It can no longer be denied that we have reached the point where the Internet of Things in conjunction with Big Data is now unstoppable. Forecasts indicate that there will be more than 30 billion networked devices in the world by the year 2020. This means we will also be seeing a huge increase in the number of IoT-enabled embedded systems, especially under the banner of Industry 4.0 (aka Industrial IoT or IIoT).
Supported by fieldbus and Ethernet technologies or wireless communications, networked devices like these ensure the “smart” use and interoperability between different systems in industrial automation, energy generation, and medical technology.
Creating the best possible conditions
Reliable IoT computing systems for demanding mobile applications such as train-to-land communication are, however, very different to the network components used in industrial settings. Secure data transmission and the networking of individual components are not the only factors at play here.
Devices used in these situations must be designed to cope with an extended temperature range; they must also be resistant to shock, vibration and dampness, and ensure the connection remains stable and reliable throughout the journey or flight, etc.
In addition to the ability to withstand extreme environmental conditions, another issue that plays a crucial role in mobile markets – and indeed in all IoT applications – is data security. While the main focus from a software point of view is on securing the transmission of data and the cloud, the hardware used must first provide the necessary conditions to ensure secure communication and protection against external attacks.
This is achieved by various means, including the use of a TPM-enabled (Trust Platform Management) chip, which facilitates encrypted data storage and secure booting. One of the advantages of encrypted data storage, for example in entertainment applications in trains and buses, is that it offers a reliable way for exclusive film material to be played solely on the operator’s screens. Secure booting ensures that the system can only be booted after its integrity has been checked and there have been no changes to the flash. This protects the system against unauthorized access.
A password-protected BIOS offers additional anti-tampering protection, as does the security provided by “whitelisting,” i.e. blocking unauthorized applications, while allowing approved items through.
Along with the myriad of measures taken to ensure secure and robust IoT hardware components, there is yet another factor to be taken into account during the development stage: the use of flexible architectures based on open hardware standards. After all, while it is not yet clear where things are headed with the present assortment of competing communication standards, widely used hardware standards will continue to support communication between individual systems in the future.
Reliable data transfer for extreme conditions
One prime example of a successful IoT system that also functions reliably under even the most adverse conditions is currently in use on oil platforms. Installed directly on the drilling sites, the server platform communicates with the operator’s data processing center in real time from here via GSM, relaying all the data relating to the position of the drill head, resistance in the drilling mud, as well as general function and error analyses.
An extreme installation like this calls for maximum performance where the mechanical specifications are concerned – indeed, the powerful computer with 200 W of waste heat would be enough of a challenge for any system. The solution had to be just as extreme as the demanding situation itself.
The first task was to equip CompactPCI standard components with a solid conduction-cooled aluminum frame. The components, in turn, are encased in an IP64-protected housing, also with thermally conductive properties. While this structure would ensure sufficient heat dissipation to have the system fully up and running, and protect against the rough sea, another housing also surrounds the splash-proof processor unit.
This added housing not only increases stability and reliability, but enables high-performance IP52-rated fans to be located in the space between the structures, providing continuous air circulation and expelling the heat outwards. Although using fans contradicts the idea of an almost maintenance-free system, the advantages of maintaining a compact construction without the need to compromise on processing power outweighed the risks. What’s more, maintenance is minimal, because the electronics inside the second box are left untouched.
In order to ensure reliable operation and prevent the possibility of an expensive electronics failure, redundant architectures and monitoring components were integrated into the system. For example, two redundant power supply units ensure proper operation if one unit were to fail. During normal operation, however, the output is divided between the two PSUs, which in turn, helps increase their working life.
Given the strong voltage fluctuations of the power supplied by generators on the drilling sites, additional input voltage monitoring, combined with a high-speed DA converter, was necessary to verify the quality of the voltage. This information can also be transmitted via remote diagnostics (made possible thanks to Intel AMT technology), allowing generators with a harmful voltage to be switched off from the control center.
Should a power failure occur in spite of these measures, a back-up battery will keep the system running for a maximum of 20 minutes – just enough time to trigger and send the corresponding error message and shut down the system correctly.
The three CompactPCI PlusIO CPU components are also monitored by a system controller, used to read and analyze diagnostics data from the BIOS upon booting. If a defect is detected in one of the CPU components, this information is conveyed to the data processing center during start-up.
The transmission of data from the server platforms to the drilling sites and onward to the data processing center is encrypted by security protocols and corresponds to an end-to-end encryption. This makes the transmission path of the data negligible; the information can only be read with the corresponding recipient key from the data processing center.
Using standard components in demanding markets
CompactPCI and a combination of CompactPCI Plus IO and CompactPCI Serial served as the perfect starting point from which to implement this IoT system given their status as tried-and-tested and widely-used standards. The sophisticated design of the housing and the security measures made this fundamentally robust 19″ technology suitable even for high processing performance in offshore applications – and these possibilities can, of course, also be applied to many other rugged embedded computing environments.
While the oil drilling project called for a very specific housing to suit the application’s needs, many IoT applications can already be developed using standard systems. MEN Micro, for example, relies upon scalable, pre-configured network components in the form of a 1/2 19” system or a box PC to this end, which both offer flexible configuration on a built-to-order basis. And of course, they have also been prepared with harsh and mobile markets in mind: they meet the EN 50155 requirements governing rail and e-mark labeling for automotive applications, they function in the extended temperature range and they use fixed, soldered components only.
Summary
No longer is embedded computing the application, environment or proximity of the embedded electronics. Rugged hardware that incorporates inherent safety features to increase reliability and data security is pushing electronics deeper into harsh environments. As devices and systems continue to connect, we will see a growing need for robust IoT. Networking of the embedded world is thus within reach – even if the environmental conditions become somewhat harder.
