ExpressSense

    No. Unlike our competitor's devices, ExpressSense sensors do not use cloud storage and your data is stored locally on the sensor unit. The sensor data can be viewed locally from the sensor’s web server on your web browser, downloaded through the API, or accessed directly by removing the sensor’s SD card, without need for any additional software or service.

    No. ExpressSense provides the Alert service free of charge to all sensor customers.

    The only time a sensor sends information to ExpressSense is to issue an email/text Alert, in response to your programmed detection limits. This transfer of information is necessary in order to for the ExpressSense server to generate the actual email and text messages that will be sent to the email address and phone number that you have associated with your account. The sensor information sent to ExpressSense is only Serial Number, Sensor Name, Alert Key, Sensor ID, a single Sensor Value, and Time&Date stamp. Other than email log files, the only portion of this information kept by ExpressSense is the Sensor Name associated with the Sensor’s Serial Number to provide the sensor owner easy identification of units when managing Alerts.

    Yes. If the Alerts checkbox is unchecked, no Sensor data will be sent to ExpressSense. If Alerts are not desired, there is no need to register an account with ExpressSense

    Firstly, it must be understood that email and text messages are NOT secure protocols, that email and text message data are sent is un-encrypted formats, and are subject to interception.
That being said, Alerts only contain very limited information (Serial Number, Sensor Name, Sensor ID, a single Sensor Value, and Time&Date stamp). To receive Alerts, owners register their sensor with ExpressSense using the sensor’s serial number, to which ExpressSense provides the owner a unique Alert Key. The sensor owner, having network access to their sensor, programs the Alert Key into the sensor. When the sensor issues an Alert message to the ExpressSense server, the sensor sends its serial number and alert key. Only one owner account can match both the serial number and alert key. The server then locates the matching account using the sensor serial number and alert key, and then sends the Alert email/text message to the owner’s address/phone number. Even if another party accidentally or intentionally registers an existing serial number, they cannot alter the Alert Key on your unit, and therefore will never receive emails/texts with data from your unit.

    All ExpressSensors sensors are to be installed on a company’s local network, isolated from the regular internet by a firewall. Third parties are blocked from accessing your network by the firewall and your facility’s physical security. Users within your network access the sensor from their computer’s web browser via HTTP, exactly like they would access an intranet web-server. User’s wishing to access sensors from remote locations (physically outside your local network) must first access the company’s local network by VPN (virtual private network). Sensor to web-browser traffic is then protected by the encryption algorithm of the VPN connection.

    No, MINX is itself a web-server and it sends your web-browser the instructions and data to generate your control charts. There is therefore no software to install!

    MINX sensors are calibrated at the ExpressSense factory. Sensors can be returned to the factory for annual calibration. Contact the factory for pricing information.

    MINX sensor maximum operating temperature is specified at 65C and is limited by the capability of commercially available SD cards. Installation of MINX to any environment must not exceed an ambient temperature of 65C.

    Yes, MINX will operate without any network connection, though the email/text Alerts service cannot function without a network connection. ExpressSense recommends that MINX first be connected a computer or network for initial setup (i.e. set Sensor Name, current Time, etc). MINX may then be installed in its final location and solely powered using a cat5 cable and the provided POE injector. After connecting power, MINX will log sensor data and triggers. Logging may be stopped by pressing the MINX control button. The sensor data can be accessed by removing the SD card. Re-installing the SD card will automatically re-start the logging function. Logging activity can be verified by the blink pattern of the MINX LED.

    MINX does not include its own WiFi radio. For applications where wired ethernet connection to a network is not practical, MINX may be connected to a WiFi network using a ‘Wireless Bridge’ (e.g. Dlink). Alternatively, in certain environments, a ‘PowerLine’ adapter may be used to connect MINX to a network using the existing 120V wiring system.

    MINX’s optical sensor has a maximum range of 2m and when no target is present within 2m, an error message will be displayed. If you are not using the optical sensor, to simply prevent the error message, you can cover the optical sensor with tape.

    Whenever Trigger conditions are met, an entry is made in the Trigger History Log file on the SD card, regardless of whether or not an Alert is to be generated. This Trigger History provides a convenient way to recognize that an interesting event has occurred, and will reduce your need to ‘search’ through hours of data to visually check for such events. Recall that by double clicking on an Event in the TriggerHistory window, the control chart will be automatically zoomed to the time/date of the event.

    If the manually downloaded csv data is not convenient, ExpressSense offers an API to allow your custom software to directly access a MINX sensor. Contact ExpressSense for details.

    ExpressSense is constantly seeking to improve MINX. If you have an idea for a new feature, mode of operation, etc. please call us or send us info@expresssense.com a note!