Types of Communications in IOT

IoT (Internet of Things) involves smart devices communicating to exchange data and
perform tasks autonomously. Effective communication is crucial for IoT product success.
There are four main types of communication in IoT:Prerequisite - Introduction to
Internet of Things (IoT)
4 Types of Communications in IOT

The following are some communication types in IoT:-

1. Human to Machine (H2M):

Humans provide input (speech, text, image) to IoT devices, which then process it and
respond via text or visual display. This interaction helps machines assist humans in daily
tasks. H2M offers user-friendly interfaces, quick fault response, and customizable
features. Examples include facial recognition and voice assistants.

Merits: This H2M has a user-friendly interface that can be quickly accessed by following
the instructions. It responds more quickly to any fault or failure. Its features and
functions can be customized.
Examples:

 Facial recognition.

 Bio-metric Attendance system.

 Speech or voice recognition.

2. Machine to Machine (M2M):

This involves direct communication between two or more machines or devices without
human intervention. M2M, also known as Machine Type communication, automates
data exchange and task performance. It can operate over cellular networks, is easy to
manage, and supports large-scale data collection. However, it can face limitations in
versatility due to cloud computing reliance, data security concerns, and interoperability
challenges. Examples include smart washing machines sending alerts or smart meters
tracking energy

Advantages -
This M2M can operate over cellular networks and is simple to manage. It can be used
both indoors and outdoors and aids in the communication of smart objects without the
need for human interaction. The M2M contact facility is used to address security and
privacy problems in IoT networks. Large-scale data collection, processing, and security
are all feasible.
Disadvantages -
However, in M2M, use of cloud computing restricts versatility and creativity. Data
security and ownership are major concerns here. The challenge of
achieving interoperability between cloud/M2M IoT systems is daunting. M2M
connectivity necessitates the existence of a reliable internet connection.

Examples:
 Smart Washing machine sends alerts to the owners’ smart devices after
completion of washing or drying of clothes.

 Smart meters tracks amount of energy used in household or in companies and

automatically alert the owner.
3. Machine to Human (M2H) :
In this machine interacts with Humans. Machine triggers information(text
messages/images/voice/signals) respective / irrespective of any human presence. This
type of communication is most commonly used where machines guide humans in their
daily life. It is way of interaction in which humans co-work with smart systems and other
machines by using tools or devices to finish a task.
Examples:

 Fire Alarms

 Traffic Light

 Fitness bands

 Health monitoring devices

4. Human to Human (H2H) :
This is generally how humans communicate with each other to exchange information by
speech, writing, drawing, facial expressions, body language etc. Without H2H, M2M
applications cannot produce the expected benefits unless humans can immediately fix
issues, solve challenges, and manage scenarios.

The process of exchanging information or messages between two or more people is

known as human to human (H2H) communication. This can be done through various
means such as verbal, non-verbal, or written communication.

For, communication of IoT devices many protocols are used. These IoT protocols are
modes of communication which give security to the data being exchanged between IoT
connected devices. Example bluetooth, wifi, zigbee etc.
Explain leading types of IoT wireless technologies.

The world of IoT relies heavily on various wireless technologies, each with its own
strengths and weaknesses depending on factors like range, data rate, power
consumption, and cost.1 Leading wireless technologies for IoT include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth,
cellular (like 5G, LTE-M, NB-IoT), Zigbee, LoRaWAN, and Z-Wave.

Here's a more detailed look at each:

1. Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWANs) 2

LPWANs are designed for long-range communication with minimal power consumption,
making them ideal for battery-powered IoT devices that transmit small amounts of data
infrequently.3
 LoRa/LoRaWAN:
o Description: LoRa (Long Range) is the physical layer technology, while
LoRaWAN is the open standard for the network architecture.4 It operates
in unlicensed sub-GHz spectrum bands.5
o Pros: Very long range (up to 15-20 km in rural areas), extremely low
power consumption (enabling multi-year battery life), good scalability, and
suitable for environments with limited infrastructure.6
o Cons: Low data rates (best for small data packets like sensor readings). 7

o Use Cases: Smart cities (waste management, parking), agriculture (soil

monitoring), asset tracking, environmental monitoring. 8
 NB-IoT (Narrowband IoT):

o Description: A cellular technology designed for IoT, operating within

existing LTE infrastructure.9
o Pros: Excellent indoor and underground coverage, very low power
consumption (long battery life), integrates well with 4G and 5G networks,
and supports a massive number of connections.10
o Cons: Lower bandwidth compared to LTE-M, limited mobility support (best
for static devices).11
o Use Cases: Smart metering, asset tracking, building automation, smart
agriculture.12
  LTE-M (Long Term Evolution for Machines/LTE Cat-M1):

o Description: Another cellular LPWAN technology that leverages existing

LTE networks.13
o Pros: Higher data rates than NB-IoT (up to 1 Mbps), good coverage,
supports mobility (suitable for moving assets), and good power
efficiency.14
o Cons: Higher power consumption than NB-IoT, requires cellular network
subscription, and might not offer the same deep indoor penetration as NB-
IoT.
o Use Cases: Fleet management, real-time asset tracking, wearable
devices, connected vehicles.
 Sigfox:

o Description: A pioneering LPWAN technology with a global network, also

using ultra-narrowband modulation for long range and minimal power. 15
o Pros: Ultra-low power consumption, very long range, low cost per
message.16
o Cons: Very low data rate, often limited to a few messages per day.

o Use Cases: Simple, low-data IoT applications like basic asset tracking or
utility metering.
2. Short-Range Wireless Technologies

These technologies are ideal for devices in close proximity, offering higher data rates
but typically with higher power consumption.
 Bluetooth and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE):

o Description: Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology, while BLE is

designed for low power consumption, making it ideal for battery-powered
devices.17
o Pros: Low power consumption, suitable for wearable devices and smart
home applications.18 Widely supported by smartphones and consumer
electronics, cost-effective, easy to use, and secure.
o Cons: Limited range (typically up to 100 meters).
 o Use Cases: Wearables (fitness trackers, smartwatches), smart home
devices (locks, lighting), medical devices, proximity sensors, asset
tracking within a limited area.19
 Wi-Fi:

o Description: A ubiquitous technology for wireless local area networks,

offering high-throughput data transfer, often found in homes and offices.
o Pros: High bandwidth (especially with Wi-Fi 6/7), suitable for applications
requiring fast data transmission, and widely available infrastructure.
o Cons: Higher power consumption compared to some other IoT
technologies, limited range. Relatively high power consumption, which can
be an issue for battery-operated IoT sensors. Limited scalability for very
large sensor networks compared to mesh protocols.
o Use Cases: Smart homes (video surveillance, smart appliances),
industrial settings where devices are connected to power, high-bandwidth
data transfer.
 Zigbee:

o Description: A low-power, low-data-rate mesh networking protocol based

on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard. Devices form a mesh network, allowing
data to hop between nodes to extend range. 20 Designed for IoT
applications, especially in smart homes and industrial settings.
o Pros: Low power consumption, good for creating mesh networks, support
for large mesh networks (up to 65,000 devices), reliable, and resistant to
interference.21
o Cons: Shorter range than LPWANs, lower data rates compared to Wi-Fi
and cellular.
 Z-Wave:

o Description: A wireless communication protocol primarily used in smart

home devices and automation. Similar to Zigbee, Z-Wave is a low-power
mesh networking protocol that operates in a less crowded sub-1GHz
frequency band than Zigbee.22
o Pros: Low power consumption, good for creating mesh networks in smart
homes.23 Longer range than some other short-range protocols, strong
focus on interoperability and security, reduced interference.
 o Cons: Lower data rates, limited range compared to other technologies.
Proprietary technology (though it has expanded device support).
3. Cellular (4G/5G)

While NB-IoT and LTE-M are specialized cellular IoT technologies, standard 4G and 5G
networks also play a role, especially for applications requiring high bandwidth and low
latency.
 Description: Traditional cellular networks offering widespread coverage. 5G is
the latest generation, bringing significant improvements in speed, latency, and
capacity.24
 Pros: Universal coverage, high data rates (especially 5G), low latency (5G),
reliable, and suitable for mobile applications. Wide coverage, high reliability, and
scalability.
 Cons: High power consumption, higher cost per device/data, and not always
ideal for simple, battery-powered sensors. Can have higher power consumption
compared to some other technologies, especially 5G.
Choosing the Right Technology:

The selection of an IoT wireless technology depends on the specific application's

requirements:
 Range: Short-range (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Z-Wave) vs. long-range
(LPWANs, Cellular).
 Power Consumption: Battery-powered devices favor LPWANs and BLE.25

 Data Rate: High bandwidth applications need Wi-Fi or 5G; small data packets
are fine with LPWANs.26
 Cost: Initial deployment and ongoing data costs vary significantly.

 Mobility: LTE-M and 5G are better for mobile assets.27

 Network Topology: Point-to-point, star, or mesh networks each have their

advantages.28

The IoT landscape is constantly evolving, with new advancements in existing

technologies and the emergence of new ones. Understanding these leading types is
crucial for designing effective and efficient IoT solutions.
What is meaning of Actuator? Explain any 6 types of actuators In detail.

Actuators in IoT

An IoT device integrates a physical object, a controller (brain), sensors, actuators, and
network connectivity. Sensors gather environmental data, which the controller
processes. Based on this data, the controller sends signals to actuators. Actuators, like
servo motors, are machine components that then perform physical actions, such as
precise movements, to execute the desired task.

Working of IoT devices and use of Actuators

The control system acts upon an environment through the actuator. It requires a source
of energy and a control signal. When it receives a control signal, it converts the source
of energy to a mechanical operation. On this basis, on which form of energy it uses, it
has different types given below.
Types of Actuators :

1. Hydraulic Actuators -

A hydraulic actuator uses hydraulic power to perform a mechanical operation. They are
actuated by a cylinder or fluid motor. The mechanical motion is converted to rotary,
linear, or oscillatory motion, according to the need of the IoT device. Ex- construction
equipment uses hydraulic actuators because hydraulic actuators can generate a large
amount of force.
Advantages :

 Hydraulic actuators can produce a large magnitude of force and high speed.

 Used in welding, clamping, etc.

 Used for lowering or raising the vehicles in car transport carriers.

Disadvantages :

 Hydraulic fluid leaks can cause efficiency loss and issues of cleaning.

 It is expensive.

 It requires noise reduction equipment, heat exchangers, and high maintenance

systems.
2. Pneumatic Actuators -

A pneumatic actuator uses energy formed by vacuum or compressed air at high

pressure to convert into either linear or rotary motion. Example- Used in robotics, use
sensors that work like human fingers by using compressed air.
Advantages :

 They are a low-cost option and are used at extreme temperatures where using
air is a safer option than chemicals.

 They need low maintenance, are durable, and have a long operational life.

 It is very quick in starting and stopping the motion.

Disadvantages :

 Loss of pressure can make it less efficient.

 The air compressor should be running continuously.

 Air can be polluted, and it needs maintenance.

3. Electrical Actuators -

An electric actuator uses electrical energy, is usually actuated by a motor that converts
electrical energy into mechanical torque. An example of an electric actuator is a
solenoid based electric bell.
Advantages :
  It has many applications in various industries as it can automate industrial valves.

 It produces less noise and is safe to use since there are no fluid leakages.

 It can be re-programmed and it provides the highest control precision positioning.

Disadvantages :

 It is expensive.

 It depends a lot on environmental conditions.

Other actuators are -

 Thermal/Magnetic Actuators -
These are actuated by thermal or mechanical energy. Shape Memory Alloys
(SMAs) or Magnetic Shape‐Memory Alloys (MSMAs) are used by these
actuators. An example of a thermal/magnetic actuator can be a piezo motor using
SMA.
 Mechanical Actuators -
A mechanical actuator executes movement by converting rotary motion into
linear motion. It involves pulleys, chains, gears, rails, and other devices to
operate. Example - A crankshaft.

 Soft Actuators

 Shape Memory Polymers

 Light Activated Polymers

 With the expanding world of IoT, sensors and actuators will find more usage in
commercial and domestic applications along with the pre-existing use in industry.
Write a short note on the Transport Layer IOT :

The Transport Layer in the Internet of Things (IoT) plays a crucial role in ensuring that
data gets from one application process to another, end-to-end. While the Network Layer
handles device-to-device routing (IP addresses), the Transport Layer focuses on
delivering data segments to the correct application or service running on those devices,
identified by port numbers.

The two primary protocols at the transport layer, borrowed from traditional internet
networking, are:
1. Transmission Control Protocol (TCP):

o Connection-Oriented: Establishes a dedicated connection (like a phone

call) before data transfer, maintaining it until completion.
o Reliable: Guarantees ordered, error-free delivery of data segments. It
employs mechanisms like sequence numbers, acknowledgments (ACKs),
retransmissions for lost packets, and checksums for error detection.
o Flow Control: Manages data flow to prevent the sender from
overwhelming the receiver.
o Congestion Control: Adjusts data transmission rates to avoid network
congestion.
o Use Cases in IoT: Ideal for applications where data integrity is
paramount, such as firmware updates, command and control systems, or
critical sensor data where every byte must arrive correctly.
2. User Datagram Protocol (UDP):

o Connectionless: Sends data packets (datagrams) without establishing a

prior connection. It's like sending a postcard – no confirmation of receipt.
o Unreliable: Does not guarantee delivery, order, or error-checking.

o Faster and Lightweight: Its simplicity means lower overhead and faster
transmission, making it suitable for resource-constrained IoT devices.
o Use Cases in IoT: Preferred for real-time applications where speed is
more important than absolute reliability, and occasional data loss is
acceptable. Examples include streaming video/audio, real-time sensor
readings (e.g., environmental monitoring where a slightly delayed or
missed reading isn't critical), or gaming.

Challenges in IoT Transport Layer:

IoT devices often have limited resources (processing power, memory, battery) and
operate over diverse and sometimes unreliable networks (like LPWANs). This poses
challenges for traditional transport protocols:
  Resource Constraints: TCP's overhead (connection establishment,
acknowledgments, retransmissions) can be too heavy for many low-power, low-
bandwidth IoT devices.
 Dynamic Topologies: IoT networks can be highly dynamic, with devices
frequently connecting and disconnecting, which can stress connection-oriented
protocols.
 Power Consumption: Reliability features of TCP require more processing and
communication, leading to higher power consumption, which is critical for battery-
powered devices.
 Small Data Packets: Many IoT applications transmit very small data payloads,
making the larger overhead of TCP inefficient.

To address these challenges, many IoT application-layer protocols (like MQTT and
CoAP) are built on top of UDP to leverage its lightweight nature, often incorporating
their own lightweight reliability mechanisms at the application layer if needed. For wider
area cellular IoT (NB-IoT, LTE-M), the underlying cellular network's inherent reliability
often complements the transport layer choices.

IoT Network Topologies:

An IoT network's arrangement, or topology, is crucial for efficient data flow, reliability,
and scalability. The most common topologies include:
 Star Topology: Devices connect to a central hub. It's simple, easy to manage,
and isolates device failures. However, the central hub is a single point of failure,
 and scalability can be limited. Common in smart homes and Wi-Fi/cellular
deployments.
 Mesh Topology: Devices connect to multiple others, forming an interconnected
web. Offers high redundancy, fault tolerance, and scalability. However, it's
complex, potentially more expensive, and can consume more power. Used in
smart factories and protocols like Zigbee.
 Tree Topology: A hierarchical extension of the star, with a root node and
branches. It's scalable and facilitates organized data flow and distributed
processing. Downsides include dependency on higher-level nodes and complex
setup/maintenance. Suitable for large industrial IoT.
 Point-to-Point Topology: A direct connection between two devices. Offers high
bandwidth and low latency but is limited to two nodes. Used in Bluetooth
connections and direct sensor links.
 Hybrid Topology: Combines two or more topologies to leverage their
advantages and mitigate drawbacks. Offers high flexibility but increases design
and management complexity. Ideal for large, complex IoT deployments.
Disadvantages of Wireless-Based Networks in IoT:

Despite their flexibility, wireless IoT networks face several challenges:

 Security Vulnerabilities: Prone to eavesdropping, unauthorized access, rogue
devices, malware, and physical theft due to their open nature.
 Interference and Signal Degradation: Susceptible to electromagnetic
interference, physical obstacles (walls), and network congestion, leading to
reduced performance and "dead spots."
 Limited Bandwidth and Speed: Many low-power wireless technologies have
lower data rates and generally less consistent speeds than wired connections.
 Power Consumption: Maintaining wireless connectivity, especially for higher
data rates and security, consumes significant power, challenging battery-powered
devices.
 Scalability Challenges: While mesh networks scale well, star topologies can
bottleneck, and managing vast numbers of wireless devices can be complex.
 Reliability Issues: Wireless connections can be less reliable due to interference,
range limitations, and environmental factors, which can be critical for applications
requiring constant connectivity.
  Cost (Installation and Maintenance): Setting up robust wireless networks,
including infrastructure and ongoing maintenance (monitoring, patching, battery
management), can be costly.

Despite these drawbacks, careful planning, technology selection, and robust security
measures are crucial to leverage wireless IoT's benefits.