NIT Andhra Pradesh develops device to monitor, control electrical loads

Researchers said the product that is intended to manage electrical energy and monitor appliance level health by utilising the existing electrical infrastructure will also reduce the recurring maintenance cost and power bill.

Researchers at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Andhra Pradesh have developed an ‘Edge Computing Stack’ to monitor and control electrical loads through Smart Power Line Communications. The device is an Internet-of-Things (IoT) based electrical switch designed to check the consumption of electrical appliances. 

The device has been developed by Phani Krishna Karri, Department of Electrical Engineering, NIT Andhra Pradesh, and LN Sastry Varanasi, Department of Electrical Engineering, NIT Andhra Pradesh. It is unique due to its hybridised approach of power line communication and Wi-Fi and has published an Indian patent.  

Karri said, “The system addresses energy mismanagement at consumer end, which is a problem for both utility company and customer. The product is intended to optimally manage electrical energy and monitor appliance level health by utilising the existing electrical infrastructure. This will also reduce the recurring maintenance cost and the power bill.” 

The system consists of two modules – master and slave. The master device communicates with a mobile device through a wireless medium. The slave device is directly connected to electrical appliances, which sense the voltage, current, power and power factor of each appliance. The sensed information is communicated to the master device through a power line communication. 

The system uses the existing electrical infrastructure as a communication medium inside the house or the organisation that records the consumption of each electrical appliance and makes it available for the user to monitor and control via a mobile device remotely. 

Researchers plan to establish start-up to commercialise product 

LN Sastry Varanasi said, “We are planning to commercialise the product by establishing a start-up and grow as an individual entity. However, for wider outreach, we are looking at licensing the technology to develop various products.” 

The unique contribution of this patent is the optimal usage of both Wi-Fi and power line communications, whereas the existing solutions are mainly based on Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a combination of both. The AI-based suggestive mechanism of this patent will help the user get notifications regarding the health of the appliance. 

CSP Rao, Director, NIT Andhra Pradesh said IoT-based monitoring system for individual appliances will help the consumer for balanced utilisation of energy and also save the power bill. 

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