IoT Smart Sensors are devices which detect or measure abnormalities in air or sound quality which can ultimately act as a health and safety tool but can also be used as a business intelligence in the manufacturing industry.
With advances in technology – the Internet of Things (IoT) has transformed ordinary sensors into smart sensors, enabling them to perform more complex calculations and acquire an accurate and automated collection of environmental data with less erroneous noise. Although the sensors are small, they possess immense capability and extreme flexibility. IoT Smart Sensors are becoming increasingly important in detecting threats in sound, light, and air. They can detect flammables, hazardous chemicals, air quality changes such as vaping and smoking and changes in temperature and humidity. They can also detect noise level fluctuations and can send alerts when unusual activity occurs.
Innovation in Smart Sensor Technology
Tom Griffiths, Product Manager at Honeywell Industrial, which produces smart sensors, defines the technology this way: “Smart sensors … are microprocessor driven and include features such as communication capability and on-board diagnostics that provide information to a monitoring system and/or operator to increase operational efficiency and reduce maintenance costs.”
Another insight from, John Keating, product marketing manager for the Checker machine vision unit at Cognex, “For a [machine vision] sensor to really be ‘smart,’ it should not require the user to understand machine vision.”
Improve Efficiency
IoT Sensors for manufacturing are improving efficiency from Industrial to Food.
Monitor Food/Air Quality and Detect Criminal Offences
By protecting against harmful chemicals and bacteria. They also help at the Industrial level by detecting the sound of gunshots and sensing harmful airborne contaminants. Along with that, IoT Smart Sensors has light detection sensor that helps in controlling the light sensitivity in production areas.
Increases Profitability
Manufacturers are excited about the fact that Smart Sensors can help them to improve their company’s bottom line, the number of satisfied customers, and their market share.
11 built-in sensors
Smart Sensor has e-cigarette detection sensors that detect vapor from e-cigarettes along with other environmental hazards. Apart from a regular smoke detector, it supports 11 built-in sensors that monitor noise, air quality, chemicals, light, and other environmental conditions. It can also detect smoke, vaping, gunshots, shouting, glass breaks, carbon monoxide, natural gas, tampering, humidity, pressure and more.
Central Benefits of Smart Sensors
Equipment Conditions
Monitoring equipment conditions and their utilization rate. IoT Smart Sensors also help in tracking the machine performance and provide notice in advance about repairs needed so that these issues can be handled proactively.
Environmental Conditions
Monitor the following environmental conditions:
- Temperature
- Humidity
- Tamper
- Pressure
The IoT Smart Sensor has air detector sensor that can help to check the air quality and unacceptable exposure to harmful chemicals and bacteria.
Auto Detection
Auto detection against criminal offence and violence:
- Gunshot Detection System
- Vape Detection Sensors
- Glass Break Sensor
- Shouting
- Excessive Banging
- Bullying Sensor
Smart Sensors have played an innovative role in providing security to schools by detecting e-cigarettes.
Improving and Automating Logistics and Asset Management
Track the location of assets, vehicles, inventory, or even people. Manufacturers use the sensor data to track the asset arrival and departure from warehouse, distribution centers, and retail manufacturing firms. Thus, they can track delays or issues in supply chain management that needs to be addressed immediately to be consistent with the flow. This in turn helps to protect against theft. They can also help keep shelves stocked by notifying automated storage and retrieval systems of needed inventory. IoT Smart Sensors monitor the following conditions:
- Asset location
- Asset presence in shelf
- Asset temperature
- Inventory control
Controlling Energy Costs and meeting Specific Regulatory Requirements of each Industry
Capture and monitor any measurement that exceeds the threshold value. It helps in controlling temperature and activities at a factory from warehouse to distribution centers. Therefore, in controlling the increased energy cost and maintaining the strict energy use regulations imposed upon the manufacturing sector.
When combined with commercial security systems IoT Smart Sensors are rapidly changing the way manufacturers collect data, analyze and communicate. Rapid adoption of smart sensors has also resulted in increasing productivity and efficiency of the product with low cost enabling small to large scale manufacturers to get in the game.