The internet of things (IoT) is a term used to describe physical “things” such as sensors or instruments connected to an extended network. By the end of 2030 there is expected to be over 30 billion devices connected into the network.
You might be wondering why there are so many devices relative to the population of the world. However, the number of devices a single person uses daily adds up quickly. For example, your electric toothbrush might have a sensor inside which sends data to your dentist on how well you’ve been brushing your teeth. Or you might be wearing smart glasses which captures an image of what you eat, so that an AI engine can calculates the number of calories you consume daily.
Why is Internet of Things (IoT) so important?
From the examples above it’s easy to see that by adding sensors and measurement tools to existing products you can greatly increase features and functionalities, all with minimal to no human intervention.
What technologies have made IoT possible?
New and upgraded network infrastructure such as NB-IoT, LoRA and Sigfox have enabled devices to connect to the internet. Furthermore, the mass production of IoT embedded devices significantly brings down the cost and physical size of semiconductors that are required to classify a device as “IoT Enabled”. Lastly, advances in cloud computing, machine learning and artificial intelligence allows processing of data into useful information.
What is industrial IoT?
IoT enabled devices and systems have been around for many years. A good example of IoT enabled systems can be found in the instrumentation and control sector. Most of these systems utilise a Machine-to-machine (M2M) network to achieve wireless communication and control.
With the cost of IoT enabled industrial devices lowering, a larger focus on collection of data to increase reliability and efficiency in the manufacturing space is now a priority for many companies. Industrial IoT (IIoT) is also referred to as Industry 4.0, that being the forth wave industrial revolution.
What are some ways IoT applications that get deployed?
There are infinite applications that can benefit from IoT enabled devices. From mass produced consumer electronic devices to niche remotely located sensors networks it’s easy to find a use-case. Here are some examples of applications where IoT devices are used.
IoT Asset Monitoring
Understanding where and what state assets are in can be critical in certain industries. For example, in a healthcare setting doctors and nurses might need to know exactly where an electric wheelchair is, who is on it and if the wheelchair requires maintenance.
For health and safety monitoring air quality in a mine might be a minimum requirement to ensuring workers have access to fresh and high-quality air. In this instance the air quality sensor is an “asset” so making sure it is functioning properly will include some type of monitoring.
IoT Remote Control
Nothing better than coming to a cool air-conditioned home after being out on a hot summer’s day. What makes that possible? Your air-conditioner must be IoT enabled, allowing you to remotely turn it on prior to coming home.
Most people can see the direct benefit of being able to control everyday devices remotely and so most appliance manufactures are adding in or have added electronic hardware to “IoT” enable their manufactured products.
IoT for Wearables
Many wearable devices determine the number of steps you walk in a day or your heart rate. These devices are common and are generally embedded into consumer devices.
IoT Patient Monitoring
The healthcare sector has greatly benefitted from IoT, especially when it comes to patient monitoring. For example, fall-detection smart watches send out notification and alerts when a patient has had a fall or remote heart rate monitoring allows carers and nurses to remotely see if a patient needs assistance.
IoT for Farming
It’s common to see farmers on their quadbikes riding around farms turning things on and off. Being able to remote start irrigation systems or open/close gates and fences can increase the overall productivity of a farm or other agricultural setting.
How to setup an IoT System
Setting up a simple IoT System has become straightforward. Following the steps below will give you some
IoT Network Map and Infrastructure
Drawing a Network or Architecture map is the first step in developing an IoT System. This map just must outline basic parameters and protocols used to connect the system to the internet. For example, you may have an internal LoRA network that talks with nodes inside your network and to send or receive data out of the network a gateway or bridge is required.
What processor or MCU to use for IoT
There are many processors that have in-build communication technologies such as Wifi or Bluetooth. We recommend using them because it lowers the overall cost and complexity of the hardware.
PLC vs Microcontroller
For high reliability industrial applications, we almost always use a PLC. The pricing for PLC’s has also come down considerably and most include an Ethernet port for communication, which is done with a gateway + VPN.
What is an IoT gateway?
Gateways are the bridge between the network you are creating and a wider network (usually the internet). They convert traffic and protocols, for example your internal network might use Bluetooth, so to send data to a server a Bluetooth to Cellular/4G bridge or might be required.
What are IoT Sensors?
There are numerous sensors available off-the-shelf for your next IoT Application. Selecting the sensors is critical as the accuracy and sensitivity of your measuring device determines a lot of hard-to-change physical parameters of your application.
1. Temperature sensors
Temperature sensors measure heat. They usually use an RTD (Resistance Temperature Detector) type of device that changes its resistance based on temperature. The sensor itself requires a front-end to convert the resistance into a readable value. In an industrial setting most temperature sensors are paired with a 4-20mA transmitter, meaning they vary the current on a line depending on the temperature.
2. Proximity sensors
Proximity sensors is a general term used to describe a sensor which measures distance between objects. A few technologies include ultrasonic, photoelectric and inductive are common in most settings. Setting them up is usually done on the sensor itself, which then triggers a signal HIGH or LOW depending on the distance measured. Some sensors also output an analog signal to give an exact distance reading.
3. Pressure sensors
Pressure sensors are commonly used for fluid pressure measurements. Remember air is also a fluid so they are used extensively in the HVAC industry. Similar to temperature sensors they are usually paired with a 4-20mA transmitter for analog measurements.
4. Water quality sensors
There are different sensors which can measure water quality. For swimming pools, pH, Chlorine and ORP are common. Ph and Chlorine sensors generally require a complex front-end measuring circuit.
5. Chemical and gas sensors
Air quality and monitoring of toxic chemicals and gas in hazardous environments require robust and reliable sensors. They are typically used in industrial settings and utilise electrochemical or photo-ionization technologies for detection.
6. Infrared sensors
IR and Passive Infrared sensors are used in a lot of low-cost motion sensing environments. Typically used in the security industry for detecting movement. For more advanced sensing, AI image processing is used to determine what the object might be before triggering an alert.
7. Smoke sensors
A critical device and often a regulatory requirement for homes and buildings. Some smoke detectors called ionization smoke detectors use a small amount of Americium-241 which is a radioactive material!
8. Level sensors
Level sensors and float sensors measure the amount of liquid or fluid in an enclosed environment. They come as either ultrasonic or mechanical limit type (reed switch). They are often used in the water treatment industry or to measure tanks.
9. Image sensors
Image sensors like the ones used in cameras capture images through a lens. Machine vision is a big industry and detecting defects on a production line can reduce manufacturing risk and save cost. Lower cost sensors include smaller image sensors and use a rolling shutter, whereas higher spec cameras utilise global shutters and line scanners.
10. Humidity sensors
Humidity and temperature go hand-in-hand. There are a lot of misconceptions of what humidity means and a better interpretation is to look at relative humidity instead of absolute humidity. Humidity sensors are used in greenhouses and HVAC extensively.
11. Accelerometer sensors
Accelerometers measure acceleration or the change in velocity. They are useful to determine how much “shake” is occurring. Typical use includes anti-theft protection and asset drop/break monitoring.
12. Gyroscopes sensors
Like an accelerometer, a gyroscope measures changes in angular momentum. It’s used to measure orientation and tilt angles whereas an accelerometer is used to measure 3-axis directional movement.
How to integrate any sensor for IoT?
Front-end circuits are used to convert the sensors signal into something usable. For an industrial setting these typically include:
- 4-20mA
- 0-10V
- MODBUS & RS-485
For low-cost or consumer applications the front-end electronics is usually embedded into the device itself (rather than being paired with the sensor).
Elemental’s solutions for sensor-based IoT architectures
Elemental Electronics design and manufacture electronic devices and create systems for various IoT Applications. Having built and designed many systems across different industries we are able to create bespoke solutions for almost any application.
Our experience with integrating IoT sensors into larger networks is also vast and we design and manufacture front-ends for seamless integration of IoT Sensors.
What industries can benefit from IoT?
There is no one specific industry that benefits from IoT, but a list of industries we’ve worked with to develop IoT solutions include:
- Agriculture
- Irrigation
- Pool Control and Chlorination
- Food manufacturing
- Wine making
- Healthcare and Patient Monitoring
- Automotive
- Transportation and Logistics
How is IoT changing the world?
IoT is changing the way we live, work and play. It can subtlety be integrated into new and existing products, and if you were to count how many of your everyday devices are now connected to the internet it’s easy to see how it’s a growing industry. Speak with us today to find out how we can integrate an IoT solution to your electronic device or product.