Across the UK, research into smart sensing technologies has been more or less quietly advancing. If we take into consideration examples ranging from the university labs in Glasgow and Edinburgh to the small innovation hubs in Cambridge and Bristol, the conclusion is that engineers are focused on developing ways for sensors to gather information more intelligently and with far less energy.
The motivation is clear. As industries adopt the Internet of Things, billions of devices are coming online, many of them operating far from convenient power sources. The fact is that whether in environmental monitoring, healthcare, or manufacturing, there’s a growing need for systems that can think locally, last longer, and communicate efficiently.
That’s where ultra-low power sensor fusion platforms come in. These systems combine data from multiple sensors (motion, temperature, pressure, magnetic, or optical) and process it intelligently to extract meaning while consuming minimal power. The approach is increasingly seen as a cornerstone of sustainable technology development, allowing “always-on” awareness without the environmental cost of constant energy use.
Understanding Sensor Fusion and Its Energy Challenge
Sensor fusion, in simple terms, means integrating information from several sensors to produce a clearer, more reliable picture of what is happening. A smartphone, for example, knows its position not just through GNSS but also through its accelerometer, gyroscope, and magnetometer. Combining these readings helps correct errors and improve accuracy.
The same principle applies across countless other fields — from drones keeping steady in flight to wearables tracking body movement. But there’s a problem: gathering and transmitting all that data uses power. Transmitting raw sensor data to the cloud for processing can drain batteries and limit where such systems can be deployed.
Ultra-low power fusion platforms address this by doing the heavy lifting locally, at the “edge.” Instead of sending everything to a central server, they use small processors or dedicated chips that filter, interpret, and compress data on the spot. Only meaningful information — a temperature change, an unusual movement, or a pattern that suggests an event — is transmitted.
Agriculture: Smarter Fields, Lower Costs
We are going to start with Agriculture as a prime example industry with a practical need for low–power platforms. On that note, the UK’s farming sector has already begun experimenting with low-power sensor fusion as part of its move towards precision agriculture. In some organic and mixed farms, compact devices combine soil moisture, air humidity, temperature, and sunlight readings to estimate irrigation needs and crop stress.
Because these systems process data locally, they can remain active for months on a small solar cell or a single battery. Farmers receive only the insights they need — such as when to water or whether a sudden temperature drop could affect growth. This not only saves energy and water but also reduces manual labour and unnecessary site visits.
It’s a small but significant shift. Instead of raw data points flooding a dashboard, growers now get actionable information derived from smart, low-power fusion. As rural connectivity improves, this model is likely to spread, supporting sustainable agriculture across the UK and beyond.
Health and Wearables: Making Continuous Monitoring Practical
In healthcare and wellness, the same principles are helping extend the life and usefulness of wearable devices. A modern health tracker relies on a complex mix of sensors — heart rate monitors, accelerometers, temperature, and optical sensors — to understand what the body is doing. When those signals are fused together locally, the device can detect patterns like stress or fatigue without needing to stream everything to a phone or the cloud.
Some research groups in the UK are working on neuromorphic chips that mimic how the brain processes information — firing only when there’s something worth noting. These chips consume tiny amounts of energy, often measured in microwatts, and can monitor vital signs continuously for days or even weeks on end. The long-term goal is wearable health technology that disappears into daily life: quiet, accurate, and maintenance-free.
The impact could be profound, especially for chronic conditions. Instead of intermittent hospital measurements, patients could have their vital signs tracked continuously, giving doctors a clearer picture while reducing hospital visits and costs.
Environmental Monitoring and Climate Research
Low-power sensor fusion platforms are also proving invaluable in environmental science, where sensors often need to operate for long periods in remote locations. In the Scottish Highlands, for instance, environmental agencies have trialled sensor nodes that combine readings from temperature, moisture, and vibration sensors to track landslide risk.
Because these devices rely on ultra-low power processors and energy harvesting — often solar or even wind-based — they can function unattended through entire seasons. Fusing data from different sensors allows the systems to distinguish between normal environmental changes and signs of soil instability. In practice, that means better early warnings with far less maintenance.
Similar approaches are being explored for monitoring air quality in cities, where small, battery-powered nodes combine data from chemical, particulate, and humidity sensors. Instead of sending everything continuously, the system filters data locally, identifying periods of poor air quality and transmitting alerts only when necessary.
Drones, Robotics, and the Industrial Edge
In robotics and autonomous systems, ultra-low power sensor fusion enables independence. Drones, for example, combine camera feeds with data from gyroscopes and accelerometers to maintain stability and navigate safely. Processing all that information in real time is demanding, but by using event-based cameras and edge fusion chips, drones can react to motion or changes in lighting while using a fraction of the power once required.
The same concept is being adapted in industrial settings across the UK, where compact fusion platforms help monitor vibrations, sound, and temperature on factory machinery. Instead of continuous data streaming, these systems identify when something deviates from normal operation and report only those anomalies. This reduces bandwidth, cuts energy use, and allows predictive maintenance without interrupting production.
Challenges and the Road Ahead
Despite the progress, challenges remain. Achieving ultra-low power operation often means compromising on sampling rates or computational complexity. Engineers must decide which data really matters and design algorithms that deliver reliable results from fewer inputs. Calibration and sensor drift are also ongoing concerns, especially when systems are expected to run for years without human attention.
Yet advances in edge computing and machine learning are gradually overcoming these limits. Techniques such as TinyML (small-scale machine learning that runs directly on microcontrollers) are making it possible to interpret fused sensor data intelligently and in real time. Combined with energy harvesting, future platforms could operate indefinitely, creating self-sustaining networks of “smart dust” that observe the world continuously and quietly.
A Subtle Shift in How We Think About Technology
What’s striking about this evolution is how it changes the relationship between power and intelligence. For decades, progress was measured in terms of computing speed and raw capability. Now, efficiency is the new frontier. Ultra-low power sensor fusion platforms show that intelligence doesn’t have to mean intensity – it can mean sensitivity, selectivity, and subtlety.
Across the UK and around the world, these technologies are moving from labs into everyday applications. They’re in the fields monitoring soil health, in the clinics tracking vital signs, and in the skies keeping autonomous systems stable. They don’t demand attention, and that’s precisely their strength. The smarter our sensors become, the more quietly they’ll work, shaping an intelligent, connected, and sustainable future, one efficient decision at a time.
(Scorpion data logger box)
Roedan’s work with Ultra Low Power
At Roedan, we’ve been turning the promise of ultra-low power sensor fusion into practical, real-world solutions. Our focus is on creating devices that operate intelligently and efficiently, providing actionable insights while consuming minimal energy.
We began with an untethered “pay as you drive” telematics device powered by a single AA battery, capable of operating for up to a year without recharge. Building on that, the next iteration of the product line added solar recharging and cellular connectivity, resulting in a maintenance-free platform that can operate for many years in the field.
Beyond telematics, we developed Scorpion, a low-power BLE sensor fusion platform that processes data locally for extended operation without frequent charging. We also created Yaftie, a BLE and LTE capable sensor fusion platform with advanced power management, enabling intelligent, energy-efficient monitoring across diverse environments.
These platforms demonstrate what we can achieve when energy efficiency and sensor fusion come together. From automotive telematics to industrial monitoring and wearable devices, our work shows that devices can be smarter, quieter, and self-sufficient.
