SSC testing Internet of Things to track and analyze DFO lab equipment
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) manages a lot of equipment. As part of their mandate, DFO scientists do research on aquatic environments, fish, marine mammals, climate change and hydrography, among other things. With labs doing research both on land and on water, these assets reside in many locations. It can be challenging to track and monitor their exact location, usage, condition and environmental impact.
DFO approached Shared Services Canada (SSC) for help to complete a proof of concept (PoC) project. This PoC investigates how Internet of Things (IoT) devices can help DFO manage their laboratory equipment portfolio. Microscopes, sterilization equipment and specialized water analysis equipment are some of the items that have been selected for this project.
The PoC project has 2 main objectives:
- investigate the value of IoT as a tool to track and monitor laboratory equipment
- determine whether IoT devices can help DFO make better investment decisions related to the equipment
The PoC is collecting and evaluating the following data:
- Equipment location: Location beacons are being installed on key equipment to track and monitor their specific location. This data maintains up-to-date information and avoids manual inventory counts, which increases the efficiency and accuracy of those counts
- Equipment utilization and condition: Embedded IoT systems are being tested to monitor and report on the use, condition and performance of equipment over time. Analysis of this data enables DFO to make informed decisions about their equipment needs
- Energy consumption: Power monitoring sensors are being used to track the energy requirements for equipment on an ongoing basis. This information enables DFO to better capture energy requirements and make informed decisions about future replacements
SSC is looking at ways to easily determine the location of equipment. For the PoC project, SSC uses location beacons to determine the precise location of the equipment. By monitoring the beacons, DFO can generate more accurate inventory lists. Having this location information also reduces the need to have employees manually do inventory counts, which ultimately saves the department time and money.
The PoC is also looking at equipment usage and condition. By assessing the ways that the equipment is used and how its condition persists over time, DFO can accurately predict how often the equipment will need to be replaced.
To complete this data analysis, the embedded systems leverage their built-in sensors to collect the data and transfer it to data analysis tools in the cloud. These tools compile the information and draw conclusions about the laboratory equipment from it. The conclusions then help DFO optimize their lab equipment portfolio using evidence-based decision making.
To determine whether IoT can help DFO make better procurement decisions, SSC is using power monitoring sensors. These sensors track the power being consumed by laboratory equipment. In a short period of time, patterns of use become visible, and calculations can be made to determine if a device is off, on but idle or on and in use. This enables DFO to look at which devices are being used and how often, allowing them to make more informed investment decisions.
Want to learn more about IoT? Read this explanatory article (accessible only on the Government of Canada network).
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