Automated systems with distributed intelligence

The development of automated systems, which take into account maintenance, safety and technical management in addition to command and control, is leading to an ever-increasing need for information, and an increase in the number and complexity of processing operations. This evolution is leading to the delocalization of processing, made possible by the development of field networks on the one hand, and intelligent equipment on the other.

The first so-called "intelligent" sensors appeared in the 1980s. Most often dedicated to digital control systems, they were developed by major automation manufacturers: Honeywell, Fuji, Control Bailey, etc. In France, work on user requirements led to a White Paper on intelligent sensors in 1987