Everything You Need to Know about Smart Sensor Edge Technology

What is Edge Computing?

We are in the midst of significant transformation regarding the way we handle and manage data,, thanks to the digitization of industries. The transition is so compelling that it is called Industry 4.0. From the First Industrial revolution which was spurred by the use of steam powered engines, to the second industrial revolution when steam was replaced by water and electricity enabling mass production, the fourth industrial revolution or Industry 4.0 will take what was started in the third which was characterized by personal computer and the internet besides information and communication technology (ICT) and enhance it with smart and autonomous systems fueled by data and machine learning With the advent of Industry 4.0, we all have heard about the word “Edge” and how it is impacting this era of IoT Technology. Organizations around the world use cloud computing as a centralized server. Generally, it is a distant server, which increases the frequency of communications; this becomes a limitation for applications that requires real-time responses.

This limitation has given rise to edge computing in which nodes can be centralized, distributed, or at the end of the network (the edge), allowing for a more distributed processing of the information generated by peripheral devices. This technology allows computation at the network edge so that computing happens near data sources. In edge computing, the end device not only consumes data but also produces data. It works on downstream data on behalf of cloud services and upstream data on behalf of IoT services.

How to Use Edge Computing for Smart Sensors

The image above demonstrates how to use edge technology; the devices and sensors interact directly with the end user. Although some devices can send real-time data, not all devices have that capacity. In that case, they send information to the Edge infrastructure. Edge infrastructure is the distributed data centers which provide real-time data analysis, visualization filtering, and optimization. Since they are located closer to the end user, they perform a lot of calculations for a large volume of data. With this capability, the edge reduces data flow and the costs of using cloud services as well as reducing end user response time and latency.

Edge Computing Applications for Smart Sensor

Edge computing devices can be used for a variety of applications, including the following:

Health: Edge technology can be used to monitor devices in the health industry.

Remote Monitoring: Collecting and analyzing data from sensors and other field devices, remote monitoring provides industries with insight and visibility into the performance of their machines, processes, and people. Even sensor data can be accessed in real time from any location.

Predictive Maintenance:- Edge computing, coupled with AI/ML algorithms, enables users to more accurately anticipate when machine maintenance will be required based on real-time data from the machine itself.

Real Examples of Edge Device Application for Smart Sensors

Intelligent edge terminal units provide multiple networks, including industry-standard communication networks; that way, you can connect your existing and new sensors to a single device. The edge device transforms data on as per use case basis. It sends raw and transformed data to the public or on premise IOT platform for various visualization and analytics requirements.

The Intelligent Edge Platform Transforms Data into Actionable Intelligence

The Intelligent Edge terminal unit provides data transformation using Python, Node RED, or Flowchart-based programming. It transports raw or transformed data using secured MQTT/HTTP protocols via GSM/4G/Ethernet or Wi-Fi to the IoT Platform in a public cloud or datacentre.   Want to know more about Intelligent Edge IoT Platform? Click the link or e-mail us at ankush.bose@iotfynow.com to schedule a demo of the platform.

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