A user-extensible solution for deploying fog computing in industrial applications

This article discusses the use of the Internet of Things (IoT) in Industry 4.0, which involves connecting different devices and creating an integrated digital workspace to improve efficiency and coordination within a company. IoT allows peripherals to transmit relevant process data to a gathering system, typically on the cloud. However, in some cases, real-time communication is needed, and to reduce costs, firms may use other systems like edge and fog computing. These systems use additional local grids of storage systems near the sensors to execute some elaborations and reduce network bandwidth, latency, and costs of storing in the cloud. The article introduces a fog-computing device called Concentrator, which works as a local center where data are stored and elaborated before being sent to the cloud system. The Concentrator can communicate with different sensors, making it customizable. The article's key contribution is proposing a solution for user- customizable fog-computing systems, using low-cost hardware, by implementing a sandbox through a Linux container. The capabilities of the Concentrator can hence be extended by the user without the intervention of the Concentrator-maker.