A Software Architecture for Adaptive Modular Sensing Systems

Andrew C Lyle,Michael D Naish

doi:10.3390/s100807514

Abstract

By combining a number of simple transducer modules, an arbitrarily complex sensing system may be produced to accommodate a wide range of applications. This work outlines a novel software architecture and knowledge representation scheme that has been developed to support this type of flexible and reconfigurable modular sensing system. Template algorithms are used to embed intelligence within each module. As modules are added or removed, the composite sensor is able to automatically determine its overall geometry and assume an appropriate collective identity. A virtual machine-based middleware layer runs on top of a real-time operating system with a pre-emptive kernel, enabling platform-independent template algorithms to be written once and run on any module, irrespective of its underlying hardware architecture. Applications that may benefit from easily reconfigurable modular sensing systems include flexible inspection, mobile robotics, surveillance, and space exploration.

Highlights

Sensors and Actuators in IndustrySensors and actuators have seen widespread utilization in many of today’s industrial processes
As a result of overhead encountered during the transmission and processing of the continuous stream of service calls issued by the primary module to the sensor module agents within the logical entity, reliable real-time performance was difficult to achieve
As long as the liquid-crystal display (LCD) displays associated with the member transducer interface module (TIM) are aligned horizontally or vertically alongside each other in a common plane, the alphanumeric string is always displayed in a consistent left-to-right, top-to-bottom fashion across TIMs

Summary

Introduction

Sensors and actuators have seen widespread utilization in many of today’s industrial processes. These devices convert physical phenomena to and from electrical signals for the purpose of measurement, tracking, and/or control by way of digital devices such as microcontrollers, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and mainstream computers. In order to enhance accuracy and reliability in such applications, multiple sensors are often combined into composite entities. But related, types of physical phenomena may be combined to produce a new device that produces measurements that are more accurate than either of its constituent sensors are capable of providing. A thermocouple could be combined with an infrared camera to increase the accuracy of sensed temperature

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