The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) members are specifying interoperability interfaces and metadata encodings that enable real time integration of heterogeneous sensor webs and the Internet of Things into the information infrastructure. Developers will use these specifications in creating applications, platforms, and products involving Web-connected devices such as flood gauges, air pollution monitors, stress gauges on bridges, mobile heart monitors, Webcams, and robots as well as space and airborne earth imaging devices. OGC members have developed and tested the following candidate specifications: (1) Observations & Measurements (O&M) – Standard models and XML Schema for encoding observations and measurements from a sensor, both archived and real-time; (2) Sensor Model Language (SensorML) – Standard models and XML Schema for describing sensors systems and processes associated with sensor observations; provides information needed for discovery of sensors, location of sensor observations, processing of low-level sensor observations, and listing of taskable properties, as well as supports on-demand processing of sensor observations; (3) Sensor Observations Service (SOS) – Standard web service interface for requesting, filtering, and retrieving observations and sensor system information. This is the intermediary between a client and an observation repository or near real-time sensor channel; (4) Sensor Planning Service (SPS) – Standard web service interface for requesting user-driven acquisitions and observations. This is the intermediary between a client and a sensor collection management environment; (5) SensorThings API (STA) – a RESTful web service based on JSON encoding that provides an open and unified way to interconnect Internet of Things (IoT) devices, data, and applications over the Web. This is the intermediary between a client (e.g., web application) and an observation repository or near real-time IoT sensor/actuator.
