Introduction to Industry 4.

0 and Industrial Internet of Things

Prof. Sudip Misra
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur

Lecture – 01
Introduction: Sensing & Actuation

In this course, you are going to learn about Industry 4.0 and Industrial IoT (IIoT). So, we will
get into the depth of each of these in detail throughout the course. However, let us first try to
understand, what is central to each of these technologies. So, IIoT is Industrial IoT, which is
about the applications of IoT in the industries. There are some industry specific requirements,
for which the existing IoT technology, which have applications in different domains, will
have specific requirements of industries. We will have to be tailored to get to cater to those
industrial requirements. So, that is where industrial IoT comes into picture, and is so much
popular, particularly in the industry.

Nowadays, most of the industries are transforming globally. They have been mandated to
transform to be Industry 4.0 compliant. And they are transforming towards the adoption of
IIoT technologies. So, we will be learning about the different aspects of each of these
Industry 4.0 and IIoT. But first, let us try to understand, what is IoT.

Precisely, IoT is about internet of things. IoT is a technology, which tries to build up an inter-
network of different things, different physical objects that we use and see around us. These
physical objects could be anything and everything that we can think of starting from things
like, the toothbrushes which we use very early in the morning, to the air conditioner of the
room, the heating system, and the projection system in front of us. And this also includes the
traditional computational devices such as computers and PDAs.

The computational as well as the traditional computational devices, the present different
physical objects, mentioned earlier like the toothbrush, projection system, heating system and
this refrigeration system. All of these things would be inter-networked and interconnected.
Then this inter-network is going to send huge amount of data, which will have to be
processed, in order to make use of the data retrieved.

There are different uses of it. IoT finds applications in building smart homes for instance,
smart cities and so on. So, there are even different components of smart cities like smart
transportation, smart parking, and smart healthcare. IoT finds applications in making cities
and homes smart. In the industrial context, we are trying to think about an extension of all of
these to serve making the industrial processes, much more efficient and autonomous. So, we
will look into each of these.

Sensors and actuators are central to the IoT or IIoT. And there are few other associated
peripheral technologies also, but sensing and actuation is the key to IoT and IIoT. So, let us
try to understand, what is this sensor, and what is this actuator.

(Refer Slide Time: 04:46)

Both the sensors and actuators can be classified as transducers. Transducer converts the signal
in one form into a signal in another form. The sensor plus the processor, which will process
the input coming from these sensors, is a transducer. Similarly, actuator plus processor is also
a transducer.

The transducer and the sensor takes some input signal and produce a certain output, send
certain output, which will be processed further. And based on the processed data, the
transducer will be actuated. Therefore, energy transformation is happening. The actuator then
produces certain output. This is how transducers work.
(Refer Slide Time: 06:47)

The transducer converts a signal from one physical form to another physical form. These
physical forms could be like electrical form, mechanical form, magnetic form, thermal,
chemical, and optical. Therefore, a transducer is nothing but an energy converter. It converts
the energy from one form to the energy in another form.

For instance, things like traditional microphone, basically converts sound signals to electrical
signals, which basically are amplified and the speakers basically through the speakers we are
able to hear. This is the basic working concept of a microphone. A speaker is also likewise a
converter of energy from electrical form to sound. So, a speaker is also another example of
the transducer.

Similarly, we have antennas which converts electromagnetic energy into electrical energy and
vice versa. Therefore, antenna is also a transducer. There are many other examples of
transducer such as a strain gauge.
(Refer Slide Time: 08:32)

Sensor as this name suggests senses some physical quantity, which changes with the
characteristic of the environment, in which it is operating. For example, a temperature sensor,
will sense the changes in the temperature of the environment in which the sensor, has been
deployed and operating.

The output of the sensor is a signal which is converted to some human readable form, which
can be different forms. For example, changes in the current characteristics, changes in the
voltage characteristics, changes in the resistance, changes in the capacitance, and changes in
the impedance, are understandable by humans.
(Refer Slide Time: 10:13)

A sensor basically performs some function of input by sensing or feeling the physical changes
in the characteristic of a system, in response to some stimulus. These stimuli are the physical
parameters. This stimulus could be changes in the temperature, changes in the lighting
condition, or changes in the gas. For example, a gas sensor senses the changes in different
gases. Gas sensors such as methane gas sensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, carbon monoxide
sensor, oxygen sensor have been devised to sense the changes in the amounts of these gases
in the environment. So, gas sensors are incidentally useful to monitor presence of different
gases particularly in context of environment. They are also very useful for mining
environments. Methane sensors are used in the mines to detect the increase in methane gas in
coal mines. As you know, these gases are very dangerous. The physical quantity sensed and
the response is in the form of some changes in the resistive capacities, changes in the
capacitive capacities or changes in current voltage characteristics in the form of the output.
(Refer Slide Time: 12:28)

So, here are some pictures of certain sensors. These are the sensors that I have in my lab, and
there are many other sensors also. I picked up these ones in order to show you how different
sensors look like. Actually, the sensors basically they come in different shapes and sizes.
Some of these are macro-sized sensors, but you could also have micro-sized sensors which
are like MEMs based sensors. There could be nano-sensors also available for different
purposes.

This is a temperature and humidity sensor. This is a type of gas sensor which detects LPG
gas, methane, and carbon monoxide. This is an ultrasonic sensor. This is a camera sensor you
can see the camera over here, Camera sensor. This is PIR sensor, this is rain detector sensor,
and this is fire detector sensor. Now, let me see if I can show you some of these different
sensors.
(Refer Slide Time: 13:51)

So, this is a PIR sensor.

(Refer Slide Time: 14:06)

This is an ultrasonic sensor which helps you to detect how far a particular object is.
Therefore, obstacles can be detected with the help of this sensor. When ultrasound, a sound
wave that is sent from any one of these two cylinders, one cylinder sends sound signal, it gets
reflected by that obstacle, and is detected by the other. Based on this how far a particular
obstacle is, or whether there is an obstacle in its range.
(Refer Slide Time: 14:57)

Let me show you another sensor of different type, the color sensor, which can detect different
types of colors.

(Refer Slide Time: 15:09)

This is an accelerometer sensor.

(Refer Slide Time: 15:19)

Then we have the gas sensor, carbon monoxide, which detect carbon monoxide gas. Then, we
I have also brought for you another sensor which is the rain gauge. Rainfall sensors detects
the rainfall.

(Refer Slide Time: 15:34)

(Refer Slide Time: 15:56)

The characteristics of sensors can be classified into two types, the static characteristics and
the dynamic characteristics. Different sensors have different operating mechanisms. In
general, when a sensor starts its operation, it takes a while, in general, not necessarily in
many cases, to come to the steady state. Static characteristics are the characteristics of a
particular sensor in the steady state condition. Once the sensor has attained its steady state,
the output of a sensor does not change significantly in response to the change in input.
Dynamic characteristics are about the properties of the systems transient response to an input,
before the sensor achieves the steady state.

(Refer Slide Time: 17:27)

The static characteristics could be characteristics such as accuracy. As this name suggests, it
is about the correctness of the output compared to a superior system. In other words, how
accurately the sensor measures. Range means the range of operation lowest value to highest
value. The range of operation of a particular sensor, lowest temperature to highest
temperature of a particular temperature sensor is the range of that particular sensor.

(Refer Slide Time: 18:09)

Resolution is the smallest change in the input that a sensor is capable of sensing. Similarly,
you have the resolution of a sensor like a temperature sensor. The smallest change in
temperature that a particular temperature sensor is able to sense or detect is basically the
resolution of a particular sensor. Error is the difference between the standard value and the
value produced by the sensor.
(Refer Slide Time: 18:43)

Sensitivity indicates the ratio of incremental change in the response of the system with
respect to the incremental change in the input parameter. The linearity characteristic is the
deviation of the value of a sensor from the straight line curve.

(Refer Slide Time: 19:17)

Drift is the fluctuation in the value of a sensor, if it is kept at the same conditions for long
duration. For example, in case of temperature sensor or any other sensor for a particular
reading condition, if you are keeping it for a sufficiently long duration of time, then the
difference in measurements that it will show over the period of time is the drift. Then we
have the repeatability characteristic, which is the deviation from the measurements, in a
sequence, under the same conditions.

(Refer Slide Time: 20:00)

Dynamic characteristics is about if the inputs are changed, how well the sensor responds to its
changes in the input. The transients are received or captured through the dynamic
characteristic. For example, zero ordered system, which is basically a system where the
output shows a response to the input signal, without any delay. These zero order systems do
not include energy storing requirements. For instance, a potentiometer measures the linear
and rotary displacements, so this is an example of a zero order system.
(Refer Slide Time: 20:57)

First order systems are when the output approaches its final value gradually. These systems
will have some kind of mechanism for both energy storage and dissipation. For example, a
capacitor will store this energy and dissipate over a duration of time, in these systems.

Second order systems will have complex output response not gradually, but a complex output
response. And this output response of these sensors will typically oscillate before the steady
state is arrived. So, this oscillates between certain values. These are the output response of
these second order systems.

(Refer Slide Time: 22:17)

The sensors could be classified in different ways. They could be classified as either passive
sensor or active sensor, analog sensor or digital sensor, scalar sensor or vector sensor.

(Refer Slide Time: 22:33)

A passive sensor cannot independently sense the input. So, examples of passive sensors are
accelerometer, soil moisture, water level, and temperature sensor.

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Active sensors are the ones, which can independently sense the input. For instance, radar,
altimeter sensors are examples of active sensors.
(Refer Slide Time: 23:03)

Analog sensors produce output which is some continuous function of the input parameter. For
example, temperature sensor, light detection sensor, LDR, pressure sensor, analog pressure
sensors, the analog variants of these pressure sensors, analog Hall effect sensor or magnetic
sensors. A LDR shows continuous variation in its resistance as a function of intensity of light
falling on it.

(Refer Slide Time: 23:42)

Digital sensors are basically the ones where the response is of binary nature. These have been
designed in order to overcome some of the limitations of the analog sensors which produces
continuous function of the output with respect to the changes in the input characteristics.
Examples of digital sensors are PIR sensor, digital, and temperature sensor.

(Refer Slide Time: 24:20)

Scalar sensors are basically the ones which will measure only the magnitude of the input
parameter. The response of a sensor is a function of the magnitude of the input parameter.
And these are not affected by the direction of the input parameter. Examples are temperature
sensor, gas sensor, strain sensor, color sensor, smoke sensors. The detection of these
parameters do not depend on the change in the direction of the input, change in the direction
of temperature, change in the direction of gas etc.
(Refer Slide Time: 25:28)

Vector sensors are those sensors whose response depends on the magnitude, the direction and
the orientation. Examples are accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetic field, and motion detector
sensors.

(Refer Slide Time: 25:46)

In this particular figure, an actuator takes two inputs, one input is the energy. And together the
actuator produces some kind of a motion, such as the force or whatever.

So, an actuator is a part of the system that deals with the control action required, the
mechanical action. There are many others, but these are some of these pictures of actuators.
(Refer Slide Time: 26:55)

So, this is an actuator; an electric relay.

(Refer Slide Time: 27:04)

This relay transforms the electrical energy into some kind of mechanical action, or it could be
electromechanical as well. These relays are useful for performing, taking an electric signal
and performing some kind of mechanical operation such as turning on a particular valve,
turning off a valve, turning on a device, turning off a device such as a compressor.
(Refer Slide Time: 27:50)

Then this is a motor - a dc motor. There could be different types of motors, and each of these
is basically an example of actuator.

(Refer Slide Time: 28:16)

And let me show you another actuator which is basically another type of motor, which is
known as the stepper motor.
(Refer Slide Time: 28:28)

You could also have actuators like these which I think most of you have already seen right.
These are the LEDs. So, an LED could be turned on or off in response to something,
something being sensed. For example, a gas being present.

(Refer Slide Time: 29:02)

An actuator takes a control signal as an input and then it performs its operation. So, here is
the picture of a dc motor. And I already show you showed you live the how a dc motor looks
like. Similarly, a relay is another example, electric relay. These are different examples of
actuators- electric motors, solenoid valves, hard drives, stepper motor, comb drive, hydraulic
cylinder, piezoelectric actuator, pneumatic actuators. These actuators can come in different
shapes and sizes. These could be micro actuators, macro actuators, and so on depending on
the size of these actuators.

(Refer Slide Time: 29:53)

The actuators can be classified into different types, such as electric linear, electric rotary, fluid
power linear, fluid power rotary, linear chain actuator, manual linear, manual rotary.

(Refer Slide Time: 30:10)

Now, let us look at this electric linear actuator. As the name suggests, these are basically
powered by electric signal. The electric energy in these actuators is transformed to achieve
some kind of linear displacement. For example, electric bell, opening and closing of dampers,
locking doors, breaking machine motions.

(Refer Slide Time: 31:00)

Then the next one is electric rotary actuator. These are powered by electrical signals. They
convert the electrical energy into rotational motion. And this one is electrical energy into
rotational motion. So, you know quarter turn valves, and other electrical motors are examples
of electric rotor actuator.

(Refer Slide Time: 31:41)

Then you have the fluid power linear actuator. These are powered by different electric fluid
sorry hydraulic fluids, gas or air pressure, and produces linear displacement.

(Refer Slide Time: 31:57)

Then you have fluid power rotary actuator again powered by fluid, such as gas and liquids.
They produce rotational motion, like the example that you see the picture that you see in the
slide, rotational motion is produced as an output of these actuators.

(Refer Slide Time: 32:18)

Then you have the linear chain actuator, consists of mechanical devices such as sprockets and
sections of chains, which produce linear motion by the free ends of the specially designed
chains. And the slide helps to understand how these work. So, these are primarily used in
motion control applications.

(Refer Slide Time: 32:45)

Then we have the manual linear actuator which provides linear displacement through the
translation of manually rotated screws or gears. So, manual rotation is performed on some
screws and consequently there is some linear displacement. Examples are gear boxes, hand
operated knobs, wheels. These are primarily used for manipulating tools and work pieces.

(Refer Slide Time: 33:16)

Then you have the manual rotary actuators which provide rotary output through the
translation of manually rotated screws, levers or gears, gears. These are primarily used for the
operation of valves.

(Refer Slide Time: 33:29)

So, with this we come to an end of this particular lecture on sensors and actuators. And as I
told you at the outset sensors are, and, actuators are basically key to the building of IoT and
IIoT based systems. And, you know, everywhere throughout you will see that in this course,
we are talking about the use of sensors and actuators, and this preliminary understanding
about each of these, the sensors and actuators, is necessary for you to have an in-depth
understanding about how IIoT works.

These are some of these references given in the slide.

Thank you.