UNIT 5

REAL WORLD DESIGN CONSTRAINTS

 APPLICATIONS
In most IoT applications, the largest constraint in design is power consumption.
Sensors need to constantly monitor system states and update the network, with
the added wrinkle that devices may be distributed over a wide area with limited
access to a continuous power supply.

On-board power has the challenge of balancing portability against the total
capacity of the supply, and network transactions that supply power between
devices require extreme proximity. Conversely, a network may be distributed
such that devices have access to regular power, but at a greater distance,
increasing the response time between devices on the network.

There‘s an additional host of factors to consider shaping an IoT network, and

much like board design, there is no such thing as a free lunch when it comes to
performance. Some of the major influences on the network include:

 Networking - Connections need to be established before

transmission, which due to the often trivial length of the latter,
means considerable energy expenditures spent on setup versus the
 actual content of the data. Standard TCP congestion control and
buffering are also similarly inefficient; though in fairness, these are
not issues exclusive to TCP, and solutions geared towards the
specific needs of IoT have been developed.
 Congestion - Fail safes need to be in place to prevent
overwhelming systems, especially at points that route a large
number of signals. Protocols with increased bandwidth can be an
option, generally with higher associated power consumption, but
systems can also prevent network congestion by designing built-in
throttling during periods of high traffic.
 Hardware - The major cost driver is components alongside labor,
and designers will want to ensure that cost-per-unit is kept to a
minimum due to the high number of IoT devices that may be
present throughout a system. RFID can be a successful
implementation of IoT-aligned technology due to a few key
aspects such as low power consumption, large broadcast area, and
low manufacturing costs.
 Interoperability - Navigating through multiple different devices
and protocols becomes a challenge, especially when attempting to
optimize data send/receive for the lowest energy cost per
transmission. Specifically, the focus for IoT is a shift to machine-
to-machine communication (M2M), which attempts to facilitate
communication by either including higher levels of control
abstraction or defining the actionable elements of the circuit.
 Security and privacy - Security is an increasing concern within the
realm of IoT: as connectedness continues to climb, so too does the
possibility of a data breach. Not only do designers need to be
aware of how a system prevents unintentional access to the
network, but long-term storage of data gathered on users is
increasingly being stored indefinitely as the value of the
information supersedes that of the long-term storage cost. To that
end, system designers need to be mindful of how their strategy for
data storage (especially sensitive information) provides confidence
to users.
Analyzing Systems By Constraints
With the multitude of design constraints to weigh, designers need to be able to
focus on some key metrics that provide a tidy wrap-up of the system. While
configurations and architectures can come in a dizzying amount of forms, all
can be evaluated at the same fundamental level:

 Throughput - Networks can be set up for continuous connectivity

or discrete events based on a timer or some other controlling
variable. The more data flowing into the system (and likewise
flowing out to the periphery), the greater the bandwidth needs, at
least at the system chokepoints. Depending on the architecture, this
can ultimately affect everything from the total range of the system
to its ability to be built on existing mobile network infrastructure.
 Efficiency - Sleep periods influence the polling rate and can be
pushed to extreme ends when efficiency is paramount. In doing so,
networks become less flexible and responsive, but not every IoT
application will require updates at a high frequency.
 Delay - For transmissions, the larger the amount of data sent in a
single shot, the more “data-rich” each transmission is due to the
necessary protocol features like three-way handshakes for
authentication and the like. In general, the more that can be
reasonably fit into every transmission, the less delay for total data
content. However, the sampling needs of the system may override
this, depending on the exact usage of the IoT network.
Dovetailing IoT and PCB Design

IoT device constraints need not impede the overall functionality of a circuit
once properly accounted for in the design. In fact, by understanding some of the
drawbacks of different IoT architectures and protocols when building out a
system, designers can better leverage the positives that IoT offers and adapt to
optimize network performance. Whether that’s speed, reliability, power
efficiency of the network, or more, system designers have the option to tweak
the system to focus its efficiencies in the areas deemed most important for its
particular function.

By the same token, device constraint extends to the designer just as well. Small
product sizes mean less board space for designers and a direct challenge to
some major board characteristics like signal integrity and good heat dissipation.
While most aspects of IoT board design adhere to basic best practices, having to
balance overall performance against efficiency means making some strategic
tradeoffs at points.

Luckily, Cadence offers PCB design and analysis software meant to simplify
the complexity of simulation without sacrificing robustness. Similarly,
designers can use the OrCAD PCB Designer as part of their integrated hub to
help reduce turnaround times while maximizing error-checking prior to entering
production.

Leading electronics providers rely on Cadence products to optimize power,

space, and energy needs for a wide variety of market applications.

ASSET MANAGEMENT

Asset management is one of the differentiating factors that help a manufacturing

entity gain a competitive advantage. Innovating IoT-based solutions to empower
asset management drives quality business operations. Availability, performance,
and quality are the three critical drivers for overall equipment effectiveness
(OEE) for a manufacturing entity. IoT-powered solutions will help monitor and
detect specific problems, such as missing parts, faulty areas, and scope of
improvement. With these improvements, the firm can achieve 80% OEE.
Successful business operations consist of interconnected processes working in
coherence with each other. A fault in asset management and production would
ultimately cause a lag in the supply chain.
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Companies then use IoT tools to improve OEE by discovering all these
challenge areas, for example, low-volume, high complexity, discrete
manufacturing set-ups, and turn them into favorable opportunities.
Key Trends in IoT Based Asset Management
IoT-based smart asset management is a step up from the traditional. It is what
the traditional solutions did, plus a lot more. These new-age smart
solutions transform workflows and processes into an integrated one, building a
‘single strategic system.’ It adds intelligence with real-time data analysis, alerts,
dynamic edge control of assets, predictive maintenance, and real-time visibility,
along with automated workflows. Here are some of the key trends in IoT based
Asset Management:

 Remote Asset Tracking: IoT uses cloud-based technology, helping

employees to retrieve information on the various assets anytime, anywhere.
 Asset Health/Condition Monitoring: Cost-efficient and proactive method
to evaluate the various health indicators and associated risks, events, policy
execution history, and recommendations for improved asset health.
 Asset Lifecycle Management: Comprehensive record of asset portfolio
optimizing the profit generated by the various assets throughout their
lifecycle.
 Asset Workflow Automation: Taking care of mundane and monotonous
work to accelerate business processes, reduce errors, and increase team
productivity through powerful automation capabilities.
 Predictive Asset Maintenance Stay alert of your asset shutdowns and
downtime by understanding the performance threshold and planning
backup measures accordingly.

What Is the Role of IoT in Asset Management?

By 2030, the IoT-based asset tracking and monitoring market will be worth $8.5
billion. The Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) for this market is 8.74%
between 2022 and 2030. These figures show the growing trend of industries
adopting IoT technologies to improve asset management and real-time
monitoring.
The number of asset trackers is expected to reach 267 million worldwide by
2027. This increase shows that businesses in manufacturing, logistics,
transportation and supply chain management recognize the value of IoT-based
tracking solutions.

How do IoT-based asset management and monitoring differ from conventional

systems?

IoT devices have improved the conventional method of managing assets. It

offers many more features than conventional solutions. These cutting-edge
smart solutions combine processes and workflows to create a unified strategic
system.

It offers valuable business intelligence with alerts, real-time data analysis and
asset edge control. Other features include real-time visibility, predictive
maintenance and automated workflows.

What Are the Benefits of IoT in Asset Management?

Beyond its superiority to conventional systems, IoT has more benefits in asset
management, including:
1. Real-time asset monitoring: IoT sensors continuously gather information on
the usage, performance and health of assets. Asset managers can make proactive
decisions and intervene quickly with this information.

2. Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE): This is a major benefit of IoT in

asset management. OEE measures equipment and asset efficiency in
manufacturing and production. It considers three factors: availability,
performance and quality.

3. Improved security and safety: IoT helps asset managers implement access
controls and real-time surveillance. IoT devices can also monitor environmental
and safety parameters to prevent hazards.

4. Integration with asset management systems: IoT technologies seamlessly

integrate with existing asset management systems, such as Computerized
Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) or Enterprise Asset Management
(EAM) software. This integration simplifies data management and improves
asset visibility.

How to Make Use of IoT in Asset Management

IoT-enabled asset management and monitoring solutions use cloud-based
platforms, data analytics, IoT devices, sensors and connectivity to provide real-
time asset performance and condition insights.

Here's how it typically works:

1. IoT devices and sensors: The solution involves installing IoT devices
and sensors on assets to monitor temperature, vibration, location, usage
and other parameters. These devices can be integrated into assets or
attached directly to them.
2. Data collection and transmission: IoT devices continuously collect
sensor data. Wireless technologies like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee and
cellular networks send this data to a central cloud platform.
3. Cloud-based platform: A cloud-based platform stores and processes
device data. The cloud platform serves as a centralized repository for
asset-related information. For example, developers using Platform.sh can
easily build, test, and iterate their applications locally before sending
them to the cloud.
4. Data analytics and processing: Advanced analytics tools and algorithms
process the data. This analysis identifies asset performance and health
patterns, trends, anomalies and issues.
5. Real-time monitoring and alerts: Asset managers and operators can
access asset status, location and performance metrics from anywhere with
the cloud platform's real-time monitoring capabilities. Features
like Chrome Headless can automate web-based interactions with asset-
monitoring dashboards. This streamlines the monitoring process for asset
managers.
6. Predictive maintenance: The solution analyzes historical data and
patterns to predict asset maintenance. Predictive maintenance reduces
downtime and unexpected failures and increases asset lifespan.
7. Asset visualization and reporting: The IoT-enabled solution creates
simple dashboards and reports from its data. These visualizations give
asset managers actionable insights. Features like Drupal Headless let
developers create real-time data visualization front-end interfaces for IoT
devices.
8. Integration with enterprise systems: The IoT-based asset management
solution can support the integration of legacy systems like Enterprise
 Resource Planning (ERP) and Computerized Maintenance Management
Systems (CMMS) to create a comprehensive view of asset-related data.
9. Remote control and automation: IoT-enabled asset management
solutions can allow operators to remotely adjust settings, perform
diagnostics, or trigger actions.

IoT Asset Management Use Cases

IoT asset management has many applications across industries, even
including smart cities and buildings. The following use cases demonstrate how
IoT manages and monitors assets:

1. Fleet management: IoT-enabled asset tracking monitors vehicle location,

fuel consumption, and driver behavior. This data optimizes routes, lowers
fuel costs, improves driver safety and boosts fleet efficiency.
2. Warehouse management: IoT sensors track inventory levels, stock
movement and storage optimization in warehouses. This prevents
stockouts, lowers inventory costs and streamlines order fulfillment.
3. Heavy equipment monitoring: IoT sensors on heavy machinery track
location and usage in real time. This information helps manage large
construction or mining fleets efficiently.
4. Aircraft maintenance: IoT devices on aircraft components monitor
health and performance. They enable predictive maintenance and reduce
downtime.

Digi Solutions for IoT Asset Management

Digi offers a comprehensive list of IoT solutions and services to support your
IoT asset management needs:

 The Digi ConnectCore® ecosystem: A suite of embedded

development solutions for OEMs to build connected, high-performance
products for industrial, manufacturing, medical, retail, and supply chain
use cases, with integrated security monitoring and remote management
services.
 The Digi XBee® ecosystem: A complete family of wireless
communication modules for OEMs to support RF and cellular integration
in IoT applications, as well as sensor connectivity and edge computing
— with a full suite of tools for development, testing and deployment.
  Digi cellular routers: A full range of cellular solutions
for enterprise, industrial and transportation use cases, with the
integrated Digi Accelerated Linux operating system (DAL OS), Digi
Remote Manager remote monitoring and management platform, and Digi
TrustFence® security framework, as well as a suite of value-added
services to optimize deployments.
 Digi infrastructure management solutions: An extensive offering of
solutions for sensor connectivity, industrial monitoring and control, and
out-of-band management.
 Digi Wireless Design Services: A talented team of creative engineers
who can take product design and development from concept to
manufacturing, and beyond — including ongoing monitoring,
management and security services for your deployed devices.
 Digi Professional Services: A team of engineering professionals who can
support the planning and deployment of your IoT project — including
site surveys, application development, cellular connectivity services,
deployment, team training, and ongoing support.

INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION

Industrial automation is the application of various control systems (computers

and IT) for managing different processes and machinery in industries to replace
human involvement. Essentially, it's the use of technology to perform tasks that
would otherwise require human labor.

Industrial automation is implemented using various technologies. This includes

programmable logic controllers (PLCs), industrial PCs, SCADA systems, and,
more recently, the IoT.

How IoT Plays a Part in Industrial Automation?

So, you know how we're increasingly using devices that talk to each other in our
daily lives, right? Like how your smartphone can tell your home thermostat to
adjust the temperature when you're heading back home. Well, this is IoT in
action, where devices are connected via the internet to share and use data to
perform tasks.

Now, imagine that concept on a much larger industrial scale. In an industrial

setting, machines, sensors, and humans can all be interconnected, exchanging
data and making decisions in real time. This is where IoT truly shines in the
realm of industrial automation.

For instance, a sensor detects that a machine part is overheating on a production

line. The sensor, being part of the IoT system, immediately communicates this
information. The system can then automatically adjust the machine's operation
to prevent damage. Or alert a human operator to take action.

Here are some ways how IoT integrates into automation:

Real-Time Data Collection

IoT devices, such as sensors and smart machines, can collect vast amounts of
data in real time from various points in an industrial process.

Data Analysis and Insights

The data collected by IoT devices is sent to a central system, where it's analyzed
to derive meaningful insights. Advanced analytics and machine learning
algorithms can identify patterns, trends, and anomalies. This is further used to
optimize processes, predict equipment failures, or identify bottlenecks in
production.

Process Automation and Optimization

The insights derived from data analysis can be used to optimize industrial
processes automatically. For example, suppose a sensor detects a drop in the
efficiency of a machine. It could trigger an automatic response to address the
issue, such as adjusting the machine's parameters or scheduling it for
maintenance.

Monitoring and Control

IoT in industrial automation allows for remote monitoring and control of

machinery and processes. This means that operators can oversee operations
from anywhere in the world, using devices connected to the internet. This
enhances flexibility and allows for quick responses to any issues.
Predictive Maintenance

IoT can predict potential equipment failures by continuously monitoring the

condition and performance of machinery. This leads to cost savings by allowing
for planned maintenance, avoiding unexpected downtime, and extending the life
of the equipment. Read on to learn more about predictive maintenance.

Application of IoT in Industrial Automation

IoT has applications in various industries, leading to more efficient and

productive industrial automation processes. Let's dive into some specific
examples:

1. Manufacturing

A significant application of IoT in manufacturing is in quality control and

assurance. In the past, quality control often involved manual inspection, which
could be time-consuming, costly, and prone to human error.

However, IoT is revolutionizing this manufacturing area by enabling real-time,

automated quality control. One example is Siemens' implementation of IoT in
its electronics manufacturing plants.

The company has equipped its production lines with a network of IoT sensors to
monitor their process in real time. These sensors can collect various data,
including temperature, pressure, vibration, and visual information.

The collected data is then analyzed to detect deviations from the standard
parameters that may indicate a quality issue. As a result, it helps reduce waste
and ensure high quality and consistency in final products.

2. Agriculture

IoT is revolutionizing agriculture through precision farming. Sensors can be

used to monitor various factors such as soil moisture levels, crop growth, and
livestock health.

For example, John Deere, a leading agricultural machinery maker, has tractors
equipped with IoT sensors and GPS. This is to provide farmers with precise data
on crop health and weather conditions, thereby reducing waste and increasing
yield.

3. Logistics and Supply Chain

Logistics is another field where IoT is making a significant impact. Take the
example of DHL's SmartTrucks. They equipped their vehicles with IoT devices
to track real-time to collect data like traffic conditions and delivery schedules.

In doing so, they were able to optimize the route planning and reduce fuel
consumption and delivery time. The end result contributed to both efficiency
and sustainability.

4. Energy

IoT in the energy sector plays a pivotal role in creating smart grids. A good
example of this is Italy's Enel. The company has deployed over 30 million smart
meters to monitor and optimize energy consumption.

5. Automotive

IoT is transforming automotive manufacturing and post-production services.

Tesla, for instance, uses IoT for its vehicle production lines to monitor and
optimize processes. They also use IoT in their electric vehicles to provide
remote diagnostics, predictive maintenance, and over-the-air software updates.

The development of electric vehicles is an intricate process. Manufacturers are

finding it hard to find a smooth process as they had for ICE engines. Digital
twins are helping them here. It's the future of manufacturing and uses IoT.

6. Healthcare

IoT in healthcare brings about remote patient monitoring, smart sensors, and
wearable devices. This enables personalized care and early detection of
potential health issues.

An example is Proteus Digital Health's ingestible sensors. When swallowed

with medication, these sensors send data to healthcare providers about patients'
medication adherence. This allows for real-time adjustment of treatment plans
and better patient outcomes.

Advantages of IoT in Industrial Automation

Enhanced Efficiency and Productivity

IoT helps optimize various industrial processes by enabling real-time

monitoring and data analysis. This leads to increased productivity and
efficiency.
Improved Quality Control

IoT allows for detailed tracking and analysis of production processes. This
ensures high-quality output and reduces the rate of defects and wastage.

Increased Safety

By monitoring environmental conditions and detecting hazards, IoT enhances

workplace safety. Protecting both employees and assets. For more about this,
read how cloud-based IoT can enhance security.

Better Decision-Making

IoT devices offer data-driven insights that can be helpful in strategic decision-
making. Doing so allows businesses to be more agile and responsive to the
changes in the market.

Challenges of IoT in Industrial Automation

Data Security and Privacy

Interconnectivity is the sole in IoT devices, which means that the data collected
is transferred from one device to another. This could raise concerns about data
privacy and security. Industrial systems are more prone to cyberattacks.
Therefore would require robust security measures in place to protect their data.

Interoperability

With numerous IoT devices and platforms available, ensuring they can
communicate and work together seamlessly can be challenging.

Data Overload

There are a lot of devices interconnected, collecting and passing data in an IoT
environment. The volume of the generated data will be vast, and managing it
can be daunting. Companies need to have robust data management and analysis
systems in place to make the most of this data.
Cost and Complexity of Implementation

Implementing IoT in industrial automation can be costly and complex,

particularly for SMEs. It requires a significant investment in new equipment and
possibly staff training. They might even have to hire more experienced
employees, which may be beyond the reach of some companies.

While IoT is offering considerable benefits, it's essential to understand and

navigate these challenges. By doing so, they can fully harness the potential of
IoT to drive their growth and success in the digital age.

Future trends and developments in IoT automation

As we look toward the future, it's clear that the IoT will continue to be a
significant player in industrial automation. Here's a peek into what's on the
horizon:

1. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Integration

As data becomes the new oil, using AI and machine learning in conjunction
with IoT will further enhance automation capabilities. This pairing can lead to
more advanced data analysis, better decision-making, and even autonomous
machinery.

2. Rise of Digital Twins

A digital twin is a virtual model of a physical object or system. Coupled with

IoT, digital twins will become more prevalent, allowing for more accurate
simulation and analysis of industrial processes.

This technology can improve product design, optimize manufacturing

processes, and reduce machinery downtime. Learn more about the use cases of
digital twins.

3. 5G and IoT

The rollout of 5G networks will dramatically improve the connectivity of IoT

devices. This enables faster data transmission, more reliable connections, and
the ability to connect more devices. This will pave the way for more complex
and powerful IoT networks in industrial settings.
4. Edge Computing

With the growing volume of data generated by IoT devices, edge computing
will become increasingly important.

If you don't know - Edge computing is basically processing data closer to where
it's generated, at the "edge" of the network.

This shift can reduce latency, conserve network bandwidth, and improve data
security. All these are critical factors in many industrial scenarios.

5. Greater Emphasis on Cybersecurity

The need for robust cybersecurity measures will intensify as reliance on IoT
grows. We can expect advancements in IoT device security and the
development of more sophisticated strategies to protect against cyber threats.

6. Sustainability and Energy Efficiency

With growing concerns about environmental sustainability, IoT will play a key
role in enabling more energy-efficient industrial operations. IoT devices can
monitor and optimize energy usage, helping industries to reduce their carbon
footprint.

SMART GRID

The “grid” is the electrical network serving every resident, business and
infrastructure service in a city. The “smart grid” is the next generation of those
energy systems, which have been updated with communications technology and
connectivity to drive smarter resource use, energy efficiency, and reduced
carbon footprint.

The technologies that make today’s IoT-enabled energy grid “smart” include
wireless devices such as sensors, radio modules, gateways and routers. These
devices provide the sophisticated connectivity and communications that
empower consumers to make better energy usage decisions, allow cities to save
electricity and expense, and enables power authorities to more quickly restore
power after a blackout.
A smart grid is an electricity network that uses digital and other advanced
technologies to monitor and manage the transport of electricity from all
generation sources to meet the varying electricity demands of end users. Smart
grids co-ordinate the needs and capabilities of all generators, grid operators, end
users and electricity market stakeholders to operate all parts of the system as
efficiently as possible, minimising costs and environmental impacts while
maximising system reliability, resilience, flexibility and stability. Most of the
technologies involved have already reached maturity, and so tracking
investments provides insights on levels of deployment.

A smart grid is an intelligent and digitally enhanced electricity distribution

system. Its function is to improve efficiency, reliability, and sustainability by
integrating advanced communication and control technologies. It enables
bidirectional communication between utilities and consumers, facilitates real-
time monitoring, and supports the integration of renewable energy sources.

Smart Grid in Action

The businesses, services and private citizens that require electricity from the
grid, and therefore stand to benefit when municipalities adopt smart grid
technologies, span every resident, city service and critical infrastructure
installation. While we won't cover every use case, some key examples can help
to illustrate the impact of the movement to the smart grid.

Smart grid allows a power company to assess system health in significantly

more detail than was previously possible. For instance, with smart meters the
power company can discover real time power demands with a granularity and
accuracy that is simply not possible with older technology. This can allow them
to better predict and respond to sudden increases in demand, which can help to
prevent blackouts.

In the event that a blackout does occur, IoT devices that use cellular and RF
technology installed in transformers and substations can automatically redirect
power. That can allow for a faster, easier fix versus having to dispatch service
personnel in a truck each time the power goes out. As stated on SmartGrid.gov:

“A smarter grid will add resiliency to our electric power system and make it
better prepared to address emergencies such as severe storms, earthquakes, large
solar flares, and terrorist attacks. Because of its two-way interactive capacity,
the Smart Grid will allow for automatic rerouting when equipment fails or
outages occur.”

This idea of smart grid mitigating the effects of a terrorist attack is an

interesting one and a topic we’ll cover in a later section. For now it would be
informative to look at how smart grid can benefit a city.

How Smart Cities Are Adopting Smart Grid Technology

Smart city applications are vast, and include everything from smart city
lighting, energy management and intelligent traffic management to water
treatment and wastewater management.

Sensors in traffic lights can send information back to a central authority for
decision making. Even better, with intelligent traffic systems, both surface
traffic and public transportation can be managed with routing and traffic
lighting to improve or eliminate congestion.

IoT sensors in streetlights can also adjust off and on timing and brightness
according to real time conditions. Plus or minus a few watts might not sound
like much. However, when considering the thousands or tens of thousands of
streetlights that can be found in any given city, the savings and environmental
impact quickly add up. Those same sensors can also send out an alert if a light
needs servicing. No need to wait for a call from an angry customer complaining
about street lights being out.

Additionally, with a sophisticated remote management solution, technicians can

remotely troubleshoot the issue and determine whether or not to send a truck. In
the past, a truck roll – a highly expensive proposition compared to a fast
firmware fix or reboot from a management system in the home office – was
inevitable.

Smart meters enable demand response which lets home and business owners see
real time pricing information so that they can adjust their energy usage
accordingly. For example, switching off the AC, or turning down the thermostat
in winter. Most of all smart meters will benefit electric car owners. With real
time pricing information EV owners will be able to charge their cars when
electricity is the cheapest and avoid charging, if possible, during times of peak
demand.
The Top Three Benefits of Smart Grid
While there are numerous benefits to smart grid the following three instances
show just how useful an updated power grid can be.

1. Smart Grid Enables Renewable Energy Generation

Traditional energy grids are designed to transmit electricity from a large,
centralized power station to a wide network of homes and businesses in the
area. At this stage, the electric grid is not designed to accept inputs from homes
and businesses that are generating power via solar panels or windmills. A smart
grid is designed to accept power from renewable resources.

Crucially, the smart grid in conjunction with wirelessly enabled smart meters
can keep track of how much energy a net-positive establishment is generating
and reimburse them accordingly. The smart grid also allows for monitoring of
solar panels and equipment as well.

We mentioned earlier that a smart grid can mitigate the effects of a disaster such
as a terrorist attack or natural disaster on a power station, a feat that’s possible
due to decentralized energy generation. Under the traditional model, a small
number of power plants powered a city. This left these services vulnerable to
threats that would result in widespread blackouts and energy shortages. With a
decentralized model, even if the centralized power plant is taken offline,
multiple alternative sources, including wind and solar, can supplant the
resources in the grid. This decentralized system is much harder to take offline
and can provide a robustness that’s not possible when one plant is powering an
entire city.

2. Better Billing, Better Predictions

Smart meters offer two benefits. First, via wireless IoT devices they can collect
a tremendous amount of data, data that utility companies have never had access
to before. Utilities can use that information to better forecast when electricity
demands will be high and from what areas the demand will be highest.

Second, for consumers the smart grid means more efficient billing. Previously
the costs of electricity during peak demand were averaged out among
communities and neighborhoods. Now, if you use electricity while rates are
high you’ll be billed for it. And if you turn off appliances and save electricity,
your bill will drop accordingly. This increases the incentive for everyone to use
electricity responsibly.

3. Smart Grid Is More Resilient

A US DOE (Department of Energy) report suggests that every year power
outages in the United States cost businesses about $150 billion. While that’s
only an estimate, even if only $50 billion a year lost these outages are a problem
which must be solved.

With smart grid technology, power can be automatically rerouted as soon as a

blackout happens, minimizing the effects on households and businesses. IoT
sensors can also report on the condition of equipment so that repairs can be
made before failure. Utilities can notify their customers (via email/social
media) when there is an outage instead of reactively responding to customer
calls reporting outages.

Smart Grid for the Future

Smart grid technology can be expressed in a single sentence: a new electric grid
with two way communication. For the first time, businesses and consumers can
get real time billing information while utility companies can better meet the
needs of their customers as they react to demand spikes and fix or manage
blackouts and other challenges. Smart grid is resilient, efficient and green which
is good for the consumer, the utility company and the environment. Wireless
technology will replace thousands of miles of cable that would have been
needed to advance the smart grid to where it is today.

Digi can support your smart city in adopting smart grid technologies. We have a
wide range of secure, robust solutions that include industry-leading hardware,
software and remote monitoring and management capabilities that meet the
mission-critical needs of utilities:

 Digi industrial cellular router solutions

 Digi embedded design solutions for OEMs
 Digi serial connectivity and infrastructure management solutions

Additionally our Professional Services team provides engineering support to

organizations that need assistance with IoT planning and deployment, and Digi
Wireless Design Services helps OEMs that need engineering support for
product design and certification.

5 components of a smart grid

The five components of a smart grid include

 advanced metering infrastructure (AMI)
 distribution automation,
 demand response
 energy storage systems
 smart sensors and devices.

These components work together to create a responsive, efficient, and reliable

electricity distribution network.

objective of smart grid

The objective of a smart grid is to modernize the electricity infrastructure by

incorporating digital technologies. This includes
 enhancing grid reliability
 enabling efficient energy use
 integrating renewable energy sources
 reducing environmental impact
 empowering consumers with real-time information and control.

The layers of smart grid

The layers of a smart grid typically include:

 physical layer (hardware infrastructure)
 the communication layer (networks enabling data exchange)
 the data layer (collecting and analyzing information)
 the control layer (managing grid operations)
 the application layer (implementing specific functions like demand
response or grid optimization).

These layers work in tandem to realize the functionalities of a smart grid.

 Commercial Building Automation
The commercial building automation market can be a bit confusing: How are
traditional building automation systems different from “smart” ones?

3 Savings Opportunities

Traditional systems help save a nominal amount of energy by allowing building

managers to do things like set schedules for lights to go on and off and monitor
for performance or device failures in building systems. In contrast, intelligent
commercial building automation employs the Internet of Things (IoT) to tailor
those same types of functions to reflect real-time building operation. So rather
than informing you of a device failure, for instance, it can help predict when a
future failure might occur based on a change in a machine’s vibration patterns
or energy usage over time. IoT sensors make it possible to monitor your
building’s operations remotely and in real-time, so that it operates as efficiently
as possible and uses only the energy it needs.
When you first implement smart building automation, direct your efforts to the
places where you can save the most money. Most companies that have put the
IoT to work for energy savings find that the most impactful results are in the
following three areas; we recommend you start here.

1. Monitor power usage patterns to reduce your demand charge.

In order to maintain a constant supply of electricity to your facility, a utility
company will calculate your building’s maximum 15-minute power requirement
over the course of a billing cycle; that kilowatt (kW) level is then multiplied by
a specific rate to determine the actual amount charged to you—this is
the demand charge noted on your electric bill. Essentially, it ensures your
building gets all the energy it needs at all times. Demand charges make up a
significant portion of your energy bills.
To figure out how you can save in this area, you first need to get a better
understanding of your building’s power usage patterns. Submetering
and measuring the power usage of all your large pieces of equipment, like
HVAC units, compressors, elevator motors, air handlers, and pumps, will
provide you with the necessary data to make informed decisions.
Once you’ve collected that data you’ll know the “energy footprint” of your
building down to the granular level of specific pieces of equipment, including
what time of day they’re used. Then, compare that data to utility time of use
charges. If all your AC compressors turn on at the same time—say, when the air
temperature hits 80 degrees—that creates a big power draw and causes a spike
in your peak demand. Rather than continue to incur those hefty demand charges,
you can devise an alternate strategy, one where your building automatically
staggers the times AC compressors turn on. Or, you might decide to restrict the
use of a particular piece of machinery that consumes a lot of energy to certain
hours. Reducing your demand charge by just 3% to 5% can result in
significant savings—without having any impact on the comfort level of the
building.

2. Monitor CO2 levels to reduce your energy consumption.

A hundred years ago, when large buildings were first being constructed, it was
clear that a certain amount of fresh air would need to be brought in to dilute the
CO2 released by humans. There was no efficient way of measuring the air
quality back then, so engineers calculated the amount of fresh air that would be
needed based on a building’s square footage and maximum occupancy number.
The problem is that buildings are rarely filled to occupancy, nor are all
occupants spread evenly throughout the building; as a result, it’s often a waste
of energy to bring in fresh air and condition it.

A commercial building automation system using smart technology can solve

this problem by monitoring CO2 levels continuously. Based on those
measurements, a demand control ventilation system can automatically direct the
air handling units to adjust the outside air intake. So if CO2 levels are adequate,
it reduces the air intake; if they are approaching the limit, it brings in additional
outside air. That reduces the work for your heating and cooling units and, by
extension, reduces your energy bill, sometimes by as much as 15% to 20%.

3. Monitor the lighting to reduce energy consumption.

Many buildings today are switching to LED lighting, which lasts longer than
traditional bulbs and uses energy more efficiently. But even beyond that, most
building spaces are generally over-lit. Either the lights are too bright for the
space, or they’re turned on in unoccupied spaces. Lighting is one of the top
sources of electricity consumption in U.S. commercial buildings, costing an
estimated $38 billion per year.
Rather than simply turning lights on and off at the beginning and end of a day,
IoT sensors can detect occupancy within rooms and turn the lights on and off
accordingly. Smart lighting systems can also be employed to reduce lighting
consumption by adjusting the light levels to take advantage of ambient light.

Benefits of Commercial IoT and Automation

1. Data That Can Fuel Your Supply Chain

Businesses that utilize commercial building automation in IoT will use their
connected devices and sensors to collect data about a wide variety of business
systems. This can be used to automate processes and improve the efficiency of
supply chain management.

For example, businesses can use commercial IoT technology to monitor goods
through their supply chain in real time. This data helps management track
inventory levels, maintain a steady flow of products, and optimize operational
efficiency.

Additionally, it can also be used to optimize routing and scheduling. Data can
show indicators for tracking expiration dates of perishable goods and
automatically reorder items when inventory levels reach a certain point.
Overall, commercial IoT and automation are a very important part of today’s
business management systems.

2. Helps Businesses Make Well-informed, Real-time Decisions

Commercial IoT can help businesses make well-informed, real-time decisions in
several ways. One way is that commercial IoT provides the right kind of data
points to monitor the movement of goods through a supply chain in real time.
This gives managers at the plant, facility, or building the real-time alert to
identify issues that may hinder the flow of products.

It can be used for routing and scheduling to help businesses improve the
efficiency of their supply chain operations. With long-haul transportation and
delivery vehicles in high demand, continually assessing the state of a business’s
product delivery cycles is an important factor.

Another example is that data gained through commercial IoT technology can be
used to monitor equipment conditions. Good information about equipment in a
facility can help a team schedule maintenance at the right time. This will reduce
downtime, lower building management costs, and improve the overall
efficiency of operations.

3. Increases Building Efficiency

When a commercial office building incorporates commercial IoT and
automation in its systems, it can make a tremendous difference in overall
building operations. The real-time data that’s produced helps building managers
gain better performance from the building's systems.

For instance, consider how IoT impacts commercial insurance coverage. Many
commercial spaces operate on a runtime strategy, which is the period when
energy consumption is at a high peak, and in full runtime mode. By using IoT
solutions for HVAC systems, heat sensors, air conditioners, and similar energy-
producing systems, building managers receive better insights into any
inefficiencies in the system. The data helps facility managers or building
managers determine when it’s time to lower energy consumption in lights,
temperature, and air distribution throughout a facility.

4. Provides Better Access Control

Access control is an important part of commercial IoT. It refers to the protocols
used by an organization to allow access to controls over certain parts of an
operation.

For example, commercial IoT technology can monitor people's entry and exit
from a building or other location. This gives businesses a record of who is
accessing the facility and when. The data can then form the basis for developing
procedural rules and policies to improve security and prevent unauthorized
access. Think of any commercial building in New York City in 2002 — many
implemented new monitoring methods after the 9/11 attacks.

Commercial IoT can also automate door locks, security controls, and other
barriers to unauthorized access, which helps companies improve security.
5. Improves Your Workplace Safety
Improving workplace safety is a priority for many building engineers and
facilities managers, so it makes sense that they would look to commercial IoT
methods to help identify potential hazards and take action to mitigate them.

Commercial IoT technology can be programmed to monitor the equipment's

condition and protect workers against any accidents if a machine goes past a
certain maintenance schedule.

Data gleaned from IoT solutions can be used to oversee the workplace
environment and reduce potential health effects that could harm workers. IoT
technology can adjust ventilation systems to improve air quality, light quality,
heat and cold limits, and more.

SMART CITIES

It largely depends on the ICT framework (Information and Communication

Technologies) to implement sustainable development initiatives addressing
growing urbanization issues. It uses IoT devices such as connected sensors,
lights, and meters to collect and analyze data. Citizens use smartphones,
connected vehicles, and homes to interact with smart city solutions.
Smart cities are designed to leverage the power of technology and data to
improve the quality of life for citizens, enhance sustainability, and streamline
the delivery of essential services.
Here are a few reasons why we need IoT for smart cities,
Better Resource Management: They use technologies such as the Internet of
Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and big data analytics to optimize
resources such as energy, water, and transportation. This can lead to cost
savings, reduced waste, and increased efficiency.
Improved Quality of Life: They improve citizens’ quality of life in several
ways. For example, they can use data and technology to provide better
healthcare, education, and public safety services. They can also make it easier
for citizens to access information and participate in civic life.
Increased Sustainability: Smart cities are designed to be more sustainable by
reducing energy consumption, promoting renewable energy sources, and
minimizing waste. This can help mitigate climate change’s effects and make
cities more resilient.
Economic Development: They stimulate economic development by attracting
new businesses and creating new jobs. They can also improve the efficiency of
existing businesses, which can help to boost the local economy.
Overall, smart cities are a way to create more livable, sustainable, and efficient
cities that can meet the needs of citizens today and in the future.

IoT in Smart Cities Market

Urbanization is a never-ending phenomenon.

 3 million people move to cities every week worldwide –estimated that by
2040, a whopping 65% of the global population will reside in cities. This
number is expected to hit 6.3 billion by 2050 with population growth.
 The market size of smart cities globally is projected to
touch $6,061 billion by 2030. The smart utility segment accounted for
a 28% market share in 2022 and includes domains such as energy
distribution, infrastructure management & water treatment, among others.

Real-world Applications of IoT in Smart Cities

The Internet of Things (IoT) in smart cities has witnessed wide adoption. It
helps improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance residents’ quality of life. It
uses IoT-powered devices, such as connected Bluetooth sensors, RFID tags and
meters, to collect real-time data for future analysis. Using this data, the
municipalities can improve infrastructure, services, public utilities, and more.
Here are some real-world IoT smart city examples:
Smart Traffic Management
IoT sensors can be installed on traffic lights, roadways, and vehicles to collect
data on traffic patterns, congestion, and accidents. This data can be used to
optimize traffic flow, reduce congestion, and improve road safety. These
solutions utilize sensors and GPS data from the rider’s smartphone to report the
location and speed of a vehicle. Further, historical data enables the prediction of
preferred routes and prevent potential congestion problems.
Real-life application:
New York: Piloting a project of connected vehicles (CTV) to eliminate traffic-
related accidents, injuries, and damage to life and property.
Los Angeles: Has implemented CCTV and road-surface sensors to control
traffic flow with real-time updates. The city has also deployed smart controllers
that auto-adjust traffic lights based on changing traffic conditions.
Smart Parking
IoT sensors can be installed in parking spaces to detect when a spot is occupied
and transmit that information to a central server. This data can guide drivers to
available parking spots, reducing congestion and search time. The sensors
embedded in the ground transmit the data to the cloud, immediately notifying
the driver whenever a nearby parking spot is vacant.
Real-life application:
London (UK): The SmartPark project deployed in Westminster allows drivers to
locate parking spaces on-the-go. It eliminates the hassles of time-consuming
searches for a vacant spot and alleviates congestion.
Public Safety
IoT-enabled cameras and sensors can be installed in public spaces to monitor
potential security threats, such as suspicious activity or unattended bags. IoT-
enabled solutions come integrated with analytics, real-time tracking, and
decision-making capabilities. Analyzing the data generated from CCTV
cameras & acoustic sensors embedded throughout the city and the data
generated from social media feeds helps predict potential crime incidents. This
can help law enforcement agencies respond quickly and effectively to potential
threats.
Real-life example:
New York (USA): NYC fire department uses predictive modeling and data
analytics to identify crime hot spots. The city has also deployed a gunshot
detection solution that uses connected microphones to transmit data to a cloud
platform. This platform records the time taken by the sound of a gunshot to
reach the microscope and estimates the gun’s location to alert the police on a
mobile app
Waste Management
Waste collection operators use IoT-powered solutions to optimize collection
schedules & routes with real-time tracking of waste levels, fuel consumption,
and use of waste containers. IoT sensors can be installed in garbage cans and
recycling bins to monitor the fill level and optimize waste collection routes,
reducing costs and environmental impact. Every container is embedded with a
sensor that records waste levels. Once a container nears the threshold level, the
truck driver receives an instant notification on a mobile app to empty a full
container and avoid emptying it when it’s half-full.
Real-life example:
New Jersey (USA): The municipality of East Brunswick has rolled out a
recycling app enabled with IoT capabilities. It helps improve their
communication with residents to create a positive environmental impact. The
app connects all the residents to improve recycling rates and reduce waste.
Utility Management
IoT-equipped smart solutions enable citizens to save their money on home
utilities with:
 Energy management: IoT sensors can be installed in buildings and
homes to monitor energy usage and optimize energy consumption,
reducing costs and carbon emissions.
 Smart lighting: IoT sensors can be installed in streetlights to adjust the
lighting level based on ambient light, reducing energy consumption and
pollution.
 Water management: IoT sensors can be installed in water distribution
systems to monitor water quality, detect leaks, and optimize water usage,
reducing costs and conserving resources.
Remote Monitoring
IoT-based smart city solutions also enable efficient utility management for
citizens. They allow residents to use their meters to track and control resource
consumption. For instance, a homeowner can turn off their HVAC system using
a smartphone app. And in case of issues like leakages or potential failures,
utility companies can notify households and send specialists for timely repairs
and maintenance.
Real-life example:
New York (USA): MyNYCHA is a web application used for creating &
managing public housing services online for 300+ public developments. This
free service allows residents to submit, schedule and track their repair and
maintenance tickets online. Residents can also subscribe to notifications in case
of outages, shortages, and upcoming rent payments.
Environmental Well-being
IoT-powered solutions help municipalities remotely monitor environmental
conditions. For instance, sensors are attached to water grids to inspect their
quality and trigger notifications in case of leakages or changes in the chemical
composition of water. The same technology is also used for measuring air
quality in areas prone to pollutants and is critical to recommending solutions
that improve air quality.
Real-life example:
Copenhagen (Denmark): Has set the green standard high by deploying smart
grids to reduce carbon emissions from heating systems. This project includes
new energy infrastructures that integrate all energy forms, including electric
transport, energy-efficient buildings, and HVAC systems at full scale.
Public Transport
Traffic operators can use the data from sensors embedded in multiple sources to
analyze and identify patterns of using public transport. This data helps achieve a
standardized level of safety & timeliness while cutting wait times and
enhancing the traveling experience for citizens. A smart city can also embed
BLE beacons on roads and bridges to monitor wear and tear and repair them
immediately in case of impending damage.
Real-life example:
London: Train operators use IoT technology to accurately forecast the payload
of train passenger cars on their journey in and out of the city. They unify the
data from CCTV cameras, sensors, and ticket sales to predict the number of
passengers every car will load. When a train comes to the station, operators can
encourage passengers to disperse across the train for uniform loading and
optimal use of capacity.
Overall, IoT technology is a valuable tool for improving the efficiency and
sustainability of smart cities, making them more livable and enjoyable for
residents.

Benefits of IoT in Smart Cities

IoT-based smart cities leverage the combined use of apps, connected systems,
buildings, devices, and more to create efficient living & working environments.
Here are just a few of its many benefits:
 Improved infrastructure management: IoT technology can be used to
monitor and manage the city’s infrastructure, including bridges, roads,
and buildings. This can help identify maintenance needs, reduce
downtime, and improve overall safety.
 Enhanced public safety: IoT-enabled sensors and cameras can help
improve public safety by detecting potential security threats, tracking
criminal activity, and monitoring emergency response times.
 Efficient transportation: IoT helps optimize public transportation
routes, reduce congestion, and improve traffic flow. Connected vehicles
can also communicate with each other and with traffic systems, enabling
safer and more efficient travel.
 Energy efficiency: IoT technology enables monitoring and managing
energy use in buildings and public spaces, reducing energy waste and
saving costs.
 Improved waste management: IoT sensors can help optimize waste
collection routes, reducing the environmental impact of garbage
collection and lowering costs.
 Enhance citizen engagement: IoT-enabled platforms can enable citizens
to participate in city planning, and provide feedback on urban services,
and report issues in real time.
 Health and wellness: IoT can be used to monitor air quality, detect
environmental hazards, and track health trends, providing valuable data
for public health officials to develop policies that improve citizen’s
health.
Overall, IoT in smart cities can help improve the quality of life for citizens,
drive innovation and economic growth, and create a more sustainable and
resilient future.

Smart City Implementation Model

Whether municipalities want to implement sustainable development practices,

improve traffic management, or automate waste collection – they need to have a
basic smart city platform in place. With the help of an IoT application
development company the architecture of this platform can be easily updated
with new technologies if the municipality wishes to expand its range of services
Here’s a six-step implementation plan to build a secure, scalable, and stable IoT
architecture for rolling out smart city initiatives:
Critical Components of an IoT-Based Platform
 Sensors collect data and transmit it to a centralized cloud platform.
 Actuators to enable devices to act – restrict water flow, modify the
lighting, notify about impending repairs, etc.
  Field Gateways to enable data collection, compression, and secure
transmission between network nodes and the cloud part.
 Data Lake to store information in its raw, unstructured format until it is
needed for extracting meaningful insights.
 Data Warehouse to contain all the structured and defined data about
connected devices and control apps.
Tracking & Analytics
Smart cities can monitor the device environment and predefine rules to control
pipelines, electronic valves, and distribution systems based on a set criterion.
The collected data can be visualized on a centralized dashboard to stay on top of
every public utility service.
Predictive Models
Deep analytics leverages machine learning algorithms and statistical analysis to
reveal patterns and correlations in historical data. This information is then used
to create predictive models employed in control applications to command the
actuators embedded in connected devices and vehicles.
Automated Controls
Control applications enable the automation of connected objects by sending
commands to complete a specific task. These apps can be rule-based or ML-
based, depending on the application.
User Applications
A desktop user app for traffic control centers to alter signals, re-route part of the
traffic, and relieve congestion. A mobile app that uses GPS data detects a jam
and notifies the driver to take a different route.
Integrations
A smart city can integrate its traffic management solution with intelligent air
quality monitoring software. This cross-solution integration helps control both
traffic and air quality dynamically.

The Future of IoT and Smart Cities

With its wide range of applications and benefits, IoT helps governments
efficiently manage transport, infrastructure, and public services. The
implementation of smart city projects results in the same outcomes of safer
cities, green environments, reduced energy consumption, and optimal use of
limited resources. To a great extent, these initiatives are enabled with IoT
capabilities, due to which their growth and development will only accelerate in
the coming years. And as more and more cities continue to leverage IoT
technology globally, the more their citizens and municipalities will benefit from
its use.
As an experienced IoT development consulting company, We are fully
equipped to build smart city initiatives that offer an enhanced experience for all
ecosystem partners by harnessing IoT’s pervasive connectivity, end-to-end
security, and open data.
PARTICIPATORY SENSING
Participatory sensing is another application area for MDSM applications and
platform. The knowledge patterns generated by mobile users can help
governments, business, enterprises, corporations, and third party public data
stream collectors in order to develop user-driven applications and systems.
However, participatory sensing systems must ensure user privacy and security
of shared data. In addition, new incentive mechanisms are needed in order to
lure mobile users for participatory data sharing.

In this section, we discussed a few future research areas for the intervention of
MDSM applications and platforms. However, the tremendous growth
in IoTs, big data, cloud computing, and mobile edge computing has risen many
new application areas and research opportunities for MDSM applications and
platforms. Therefore, we perceive that using MDSM in MECC system will
quickly prevail in all sectors of the economy and humane lifestyle management.
Participatory Sensing is an approach to data collection and interpretation in
which individuals, acting alone or in groups, use their personal mobile devices
and web services to systematically explore interesting aspects of their worlds
ranging from health to culture.
The number of authentic topics for Participatory Sensing projects is probably as
large as the number of potential participants! We list here several illustrative
examples, some of which are more environmentally focused and some more
personal in nature. In all cases the computational thinking needed to frame the
problem, design the experiment, develop the software, and analyze the results
provides very rich learning opportunities in the context of a math, science, or
computer science course. Neither this list nor the supporting categories are
meant to be in any way exhaustive or complete.

Transportation

Students map their travel patterns during the course of days/weeks, analyze
them for options reducing their carbon footprint, select a goal and, as a class, try
to measurably reduce their transportation impact.
Data: Smart phone application captures activity-decorated location and time
series.
Recycling

Students document the availability and actual usage of recycling bins around
campus or in their neighborhoods, analyze what options exist to increase
efficacy, and estimate possible savings if the change were implemented.
Data: Focused, systematic geocoded and tagged image capture.

Water

Students conduct systematic inventories of public sprinkler systems and water

fountains and measure their conformance with water conservation regulations or
best practices.
Data: Focused, systematic geocoded and tagged image capture.

Safety

Students document the safety and comfort of transportation options, including

ratings of busstops, particular buslines at particular times of day, walking paths
(safe paths to school), etc.
Data: Focused, systematic geocoded and tagged image capture.

Asthma/Allergy

Students, document the tree species and distribution throughout their

neighborhoods, estimate where Asthma/Allergy triggers might occur in spring
and calculate allergy-optimized running path maps for the neighborhood.
Data: Focused, systematic geocoded and tagged image capture.

Neighborhood Stress/Chill Maps

Students document their campuses and neighborhoods by creating Stress/Chill

Maps in which they note particular context (a time and place and situation) that
causes them stress or pleasure. Students analyze their data in small groups to
explore similarities and differences.
Data: Focused, systematic geocoded and tagged image capture.

Daily Habits

Students select a personal behavior that they want to better manage, and use
prompted queries on the phone to report on their behavior several times a day
(whether in regards to sleeping, eating, angry outbursts, biting nails, or
procrastinating). They then use statistical techniques to look for correlations
between these behaviors and other factors in their lives. They might also
attempt a behavior change and see if they are able to affect measurable change.
Data: A time and geo-coded series of self-reported observations.

Six Phases PS process

• Phase 1 coordination, in which the participants
• PS process organise after identifying the sources
• Phase 2 and 3 data capture, communication and storage on servers or cloud.
• Phases 4 and 5—PS data processing and analytics, visualisation and
knowledge discovery.
• Phase 6 is for initiating appropriate actions
Applications of PS

•Retrieving information individual and group of people

• Weather, environment information, pollution

• Information for waste management, Road faults

• Health, traffic congestion and urban mobility

• Disaster management, such as flood, fire and health

Many Challenges of PS

• Security

• Privacy

• Reputation

• Effective incentives to participating entities

DATA ANALYTICS FOR IOT

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of interconnected devices & gadgets
that can collect & share data by themself. IoT data analytics refers to the
procedure of gathering, examining, and deciphering data produced by these
devices to gain knowledge and make wise decisions. data analytics uses
bunches of hardware, software, and data science techniques to collect accurate
information from massive data created by IoT devices. An overview of IoT data
analytics, its elements, and its applications are given in this article.

Components of IoT Data Analytics

IoT data analytics involves four main components −

 Data Collection − IoT devices are embedded with various sensors that
collect data on different parameters such as temperature, humidity,
pressure, and motion. This data is transmitted to a central server or cloud
platform for further processing.
 Data Storage − The data generated by IoT devices is massive and needs
to be stored efficiently.
 Data Processing − IoT data analytics involves processing data to extract
valuable insights. To make sure the data is correct, consistent, and
prepared for analysis, data processing procedures including data
cleansing, data transformation & data normalization are utilized.
 Data analysis − To find patterns and trends in the data, statistical &
machine learning algorithms are employed.
 Data Visualization − IoT data analytics involves the use of data
visualization tools to present insights and findings in a user-friendly and
understandable format. Visualization tools like dashboards, charts &
graphs help to understand the data quickly and then make decisions in a
very logical and practical way. So, they can give an informed decision
based on the insights derived from IoT data analysis.

Applications of IoT Data Analytics

IoT data analytics has several applications in various industries. Some of these
applications are −

 Predictive Maintenance − IoT data analytics is used to predict when

equipment is likely to fail. By analyzing the data generated by sensors
embedded in machines, organizations can identify patterns that indicate
 potential equipment failure. It enables organizations to schedule
maintenance before a failure occurs, reducing downtime and increasing
efficiency.
 Energy Management − IoT data analytics is used to monitor and
optimize energy consumption in buildings. By analyzing data on energy
usage, temperature, and occupancy, organizations can identify areas
where energy usage can be reduced. It helps organizations save money on
energy costs and reduce their carbon footprint.
 Supply Chain Optimization − IoT data analytics is used to optimize
supply chain operations. By analyzing data on inventory levels,
transportation routes & delivery times, organizations can identify areas
where supply chain processes can be improved. It helps organizations
reduce costs and improve customer satisfaction.
 Smart Cities − IoT data analytics is used to make cities more efficient
and sustainable. You can easily analyze traffic patterns, air quality, and
energy usage. With this cities can identify the areas they need
improvements.
 Healthcare − IoT data analytics is used to monitor patients remotely,
collect vital signs data & provide personalized healthcare. By analyzing
patient data, healthcare providers can identify patterns that indicate
potential health issues, enabling them to intervene early and provide more
effective treatment. IoT data analytics can also help healthcare providers
improve operational efficiency by optimizing resource allocation and
reducing wait times.

Challenges of IoT Data Analytics

IoT data analytics also presents several challenges. Some of these challenges are
−

 Data Security − IoT devices generate sensitive data that can be

vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Every organization must make sure that IoT
data is stored securely. Also, only authorized people can access it.
 Data Privacy − IoT devices collect personal data such as location, health,
and behaviour. Organizations should check that all these data must be
collected and used in compliance with privacy regulations.
  Data Quality − IoT data can be noisy and inconsistent. Organizations
need to ensure that IoT data is accurate, consistent, and reliable for
analysis.
 Scalability − IoT data is generated at a massive scale. Organizations need
to ensure that their IoT data analytics infrastructure can scale to handle
large volumes of data.
 Interoperability − IoT devices come from different manufacturers and
have different protocols & standards. All these make it difficult to
integrate & analyze data from different sources. Interoperability
challenges can lead to data silos, reduced efficiency, and increased costs.
Organizations need to ensure that their IoT data analytics infrastructure
can integrate data from different sources and platforms seamlessly.

Types of IoT Data Analytics

IoT Analytics can be broken down into the following four categories:

1. Descriptive Analytics

2. Diagnostic Analytics

3. Predictive Analytics

4. Prescriptive Analytics
Descriptive Analytics
Descriptive analysis often involves segmentation, clustering, and other data
mining techniques to understand the behavior of a particular customer, product,
or service. Businesses may find assets, assess device usage, and spot anomalies
using descriptive analytics.

An instance of using descriptive analytics by a factory is to comprehend the

distribution of their products and determine the typical production time. They
must also know the range of typical production times and the proportion of
products produced within a specific period. The insights help improve the
production process to achieve higher efficiency using this knowledge.

Diagnostic Analytics
It delves deep into historical data to identify the underlying causes of specific
problems and explain why they exist. It aims to assist companies in locating the
issue and streamlining their processes.

For instance, a company could employ diagnostic analytics to pinpoint the

source of production bottlenecks. They could examine data from their
manufacturing line to identify the exact causes of the slowdown, such as a
machine that keeps breaking down or a process that is taking longer than
intended.

With this knowledge, firms can increase efficiency by making targeted

adjustments to their production process.

Predictive Analytics
As a result, organizations can foresee problems and make data-driven decisions
to prevent them.

For instance, it enables businesses to anticipate customer needs. They can make
recommendations about upcoming changes in the marketplace and proactively
address problems before they happen.

They might find patterns and links in the data by examining past sales data,
such as the effects of particular promotions or events on sales. With this
knowledge, organizations can make wise decisions regarding future promotions
and marketing initiatives, enhancing sales and higher revenue.

Prescriptive Analytics
Prescriptive Analytics enables businesses to use AI-driven models to analyze
the impact of different decisions and recommend smart solutions that will help
them increase their efficiency or profits.

For example, using sales data, a store can adjust its inventory levels to minimize
the risk of stock shortages and excess inventory. Using prescriptive analytics,
the management can project future demand and make products available
accordingly.

Importance of Data Analytics in the Internet of Things

Data analytics is crucial for the effective functioning of the IoT because it
enables organizations to extract meaningful insights from the vast amounts of
data generated by IoT devices. With the increasing number of connected
devices, there is a growing need to process, analyze, and interpret the data
generated by these devices to make informed decisions.
The IoT has the potential to transform various industries by enabling real-time
monitoring, optimization, and automation. However, to unlock the full potential
of IoT, organizations need to process and analyze the vast amounts of data
generated by IoT devices. Here are some reasons why data analytics is crucial
for IoT:
 Extracting insights from big data: IoT devices generate massive
amounts of data that can overwhelm traditional data processing methods.
Data analytics enables organizations to extract insights from the data and
make informed decisions.
 Real-time monitoring and alerts: Data analytics enables real-time
monitoring of IoT devices and generates alerts when anomalies or
potential issues are detected. This capability helps organizations identify
and resolve problems quickly.
  Predictive maintenance: Data analytics can be used to predict when
equipment is likely to fail and schedule maintenance proactively, which
can reduce downtime and maintenance costs.
 Optimization of processes: Data analytics can identify bottlenecks,
inefficiencies, and other opportunities for optimization to help
organizations improve their operations, reduce costs, and increase
efficiency.
 Personalization: Data analytics can be used to personalize products,
services, and experiences based on customer data, which can lead to
better customer engagement and loyalty.
 Innovation: Data analytics can be used to identify new business
opportunities and revenue streams. By analyzing data generated by IoT
devices, organizations can develop new products and services that meet
customer needs.

How Can Businesses Benefit from the Internet of Things Analytics?

he IoT has enabled businesses to collect vast amounts of data from connected
devices, sensors, and machines. However, without proper analysis, this data
remains useless.
By leveraging IoT data analytics, businesses can gain valuable insights into
customer behavior, operational efficiency, and product performance, helping
them make informed decisions and improve their products and services. For
example, a manufacturing company can use IoT data to optimize its supply
chain, reduce downtime, and increase productivity. By harnessing the power of
IoT data analytics, businesses can streamline their operations, reduce costs, and
improve customer satisfaction.
Some of the top benefits of Internet of Things data analytics for businesses
include:

 Improved operational efficiency: IoT sensors can generate vast amounts

of data about the performance of machines and equipment in real time.
By analyzing this data, businesses can identify patterns and inefficiencies
that can be addressed to improve operational efficiency and reduce
downtime.
 Cost savings: IoT data analytics can help businesses identify areas where
they can save money, such as reducing energy consumption or optimizing
supply chain operations.
 Improved customer experiences: IoT devices can collect data on
customer behavior and preferences, which can be used to personalize
experiences and improve customer satisfaction.
 Predictive maintenance: By analyzing data from IoT sensors, businesses
can predict when equipment is likely to fail and proactively schedule
maintenance before a breakdown occurs.
 Increased safety and security: IoT data analytics can help businesses
identify potential safety hazards and security threats, such as equipment
malfunctions or unauthorized access to facilities.
 New revenue streams: IoT data analytics can enable businesses to create
new revenue streams by offering value-added services, such as predictive
maintenance, based on the insights generated by the data.

SOFTWARE & MANAGEMENT TOOLS FOR IOT

The Internet of Things (IoT) has changed the way we interact with
technology by enabling seamless connection and communication between
devices. As IoT continues to evolve, developers and organizations have access
to a wide range of tools that provide efficient development and deployment of
IoT solutions.
Various tools, including hardware and software platforms, network analyzers,
and IoT-specific platforms, empower developers to build, connect, analyze,
and monitor IoT solutions efficiently. These tools accelerate development,
ensure data security, and optimize IoT application performance.
Features of IoT Tools
 Device Management: Registering, configuring, and monitoring IoT
devices, including provisioning, firmware updates, and remote
management.
 Data Visualization: Customizable dashboards for real-time
monitoring and analysis of IoT data, facilitating data-driven
decisions.
 Connectivity and Integration: Support for various IoT protocols,
cloud platforms, and databases, enabling seamless communication
between devices and services.
 Rule Engine and Automation: Definition of rules, triggering
actions, and task automation based on specific conditions or events in
the IoT system.
 Security and Privacy: Authentication, access control, encryption,
and secure communication protocols to safeguard IoT devices and
data.
 Scalability and Performance: Optimization for large-scale IoT
deployments, managing numerous devices and processing high
volumes of data.
 Analytics and Machine Learning: Advanced capabilities for data
processing, anomaly detection, predictive modeling, and intelligent
insights.
IoT Development Tools
The Internet of Things (IoT) revolutionizes industries and daily life by
connecting devices and enabling data-driven decision-making.
1. Arduino
Arduino produces electronic devices and software for the IoT market, offering
top-notch hardware for a wide range of projects. They are a leading company
in IoT tools, allowing easy construction of functional and innovative robotics
and home automation projects.
Overview and Features:
 Arduino boards: Arduino offers diverse microcontroller boards for
IoT projects with varying specifications.
 Arduino IDE: An integrated development environment (IDE) offers
a user-friendly interface that facilitates the process of writing and
uploading code to Arduino boards.
 Libraries and examples: Arduino offers an extensive collection of
pre-existing code and samples, streamlining the creation of IoT
applications.
 Community support: The Arduino community consists of a vibrant
group of developers who actively engage with one another,
exchanging knowledge and providing assistance to fellow users.
2. Apache NetBeans
Apache NetBeans is a versatile integrated development environment (IDE)
that is open-source and offers support for various programming languages. It
offers a strong platform for the development of IoT applications.
Overview and Features:
 Language support: NetBeans supports multiple programming
languages like Java, JavaScript, C++, and more, empowering
developers to choose the ideal language for their IoT projects.
 Project management: NetBeans streamlines IoT app development
with templates, code completion, and debugging.
 Plugins and extensions: NetBeans has a thriving plugin ecosystem
for IoT-specific requirements.
 Collaboration tools: NetBeans facilitates team collaboration on IoT
projects with version control, code sharing, and collaboration
features.
3. Kinoma
Kinoma is an IoT toolset that eases the development of embedded apps and
devices. It includes a JavaScript framework and hardware kits for fast
prototyping.
Overview and Features:
 Kinoma Create: Kinoma Create is a hardware development kit with
a programmable device and touch-enabled color display for fast IoT
prototype building.
  JavaScript framework: Kinoma’s JavaScript framework enables
developers to create IoT applications and user interfaces in a familiar
and accessible programming environment.
 Integrated tools: Kinoma Studio simplifies the creation and
management of IoT applications with a visual interface for building
and connecting workflows.
 Internet connectivity: Kinoma enables IoT devices to connect and
communicate with other devices, cloud services, and web APIs using
various communication protocols.
4. MQTT (Message Queueing Telemetry Transport)
MQTT is a lightweight messaging protocol for efficient IoT communication,
enabling real-time data exchange with low bandwidth consumption.
Overview and Features:
 Lightweight: MQTT is optimized for resource-constrained IoT
devices, with low processing power and limited bandwidth.
 Publish-subscribe model: MQTT uses a publish-subscribe model,
where devices publish messages to topics and others subscribe to
receive them.
 QoS levels: MQTT has three levels of QoS for reliable message
delivery based on application requirements.
 Retained messages: MQTT retains the latest value, ensuring
subscribers receive the most recent message even if they were offline
during publishing.
5. Wireshark
Wireshark, a powerful network protocol analyzer, is indispensable for
developers to monitor and analyze network traffic. It provides detailed insights
into the communication between IoT devices and networks, making it essential
for IoT application development and debugging.
Overview and Features:
 Network traffic analysis: Wireshark captures and analyzes network
packets, revealing IoT device and network communication.
 Protocol support: Wireshark analyzes IoT network traffic with
support for protocols like MQTT, HTTP, CoAP, Zigbee, and more.
 Filtering and search: Wireshark simplifies the analysis by allowing
users to filter and search for specific packets or data patterns.
  Packet decoding: Wireshark decodes network packets into a
readable format, helping to identify issues and understand
information flow.
6. Mainspring
Mainspring is an IoT development platform that operates on the cloud, making
the creation and management of IoT applications easier. It offers a wide range
of tools and services that streamline the development and deployment of IoT
projects.
Overview and Features:
 Rapid application development: Mainspring enables coding-free
IoT application design with a user-friendly visual interface and drag-
and-drop functionality.
 Device management: Users can remotely monitor, control, and
update IoT devices using the platform’s robust device management
capabilities.
 Data analytics: With its built-in data analytics features, Mainspring
empowers users to extract valuable insights from IoT data and make
data-driven decisions.
 Security and scalability: The platform places emphasis on ensuring
the security of data and provides scalability choices to accommodate
the expansion of IoT deployments.
7. Node-RED
Node-RED is a tool for visual programming and connecting IoT hardware
devices, APIs, and online services. It offers a flow editor in a web browser,
enabling users to create IoT applications through the visual connection of
nodes.
Overview and Features:
 Flow-based programming: Node-RED uses flow-based
programming to connect nodes and create IoT applications.
 Extensive library of nodes: Node-RED has a wide selection of pre-
built nodes for easy integration with IoT devices, protocols, and
services.
 Real-time monitoring: The platform offers a real-time dashboard to
monitor and visualize IoT data.
 Easy integration: Node-RED integrates seamlessly with various
tools and platforms, making it versatile for IoT development.
8. Eclipse IoT
Eclipse IoT is an open-source platform that simplifies IoT application
development and management with various tools and frameworks.
Overview and Features:
 Eclipse IoT projects: Eclipse IoT provides projects and frameworks
for IoT development, covering device connectivity, data
management, and security.
 Interoperability: The platform emphasizes interoperability, enabling
developers to integrate IoT devices, protocols, and cloud services
from different vendors.
 Scalability and performance: Eclipse IoT offers scalable tools and
frameworks for the efficient management of large-scale IoT
deployments.
 Community support: Eclipse IoT has a vibrant community of
developers who contribute to the projects, share knowledge, and
offer support.
9. ThingsBoard IoT
ThingsBoard IoT is an open-source platform for collecting, analyzing, and
visualizing data from IoT devices, providing powerful features for managing
and monitoring IoT deployments.
Overview and Features:
 Device management: ThingsBoard IoT manages IoT devices with
registration, configuration, and monitoring.
 Data visualization: Customize dashboards and widgets for real-time
visualization of IoT data, enabling data-driven insights.
 Rule engine: Define rules and trigger actions based on conditions or
events using ThingsBoard’s rule engine.
 Integration options: Flexibly integrate with IoT protocols, cloud
platforms, and databases for building IoT applications.
10. Zetta IoT
Zetta IoT is an open-source platform for scalable IoT systems, treating
everything as an API for unified device and service interaction.
Overview and Features:
 API-centric approach: Zetta IoT treats every IoT device and service
as an API for seamless integration and interaction.
 Scalability and flexibility: Manage a large number of devices in a
distributed IoT system with Zetta IoT’s scalable design.
  Real-time streaming: Zetta IoT enables real-time streaming of IoT
data for instant processing and analysis.
 Web-based interface: Access and manage IoT devices through a
web-based interface on any browser.

CLOUD STORAGE MODEL & COMMUNICATION APIs

CLOUD STORAGE

A cloud API is specific to the storage service it targets. For example, a

cloud object storage service might offer an API that can create, fetch and delete
objects on that platform, as well as perform other object-related tasks. An API
for a file storage service operates at the file and folder level, supporting
operations such as uploading and downloading files and sharing folders with
multiple users.

Even if providers offer the same type of storage, such as Amazon Simple
Storage Service (S3) and Microsoft Azure blob, each service still requires an
API specific to that service. For example, developers can't use the Amazon
S3 representational state transfer (REST) API to access an object in Azure Blob.

Challenges of cloud storage APIs

These APIs provide a range of capabilities that developers can implement in
their applications, but each is specific to a cloud storage service. This adds
complexity to the development process when multiple cloud services are
involved. Even if those services are with the same provider, individual APIs are
often still required. The process becomes even more complex when storage
services and their APIs are updated or changed in any way.

The lack of a common cloud API can make it difficult to move data from one
provider's service to another's. Organizations that want to deploy multi-cloud
strategies can have an especially difficult time managing resources across the
cloud platforms.
Over a decade ago, marketing research analyst Bill Claybrook explained the
problem:

Many IT pros view the lack of cloud computing standards as a potential

roadblock to adoption, stemming from cloud provider lock-in fears and the
inability to move virtual machines and data from cloud to cloud…

What users want is a cloud API like the network API, TCP/IP -- one that's
implemented in all cloud products and services and promotes transparent
interoperability. This would increase the confidence of prospective public cloud
adopters, as they'd be able to leave their providers whenever they want. It would
also eliminate the belief that it's easy to get into the cloud but difficult to get
out.

Although the industry has changed significantly since Claybrook made his
pronouncement, much of what he said still holds true today. Most cloud storage
vendors have published APIs for building applications that can access their
storage services. However, the APIs continue to be specific to the individual
services and cannot be used to connect directly to other services.
Examples of cloud storage APIs
Developing a common cloud API would be a difficult, lengthy process. It is
complicated by the fact that cloud storage providers have little incentive to
make this happen. Many of today's APIs support industry standards, such as the
REST architectural style and the Open Authorization, or OAuth, 2.0
authentication and authorization protocol. However, the APIs remain limited to
their own target services.

Examples of cloud storage APIs include the following:

 Amazon S3 REST API. This one is a Hypertext Transfer Protocol

(HTTP) interface to Amazon S3 that is programming language-
neutral. The API lets developers build applications that include HTTP
requests and use standard HTTP headers and status codes. In this way,
developers can work with any toolkit that supports HTTP. However,
Amazon added functionality to HTTP in some areas, so developers
should be aware of these changes when working with the API.
 Dropbox API. With this API, developers get a set of HTTP endpoints
to help integrate their applications with the DropBox The API can
access both user and business endpoints, accommodating direct work
with stored files. Developers can use the API for advanced
functionality, such as sharing, thumbnails and full-text search. They
 can also manage the user lifecycle for a business account, perform
actions on multiple team members and access Dropbox Business
administration functionality.
 Google Drive API. This API lets developers create applications
that integrate with Google Drive. It supports file upload and
download, search for files and folders, and file and folder sharing.
Developers can also create third-party shortcuts that are external links
to data in a different data store or cloud storage system.
 Microsoft OneDrive REST API. Developers can use this API to
access OneDrive, OneDrive for Business, SharePoint document
libraries and Office Groups. The API makes it possible to read and
store content in any of these locations without having to modify the
code.
 Microsoft Azure Storage REST APIs. These offer programmatic
access to various Azure services. The APIs vary depending on which
service is being accessed. For example, developers can use the Blob
service API to retrieve service stats, set container metadata and create
a hierarchical namespace similar to a file system. They can use the
Table service API to set service properties, create tables and configure
a table's access control list.
CLOUD STORAGE MODEL
Cloud storage models are models of cloud computing that stores data on the
internet via cloud computing providers. These providers manage and operate
data storage as a service.

Cloud storage is basically an online storage of data. Data that is stored can be
accessed from multiple connected devices, which constitute a cloud.

Cloud storage can provide various benefits like greater accessibility and
reliability, strong protection of data backup, rapid deployment, and disaster
recovery purposes.

Moving to the cloud also decreases overall storage costs due to cutting costs
incurred on the purchase of storage devices and their maintenance.
As companies have started embracing the virtual disk model, the landscape of
the data centre is shifting.

These models are pioneered in virtualization also providing new models that
enable fully virtualized storage stacks.

The cloud environment tries to provide a self-service with a precise separation

between application and infrastructure.

Let’s discuss the 3 cloud storage models

 Instance storage: Virtual disks in the cloud

 Volume storage: SAN sans the physical
 Object storage: Web-scale NAS

Instance storage: Virtual disks in the cloud

In a traditional virtualized environment, the virtual disk storage model is the

eminent one. The nomenclature of this model is based upon this very reason,
instance storage, meaning storage that is used like conventional virtual disks.

It is crucial to note that instance storage is a storage model, not a storage

protocol.

This storage can be implemented in numerous ways. For example, DAS is

generally used to implement instance storage. It is often stated as ephemeral
storage as the storage isn’t highly reliable.

Advantages & Disadvantages

Hard drives that instance storages run on are physically attached to the EC2
hosts which are running the store. Their endurance depends upon the lifetime of
the instances attached to them.

Both Instance and Elastic Block Storage (EBS) volumes are stored in a series
somewhere in the same AZ. All the HDP’s and can be re-arranged with a new
EC2 instance unless they are bound to delete when the attached EC2 instance is
terminated.

Due to the paucity of speed and persistence in instance storage, it’s usually used
on data that requires quick but temporary assessment, like swap or paging files.

However, it is also used to store data that requires regular replication to multiple
locations.

Also, EC2’s using instance storage for their root device should keep a copy of
their AMI on the instance store disk because instance storage does not endure
any data, which is the reason behind longer boot time when compared to
instances backed by EBS.

Volume storage: SAN sans the physical

Volume storage is also known as block storage. It supports operations like

read/write and keeping the system files of running virtual machines.

As suggested by its name, data is stored in structured blocks and volumes where
files are split into equal-sized blocks. Each block has its own address.

However, unlike objects, they don’t possess any metadata. Files are bifurcated
into simpler blocks of fixed size, storing large amounts of data, which are
dispensed amongst the storage nodes.

Advantages & Disadvantages

Public cloud providers allow the creation of various file systems on their block
storage systems, thus enabling users to store incessant data like a database.

Additionally, an Amazon EBS volume is accessed from an Amazon EC2

instance through an AWS shared or dedicated network.

Another advantage of using volume/block storage is its backup mechanism. For

example, AWS EBS extends a snapshot feature that is necessarily an
incremental point in a timely backup of your volume.
Object storage: Web-scale NAS

Cloud-native applications need space, for storing data that is shared between
different VMs. However, often there’s a need for spaces that can extend to
various data centers across multiple geographies which is catered by Object
storage.

For example, Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3) caters to a single space
across an entire region, probably, across the entire world.

Object storage stores data as objects, unlike others which go for a file hierarchy
system. But it provides for eventual consistency.

Each object/block consists of data, metadata, and a unique identifier.

What object storage does differently is that it tries to explore address

capabilities that are overlooked by other storages viz a namespace, directly
programmable interface, data distribution, etc.

Object storage also saves a substantial amount of unstructured data. This kind of
storage is used for storing songs on audio applications, photos on social media,
or online services like Dropbox.

Advantages & Disadvantages

Storing virtually unlimited files is one of many advantages for installing object
storage. Having an HTTP(S) based interface, object storage also maintains file
revisions.

In this kind of storage, files are distributed in different nodes which means that
to modify a file you will need to upload a new revision of the entire file which
can significantly impact performance.

In truth, cloud computing and IoT are tightly coupled. The growth of IoT and
the rapid development of associated technologiescreate a widespread connection
of ―things.‖This has lead to the production of large amounts of data, which
needs to be stored, processed and accessed. Cloud computing as a paradigm for
big data storage and analytics. While IoT is exciting on its own, the real
innovation will come from combining it with cloud computing. The
combination of cloud computing and IoT will enable new monitoring services
and powerful processing of sensory data streams. For example, sensory data can
be uploaded and stored with cloud computing, later to be used intelligently for
smart monitoring and actuation with other smart devices. Ultimately, the goal is
to be able to transform data to insight and drive productive, cost-effective action
from those insights. The cloud effectively serves as the brain to improved
decision-making and optimized internet-based interactions.However, when IoT
meets cloud, new challenges arise. There is an urgent need for novel network
architectures that seamlessly integrate them. The critical concerns during
integration are quality of service (QoS) and qualityof experience (QoE), as well
as data security, privacy and reliability. The virtual infrastructure for practical
mobile computing and interfacing includes integrating applications, storage
devices, monitoring devices, visualization platforms, analytics tools and client
delivery. Cloud computing offers a practical utility-based model that will enable
businesses and users to access applications on demand anytime and
fromanywhere
Deployment models Deployment in cloud computing comprises four
deployment models: private cloud, public cloud, community cloud and hybrid
cloud. A cloud storage API is an application program interface that connects a
locally-based application to a cloud-based storage system, so that a user can
send data to it and access and work with data stored in it. To the application, the
cloud storage system is just another target device, like tape or disk-based
storage. An application program interface (API) is code that allows two
software programs to communicate with each other. The API defines the correct
way for a developer to write a program that requests services from an operating
system (OS) or other application. APIs are implemented by function calls
composed of verbs and nouns. The required syntax is described in the
documentation of the application beingcalled
Three basic types of APIs
APIs take three basic forms: local, web-like and program-like.
1. Local APIs are the original form, from which the name came. They offer OS
or middleware services to application programs. Microsoft's .NET APIs, the
TAPI (Telephony API) for voice applications, and database access APIs are
examples of the local APIform.
2. Web APIs are designed to represent widely used resources like HTML pages
and are accessed using a simple HTTP protocol. Any web URL activates a web
API. Web APIs are often called REST (representational state transfer) or
RESTful because the publisher of REST interfaces doesn't save any data
internally between requests. As such, requests from many users can be
intermingled as they would be on theinternet.
3. Program APIs are based on remote procedure call (RPC) technology that
makes a remote program component appear to be local to the rest of the
software. Service oriented architecture (SOA) APIs, such as Microsoft's WS-
series of APIs, are programAPIs.
COMMUNICATION APIs

The Internet of Things (IoT) has changed how we interact with devices and
created new opportunities for businesses to gather and analyze data. However,
this has created a demand for device−to−device communication that is
seamless. This is where IoT Communications APIs come to play a major role in
communication systems.
IoT Communications APIs are a set of protocols and interfaces that allow IoT
devices and platforms to communicate with one another. These APIs enable
developers to create apps that interface with IoT devices over conventional web
protocols including HTTP, MQTT, CoAP, and others.

Internet of Things Communications APIs standardizes how IoT devices

communicate with one another and with other systems. They enable developers
to design applications and services that can access and operate IoT devices
without worrying about underlying communication protocols and interfaces.

So, let's go over some of the most crucial advantages of Communications APIs.

Types of Communication APIs in IoT

There are numerous IoT communications APIs accessible, each with its own set
of advantages and disadvantages. Among the most popular APIs are:

 REST APIs
REST APIs are a popular choice for IoT communications because they
offer a straightforward and scalable method of exposing IoT device
capabilities over the web. REST APIs can be used to access and alter IoT
data and devices, allowing developers to create novel IoT−powered apps.
Internet of Things communications APIs that use REST APIs follow the
same concepts as normal REST APIs but with an emphasis on
IoT−specific resources and capabilities. An IoT Communications API,
for example, may provide resources such as sensors, actuators, or data
streams.
 WebSocket
WebSocket is a protocol that provides for bidirectional, real−time
communication between a client and a server. WebSocket is frequently
used in the context of IoT Communications APIs to provide low−latency,
real−time data streaming between IoT devices and cloud services.
WebSocket, unlike HTTP, is a persistent connection between the client
and server, allowing for real−time communication without the need for
constant polling. This makes it perfect for Internet of Things (IoT)
applications requiring real−time data updates, such as monitoring and
control systems.
 CoAP
 Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP) is a protocol used in
Communications APIs for resource−constrained devices and networks. It
is a simple protocol for exposing and manipulating IoT device resources
via the internet.
CoAP is a low−overhead protocol with tiny message sizes and minimum
header information. As a result, it is well suited for use in IoT devices
with low processing power and memory. CoAP is also intended to
function with restricted networks, such as those based on the IEEE
802.15.4 or 6LoWPAN standards.
 MQTT
MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport) is a lightweight
messaging protocol used in IoT Communications APIs to link devices to
the cloud. MQTT was created to be efficient, dependable, and simple to
use, making it an excellent choice for IoT applications.
MQTT is a publish or subscribe messaging model that allows devices to
submit messages to particular topics and receive messages from topics to
which they are subscribed.
In addition to these APIs, there are IoT Communications Platforms that
offer a complete endto−end IoT communication solution. These platforms
often feature pre−built APIs, data visualization dashboards, and other
tools that make the development process more manageable.
AWS IoT, Azure IoT, and Google Cloud IoT are some popular IoT
Communications Platforms.

There are multiple benefits to adopting Internet of Things Communications

APIs. One of the primary benefits is that they give a standardized method of
connecting with IoT devices, making it simpler for developers to construct apps
and services that work with many types of devices. This can save developers a
lot of time and effort because they don't have to establish specific
communication protocols for each device with which they want to interact.

Another benefit of adopting Communications APIs is that they might make the
development process easier. Developers can utilize high−level APIs that
abstract away the specifics of communication protocols and interfaces instead of
writing low−level code to handle communication with IoT devices. This can
assist minimize the amount of code required and make it easier to construct
reliable and scalable systems.
IoT Communications APIs can also aid in the enhancement of security. APIs
may ensure that devices communicate securely and that data is encrypted and
secured from unauthorized access by offering a standardized communication
method with IoT devices. This can aid in the prevention of data breaches and
other security issues.

Internet of Things Communications APIs are also built to be extremely scalable.

As more devices are added to an IoT system, the APIs can handle the increasing
traffic while also ensuring that device communication stays reliable and
consistent.

Another advantage of adopting communications APIs is that they make the

building of IoT applications easier. Developers can utilize pre−built APIs to
connect their apps to IoT devices and platforms, saving time and reducing
development complexity.

Types of Communication APIs in IoT

There are numerous IoT communications APIs accessible, each with its own set
of advantages and disadvantages. Among the most popular APIs are:

 REST APIs
REST APIs are a popular choice for IoT communications because they
offer a straightforward and scalable method of exposing IoT device
capabilities over the web. REST APIs can be used to access and alter IoT
data and devices, allowing developers to create novel IoT−powered apps.
Internet of Things communications APIs that use REST APIs follow the
same concepts as normal REST APIs but with an emphasis on
IoT−specific resources and capabilities. An IoT Communications API,
for example, may provide resources such as sensors, actuators, or data
streams.
 WebSocket
WebSocket is a protocol that provides for bidirectional, real−time
communication between a client and a server. WebSocket is frequently
used in the context of IoT Communications APIs to provide low−latency,
real−time data streaming between IoT devices and cloud services.
WebSocket, unlike HTTP, is a persistent connection between the client
and server, allowing for real−time communication without the need for
constant polling. This makes it perfect for Internet of Things (IoT)
 applications requiring real−time data updates, such as monitoring and
control systems.
 CoAP
Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP) is a protocol used in
Communications APIs for resource−constrained devices and networks. It
is a simple protocol for exposing and manipulating IoT device resources
via the internet.
CoAP is a low−overhead protocol with tiny message sizes and minimum
header information. As a result, it is well suited for use in IoT devices
with low processing power and memory. CoAP is also intended to
function with restricted networks, such as those based on the IEEE
802.15.4 or 6LoWPAN standards.
 MQTT
MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport) is a lightweight
messaging protocol used in IoT Communications APIs to link devices to
the cloud. MQTT was created to be efficient, dependable, and simple to
use, making it an excellent choice for IoT applications.
MQTT is a publish or subscribe messaging model that allows devices to
submit messages to particular topics and receive messages from topics to
which they are subscribed.
In addition to these APIs, there are IoT Communications Platforms that
offer a complete endto−end IoT communication solution. These platforms
often feature pre−built APIs, data visualization dashboards, and other
tools that make the development process more manageable.
AWS IoT, Azure IoT, and Google Cloud IoT are some popular IoT
Communications Platforms.
How do communication APIs work?

Communications APIs provide a standard framework for connecting a

company’s systems with other business applications like CRMs, IoT devices,
and e-commerce platforms. They allow for secure exchanges of data between
systems that wouldn’t otherwise be able to communicate without the risk of
manual errors or tampering.

Communication APIs can use different technologies, including:

 REST (Representational State Transfer)

  SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol)
 gRPC (google Remote Procedure Call)

These APIs can be used in conjunction with cloud solutions like AWS or Azure
to provide extra scalability for larger projects.

Types of communication APIs

Communication APIs enable applications to perform various communication

tasks – but not all are created equal. The quality and reliability of a
communication API can depend on the features offered, ease of use, and the
underlying infrastructure.

It’s important to evaluate the different communication API vendors to ensure

they meet the needs of your application and end-user.

Here are some of the communication APIs a provider might include.

Email APIs

Email APIs provide a set of protocols and tools that allow developers to rapidly
integrate email functionality into their applications. They can be used to send
and receive messages as well as create and manage contacts, folders, and
messages. Email APIs also allow organizations to access email data from
different email providers and protocols such as Gmail, Microsoft
Outlook, IMAP, POP3, and SMTP.

Email APIs can help businesses:

 Sync, send, and receive email natively in their applications

 Send automated email notifications or confirmations from an app
 Build email marketing campaigns with best-in-class deliverability
 Synchronize email data with internal tools, CRM systems, customer
support platforms, and other business applications
 Extract and analyze data from email messages to unlock business
intelligence and personalize customer experiences
Calendar APIs

A calendar API enables developers to integrate calendar functionality into their

applications and websites. End users can centralize their workflows by easily
creating and managing calendar events, inviting attendees, syncing calendars,
setting reminders, and more.

The best calendar APIs like Nylas also offer:

 Automated, real-time scheduling features fast with a pre-built,

customizable front-end widget
 A central repository to capture calendar data in applications and unlock
valuable insights
 Automated reminders that send alerts and notifications across Email,
Slack, and Microsoft Teams
 Virtual calendars for people or resources that aren’t associated with an
existing calendar account, such as assigning rooms for doctor
appointments

Messaging & chat APIs

Messaging and chat APIs are for developing apps that use SMS, MMS, and
chatbots to send and receive messages. These APIs allow businesses to tailor
messages to individual profiles and respond to customer inquiries conveniently
– helping improve the overall customer experience.

Video APIs

Video APIs can be used to create and manage video sessions, configure video
settings, and retrieve data such as transcripts and video analytics. Additionally,
video APIs provide screen sharing, recording, and audio/video quality control
features.

Some common uses of video APIs include:

  Integrating video conferencing functions to a customer service platform
or a team collaboration tool
 Building a custom video conferencing app, such as a virtual meeting
platform
 Creating a video streaming service that allows users to watch and upload
videos
 Adding live video streaming functions to a social media platform or a live
event platform

Nylas offers a video conferencing feature within its calendar API that allows
users to automatically generate video conferencing links by integrating with
Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams accounts.

Voice APIs

A voice API allows developers to add telephonic capabilities to their

applications. Voice APIs can be used to route voice calls with global reach to
phones, browsers, SIP domains, and mobile applications. They help bridge the
gap between internet-based applications and the Public Switched Telephone
Network (PSTN).

Benefits of using communication APIs

Cost & time optimization

When your developers spend more time on backend infrastructure and less time
on the front-end features your customers are using, you’re risking low
engagement, high customer churn, and poor adoption.

Communication APIs take away the burden of building out communications

features on your own. This saves thousands of developer hours and allows you
to launch new capabilities in weeks or months.

Plus, these APIs drastically reduce the ongoing maintenance burden, bug
resolution, and unforeseeable customer edge cases that every integration
requires.
Improved customer experience

Communication APIs let you reinvest your team’s time and energy into
delivering differentiating features that drive customer engagement.

Businesses can quickly add various communication channels to their customer-

facing applications, making it easier for customers to reach out for support and
customer service teams to resolve queries quickly. Personalized messaging
capabilities (such as through mail merge) also mean customers receive a more
engaging, streamlined customer experience.

Plus, real-time analytics and omnichannel engagement also give businesses

greater flexibility and control in customer interactions. Businesses can track
conversations and use this data to gain insights into what drives customer
satisfaction.

Scalability

The flexibility of communication APIs means businesses can quickly and easily
scale their communication infrastructure up or down with minimal disruption.
This is ideal for rapidly scaling companies since they can expand their
communication capabilities without investing in additional hardware, software,
and personnel costs.

CLOUD FOR IOT

An IoT cloud is a massive network that supports IoT devices and
applications. This includes the underlying infrastructure, servers and
storage, needed for real-time operations and processing. An IoT cloud also
includes the services and standards necessary for connecting, managing,
and securing different IoT devices and applications.
Why IoT Cloud?

IoT clouds offer an efficient, flexible, and scalable model for delivering
the infrastructure and services needed to power IoT devices and
applications for businesses with limited resources. IoT clouds offer on-
demand, cost-efficient hyperscale so organizations can leverage the
significant potential of IoT without having to build the underlying
infrastructure and services from scratch.

The Internet of Things, or IoT, refers to the network of physical devices,

vehicles, appliances, and other items embedded with sensors, software, and
network connectivity, which enables these objects to connect and exchange
data. IoT in the cloud means storing and processing the massive amounts of data
generated by these interconnected devices in the cloud, rather than on local
servers or in traditional data centers.

Here are some of the key functions of cloud-based IoT platforms:

 Data storage and management: IoT devices generate a staggering

amount of data. This data needs to be stored, managed, and processed
efficiently. Cloud storage provides a scalable, cost-effective solution
for storing and managing IoT data.
 Scalability and flexibility: As the number of IoT devices increases,
so does the need for storage and processing power. Cloud computing
provides a scalable, flexible solution that can easily adapt to these
changing needs.
 Real-time processing and analytics: IoT devices often need to
process and analyze data in real-time to provide valuable insights and
make informed decisions. Cloud computing provides the necessary
infrastructure and processing power to carry out these real-time
operations.
Cloud-based IoT platforms are transforming industries all over the world. From
smart homes that can be controlled remotely through a smartphone, to
intelligent manufacturing systems that can monitor and improve production
efficiency, IoT in the cloud is changing the way we live and work.
Benefits of Cloud-Based IoT Platforms
Here are some of the key benefits of integrating IoT devices with cloud-based
platforms:

1. Greater scalability: Cloud-based IoT platforms offer immense

scalability. The cloud's elastic nature allows organizations to add or
remove IoT devices without worrying about the infrastructure's
capability to handle the increased or decreased load. As the number
of connected devices in an IoT network can fluctuate, having a
platform that can scale according to the need is a huge advantage.
2. Speed and efficiency: Cloud platforms have robust processing
capabilities that allow data to be processed in near real-time. IoT
devices constantly generate large amounts of data that need to be
processed quickly to make timely decisions. With cloud computing,
this high-speed data processing becomes possible, increasing
efficiency and the speed at which actions can be taken.
3. Reduced operational costs: One of the significant advantages of
cloud-based IoT platforms is the reduction in operational costs. With
the cloud, businesses don't need to invest heavily in setting up
physical infrastructure or worry about its maintenance. The pay-as-
 you-go model allows organizations to pay for only what they use,
leading to considerable cost savings.
4. Simplified device management: Cloud platforms often come with
robust IoT device management features that make it easy to monitor,
manage, and maintain a large number of devices. This includes
functionality for remote device monitoring, firmware and software
updates, troubleshooting, and more, all of which can be done from a
central location.
5. Advanced data analytics: IoT devices generate massive amounts of
data. Using the power of the cloud, this data can be processed and
analyzed more effectively, revealing insights that can lead to better
business decisions. Furthermore, the integration of machine learning
and artificial intelligence technologies can help in predictive analysis,
anomaly detection, and other advanced analytics tasks.
6. Data redundancy and recovery: Cloud-based platforms usually
have excellent data redundancy and recovery protocols in place. Data
is often backed up in multiple locations, which ensures that in the
event of any failure or loss of data, a backup is readily available.
7. Global accessibility: One of the key features of cloud services is the
ability to access the system from anywhere in the world, as long as
you have an internet connection. This allows for remote monitoring
and control of IoT devices, enabling real-time responses regardless of
geographical location.
8. Improved interoperability: Cloud-based IoT platforms tend to
support a wide range of protocols and standards, making it easier to
integrate different types of IoT devices and applications. This
improved interoperability can lead to more effective IoT solutions.

Key Challenges in Cloud-Based IoT Implementation

While IoT in the Cloud has significant benefits, organizations can face several
challenges during implementation. Here is an overview of these challenges and
how to overcome them.

Data Security and Privacy Issues

The vast number of connected devices in an IoT network presents multiple entry
points for potential cyber-attacks. In many cases, the sensitivity of the data
collected makes such attacks very damaging. Additionally, the global nature of
the cloud means that data could be stored in different geographical locations,
each with its own set of privacy laws and regulations, making compliance a
complex task.

To address these issues, businesses must implement robust security measures at

every level of the IoT network, from the devices to the cloud. These might
include encryption, secure device authentication, firewalls, and intrusion
detection systems. Additionally, organizations should ensure that their cloud
service provider complies with all relevant privacy laws and regulations.

Network Connectivity and Latency

Another significant challenge in implementing IoT in the Cloud is ensuring
reliable network connectivity and low latency. The performance of an IoT
system heavily relies on the ability of devices to transmit data to the cloud
quickly and reliably. However, issues such as weak signal strength, network
congestion, or failures in the network infrastructure can lead to connectivity
problems and high latency, impacting the performance of the IoT system.

To overcome this challenge, businesses must invest in reliable and high-

performance network infrastructure. This could include dedicated IoT networks,
high-speed internet connections, and edge computing solutions that process data
closer to the source, reducing latency. MQTT is a scalable, reliable protocol
that is becoming a standard for connecting IoT devices to the cloud.

Integration with Existing Systems

Finally, integrating IoT devices and cloud platforms with existing systems and
technologies can be a formidable task. This is due to the diversity of IoT
devices and the lack of standardized protocols for communication and data
exchange. As a result, businesses may face difficulties in ensuring that their IoT
devices can effectively communicate with the cloud and other systems in their
IT infrastructure.

To address this, businesses should consider using middleware or IoT platforms

that provide standardized protocols and APIs for communication and data
exchange. Additionally, they could seek assistance from expert IoT consultants
or systems integrators.
Benefits of Merging IoT and Cloud Technology

1. Scalability and Flexibility for IT Infrastructure

One significant advantage of combining IoT and cloud technology

is scalability and flexibility. Businesses today generate massive amounts of
data through IoT devices, requiring a reliable and robust system to manage this
data effectively without causing downtime or delays.

Businesses can quickly scale resources up or down using cloud solutions based
on their needs. Cloud computing also offers more flexibility, allowing access to
data and applications from anywhere.

Companies can use the "as-a-service" model (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS) to easily access
software tools and services. It might be challenging to manage in-house due to
cost constraints or technical limitations.

2. Cost-Effectiveness

Merging IoT and cloud computing can help businesses save money. By using
cloud-based solutions, companies can significantly reduce infrastructure costs
while ensuring access to scalable data storage and analytics capabilities.

It means lower initial investment costs and higher operational efficiency

through automated workflows. For example, a business can improve decision-
making by using IoT devices to track real-time inventory and reduce waste
through predictive maintenance.

IoT sensors collect large amounts of data from multiple locations. This data is
processed on central cloud platforms for analysis. Organisations can track
various metrics, like energy consumption levels and temperature control
systems' performance. They don't need to install local hardware, leading to cost-
saving benefits.
3. Better Data Security

Combining IoT and cloud technologies can strengthen data security, which is
crucial in today's digital world. Companies must protect their valuable data from
unauthorised access or hacking attempts.
Encryption protocols like Transport Layer Security (TLS) can secure sensitive
data transmitted between devices over the network. Additionally, implementing
role-based access control policies and multi-factor authentication mechanisms
can reduce risks related to privileged access misuse or insider threats.

4. Improved Performance and Reliability

Merging IoT and cloud computing can significantly enhance performance and
reliability for businesses. This combination allows faster access to real-time
data, which can be swiftly analysed, providing actionable insights for better
decision-making.

For instance, a logistics company can use IoT sensors to track goods in transit.
IoT devices need fast and reliable connectivity to transmit accurate data without
interruption. Cloud computing provides scalable storage capacity and high-
speed access to this information, making data available when needed.

Future Trends in IoT and Cloud Computing

1. Edge Computing

Edge computing is a new technology that processes and analyses data close to
its creation instead of sending all data to a central location.
This is helpful for IoT devices, as it can reduce network latency and bandwidth
usage and make better real-time decisions. For example, edge computing could
help an intelligent city research traffic flow and prevent congestion using real-
time data from sensors across the city.
2. Better Security with Edge Computing

Edge computing also improves security by controlling sensitive data away from
central servers, which hackers could target. Plus, edge computing reduces the
space needed in cloud storage by only sending vital parts of data to distant
servers.

3. Joining AI and Machine Learning

In the future, IoT and cloud computing will be shaped by artificial intelligence
(AI) and machine learning (ML).

AI can analyse data, predict outcomes, and make decisions, making it essential
to boosting IoT systems. ML can find patterns in big data from sensors and IoT
devices.

For example, AI could help doctors find early signs of diseases by monitoring
patients through smartwatches and fitness bands.

4. Increased Adoption Of Hybrid Cloud Solutions

Many organisations have recently started using hybrid cloud solutions,

combining public and private clouds. By doing so, businesses can balance the
need for data processing power and secure storage of sensitive information.

Big companies like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and
Google Cloud Platform offer hybrid cloud solutions, making setting up and
managing multi-cloud integration easier.

5. Enhanced Security Measures

Security is essential for IoT and cloud computing, as businesses use these
technologies to store and handle data.
To improve security, measures like:

 Encryption
  Disaster recovery plans
 Multi-factor authentication
 Monitoring for unauthorised access
 Network segmentation
 Physical security controls

6. Securing the IoT

Companies should also be aware of potential threats coming from IoT devices.
Businesses should use strong security practices in the cloud. It includes end-to-
end encryption between connected devices, secure APIs, and trustworthy
platforms for app development. Regular testing can also help find weaknesses
before hackers can take advantage.

AMAZON WEB SERVICES FOR IOT

Amazon Web Services (AWS) IoT provides the cloud services that connect
your IoT devices to other devices and AWS cloud services. AWS IoT provides
device software that can help you integrate your IoT devices into AWS IoT-
based solutions. If your devices can connect to AWS IoT, AWS IoT can
connect them to the cloud services that AWS provides.
AWS IoT lets you select the most appropriate and up-to-date technologies for
your solution. To help you manage and support your IoT devices in the field,
AWS IoT Core supports these protocols:

 MQTT (Message Queuing and Telemetry Transport)

 MQTT over WSS (Websockets Secure)
 HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol - Secure)
 LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network)

The AWS IoT Core message broker supports devices and clients that use
MQTT and MQTT over WSS protocols to publish and subscribe to messages. It
also supports devices and clients that use the HTTPS protocol to publish
messages.

AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN helps you connect and manage wireless
LoRaWAN (low-power long-range Wide Area Network) devices. AWS IoT
Core for LoRaWAN replaces the need for you to develop and operate a
LoRaWAN Network Server (LNS).

If you don't require AWS IoT features such as device communications, rules,
or jobs, see AWS Messaging for information about other AWS IoT messaging
services that might better fit your requirements.

How your devices and apps access AWS IoT

AWS IoT provides the following interfaces for AWS IoT tutorials:

 AWS IoT Device SDKs—Build applications on your devices that send

messages to and receive messages from AWS IoT. For more information,
see AWS IoT Device SDKs, Mobile SDKs, and AWS IoT Device Client.
 AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN—Connect and manage your long range
WAN (LoRaWAN) devices and gateways by using AWS IoT Core for
LoRaWAN.
 AWS Command Line Interface (AWS CLI)—Run commands for
AWS IoT on Windows, macOS, and Linux. These commands allow you
to create and manage thing objects, certificates, rules, jobs, and policies.
To get started, see the AWS Command Line Interface User Guide. For
more information about the commands for AWS IoT, see iot in the AWS
CLI Command Reference.
  AWS IoT API—Build your IoT applications using HTTP or HTTPS
requests. These API actions allow you to programmatically create and
manage thing objects, certificates, rules, and policies. For more
information about the API actions for AWS IoT, see Actions in the AWS
IoT API Reference.
 AWS SDKs—Build your IoT applications using language-specific APIs.
These SDKs wrap the HTTP/HTTPS API and allow you to program in
any of the supported languages. For more information, see AWS SDKs
and Tools

AWS IoT Analytics

AWS IoT Analytics is a fully-managed service that makes it easy to run and
operationalize sophisticated analytics on massive volumes of IoT data without
having to worry about the cost and complexity typically required to build an IoT
analytics platform. It is the easiest way to run analytics on IoT data and get
insights to make better and more accurate decisions for IoT applications and
machine learning use cases.

IoT data is highly unstructured which makes it difficult to analyze with

traditional analytics and business intelligence tools that are designed to process
structured data. IoT data comes from devices that often record fairly noisy
processes (such as temperature, motion, or sound). The data from these devices
can frequently have significant gaps, corrupted messages, and false readings
that must be cleaned up before analysis can occur. Also, IoT data is often only
meaningful in the context of additional, third party data inputs. For example, to
help farmers determine when to water their crops, vineyard irrigation systems
often enrich moisture sensor data with rainfall data from the vineyard, allowing
for more efficient water usage while maximizing harvest yield.

AWS IoT Analytics automates each of the difficult steps that are required to
analyze data from IoT devices. AWS IoT Analytics filters, transforms, and
enriches IoT data before storing it in a time-series data store for analysis. You
can setup the service to collect only the data you need from your devices, apply
mathematical transforms to process the data, and enrich the data with device-
specific metadata such as device type and location before storing the processed
data. Then, you can analyze your data by running ad hoc or scheduled queries
using the built-in SQL query engine, or perform more complex analytics and
machine learning inference. AWS IoT Analytics makes it easy to get started
with machine learning by including pre-built models for common IoT use cases.

You can also use your own custom analysis, packaged in a container, to execute
on AWS IoT Analytics. AWS IoT Analytics automates the running of your
custom analyses created in Jupyter Notebook or your own tools (such as
Matlab, Octave, and so on) to be run on your schedule.

AWS IoT Analytics is a fully managed service that operationalizes analyses and
scales automatically to support up to petabytes of IoT data. With AWS IoT
Analytics, you can analyze data from millions of devices and build fast,
responsive IoT applications without managing hardware or infrastructure.

AWS IoT Button

The AWS IoT Button is a programmable button based on the Amazon Dash
Button hardware. This simple Wi-Fi device is easy to configure, and it’s
designed for developers to get started with AWS IoT Core, AWS Lambda,
Amazon DynamoDB, Amazon SNS, and many other Amazon Web Services
without writing device-specific code.

You can code the button's logic in the cloud to configure button clicks to count
or track items, call or alert someone, start or stop something, order services, or
even provide feedback. For example, you can click the button to unlock or start
a car, open your garage door, call a cab, call your spouse or a customer service
representative, track the use of common household chores, medications or
products, or remotely control your home appliances.

The button can be used as a remote control for Netflix, a switch for your Philips
Hue light bulb, a check-in/check-out device for Airbnb guests, or a way to order
your favorite pizza for delivery. You can integrate it with third-party APIs such
as Twitter, Facebook, Twilio, Slack or even your own company's applications.
Connect it to things we haven’t even thought of yet.

AWS IoT Core

AWS IoT Core is a managed cloud service that lets connected devices easily
and securely interact with cloud applications and other devices. AWS IoT Core
can support billions of devices and trillions of messages, and can process and
route those messages to AWS endpoints and to other devices reliably and
securely. With AWS IoT Core, your applications can keep track of and
communicate with all your devices, all the time, even when they aren’t
connected.

AWS IoT Core makes it easy to use AWS services such as AWS Lambda,
Amazon Kinesis, Amazon S3, Amazon SageMaker, Amazon DynamoDB,
Amazon CloudWatch, AWS CloudTrail, and Amazon QuickSight to build
Internet of IoT applications that gather, process, analyze and act on data
generated by connected devices, without having to manage any infrastructure.

AWS IoT Device Defender

AWS IoT Device Defender is a fully managed service that helps you secure
your fleet of IoT devices. AWS IoT Device Defender continuously audits your
IoT configurations to make sure that they aren’t deviating from security best
practices. A configuration is a set of technical controls you set to help keep
information secure when devices are communicating with each other and the
cloud. AWS IoT Device Defender makes it easy to maintain and enforce IoT
configurations, such as ensuring device identity, authenticating and authorizing
devices, and encrypting device data. AWS IoT Device Defender continuously
audits the IoT configurations on your devices against a set of predefined
security best practices. AWS IoT Device Defender sends an alert if there are
any gaps in your IoT configuration that might create a security risk, such as
identity certificates being shared across multiple devices or a device with a
revoked identity certificate trying to connect to AWS IoT Core.

AWS IoT Device Defender also lets you continuously monitor security metrics
from devices and AWS IoT Core for deviations from what you have defined as
appropriate behavior for each device. If something doesn’t look right, AWS IoT
Device Defender sends out an alert so you can take action to remediate the
issue. For example, traffic spikes in outbound traffic might indicate that a
device is participating in a DDoS attack. AWS IoT
Greengrass and FreeRTOS automatically integrate with AWS IoT Device
Defender to provide security metrics from the devices for evaluation.

AWS IoT Device Defender can send alerts to the AWS IoT Console, Amazon
CloudWatch, and Amazon SNS. If you determine that you need to take an
action based on an alert, you can use AWS IoT Device Management to take
mitigating actions such as pushing security fixes.

AWS IoT Device Management

As many IoT deployments consist of hundreds of thousands to millions of

devices, it is essential to track, monitor, and manage connected device fleets.
You need to ensure your IoT devices work properly and securely after they have
been deployed. You also need to secure access to your devices, monitor health,
detect and remotely troubleshoot problems, and manage software and firmware
updates.

AWS IoT Device Management makes it easy to securely onboard, organize,

monitor, and remotely manage IoT devices at scale. With AWS IoT Device
Management, you can register your connected devices individually or in bulk,
and easily manage permissions so that devices remain secure. You can also
organize your devices, monitor and troubleshoot device functionality, query the
state of any IoT device in your fleet, and send firmware updates over-the-air
(OTA). AWS IoT Device Management is agnostic to device type and OS, so
you can manage devices from constrained microcontrollers to connected cars all
with the same service. AWS IoT Device Management allows you to scale your
fleets and reduce the cost and effort of managing large and diverse IoT device
deployments.

AWS IoT Events

AWS IoT Events is a fully managed IoT service that makes it easy to detect and
respond to events from IoT sensors and applications. Events are patterns of data
identifying more complicated circumstances than expected, such as changes in
equipment when a belt is stuck or connected motion detectors using movement
signals to activate lights and security cameras. To detect events before AWS
IoT Events, you had to build costly, custom applications to collect data, apply
decision logic to detect an event, and then trigger another application to react to
the event. Using AWS IoT Events, it’s simple to detect events across thousands
of IoT sensors sending different telemetry data, such as temperature from a
freezer, humidity from respiratory equipment, and belt speed on a motor, and
hundreds of equipment management applications. You simply select the
relevant data sources to ingest, define the logic for each event using simple ‘if-
then-else’ statements, and select the alert or custom action to trigger when an
event occurs. AWS IoT Events continuously monitors data from multiple IoT
sensors and applications, and it integrates with other services, such as AWS IoT
Core and AWS IoT Analytics, to enable early detection and unique insights into
events. AWS IoT Events automatically triggers alerts and actions in response to
events based on the logic you define. This helps resolve issues quickly, reduce
maintenance costs, and increase operational efficiency.

AWS IoT ExpressLink

AWS IoT ExpressLink powers a range of hardware modules developed and

offered by AWS Partners, such as Espressif, Infineon, Realtek, and u-blox.
The connectivity modules include software implementing AWS mandated
security requirements, making it faster and easier for you to securely connect
devices to the cloud and seamlessly integrate with a range of AWS services.
AWS IoT ExpressLink modules come pre-provisioned with security credentials
set by qualified AWS Partners. This enables you to offload the complex work of
integrating the networking and cryptography layers to the hardware modules,
and develop secure IoT products in a fraction of the time.

Devices with AWS IoT ExpressLink establish a two-way connection with AWS
IoT Core through native support of the MQTT (publish/subscribe)
communication mechanism, and can create and update AWS IoT Device
Shadow documents. With AWS IoT ExpressLink, it’s easy to make over-the-air
(OTA) updates to both the module and host processor from the AWS IoT
Device Management console. You can then remotely deploy security updates,
bug fixes, and new firmware updates to add features and keep your device fleet
always up to date. Moreover, partner modules with AWS IoT ExpressLink can
also connect to the AWS IoT Device Defender to report a number of device
metrics that can help detect anomalies and generate alerts.

AWS IoT FleetWise

With AWS IoT FleetWise, you can collect and organize vehicle data and store
that data in a standardized way for data analysis in the cloud. AWS IoT
FleetWise helps you efficiently transfer data to the cloud in near real time using
intelligent data collection capabilities. These capabilities allow you to reduce
the amount of data transferred by defining rules for when to collect and transfer
data based on configurable parameters (for instance, vehicle temperature, speed,
or make and model). Once the data is in the cloud, you can use it for
applications that analyze vehicle fleet health. This analysis can help you to more
quickly identify potential maintenance issues or make in-vehicle infotainment
systems smarter. You can also feed the data into machine learning (ML) models
that improve advanced technologies, such as autonomous driving and advanced
driver assistance systems (ADAS).

AWS IoT Greengrass

AWS IoT Greengrass seamlessly extends AWS to devices so they can act
locally on the data they generate, while still using the cloud for management,
analytics, and durable storage. With AWS IoT Greengrass, connected devices
can run AWS Lambda functions, run predictions based on machine learning
models, keep device data in sync, and communicate with other devices securely
– even when not connected to the internet.

With AWS IoT Greengrass, you can use familiar languages and programming
models to create and test your device software in the cloud, and then deploy it to
your devices. AWS IoT Greengrass can be programmed to filter device data and
only transmit necessary information back to the cloud. You can also connect to
third-party applications, on-premises software, and AWS services out-of-the-
box with AWS IoT Greengrass Connectors. Connectors also jumpstart device
onboarding with pre-built protocol adapter integrations and allow you to
streamline authentication via integration with AWS Secrets Manager.

AWS IoT SiteWise

AWS IoT SiteWise is a managed service that makes it easy to collect, store,
organize and monitor data from industrial equipment at scale to help you make
better, data-driven decisions. You can use AWS IoT SiteWise to monitor
operations across facilities, quickly compute common industrial performance
metrics, and create applications that analyze industrial equipment data to
prevent costly equipment issues and reduce gaps in production. This allows you
to collect data consistently across devices, identify issues with remote
monitoring more quickly, and improve multi-site processes with centralized
data.
Today, getting performance metrics from industrial equipment is challenging
because data is often locked into proprietary on-premises data stores and
typically requires specialized expertise to retrieve and place in a format that is
useful for analysis. AWS IoT SiteWise simplifies this process by providing
software running on a gateway that resides in your facilities and automates the
process of collecting and organizing industrial equipment data. This gateway
securely connects to your on-premises data servers, collects data, and sends the
data to the AWS Cloud. AWS IoT SiteWise also provides interfaces for
collecting data from modern industrial applications through MQTT messages or
APIs.

You can use AWS IoT SiteWise to model your physical assets, processes and
facilities, quickly compute common industrial performance metrics, and create
fully managed web applications to help analyze industrial equipment data,
reduce costs and make faster decisions. With AWS IoT SiteWise, you can focus
on understanding and optimizing your operations, rather than building costly in-
house data collection and management applications.

AWS IoT TwinMaker

AWS IoT TwinMaker makes it easier for developers to create digital twins of
real-world systems such as buildings, factories, industrial equipment, and
production lines. AWS IoT TwinMaker provides the tools you need to build
digital twins to help you optimize building operations, increase production
output, and improve equipment performance. With the ability to use existing
data from multiple sources, create virtual representations of any physical
environment, and combine existing 3D models with real-world data, you can
now harness digital twins to create a holistic view of your operations faster and
with less effort.

AWS Partner Device Catalog

The AWS Partner Device Catalog helps you find devices and hardware to help
you explore, build, and go to market with your IoT solutions. Search for and
find hardware that works with AWS, including development kits and embedded
systems to build new devices, as well as off-the-shelf-devices such as gateways,
edge servers, sensors, and cameras for immediate IoT project integration. The
choice of AWS enabled hardware from our curated catalog of devices from
APN partners can help make the rollout of your IoT projects easier. All devices
listed in the AWS Partner Device Catalog are also available for purchase from
our partners to get you started quickly.

FreeRTOS

FreeRTOS is an operating system for microcontrollers that makes small, low-

power edge devices easy to program, deploy, secure, connect, and manage.
FreeRTOS extends the FreeRTOS kernel, a popular open source operating
system for microcontrollers, with software libraries that make it easy to securely
connect your small, low-power devices to AWS Cloud services such as AWS
IoT Core or to more powerful edge devices running AWS IoT Greengrass.

A microcontroller (MCU) is a single chip containing a simple processor that can

be found in many devices, including appliances, sensors, fitness trackers,
industrial automation, and automobiles. Many of these small devices could
benefit from connecting to the cloud or locally to other devices. For example,
smart electricity meters need to connect to the cloud to report on usage, and
building security systems need to communicate locally so that a door will
unlock when you badge in. Microcontrollers have limited compute power and
memory capacity and typically perform simple, functional tasks.
Microcontrollers frequently run operating systems that do not have built-in
functionality to connect to local networks or the cloud, making IoT applications
a challenge. FreeRTOS helps solve this problem by providing both the core
operating system (to run the edge device) as well as software libraries that make
it easy to securely connect to the cloud (or other edge devices) so you can
collect data from them for IoT applications and take action.