Intra Smart Grid Management Frameworks for Control and Energy Saving in Buildings

In the context of Smart Grids and Internet of Things (IoT) Systems, distributed monitoring and actuation through Wireless Sensor and Actuator Networks (WSANs) is fundamental to control the energy usage in buildings. Moreover, the realization of algorithms for the optimization of the energy consumption is of paramount importance. This paper presents a loosely coupled integration between a flexible management framework for WSANs, namely the IGMF (Intra-Grid Management Framework), and a Dynamic Energy Scheduler with local control on sensors and actuators, namely the ITESS (IoTLAB Energy Scheduling System). The integrated system allows the users to manage whole buildings applying Dynamic Energy Schedulers for different environments

Agent-oriented Modeling and Simulation of IoT Networks

Internet of Things (IOT) networks are being continually developed in several domains, however no systematic processes for their modeling and simulation exist so far. In this paper, an agent-oriented approach to IoT networks modeling is proposed by exploiting the ACOSO model. Then, agent-modelled IOT networks of different scales are simulated through the Omnet++ simulation platform, with the goal of analyzing issues and bottlenecks at communication level

Ensemble-based network edge processing

Estimating energy costs for an industrial process can be computationally intensive and time consuming, especially as it can involve data collection from different (distributed) monitoring sensors. Industrial processes have an implicit complexity involving the use of multiple appliances (devices/ sub-systems) attached to operation schedules, electrical capacity and optimisation setpoints which need to be determined for achieving operational cost objectives. Addressing the complexity associated with an industrial workflow (i.e. range and type of tasks) leads to increased requirements on the computing infrastructure. Such requirements can include achieving execution performance targets per processing unit within a particular size of infrastructure i.e. processing & data storage nodes to complete a computational analysis task within a specific deadline. The use of ensemblebased edge processing is identifed to meet these Quality of Service targets, whereby edge nodes can be used to distribute the computational load across a distributed infrastructure. Rather than relying on a single edge node, we propose the combined use of an ensemble of such nodes to overcome processing, data privacy/ security and reliability constraints. We propose an ensemble-based network processing model to facilitate distributed execution of energy simulations tasks within an industrial process. A scenario based on energy profiling within a fisheries plant is used to illustrate the use of an edge ensemble. The suggested approach is however general in scope and can be used in other similar application domains

Internet of Things in Asset Management: Insights from Industrial Professionals and Academia

The emerging Internet of Things (IoT) technologies could rationalize data processes from acquisition to decision making if future research is focused on the exact needs of industry. This article contributes to this field by examining and categorizing the applications available through IoT technologies in the management of industrial asset groups. Previous literature and a number of industrial professionals and academic experts are used to identify the feasibility of IoT technologies in asset management. This article describes a preliminary study, which highlights the research potential of specific IoT technologies, for further research related to smart factories of the future. Based on the results of literature review and empirical panels IoT technologies have significant potential to be applied widely in the management of different asset groups. For example, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technologies are recognized to be potential in the management of inventories, sensor technologies in the management of machinery, equipment and buildings, and the naming technologies are potential in the management of spare parts.</jats:p

Impact of Transmission Power Control in multi-hop networks

Many Transmission Power Control (TPC) algorithms have been proposed in the past, yet the conditions under which they are evaluated do not always reflect typical Internet-of-Things (IoT) scenarios. IoT networks consist of several source nodes transmitting data simultaneously, possibly along multiple hops. Link failures are highly frequent, causing the TPC algorithm to kick-in quite often. To this end, in this paper we study the impact that frequent TPC actions have across different layers. Our study shows how one node’s decision to scale its transmission power can affect the performance of both routing and MAC layers of multiple other nodes in the network, generating cascading packet retransmissions and forcing far too many nodes to consume more energy. We find that crucial objectives of TPC such as conserving energy and increasing network capacity are severely undermined in multi-hop networks

Soft Materials for Wearable/Flexible Electrochemical Energy Conversion, Storage, and Biosensor Devices

none6Next-generation wearable technology needs portable flexible energy storage, conversion, and biosensor devices that can be worn on soft and curved surfaces. The conformal integration of these devices requires the use of soft, flexible, light materials, and substrates with similar mechanical properties as well as high performances. In this review, we have collected and discussed the remarkable research contributions of recent years, focusing the attention on the development and arrangement of soft and flexible materials (electrodes, electrolytes, substrates) that allowed traditional power sources and sensors to become viable and compatible with wearable electronics, preserving or improving their conventional performances.openBocchetta, P.; Frattini, D.; Ghosh, S.; Mohan, A.M.V.; Kumar, Y.; Kwon, Y.Bocchetta, P.; Frattini, D.; Ghosh, S.; Mohan, A. M. V.; Kumar, Y.; Kwon, Y

Integrated System for Control and Monitoring Industrial Wireless Networks for Labour Risk Prevention

The FASyS (Absolutely Safe and Healthy Factory) project, aligned with the European Factories of the Future (FoF) concept, has been set-up to develop a new factory model aimed at minimizing the risks to the worker's health and safety, and guarantee their welfare and comfort in machining, handling and assembly factories. To this aim, ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) and wireless communication technologies in particular may represent very valuable tools to implement distributed and mobile sensing applications capable to continuously sense the working environment and the workers' health and safety conditions. The effective deployment of such applications in critical environments, like the industrial one, require the availability of a platform capable to monitor the operation and performance of the heterogeneous wireless networks that will connect the mobile sensors to remote control centers. This paper presents the platform implemented for this purpose in the context of the FASyS project. In addition to monitoring the status of heterogeneous wireless networks, the implemented platform provides the capability to reconfigure remotely the communication settings of wireless nodes based on possible malfunctioning or QoS degradation notifications. These functionalities will help guaranteeing the reliable and robust wireless communications required in industrial environments to implement innovative labor risk prevention applications exploiting ICT technologie

Wireless Sensor Network para mejorar la eficiencia energética en hogares y pymes y su integración en la Smart Grid

[SPA] Durante los últimos años los ámbitos tecnológicos de la Redes de Sensores Inalámbricas – WSN –y la aplicación de las tecnologías de la información y comunicación sobre la redes eléctricas – Smart Grid – se han convertido en importantes campos de interés científico. De igual forma, la mejora de la Eficiencia Energética se ha convertido en una necesidad de la sociedad actual, debido al volumen de crecimiento de la población, y por lo tanto la demanda, y la dependencia energética actual de los combustibles fósiles. Esta Tesis analiza en profundidad las diferentes posibilidades de aplicación de las WSN en el control energético de bajo voltaje, a través del diseño e implementación de un sistema, de bajo coste y de fácil implantación, capaz de optimizar el consumo energético en hogares y pymes. El sistema descrito cuenta con una unidad de almacenamiento energético de respaldo que ayuda a minimizar la potencia pico requerida en la instalación, ayudando a balancear la curva de consumo del hogar o empresa. Este sistema opera conjuntamente con la WSN como un nodo más, haciendo la función de Gateway con la nube a la vez que aporta control e información a los usuarios de forma que estos puedan adoptar medidas por su parte en relación al uso que hacen de la energía. Para dotar al sistema de capacidad de interoperación con otros sistemas y hacerlo accesible desde Internet en general se le ha dotado de capacidad de comunicación basada en IPv6 haciendo que la red pase a formar parte de lo que se ha dado a conocer como Internet de las Cosas – Internet of Things, IoT–. De igual forma se expone la posibilidad de realizar una comunicación bidireccional con la productora eléctrica de forma que se obtenga información sobre las variaciones del precio de la electricidad que se consume, así como la posibilidad de reportar previsiones y modelos de demanda en tiempo real a la misma de forma que se acerca al concepto de Demanda Gestionada por el Hogar – Home Energy Management, HEM –.[ENG] In last years the technological knowledge areas of Wireless Sensor Networks – WSN – and the Smart Grid – Information and Communications Technology application over the electrical transportation network – became scientific areas of great interest. Similarly, the improvement on Energy Efficiency became a necessity in actual social context, due to the high population growth volume, and therefore the energy demand, and the actual energy dependency on fossil fuels. This Thesis deeply analyses the different possibilities of WSN application on the low voltage energy control, through the design and implementation of a low cost system, easy to deploy, and able to optimise the energy consumption in households and SMEs. The described system has a back-up energy storage unit that helps to minimise the peak power required in the installation. It also helps to balance the demand curve in the household or SME. This system jointly operates with the WSN as a extra node, making the role of Gateway with the cloud, at the same time it provides control capabilities and information to final users. This give final users the capacity of take measures relatives to the way they use the energy. The system has a communication protocol based in IPv6 in order to provide it with interoperation capacity with other system and with access from Internet devices. In this way, all the nodes in WSN are included in the Internet of Things. Finally, the possibility of perform a bidirectional communication with the Utility to obtain prices changes information from the Utility and the possibility of report back foreseen and demand models in real time to the Utility. It approaches the system to the concept of Home Energy Management –HEM –.Escuela Internacional de DoctoradoUniversidad Politécnica de CartagenaPrograma de Doctorado Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicacione