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US-based Nigerian researcher develops technology to detect manipulation of electricity, water bills

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9 months ago

Ayanfeoluwa Oluyomi, a PhD candidate in Computer Science at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, has developed a technology that specialises in anomaly detection that involves things that have to do with an attack or an unsafe event that takes place.

He explained that the technology could be referred to as the cyber-physical system, which means the interaction between the physical world and the cyber world.

In an interview with the Nigerian Tribune, Oluyomi, who is a member of the prestigious Creative Research in Wireless Mobility and Networking (CRewMaN) lab, explained that “looking at the interaction of household water usage or the power usage of an individual house and collating those data, that is what I refer to as a cyber-physical system.”.

He further said that anomalies in cyber-physical systems that have to do with detecting abnormalities when it comes to systems like water distribution networks or electricity grids can go all the way to smart transportation.

“There can be instances where people will want to manipulate the smart metre that measures the water or power usage in the house or reduce what the utility company would see from their end because whatever they see from their end is what they will use to bill the person, so an individual or group of persons may want to reduce what they are actually consuming so that they can pay a lesser bill at the expense of the utility company,” he explained.

The researcher said when his technology is used, it is to detect manipulation as fast as possible to avert losses to individuals and utility companies.

“So, where I come in is that I want to detect these manipulations as fast as possible in the shortest amount of time to reduce the revenue loss for the utilities so that they can be able to bill correctly and detect if there is a form of reduction in the actual usage.

“The benefits are for everyone involved in the consumption of electricity, water, or any other company that uses smart metres. It is also beneficial to utility companies. Where it impacts consumers is that there are some people who will reduce their own bill and increase another consumer’s bill so that the utility company may not notice a decline in their resources.

“This technology is not limited to electricity and water bills; it is applicable to any interaction between the human world and the computer world,” he noted.

Oluyomi further noted that for Nigeria to adopt this technology, data collection from each house must be well accounted for.

“For example, in a given community, there is a smart metre for each of the houses; secondly, the connection of those smart metres to the utility should be smooth. The idea is to make sure that the usage is transferred accurately to the utility company; that is the infrastructure that needs to be put in place for the technology to be deployed in Nigeria,” he said.

At the Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Oluyomi is deeply engaged in the field of cyber-physical systems (CPS). His research centres on developing innovative and efficient algorithms for anomaly detection within these systems, particularly focussing on real-time, lightweight techniques that can identify and distinguish benign and anomalous behaviours in CPS.

His work is notable for its practical application, with successful implementations that demonstrate the scalability of these models to city-sized networks, which is critical for real-world deployment.

Oluyomi’s research journey reflects a strong commitment to addressing critical challenges in CPS, especially in enhancing the security and reliability of smart infrastructure. His expertise spans various aspects, including CPS, security, privacy, cyber security, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and integrating Internet of Things (IoT) sensors.

By leveraging machine learning and statistical methods, he aims to contribute to creating robust CPS security that can withstand and respond to anomalies effectively.

Throughout his academic career, Ayanfeoluwa has shown a keen interest in the latest advancements in CPS and related fields. His work is driven by a desire to bridge the gap between theoretical research and practical applications, ensuring that the solutions he develops are not only innovative but also applicable in real-world scenarios.

He is particularly focused on the intersection of CPS with security and privacy, exploring how these technologies can be integrated to enhance the functionality and security of cyber-physical systems.

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