Funded by UGA E-Mobility Initiative, Southern Company, and National Science Foundation
The increasing automation, software-defined control, and asset monitoring in modern electrical networks have significantly amplified the risks associated with faults and cyberattacks on critical infrastructure. Although academia has made notable progress in the development of anomaly detection and diagnosis algorithms, these advancements often rely on synthetic data or controlled simulated environments, creating a gap before practical implementation. Commercial electrical sensors currently in use primarily concentrate on monitoring primary power grids and have limited accessibility for research communities. The need for intelligent sensors capable of real-time, scalable, high-fidelity anomaly detection, as well as demand response control in building systems, is evidently unmet.
We are designing a smart electric sensor named “SmartPowerPlug.” The “SmartPowerPlug” offers programmable, scalable, real-time capabilities for high-fidelity anomalydetection, localization, diagnosis, and demand response control within the electrical devices and networks. The UGA team has been at the forefront of combining cyber and power system measurements to detect and diagnose anomalies in power electronics integrated power grids, harnessing advanced signal processing, machine learning, and deep learning techniques. Their work has particularly emphasized data integrity attacks, fault localization, diagnosis, and topology attacks.
The Smart Power Plug is a highly versatile device, integrating a wide range of functionalities that make it indispensable in various applications. Serving as a power sensor, power meter, power quality monitor, and AI application platform, it offers unparalleled flexibility for users. Its extensive suite of power measurement capabilities covers essential metrics such as voltage, current, power, power factor, frequency, and energy consumption, ensuring comprehensive monitoring and analysis of electrical systems. Moreover, its advanced power quality analysis features enable the detection and assessment of critical parameters including harmonics, inter-harmonics, imbalance, voltage fluctuation, flicker, surge, and sag. The plug’s indoor time synchronization capabilities further enhance its utility, ensuring precise timekeeping without reliance on external GPS systems. Powered by robust hardware components including a dual-core Cortex-A7 CPU, HiFi4 DSP, and real-time responsive MCU, coupled with a Linux OS and Python programming support, the Smart Power Plug empowers developers to innovate and create custom applications tailored to specific needs, thereby expanding its potential applications and utility in diverse environments.