Off-The-Shelf IoT Gateways as a Viable Alternative to Traditional HMI Devices

Abstract

The modern industrial landscape is evolving rapidly, emphasizing digitalization and real-time monitoring and control. Human Machine Interface (HMI) devices have become a cornerstone in meeting these needs, facilitating seamless interaction between human operators and machines. However, the recent surge in demand for HMI devices comes at a time of heightened global supply chain issues, making getting these devices challenging for many organizations. Moreover, there is an increasing demand for added functionalities, such as enhanced analytical capabilities, driven by the need to improve decision-making processes and increase operational efficiency. The current disruptions in the supply chain are causing delays and shortages of specialized hardware, such as HMI devices. This scarcity is due to a lack of essential components for HMI device manufacturing, resulting in limited availability. The impact extends to many industries where HMI devices monitor and control complex processes. As a result, there is an urgent need for alternative solutions to address the immediate shortage while maintaining operational efficiency and minimizing disruption to established workflows. Considering the challenges above, we propose utilizing off-the-shelf Internet of Things (IoT) gateways as a viable alternative to HMI devices. With their standard and more available hardware components, IoT gateways offer a level of availability and ease of integration that can potentially address the current challenges faced in procuring HMI devices. Moreover, the proposed solution aims to not only restore the HMI functionalities but also enhance them by offering additional features.