Moving toward sensor standardization

The 1451 standard may prove to be a time saver for aerospace engineers operating in development and test environments, simplifying setup and calibration.

One of the many challenges facing aerospace developers is getting accurate test data from the many sensors used to monitor system or component performance. Setting jump complex configurations and calibrating the sensors has been a huge portion of the job, but a standard that's been in development for years may now reduce the amount of time needed for those two tasks.

The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) standards written by its 1451 committee provides some commonality for sensors, bringing the diverse field closer to plug-and-play capability. It consists mainly of a small memory chip that holds data about the sensor. Some aspects of 1451 have been included on a few sensors for years, and awareness is rising as high-profile companies get more involved and more aspects of the specification near completion.