Engineering Term of the Month – “ Telemetry ”
“ Telemetry is an advanced monitoring and analysis system that records data remotely , before transferring that data to an IT system in another location . It can measure a wide range of data , including things like electrical voltage and current , location , temperature , pressure , rotation , displacement , precipitation , etc . When data is received on the other end , it provides analytics that can be used to make necessary adjustments to keep projects working efficiently .” 1
Telemetry initially began back in 1763 with mercury pressure gauges . These early “ telemeters ” allowed engine conductors to monitor the pressure in Watt steam engines from a close distance . Telemetry was then expanded in the 1800 ’ s and was utilized as a means of relaying and receiving communications through Samuel Morse ’ s telegraph machine . 2
Today , this technology is used in a wide range of fields – including , but not limited to – aerospace , meteorology , healthcare , agriculture , defense , law enforcement , communications , engineering , etc .
Figure 1 : General flow of data of a typical telemetry system .
Within the construction and industrial sectors , telemetry allows the appropriate personnel within an organization to remotely monitor their equipment and properly manage their jobs from a distance . From a safety perspective , telemetry provides data that can be used as an early warning sign that something could go wrong on-site , helps manage worker safety by keeping them clear of any potential hazards / danger , and enables the close monitoring of load limits , ground forces , and other monitoring parameters of interest . 3
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