Edge computing for critical environments: Vision and existing solutions

With the increasing connectivity of critical infrastructures through wireless technologies, the importance of edge computing is increasing manyfolds. Edge computing has become an important phenomenon combining the strengths of distributed computing technologies with those of telecommunication technologies. Therefore, new technological breakthroughs are happening in the realm of edge computing for critical environments, such as the next generation underground and open-pit mining. Since the mining technologies are moving at a faster pace towards digitization leveraging connectivity technologies, edge computing plays a crucial role in bringing computing and connectivity into mines to provide latency- and security-critical services on site. In this article, we study how edge computing fulfills the needs of critical environments, focusing on mining environments, and provides important insight into future research directions.