Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) Flashcards

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering major definitions, technologies, architectures, and protocols of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) course notes.

Internet of Things (IoT)

The network of physical objects embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies for the purpose of connecting and exchanging data with other devices and systems over the Internet.

Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)

A network of connected devices in the industrial sector that collect, transmit, share, and analyze data to optimize industrial and manufacturing processes without human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction.

Industry 1.0

The first phase of industrialization beginning around 1784, kick-started by the invention of steam engines and characterized by a shift from manual labor to machine-based manufacturing.

Industry 2.0

The second phase of the industrial revolution starting around 1870, marked by the introduction of assembly line production, electrification, and conveyor belt mechanisms.

Industry 3.0

The third phase of the industrial revolution beginning around 1969, involving advances in electronic technology, IT, industrial robotics, and Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs).

Industry 4.0

The Fourth Industrial Revolution starting around 2010, characterized by the integration of advanced digital technologies—such as IoT, AI, Big Data, and robotics—that blur the lines between physical, digital, and biological domains.

Digital Twin

A virtual model or digital replica of physical assets or processes used in Industry 4.0 to enable real-time monitoring, simulation, and optimization.

IoT Node

A fundamental component of IoT systems consisting of a small device or sensor connected to the network that collects and transmits physical parameter data (such as temperature, humidity, and light) to other devices or a central server.

Internet of Everything (IoE)

An ecosystem extending beyond IoT to include the connection of four main components: people, processes, data, and physical things to enable new services and applications.

Information Technology (IT)

The field concerned with using computers, software, network infrastructure, and digital technologies to manage, process, store, and distribute data and information within an organization.

Operational Technology (OT)

Hardware and software systems used to monitor and control physical processes, equipment, and machinery in industrial environments (such as SCADA, PLCs, and DCS).

IT/OT Convergence

The integration of Information Technology and Operational Technology systems and processes to enable real-time data sharing, optimize industrial operations, and enhance decision-making.

Industrial Control Systems (ICS)

Specialized computer-based systems consisting of sensors/actuators, controllers, and human-machine interfaces used to control and monitor physical processes in industrial settings.

Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)

A specialized digital computer used in industrial automation to read sensor inputs, process logic programs (such as Ladder Logic), and output control signals to actuators.

SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition)

A computer-based control system architecture comprising RTUs/PLCs, HMIs, and SCADA servers used for real-time high-level monitoring, data collection, and remote control of industrial processes.

Distributed Control System (DCS)

A computer-based control system where controller elements are distributed throughout the system rather than centralized, connected via communication networks to manage complex process plants.

NodeMCU ESP8266

An open-source firmware and development board built around an ESP8266 Wi-Fi System-on-Chip (SoC) that uses Lua scripting or Arduino IDE for rapid IoT prototyping.

Human-Machine Interface (HMI)

A graphical user interface or device that allows human operators to interact with an automation system, monitor real-time process data, adjust parameters, and receive alerts.

DIKW Hierarchy

A model illustrating the structural relationship and progression from raw facts to actionable understanding: Data, Information, Knowledge, and Wisdom.

Machine-to-Machine (M2M)

Communication networks between machines or devices that allow them to share data directly without the need for human intervention.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

Centralized business management software that integrates core organizational functions, including finance, HR, manufacturing, supply chain, and customer relationship management into a single system.

Manufacturing Execution System (MES)

A factory-floor software system that provides real-time information about production operations, tracking, managing, and optimizing processes between ERP systems and physical machinery.

Modbus Protocol

An open master-slave industrial communication protocol developed by Modicon in 1979, widely used for connecting sensors, actuators, and controllers over serial or Ethernet links.

Profibus Protocol

A fast master-slave fieldbus communication protocol developed by Siemens in the 1990s, used in process automation and manufacturing environments for real-time control.

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)

A wireless communication protocol that uses electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track tags attached to objects via a reader.

LPWAN (Low Power Wide Area Network)

A group of wireless technologies designed to provide long-range, low-bitrate communication among low-power IoT devices operating on battery power for up to 10 years.

Contiki-OS

An open-source operating system designed for low-power wireless IoT devices and sensor nodes, featuring the Java-based Cooja simulator and Rime network stack.

LoRaWAN

A low-power wide-area networking protocol based on LoRa modulation, utilizing a star topology to connect battery-operated wireless devices to gateways over long distances.

OPC UA (Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture)

A platform-independent, service-oriented industrial communication protocol that provides secure, reliable data exchange between devices, MES, ERP, and cloud systems.

MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport)

A lightweight, publish-subscribe messaging protocol designed by IBM for resource-constrained IoT devices operating over TCP/IP in low-bandwidth or unreliable networks.

Zigbee

A low-power wireless communication protocol based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard, supporting star, tree, and mesh network topologies across Coordinators, Routers, and End Devices.

6LoWPAN

An adaptation layer protocol that enables IPv6 packet transmission over low-power Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs) such as IEEE 802.15.4.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

A cloud computing model delivering virtualized computing infrastructure—including servers, storage, networking, and load balancers—over the internet on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

A cloud service model providing a complete development and deployment environment, including runtime, operating systems, databases, and programming frameworks, without infrastructure management.

Software as a Service (SaaS)

A cloud delivery model where complete software applications are hosted by a provider and accessed by end-users over the internet via a web browser or client app.

Edge Computing

A distributed computing paradigm that performs data processing and analytics locally near the data source or edge of the network, reducing latency and network traffic.

Cyber-Physical System (CPS)

An integrated system that tightly links computational algorithms and networking capabilities with physical processes via feedback loops connecting sensors and actuators.

Attack Surface

The sum total of all potential points or vectors in a system through which an unauthorized user or attacker can gain access and extract data.

ThingSpeak

An open IoT analytics platform service developed by MathWorks that allows users to collect, aggregate, visualize live data streams in the cloud, and perform analysis using MATLAB.

Industrial Internet Reference Architecture (IIRA)

A standards-based architectural framework developed by the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) to guide the design, implementation, and interoperability of IIoT systems.