A system developed at MIT monitors the behavior of all electric devices within a building, ship, or factory, determining which ones are in use at any given time and whether any show signs of imminent failure. The sensor is attached to the outside of an electrical wire at a single point without cutting or splicing wires. From that point, it can sense the flow of current in the adjacent wire and detect the distinctive "signatures" of each motor, pump, or piece of equipment in the circuit by analyzing unique fluctuations in the voltage and current when a device switches on or off. The sensor readings can be monitored on a graphic display dashboard. The system can also be used to monitor energy usage, identify possible efficiency improvements, and determine when and where devices are in use or sitting idle.
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