Page 410 - Unleashing the potenti al of the Internet of Things

4 Unleashing the potential of the Internet of Things

The figure depicts a normal decision-making flow, but because the decision involves a machine
actuator, the verification process is initiated by the verification network.
If some of the checks of the verification process fail, some safe operation (or no action) is
performed instead of normal decision.

I.3 Examples of verification applications

I.3.1 Fire safety system

A fire safety system is deployed in a building. If one of its sensors detects ignition or smoke, it
activates machine actuators that lock doors and windows to prevent air circulation. The
considerable negative consequences include people being locked inside the rooms and people being
crushed by automatic doors.
Therefore, the verification network should consist of:
– sensors of movement in rooms;

– light sensors between door wings, and strain sensors on the motors of door wings to halt the
motors if there is a person between the door wings.

I.3.2 On-road speed control

Sensors are used to monitor road conditions. Vehicles are equipped with actuators able to
communicate with sensors which can automatically decrease the vehicle speed if the road
conditions are dangerous.

A possible relevant negative consequence is that if the speed decrease is too fast, chances of
collision with vehicles behind can happen. To prevent this result, the verification network should
use a rear parking sensor that can monitor the free space behind the vehicle and slow the rate of
speed decrease if there is another vehicle nearby.

I.3.2 Rescue robots

After a plane crash, rescuers use autonomous robots to retrieve survivors from under the wreckage.
These robots pick up wreckage fragments and move them to a safe place.
If a robot runs out of energy after it has picked up a heavy fragment, it could drop it on the injured
human or rescuers, causing therefore relevant negative consequences. The verification network
should be based on energy sensors and on robot's CPU. The latter should be able to estimate the
weight of the fragment to be picked up and the amount of energy required. If the robot's energy
level is not sufficient, the operation must be blocked.

396 Rec. ITU-T Y.4250/Y.2222 (04/2013)