传感器和自动化能否改善美国失败的基础设施？
As the U.S. infrastructure ages, the value of surveying cannot be understated. In fact, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) doled out its most recent report regarding the condition and performance of the nation’s infrastructure with a solid G.P.A of... D+. The assessment, which is performed every 4 years and will next be conducted in 2017, looks at objects such as dams, bridges and rail systems. With a D+, we’re not making it onto Mom’s fridge anytime soon.
这些条件的含义在安全方面都是巨大的economic prosperity. According to the ASCE, “investing in infrastructure is an engine for long-term economic growth, increasing GDP, employment, household income, and exports. The reverse is also true – without investing, infrastructure can become a drag on the economy.”
确保人们（和经济）安全的主要部分是确保在为时已晚之前进行适当的维护。通过测量和分析问题来了解问题是纠正问题的关键。
好消息是，技术使以准确和连续的方式测量对象的结构完整性变得更加容易。顾名思义，多传感器集成涉及组合许多传感器的数据，以实现给定情况的更彻底的图片。当来自多个传感器的数据与算法结合使用时，它允许工程师识别出他们从单个传感器的数据中看不到的问题。
装备有传感器，伺服电机，自我校准系统等的自动化总站被用于在施工和正在进行的稳定性分析过程中进行监控。
With the right network design, specialized software systems combined with highly accurate measurement tools are helping to assess objects such as tunnel bodies and levees and identify deformation more quickly. Of course, monitoring is just one piece of the puzzle: Resources must be allocated to perform the necessary corrective actions.
