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Interoperability and standardisation in the IoT

Discover the importance of interoperability and standardisation in the IoT. Delve into the integration of Edge Computing, the opportunities of BIM and the future of intelligent connectivity.

Introduction

A crucial aspect of the IoT is the interoperability and standardisation of devices and platforms. To ensure the full potential of the IoT, it is necessary that devices can communicate with each other seamlessly and that there is consistency in the technologies and standards used. This allows for greater compatibility and seamless integration of IoT devices and services.

What is the Internet of Things and what is it useful for

Learn what the Internet of Things (IoT) is, how it is transforming the way we live and work, and its applications in the Smart Cities, health, industry and energy sectors.
Our insight

What is the Internet of Things and what is it useful for

Learn what the Internet of Things (IoT) is, how it is transforming the way we live and work, and its applications in the Smart Cities, health, industry and energy sectors.
Our insight

IoT & Cloud

The vast majority of IT systems, which offer online services, currently rely on Cloud infrastructures. Resources are rented to users and dynamically allocated according to their actual use and the type of contract stipulated. Among the connection modes enabled by the Cloud, the most advanced and pervasive is the Internet of Things. The IoT can be represented as a network of connected devices in which all connected nodes constantly communicate together in automatic coordination to produce collective results in order to fulfil the tasks for which they are deployed. The IoT also enables communication between machines, people and things to implement a smart environment, smart cities, smart transport systems, smart energy distribution, smart health services, smart industries, smart buildings.

In a cloud computing model, computing resources and services are often centralised in large data centres, accessed via IoT devices located at the edge of a network. The model reduces some costs and is more efficient in terms of resource sharing. For the IoT to be fully effective, the processing resources must be closer to the location of the physical devices.

IoT and Edge Computing

A new paradigm, which has recently appeared on the technological landscape of network architectures, aims to extend the characteristics of the Cloud, making the resulting model particularly suitable for the execution of services and applications with high requirements.

Moving resources to a point in the network closer to data production is the solution this paradigm proposes to compensate for the high latencies that prevent the execution of applications that require near-real-time timing and generate high data traffic.

The three-tier Fog/Edge Computing model inserts usable resources at the edge of the network, similar to the resources made available by the Cloud in the core network. The advantages of adopting such a model include low latency, support for mobility, and the ability to extract and use contextual information from users. Part of the infrastructure on the edge, dedicated to the performance of services, relies on the Cloud for complex computations and heavy system state backup. The resulting model is the enabler that will enable the existing infrastructure to fulfil the demands of modern applications, especially IoT applications, which need to process data close to the source in order to minimise latency and avoid frequent connections to the Cloud, thus also containing the network traffic generated. The wireless exchanges will themselves be able to host the resources required for the continuous micro operations previously delegated to the Cloud, so that they can provide low latency to all those applications that need a real-time response regarding the analysis of the large amount of data they collect and send over the network.

Pillar Graphic

The motivations that have moved companies to adopt the Edge Computing paradigm are many:

  • Speed: Edge Computing makes de facto possible the only IT architecture that allows multiple devices to communicate by exchanging data in real time. Reducing latency in operations would be impossible with the simple use of cloud computing, especially in the context of mobile applications. In fact, as we shall see, the condition to be favoured in order to fully exploit Big Data & Analytics logics comes from being able to effectively combine the strengths of the cloud and the edge in a functional seamless solution.
  • Scalability: Edge Computing makes it possible to free up centralised resources for operations close to the data, which is reflected in greater agility in the configuration of IoT systems, whose expansion is no longer exclusively tied to the scalability of cloud resources, but is made possible by the simple increase of computing devices and micro data centres located at the edge of the network. Thanks to edge computing, a double level of resource scalability is thus achieved, both locally and in the cloud. The most significant burden is the expertise required to configure a cloud-to-edge architecture capable of optimally balancing the computational demand required at the various functional layers of the system.
  • Resilience: Edge Computing reduces the amount of data from the primary network, favouring data availability at the edge of the network. This data management model makes the work pipeline less prone to downtime risks than a cloud data centre, as operationally useful data is available on the device itself, rather than on a local micro data centre. In other words, in order to guarantee the resilience of a system based on edge computing, it is sufficient to provide for a condition of periodic synchronisation between local data and cloud data storage, which can be updated much less frequently than operationally necessary.

  • Security: In some respects, this might seem a paradox, as the design of an edge architecture disproportionately increases the vulnerability points of a system, due to the plurality of nodes and gateways that correspond to the various access points that can be breached by an attack from the network. This condition, if properly exploited, is at the same time a considerable asset for cyber security experts, who can isolate the various areas of the network to neutralise them in the event of malicious incidents. Security protocols can in fact be activated to isolate the various elements that make up the entire system: from the single terminal to entire functional compartments

Iot & BIM - The Digital Twin

The BIM (building information model) allows the realisation of a digital model that represents the twin (digital twin) of the work realised or to be realised.
The real model, i.e. the realised work, can be managed through its digital twin in extremely advanced ways that also exploit integration with IoT sensors.

IoT sensors are rather simple devices, but when applied to construction they generate a very high innovation potential.

Connected to special instruments, they measure temperature, humidity, light, movement or any other information one wishes to quantify. Combining these results with BIM technologies, the result is a real-time connection between the measured data and the 3D model (e.g. between a physical construction site and its digital twin in the cloud) that opens the way to an infinite number of opportunities in terms of efficiency and project management.

Think, for example, of the possibility of updating project drawings according to the actual progress of the work, of addressing all executive and management criticalities, and of the opportunity to improve and optimise the entire process on the basis of data collected on site and all in real time.

Indeed, sensors on the construction site can establish a constant and continuous connection between the physical environment and its digital model, opening up new possibilities in the field of project management.

The data collected in this way provide a basis for supporting every decision-making and management phase of the construction process: from the construction site to its operation and maintenance over time.

At the construction site, for example, sensor technology makes it possible to find out data on the presence of personnel on site, on work flows and their peaks and overlaps, to gather real-time information on the use of machinery, equipment and materials, to have a constantly updated picture of the progress of work and supplies, and to verify the correctness of the execution methods used.

Thanks to Cloud platforms, this huge database is naturally available to all those involved in the project, in an approach that is perfectly consistent with the philosophy behind Building Information Modeling.

IoT & Digital Transformation

Discover how digital transformation and the Internet of Things (IoT) are revolutionising business models. Explore the convergence with big data and artificial intelligence (AI) for advanced solutions and predictive management. Harness the potential of IoT and its analytics for business innovation and growth.
Our insight

IoT & Digital Transformation

Discover how digital transformation and the Internet of Things (IoT) are revolutionising business models. Explore the convergence with big data and artificial intelligence (AI) for advanced solutions and predictive management. Harness the potential of IoT and its analytics for business innovation and growth.
Our insight

Conclusions

In conclusion, interoperability and standardisation are key elements for IoT success. The ability of devices to communicate with each other seamlessly and the adoption of consistent technologies and standards enable greater compatibility and seamless integration of IoT devices and services.
The introduction of Edge Computing has expanded the potential of the IoT, enabling the execution of services and applications in real time and reducing latency. This new paradigm offers speed, scalability, resilience and security, opening up new opportunities to fully exploit the benefits of the IoT.
Furthermore, the integration of IoT with Building Information Modeling (BIM) enables the creation of digital twins that improve the efficiency and management of construction projects. Thanks to IoT sensing, real-time data from construction sites allow for more informed decision-making and optimisation of the entire construction process.
The adoption of these promising technologies paves the way for a future in which IoT will become increasingly integrated into our daily lives, transforming the way we interact with machines and our environment.
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