System issues in arrays of autonomous intelligent sensors

This paper considers some of the systems level issues of concerned when building of large scale sensing systems composed of a large number of autonomous intelligent sensors. The work is motivated by the potential offered by monolithic, integrated, intelligent MEMS sensors. They provide very low cost sensing and computational power in a form which may be integrated into 'smart structures', in which structural diagnostic capability is deeply embedded into the structure itself. However, in order to realise them, some intrinsic systems issues must be addressed. Ultimately, the goal of this work is to develop a systems architecture which enables the designer of application systems to deploy intelligent networked sensors as a generic systems component, concentrating on applications issues, rather than the detailed system design problems associated with decentralised, distributed sensor systems.