The Role of Circuit Simulation in IoT Device Development

The Role of Circuit Simulation in IoT Device Development

If you work in programming or device manufacturing, you're no doubt familiar with the term IoT. And if you don't, you will almost certainly have experienced IoT – whether you know it or not.

The race to create IoT-embedded solutions can create pressure on design, development and manufacturing – but these devices have an array of common and specific considerations if they are to operate securely.

Navigating those considerations through prototyping and validation is a costly process but circuit simulation can provide an effective and efficient environment to model new systems and test their efficacy.

What is IoT?

IoT, or the Internet of Things, is the blend of the physical and digital worlds. It's a vast network of everyday objects – from your fridge to your Fitbit – that are transformed into "smart" devices by sensors, software and internet connectivity.

Sensors collect data such as environmental changes, movement patterns and more before prompting a device to take action – like a smart doorbell alerting you on a smartphone when someone is standing outside your door.

Three Is should underpin any IoT device: Instrumented, Interconnected and Intelligent.

These real-world examples illustrate the power of IoT:

• Smart homes: Modern thermostats can adjust temperatures by time of day (or year), lights can be set to switch on to match your schedule, and appliances like smart fridges can monitor the quality of the food stored within them. Smart speakers like Amazon Echo and Google Home are the hubs of many connected homes, allowing voice control of various appliances from your lights to a coffee machine.
• Wearable tech: Fitness trackers and smartwatches are prime examples of wearable IoT devices. They collect data such as your heart rate, step count and sleep patterns. This data can in turn provide insights into your wellbeing and fitness, syncing with other apps to create tailored workout plans and track progress towards health goals.
• Industrial IoT: In factories, sensors on machines can monitor performance, detect faults and predict optimal maintenance schedules. This allows for more efficient production and reduces costs. Similarly, smart farming techniques use IoT sensors in the soil to measure moisture levels and nutrients, enabling farmers to improve irrigation and fertilisation processes.
• Connected cities: Traffic lights that adjust patterns to ease congestion, self-regulating waste collection, and real-time air-quality monitoring are all examples of how IoT is being used to create smarter cities. These applications can improve efficiency, resource management and the overall quality of life for residents.

DesignSpark's Electronic Circuit Simulator

Our cloud-based Circuit Simulator is packed with all the tools and settings you and your team will need to test the viability of the circuits underpinning IoT devices.

It's designed with streamlined collaboration in mind, so you can share, embed, and modify "live" schematics to avoid lengthy lead times and spiralling costs associated with prototyping.

If you need team-wide access to Circuit Simulator, get in touch with us to discuss a multi-user quote and how a subscription can flex as your department evolves.

IoT challenges that circuit simulation can help with

As outlined above, the potential exists for IoT to touch almost all parts of our lives. Its ubiquity has grown rapidly, despite numerous hurdles that must be cleared when creating IoT devices.

Gauging scalability

Imagine attempting to evaluate the performance of an untested smart home system with dozens of connected devices. It would pose a logistical nightmare in the real world as you tried to ascertain the root cause of any faults and long-term performance would be almost impossible to guarantee.

This is where circuit simulation tools shine. They can create virtual networks populated with any number of devices, allowing developers to meticulously test how the system handles large-scale communication and data flow.

This virtual testing ground helps identify bottlenecks early on. Developers can then optimise performance by adjusting communication protocols or altering network architecture – all within the safe confines of the simulation before any physical devices are built.

This not only saves time and resources but also ensures a smooth-running system when it's finally deployed.

Keeping costs down

Physical prototypes for IoT devices can be expensive, requiring not only the components themselves but also the logistics of setting them up and managing them across the networks and systems that they are designed to operate within. Circuit simulation tools eliminate this need as developers can virtually test different circuits and configurations without any physical investment.

This allows for rapid iteration. Developers can explore design ideas freely, test functionality and refine their approach before committing to physical components. It also provides greater freedom and flexibility for creative design and innovative features to be tested and assessed.

This iterative process significantly reduces development costs and shortens the time it takes to bring a working IoT device to market.

Mitigating hacking risks

Introducing faults or simulating cyberattacks on physical devices can be a risky proposition. However, it is a vital aspect of IoT device development as their connected nature can make them more prone to attempted cybercrime.

Circuit simulation tools provide a safe and controlled environment to test these scenarios.

Developers can introduce virtual faults into the circuit and observe how the system responds. This allows them to identify potential weaknesses in the design and implement robust security measures before real devices are built.

Similarly, cyberattacks can be simulated to test the effectiveness of security protocols. This proactive approach using circuit simulation tools minimises risks and protects sensitive data that might be collected by the IoT device, benefitting end users.

Environmental pressures

IoT devices can be subjected to a wide range of environmental conditions that may influence their performance – from heavy-duty industrial settings that may feature extremes in heat and humidity to electric vehicles that can challenge a device's stability under movement.

These factors can be programmed into a circuit simulator to provide a detailed performance evaluation of your device and the wider network that it sits within.

Energy consumption

A significant number of IoT devices run on battery power, so understanding how they are likely to perform when performing complex tasks or connected to a wider network of systems is crucial.

IoT devices like wearables are often equipped with rechargeable batteries but others, such as industrial handsets and some medical devices, may need consistent and long-lasting battery performance to be viable products.

A circuit simulator can shed light on how performance, power and reliability will go hand in hand. For more information on simulating battery life, read our guide to battery emulators.

Interoperability Testing

A core aspect of IoT is the ability of devices from different manufacturers to work together, like puzzle pieces forming a complete picture.

This interoperability can be a challenge but circuit simulation tools come to the rescue. Developers can create virtual versions of various devices and test their communication protocols within the simulated network.

By identifying compatibility issues before physical devices are even manufactured, developers can eliminate square pegs from ever attempting to fit into round holes across the overall IoT network.

Why choose DesignSpark's Circuit Simulator for your IoT project?

• Unlimited public designs: IoT projects may involve several devices – and many more iterations of each! So we provide unrestricted access to help you drill down into the details as many times as is necessary.
• End-to-end solution: Our tool provides one simple place for you to undertake tasks in design, modelling, simulating and analysis for electronic and mechatronic circuits and systems. It has full coverage for analogue, digital, mixed-signal, and multi-domain systems, including electro-mechanical and electro-thermal functionality.
• Easy to use: The tool is cloud-based, so you don't need to download a thing. You can quickly and easily share simulation results with our interactive collaboration features. If you need assistance, explore our comprehensive library of tutorials or reach out to our experts for help.
• Multi-platform compatibility: Our Circuit Simulator is compatible with industry-standard VHDL-AMS models created on SPICE programs. You can either draw up circuits from scratch in the tool itself or import models that have been created elsewhere and test them in our environment.
• Flexible subscriptions: Sign up for a free-of-charge Explorer account and you'll be able to use every single feature of our Circuit Simulator with run times of one minute.

Upgrade to a Creator account and your run time extends to 60 minutes, giving you more time to test real-world operating conditions such as more detailed thermal and computer-intensive simulations. A premium Engineer subscription gives you access to private groups for further collaboration using Circuit Simulator, as well as a host of additional benefits in our other tools.

Check out our subscriptions page for full details.

Bolster your IoT project with DesignSpark's Circuit Simulator

Sign up today for a DesignSpark subscription and gain immediate access to our intuitive Circuit Simulator to streamline your journey into IoT.

[DesignSpark Electronic Circuit Simulator]

Register for a free account or a paid subscription and you will also have our full suite of tools at your fingertips.

• DesignSpark Mechanical: After you have perfected your circuit systems, you can bring everything to life with deeply detailed 3D renderings.
• DesignSpark PCB: Create an unlimited number of PCB schematic designs with vast libraries of symbols and detailed BOM so you can turn your plans into reality.

Visit our support centre for more information if you have any questions about our software or subscription plans.