Lab Autonomy: IoT-Based Smart Laboratory Control and Monitoring System

Abstract

Manual laboratory operation is costly, slow, and difficult to audit. This paper introduces Lab Autonomy, an architecture that combines ESP32?based edge control, a secure Node.js WebSocket core, and a dual?database design (PostgreSQL for identity and audit; Influx DB for metrics) behind a Next.js dashboard. We also expose an OPC UA interface to align with industrial interoperability. In evaluations, round?trip command latency averaged 110 m-s under favorable network conditions, the control loop consistently met a sub?200 m-s target, and prototype scaling to 50 concurrent devices showed predictable, manageable latency growth with modeling up to 100 devices per server. Scenario modeling further indicates 15–18% energy savings from scheduling, occupancy cues, and closed?loop verification. These results indicate that low?cost edge hardware, when paired with persistent messaging and principled data separation, can deliver a secure and extensible platform for lab management.

Introduction

Traditional labs rely on manual, on-site management, limiting flexibility, observability, and energy efficiency. Lab Autonomy addresses these gaps by integrating embedded actuation, secure networking, and a unified web interface for responsive, auditable, and scalable control. Key improvements include energy savings (15–18%) via occupancy-aware automation, remote monitoring and control through a browser-based dashboard, continuous telemetry for predictive analytics, and token-based access with immutable logs for accountability.

System Architecture and Methodology
The system is built on a four-layer architecture:

1. Hardware/Edge Layer: ESP32 microcontrollers actuate relays and sample sensors (temperature, humidity, current, occupancy) with deterministic, safe firmware.

2. Communication/Middleware: A Node.js server handles WebSocket sessions, user authentication, role enforcement, command routing, and OPC UA integration for industrial interoperability.

3. Data Persistence: PostgreSQL stores secure, audit-critical data, while InfluxDB manages high-frequency time-series metrics for analytics.

4. Frontend Presentation: A Next.js dashboard displays a live lab map, device status, toggles, and historical charts for real-time monitoring and analysis.

Performance and Data Flow
Bi-directional WebSocket communication ensures low-latency actuation (~110–200 ms), while OPC UA standardizes device data for SCADA/MES systems. Actions are logged in PostgreSQL and streamed to InfluxDB, keeping the UI synchronized with physical device states, providing secure, verifiable, and real-time lab control.

Conclusion

Lab Autonomy shows that persistent messaging, principled data separation, and OPC UA semantics can elevate laboratory operations with modest hardware. The system delivers sub?200 m-s feedback, clean audit trails, and a path to industrial interoperability.

References

[1] Sharma et al., “IoT?Based Real?Time Automation using ESP32 Microcontroller,” IEEE Access, 2022. [2] R. Singh and N. Patel, “Implementation of OPC UA for Secure Industrial IoT Communication,” Springer IoT Journal, 2023. [3] M. Rahman, “Time?Series Data Handling in IoT Systems using Influx DB,” Elsevier Procedia Computer Science, 2021. [4] V. Gupta et al., “Real?Time Data Streaming using WebSocket and Node.js for IoT,” in Proc. IEEE Internet of Things Conf., 2022. [5] Y. Zhou, “Design and Optimization of IoT Dashboards using React and Next.js,” ACM Computing Surveys, 2023. [6] K. Bhattacharya, “Dual?Database Architecture for Scalable IoT Applications,” Journal of Emerging Technologies, 2022. [7] A. P. L. Karupaiya et al., “IoT?based Smart Laboratory System,” Int. J. Eng. Res. & Technol. (IJERT), vol. 9, no. 1, 2020. [8] Espressif Systems, ESP32 Technical Reference Manual, 2023. [9] Influx Data, Influx DB Documentation, 2024. [10] OPC Foundation, Introduction to OPC UA, 2023. [11] Node.js Foundation, “WebSocket Implementation using w s,” 2024. [12] Springer, “Suitability of Influx DB for IoT Applications,” 2023. [13] GitHub Repositories, “ESP32 OPC UA Client and Server Implementations,” 2024.

Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Mr. Pradeep, Rishika , Aditya Kumar Choubey, Piyush Bhandari, Tarun . This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.