A Survey on Optical Technologies for Iot, Smart Industry, and Smart Infrastructures
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Journal of Sensor and Actuator Networks Review A Survey on Optical Technologies for IoT, Smart Industry, and Smart Infrastructures Slavisa Aleksic Institute of Communications Engineering, Leipzig University of Telecommunications (HfTL), 04277 Leipzig, Germany; [email protected]; Tel.: +49-341-3062-212 Received: 1 July 2019; Accepted: 7 September 2019; Published: 17 September 2019 Abstract: In the Internet of Things (IoT), a huge number of sensors, actuators and other equipment for data acquisition and processing will be interconnected by means of an omnipresent communication network able to efficiently support heterogeneous transmission technologies and applications. On the one hand, advanced optical communication systems, which already play a significant role in modern networks, are currently evolving to meet very high requirements of modern applications. On the other hand, there are already many ways to utilize optical components and effects for building precise, efficient, and reliable sensors. Thus, optical technologies have the potential to greatly help in realizing future smart infrastructures and systems. This paper gives an overview of currently available and emerging optical technologies for sensing and communication applications and reviews their possible application in the context of the IoT for realizing smart systems and infrastructures. Keywords: optical technology; Internet of Things (IoT); optical sensors; optical communication systems and networks 1. Introduction The main prerequisite for implementing future smart city applications and systems is the existence of an efficient and reliable smart infrastructure. Such an infrastructure integrates in an efficient and reliable manner various basic infrastructures such as (i) water distribution systems, (ii) electricity grids, and (iii) transport infrastructure (roads, railways, trams, and metro) together with information technologies, distributed smart sensing systems, and communication networks. Another prominent application is the smart healthcare, which has the potential to improve the quality of patient care and how health care is delivered, for example, through a better and faster diagnostics, better treatment of patients, and improved operational efficiency. In production environments, recent developments in the area of control systems in conjunction with modern information and communication technologies (ICTs) are the main drivers for the fourth industrial revolution. In the coming decades, this trend may lead to a radical change in industrial processes. A broad penetration and widespread implementation of machine-to-machine (M2M) communication and the Internet of Things (IoT) will erase the traditional boundaries between the manufacturing and telecommunication sectors. Thus, a huge number of sensors, actuators, and various other smart devices interconnected with each other by means of an omnipresent, high-performance, and highly reliable communication network are the main building parts of an effective and ubiquitous IoT. An optimal combination and integration of these devices and technologies together with intelligent and efficient data acquisition and processing are key factors in realizing integrated and smart infrastructures and systems. The Role of Optical Technologies in the IoT Photonic technologies have played and will play in the future a significant role in the development of the IoT and its application in smart infrastructures. There are countless examples of using photonic J. Sens. Actuator Netw. 2019, 8, 47; doi:10.3390/jsan8030047 www.mdpi.com/journal/jsan J. Sens. Actuator Netw. 2018, 7, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 18 J. Sens. Actuator Netw. 2019, 8, 47 2 of 18 Photonic technologies have played and will play in the future a significant role in the development of the IoT and its application in smart infrastructures. There are countless examples of devicesusing photonic and systems devices in and smart systems infrastructures in smart infrastructures such as imaging such sensors as imaging and sensorssensors and for measuringsensors for variousmeasuring physical various and physical chemical and quantities chemical such quantities as temperature, such as temperature, strain, force, acceleration,strain, force, tilt,acceleration, rotation, vibration,tilt, rotation velocity,, vibration, fluorescence, velocity, luminescence, fluorescence, absorbance, luminescence, refractive absorbance, index, andrefractive humidity. index Other, and well-knownhumidity. 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