When aiming for any Internet of Things (IoT) project, the first thing comes in mind is to choose a microcontroller. Microcontroller is the brain of the system. The whole system is controlled by microcontroller. Information sent by the sensors is processed, converted if required and then the output is being chosen accordingly by the microcontroller. There are a number of microcontrollers available. So we have to choose the correct microcontroller for our project to reduce price and increase performance. Here we will be discussing with some microcontrollers and some development boards which can be used in project. 1. ATMEL ATMEGA 8A Atmega 8A is a microcontroller from Atmel. The key features are – 1. 8 Kilobytes of in system programmable flash memory 2. 1 Kilobytes of Internal SRAM 3. 3 PWM Channels 4. 6 Channel ADC 5. 23 Programmable IO Pins 6. 512 bytes EEPROM So, Atmega 8 can be used where the program memory is less than 8 Kilobytes and there are fewer variables as the SRAM memory is only 1 Kilobyte. Pros: 1. Lightweight because there are only 28 pins and it comes in small PDIP package. 2. 23 Programmable IO Pins can handle a lot of sensors and outputs. 3. Low Cost Buy 4. Easy to program 5. 6 channel 10 bit ADC can handle six different analog sensors. Cons: 1. Only 1 KB of SRAM 2. There are only 3 PWM Channels 3. Any type of wireless communication must be added externally. 2. ATMEGA 328P Atmega 328p is a 8-bit low power microcontroller with 32k In-System Programmable flash in a 28 pin PDIP Package. Features — 1. 32 Kilobytes of in system programmable flash memory 2. 2 Kilobytes of Internal SRAM 3. 6 PWM Channels 4. 6 channel ADC 5. 23 IO Pins 6. 1 Kilobyte of EEPROM Pros: 1. 32 KB Flash Memory can handle bigger programs. 2. 6 PWM channels can be used for six different analog output machines. 3. 1KB of EEPROM can store a lot of data even when the power is off.. Cons: 1. Costly (Buy) 2. For wireless communication we have to add modules externally. 3. NODEMCU ESP8266 NodeMCU is an open-source firmware and development kit that helps you to prototype or builds IoT products. It includes firmware that runs on the ESP8266 Wi-Fi SoC from Espressif Systems. Features: 1. 4 Megabytes of in system programmable flash memory. 2. 128 Kilobytes of internal RAM 3. 802.11b/g/n HT40 WifiTranceiver 4. 10 Programmable GPIOs 5. Single ADC 6. 10 PWM Pins Above features of NodeMCU ESP 8266 shows that it is ideal for wifi based projects. Though there are some cons. Pros: 1. Wifi in-built 2. Current Consumption is as small as 80 mA during transmission and 20 uA during sleep. 3. All GPIOs are PWM enabled. 4. 4 Megabytes of program space can hold an extremely large program. Cons: 1. Only one ADC. For multiple sensors we have to use multiplexer. 2. The number of GPIOs is quite low. 4. ESP32 DEV BOARD Created by Express if Systems, ESP 32 is a low cost, low power system on chip series with wifi and bluetooth capabilities. Features: 1. ESP 32 is Dual Core 2. Wifi and Bluetooth built in 3. 4 MB of in system programmable flash memory 4. 512 KB SRAM 5. 34 GPIOs 6. 18 Channel ADC Pros: 1. 34 GPIOs can be connected with a lot of input and output devices. 2. 18 channel ADC makes it easier to connect with multiple analog sensors. 3. It has built in touch switches. 4. WiFi and Bluetooth two in one features make the communication easier. 5. ADC is 12 bit so, more accuracy. Cons: 1. High Price 2. More complex 3. Because it is more recent than esp 8266, not all software has been developed to take the most out of the ESP32 functionalities. 5. RASPBERRY PI 3 Raspberry pi 3 is a single board computer with LAN, wifi and bluetooth connectivity. Features: 1. Quad Core broadcam BCM 2837 64 bit ARMv8 Processor 2. Runs at 1.2 GHz 3. Four USB Ports 4. 26 IO 5. 4 PWM Pins 6. 1GB internal RAM 7. Wifiand bluetooth 8. Ethernet 9. 3.5mm Audio Jack Above features makes it possible to use this Raspberry Pi where a PC or a greater processing power is necessary. Pros: 1. Raspberry pi does not require the user to have extensive programming experience. 2. The Raspberry pi is perfect for adaptive technology: It is able to display images or play videos at 1080p hd resolution to building systems such as digital jukeboxes or prototyping embedded systems. 3. The product is energy efficient and provides a greener ethical alternative to small businesses. This small credit card sized product makes it easy to recycle and does not release as much carbon dioxide emissions into the environment, unlike big servers that require lots of energy and extensive cooling systems. 4. The product also gives you a lot of room to experiment and turn it into something else that is entirely different. The SD cards on the board can be easily switched, which allows you to change the functions of the device without spending a lot of time re-installing the software. Cons: 1. It does not replace your computer, since the Ethernet is only a 10/100 and the processor is not as fast, it is time consuming to download and install software and is unable to do any complex multitasking. 2. Not compatible with other operating systems such as Windows. 3. Heavy Cost There are various microcontrollers or brains for different uses. When making a project we have to choose the microcontroller wisely depending on the requirement like project cost, wireless communication, number of digital and analog sensor etc. We provide a variety of IoT devices like Automatic Pump Controller, Motion Sensing Light, Safety Devices like Fire Alarm, Smoke Alarm and many Industrial IoT Solutions. Contact us if you have such requirements in mind.

According to the paper, there are instances in cities all over the world where 40% or more of the water pumped into a distribution grid is wasted before it ever reaches the user. It is now necessary to act.

India is in a crisis. Most people are aware of how closely tied India’s traditional ways are to the country’s economic and social systems of governance.

Given that it is already the second most populous country in the world (Census, 2011), India’s natural resources are heavily burdened, with water being the most essential of them.

This suggests that the threat to the depletion of water supplies caused by the expanding population has been significant. The constantly expanding population is a fact.

Water accessibility per person has decreased from 2,309 cu m (Sharma and Bharat 2009 study) in 1991 to 1,588 cu m in 2001 due to population growth (CWC, 2010). When taking into account the anticipated growth in population by 2025, the per capita

Shocking, is not it? Well, there’s more to it.

Dry taps, low water levels, and drier seasons to follow

The Composite Water Management Index’ (CWMI) says nearly 600 million Indians are facing high-to-extreme water stress –where more than 40 percent of the annually available surface water is used every year–and about 200,000 people are dying every year because they do not have access to safe water.

The same report cautions us by saying that the situation is likely to worsen as the demand for water will exceed the supply by 2050. According to a report by ASSOCHAM and Skymet Weather Services, with the rapid rise in the day and night temperatures, India is drying out set apart by industrious dampness shortage conditions.

The report also notes that nine states are currently experiencing a dry spell, and it shows that the mean annual air temperature is rising across several regions of the country.

India must act quickly to find a solution before the water issue worsens. IoT provides us with intelligent water management options to address India’s water crisis. Let’s get in-depth on the Internet of Things and water management concepts in this conversation.

IoT for Water Management: Smart Sensors and Automatic Pumps

Installing level sensors and other equipment that is spread out over reservoirs and overhead tanks is necessary for efficient water management in homes and workplaces.

When the ideal level is reached, these IoT-based level sensors can determine a tank’s or reservoir’s maximum capacity and notify the central servers.

Regular transmission of this information to the central servers assists in calculating daily water usage and provides an indication of the amount of water in the reservoirs or storage tanks.

When the ideal level is attained, the water supply is instantly halted. Every time the water level reaches half of the container’s total water content, the automatic pump activates once again.

Using IoT to Manage Water: Intelligent Irrigation Watering schedules in the fields are automatically adjusted by smart irrigation systems, which continuously monitor weather, soil conditions, evaporation, and plant water usage.

This prevents water shortages and minimises water waste. The frequency and length of the irrigation schedule are determined by smart controllers using weather and/or site data.

Smart irrigation controllers with soil moisture sensors assess soil moisture content using IoT-based technology.

The sensors, which are buried in the root zone of turf, trees, or shrubs, properly measure the soil’s moisture content and send this information to the controller. There are two distinct sensor-based techniques for measuring soil moisture: •

Suspended cycle irrigation systems can be programmed with watering schedules, start times, and durations just like conventional timer controllers. When the soil is sufficiently moist, the irrigation system will halt before the next planned irrigation.

Water on demand Irrigation: It requires no programming of irrigation duration (only start times and days of the week to water). It has a user-set lower and upper threshold, which initiates irrigation when the soil moisture level fails to meet those levels.

According to industry experts, smart irrigation systems and controllers conserve water from 40% to as high as 70%, winning over traditional irrigation controllers.

A water-efficient irrigation study of the Saving Water Partnership, a coalition of 24 water purveyors, was conducted in Washington State’s Puget Sound and the results are astounding.

The reported water savings were 20,735 gallons per year per site for sites with rain sensor controllers and 10,071 gallons per year per site for sites using traditional controllers.

Smarter Cities with IoT-based Water Management

The WRG report goes on to state that many cities have also found that if they simply reduce water pressure in the grid, they also reduce leakage and minimize wear and tear on aging pipes.

Based on the historical data collected and analyzed by predictive analytics and combined with the consideration of special events, holidays, as well as the weather in that city, water consumption for a city may be calculated.

Issues like water wastage and unequal distribution can be addressed by ‘smart’ technologies such as Grundfos’ Demand Driven Distribution pressure control system, which can save both water and money by delivering optimal water pressure at any given time.

This system can automatically monitor grid use patterns with remote sensors and adjust the water pressure accordingly using a Grundfos software algorithm.

The Internet of Things technology also makes use of optimization techniques to send a notification to the residents regarding the unavailability of power on a particular day.

Internet of things for smart cities ensures that water as a resource is equitably distributed, and not wasted. Adopting a sustainable mindset is as much required as using smart technological innovations.

Individuals should start adopting eco-friendly practices and products. Simple measures like rainwater harvesting and water aerators go a long way in overcoming the crisis of water shortage.

Smart water management solutions from IoT Solutionz (an initiative by Pixel Solutionz,) with smart monitoring and automatic pump control services, help you cut down on power bills, and save water for later use. Interested? Call us for IoT-based water management solutions.

The incorporation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into business is leading to exponential growth and expanding business results.

A typical AI is trained and fed with inputs that it uses to analyze and act accordingly. AI was founded as an academic discipline in 1956 and has been modified till 2010.

Since then, AI is being massively incorporated into various domains of the business sector.

Generally, AI technologies are fundamentally enabling businesses to develop innovative products and services.

How AI and IoT are transforming businesses?

It has gradually led to a revolution in our work, mindset, and lifestyle. It helps in business engagement leading to effective and meaningful interactions with its customers. Broad categories of Artificial Intelligence:-

• Analytical AI:- It works according to the learnings based on a large amount of data and past experiences to generate meaningful insights and inform future decisions.
• Human-inspired AI:- It consists of Cognitive and emotional intelligence, predicting and understanding human emotions.

Insight into the incorporation of AI in various domains:-

• Facebook face recognition:- It is face recognition technology used by Facebook to identify a person present in a photo through tag suggestion. The notification for tag suggestions comes automatically as a part of AI.
• Chatbot:- It is an AI software that engages interaction between a machine and a human through messaging applications, mobile apps, etc.
• YouTube recommendation:- Above all, youTube provides video recommendations according to the search history of a user as a part of AI.
• E-Commerce:- Through AI, online shopping portals give recommendations of items based on our shopped items and search history.

Such implementation of Artificial Intelligence in business has created a revolution in generating new leads, and enhanced customer experience, thereby leading to business growth.

A relevant quote by Daniel Derin reveals the importance of AI – “From better chatbots for customer service to data analytics watching your company’s activities, AI in business is rapidly becoming a commonly used competitive tool”.

Internet of Things (IoT):- The Internet of Things is an evolving term these days that have impacted our daily lifestyle on everything, ranging from the way we travel to the process manufacturers follow to keep track of their inventory.

It is a network of interrelated computing devices connecting software and hardware systems, which has the ability to transfer huge data without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction.

Advantages of AI and IoT in business

These days, we are used to a lot of facilities which is conceptualized by IoT.

• Ola or Uber cabs:- The whole concept of booking these cabs just by a click on your mobile app is based on IoT as it is connecting software and hardware with the huge network of IoT.
• Investigation of food security:- Devices with built-in sensors connected to an Internet of Things platform help to detect the quality of food being carried by truck.

Thus the huge amount of data and information generated by connected devices enables us to make smart decisions that save time and money.