Das Internet der Dinge im städtischen Abwassersystem : Potenziale der LoRa-Technologie für reichweitenkritische Anwendungen im Untergrund

Das Paper wurde im Download-Bereich der Konferenz "Internet of Things: vom Sensor bis zur Cloud" erstveröffentlicht: https://events.weka-fachmedien.de/internet-of-things.Hat Niedrigenergiefunk (LPWAN) das Potenzial die Prozessüberwachung in Infrastrukturen im Untergrund zu revolutionieren? Inwieweit eignen sich LPWANs, als neuartige Drahtlos-überragung des Internet-der-Dinge bekannte Technologie, für eine räumlich differenzierte und effiziente Langzeitüberwachung? Kann der etablierte LoRaWAN-Standard für reichwei-tenkritische Anwendungen angepasst werden? Grundlage für die Erörterung dieser Fragen sind einerseits unsere Erfahrungen seit Mai 2016 beim Aufbau und dem Betrieb eines Drahtlossensornetzwerks mit im Untergrund in-stallierten Sensoren in einer mittelgrossen Schweizer Gemeinde, und andererseits die dar-aus entstandene Neuentwicklung eines vermaschten LPWANs basierend auf der LoRa-Technologie. Im Einzelnen beleuchten wir i) die technischen Anforderungen an Sensorik und der Datenübertragungstechnologie für Anwendungen im Untergrund, ii) die Anwen-dungserfahrungen bezüglich Funkreichweite, Skalierbarkeit und Übertragungszuverlässig-keit, und iii) eine technologische Weiterentwicklung, welche die Reichweitenlimitierung ent-schärft und so eine effiziente Übertragung aus dem Untergrund ermöglicht. Unsere Untersuchungen unterstreichen die grundsätzliche Eignung des LoRa-WAN - Standards für eine Echtzeit-Über-wachung von Prozessabläufen im Unter-grund. Technologiespezifische Grenzen (Reichweite, Quality of Service) werden durch unsere Langzeitexperimente quan-titativ aufgezeigt. Die Neuentwicklung ei-nes vermaschten, LoRa-basierten Funks verbessert die Zuverlässigkeit der Über-tragung erheblich. Sinnvoll eingesetzt kann diese Neuerung einen wesentlichen Beitrag zur stabilen Prozessüberwachung von Infrastruktur im Untergrund leisten

Análisis de seguridad en redes LPWAN para dispositivos IoT

This document shows the analysis carried out on the security of LPWAN technologies, focusing the study on the vulnerabilities present in Sigfox technology. The methodology used is based on the test development guide presented by OWASP, which consists basically of identifying vulnerabilities and testing recommendations to validate them. In addition to the use of the methodology, documentary research on vulnerabilities in similar LPWAN technologies was carried out. Practical tests were developed based on industry recommendations for the safe use of IoT, these were performed in a basic Sigfox communication test environment using the Xkit RCZ4 card, resulting in vulnerabilities in physical devices, in their design and in the Sigfox Backend. A comparison was made with LPWAN technologies in the market and it was analyzed if Sigfox is really the safest network in the field of IoT as it is sold in the market.Este documento muestra el análisis realizado sobre la seguridad en las tecnologías LPWAN, centrando el estudio en las vulnerabilidades presentes en la tecnología Sigfox. La metodología usada se basa en la guía de desarrollo de pruebas presentada por OWASP, que consiste básicamente en la identificación de vulnerabilidades y recomendaciones de pruebas para validarlas. Adicional al uso de la metodología, se realizó una investigación documental sobre vulnerabilidades en las tecnologías LPWAN similares. Se desarrollaron pruebas prácticas basadas en recomendaciones de la industria para el uso seguro del IoT, estas fueron realizadas en un entorno de pruebas básico de comunicación de Sigfox usando la tarjeta Xkit RCZ4; se obtuvo como resultado vulnerabilidades en los dispositivos físicos, en el diseño de estos y en el Backend de Sigfox. Se realizó una comparación con las tecnologías LPWAN en el mercado y se analizó si Sigfox es realmente la red más segura en el campo del IoT como se vende en el mercado

LoRa Enabled Smart Inverters for Microgrid Scenarios with Widespread Elements

The introduction of low-power wide-area networks (LPWANs) has changed the image of smart systems, due to their wide coverage and low-power characteristics. This category of communication technologies is the perfect candidate to be integrated into smart inverter control architectures for remote microgrid (MG) applications. LoRaWAN is one of the leading LPWAN technologies, with some appealing features such as ease of implementation and the possibility of creating private networks. This study is devoted to analyze and evaluate the aforementioned integration. Initially, the characteristics of different LPWAN technologies are introduced, followed by an in-depth analysis of LoRa and LoRaWAN. Next, the role of communication in MGs with widespread elements is explained. A point-by-point LoRa architecture is proposed to be implemented in the grid-feeding control structure of smart inverters. This architecture is experimentally evaluated in terms of latency analysis and externally generated power setpoint, following smart inverters in different LoRa settings. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed LoRa architecture, while the settings are optimally configured. Finally, a hybrid communication system is proposed that can be effectively implemented for remote residential MG management

Insights into the Issue of Deploying a Private LoRaWAN

The last decade has transformed wireless access technologies and crystallized a new direction for the internet of things (IoT). The modern low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) technologies have been introduced to deliver connectivity for billions of devices while keeping the costs and consumption low, and the range of communication high. While the 5G (fifth generation mobile network) LPWAN-like radio technologies, namely NB-IoT (narrowband internet of things) and LTE-M (long-term evolution machine type communication) are emerging, the long-range wide-area network (LoRaWAN) remains extremely popular. One unique feature of this technology, which distinguishes it from the competitors, is the possibility of supporting both public and private network deployments. In this paper we focus on this aspect and deliver original results comparing the performance of the private and public LoRAWAN deployment options; these results should help understand the LoRaWAN technology and give a clear overview of the advantages and disadvantages of the private versus public approaches. Notably, we carry the comparison along the three dimensions: the communication performance, the security, and the cost analysis. The presented results illustratively demonstrate the differences of the two deployment approaches, and thus can support selection of the most efficient deployment option for a target application

Système longue portée de communication bidirectionnelle à l’intérieur d’un bâtiment

RÉSUMÉ : La conception d’un produit requiert bien souvent une équipe multidisciplinaire, d’autant plus si celui-ci est intelligent et connecté. Ce changement de perspective amène son lot de défis et force les entreprises manufacturières à évaluer l’ensemble des compétences requises à la réalisation d’un projet de connectivité. Pour notre partenaire industriel, son objectif est de surveiller, contrôler et optimiser la désinfection des salles de bain dans les hôpitaux afin de réduire les maladies nosocomiales. Il désire intégrer ces changements à son équipement actuel, bien que celui-ci est installé dans un environnement qu’il ne contrôle pas et que l’accès au réseau existant de l’hôpital lui soit interdit. Dans le cadre de cette recherche, notre partenaire industriel veut concevoir un réseau parallèle qui prend la forme d’un système de communication bidirectionnelle. La revue de la littérature scientifique a permis d’exposer les limitations des technologies existantes et de choisir une technologie appropriée. Dans ce cas précis, les réseaux longue portée offrent la meilleure solution et c’est plus précisément la technologie Weightless qui répond aux critères d’évaluation. En revanche, l’utilisation de cette technologie fait apparaitre de nombreux défis pour cette organisation. Ce projet de recherche cherche ainsi à évaluer la faisabilité technique et organisationnelle de concevoir un système longue portée au sein d’une équipe de recherche et développement d’une petite et moyenne entreprise manufacturière. L’approche utilisée comprend de développer un prototype et d’évaluer les compétences nécessaires dès le départ et celles acquises durant le projet pour surmonter les obstacles en cours de route. Cette évaluation a exposé les compétences inconnues en début de projet qui sont cruciales à son succès. Ce projet a permis de démontrer que ce système de communication longue portée requiert de multiples expertises dont celles du génie électrique, du génie informatique et logiciel. De plus, l’absence de données expérimentales sur le Weightless nous a obligé de mener nos propres tests afin d’évaluer la faisabilité technique de cette technologie. Il a été ainsi impératif de déterminer la couverture de bâtiments de différentes tailles. Nos données expérimentales ont d’ailleurs permis d’évaluer la précision d’un modèle de simulation, le COST231, afin de déterminer le nombre de stations de base nécessaires pour l’implantation d’un système de communication dans un immeuble. Nos résultats empiriques ont d’ailleurs montré l’inexactitude du modèle COST231, car celui-ci est pessimiste. Ce modèle permet cependant de donner un point de départ lors de l’implantation du système et du nombre maximal de stations de base pour couvrir le bâtiment sélectionné. Finalement, le constat de l’auteur est qu’il faut une équipe multidisciplinaire pour rassembler toute l’expertise nécessaire à la réalisation d’un projet d’un produit intelligent connecté avec le Weightless. Plusieurs compétences n’ont pu être évaluées et identifiées, car ce projet de conception est incomplet. La version commercialisable du système de communication aurait dû comprendre l’application dorsale pour gérer les messages entrants et sortants, ainsi que les interfaces humain-machine pour les utilisateurs finaux. De plus, d’autres compétences seront nécessaires si notre partenaire industriel désire migrer l’application dorsale et ses interfaces vers l’infonuage. La faisabilité organisationnelle dans le cadre d’une petite et moyenne entreprise est limite, car la taille de l’équipe de recherche et développement nécessaire pour la réalisation d’un projet de ce type est considérable. La sous-traitance devient une option non négligeable. L’auteur propose de favoriser les profils multidisciplinaires généralistes au sein d’une petite entreprise, car ceux-ci peuvent agir comme chefs d’orchestre et diriger adéquatement les fournisseurs à proposer des solutions viables.----------ABSTRACT : Product design now requires a multidisciplinary team, especially if the product is smart and connected. This shift in perspective brings its own share of challenges and forces manufacturing companies to assess the skill set required to complete a connectivity project. For our industrial partner, its goal is to monitor, control and optimize the disinfection of bathrooms in hospitals to reduce hospital-acquired infections. He wants to incorporate these features into his existing equipment, even though it is installed in an environment he does not control and access to the hospital's existing network is prohibited. As part of this research, our industrial partner wants to design a parallel network that takes the form of a two-way communication system to monitor, control and optimize the disinfection of bathrooms in hospitals to reduce hospital-acquired infections. The review of the scientific literature exposes the limitations of existing technologies and aids in choosing the right technology. Wide-area networks offer the best solution and it is more precisely the Weightless technology that meets the evaluation criteria. On the other hand, the use of this technology raises many challenges for this organization. This research project evaluates the technical and organizational feasibility of designing a wide-area system within the research and development team of a small to medium-company. The approach used involves developing a prototype and evaluating the skills that are needed from the outset and acquired in the course of overcoming challenges along the way. This evaluation exposed skills that were not identified at the beginning of the project and are crucial to its success. This wide-area communication system requires multiple forms of expertise, including electrical engineering, and computer and software engineering. Also, the lack of experimental data with Weightless forces us to conduct our own tests to assess the technical feasibility of this technology. It was thus imperative to determine the coverage area of different size buildings. Our experimental data made it possible to evaluate the accuracy of the simulation model COST231 in order to determine the number of base stations required to implement a communication system in a building. Our empirical results have shown that the COST231 model is inaccurate because it is pessimistic. This model, however, provides a starting point when implementing the system and the maximum number of base stations to cover the selected building. Finally, the author's conclusion is that it takes a multidisciplinary team to gather all the expertise needed to carry out a project for a smart connected product with Weightless. Several skills could not be assessed and identified because this design project is incomplete. The saleable version of the communication system should have included the back-end application to handle incoming and outgoing messages, as well as human-machine interfaces for end-users. In addition, other skills will be needed if our industrial partner wants to migrate the back-end application and its interfaces to a cloud. Organizational feasibility in a small and medium-sized enterprise is limited, as the size of the research and development team needed to complete a project of this type is considerable. Subcontracting becomes a valuable option. The author proposes to promote multi-disciplinary generalist profiles within a small company, as they can act as conductors and adequately direct suppliers to propose viable solutions

Estudio, diseño e implementación de la capa física para comunicaciones remotas utilizando tecnología NVIS

En els últims anys, les xarxes de comunicacions IoT han millorat significativament, tant respecte a la cobertura com a l'eficiència i el rendiment. Encara que aquestes millores són molt rellevants, no cobreixen la totalitat del territori mundial. Zones molt aïllades del món, com els pols o zones muntanyenques de difícil accés, no disposen d'aquesta mena de cobertura de dades, ja que les característiques del terreny limiten l'accés dels dispositius IoT en aquests entorns. Actualment, les solucions existents se centren en les comunicacions per satèl·lit que, si bé permeten la comunicació en aquests escenaris, tenen un cost econòmic molt elevat. D'altra banda, una possible solució seria l'ús de comunicacions HF. Gràcies a aquesta mena de comunicació es poden aconseguir velocitats de fins a 100 kbps, segons els estàndards i recerques prèvies. Una de les aplicacions de les comunicacions HF és la comunicació a través de la ionosfera. Aquest tipus d'enllaços proporcionen unes característiques ideals per a les comunicacions a llarga distància. En els últims quatre anys, el grup de recerca en tecnologies d'Internet (GRITS) de l'Escola d'Enginyeria de La Salle (Universitat Ramon Llull), s'ha centrat en les comunicacions ionosfèriques i, especialment, en la tecnologia NVIS (Near Vertical Incidence Skywave). En particular, ha posat el seu focus en les comunicacions amb la Base Antàrtica Joan Carles I. Aquest tipus de comunicació HF ofereix unes característiques ideals per a les comunicacions remotes de llarg abast, amb un radi de fins a 350 km i sense necessitat de visió directa entre els diferents transceptors. L'objectiu d'aquesta tesi és definir el millor escenari de comunicacions amb tecnologia NVIS per a una xarxa de cobertura IoT en entorns remots. Una de les principals metes és la disminució del consum en potència dels dispositius remots. Això proporcionarà una comunicació de llarg abast i maximitzarà el temps de vida de la bateria per a aquesta mena de dispositius, un factor primordial per a comunicacions IoT. A més, la solució proposada intenta mitigar el sobrecost econòmic que implicaria l'ús dels satèl·lits com a mitjà de comunicació, adaptant el desenvolupament de la tecnologia a dispositius de baix cost. Com a factor principal de millora, aquesta tesi se centra en la definició d'una capa física adaptada a l'entorn de comunicació NVIS. Per a optimitzar aquest enllaç, s'estudien les principals característiques d'un entorn wireless multicamí, el Doppler Shift, Doppler i Delay Spread, la qual cosa permet definir els temps de trama més adaptats a aquest canal. D'altra banda, es comparen les característiques de les modulacions QAM, PSK i FSK (d'ordre 2 a 32) en transmissions de molt baixa potència (de 0,5 W a 25 W) i en un entorn multicamí. Aquesta anàlisi permetrà definir la millor trama de comunicació, establint la capa física per a comunicacions NVIS en entorns remots. Finalment, i per a demostrar la viabilitat de la tecnologia desenvolupada en un entorn civil, es defineix i implementa un procés de transferència de coneixements del món acadèmic al món empresarial. S'estudien els diferents mercats on es podrien integrar aquest tipus de comunicacions, i es defineix una proposta de valor per al mercat de les comunicacions remotes, tot això amb la finalitat d'arribar a una conclusió tant de viabilitat econòmica com de necessitat de la tecnologia per a un escenari d'ús civil.En los últimos años, las redes de comunicaciones IoT han mejorado significativamente, tanto con respecto a la cobertura como a la eficiencia y el rendimiento. Aunque estas mejoras son muy relevantes, no cubren la totalidad del territorio mundial. Zonas muy aisladas del mundo, como los polos o zonas montañosas de difícil acceso, no disponen de este tipo de cobertura de datos, ya que las características del terreno limitan el acceso de los dispositivos IoT en estos entornos. Actualmente, las soluciones existentes se centran en las comunicaciones por satélite que, si bien permiten la comunicación en estos escenarios, tienen un coste económico muy elevado. Por otra parte, una posible solución sería el uso de comunicaciones HF. Gracias a este tipo de comunicación se pueden alcanzar velocidades de hasta 100 kbps, según los estándares e investigaciones previas. Una de las aplicaciones de las comunicaciones HF es la comunicación a través de la ionosfera. Este tipo de enlaces proporcionan unas características ideales para las comunicaciones a larga distancia. En los últimos cuatro años, el grupo de investigación en tecnologías de Internet (GRITS) de la Escuela de Ingeniería de La Salle (Universidad Ramon Llull), se ha centrado en las comunicaciones ionosféricas y, especialmente, en la tecnología NVIS (Near vertical incidence skywave). En particular, ha puesto su foco en las comunicaciones con la Base Antártica Juan Carlos I. Este tipo de comunicación HF ofrece unas características ideales para las comunicaciones remotas de largo alcance, con un radio de hasta 350 km y sin necesidad de visión directa entre los diferentes transceptores. El objetivo de esta tesis es definir el mejor escenario de comunicaciones con tecnología NVIS para una red de cobertura IoT en entornos remotos. Una de las principales metas es la disminución del consumo en potencia de los dispositivos remotos. Esto proporcionará una comunicación de largo alcance y maximizará el tiempo de vida de la batería para este tipo de dispositivos, un factor primordial para comunicaciones IoT. Además, la solución propuesta intenta mitigar el sobrecoste económico que implicaría el uso de los satélites como medio de comunicación, adaptando el desarrollo de la tecnología a dispositivos de bajo coste. Como factor principal de mejora, esta tesis se centra en la definición de una capa física adaptada al entorno de comunicación NVIS. Para optimizar este enlace, se estudian las principales características de un entorno wireless multitrayecto, el Doppler Shift, Doppler y Delay Spread, lo cual permite definir los tiempos de trama más adaptados a este canal. Por otra parte, se comparan las características de las modulaciones QAM, PSK y FSK (de orden 2 a 32) en transmisiones de muy baja potencia (de 0,5 W a 25 W) y en un entorno multitrayecto. Este análisis permitirá definir la mejor trama de comunicación, estableciendo la capa física para comunicaciones NVIS en entornos remotos. Finalmente, y para demostrar la viabilidad de la tecnología desarrollada en un entorno industrial, se define e implementa un proceso de transferencia de conocimientos del mundo académico al mundo empresarial. Se estudian los diferentes mercados donde se podrían integrar este tipo de comunicaciones, y se define una propuesta de valor para el mercado de las comunicaciones remotas, todo ello con el fin de llegar a una conclusión tanto de viabilidad económica como de necesidad de la tecnología para un escenario de uso civil.In the last years, IoT communications networks have improved significantly, both in terms of coverage and in terms of efficiency and performance. Although these improvements are very relevant, they do not cover the entire world territory. Very isolated areas of the world, such as the poles or mountainous areas that are difficult to access, do not have this type of data coverage, as the terrain characteristics limit the access of IoT devices in these environments. Currently, existing solutions are focused on satellite communications that, although they allow communication in these scenarios, have a very high economic cost. On the other hand, a possible solution would be the use of HF communications. Thanks to this type of communication, speeds of up to 100 kbps can be achieved, according to standards and previous research. One of the applications of HF communications is communication through the ionosphere. This type of link provides ideal characteristics for long distance communications. In the last four years, the research group on Internet technologies (GRITS) at the La Salle School of Engineering (Ramon Llull University), has focused on ionospheric communications and, especially, on NVIS technology (Near Vertical Incidence Skywave). In particular, it has focused on communications with the Juan Carlos I Antarctic Base. This type of HF communication offers ideal characteristics for long-range remote communications, with a radius of up to 350 km and without the need for direct vision between the different transceivers. The purpose of this thesis is to define the best NVIS technology communications scenario for an IoT coverage network in remote environments. One of the main goals is to decrease the power consumption of remote devices. This will provide long range communication and maximize battery life for these types of devices, a major factor for IoT communications. In addition, the proposed solution attempts to mitigate the economic over-cost that would be involved in using satellites as a means of communication, by adapting the development of the technology to low-cost devices. As a main improvement factor, this thesis focuses on the definition of a physical layer adapted to the NVIS communication environment. In order to optimize this link, the main characteristics of a multipath wireless environment, the Doppler Shift, Doppler and Delay Spread, are studied, allowing the definition of the most adapted frame times for this channel. Furthermore, the characteristics of QAM, PSK and FSK modulations (from order 2 to 32) in very low power transmissions (from 0.5 W to 25 W) and in a multipath environment are compared. This analysis will allow to define the best communication frame, establishing the physical layer for NVIS communications in remote environments. Finally, and in order to demonstrate the viability of the technology developed in an industrial environment, a process of knowledge transfer from the academic world to the business world is defined and implemented. The different markets where this type of communications could be integrated are studied, and a value proposal for the remote communications market is defined, all with the aim of reaching a conclusion on both the economic viability and the need for the technology for a non-military use scenario

Listening to Rivers: Using sound to monitor rivers

From a babbling brook to a thunderous torrent, a rivers' soundscape can be described by many onomatopoeic words. Using sound produced sub-aerially by a river to calculate its stage is an entirely novel idea, designed to be used in an environment that is seldom monitored, headwater catchments. In these environments it is difficult to use traditional methods of automatic stage gauging, such as pressure transducers and ultrasonic depth monitors. I propose a cost-effective, simple to install sound monitor which can be simply placed beside a river that is making a noise. I develop a method of how to take the tempest that is river sound and filter it to a usable component using data collected from around the North East of England during Storm Ciara and Dennis, 2020. Understanding where river sound is generated from and the mechanisms behind it are key to developing sound monitoring which is why I use an experiment at a white water course to investigate the link between sound and river topography. Using an artificial channel and obstacles I investigate the link between obstacle height and configuration on the production of sound. To use river sound as a proxy for river stage, there has to be a process of how to setup and calibrate sound. I present a method of how one may go about setting up a sound monitor and the usage it may have in water resource management. Finally, I apply the method of sound filtering, river placement, and calibration at a catchment scale to determine its validity in river monitoring. Although novel, using sound to monitor a rivers' stage is practical and deployable

Technologies for urban and rural internet of things

Nowadays, application domains such as smart cities, agriculture or intelligent transportation, require communication technologies that combine long transmission ranges and energy efficiency to fulfill a set of capabilities and constraints to rely on. In addition, in recent years, the interest in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) providing wireless connectivity in such scenarios is substantially increased thanks to their flexible deployment. The first chapters of this thesis deal with LoRaWAN and Narrowband-IoT (NB-IoT), which recent trends identify as the most promising Low Power Wide Area Networks technologies. While LoRaWAN is an open protocol that has gained a lot of interest thanks to its simplicity and energy efficiency, NB-IoT has been introduced from 3GPP as a radio access technology for massive machine-type communications inheriting legacy LTE characteristics. This thesis offers an overview of the two, comparing them in terms of selected performance indicators. In particular, LoRaWAN technology is assessed both via simulations and experiments, considering different network architectures and solutions to improve its performance (e.g., a new Adaptive Data Rate algorithm). NB-IoT is then introduced to identify which technology is more suitable depending on the application considered. The second part of the thesis introduces the use of UAVs as flying Base Stations, denoted as Unmanned Aerial Base Stations, (UABSs), which are considered as one of the key pillars of 6G to offer service for a number of applications. To this end, the performance of an NB-IoT network are assessed considering a UABS following predefined trajectories. Then, machine learning algorithms based on reinforcement learning and meta-learning are considered to optimize the trajectory as well as the radio resource management techniques the UABS may rely on in order to provide service considering both static (IoT sensors) and dynamic (vehicles) users. Finally, some experimental projects based on the technologies mentioned so far are presented

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-Enabled Wireless Communications and Networking

The emerging massive density of human-held and machine-type nodes implies larger traffic deviatiolns in the future than we are facing today. In the future, the network will be characterized by a high degree of flexibility, allowing it to adapt smoothly, autonomously, and efficiently to the quickly changing traffic demands both in time and space. This flexibility cannot be achieved when the network’s infrastructure remains static. To this end, the topic of UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) have enabled wireless communications, and networking has received increased attention. As mentioned above, the network must serve a massive density of nodes that can be either human-held (user devices) or machine-type nodes (sensors). If we wish to properly serve these nodes and optimize their data, a proper wireless connection is fundamental. This can be achieved by using UAV-enabled communication and networks. This Special Issue addresses the many existing issues that still exist to allow UAV-enabled wireless communications and networking to be properly rolled out