Processing at the Edge: A Case Study with an Ultrasound Sensor-Based Embedded Smart Device

Abstract

In the current context of the Internet of Things, embedded devices can have some intelligence and distribute both data and processed information. This article presents the paradigm shift from a hierarchical pyramid to an inverted pyramid that is the basis for edge, fog, and cloud-based architectures. To support the new paradigm, the article presents a distributed modular architecture. The devices are made up of essential elements, called control nodes, which can communicate to enhance their functionality without sending raw data to the cloud. To validate the architecture, identical control nodes equipped with a distance sensor have been implemented. Each module can read the distance to each vehicle and process these data to provide the vehicle’s speed and length. In addition, the article describes how connecting two or more CNs, forming an intelligent device, can increase the accuracy of the parameters measured. Results show that it is possible to reduce the processing load up to 22% in the case of sharing processed information instead of raw data. In addition, when the control nodes collaborate at the edge level, the relative error obtained when measuring the speed and length of a vehicle is reduced by one percentage point.

Arquitectura distribuida modular para el control inteligente del tráfico

“…Consecuentemente, un sistema de control óptimo debe ser capaz de conocer la cantidad de vehículos en cola, o con posibilidad de llegar al semáforo en un corto tiempo. Sistemas como el presentado en Poza-Lujan et al (2022) son los que dan soporte al sistema de control de tráfico presentado.…”

Advances in Explainable Artificial Intelligence and Edge Computing Applications

“…The MAS proposed by the authors allows for the interconnection of IoT devices. Within the area of IoT, Poza-Lujan et al [2] introduce a distributed modular architecture that allows embedding some intelligence in IoT devices, making it possible to shift from a hierarchical pyramid to an inverted pyramid. In the architecture, IoT devices can join together to form abstract nodes called control nodes.…”