Future prospects for smart sensor systems

The generic term ldquosmart sensorrdquo addresses several aspects including miniaturization, sensor communication and flexible integration in higher-level systems. It involves the use of signal processing able to eliminate influencing effects and extract high quality sensory information in order to realize a robust signal transmission. In this contribution, we will give an overview about the history of the term of ldquosmart sensorsrdquo since its release in the 70^th and categorize the main aspects involved with this term as a basis for the prognosis of future trends. In the second part of the paper we provide some up-to-date examples and future trends for important developments in this field including ldquoenergy harvestingrdquo, ldquovaried input sensorsrdquo and novel sensors based on nanotechnology.