Summary

This chapter covered the sensors and actuators that form crucial elements (similar to the eyes and ears) of any IoT network. A representative list of sensors/actuators was also provided as an aid that can help you while developing an IoT solution for novel use cases that can be implemented using a combination of the suggested sensors/actuators. Two specific examples (one related to a connected coffee vending machine and another to autonomous vehicles) were provided to illustrate how a diverse set of sensors and actuators are needed for implementing real-life IoT use cases. By now, you should be able to grasp key characteristics that need to be considered while selecting a sensor and/or actuators for the envisaged IoT use case.

You were also introduced to the different topologies in which sensors and actuators can be arranged (WSAN topologies) to serve diverse operating needs. Insights were shared regarding techniques or tactics used to optimize the data transfer in WSAN...