This document introduces the OGC SensorThings API. It begins with an agenda that covers introducing IoT and sensor web, an overview of the SensorThings API and its benefits, and two case studies. It then provides background on the presenter and his company SensorUp, who developed the first implementation of the SensorThings API. The rest of the document discusses what the SensorThings API is, its benefits like being open, location-intelligent, and reducing time to market, and examples of its applications in environmental monitoring and disaster response. FAQs are addressed and two case studies are described in more detail.

1. OGC SensorThings API
Tutorial #1 - Introduction
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Dr. Steve Liang
Chair, OGC SensorThings API Standard Working Group
Founder and CEO, SensorUp Inc.
Associate Professor, University of Calgary

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Agenda
• Introduction to Internet of Things/Sensor Web
• SensorThings API Introduction and Benefits
• Case Studies

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About Dr. Steve Liang
• Associate Professor, Geomatics Engineering, Uni. Calgary
• AITF-Microsoft Industry Chair on Open Sensor Web
• Chair OGC SensorThings API Standard Working Group
• Co-Chair OGC Sensor Web Enablement Domain Working Group
• N.A. Chair, OGC University Domain Working Group
• Rapporteur, ITU-T SG12/11 on Internet of Things Test Specifications
• Founder and CEO, SensorUp Inc, a University of Calgary startup
(http://www.sensorup.com)

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About SensorUp
• We are a world leader in OGC Sensor Web and IoT
• We are leading several international IoT standard
development efforts (OGC and ITU-T)
• We developed world’s first OGC SensorThings API
implementation

5. Think about some Thing

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$29 - Wireless - 10 Sensors
http://www.ti.com/ww/en/wireless_connectivity/sensortag2015/

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Your Shirt

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Your Drinks
Vessyl

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Your Parking
Fybr

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Your Baby
sprouting.com

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Your Cat Poop

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Your Inhaler
propellerhealth.com

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Internet of Cows

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Your Light Posts
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/
2014-06-20/news/ct-big-data-
chicago-20140621_1_cell-phone-
data-big-data-sensors

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IoT Value Chain
Sensor
and
Actuator
Smart
Device
(Gateway)
Network
Device-
Cloud API
Data and
Analytics
APP-Cloud
API
System
Integrator/
Application
Provider
Customers
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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OGC SensorThings API Scope
Sensor
and
Actuator
Smart
Device
(Gateway)
Network
Operator
Device-
Cloud API
Data and
Analytics
APP-Cloud
API
System
Integrator/
Application
Provider
Customers
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
IoT Cloud
API for Sensor Data
and Control
SDKs
Dashboard
and
Device
Management
Sensor Data
Analytics

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What is SensorThings API
• An Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Standard (currently a candidate)
• Part of the mature OGC Sensor Web Enablement standards
• Provide the following functions:
• Sensor Data Management (sensing profile)
• Sensor Data Analytics (sensing profile)
• Command and Control (tasking profile)
• Event Detection and Notification (rules engine profile)

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Applications or
Devices
Web Server
(e.g., Cloud)
2. SensorThings API RESTful Interfaces for accessing
sensor data, tasking actuators and detect events
1. Standard Data Model based on ISO/OGC
Observation and Measurement
MQTT, HTTP, CoAP

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SensorThings API Benefits
• One coherent API and data model
integrate all your sensors (mobile
or stationary, remote or in-situ)
• future proof and extensible (in case
you need to integrate new type of
sensors into your applications)
• lower financial and technical risk
• lower training costs
• improved productivity
• great developer experience

20. sensorup.com@sensorup
• Open Standards
• less chance of being locked in by a
specific technology and/or vendor
• easier for systems from different parties or
using different technologies to interoperate
and communicate with one another
• improved data interchange and exchange
• data and system, i.e., your investments,
won’t become obsolete soon
• more choices available in the market
(closed source, open source, SaaS)
SensorThings API Benefits

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• Location Intelligent
• designed for both simple and complex
geospatial applications - indoor/outdoor,
geometry/network, stationary features/
moving features.
• designed for real-time applications
• e.g., fleet management, asset tracking,
disaster response
• designed for both in-situ and remote sensors
(e.g., drones)
SensorThings API Benefits

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• Reduce your time to market
• you can innovate based on world-class R&D
efforts
• you can leverage existing libraries, SDKs,
developer documentations, developer training
materials, knowledge bases, etc.
SensorThings API Benefits

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• Reduce your development and
maintenance costs
• you can innovate based on more than 10
years of R&D efforts
• you can leverage existing libraries, SDKs,
developer documentations, developer training
materials, knowledge bases, etc.
• no need to build and maintain your own
developer ecosystem
SensorThings API Benefits

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SensorThings API Maturity
• Adoption vote scheduled in December 2015
• OGC Compliance Test available
• Very complete SDK ecosystem
• At least four different server implementations
• Being tested in OGC Incident Management Information Sharing
Pilot (sponsored by Department of Homeland Security and IJIS)

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FAQ
• Is SensorThings API part of the OGC Sensor Web Enablement?
• YES.
• Is SensorThings API compatible with OGC Sensor Observation Services?
• YES.
• Is SensorThings API compatible with Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDIs)?
• YES.
• Can I use my existing GIS to connect to SensorThings API services?
• YES. For example, we have an ArcGIS plug-in available.

26. Case Study #1
• A pilot project funded by Department of Homeland Security and IJIS
Institute
• Problem:
• lacking a Common Operating Picture (COP) for various first responder
groups and disaster managers
• Solution:
• SensorUp platform allows various group to access heterogeneous
sensing systems
Case Study #1

27. OGC
®
OGC Pilot on IoT for Incident Management
Information Sharing
27
• Kick-off: July 2015
• Demo: January 2016
• Pilot project sponsor:

28. Case Study #1
• Opportunities:
• next generation first responders need to be protected, connected,
fully aware.
• sensors are everywhere, including smart shirts, plug-and-play
sensing systems, smart cities infrastructure
• lacking a Common Operating Picture (COP) for various first
responder groups and disaster managers
• Solution and Results:
• SensorThings API allows various groups accessing
heterogeneous IoT-based sensing systems within a coherent
platform
• enable interoperability
• can reduce implementation and training time and cost
significantly in the future

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Environmental Monitoring
Case Study #2
Environmental Monitoring

30. Case Study #2
• Opportunities:
• Rockyview County and Uni. Calgary researchers need better
groundwater information
• Affordable sensors allowing citizens (well owners) to contribute
groundwater level monitoring
• Lacking a Sensor Data Management Platform to integrate data
from more than 40 well owners
• Solution and Results:
• SensorThings API allows citizens to contribute their monitoring
data effortlessly
• Various groups accessing groundwater data within a coherent
platform
• Cheaper and better environmental monitoring that can be
integrated with other OGC systems instantly

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What to learn more?
• Developer Documentations: http://sensorup.com/docs/
• OGC SensorThings SWG Community Site: http://ogc-
iot.github.io/ogc-iot-api/
• Read our technical blog: http://sensorup.com
• Attend our webinars: http://sensorup.com/#signup

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Any Questions?