and enabling data transformation into information, knowledge, and finally wisdom. Furthermore, data output from a trillion sensors could overwhelm current internet capability and computational capability such as cloud computing is vulnerable to manipulations and security. Finally, more viable system level energy efficient solutions like self or low power sensors will have to be the norm in a ubiquitous sensing world.
The small tech sensor supply chain is blurred by the capabilities inherent in small tech based solutions. The supply chain is comprised of sensor manufacturers as well as those who provide transmission, data capture and analysis. At the moment the uses of cell phones as hubs as well as firms who provide “Big Data” analysis are attractive solutions to a trillion sensor world. Currently the world creates 5 exabytes of data every two days, which is approximately the amount of data created between the dawn of civilisation and 2003 (according to Eric Schmidt, Google's Chief Executive Officer). The data driven by the new trillion sensor world is not even included in this multiplier. The trillion sensor data analysis challenges include: system capacity concerns, capture, transfer, storage, search, sharing, analysis, documentation and visualisation. Companies like IBM, Google, HP, and Microsoft, to name just a few, see big data as a big commercial opportunity. However, the big data community has not reckoned with the
opportunities and technological problems that a trillion sensor world would provide. One current MEMS sensor based systems company, XSENS, provides systems solutions based on small technology to a variety of industries. In Figure 1 we show the XSENS motions system systems used in the movie Ted to animate its star. In figure 2 we provide a recent demonstration of the XSENS motion capture capability using a tablet hub. Further, XSENS is already embracing low power solutions. Finally, it is, as many MEMS based sensor but few sensor systems companies, investigating low power options for their systems applications.
A group has been formed to provide a pathway or a roadmap for the systems challenges for solutions based on the new trillion sensor world. The trillion sensor systems group was formed to provide value to the entire sensor system value chain by focusing on the key infrastructure issues that can prevent exceptional sensors in a variety of field from attaining their solutions, potential. They seek visionaries and thought leaders to focus on: certain aspects of sensor technology; problem and solutions in data transmission technology from the sensor to the Point of Use (POU); and data capture and processing technology (POU). More specifically Tsensor systems is developing groups to focus in three areas:
1. Sensor technology
We seek to identify portions of sensor technologies that speak to self power or low power solutions that can be transferable from their current field of use. There are several types of sensors that are available now and even more that will be available on the market when these roadmaps conclude in 10 years. Sensor types include photosensitive, seismic, chemical, water, gas, nuclear, biomedical, etc.
<< Figure 2: A small tech XSENS motions system using a tablet as a hub. >>
Continued on page 46 45 | commercial micro manufacturing international Vol 7 No.1
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