The VICINITY Concept & Approach underpinning the project

The primary aim of the VICINITY project is to provide the owners of connected IoT infrastructures with a decentralized interoperability. The concept of decentralism is expressed by the fact that the platform includes neither central operator roles, nor central databases to store sensitive data about users. Instead of that, it connects different smart objects into a “social network” called virtual neighbourhood where infrastructure owners keep under control their shared devices and data thanks to web based operator console called VICINITY neighbourhood manager (VNM). Guest IoT infrastructures, VICINITY enabled services as well as the VICINITY auto-discovery space are connected to a VICINITY interoperability gateway using the same VICINITY gateway API.

concept and approach

 

Using the VNM the user can control which of his/her IoT asset is shared with whom and to which extent. To get connected to the VICINITY platform, the users are provided with the VICINITY open interoperability gateway. More specifically, the integration to VICINITY can happen on:

  • Network/infrastructure level – to connect proprietary IoT infrastructures. In that case the users (or their system integrators) just need to take the open VICINITY gateway API with sample implementations and can easily develop an adapter to the platform. Once an IoT infrastructure is integrated to VICINITY, its owner can simply manage the access to his/her IoT data and controls using the VNM.
  • IoT device level – to connect standard IoT infrastructures. The users just need to take the open VICINITY auto discovery device and to register it with the help of VNM. The device will automatically discover the smart objects and they will appear in the user’s device catalogue on the VNM. Then the user can manage the access rules to his/her discovered smart objects using the VNM.

Once an IoT infrastructure is connected to VICINITY platform, the traditional IoT value chains become unlocked. It opens the doors toward seamless interoperability between IoT islands present in the current IoT landscape and enables the exploitation of independent value added services including various cross domain IoT applications.