IEC Trend Report Virtual sensors:2022

Society as a whole is relying increasingly on automation, a trend which will not cease but rather will likely intensify in the near future. This reliance on automation, which began in the domain of industrial applications, is now being replicated in many other areas: in homes, cities, transportation, supply chains, etc. For example, it is expected that by 2025, half of the homes in North America will rely on some sort of automation. Alongside this trend, the technology for virtual sensors, which are less costly than their physical counterparts, has improved tremendously, enabling them to be used not only in industrial applications but also in consumers goods, such as autonomous vehicles. This report provides an overview of the technology, some of its common applications, and potential gaps in standards covering this area. This IEC societal and technology trend report was developed by the Virtual Sensor Sub-Working Group (VS-SWG) of the Societal and Technology Trend Working Group (STTWG) in the IEC Market Strategy Board (MSB). This IEC STTR is available for free download.