The sensors can be used to collect a variety of information. In one experiment, sensors are being used to monitor Alzheimer's patients. The devices remind patients of daily milestones, such as when to prepare lunch, and can send messages to therapists in case a patient fails to accomplish a task. Health care and general industrial customers are two of the initial target markets for sensors along these lines. Companies such as Johnson Controls and Honeywell currently manufacture sensors that monitor heat, humidity, temperature and other environmental factors. These existing devices, however, largely require wired networks and are more expensive. If Intel's proactive-computing efforts pay off, these companies may be forced to adopt the new technology or work hard to protect their niches. Several technological issues, though, still need to be ironed out. "The things are always larger than you want. The battery life is not as good as you want," Tennenhouse said. Another problem comes in data duplication. If two sensors detect an object, a bird in flight for example, a human operator can't immediately tell if two different sensors saw the same bird, or two different ones. The problem first emerged in the 1940s with the development of targeting systems and has yet to fully be resolved, Tennenhouse said. And networking standards have yet to be finalised. "Power is the big problem with 802.11," Tennenhouse said. Some of the start-ups actually use chips from cordless phones to network their sensors. Bluetooth is also under consideration. Nonetheless, 802.11 is likely to win out. Philips and other companies are currently promoting Zigbee, otherwise known as 802.11.15.4, as an energy-efficient 802.11 standard. Standards for extending the range of the wireless protocol will also emerge. "People always underestimate how far down and how far up you can drag something," Tennenhouse said.
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