IoT SAE

But du cours

Develop an IoT application and connect a device to the Internet in response to a real need, while gaining experience in project management and the development of value from an IoT product or service. This project-based learning and assessment activity (French acronym: SAE) develops the competency ‘Design an architecture for the Internet of Things’ at the 3A level: the first year of the French engineering cycle and the third year of higher education.

Acquis d'apprentissage visés

On successful completion, students will be able to:

• Analyse a need, identify stakeholders and define a feasible scope with verifiable requirements.
• Plan and monitor an IoT project using an appropriate methodology, with milestones, deliverables, risk management and traceable decisions.
• Design and justify a hardware and software architecture that connects a device to the Internet, accounting for connectivity, energy, size, processing, memory, security and deployment constraints, as well as social and environmental considerations.
• Implement a prototype using development boards, develop its embedded software and demonstrate priority functions through tests and measurements.
• Improve the prototype using test results and document its performance, limitations and opportunities for further development.
• Communicate design choices, progress and results to stakeholders through appropriate technical documents, presentations and demonstrations.
• Identify initial conditions for creating value from an innovative product or service: use cases, market, costs, intellectual property, licensing, partnerships and risks.

Prérequis

Foundations of embedded programming, networking and connected-device architecture. Supporting Semester 1 modules include IOT501 (IoT principles and architectures) and SHS503IOT (software project management). Version control, technical documentation and testing practices are applied throughout the project.

Programme

Students work in teams to develop an IoT application addressing a problem proposed by a project partner or the teaching team. Application areas may include environmental monitoring, instrumentation, equipment tracking, scientific observation or an interactive device. No particular sensor, microcontroller or network is prescribed by this generic brief; choices must be justified against user needs and constraints.

The project follows these stages:

1. Scoping: context, beneficiaries, use cases, objectives, minimum scope, risks, resources and work organisation.
2. Requirements specification: functional and non-functional requirements, priorities, acceptance criteria and a validation protocol.
3. Hardware and software architecture: sensors or actuators, microcontroller, communications, data, interfaces and embedded software. Design choices address battery life, embedded resources, security, operating conditions and social and environmental impacts. Estimates of hardware, development, deployment and operating costs support the feasibility assessment.
4. Initial working prototype (MVP v0): assembly using development boards, implementation of priority functions, sensing or actuation, processing and communication with a network service.
5. Iteration and validation (MVP v1): use test feedback to correct defects and improve the prototype, supported by quantitative measurements. Distinguish measured results, estimates and functions still to be implemented.
6. Communication and value creation: stakeholder exchanges, documentation, presentation of results and initial adoption or commercialisation prospects appropriate to the project.

Eight deliverables provide the expected evidence:

• A project scoping note.
• A presentation of the scoping note.
• A requirements specification.
• A hardware and software architecture document.
• A presentation of the requirements specification.
• An MVP v0, with source code, documentation and test evidence.
• An MVP v1 incorporating validation feedback.
• A final presentation with a demonstration, results, limitations and next steps.

The Git repository retains source code, documents, submitted versions and test evidence. The project may also support the Systems and Networks assessment: device/server interfaces are coordinated, while each assessment retains its own deliverables and criteria. The detailed project brief, submission formats, deadlines and applicable rubrics are communicated at the start.

Modalités d'évaluation

Competency-based assessment by the ESIROI teaching team, drawing on written deliverables, the code repository, test evidence, presentations and demonstrations. Assessment rubrics and observable evidence are explained to students in advance and tracked in COBIA.

Assessment covers the five dimensions of the IoT competency framework:

• Application of appropriate project management methodologies and practices.
• Effective communication with stakeholders.
• Consideration of IoT-specific technical, deployment, security, social and environmental constraints.
• Concrete demonstration of feasibility through a working prototype and measurements.
• Anticipation of value creation and commercialisation requirements for an innovative product or service.

Criteria use the framework’s performance levels: unacceptable, insufficient, satisfactory and excellent. Weightings, thresholds and detailed arrangements follow the rubric applicable to the cohort. Feedback from the project partner informs validation of needs and use cases; the teaching team assesses all deliverables.

Bibliographie

• IoT competency framework, 3A level, and assessment rubrics in COBIA.
• Reference repository for the Semester 1 IoT SAE: deliverables and guidance on scoping, requirements and validation. Use the version and instructions applicable to the academic year.
• Technical documentation for the project’s selected components, protocols and tools; relevant standards and domain references for the use case.

Supports

Materials from supporting modules; the partner’s project brief and documentation; guides and templates for scoping, requirements, architecture and testing; development boards and software tools; the project Git repository and COBIA for submissions and assessment tracking.