Dual-Modality IoT Framework for Integrated Access Control and Environmental Safety Monitoring with Real-Time Cloud Analytics

TL;DR

This work tackles the fragmentation of security and safety systems by introducing a dual-modality IoT framework that unifies RFID-based access control with environmental safety monitoring via a cloud-enabled edge platform. It employs two autonomous ESP32-based subsystems coordinated through Google Sheets logging, enabling real-time access decisions and contextual safety analytics while maintaining fault tolerance and low cost. Key contributions include a three-layer architecture, multi-tier RFID authentication, adaptive flame detection, and cloud synchronization that yields high accuracy (RFID 99.2%, flame 98.5%) and robust logging (99.8% cloud success) at a total cost of 5,400 BDT with no recurring cloud fees. The approach demonstrates that integrated, professional-grade performance can be achieved affordably, offering scalable applicability across educational, industrial, and residential domains with potential for future analytics and sensor expansion.

Abstract

The integration of physical security systems with environmental safety monitoring represents a critical advancement in smart infrastructure management. Traditional approaches maintain these systems as independent silos, creating operational inefficiencies, delayed emergency responses, and increased management complexity. This paper presents a comprehensive dual-modality Internet of Things framework that seamlessly integrates RFID-based access control with multi-sensor environmental safety monitoring through a unified cloud architecture. The system comprises two coordinated subsystems: Subsystem 1 implements RFID authentication with servo-actuated gate control and real-time Google Sheets logging, while Subsystem 2 provides comprehensive safety monitoring incorporating flame detection, water flow measurement, LCD status display, and personnel identification. Both subsystems utilize ESP32 microcontrollers for edge processing and wireless connectivity. Experimental evaluation over 45 days demonstrates exceptional performance metrics: 99.2\% RFID authentication accuracy with 0.82-second average response time, 98.5\% flame detection reliability within 5-meter range, and 99.8\% cloud data logging success rate. The system maintains operational integrity during network disruptions through intelligent local caching mechanisms and achieves total implementation cost of 5,400 BDT (approximately \$48), representing an 82\% reduction compared to commercial integrated solutions. This research establishes a practical framework for synergistic security-safety integration, demonstrating that professional-grade performance can be achieved through careful architectural design and component optimization while maintaining exceptional cost-effectiveness and accessibility for diverse application scenarios.

Figures (6)

• Figure 1: System Architecture: Three-Layer Distributed Framework
• Figure 2: Circuit Implementation of RFID Access Control Subsystem
• Figure 3: Circuit Implementation of Safety Monitoring Subsystem
• Figure 4: RFID Response Times Across Different Presentation Scenarios
• Figure 5: Flame Detection Performance Across Different Distances and Conditions