Sensorne

Sensorne refers to a class of modular, neuromorphic sensing devices that integrate sensing, energy harvesting, and processing into a single node. These devices are designed for distributed environmental sensing and Internet of Things applications.

The term combines sensor and neural, highlighting the use of brain-inspired processing in small, low-power hardware. The concept draws on neuromorphic engineering and edge computing, with early demonstrations showing sustained operation from ambient energy sources.

A sensorne node typically includes a configurable sensing element targeted at a specific parameter (such as chemical, thermal, or optical signals), a miniature energy harvester, and a neuromorphic processor that runs spiking neural networks for local feature extraction and inference. Communications rely on ultra-low-power wireless links.

Potential applications include environmental monitoring (air and water quality), soil and crop management, structural health sensing for buildings and infrastructure, disaster response networks, and autonomous robotic systems operating in sensor-limited environments.

Advantages of sensorne devices include reduced data transmission, low latency, resilience to network outages, and scalable deployment. Limitations involve fabrication variability, sensor drift over time, the need for specialized firmware, standardization challenges, and considerations around privacy and security.

See also neuromorphic engineering, edge computing, Internet of Things, and energy harvesting.