The MIOTY Alliance, of organisations promoting the novel low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) technology of the same name, has convened a working group to integrate IO-Link (IODD) data models into the MIOTY standard. The objective is to “bridge the gap” between OT and IT in MIOTY-based systems, to advance MIOTY’s position as an option for industrial IoT projects – and as a formidable alternative to LoRaWAN, notably. The alliance is working “to intensify [its] collaboration” with members of the IO-Link community, it said.
MIOTY (a portmanteau of MY IOT; stylised as mioty) emerged in 2018/19 as the go-to-market brand for the ETSI-defined telegram-splitting ultra-narrowband (TS-UNB) specification, co-developed by the Fraunhofer IIS in Germany, and initially promoted by Canadian firm BehrTech. It was designed to replace Wireless Meter Bus (M-Bus) in smart metering. It has since developed as an alternative for large-scale IoT in industrial settings, with claims about superior “reliability and scalability” compared to LoRaWAN, plus cellular-based LPWAN systems.
The so-called ‘telegram-splitting’ technique, defined in ETSI TS 103 357, means data is transferred through “multiple packets transmitted at varying times and frequencies” – meaning “high immunity to interference [and] exceptionally low power consumption”. Founding members of the MIOTY Allianceinclude Texas Instruments, plus various industrial automation and technology firms, notably Diehl Group, ifm, Stackforce, Ragsol, andWIKA, plus BehrTech, which sells licences the technology and sells branded MIOTY solutions.
The bidirectional IO-Link standard (IEC 61131-9) specifies a single-drop digital communication interface (SDCI) for small sensors and actuators. Its advantage lies in its ability to “integrate the simplest sensors and actuators into diverse fieldbus systems with minimal effort,” says a statement from the MIOTY Alliance. It works with sundry industrial controllers and fieldbus protocols (the numerical appendage in the 61131 standard from the IEC denotes it is a universal SDCI technology) – including Modbus, PROFIBUS, EtherNet/IP, AS-I, and so on.
Apparently, 22,000 distinct IO-Link products and over 36 million IO-Link nodes have been deployed worldwide. The alliance calls it “one of the fastest-growing technologies in industrial automation”. Separately, the team at Servotecnica writes: “Its goal is simple and clear: [to] extend the traditional digital input and output interfaces towards a point-to-point communication solution, whatever the fieldbus at the PLC level.” The new working group between the two sides wants to merge IO-Link “software tools” and MIOTY “technology prowess”, the story goes.
A statement said they “envision a harmonious integration of device on-boarding processes and the comprehensive system architecture of IODD.” It adds: “This collaboration creates a holistic bridge that facilitates the seamless transfer of pertinent data from the OT level to higher-level IT systems. [MIOTY]… technology unlocks the potential to implement novel applications in the industrial sector that were once limited by cost or feasibility constraints… This partnership lays the foundation for analogous systems, including those within the realm of industrial IoT.”
It continued: “The partnership… aims to seamlessly merge MIOTY technology with the IO-Link ecosystem, thereby expanding the scope of applications that were once deemed unfeasible. This collaboration streamlines integration, offering users a plug-and-play experience, eliminating time-consuming configurations. Members of the MIOTY Alliance can harness the benefits of describing specific sensor data via the IODD – a distinct advantage over traditional LPWAN technologies, making the integration of new sensors into existing systems more straightforward.”
The combination of MIOTY and IO-Link is a “stride towards a broader communication standard [which]… sets the stage for a future where the boundaries of IoT and industrial IoT are pushed to new horizons, the alliance said.
