From Sensor-Empowered Ubiquitous Computing to Embodied Intelligence: Architectures, Paradigm Evolution, and Emerging Challenges

With the rapid development of artificial intelligence technology, the transportation, industry, and healthcare fields are undergoing an intelligent evolution. These advancements have raised higher requirements for technologies such as mobile robots, wearable intelligent agents, self-driving cars, and unmanned aerial vehicles. Compared with traditional discrete sensor architectures, highly integrated sensing systems deliver superior speed, efficiency, and reliability to satisfy the stringent requirements of emerging intelligent devices. By integrating advanced technologies such as perception, communication, and computing, the process of system intelligence is accelerating, driving us into the era of embodied intelligence. Thus, sensors are no longer merely passive data collection tools but have transformed into core components that drive the connection between perception and action. To help researchers better understand this transformation and clarify the implementation path, we summarize the key technological advancements in related fields. Firstly, we review the related technological developments, including the sensor, multi-modal perception, wireless communication, and edge computing technology. Then, we explore the limitations of traditional sensors and independent computing models, especially the trade-offs among latency, energy efficiency, and system reliability. Subsequently, we introduce innovative technologies that drive the development of embodied intelligence, covering advanced learning mechanisms such as multi-agent systems, reinforcement learning, and federated learning. Finally, we compare the typical application scenarios of the two paradigms and discuss the challenges faced by existing technologies and standardization. We also look forward to future research directions in this field.