Cassandras, an ENG professor of manufacturing engineering, says that appliances will be only one of many applications for so-called sensor networks, which feature a constellation of miniature devices that monitor a wide range of things, from vibrations to temperature to toxic chemicals and biological weapons. Cheap, lightweight, and built with tiny radios, the sensors will talk to one another, coordinating their reconnaissance and relaying their findings to a distant computer. An aging washing machine, for example, might notify the manufacturer of an imminent problem over a wireless Internet connection. The owner might then receive an e-mail from the dealer to schedule a service visit for a part that may not break for several weeks.

ENG faculty developing sensors that stay in touch

October 2003