Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - INTER-IoT (Interoperability of Heterogeneous IoT Platforms)

Teaser

\"INTER-IoT aims at the design, implementation and experimentation of an open cross-layer framework, an associated methodology and tools to enable voluntary interoperability among heterogeneous IoT platforms. The proposal allows effective and efficient development of adaptive...

Summary

\"INTER-IoT aims at the design, implementation and experimentation of an open cross-layer framework, an associated methodology and tools to enable voluntary interoperability among heterogeneous IoT platforms. The proposal allows effective and efficient development of adaptive, smart IoT applications and services, atop different heterogeneous IoT platforms, spanning single and/or multiple application domains. The project will be tested in two application domains: port transport and logistics and m-health, additionally it will be validated in a cross-domain use case supported by an open call.
INTER-IoT is based on three main building blocks: (i) Methods and tools to provide interoperability among and across each layer of IoT platforms (INTER-LAYER); (ii) Global framework (INTER-FW) for programming and managing interoperable IoT platforms; and (iii) Engineering Methodology (INTER-METH) based on CASE tool for IoT platforms interoperability. This three main building blocks (figure 1) and the subcomponents that have been identified and classified in different exploitable products adequate to the needs of the stakeholders involved in the project and also addressing the main needs of the potential customers of INTER-IoT Consortium.
Syntactic and semantic interoperability represent the essential interoperability mechanisms in the future INTER-IoT ecosystem. It will be supported by INTER-FW that may allow the development of new applications and services atop INTER-LAYER (composed by five layers) and INTER-METH, to provide a methodology in order to coordinate interoperability.
The INTER-IoT approach is use case-driven, implemented and tested in three realistic large-scale pilots (fig. 2): (i) Port of Valencia transportation and logistics involving heterogeneous platforms with ~400 smart objects; (ii) an Italian National Health Center for m-health involving ~200 patients and (iii) a cross domain pilot involving IoT platforms from different application domains.

The overall goal of the INTER-IoT project is: “to provide an interoperable open IoT framework (with associated engineering tools and methodology) for seamless integration of heterogeneous IoT platforms functioning in the same or different application domains\"\":
Obj1. Design and Implementation of an Open Cross-Layer Framework for Interoperability of IoT Platforms.
Obj2. Definition of Techniques and Tools for interoperability at the different IoT Platform Layers.
Obj3. Definition of a CASE-driven Engineering Methodology Driving the Application of the IoT Platform Interoperability Framework.
Obj4. Design and Implementation of an Integrated Interoperable Open Platform for Transport and Logistics in Port Environments.
Obj5. Design and Implementation of an Integrated Interoperable Open Platform for Mobile Health Monitoring.
Obj6. Successful completion of field trials.
Obj7. Establishment of a New Cooperation and Business Framework.
Obj8. Impact creation.\"

Work performed

COORDINATION AND MANAGEMENT: Planning, coordination and management of the project, including the open call.
REQUIREMENTS AND USE CASES: Performing the stakeholders and market analysis, definition of the business models, requirements, scenarios and use cases, and legal requirements. The main results during the period have been the market watch; preliminary business models; requirements gathering and prioritization; definition of interoperability use cases and scenarios and the review of main legislation affecting IoT interoperability.
LAYER INTEROPERABILITY: Development and documentation of each interoperability layered solution. Main results: (i) Software development of modules of a fully functional gateway with separation of physical and virtual parts; (ii) NFV/SDN solution to provide seamless integration between virtual networked elements; (iii) abstract middleware layer using bridges, to connect heterogeneous IoT platforms; (iv) a solution based on Flow-Based Programming as processes, which exchange data through predefined connections; (v) semantic translation mechanism based on ontology alignments as the Inter Platform Semantic Mediator and (vi) Cross-layers functionalities.
INTEROPERABILITY FRAMEWORK API: A framework for interoperability allowing development of services and applications. Main results : (i) design of a Reference Meta-Architecture for Interoperable IoT Platforms; (ii) Reference Data Model for Interoperable IoT Platforms, based in an OWL ontology; (iii) Design of tools to manage the INTER-LAYER mechanisms; (iv) design of the IoT Interoperable Framework Engine and (v) INTER-API to access the interoperability layers and building connectors for devices, objects and communication services.
METHODOLOGY FOR IOT SYSTEMS INTEGRATION: A full-fledged methodology (INTER-METH) for the integration of heterogeneous IoT platforms along with a CASE tool driving its application. Main results: (i) INTER-IoT Layer-oriented Design patterns through the elicitation of micro-patterns for the integration of heterogeneous IoT systems, organised according to the identified layers of WP3; (ii) INTER-METH with two different versions one denominated “abstract” and a specific-one strongly related to INTER-IoT and (iii) INTER-CASE Specification on the basis of the INTER-METH definition.
IMPACT CREATION: Organized in a coherent way all the activities related to generate the maximum possible impact for the project: (i) scientific and industrial dissemination; (ii) communication; (iii) business modelling and (iv) exploitation either individual and joint. Main results are: papers in journals and conferences, talks, PhD and MSc thesis, courses, presentations at industrial events, identification of products, collaboration with OS SW organizations and SDOs, business models and exploitation strategies.

Final results

The progress beyond the state of the art of INTER-IoT is related with the development of tools and components for the creation of interoperability ecosystem linked to IoT. Specifically main progress and results until the end of the project are related with:
•Integration of third party entities not involved in INTER-IoT development to create an ecosystem of products and contributors.
•Definition and prioritization of requirements for IoT interoperability and definition of novel scenarios and use cases in which it is needed.
•Development of INTER-LAYER with a full set of interoperability components: (i) virtual/physical GW; (ii) SDN/NFV network module with QoS component; (iii) middleware interoperability component; (iv) flow based programming component; (v) IPSM to provide semantic mediation and interoperability, and (vi) cross layer features as security or network management.
•Development of INTER-FW including an interoperability engine and a complete API to access the different INTER-LAYER components.
•Definition of INTER-METH as a new contribution to IoT interoperability in the format of a methodology and supporting CASE tool.
•Scientific and industrial impact so as new business model approach and progress in the developments within the consortium.
Application of INTER-IoT to the three selected use cases and the different application domains will prove the impact. Specifically in m-health and port transportation there will be wide socio-economic impacts and in the case of m-health it may provide a wide societal implications as the prevention policy will overcome the reaction policy in certain illnesses and treatments.

Website & more info

More info: http://www.inter-iot.eu.