Optimal sensor configuration for complex systems

Abstract

The paper considers the problem of sensor configuration for complex systems with the aim of maximizing the useful information about certain quantities of interest. Our approach involves two fundamental contributions: (1) definition of an appropriate optimality criterion or performance measure, and (2) description of an efficient and practical algorithm for achieving the optimality objective. The criterion for optimal sensor configuration is based on maximizing the overall sensor response while minimizing the correlation among the sensor outputs, so as to minimize the redundant information being provided by the multiple sensors. The procedure for sensor configuration is based on the powerful simultaneous perturbation stochastic approximation (SPSA) algorithm. SPSA avoids the need for detailed modeling of the sensor response by simply relying on observed responses as obtained by limited experimentation with test sensor configurations. We will illustrate the approach with the optimal placement of acoustic sensors for signal detection in structures. This includes both a computer simulation study for an aluminum plate, and real experimentations on a steel Ibeam.