8.3. AI sensory information sources

Unlimited Inputs

The number of different sources of sensory information that AI can collect and process information from depends on the specific application and the sensors that are available. However, with advances in sensor technology and the development of new AI algorithms, AI systems can collect information from a wide range of sources, including but definitely not limited to the following:

1. Accelerometer sensors – measure the rate of change of velocity of an object in any direction.

2. Air quality sensors - measure the quality of the air in terms of pollutants.

3. Air speed sensors – measure the velocity and direction of airflow.

4. Audio sensors - measure ambient noise, speech, and other sounds, including frequency ranges from 0 Hertz to ultrasonics.

5. Biochemical sensors - detect biological components, such as enzymes or antibodies.

6. Biometric sensors - measure fingerprints, retinas, heart rate, and other potentially uniquely identifying physiological parameters.

7. Blood glucose sensors – measure the concentration of glucose in blood.

8. Capacitive sensors – measure the electric field between two separated objects. 

9. Chemical sensors - detect and measure the presence of specific gases, chemicals, or biological agents.

10. CO2 sensors - detect and measure the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air.

11. Color sensors – measure various types of energy in the visible light spectrum.

12. Conductivity sensors – measure the ability to pass an electrical current.

13. Cosmic ray sensors - measure specific wavelengths within the cosmic energy band.

14. Current sensors – measure the current flow in an electrically conductive material.

15. Echolocation sensors – measure the position and velocity of a moving object using sound reflections.

16. Electrocardiogram sensors – measure the electrical activity of a heart.

17. Emotional sensors – measure and estimate the emotional state and communications of Humans and other animals through visual, auditory, chemical, and neurological signals.

18. Flame sensors - detect and measure the presence and intensity of flames.

19. Flow sensors – measure the rate of movement of a material through an object.

20. Force sensors – measure the tangential and lateral force applied to an object.

21. Force-torque sensors - measure both force and torque applied to an object or surface.

22. Gamma ray sensors - measure specific wavelengths within the gamma energy band.

23. Gas sensors – measure various types of gasses.

24. Gyroscopic sensors – measure the yaw, pitch and roll of an object.

25. Hall sensors – measure the presences and magnitude of a magnetic field near a conductive object.

26. Humidity sensors – measure the quantity of water, typcially contained in air.

27. Infrared sensors - measure specific wavelengths within the infrared energy band.

28. Inclinometers – measure the angle of an object.

29. Inductive sensors – measure the transfer of electromagnetic energy between electrically powered objects.

30. Intensity sensors – measure the amount of energy in a given area or volume over time.

31. Jerk sensors – measure the rate of change of acceleration of an object.

32. Jounce (snap) sensors – measure the rate of change of jerk of an object, in addition to higher order crackle (5th derivative) and pop (6th derivative).

33. Laser sensors – measure the distance and position of an object over very long distances with high accuracy.

34. Level sensors – measure the height elevation angle of an object.

35. LiDAR sensors – measure the distance, position, and shape of objects within a 3D environment.

36. Light sensors – measure the presence or absence of light.

37. Load sensors – measure the force applied to an object over an area.

38. Magnetic sensors – measure the magnetic field strength emitted by or applied to an object.

39. Microwave sensors - measure specific wavelengths within the microwave energy band.

40. Moisture content sensors - measure the amount of moisture in a substance or material.

41. Motion sensors - detect and measure movement, direction and speed of motion.

42. Noise sensors - measure and analyze the noise level in a given environment.

43. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance sensors – measure the 3D positions of emissions of radio frequencies produced by the electromagnetic spins of individual water molecules within an object.

44. Nuclear sensors – measure the specific impulses of energy produced from a thermonuclear reaction.

45. Neutrino sensors - measure the impact and direction of elusive neutrinos passing through Earth. 

46. Orientation sensors - determine the precise orientation and movement of an object.

47. Oxygen sensors - measure the concentration of oxygen in a gas or liquid.

48. Permittivity sensors – measure the ability to store electrical energy in an electric field.

49. pH sensors – measure the concentration of acidity and base in a material.

50. Piezoelectric sensors – measure the force or electrical energy created through mechanical strain to the atomic lattice of a specific class of materials.

51. Position sensors - determine the precise location of an object in 3D space.

52. Power sensors – measure the joules of energy over time used or produced by an object.

53. Pressure sensors – measure the total force imposed on an object.

54. Proximity sensors - detect the presence or absence of an object or person in a given area.

55. Radar sensors - measure the distance and position of of an object.

56. Radiation sensors - detect and measure various types of radiation, such as gamma, alpha, and beta radiation.

57. Radio sensors - measure specific wavelengths within the radio frequency energy bands.

58. Reflectivity sensors – measure the energy that is reflected by an object or material.

59. Reluctance sensors – measure the rejection to magnetic fields.

60. Rotational sensors - measure the rotational position, speed and forces on a rotating object.

61. Seismic sensors – measure the frequency, magnitude, and originating location of vibrations in the Earth.

62. Static sensors – measure the static charge on an object.

63. Strain sensors - measure the deformation or strain of a material.

64. Spectroscopic sensors – measure the spectral and associated chemical composition of a material.

65. Temperature sensors – measure the thermal energy of an object from absolute 0.

66. Terrahertz radiation - measure specific wavelengths within the terrahertz energy band.

67. Thermal imaging sensors – measure specific wavelengths within the infrared energy band.

68. Tilt sensors - detect and measure the inclination or tilt of an object or surface.

69. Time sensors – measure the passing of time with nanosecond level accuracy.

70. Torque sensors – measure the rotational force applied to an object.

71. Ultrasonic sensors – measure the distance, position, and 3 dimensional shape of an object, including an object located inside another physical object.

72. Ultraviolet sensors - measure specific wavelengths within the ultraviolet energy band.

73. Velocity sensors – measure the rate of change of position of an object.

74. Vibration sensors – measure the oscillation frequency of change of position of an object.

75. Visual sensors - measure a wide range of light information including visible light, infrared light, and any other specific wavelengths of light.

76. Voltage sensors – measure the voltage potential difference across an electrically charged material.

77. Water quality sensors - measure the quality of water in terms of various parameters, such as pH, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity.

78. Weight sensors - measure the weight or mass of an object or substance.

79. X-Ray sensors - measure specific wavelengths within the x-ray energy band.

80. Zero-Point sensors – measure the quantum field energy and the Casimir effect. 

Overall, the range of sensors that AI can use to collect information in realtime is significantly larger than Humans, and the number of sensors is constantly expanding. There are potentially an unlimited number of sensors. The ability to integrate information from multiple sources in realtime is a key factor in the development of Intelligence, and as advanced AI systems begin to use this vast array of sensors, AI’s Capabilities are likely to achieve vastly increased Capabilities compared to Humans. 

Logically, the ability to process increasingly larger amounts of information in realtime from an increasingly larger number of different types of sensors will lead to unbounded exponential growth of AI, and then emergent AGI that is much more Capable than Humans.

Unlimited Outputs

In addition to inputs sensors, AI systems will progressively be able to interface and potentially drive outputs that fully control anything in the world that is presently Computer controlled, or could become computer controlled in the future. 

Today, the list of items presently controlled by Computers is nothing less than gargantuan, and it grows every day.

Automation systems already control massive I/O

To put these inputs sensors into perspective, it is quite typical for an Automation system operating a reasonably large Industrial Processing Plant to be managing 30,000 to 60,000 different analog and digital input sensors and output controls simultaneously in realtime. This is computationally easy for Automation systems to achieve. However, not so easy for Humans to program, but AI will easily solve that issue.

To say the vast lists of input sensors and controllable outputs is a cause of concern for Humans in relation to AI, would be a gross understatement.