Probability Distributions.- Linear Models for Regression.- Linear Models for Classification.- Neural Networks.- Kernel Methods.- Sparse Kernel Machines.- Graphical Models.- Mixture Models and EM.- Approximate Inference.- Sampling Methods.- Continuous Latent Variables.- Sequential Data.- Combining Models.

Pattern Recognition and Machine Learning

Internet of Things (IoT) is an emerging domain that promises ubiquitous connection to the Internet, turning common objects into connected devices. The IoT paradigm is changing the way people interact with things around them. It paves the way for creating pervasively connected infrastructures to support innovative services and promises better flexibility and efficiency. Such advantages are attractive not only for consumer applications, but also for the industrial domain. Over the last few years, we have been witnessing the IoT paradigm making its way into the industry marketplace with purposely designed solutions. In this paper, we clarify the concepts of IoT, Industrial IoT, and Industry 4.0. We highlight the opportunities brought in by this paradigm shift as well as the challenges for its realization. In particular, we focus on the challenges associated with the need of energy efficiency, real-time performance, coexistence, interoperability, and security and privacy. We also provide a systematic overview of the state-of-the-art research efforts and potential research directions to solve Industrial IoT challenges.

Industrial Internet of Things: Challenges, Opportunities, and Directions

The Internet of Things (IoT) is entering the daily operation of many industries; applications include but are not limited to smart cities, smart grids, smart homes, physical security, e-health, asset management, and logistics. For example, the concept of smart cities is emerging in multiple continents, where enhanced street lighting controls, infrastructure monitoring, public safety and surveillance, physical security, gunshot detection, meter reading, and transportation analysis and optimization systems are being deployed on a city-wide scale. A related and cost-effective user-level IoT application is the support of IoT-enabled smart buildings. Commercial space has substantial requirements in terms of comfort, usability, security, and energy management. IoT-based systems can support these requirements in an organic manner. In particular, power over Ethernet, as part of an IoT-based solution, offers disruptive opportunities in revolutionizing the in-building connectivity of a large swath of devices. However, a number of deployment-limiting issues currently impact the scope of IoT utilization, including lack of comprehensive end-to-end standards, fragmented cybersecurity solutions, and a relative dearth of fully-developed vertical applications. This paper reviews some of the technical opportunities offered and the technical challenges faced by the IoT in the smart building arena.

IoT Considerations, Requirements, and Architectures for Smart Buildings—Energy Optimization and Next-Generation Building Management Systems

The smart metering and communication methods used in smart grid are being extensively studied owing to widespread applications of smart grid. Although the monitoring and control processes are widely used in industrial systems, the energy management requirements at both service supplier and consumer side for individuals promoted the evolution of smart grid. In this paper, it is aimed to disclose in a clear and clean way that what smart grid is and what kind of communication methods are used. All components of a smart grid are introduced in a logical way to facilitate the understanding, and communication methods are presented regarding to their improvements, advantages, and lacking feature. The developing generation, transmission, distribution and customer appliances are surveyed in terms of smart grid integration. The communication technologies are introduced as wireline and wireless classification where the key features are also tabulated. The security requirements of hardware and software in a smart grid are presented according to their cyber and physical structures.

A survey on smart metering and smart grid communication

Wearable salivary uric acid mouthguard biosensor with integrated wireless electronics

The emerging Internet of Things paradigm is based on smart objects that, exploiting ubiquitous interconnectivity, will be able to interact with the surrounding environment paving the way to innovative services. Wireless links are a must and in the recent past we saw the larger and larger diffusion of novel Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) technologies, implementing one-hop topology. The typical application scenario is smart metering in smart city applications, where fixed devices send readings sporadically over a long distance to a data concentrator. In particular, the LoRaWAN solution has been widely accepted by both the industrial and the academic worlds. In this paper, authors evaluate performance of a real world LoRaWAN application in a large area (several km2), considering node mobility as well. Results confirm the capability of LoRaWAN to cope with low speed applications. Moreover, the purposely designed experiments evaluate delays in receiving updates from mobile nodes in an urban scenario. Short reaction time enables new services as people (children) and assets tracking during crowded events.

On the feasibility of mobile sensing and tracking applications based on LPWAN

This work deals with distributed, multi-probe, instrument for performance analysis of Real-Time Ethernet (RTE) network Particularly, the work is focused on synchronization techniques for distributed measurements. In fact, the accuracy of results (typically jitter and delay) strictly depends on synchronization among distributed probes that sample data. Three synchronization techniques have been implemented and experimental results are reported. Synchronization by means of an external dedicated l-PPS signal gives the best results but requires a more complicated instrument structure. On the other hand, a network-oriented synchronization, such as IEEE 1588 FTP or PCTP (PROFINET 10), can simplify time distribution keeping accuracy well below 1 mus.

Synchronization of the Probes of a Distributed Instrument for Real-Time Ethernet Networks

Thisworkdealswithdistributed, multi-probe, instrument forperformance analysis ofReal-Time Ethernet (RTE)network. Particularly, theworkis focused onsynchronization techniques fordistributed measurements. Infact, theaccuracy ofresults (typically jitter anddelay) strictly depends onsynchronization amongdistributed probes that sample data. Threesynchronization techniques have been implemented andexperimental results arereported. Synchronization bymeansofan external dedicated ]-PPS signal gives thebest results butrequires amore complicated instrument structure. Ontheother hand, a network-oriented synchronization, suchasIEEE1588 PTP orPCTP (PROFINETIO),cansimplify time distribution keeping accuracy well below 1/us.

Synchronization oftheProbes ofaDistributed Instrument forReal-Time Ethernet Networks

The increased need for power quality monitoring and active control of distribution grid necessitates the introduction of the Smart Grid (SG) approach, requiring an efficient ICT system for the monitoring and control of distribution grid state. The main obstacle to deployment of SG in real system is the lack of an efficient communication infrastructure. The use a heterogeneous network, which employs various technologies, appears to be the most promising solution. Nevertheless, the management of these communication systems has proven to be hard and error prone. In this paper, a Software Defined Networking (SDN) approach has been proposed to manage SG communication system applied to grid monitoring/supervision. The preliminary feasibility analysis is promising, although a more detailed modeling and analysis of the system is needed due to the extreme heterogeneity of the network.

Software defined networking applied to the heterogeneous infrastructure of Smart Grid

White Rabbit (WR) extends the Precision Time Protocol (PTP) to provide synchronisation with sub-nanosecond accuracy and sub-50 picoseconds precision. The protocol aspects of the WR extension are currently studied and integrated into the upcoming revision of PTP. In the context of this PTP revision, mechanisms are added to allow the control of the Layer 1 (L1) syntonisation by the PTP protocol. This article focuses on the frequency transfer characteristics of the L1 syntonisation in WR. We first explain the interaction between L1 syntonisation and PTP synchronisation in a WR device and describe the architecture of its Phase-Locked Loop (PLL). We then characterize the frequency transfer through a WR network in two ways: measuring the characteristics of the WR switch according to the Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE) metrics defined in ITU-T G.8262, and performing phase noise analysis. The results of the measurements allow us to propose improvements that might be useful for different types of WR applications. Metrology laboratories might be interested in the optimisations made to significantly reduce the phase noise. On the other hand, the telecom industry might be interested in the modifications that make the WR switch SyncE-compliant but deteriorate its performance. Notably, the latter was achieved merely by modifying the software that implements the WR PLL.

Stefano Rinaldi

Papers

On the feasibility of mobile sensing and tracking applications based on LPWAN

Synchronization of the Probes of a Distributed Instrument for Real-Time Ethernet Networks

Synchronization oftheProbes ofaDistributed Instrument forReal-Time Ethernet Networks

Software defined networking applied to the heterogeneous infrastructure of Smart Grid

White rabbit clock characteristics