Telemetry, literally meaning "remote
measurement" or the remote collection of data,
is an automated measurement process that enables
data to be gathered at remote locations, and
transmitted to receiving telemetry equipment for
interpretation, display, and recording.
Telemetered data can be biological,
environmental or physical data. Telemetry is
used to gather data from remote, inaccessible or
dangerous locations, such as a satellite in
orbit, to control stations on ground, where the
information is decrypted. Space agencies like
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA), European Space Agency (ESA) and other
international space agencies employ telemetry
equipment to collect data from orbiting
spacecraft and satellites.
Communication channels are a major part of any
telemetry system. When telemetry was relatively
new, information was relayed over wires. Today
it uses radio transmissions and GSM (Global
System for Mobile communication) technology for
data transmission. Telemeter is the apparatus
used for recording the readings of an instrument
and transmitting them by radio. A telemetry
handler, collects, formats and stores the data
in a dedicated buffer, and then relays it to the
receiving station. The type of telemetry
equipment required depends on the type and
amount of data to be transmitted and whether
remote control capability is desired. In the
simplest system, the data are simply displayed
on annunciator, indicator, and recorder. In
larger systems, video display terminal and data
logging is frequently used.
The contribution of telemetry to basic
biological and medical research cannot be
overstated. Discoveries made during manned space
programs led to development of complex
physiological monitoring and telemetry
equipment, typically to gauge the health and
well being of astronauts. Since early 70s, the
use of these devices to provide real time
physiological monitoring in hospitals has become
widespread. Cardiac patients are equipped with
automatic recording, measuring, and transmitting
devices. Incase of an emergency, an alerting
function instantaneously summons the healthcare
professional in charge of the patient. Telemetry
also permits the tracking of endangered land and
marine species tagged with customized telemetry
equipment. These devices collect data on their
patterns of movement, dispersion, and
migrations. The daily positioning of these
animals, coupled with continuous tracking gives
an explicit representation of the way they
utilize their habitat.
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