This chapter provides an introduction to the art of sensor data type (SDT) design and implementation. The chapter begins by motivating the way sensor data types are defined and used in Hackystat, and then continues with a tutorial on their construction using a sample SDT called "SimpleSdt". The chapter concludes with an explanation of how to evolve sensor data types over time as the designer learns more about the appropriate way to structure information for their particular analysis purposes.

For information on the set of currently defined sensor data types in this Hackystat configuration, see Chapter 25, Sensor Data Types.