Metrological self-check and evolution of metrology

There are growing indications of a crisis in conventional methods of metrological assurance for measuring instruments with built-in self-checking. This paper offers an analysis, looking in the first instance at sensors. An analogy between biological and technical evolution is discussed. It is argued that the future will see intelligent sensors and measuring systems being mass produced with inbuilt metrological self-checking, as well as the transition to a new stage in the evolution of metrological assurance of sensors.