Virtual Sensors
Virtual sensorics in the urban/industrial environment
Concept
The concept of virtual sensing is based on industrial environments where, although there is plenty of sensing, there are areas or parts of the process without real information. In the context of mobility, it works in a similar way. The fundamental notion is based on the idea of modelling, through Artificial Intelligence algorithms, the behaviour of certain variables that are not or cannot be measured with sensors, by means of variables collected with other sensors.
Advantages and Benefits
Direct integration into the platform.
Generation of virtual sensors for different variables.
Data sources of different typologies.
Management integrated with real sensors.
Generating a more comprehensive heat map.
Virtual Sensor Creation Process
For the generation of virtual sensors it is necessary to have a relevant data history, ideally around 1 year for mobility data, due to their seasonal cycles; for this reason, in cities or establishments that have this information, the deployment of these sensors can be carried out very quickly. The following actions will be followed:
- Identification of the site of interest: a prior analysis is necessary to validate that the measurement point is relevant.
- Real data collection at that point: real data needs to be generated in order to be able to generate the models based on data relating to other sensors.
- Selection of relevant dates for data collection, for example, having records for all days of the week, some public holidays and seasonal periods, such as summer, local holidays…
- Identify the real elements of greatest weight in the generation of the virtual sensor.
- Periodic review of the results generated with the virtual sensor, comparing them with a real measurement; this operation can be performed coinciding with the maintenance of the real sensors.