Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Size
The development of production techniques that always prioritise the focus of
smaller sensor sizes, is of importance when the ever-upcoming trend is to increase
the number of sensing elements on a predetermined area. These minimalistic de-
vices also often include an integration of an electronic equipment unit in the sensor
package. However, considerations has to be taken of how actually the sensing pro-
file looks like in a measurement environment, i.e., the sensing space of each sensor
that contribute to an estimation of the complete measuring space, as can be illus-
trated in a response picture.
Cost
The costs for transfer of qualitative information from the environment into a sensor
package and further communicate it to a user, are crucial factors in the overall
system cost. The cost for requiring specific information has then to be correlated
to other comparable information or just a lack of this feature. The overall cost to
achieve specific information has always to be considered and compared to other
solutions.
Power consumption
In a number of applications, there are specified limitations for the use of energy
consumption. Low-power multi-sensor systems consumption will contribute to
a correct measurement procedure and avoid increased risk of error, e.g., those
caused by a heating effect and change in temperature, that may have a negative
effect and contribute to a possible additive error. The results on minimising the
energy consumption will probably also have a positive effect of decreasing the
energy requirements of the overall system and are competitive in many sensitive
applications, for example, in relation to humans.
Robustness
The system performance of a multi-sensor system can be illustrated by its robust-
ness that indicate the absence of unwanted mechanical, electrical or other phys-
ical disturbances. The robustness will have an effect on the measured quanti-
tative or qualitative value, and has to be a prioritised matter to control. The
robustness is also a matter of trust of performance, where the manufacturer guar-
antees the performance within certain conditions and prerequisites in a specifica-
tion. However, multi-sensor systems are increasingly used in measurement appli-
cations outside regulated environments, which enable a higher risk of errors.
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