Key Benefits of Edge-Based, Open Source Optical Sensor Management

Sep 15, 2022

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Optical Sensor Management (OSM) is a new concept that is changing the way OGE companies maintain and manage remote sites. While cloud-based systems once transformed how we all store and access data and applications, there are many challenges and limitations of cloud-based technology, particularly for companies with an extensive network of remote sites. Industrial IoT OSM is different. Here’s how:

  • It’s a true edge-based system. Traditional cloud-based systems pass all data from the field back to the cloud, which lends itself to issues like high latency and low bandwidth in data transmission, data corruption, security threats, and system outages. In an industry where seconds matter and can have significant financial repercussions, edge-based solutions provide a measurable financial and operational advantage over cloud-based systems.
  • It’s a lightweight, open source, Linux-based tool. This means it can be customized to utilize various hardware, including existing cameras and sensors, and integrate with existing systems. This “plug and play,” vendor-agnostic model can typically use your existing hardware and be integrated with other software systems.
  • It’s Scalable Across All Fields and Sites. Unlike enterprise dashboard software, an Optical Sensor Management platform is scalable from a user friendliness standpoint as well as a cost standpoint. Most enterprise dashboard systems are created to gather data from the entire company and display it to the end user. This type of large-scale data collection usually cost $20k-$30k per site per year. nnAn OSM is designed to fit the specific needs of the operators, although the dashboard capabilities of the software are limited compared to the enterprise software. For example, the Industrial IoT OSM is capital cost, perpetual license that is deployed per device rather than per site. The per unit cost is in the low hundreds rather than a mid-5 figure cost per site. Also, once you pay for the license, you own it, and you won’t have to renew it.
  • Its User-Friendly Interface Makes It Easy to Adopt. OSM was designed to be a tool for operators to use to gather quick insights of their remote locations. It was also meant for field operations to have quick ad easy interaction with their edge technologies that they have deployed. Unlike an enterprise system, you do not need to be a data scientist to operate the OSM. The Industrial IoT OSM was designed to function like a VMS that you could add dashboards to. It is easy for users to learn the system quickly, and you can access all of your sites from the desktop or phone application.

Currently the OSM allows users to:

  • View real-time and/or historical video feeds
  • Manage events and alerts from intelligent cameras
  • Data Conversion into your SCADA and or Historian
  • Record and manage audio information
  • Control Pan tilt zoom camera platforms (PTZ)
  • Configure PTZ tours of specific areas of interest for remote site inspection and leak detection.
  • Set tours to record images and specific times and send a report (pdf) of the inspection
  • View and control cameras and audio feeds from a desktop or mobile platform
  • Avoid streaming of video to the cloud
  • Secure 14-21+ days of historical video.
  • Capture compressed video using H.264/265 protocol
  • Utilize any camera that can produce a RTSP stream
  • Use optical or thermal imagery (vendor agnostic: not limited by manufacturer)
  • Import Node Red dashboard for easy data visualization
  • Dashboard historical data from sites
  • Pull data from applications to display live on camera feeds from the field

That said, the possibilities and applications of Industrial IoT OSM are nearly limitless. As your business and operations evolve and adapt to new requirements, needs, and expectations, your OSM should evolve too. Our open platform approach allows that. This is a technology set that can be scaled and customized to your specific needs, not what any vendor thinks you need or wants to sell you.