This project was completed in the summer of 2021 with the help of a client who trusted me.
The use case is as follows: on remote sites, the final customer wants to have a report of his car counts every 15 minutes to decide if he needs to send staff on site.
The objective of Skewellabs is to offer a technological solution within a few weeks that will allow the concept to be tested and proved to end customers.
#Reallife
The site constraints are :
- No power supply available
- Cellular coverage via a 4G NB-IoT network
- IP68 waterproof connected object hidden in a manhole
The customer’s constraints are :
- Delivery of the solution within 8 weeks
- Has existing metering equipment to interface with
- Has an FTP interface to import data into its business software
- Does not have the resources available to manage the hardware development, data transfer software solution and project management.
Realization
On this project, Skewellabs produced :
- Integration and interfacing of a contact transfer solution via the 4G Nb-IoT network
- Selection of a connectivity plan and testing for the region concerned
- Production of a test device
- Design and implementation of a lightweight backend to retrieve the data, process it and transmit it to the customer software.
- Securing and monitoring the backend
- Project management with the customer’s technical contacts
The schematic diagram of the solution is as follows:
This architecture is suitable for this case, it can be improved on several levels (availability, redundancy) but remains suitable for the low criticality of the application and the desired operating cost.
#Technology
The technologies used on this project are the following:
In terms of hardware :
- NB_Iot modem
- Microcontroller (Firmware development in C language)
- Electronic interfacing
- Lithium primary battery and autonomy estimation
At the backend level :
- MQTT Broker
- HTTP(S) Server
- JSON REST API via Node.js
- MySQL Database
- Several Python programs for data processing
- Transfer via FTP to the customer.
- Bash for Server Monitoring and Backup
- Grafana for the Dashboard
Conclusion
This project will allow the client to refine its market needs and to consider developments on a more industrial scale.
A Project, Feel free to contact me