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‘Telemetry‘ is a term that the layperson may only be aware of from arenas in which it plays an especially high-profile role, like motor racing. However, this highly automated communications process actually embraces an extremely vast range of fields, from meteorology, the oil and gas industry and space science to agriculture, water management and healthcare.

Telemetry serves the purpose of making measurements and collecting data at remote or inaccessible points, with the transmission of this information enabling monitoring. Data can be transferred in many different ways in a telemetry system – the term may be used especially often for wireless data transfer such as radio, infrared or ultrasonic systems, but the information can also be transferred over such media as optical link or computer or telephone networks.

More and more relevance has been gained by telemetry in all manner of fields in the 21st century, as organisations in both the public and private sectors seek ever-greater operational efficiency. Increasing numbers of these firms – which in the case of Oriel Systems, includes but is not limited to Virgin, Unilever, BP, Roche, Federal Mogul, Oxfordshire County Council and Nestle – greatly appreciate being able to call upon a powerful, scalable, cost-effective system that reduces labour costs and manpower in an important area.

Those interested in a telemetry system for their own firm’s operations will need to make choices relating to such components as the telemetry outstation or RTU (Remote Terminal Unit) itself, which collects data from the various sensors located at a given remote site. The sensors themselves, of course, are for the measuring of a value obtained at the site. In addition, the outstation requires a means of relaying its information back to the main office. For this, transmission options include broadband, PSTN, GSM, GPRS, radio or 3G technology.

Finally, once that vital information does reach the main PC, there will need to be the right software to interpret it. In this regard, Oriel Systems is again a leader with its highly-rated VMI and SCADA packages. Such software presents the data gained in a pictorial format, this allowing decisions to be made to ensure the continued smooth operation of each site.

By contacting the technical team at Oriel Systems today, potential clients can get a greater sense of just what form their own telemetry solution could take, bearing in mind their most exacting and individualised requirements.