Measurement sensors are designed to provide metadata to data recording devices in an opportunistic manner to conserve bandwidth and/or power. In one embodiment, the metadata is communicated to the recording device during opportunistic periods, such as, for example, when actual data transmission can be skipped, or when battery level is high, or when there is enough bandwidth, i.e., other sensors are not using the full allocated bandwidth. In one embodiment, a plurality of sensors each only send a portion of their data such that all the portions taken together form the complete metadata. In another embodiment, each sensor only sends an identification of its type and the receiving device “looks up” the full metadata from a database.