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5. Miniaturized energy supplies for integration in self-contained sensors.
6. Lab-on-a-chip sensing in food safety and medical diagnostics (e.g. capillary
separation and optical detection).
7. Motion-control and collision-avoidance systems employing high frequency
(>50 GHz) microwave sensors.
8. Ultra-small biosensors and actuators with wireless communication for use
with implanted components in medical or other applications.
9. Biosensors for various applications.
10. MEMS devices based on polymer materials.
The Danish study also drew some conclusions regarding the perceived future
market volume in relation to the perceived technological feasibility. Some of the key
points include:
the market volume for ultra-small biosensors and self-contained sensors
integrating advanced polymer and miniaturized energy technologies is much
larger than the technological feasibility;
•
some sensor technologies are perceived as having limited future market
potential despite having a high level of technological know-how; these include
fibre-optic sensors, radio-frequency sensing, eddy current and ultrasound for
use in manufacturing systems and nuclear based sensors;
•
biosensors occupy a somewhat ambiguous position, having an overall high
perceived market potential hindered in some cases by a low level of
technological know-how; examples specifically highlighted in this context
were implantable biosensors, those which substitute for human sensing
functions and those employing living organisms.
•
Roadmaps on AAL mainly relate to the device/system/service level, having lower
levels of technology (including sensors) as “enabling technologies”. In this document,
we will therefore not (or only very rarely) discuss “sensors”, but we will more often
refer to “smart sensors” or “sensing nodes” as significant elements of AAL systems and
applications.
5.1.1.
Sensors for safety and security in the environments
Nowadays safety and security in every aspect of life and in various environments, such
as homes, public spaces, workplaces, and vehicles, are a crucial demand for the well-
being of people. Since personal protection is often intended to be without restriction of
liberty or limitation of privacy, safety and security systems need not only to be reliable
and easy to use, but also capable of safeguarding the privacy of end users.
In this paragraph, sensors for safety and security in the environments regard those
devices, which are used to exclusively monitor sensorial data or status coming from the
environment. This means that they are mainly related to the measure of gas, carbon
monoxide, radioactivity, fire, smoke, water, door/window opening and closing, flood,
intrusion, identification, comfort, traffic, weather conditions, etc.
As stated in the EPoSS SRA (EPoSS, 2009), sensors will be exploited in safety
and security applications for detection, identification & authentication, secure
transactions, storage & communications, anti-tampering, positioning & localising,
