Software Tools for Conducting Real-Time Information Processing and Visualization in Industry: An Up-to-Date Review

• Main Authors: Regina Sousa, Rui Miranda, Ailton Moreira, Carlos Alves, Nicolas Lori, José Machado
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-05-01
• Series: Applied Sciences
• Subjects: real time information processing; Complex Event Processing (CEP); data visualization; Power BI; Kafka; Spark
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/11/4800

The processing of information in real-time (through the processing of complex events) has become an essential task for the optimal functioning of manufacturing plants. Only in this way can artificial intelligence, data extraction, and even business intelligence techniques be applied, and the data produced daily be used in a beneficent way, enhancing automation processes and improving service delivery. Therefore, professionals and researchers need a wide range of tools to extract, transform, and load data in real-time efficiently. Additionally, the same tool supports or at least facilitates the visualization of this data intuitively and interactively. The review presented in this document aims to provide an up-to-date review of the various tools available to perform these tasks. Of the selected tools, a brief description of how they work, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of their use, will be presented. Furthermore, a critical analysis of overall operation and performance will be presented. Finally, a hybrid architecture that aims to synergize all tools and technologies is presented and discussed.