IoT based Measurement Systems

Introduction

It is rare for someone in the engineering or science fields not to have heard of the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT has been disrupting many industries by providing an unprecedented approach for a (potentially large) number of distributed components connected over a network to collect data, collaborate, and perform tasks with almost no human intervention. Spending in IoT is forecasted to reach $1 trillion by 2022 and is considered to be one of the core enabling technologies behind the fourth industrial revolution. 

But what is IoT really? 

Its definition is still evolving. Meanwhile, IEEE defines an IoT system as “a system of entities (including cyber-physical devices, information resources, and people) that exchange information and interact with the physical world by sensing, processing information, and actuating”. Furthermore, the “Thing” in IoT can be defined as “an IoT component or IoT system that has functions, properties and ways of information exchange”. The exact interpretation of the “Thing,” and not the “Internet” part which has existed for many years, is causing IoT’s definition to still evolve. In essence, the components of an IoT system interact with each other to fulfill the goal for which the system has been designed. For example, in a smart home, an IoT system consisting of interconnected thermostats, switches, alarms, triggers, cameras, sensors, and actuators can autonomously control lighting, temperature, ambiance, and security based on the inhabitants’ observed behaviors, leading to more efficiency, comfort, and energy savings.

What are measurement systems?

In today's digital world, we have to measure a lot of parameters and take decisions accordingly. For example, take an example of the most common measurement system, i.e thermometers. If the patient's temperature is more than the normal specified temperature, then it beeps. Different types of measurement systems are used in our day-to-day life and are an inseparable part of our life.

How IoT can benefit measurement systems?

IoT can enhance measurement instruments to more efficiently perform continuous and thorough measurements, simultaneous wide-area measurements, and real-time measurement analysis, as well as provide better integrity of the measurement.

Now, let's see some examples of IoT based measurement systems:

Applications of IoT based measurement systems

1. Monitoring of climate conditions

Probably the most popular smart agriculture gadgets are weather stations, combining various smart farming sensors. Located across the field, they collect various data from the environment and send it to the cloud. The provided measurements can be used to map the climate conditions, choose the appropriate crops, and take the required measures to improve their capacity (i.e. precision farming).

Some examples of such agriculture IoT devices are allMETEO, Smart Elements, and Pycno.

2. Crop management

Crop management is one of the main elements of precision farming. Just like weather stations, they should be placed in the field to collect data specific to crop farming; from temperature and precipitation to leaf water potential and overall crop health. For example, sensors capturing the soil nutrients can be deployed in the field to tell what are the Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium values and which crop could be grown on that particular soil type. You can even monitor crop health, its growth, and any anomalies to effectively prevent any diseases or infestations that can harm your yield. Arable and Semios can serve as good representations of how this use case can be applied in real life.

3. Precision Farming

Also known as precision agriculture, precision farming is all about efficiency and making accurate data-driven decisions. It’s also one of the most widespread and effective applications of IoT in agriculture.

By using IoT sensors, farmers can collect a vast array of metrics on every facet of the field microclimate and ecosystem: lighting, temperature, soil condition, humidity, CO2 levels, and pest infections. This data enables farmers to estimate optimal amounts of water, fertilizers, and pesticides that their crops need, reduce expenses, and raise better and healthier crops.

For example, CropX builds IoT soil sensors that measure soil moisture, temperature, and electric conductivity enabling farmers to approach each crop’s unique needs individually. Combined with geospatial data, this technology helps create precise soil maps for each field. Mothive offers similar services, helping farmers reduce waste, improve yields, and increase farm sustainability.

 

4. Water Level Monitoring

In areas where floods, water stagnation, droughts, or irrigation become an issue, it is very important to curb the environmental challenges without damaging the water bodies. The most suitable technology that finds its best of practices in this segment is the Internet of Things. It processes the functioning even from remote areas. Installing the sensors in flood-prone areas can provide an advanced warning system through which effective decisions can be made within no time. 

An advanced river level monitoring solution with IoT functionalities can prove efficient in flood calamitic times as it would involve timely rescuing of the residents. Also, it can be scaled up to analyze the region/areas and derive insights regarding setting up the infrastructure to avoid the chaos caused by floods in the future. The IoT solution for river level monitoring is equipped with high-end sensor devices that help extract real-time data and sense the situation much before it happens. It thus comes with an added advantage for managers to make better decisions and work on them efficiently.

5. Smart Health Monitoring

The IoT (Internet of Things) technology has significantly changed the healthcare industry by changing the way in which devices and applications connect users. and interacting with each other in health care service delivery. Integration of cloud computing and Blockchain is a future development that can bring unprecedented breakthroughs in medical services, the combination of IoT and real-time remote patient monitoring. The patient has the right to control and proactively monitor his or her health condition. The IoT technology platform will allow doctors to easily track patient health data in real-time.

Apple Smart Watch is one of the leading examples of the combination of IoT, precise measurement systems, and healthcare. It has some advanced functionalities like measuring ECG, Spo2 level of the user, tracking heart rates 24x7, tracking exercise, calorie counts, sleep cycles, etc. which makes it one of the best products today in the world of IoT and healthcare.

There are many healthcare applications related to hygiene that incorporates IoT coupled with measurement systems, and this became more imperative than ever as the COVID-19 pandemic took center stage around the world. Some of them include

• Contact tracing
• Pathogen detection
• Thermal detection (elevated temperature)
• No-touch sanitation dispensers
• Automated hand hygiene 
• Hygiene monitoring
• Workspace and floor sanitation
• Air quality sensors
• Biometrics scanners
• Vital signs monitoring
• Remote patient communications
• Instrument sterilization
• Medication dispensing

Conclusion

This article describes 5 applications of IoT-based measurement systems. There are many more real-world examples of IoT-based measurement systems used in our day-to-day life. IoT is one of the fastest-growing fields and is expected to disrupt all industries in the future. IoT when combined with machine learning and cloud computing can do the tasks that humans aren't capable of doing, and the best part about IoT systems is that they work 24x7 and require little to no human intervention.