An apparatus and methods for identifying a defect and/or an operating
characteristic of a system being monitored (and/or one or more of the
system's components) are described. In an embodiment, orthogonally
related data monitored by two or more detectors may be fused to determine
whether a component of a system is defective and/or malfunctioning.
Additionally or alternatively, data from a first detector may be
determined to be accurate using non-orthogonally related data outputted
by a second detector. Both types of determinations may be made with
minimal or no false indications, which lowers the cost of operating the
system being monitored. Embodiments of the invention may also be
configured to forecast and/or prevent accidents and/or damage to the
system being monitored by predicting whether a defect and/or a
malfunction will occur.