ALBERT

Description: The ACT workshop "Enabling Sensor Interoperability" addressed the need for protocols at thehardware, firmware, and higher levels in order to attain instrument interoperability within and betweenocean observing systems. For the purpose of the workshop, participants spoke in tern of "instruments" rather than "sensors," defining an instrument as a device that contains one or more sensors or actuators and can convert signals from analog to digital.An increase in the abundance, variety, and complexity of instruments and observing systems suggeststhat effective standards would greatly improve "plug-and-work" capabilities. However, there are few standards or standards bodies that currently address instrument interoperability and configuration.Instrument interoperability issues span the length and breadth of these systems, from the measurementto the end user, including middleware services. There are three major components of instrumentinteroperability including physical, communication, and application/control layers. Participantsidentified the essential issues, current obstacles, and enabling technologies and standards,then came up with a series of short and long term solutions.The top three recommended actions, deemed achievable within 6 months of the release of thisreport are:A list of recommendations for enabling instrument interoperability should be put togetherand distributed to instrument developers.A recommendation for funding sources to achieve instrument interoperability should bedrafted. Funding should be provided (for example through NOPP or an IOOS request forproposals) to develop and demonstrate instrument interoperability technologies involvinginstrument manufacturers, observing system operators, and cyberinfrastructure groups.Program managers should be identified and made to understand that milestones for achievinginstrument interoperability include a) selection of a methodology for uniquely identifyingan instrument, b) development of a common protocol for automatic instrumentdiscovery, c) agreement on uniform methods for measurements, d) enablement of end usercontrolled power cycling, and e) implementation of a registry component for IDS and attributes.The top three recommended actions, deemed achievable within S years of the release of this reportare:An ocean observing interoperability standards body should be established that addresses standards for a) metadata, b) commands, c) protocols, d) processes, e) exclusivity, and f)naming authorities.[PDF contains 48 pages]

Description: NOAA

Description: Alliance for Coastal Technologies, CBL/UMCES