Barriers for Industrial Sensor Integration Design—An Exploratory Interview Study

The transition to Industry 4.0 poses new challenges for sensor integration design. The foundation of any intelligent system is the data, and the data quality depends largely on the integration of the sensor generating it. In this study, the barriers for robust sensor system design are explored through an interview study among practitioners from different industrial contexts. The aim is to explore potential challenges within different contexts and suggest possible directions for research within the field of sensor integration design. Beyond the question of new sensing technologies, the study highlights an increasing challenge of physical integration tasks and illustrates the varying requirements for development support in different industry sectors.