Distributed Sensing for Quality and Productivity Improvements

Distributed sensing, a system-wide deployment of sensing devices, has resulted in both temporally and spatially dense data-rich environments. This new technology provides unprecedented opportunities for quality and productivity improvement. This paper discusses the state-of-the-art practice, research challenges, and future directions related to distributed sensing. The discussion includes the optimal design of distributed sensor systems, information criteria, and processing for distributed sensing and optimal decision making in distributed sensing. The discussion also provides applications based on the authors' research experiences. Note to Practitioners—This paper is based on a panel discussion on the topic of the emerging technology of distributed sensing and the associated challenges and opportunities. The panel, constituted by a group of leading researchers and practitioners with expertise in operations and statistics, convened during the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) 2003 annual meeting in Atlanta, GA. This panel focused its discussion on the information layer technology of distributed sensing for quality and productivity improvements, which differentiates this panel from other similar panels that were formed in a different society. The panelists provided their visions about the state-of-the-art practice, research challenges, and future research directions, and also discussed potential applications based on their own experiences.