Sensors and actuators are the link between information and power systems. They enable the two systems to interact.

Requirements of sensors and actuators

The actual task of a sensor in an information system is to inform the controlling system about the states of the power system. Actuators are instructed (based on this information) to produce system states.

Important categories of requirements for sensors and actuators are:

Request Time
Concerns the timing and duration of the acquisition and transmission of states.

Requirement quality
Concerns the required or achievable accuracy in the determination/generation of system states.

Requirement Cost
The requirements for cost are derived from and directly related to the requirements for time and quality.

The challenge is to match all three requirements as best as possible to the given conditions in a logistics system.

The Challenge “Identification”

The correct identification of material and products is a basic requirement in logistics. Here, a challenge arises because unambiguous identification often requires an identification aid (e.g., a label) for the sensor, which, however, may not always be available under certain conditions (e.g., not during washing, painting, etc.). Thus, identification carries the risk of being a source of error.

For more information, see The meaning of the term “architecture” in the context of information systems.

For information on communication via local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), or mobile communications, see Information system communications.

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