Many of today’s new products, such as pedometers, use remote sensing and wireless technology for their operation. What Tanner & Bryan are looking to do is to create a network of sensors that could measure things such as temperature, sound, lighting, pressure, etc. Not only do they aim to create a network of sensor probes, but also a user interface that will provide readouts of the desired data.
Their goal is to make a generalized platform that could measure any sort of data desired, depending on the hardware used to create the sensors. Each probe would have the ability to measure different sets of data simultaneously, such as temperature, sound, and motion. This technology is applicable in many areas. It could be used to automate processes within the home, for example, remotely monitoring the temperature and lighting in each room of the house.
The system has three components. One component is the smart probes that are wireless, battery operated, and have microprocessors on them. These units collect the data and send it back to the probe processor (which is the second component). The probe processor is the coordinator for the network which also serves to collect all the data into a central location. The third component is the user interface which is implemented using a mobile device (such as a phone, tablet, or computer).
Currently, their probes can measure voltage, noise level and temperature. Other applications for this technology could be to measure acceleration, monitor pressure (for oil and water lines), monitor traffic/people, and potentially, medical testing to wirelessly check the voltages given off by the heart. Talk about changing the world through technology!
