A multi-element fluid sensor system having a distributed sensor
configuration for determining the health state of a fluid. The sensor
system includes at least two sensors for collecting data relating to a
particular parameter (e.g., pH, temperature, electrical conductivity,
chemistry, viscosity) of the fluid. The at least two sensors may be
integrated onto a semiconductor base so as to provide for a micro sensor
for in situ monitoring of the fluid. The system also includes a data
fusion processor operatively coupled to the at least two sensors. The data
fusion processor processes the fluid data to at least compensate for
information fragmentation attributed to using the at least two sensors.
The data fusion processor may condense the data, combine the data,
evaluate the data and interpret the data.