Virtual sensors are particularly at home in the areas of automation, industry and Factory 4.0 as well as the Internet of Things. They help to save costs and make processes more efficient.
In contrast to physical sensors, which are attached directly to a device or machine and measure temperature or pressure, for example, virtual sensors only exist as software. They use existing data sources combined with mathematical models to calculate values that would otherwise have to be measured by real sensors.
A simple example: instead of installing an expensive humidity sensor in a machine, a virtual sensor analyses data that has already been recorded, such as temperature, pressure and air flow. From this, it can reliably deduce how humid it is inside the machine.
Virtual sensors are particularly useful when real sensors are too expensive or difficult to access. This not only saves companies money, but also gives them more flexible options for monitoring and optimising their processes. Especially in the networked factories of the future, virtual sensors are an important building block for greater efficiency and intelligent automation.
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