Self-organizing systems and methods for data collection

A method for data collection in an industrial environment having self-organization functionality, the method comprising:

• analyzing a plurality of sensor inputs;
• sampling data received from the plurality of sensor inputs;
• and
• self-organizing a collection operation of sensors that provide the plurality of sensor inputs, wherein the collection operation of sensors that provides the plurality of sensor inputs comprises:
• receiving instructions directing a mobile data collector unit to operate sensors at a target location, wherein at least one of the sensors is arranged in the mobile data collector unit;
• transmitting a communication to one or more other mobile data collector units regarding the instructions;
• and
• self-organizing a distribution of the mobile data collector unit and the one or more other mobile data collector units at the target location, wherein self-organizing the distribution of the mobile data collector unit and the one or more other mobile data collector units at the target location comprises:
• determining one or more types of the sensors to operate at the target location;
• transmitting the one or more types of the sensors to at least one of the one or more other mobile data collector units;
• receiving a proposal for a new one or more types of the sensors;
• receiving a confirmation that there is no contention for the one or more types of sensors for the target location, wherein the confirmation indicates that none of the one or more other mobile data collector units are at or moving to the target location;
• in response to receiving the confirmation that there is no contention for the one or more types of sensors, directing the mobile data collector unit to operate the new one or more types of sensors at the target location;
• and
• collecting sensor data from the new one or more types of sensors at the target location from the mobile data collector unit.