Intelligent visual analytics (IVA) are advancing industrial operations, efficiency, safety, and productivity. Organizations are eager to adopt edge AI and computer vision to enable automated visual inspection and intelligent visual monitoring in remote capabilities and have emerged as crucial technologies that help optimize these factors. By integrating AI and computer vision with remote monitoring capabilities, industrial companies can reduce operator windshield time, increase operational safety, and significantly boost worksite productivity.
For remote or high-risk industrial sites, traditional inspections pose logistical and financial challenges. AI-powered solutions mitigate these constraints by providing continuous real-time analysis of equipment performance, environmental conditions, and security threats.
Company Background
The company in focus is a leader in AI-driven computer vision and intelligent visual monitoring for the industrial sector. With a focus on enhancing operational efficiency and safety, the software company provides a cloud-based automated visual inspection and intelligent monitoring platform to industries such as oil and gas, utilities, and renewables. Their solutions help organizations manage remote assets effectively, cutting down on personnel windshield time and significantly reducing operational risks.
Challenge
With their emphasis on providing intelligent visual analytics (IVA) to industrial operations, the edge computer must be capable of withstanding the various environmental challenges in high-risk, mission-critical deployments while also delivering key features such as:
- Operational durability and reliability in mission-critical industrial environments.
- Compatibility for deployment in space-constrained outdoor NEMA enclosures.
- Connectivity to support multiple Power over Ethernet (PoE) cameras and legacy equipment.
- Support for low-latency wireless communication technologies for remote deployments.
Solution
The RCO-1000 Series, a super-rugged industrial IoT gateway, met all the deployment requirements and has seen successful integration in similar deployment applications. It is purpose-built with industrial-grade durability and IoT-centric connectivity while maintaining an ultra-compact, power-efficient architecture.
- Real-time performance with Intel Atom x6425E Processor
- Rich IoT-centric connectivity including 2.5GbE LAN port for a PoE switch
- Ruggedized fanless and cableless design
- World-Class safety standards certifications: UL Listed, FCC, CE
- Watchdog timer and TPM 2.0 for hardware-based reliability and security
Benefits
Premio is an NDAA and TAA compliant edge computing hardware solutions manufacturer based in Los Angeles, California. Partnering with us has allowed many organizations and companies to ensure long-term reliability, gain dedicated sales and engineering support, and ensure expert supply chain navigation.
- NDAA & TAA Compliant for North American industrial quality and security standards
- Dedicated sales and engineering support
- Pre-configured manufacturing capabilities for faster time-to-market
The Challenges: Deploying Visual Intelligence Monitoring and Inspection at the Edge
Prior to partnering with Premio, the IVA company utilized an off-the-shelf hardware solution sourced from China. While initially sufficient, this system lacked the necessary regional standards certifications, ruggedization, and long-term reliability needed for deployment in mission-critical industrial environments across North America. They were tasked with finding a hardware partner capable of meeting stringent operational specifications while supporting regional compliance requirements.
NDAA & TAA Compliant Hardware Partner Hardships
Partnering with a hardware manufacturer with NDAA and TAA compliance was non-negotiable. These regulations ensure that the products and services used in government and industrial applications meet specific security standards. As the IVA company deployed its intelligent visual monitoring and inspection platform for industrial operations throughout North America, it was critical that the hardware solution complied with these standards.
IoT Gateway for Cloud-Based AI Performance
To unlock the AI-driven insights, the company needed an IoT gateway that could bridge the gap between edge sensor data telematics and cloud-based AI intelligence. Their platform relied on transmitting large volumes of real-time data from visual sensors to the cloud, where their AI monitoring platform would analyze and trigger actionable alerts. This required industrial-grade edge computing hardware built for high-speed data transfer, capable of maintaining reliable performance even in the most demanding and remote industrial environments.
Compatibility with Various IoT Cameras and Sensors
The intelligent visual monitoring solution relies on real-time video streams from various IoT cameras and sensors, including Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) cameras for remote site visibility. In addition to these sensors, the solution needed to consolidate data from existing SCADA systems as well. The IoT gateway is required to support both high-bandwidth networking ports and legacy equipment connectivity to consolidate all the data to a centralized hub for comprehensive monitoring and low-latency response times.
Low-Latency Wireless Connectivity Requirements
Reliable high-speed wireless connectivity is necessary to transmit vast amounts of data streams from remote sites to the cloud. The IoT gateway solution is needed to support the latest wireless communication technologies. This connectivity was crucial for maintaining real-time data flows and enabling the AI platform to process data and send alerts efficiently.
High-Risk, Mission-Critical Environmental Resilience
Oil and gas plants, as well as renewable energy facilities, present unique challenges that can impact the performance of electronics. The IoT gateway must be designed to withstand the rigors of remote, outdoor environments and maintain operational reliability in harsh weather conditions. Additionally, it must be retrofitted to the existing, space-constrained outdoor NEMA enclosure without extensive modifications.
The Solution: x86 Super-Rugged Industrial IoT Gateway
After thorough analysis of the specifications and requirements, Premio recommended the RCO-1000 Series, a super-rugged industrial IoT gateway engineered for mission-critical environments. It combines industrial-grade durability with comprehensive IoT connectivity options, making it ideal for enabling intelligent visual monitoring deployment. With proven success in similar industrial deployments, the RCO-1000 delivers key features to enable AI platforms at the rugged edge.
Real-Time IoT Gateway Performance
Powered by an Intel Atom embedded processor and DDR5 memory, the RCO-1000 streamlines high-fidelity data stream workloads without any performance bottlenecks. Operators can monitor sites remotely with low response times to make actionable decisions or be alerted of an event in real-time. Designed with low-power efficiency and industry-specific performance, it follows a 10-year product lifecycle for deployment consistency and ensures thermal management in extreme conditions.
Comprehensive Wired & Wireless Connectivity
The RCO-1000 delivers enterprise-grade connectivity in an ultra-compact form factor, seamlessly integrating with multiple PoE cameras and existing SCADA infrastructures. In this deployment, the IVA company maximized efficiency by connecting four PoE cameras to a single 2.5GbE LAN port through a PoE switch. This architecture established a homogeneous data ecosystem where all data sources were consolidated to a centralized hub for processing and transmission.
As for wireless connectivity, the RCO-1000 supports the latest communication technologies such as 5G networks and satellite systems like Starlink. This ensures consistent, high-speed, and low-latency connectivity to the cloud platform even in remote locations with industry-specific features.
NVMe Storage for High-Speed Data Aggregation
The RCO-1000 implements NVMe storage technology to efficiently process multiple high-fidelity video streams simultaneously. NVMe technology effectively eliminates I/O bottlenecks when aggregating data from multiple cameras. This technical specification ensures minimal latency during transmission to the cloud platform, while providing sufficient buffer capacity to maintain data integrity during network fluctuations.
Ruggedized Reliability in Outdoor NEMA Deployments
Engineered specifically for demanding industrial applications, the RCO-1000 series features a fanless, cableless architecture with an ultra-compact form factor that integrates seamlessly into existing NEMA enclosures. Its industrial-grade construction provides protection against ingress of dust and debris while supporting an extended operating temperature range. The system meets rigorous MIL-STD-810G standards for shock resistance and vibration tolerance, complemented by a wide power input range with integrated power protection protocols. These rugged features ensure mission-critical reliability whereas a commercial desktop workstation such as a NUC would fail.
Conclusion
The IVA company’s transition to a new edge computing solution, powered by the RCO-1000 Series, has enhanced its AI-driven visual monitoring and automated inspection capabilities. Furthermore, by partnering with Premio, they were able to meet the NDAA and TAA compliance requirements necessary for North American deployment. With the RCO-1000, they can now deliver real-time, high-fidelity data from remote sites to the cloud, enabling improved operational efficiency, safety, and security. This solution is pivotal in helping industrial companies reduce operational costs, mitigate safety and environmental risks, and improve productivity through autonomous, AI-powered visual inspections.