Generalised network architectures for environmental sensing: case studies for a digitally enabled environment
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
A digitally enabled environment is a setting which incorporates sensors coupled with reporting and analytics
tools for understanding, observing or managing that environment. Large scale data collection and analysis are a
part of the emerging digitally enabled approach for the characterisation and understanding of our environment.
It is recognised as offering an effective methodology for addressing a range of complex and interrelated social,
economic and environmental concerns. The development and construction of the approach requires advances in
analytics control linked with a clear definition of the issues pertaining to the interaction between elements of
these systems. This paper presents an analysis of selected issues in the field of analytics control. It also discusses
areas of progress, and areas in need of further investigation as sensing networks evolve. Three case studies are
described to illustrate these points. The first is a physical analytics test kit developed as a part of the “Reinvent
the Toilet Challenge” (RTTC) for process control in a range of environments. The second case study is the
Cranfield Urban Observatory that builds on elements of the RTTC and is designed to allow users to develop user
interfaces to monitor, characterise and compare a variety of environmental and infrastructure systems plus
behaviours (e.g., water distribution, power grids). The third is the Data and Analytics Facility for National
Infrastructure, a cloud-based high-performance computing cluster, developed to receive, store and present such
data to advanced analytical and visualisation tools.
tools for understanding, observing or managing that environment. Large scale data collection and analysis are a
part of the emerging digitally enabled approach for the characterisation and understanding of our environment.
It is recognised as offering an effective methodology for addressing a range of complex and interrelated social,
economic and environmental concerns. The development and construction of the approach requires advances in
analytics control linked with a clear definition of the issues pertaining to the interaction between elements of
these systems. This paper presents an analysis of selected issues in the field of analytics control. It also discusses
areas of progress, and areas in need of further investigation as sensing networks evolve. Three case studies are
described to illustrate these points. The first is a physical analytics test kit developed as a part of the “Reinvent
the Toilet Challenge” (RTTC) for process control in a range of environments. The second case study is the
Cranfield Urban Observatory that builds on elements of the RTTC and is designed to allow users to develop user
interfaces to monitor, characterise and compare a variety of environmental and infrastructure systems plus
behaviours (e.g., water distribution, power grids). The third is the Data and Analytics Facility for National
Infrastructure, a cloud-based high-performance computing cluster, developed to receive, store and present such
data to advanced analytical and visualisation tools.
Date Issued
2022-07-01
Date Acceptance
2022-04-04
Citation
Array, 2022, 14
ISSN
2590-0056
Publisher
Elsevier
Journal / Book Title
Array
Volume
14
Copyright Statement
© 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Subjects
BIG DATA
Computer Science
Computer Science, Theory & Methods
Digital environment
Integrated sensing
Internet of things
Living laboratory
Network analytics
Network policy considerations
Science & Technology
Technology
Ubiquitous sensor networks
Urban observatory
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
100168
Date Publish Online
2022-04-08