Virtual sensors are primarily at home in the areas of automation, industry and Industry 4.0, as well as the Internet of Things. They help to save costs and make processes more efficient.
Unlike physical sensors, which are attached directly to a device or machine and measure things like temperature or pressure, virtual sensors exist purely as software. They utilise existing data sources combined with mathematical models to calculate values that would otherwise need to be measured by real sensors.
A simple example: Instead of installing an expensive moisture sensor in a machine, a virtual sensor analyses already collected data such as temperature, pressure, and airflow. From this, it can reliably deduce how humid it is inside the machine.
Virtual sensors are particularly useful when real sensors are too expensive or difficult to access. This not only saves companies money but also provides them with more flexible options for monitoring and optimising their processes. Virtual sensors are an important building block for greater efficiency and intelligent automation, especially in the networked factories of the future.
Deutsch 
English (UK)