According to Intel IoT is expected to be a multi-trillion-dollar market, with 50 billion devices creating 44 zettabytes (or 44 trillion gigabytes) of data annually by 2020. But that widely cited 50 billion IoT devices in 2020 number is clearly not correct! Forecast of 50 Billion Devices by 2020 Is Outdated. In 2017 we should be talking about about some sensible numbers. The current count is somewhere between Gartner’s estimate of 6.4 billion (which doesn’t include smartphones, tablets, and computers), International Data Corporation’s estimate of 9 billion (which also excludes those devices), and IHS’s estimate of 17.6 billion (with all such devices included). Both Ericsson and Evans have lowered their expectations from 50 billion for 2020: Evans, who is now CTO of Stringify, says he expects to see 30 billion connected devices by then, while Ericsson figures on 28 billion by 2021.
Connectivity and security will be key features for Internet of Things processors in 2017. Microcontroller (MCU) makers will continue to target their products at the Internet of Things (IoT) in 2017 by giving more focus on battery life, more connectivity of various types, and greater security. The new architectures are almost sure to spawn a multitude of IoT MCUs in 2017 from manufacturers who adopt ARM’s core designs.
ARM will be big. Last year, ARM’s partners shipped 15 billion chips based on its architectures. The trend toward IoT processors will go well beyond ARM licensees. Intel rolled out the Intel Atom E3900 Series for IoT applications. And do not forget MIPS an RISC-V.
FPGA manufacturers are pushing their products to IoT market. They promise that FPGAs solve challenges at the core of IoT implementation: making IoT devices power efficient, handling incompatible interfaces, and providing a processing growth path to handle the inevitable increase in device performance requirement.
Energy harvesting field will become interesting in 2017 as it is more broadly adopted. Energy harvesting is becoming the way forward to help supplement battery power or lose the need for it altogether. Generally researchers are eyeing energy-harvesting to power ultra-low-power devices, wearable technology, and other things that don’t need a lot of power or don’t come in a battery-friendly form factor.
Low power wide area networks (LPWA) networks (also known as NarrowBand IoT) will be hot in 2017. There is hope that f LPWA nets will act as a catalyst, changing the nature of the embedded and machine-to-machine markets as NB-IoT focuses specifically on indoor coverage, low cost, long battery life, and enabling a large number of connected devices. The markets will become a kind of do-it-yourselfers paradise of modules and services, blurring the lines between vendors, users and partners. At the same time for years to come, the market for low power wide area networks (LPWA) will be as fragmented and is already in a race to the bottom (Sigfox, said to be promising costs approaching $1 per node per year). Competing technologies include Sigfox, LoRa Alliance, LTE Cat 1, LTE Cat M1 (eMTC), LTE Cat NB1 (NB-IoT) and other sub-gigahertz options almost too numerous to enumerate.
We are starting to see a battle between different IoT technologies, and in few years to come we will see which are winners and which technologies will be lost in the fight. Sigfox and Lora are currently starting well, but telecom operators with mobile networks NB-IoT will try hit the race heavily in 2017. Vendors prep Cat M1, NB1 for 2017: The Cat M1 standard delivers up to 380 Kbits/second over a 1.4 MHz channel. NB-1 handles up to 40 Kbits/s over 200 kHz channels. Vendors hope the 7-billion-unit installed base of cellular M2M modules expands. It’s too early to tell which technologies will be mainstream and which niche. It could be that cellular NB-IOT was too late, it will fail in the short term, it can win in the long term, and the industry will struggle to make any money from it. At $2 a year, 20 billion devices will contribute around 4% of current global mobile subscription revenues.
New versions of communication standards will be taken into use in 2017. For example Bluetooth 5 that adds more speed and IoT functionality. In 2017, we will see an increase in the number of devices with the new Bluetooth 5 standard.
Industrial IoT to gain traction in 2017. Industrial applications ultimately have the greater transformative potential than consumer products, offering users real returns on investment (ROI) rather than just enhanced convenience or “cool factor”. But the industrial sector is conservative and has been slow to embrace an industrial IoT (IIoT), but is seems that they are getting interested now. During the past year there has been considerable progress in removing many of the barriers to IIoT adoption. A global wide implementation of an IIoT is many years away, of course. The issues of standards and interoperability will most likely remain unresolved for several years to come, but progress is being made. The Industrial Internet Consortium released a framework to support development of standards and best practices for IIoT security.
The IIoT market is certainly poised to grow. A Genpact research study, for instance, indicates that more than 80% of large companies believe that the IIoT will be essential to their future success. In a recent market analysis by Industry ARC, for instance, the projected value of the IIoT market will reach more than $120 billion by 2021. Research firm Markets and Markets is even more optimistic, pegging IIoT growth at a CAGR of 8% to more than $150 billion by 2020. And the benefits will follow. By GE’s estimate, the IIoT will stimulate an increase in the global GDP of $10 to $15 trillion over the next 20 years.
Systems integrators are seeking a quick way to enter the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) market. So expect to see many plug and play IoT sensor systems unveiled. There were many releses in 2016, and expect to see more in 2017. Expect to see device, connectivity and cloud service to be marketed as one packet.
IoT analytics will be talked a lot in 2017. Many companies will promise to turn Big Data insights into bigger solutions. For industrial customers Big Data analytics is promised to drive operational efficiencies, cut costs, boosting production, and improving worker productivity. There are many IIoT analytic solution and platform suppliers already on the market and a growing number of companies are now addressing industrial analytics use.
In 2016 it was all bout getting the IoT devices connected to cloud. In 2017 we will see increased talk about fog computing. Fog computing is new IoT trend pushed by Cisco and many other companies. As the Internet of Things (IoT) evolves, decentralized, distributed-intelligence concepts such as “fog computing” are taking hold to address the need for lower latencies, improved security, lower power consumption, and higher reliability. The basic premise of fog computing is classic decentralization whereby some processing and storage functions are better performed locally instead of sending data all the way from the sensor, to the cloud, and back again to an actuator. This demands smarter sensors and new wireless sensor network architectures. Groups such as the Open Fog Consortium have formed to define how it should best be done. You might start to want to be able to run the same code in cloud and your IoT device.
The situation in IoT security in 2016 was already Hacking the IoT: As Bad As I Feared It’d Be and there is nothing that would indicate that the situation will not get any better in 2017. A veritable army of Internet-connected equipment has been circumvented of late, due to vulnerabilities in its hardware, software or both … “smart” TVs, set-top boxes and PVRs, along with IP cameras, routers, DSL, fiber and cable modems, printers and standalone print servers, NASs, cellular hot spots, and probably plenty of other gear. IoT world at the moment is full of vulnerable devices, and it will take years to get then replaces with more secure devices. Those vulnerable devices can be used to make huge DDoS attacks against Internet services. The 2016 October 21 cyberattacks on Dyn brought to light how easily many IoT devices can be compromised. I expect that kind of incidents will happen more in 2017 as DDoS botnets are pretty easy to build with tools available on-line. There’s no question that everyone in the chain – manufacturers, retailers and consumers – have to do a better job securing connected devices.When it comes to IoT, more security is needed.
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Tomi Engdahl says:
Hackaday Prize Entry: A Complete Suite Of Biomedical Sensors
http://hackaday.com/2017/04/22/hackaday-prize-entry-a-complete-suite-of-biomedical-sensors/
More of an enabling platform than a complete project, [Orlando Hoilett]’s shield design incorporates a lot of the sensors we’ve seen before. The two main modalities are photoplethysmography, which uses the MAX30101 to sense changes in blood volume and oxygen saturation by differential absorption and reflection of light, and biopotential measurements using an instrumentation amplifier built around an AD8227 to provide all the “electro-whatever-grams” you could need: electrocardiogram, electromyogram, and even an electrooculogram to record eye movements. [Orlando] has even thrown on temperature and light sensors for environmental monitoring.
Biomed Shield for Arduino 101 Powered By Intel
https://hackaday.io/project/20912-biomed-shield-for-arduino-101-powered-by-intel
A sweet Arduino shield with a ton of cool sensors for physiological parameters such as heart rate and breathing rate
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Internet of Rice Cookers
http://hackaday.com/2017/04/22/the-internet-of-rice-cookers/
You’d be forgiven for thinking this was going to be an anti-IoT rant: who the heck needs an IoT rice cooker anyway? [Microentropie], that’s who. His rice cooker, like many of the cheapo models, terminates heating by detecting a temperature around 104° C, when all the water has boiled off. But that means the bottom of the rice is already dried out and starting to get crispy.
So [Microentropie] added some relays, a temperature sensor, and an ESP8266 to his rice cooker, creating the Rice Cooker 2.0, or something.
Esp8266 (rice) Cooking Machine
http://www.microentropie.com/2017/04/rice-cooking-machine/
Adding an ESP8266 to a rice cooking machine enables it to become an IoT, and enables me to have rice cooked exactly at the desired time.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Smart Child Seat Aims to Prevent Tragedy
http://hackaday.com/2017/04/21/smart-child-seat-aims-to-prevent-tragedy/
For most of us, a memory lapse is as harmless as forgetting to bring the garbage to the curb, or maybe as expensive as leaving a cell phone and cup of coffee on the roof of the car before driving off. But when the toddler sleeping peacefully in the car seat slips your mind in the parking lot, the results can be deadly.
[ayavilevich] came up with his own car occupancy sensor for child seats. Dubbed Fochica, for “Forgotten Child in Car Alert,” the system is clearly a proof of concept right now, but it has potential.
An Android app on a smartphone pairs with a BLE module to get the sensors’ status, and when the phone goes out of Bluetooth range while the seat is occupied, the app sounds an alarm. Simple, but effective.
Fochica – Forgotten Child in Car Alert
http://www.instructables.com/id/Fochica-Forgotten-Child-in-Car-Alert/
Fochica, forgotten child in car alert, is a no hassle, low cost and extensible system that helps prevent forgetting children in vehicles.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Device for Seismic Noise Analysis
https://hackaday.io/project/20735-device-for-seismic-noise-analysis
A device that monitors the statistics of the magnitude and the 3-D direction of seismic noise might detect earthquakes just before they hit.
Tomi Engdahl says:
How Many Watts Are You Using?
http://hackaday.com/2017/04/22/how-many-watts-are-you-using/
[Bogdan] built up a simple whole-apartment power monitor from scratch over the weekend, and he’s been nice enough to walk us through the whole procedure, starting with picking up a split-core CT sensor and ending up with a finished project.
The brains of his project are an ESP8266 module, which means that he needed to adapt the CT sensor to put out a voltage that lies within the chip’s ADC range of 0 V to 3.3 V.
The microcontroller reads the ADC frequently, does a little math, and you’re done.
The rest of the code was borrowed from here or there. EmonLib takes care of the math, ArduinoOTA allows him to reflash the firmware over the air, and Blynk takes care of making a nice Android app for visualization.
Power meter for the entire apartment
http://bogdan.nimblex.net/diy/2017/04/19/apartment-energy-monitor.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Week In Review: IoT
Startup raises $17.7M; HARMAN, IBM get a room; enterprises aren’t ready for IIoT.
http://semiengineering.com/the-week-in-review-iot-49/
August Home (formerly known as Kease), a San Francisco-based supplier of smart door locks and doorbell cameras, reports raising about $17.7 million from venture capitalists
Comcast has joined the LoRa Alliance as a sponsor member, and will have a representative on the alliance’s board of directors. Comcast will host the LoRa Alliance’s 8th All-Members Meeting
HARMAN Professional Solutions and IBM Watson Internet of Things have collaborated on Voice-Enabled Cognitive Rooms, which can be set up in corporate offices and medical facilities along with hospitality environments, such as cruise ships and hotels. The rooms bring together IBM’s Watson artificial intelligence technology, HARMAN AKG microphones, JBL speakers, and AMX AV control and switching systems. HARMAN is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics.
Synopsys this week added audio and high-performance sensor support for always-on IoT applications to its ARC Data Fusion Subsystem.
The IPSO Alliance says it is doing research and development to enable machines to easily exchange data and metadata without using translators. This is needed to offer greater IoT interoperability.
The Business Performance Innovation Network reports that a worldwide survey of about 350 executives and interviews with innovation leaders at large enterprises shows that many companies realize the importance of Industrial Internet of Things technology in their future, yet few are prepared to implement IIoT. Only 1.5% of respondents said they are clearly pressing ahead with IIoT implementation, while 57% said they are beginning implementation, have pilot projects in progress, or in the planning stages to employ IIoT tech.
Research and Markets has a report from Grand View Research,
forecasts the worldwide IoT in warehouse management market will increase to $19.06 billion by 2025.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Meysam Moradpour, director of digital ventures at Pizza Hut, has a 10-page report available on e-commerce, near-field communication, digital payments, and the Internet of Things
Pizza Hut: The Internet of Things is becoming the Internet of Commerce
https://www.nfcworld.com/2017/04/20/351679/pizza-hut-internet-things-becoming-internet-commerce/
Rapid innovation in the payments market resulting from the emergence of end-user device adoption and tokenization is leading to commerce experiences that are more seamless in nature and more convenient for the end user — but with such rapid change comes a need for a look in the mirror, says Pizza Hut’s director of digital ventures.
Meysam MoradpourAs commerce transitions to a “state of ambiance” with the introduction of the Internet of Things (IoT), the industry in its entirety stands to benefit from lucrative conversion rates and higher transaction volumes, Meysam Moradpour tells readers in an in-depth paper
The leap from consumers buying things to “things buying things” is not as great as one would imagine, Moradpour writes in the paper, which also provides an explanation of IoT, an outline of the differences between embedded and frictionless commerce and an insight into the potential that IoT holds for the future of retail.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IPSO Smart Objects
https://www.ipso-alliance.org/
Smart Object’ is a dynamic and ever-changing term. No simple definition will suffice. We are embarking into a new era of technology where devices, things, and objects get smart and connected from the smallest of sensors to fully autonomous intelligent machines. Various forms of Smart Objects will become extremely complicated with a large variety of characteristics and attributes. And consensus is needed on the formats of the data that gets generated or received by these Smart Objects.
Our work as an Alliance drives towards enabling IoT devices’ hardware and software interoperability. There is a market need and urgency for industry leadership in the definition of the next generation of Smart Objects and the IPSO Alliance is up to the challenge.
Starter Pack 1.0 Abstract
https://www.ipso-alliance.org/smart-object-guidelines/
The availability of Internet Protocol (IP) on constrained devices with memory sizes of 16 kilobytes or less, including IPV6 and 6LowPAN, has made possible a new kind of interoperability for connected devices and Smart Objects.
The IETF specify a set of standard protocols for IP-enabled networks in Constrained Resource Environments (CoRE), including the Constrained resource Application Protocol (CoAP) applicable to low power and low connection bandwidth devices. CoAP is an application protocol for machines and connected devices, as http is for web browsers, but designed specifically for machine interaction and operation over networks of constrained devices.
IPSO Smart Object Guidelines provide a common design pattern, an object model, that can effectively use the IETF CoAP protocol to provide high level interoperability between Smart Object devices and connected software applications on other devices and services.
Tomi Engdahl says:
White-hat Botnet Infects, Then Secures IoT Devices
http://hackaday.com/2017/04/24/white-hat-botnet-infects-then-secures-iot-devices/
[Symantec] Reports Hajime seems to be a white hat worm that spreads over telnet in order to secure IoT devices instead of actually doing anything malicious.
In a crazy turn of events, it now seems that the worm is actually securing devices affected by another major IoT botnet, dubbed Mirai, which has been launching DDoS attacks. More recently a new Mirai variant has been launching application-layer attacks since it’s source code was uploaded to a GitHub account and adapted.
Hajime is a much more complex botnet than Mirai as it is controlled through peer-to-peer propagating commands through infected devices.
” The author can open a shell script to any infected machine in the network at any time, and the code is modular, so new capabilities can be added on the fly. It is apparent from the code that a fair amount of development time went into designing this worm.”
So where is this all going?
So far this is beginning to look like a cyber battle of Good vs Evil. Or it’s a turf war between rival cyber-mafias. Only time will tell.
Hajime worm battles Mirai for control of the Internet of Things
https://www.symantec.com/connect/blogs/hajime-worm-battles-mirai-control-internet-things
The Hajime worm appears to be the work of a white hat hacker attempting to wrestle control of IoT devices from Mirai and other malicious threats.
A battle is raging for control of Internet of Things (IoT) devices. There are many contenders, but two families stand out: the remains of the Mirai botnet, and a new similar family called Hajime.
Hajime was first discovered by researchers in October of last year and, just like Mirai (Linux.Gafgyt), it spreads via unsecured devices that have open Telnet ports and use default passwords. In fact, Hajime uses the exact same username and password combinations that Mirai is programmed to use, plus two more.
But that’s where the similarities end.
Unlike Mirai, which uses hardcoded addresses for its command and control (C&C) server, Hajime is built on a peer-to-peer network. There isn’t a single C&C server address, instead the controller pushes command modules to the peer network and the message propagates to all the peers over time. This is typically considered a more robust design as it makes takedowns more difficult.
Hajime is also stealthier and more advanced in comparison to Mirai. Once on an infected device, it takes multiple steps to conceal its running processes and hide its files on the file system. The author can open a shell script to any infected machine in the network at any time, and the code is modular, so new capabilities can be added on the fly. It is apparent from the code that a fair amount of development time went into designing this worm.
Over the past few months, Hajime has been spreading quickly. Symantec has tracked infections worldwide, with large concentrations in Brazil and Iran. It is hard to estimate the size of the peer-to-peer network, but modest estimates put it in the tens of thousands.
Reasons behind the worm
There are some features that are noticeably missing from Hajime. It currently doesn’t have any distributed denial of service (DDoS) capabilities or any attacking code except for the propagation module. Instead, it fetches a statement from its controller and displays it on the terminal approximately every 10 minutes. The current message is:
Just a white hat, securing some systems.
Important messages will be signed like this!
Hajime Author.
Contact CLOSED
Stay sharp!
The above message is cryptographically signed and the worm will only accept messages signed by a hardcoded key, so there is little question that this message is from the worm’s true author
Tomi Engdahl says:
Guarding against attack
Users of IoT devices should take the following steps to help prevent their devices from becoming infected with malware.
Research the capabilities and security features of an IoT device before purchase
Perform an audit of IoT devices used on your network
Change the default credentials on devices. Use strong and unique passwords for device accounts and Wi-Fi networks
Use a strong encryption method when setting up Wi-Fi network access (WPA)
Disable features and services that are not required
Disable Telnet login and use SSH where possible
Disable Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) on routers unless absolutely necessary
Modify the default privacy and security settings of IoT devices according to your requirements and security policy
Disable or protect remote access to IoT devices when not needed
Use wired connections instead of wireless where possible
Regularly check the manufacturer’s website for firmware updates
Ensure that a hardware outage does not result in an unsecure state of the device
Source: https://www.symantec.com/connect/blogs/hajime-worm-battles-mirai-control-internet-things
Tomi Engdahl says:
Farming for the future: How one company uses big data to maximize yields and minimize impact
http://www.techrepublic.com/article/farming-for-the-future-how-one-company-uses-big-data-to-maximize-yields-and-minimize-impact/?platform=hootsuite
Foris.io has a mission: Make farms more productive and protect the environment while doing it. With a combination of hardware and machine learning from IBM, Foris.io aims to change the way we farm.
Foris.io’s goal was clear: Develop a way to collect data on soil to get the most benefit out of watering and fertilizing with minimal use.
Foris.io combines its Arduino-based hardware sensors with Watson machine learning, cognitive computing, and data analytics to form a completely proprietary system.
The systems Vegis and her team have built are hosted on Bluemix, IBM’s data storage, processing, and analytics cloud. “IBM’s tools have enabled us to save both time and money on programming and development,”
According to Vegis, cognitive computing platforms like Watson allow them to “take concept to prototype in a shorter period of time, which we know will improve our chances of securing funding.” That doesn’t just apply to her and Foris.io—it’s a huge benefit for all tech innovators.
With a probe installed, data gathering begins. The devices, capable of transmitting data several kilometers, measure moisture, pH level, salinity, temperature, and other factors, all of which are fed to Foris.io for analysis.
The data gained from soil sensors is combined with a variety of other environmental factors, such as weather, geographic location, crop yield statistics, and additional relevant data. Foris.io’s motto, “just enough • just in time,”
The global agricultural industry uses an estimated 70% of freshwater. Watering and fertilizing only as often and as much as needed eliminates excess water consumption, minimizes fertilizer runoff, prevents soil erosion, and curbs energy use.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Internet of Things (IoT) means when physical devices start communicating with each other and/or can be controlled remotely.
Your mobile phone will be connected to home automation system. Once you are in say, 100m distance from home, your mobile will send signal to the home automation system.
This will trigger a chain of actions like:
Garage door will open upon your arrival.
Lights will be turned on.
Thermostat/AC will adjust room temperature.
Air purifier will refresh the air quality.
Music will start depending on your mood.
Your coffee machine will brew a hot espresso.
Your geyser will start heating water for your bath.
Your fridge will give you a list of possible options for dinner depending on the items in fridge. And the list goes on and on….
We see that IoT is not one but a combination of many many different industries.
Source: https://www.quora.com/Who-are-the-leading-manufacturers-of-IoT-sensors
Tomi Engdahl says:
Who are the leading manufacturers of IoT sensors?
https://www.quora.com/Who-are-the-leading-manufacturers-of-IoT-sensors
US Key Players
IBM (U.S.)
Honeywell International Inc. (U.S.)
Digi International Inc. (U.S.)
InvenSense Inc. (U.S.)
UK and Europe Key Players
ARM Holdings Plc. (U.K.)
Robert Bosch GmbH (Germany)
Ericsson (Sweden), Libelium (Spain)
Infineon Technologies (Germany)
ROW
STMicroelectronics N.V. (Switzerland)
Tomi Engdahl says:
Top MEMS sensor suppliers of 2015
http://electroiq.com/blog/2016/08/top-mems-sensor-suppliers-of-2015/
Following is a top-line review of the three leading MEMS sensor manufacturers, based on 2015 revenue:
1. STMicroelectronics
2. Knowles
3. InvenSense
Tomi Engdahl says:
Bluetooth 5 Ready IP for IoT SoC Integration
https://www.synopsys.com/designware-ip/technical-bulletin/bluetooth5-dwtb-q217.html?elq_mid=8940&elq_cid=546544
The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) was formed in 1998 to define the Bluetooth standard. Since its formation, Bluetooth has transformed into a robust interoperable wireless standard that enables the Internet of Things (IoT). The newly released Bluetooth 5 specification continues that revolution. There are many wireless standards including ZigBee, wirelessHART, Z-Wave, WiSun and more, that have served niche applications such as smart homes, remote controls, building automation, and metering. Due to the different needs of each application, the industry is having difficulty finding interoperability between the Internet of Things devices among the fragmented set of standards and options available. The adoption of Bluetooth by the mobile phone has positioned it as a leading candidate to solve interoperability hurdles via a melting pot of different solutions that all include Bluetooth. Today, the use of Bluetooth has grown beyond traditional applications and into audio, wearable, and other small portable device and toy applications.
In 2016, the SIG addressed the key requirements of simple and secure wireless connectivity by introducing Bluetooth 5, which according to the June 2016 Bluetooth SIG press release, “quadruples range, doubles speed, increases data broadcasting capacity by 800%.” The evolution of Bluetooth to Bluetooth 5 continues to build momentum and “will deliver robust, reliable Internet of Things (IoT) connections” that make wearables and now smart homes a reality. This article describes the benefits of using Bluetooth 5 ready IP for easy IoT SoC integration.
some of the key features of Bluetooth 5:
Data rates from 1Mbps to 2Mbps with more flexible methods to optimize power consumption
Longer range via larger link budget and supporting up to 20 decibel-milliwatts (dBM) where local law allows
Higher permission-based advertising transmission to deliver Bluetooth messages to Bluetooth-enabled devices, especially beacons
Adaptive Frequency Hopping (AFH) based on channel selection algorithm to improve connectivity performance in environments where other wireless technologies are in use
Limited high duty cycle non-connectable advertising using intervals of less than 100ms for limited periods of time re-connectivity to improve user experience and battery life with faster connections
Slot availability masks to detect and prevent other wireless band interferences
Bluetooth low energy has become the de facto standard for IoT wearables, and now millions of Bluetooth-enabled beacons are inundating the market. Smart home applications such as smart plugs, door locks, and various other applications are also benefiting from Bluetooth features.
Bluetooth 5 will include follow up releases including setting the stage to enable Bluetooth low energy with audio according to WiFore CTO Nick Hunn in an October 2016 blog. This should enable very effective voice and audio applications using a power-efficient technology that extends portable device battery life from hours to days.
Traditionally, Bluetooth has been implemented in systems via combo chipsets that include WiFi and other wireless technologies. While a vast number of implementations are dual mode (low energy and classic) combo wireless chipsets, solutions only supporting the Bluetooth low energy specification are rapidly moving to be fully integrated into a single monolithic system to take full advantage of power consumption, process node alignment and higher performance. As an example, MCUs are now adopting Bluetooth low energy IP into their chipsets.
There are several reasons for wireless integration into a single SoC, including low power, cost, area and latency. Beyond power efficiency and latency improvements, wireless integration enables the removal of complete chipsets, reducing packaging costs and the required additional pads and power management IP.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Embedded Systems Editor Bernard Cole Passes Away
http://www.eetimes.com/author.asp?section_id=36&doc_id=1331637&
When at least 50% of embedded devices were standalone — at least 20 years before our current infant IoT world — Bernie envisioned a net-centric world where things were connected and communicating, where information was shared and making a difference.”
Bernie’s book, “The Emergence of Net-Centric Computing,” came out in 1999 and foreshadowed the connected, fog-computing world that we now take for granted (there are still five in stock on Amazon).
“He wanted the improvements that this would make for health, for productivity, for efficiency, and for the environment,” said Janice. “Challenged by severe diabetes, Bernie envisioned the day when telemedicine accurately monitored blood sugar and heart rates, allowing people greater freedom to live healthy lives. Bernie, many thanks for the many conversations, for your passion for all things embedded, for how well you treated clients time and time again, [and] for the many great stories you wrote. You will be missed.”
Bernie, along with his business partner, Toni McConnel, ran Techrite Associates, providing writing services and publication strategies for high-tech companies.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IoT tester for new requirements
mporting the IoT features to devices requires extensive testing, using Ready Modules can make it easier to get radio frequency approval. However, mobile operators may have other test requirements for network-enabled IoT devices.
Rohde & Schwarz has introduced tests for the testing of IoT devices using the new R & S TS-290 IoT Carrier Acceptance Test System for LTE Cat 1. It provides RF, protocol and performance tests on a single platform.
In addition to Cat M1, the radio part of the testing system can be extended to support, for example, Cat NB1, Wlan and Bluetooth standards.
Source: http://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2017/04/25/iot-testeri-uusiin-vaatimuksiin/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Verizon IoT devices testing specifications
https://odi-device.verizonwireless.com/Info/Open%20Development%20Device%20Docs/Certification%20Process%20Documentation/ODDeviceCertificationProcess.pdf
Tomi Engdahl says:
Developer Tools
https://community.imgtec.com/developers/mips/tools
Fully supported, powerful toolchain and development tools
for MIPS at an unprecedented price.
If you are developing platforms using MIPS M-class and I-class tools, you now have access to a fully supported, powerful state-of-the-art toolchain and development tools for around $45 per development seat – no licenses required!
Get started now by combining the Codescape GUI Debugger and Codescape Eclipse IDE, Bus Blaster JTAG probe, and Codescape MIPS SDK Essentials.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The world’s smallest IoT module on the 4G network
Swiss u-blox has received certification for its LTE network IoT module on the American Verizon 4G network. The Sara-R404M module supports class M1 connections and is the world’s smallest module in its kind.
There are two different versions of the LTE technology for different IoT connections. If the network nodes are in place and the data connection does not need to exceed 100 kilobytes per second, the selection will focus on the NB-IoT (Narrow Band IoT).
If faster data is needed on the network, shorter delay and sensor is in motion, the choice is in LTE-M technology. The Sara-R404M module has dimensions of only 16 x 26 millimeters and packed into an LGA enclosure, making it easy to integrate into a variety of devices.
LTE class M1 support means that the u-blox module consumes significantly less power than 3G or 4G modules with the same connectivity. The module is powered by battery power for up to 10 years and is also qualified for industrial temperatures (-40 to +85 degrees).
Source: http://www.etn.fi/index.php/72-ecf/6216-maailman-pienin-iot-moduuli-4g-verkkoon
Tomi Engdahl says:
White-hat Botnet Infects, Then Secures IoT Devices
http://hackaday.com/2017/04/24/white-hat-botnet-infects-then-secures-iot-devices/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Omesh Tickoo and Ravi Iyer’s Making Sense of Sensors (Apress)
http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/omesh-tickoo-and-ravi-iyers-making-sense-sensors-apress?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+linuxjournalcom+%28Linux+Journal+-+The+Original+Magazine+of+the+Linux+Community%29
In today’s data-driven world, we are surrounded by sensors collecting various types of data about us and our world. These sensors are the primary input devices for wearable computers, IoT and other mobile devices. Professionals seeking to better understand today’s sensor-rich devices and acquire knowledge and skills to develop innovative solutions that exploit them will be pleased to learn about the new book Making Sense of Sensors.
Starting with an overview of the general pipeline to extract meaningful data from sensors, the book then dives deeper into some commonly used sensors and algorithms designed for knowledge extraction. Practical examples and pointers to more information are used to outline the key aspects of Multimodal recognition. The book concludes with a discussion on relationship extraction, knowledge representation and management.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Low Power Wireless: 6LoWPAN, IEEE802.15.4 and the Raspberry Pi
http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/low-power-wireless-6lowpan-ieee802154-and-raspberry-pi?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+linuxjournalcom+%28Linux+Journal+-+The+Original+Magazine+of+the+Linux+Community%29
Low power wireless is heading in two directions right now: personal-area networks (LoWPAN) spanning up to 20–30 meters and wide-area networking (LPWAN) of up to 20 or more kilometers. The technologies at the physical layer are completely different and lead to different Linux solutions. This article deals only with LoWPAN.
The physical layer for LoWPAN is specified by IEEE802.15.4. This defines communication using various wireless bands, such as 2.4GHz, with a range of about 10 meters and data transfer rates of 250kb/s—good enough for most sensors, but not good enough to stream MP3s!
On top of IEEE802.15.4 is a variety of protocols: Zigbee, Z-Wave, Thread and so on. Of these, only the IETF 6LoWPAN is an open standard, and this is where the Linux development community has settled. This article covers only 6LoWPAN. I also ignore other wireless systems, such as Bluetooth LE.
6LoWPAN and Linux
6LoWPAN is IPv6 over IEEE802.15.4 wireless. That isn’t easy. IPv6 is designed for the current internet, while IEEE802.15.4 is designed for a different environment. You don’t need to worry about how this mismatch has been overcome, but it does mean you need to be aware that two different levels are dealt with here: getting two wireless devices to talk to each other and getting a networking layer talking over these devices.
The device layer is where physical hardware choices come into play. Linux supports several devices, such as the AT86RF230 series, the MRF24J40 and several others. The kernel needs to have those device drivers compiled in or available as dynamically loadable modules.
The networking layer requires 6LoWPAN support. Again, the kernel needs to have this compiled in or available as modules. These modules are the ieee802154_6LoWPAN, ieee802154 and mac802154 modules.
6LoWPAN Devices and the Raspberry Pi
The Raspberry Pi is a wonderful toy or a full-blown Linux computer, depending on your viewpoint. With its GPIO pins, it can act as a connection into the realm of sensors and actuators, while with Ethernet (and on the RPi3, Wi-Fi), it can be a part of LANs and WANs. For the IoT, it (and the Arduino) form an excellent bridge between the physical and ICT worlds. But, there are now IEEE802.15.4 modules available, and they can be used to turn an RPi into a “full-function 6LoWPAN device”.
I used the RPi with the OpenLabs “Raspberry Pi 802.15.4 radio”. This is an Atmel AT86RF233 radio on a small board with a header that allows it to be plugged straight onto pins 15–26 of the RPi. It can be plugged in facing out or facing in—facing in the right way to do it.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Companies ‘Get’ IoT But Struggle to Implement
https://www.designnews.com/iot/companies-get-iot-struggle-implement/621202856653?cid=nl.x.dn14.edt.aud.dn.20170425.tst004t
Manufacturers understand the importance of deploying IoT, yet most companies are just at the beginning stages of deploying IoT.
According to a study by Business Performance Innovation (BPI) Network , many companies are unprepared for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Yet the study results also indicate that most executives at those companies realize that the future of their business depends on it.
The study suggests that large-scale integrators and other channel partners will be among the biggest IIoT beneficiaries over the next several years. They will likely play a significant role in planning and implementation at many companies due to major internal gaps in the technical skills and management know-how needed to deploy and integrate IoT into operations and new products.
The study was promoted by responses BPI received when discussing emerging technology issues with major companies. “We conducted a number of studies on innovation, and IoT came up again and again, so we decided to do a deeper dive into the business value of the IoT,”
The results make it clear that a majority of corporate executives are beginning to understand the importance of IoT connectedness. A hearty 52% of executives at large enterprises—and 41% of executives at all companies—expect IIoT to have a significant or major impact on their industry within three years. Some 55% of all executives say IIoT is gaining adoption within their industries, including both pilots and larger-scale adoption.
While executives clearly understand the importance of IoT and IIoT, they are not necessarily jumping quickly to implement. “The top line is that expectations for the IoT are quite high, but most companies are not ready to compete in this area even if they believe the future of their business depends on getting smart in IoT,” said Murray. “We found gaps in the technical skills to take advantage of IoT. This sets up a classic situation of leaders versus laggards, where competitive forces rise up between those who get ahead of the phenomenon and those who lag behind.”
Just 1.5% of executives at large companies say they have a clear vision with implementation well underway. Another 57% are either beginning implementation, have pilots underway, or are committed and in the planning stages.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Here’s how the Internet of Things will explode by 2020
http://www.businessinsider.com/iot-ecosystem-internet-of-things-forecasts-and-business-opportunities-2016-2?r=US&IR=T&IR=T
The Internet of Things (IoT) has been labeled as “the next Industrial Revolution” because of the way it will change the way people live, work, entertain, and travel, as well as how governments and businesses interact with the world.
In fact, the revolution is already starting.
That brand new car that comes preloaded with a bunch of apps? Internet of Things. Those smart home devices that let you control the thermostat and play music with a few words? Internet of Things.
Here are some key points from the report:
In total, we forecast there will be 34 billion devices connected to the internet by 2020, up from 10 billion in 2015. IoT devices will account for 24 billion, while traditional computing devices (e.g. smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, etc.) will comprise 10 billion.
Nearly $6 trillion will be spent on IoT solutions over the next five years.
Businesses will be the top adopter of IoT solutions. They see three ways the IoT can improve their bottom line by 1) lowering operating costs; 2) increasing productivity; and 3) expanding to new markets or developing new product offerings.
Governments are focused on increasing productivity, decreasing costs, and improving their citizens’ quality of life. We forecast they will be the second-largest adopters of IoT ecosystems.
Consumers will lag behind businesses and governments in IoT adoption. Still, they will purchase a massive number of devices and invest a significant amount of money in IoT ecosystems.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IoT Market Forecasts
https://www.postscapes.com/internet-of-things-market-size/
Find and compare Internet of Things (IoT) market growth projections. Filter by Country, industry verticals, and historic charts by year…
The following Channel Guide will:
Help you drill down on Internet of Things growth projections by industry vertical (Enterprise, Healthcare, Analytics, Industrial and Software)
See analyst connected product device growth by Country (China, India, US, UK)
Filter based on specific analyst reports (IDC, Gartner, Machina, etc)
The “Internet of Things” (IoT) has a large number of definitions depending on who you are talking to. That being said industry analysts and companies are doing a better job at breaking down the IoT market segments and tracking their growth over time.
Several years ago the market for connected products and services was promising eye popping growth numbers of up to 100 billion units. Today, a majority of forecasts show a more tampered 20 billion or 30 billion units (while a few others say we are saying we are still severely underestimating size of impact).
Tomi Engdahl says:
Gartner Says 8.4 Billion Connected “Things” Will Be in Use in 2017, Up 31 Percent From 2016
http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/3598917
Gartner, Inc. forecasts that 8.4 billion connected things will be in use worldwide in 2017, up 31 percent from 2016, and will reach 20.4 billion by 2020. Total spending on endpoints and services will reach almost $2 trillion in 2017.
Regionally, Greater China, North America and Western Europe are driving the use of connected things and the three regions together will represent 67 percent of the overall Internet of Things (IoT) installed base in 2017.
The consumer segment is the largest user of connected things with 5.2 billion units in 2017, which represents 63 percent of the overall number of applications in use (see Table 1). Businesses are on pace to employ 3.1 billion connected things in 2017. “Aside from automotive systems, the applications that will be most in use by consumers will be smart TVs and digital set-top boxes, while smart electric meters and commercial security cameras will be most in use by businesses,”
Business IoT Spending to Represent 57 Percent of Overall IoT Spending in 2017
While consumers purchase more devices, businesses spend more. In 2017, in terms of hardware spending, the use of connected things among businesses will drive $964 billion (see Table 2). Consumer applications will amount to $725 billion in 2017. By 2020, hardware spending from both segments will reach almost $3 trillion.
“IoT services are central to the rise in IoT devices,” said Denise Rueb, research director at Gartner. Total IoT services spending (professional, consumer and connectivity services) is on pace to reach $273 billion in 2017.
“Services are dominated by the professional IoT-operational technology category in which providers assist businesses in designing, implementing and operating IoT systems,”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Open Development
Device
Certification
Process
https://odi-device.verizonwireless.com/Info/Open%20Development%20Device%20Docs/Certification%20Process%20Documentation/ODDeviceCertificationProcess.pdf
The purpose of this document is to define and describe the Open Development Device
Certification
process,
Device
testing and conformance requirements that
Device
s must
meet before they are certified for use on the Verizon Wireless Network.
This document describes the methods and procedurs used to ceritify
voice
Device
s,
voice/data
Device
s, and data only Device
s. This includes, but not limited to, PDAs, data
car
ds, M2M Device
s, embedded PCs, and more.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Today’s IoT demands intelligent security.
New strategies to protect the billions of devices that are coming online.
https://solutionslab.vzw.com/document/iot-security-credentialing-solution-brief/
The Internet of Things (IoT) is in the spotlight for good reason. A connected world promises new opportunities that can help businesses create efficiencies, control costs, engage customers and grow.
Tomi Engdahl says:
State of the Market:
Internet of Things 2016
Accelerating innovation, productivity and value.
https://www.verizon.com/about/sites/default/files/state-of-the-internet-of-things-market-report-2016.pdf
Tomi Engdahl says:
Beyond the dumb pipe: The IoT and the new role for network service providers The Internet of Things in telecom
https://dupress.deloitte.com/dup-us-en/focus/internet-of-things/iot-in-telecom-industry.html
During the rise of the Internet, communication services treated their network providers as little more than “dumb pipes,” providing bandwidth. The IoT revolution, requiring a dramatic increase in strong, secure communication links, offers providers an opportunity to not only play a larger role but to create new value.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Industrial Internet Now
http://industrialinternetnow.com/?gclid=CI621em0vdMCFVItGQodvMMArw
Industrial Internet Now is an online forum on how the Industrial Internet will change the world of material handling.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The problem with IIoT design
http://industrialinternetnow.com/problem-iiot-design/
As with all trends and innovations in their infancy, there is bound to be some premature efforts deemed as groundbreaking, when in reality they fail to sustain their relevant functionality beyond initial hype. According to EE Times editor Rich Quinnell, this has been the case with IoT design. “All too often the design behind these [IoT] devices is not all that smart. It’s clever, it’s innovative, but IoT designs are also all too often piecemeal and rushed to market. What’s being created is a system of systems, without the system-level design issues getting addressed,” Quinnell writes.
The Object Management Group (OMG) is nonetheless providing a remedy for “correcting IoT’s trajectory.” For his EE Times piece, Quinnell spoke to Matthew Hause and Graham Bleakly of OMG to find make sense of the issues surrounding current approaches to IoT design. “We’re trying to get people away from building the IoT by hacking,” says Bleakley.
http://www.eetimes.com/author.asp?section_id=8&doc_id=1331075
Tomi Engdahl says:
What does the Internet of Things mean for mobile network operators?
https://www.telecomstechnews.com/news/2016/jul/21/what-does-internet-things-mean-mobile-network-operators/
According to Gartner, there will be nearly 21 billion devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) by 2020. Regardless of whether or not this figure is accurate – some think it’s too high (in fact, Gartner has revised its prediction down in recent years) – mobile network operators (MNOs) are going to experience a rapid increase in the amount of devices communicating over their networks. This will require a fundamental rethink of the infrastructure enabling these services to run smoothly. Get this wrong and MNOs will quickly lose out in the battle to attract IoT spend, as well as our loyalty when it comes to voice and broadband services.
As well as an increase in volume, MNOs need to factor in that IoT devices may communicate very differently compared to smartphones and computers. Some IoT devices tend to exchange relatively small amounts of data and connect and disconnect to the network very infrequently. Examples of this are smart meters (e.g. gas or electricity) providing their latest values to a centralised repository. In contrast a connected car may exchange diagnostics information to this central hub while also offering mobile broadband services for in-car entertainment, thereby exchanging a lot of data over the mobile connection for a longer period of time.
This difference in ‘IoT endpoint’ behaviour places very different demands on both the network as well as the data centre responsible for processing and hosting this information. For example a 4G network is very suitable for the connected car use case, but may not be the best choice for the smart metering scenario.
Several mobile operators are currently rolling out low-power WAN networks (LP-WAN) such as LoRa or Sigfox which will work alongside traditional 3G/4G networks
On the data centre side, adopting cloud technologies is critical. The ability to quickly spin up a virtual environment delivering both the network functionalities as well as the IoT platform functionalities addressing the specifics to each IoT use case, is crucial. Indeed, due to the wide variety of IoT use cases there is no one-size-fits-all approach.
On the whole, the Service Provider industry is well on its way to building IoT ready infrastructures and services. As stated above, several service providers are rolling out LP-WAN networks to complement their existing 3G/4G mobile access infrastructure. Core network consolidation is also well under way which helps to reduce overall costs, but also allows for new services to be introduced much faster then before as the networks have become much simpler as a result of this consolidation.
Originally the primary goal of NFV was to reduce Capex and Opex for the service provider. However, SPs increasingly see NFV as a way to introduce new services and adapt existing services much faster than ever before. With IoT putting very different requirements on the network and applications they support, NFV deployments will be essential for SPs looking to address the IoT market.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IoT is everywhere, it’s everything and therefore often still unsuccessful.
Do you, however, do this with the internet? Even at least my generation goes to the net, but we are there. In the same way, IoT becomes a normal, new life. In companies, this means a possibility for new business models that utilize digitality.
In order for concrete results to begin, you need to develop a strategy and then choose the right tools:
1. Find the Right Software – Take advantage of API Interfaces
2. Select the communication solution sensors and test the battery life
3. Think about security – but do not stress in vain
Source: http://www.tivi.fi/Kumppaniblogit/dna/iot-sanoista-tekoihin-6643851
Tomi Engdahl says:
An Israeli startup armed with $45 million is taking on Google and Apple in the race to sell your personal data
http://nordic.businessinsider.com/otonomo-selling-car-data-2017-4?r=US&IR=T
Israel-based startup Otonomo is capitalizing on the fact that cars, once the symbol of American escapism, are becoming repositories of your personal data.
Cars have only become connected to the internet in the last few years, but sensors to support autonomous driving capabilities and smart infotainment consoles are contributing to an influx of data that the auto industry has never seen before.
McKinsey & Co. predicts car data could become a $750 billion industry by 2030.
So it’s no wonder everyone wants a slice of the pie
“Traditional car manufacturers will be joined by content/service providers, end-to-end mobility providers, infrastructure providers, and insurers in the competition for the connected customer as new services and business models will allow them to access customers in the car and target this new value pool.”
Founded in 2015, Otonomo uses a cloud solution to collect data, organize it, and sell it to third parties. The startup says it works with 9 major automakers
“Google and Apple are the best in the world at monetizing data. They want to do it also in the car and the car guys understand it,” Otonomo CEO and co-founder Ben Volkow told Business Insider. “[Automakers] see us as a strategic partner to help play the same game.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Build a Simple Surveillance System With the Raspberry Pi Zero W
https://blog.hackster.io/build-a-simple-surveillance-system-with-the-raspberry-pi-zero-w-9cde5ef5089a
The device is capable of live streaming in the desktop/mobile browser with remote access, and can store clips on Dropbox whenever it detects motion. It can even integrate with IFTTT, allowing you to receive an email or Slack message if Pigeon’s Dropbox folder changes.
Pigeon: a 3D Printed Cloud Camera That Uses the New Raspberry Pi Zero W
http://www.instructables.com/id/Pigeon-a-3D-Printed-Cloud-Home-Surveillance-Camera/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Basics on Why IoT Needs to Get Serious About Circuit Protection
http://www.electronicdesign.com/iot/basics-why-iot-needs-get-serious-about-circuit-protection?utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=10770&utm_medium=email&elq2=bb0fa77714d44632b328d4993febf706
The promise of the Internet of Things (IoT) is to network literally billions (and probably trillions) of smart devices together. This connectivity trend has been around for years, initially implemented in factory automation. The need for integration started with the implementation of smart sensors, which was driven by the need for greater productivity—while reducing energy consumption, improving quality, and decreasing maintenance costs and unscheduled shutdowns. By enhancing peer-to-peer communications, the automation industry paved the way for interconnected devices, showing how connectivity could bring the same benefits to other markets.
Circuit protection has been, and will continue to be, a major design consideration for IoT applications. Even with the increased usage of wireless devices, the main infrastructure components of IoT systems will continue to be “hard wired.” Automotive, home and building automation, and factory automation are just a few examples of vertical markets that will realize an increased need for circuit protection to ensure IoT reliability.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Philips launches wireless smart office lighting rather than PoE to reach the masses (UPDATED)
http://www.ledsmagazine.com/articles/2017/04/philips-launches-wireless-smart-office-lighting-rather-than-poe-to-reach-the-masses.html?cmpid=enl_leds_ledsmagazine_2017-04-26
With wired Ethernet opportunities limited, the lighting giant is now embedding ZigBee in lights and luminaires, and selling it as a service.
Philips Lighting today launched a wireless lighting-as-a-service initiative for commercial offices, hoping to convince building managers to implement smart Internet-connected lighting schemes that Philips has addressed to date with more expensive wired offerings based on Power over Ethernet (PoE) that appeals to a narrower audience.
The new cloud-linked Philips InterAct Office system embeds sensors and ZigBee communication chips inside LED ceiling lights and luminaires, and reduces energy consumption by controlling lights more intelligently. Sensors such as motion detectors turn lights on, off, up, and down as needed, and users can wirelessly pre-program — or “commission” — groups of lights to respond in certain ways at certain times. They can also directly control lights wirelessly using ZigBee from phones or tablets.
The smart lighting system allows remote, central management of floors or groups of buildings. Operators can view lighting schemes, energy consumption, room occupancy, and the like on a dashboard supported by Amazon’s cloud, and then decide whether and how to alter lighting schemes or even reassign building space. Information travels between the lights and the cloud server through a combination of wireless and wired Internet hops.
“Energy savings are just the tip of the iceberg,” said Emmanuel Sabonnadiere, CEO of Philips Lighting’s Professional business group, which targets commercial and outdoor environments. “Our ‘Light as a Service’ model frees customers to focus on their business, while information from sensors in the luminaires gives them unique insights into the use of energy and office space to enhance operational efficiencies.”
In PoE lighting, both electricity and data travel over Ethernet cable. One of its main advantages is that it can slash electrical costs on new buildings and major retrofits by eliminating traditional electrical cabling and the associated certified electricians’ costs. Ethernet cable, known for carrying data, can handle the low voltages that drive LEDs, renowned for their low energy needs.
“The PoE solution we have is aimed specifically at those large renovations of offices where they redo the entire caving and rip and replace the ceiling and so forth; and it’s ideal for new buildings,” a Philips spokesperson explained to LEDs Magazine. “In contrast, the wireless Philips InterAct Office is designed for retrofitting existing offices, which form the vast majority of office lighting projects worldwide.”
While PoE provides superior data bandwidth and control sophistication, the wireless package could well suffice for many offices, Philips noted.
In one feature that Cassis called “an important part of the story,” the embedded sensors and ZigBee communications chips draw on the same electrical power supply as the lights, using a Philips designed driver.
That could help Philips win sales in competition against a more conventional information technology provider who could provide chips and sensors but who would have to use either a costly second electrical power supply, or problematic batteries.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Smart cameras will help Spokane light its roads more intelligently (UPDATED)
http://www.ledsmagazine.com/articles/2017/04/smart-cameras-will-help-spokane-light-its-roads-more-intelligently.html?cmpid=enl_leds_ledsmagazine_2017-04-26
Controls company Echelon Corp.’s new “cognitive vision” system takes a maiden voyage in the Washington trial.
Fresh off a smart lighting project in which it relies in part on intelligence sent by remote IBM Watson computers, controls company Echelon is now also beefing up its ability to think on its own, as it has installed a trial roadway LED lighting system in Spokane that uses onsite intelligent cameras to detect traffic patterns and adjust illumination accordingly, without tapping remote information.
Spokane marks the first deployment for a patent-pending system that Echelon calls InSight Cognitive Vision, which it is marketing as an industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technology to support smart city and smart campus applications such as traffic-adaptive lighting.
“With InSight, traffic data is collected and processed at the edge of the network instead of on a central server,” Echelon said in a press release.
Echelon combines the smart cameras with its own local central management system, called LumInsight. It implies that the system works faster and more reliably than more rudimentary schemes. Information travels from LumInsight via a power-line Internet connection. Echelon plans to also offer that hop wirelessly in the future.
“This architecture enables faster action in response to changing conditions and minimizes network bandwidth requirements,” Echelon said. “With InSight, each unit analyzes video streams locally and makes decisions about what light levels to set based on traffic volumes and conditions, triggering higher levels during peak hours and lowering light levels during non-peak hours
Tomi Engdahl says:
Osram launches Simplux LED-centric smart lighting platform
http://www.ledsmagazine.com/articles/2017/04/osram-launches-simplux-led-centric-smart-lighting-platform.html?cmpid=enl_leds_ledsmagazine_2017-04-26
Designed for small- to mid-size commercial spaces with 100 network nodes maximum, Osram’s Simplux is intended to be an easy-to-install and -commission smart lighting system that can scale to full IoT applications.
Designed for small- to mid-size commercial spaces with 100 network nodes maximum, Osram’s Simplux is intended to be an easy-to-install and -commission smart lighting system that can scale to full IoT applications.
The Simplux smart lighting platform delivers wireless control of up to 100 network nodes or 10,000 ft2 in commercial installations.
In the Simplux installation, the ZigBee Wireless Lighting Controller does not connect to a centralized system. Instead, a smartphone can be used to communicate with the controller directly via Wi-Fi. The smartphone provides simple commissioning capabilities and Osram supplies pre-set default settings to allow lighting designers/specifiers to immediately have access to functionally controlled lighting on a room-by-room, zone, or individual-fixture basis.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Zilog® Announces New Single -chip 2.4 GHz RF Transceiver for Wireless ZigBee and IoT Connectivity
http://www.ixys.com/news/ZL20170307.pdf
Zilog®, a wholly-owned subsidiary of IXYS Corporation
(NASDAQ: IXYS) that specializes in application specific microcontroller (MCU) solutions
for the industrial, telecommunication, automotive, and consumer markets , today introduced its
RadioPulse MG2420 Transceiver, a single -chip 2.4 GHz RF Transceiver thereby expanding
its portfolio of RadioPulse wireless technology solutions.
Zilog’s MG2420 is a low-power 2.4 G Hz IEEE 802.15.4 and ZigBee compliant radio transceiver.
Its operation frequency covers an ISM band of 2.4–2.48 GHz. In addition to the standard data
rate specified in IEEE802.15.4, the MG2420 provides enhanced multiple data rates with channel coding (1 to 3 Mbps).
The MG2420 core operates at 1.2V, and its I/O pin voltages can range from 1.8V to 3.6V.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Stereax™
http://www.ilika.com/battery-technology/stereax-battery-technology
Ilika’s Stereax™ technology is the first solid state battery designed for the specific needs of the IoT space. The Stereax™ IP family offers compelling advantages over conventional lithium ion batteries, including: smaller footprint, faster charging, longer life span, low leakage and reduced flammability.
The Ilika Stereax™ roadmap focuses on three main battery requirements: miniaturisation, capacity in a small footprint and increased performance. The miniaturisation roadmap looks at increasingly smaller footprints at smaller currents (μA), making them ideal for small sensor driven devices. The capacity roadmap increases the amount of energy for a given active footprint by utilising Ilika’s patented stacking feature, which allows multiple cells to be stacked on top of one another. The performance roadmap focuses on higher energy density solutions that have additional requirements such as extended temperature range support.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mysterious Hajime Botnet Grows to 300,000 IoT Devices: Kaspersky
http://www.securityweek.com/mysterious-hajime-botnet-grows-300000-iot-devices-kaspersky
Hajime, a piece of Internet of Things (IoT) malware that emerged in October 2016, has already ensnared roughly 300,000 devices in a botnet, Kaspersky Lab researchers say.
The malware emerged around the same time the infamous Mirai botnet started making the rounds, and is targeting the same devices that this threat does, but without using them to launch distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. Instead, it simply closes some ports to keep the infected devices away from Mirai and similar threats.
What’s certain, however, is that Hajime’s author continues to update the code, as recently made changes were seen in the attack module. At the moment, the worm supports three different attack methods: TR-069 exploitation, Telnet default password attack, and Arris cable modem password of the day attack. The TR-069 exploit was implemented only recently, Kaspersky reveals.
TR-069 (Technical Report 069), a standard published by the Broadband Forum, is used by ISPs to manage modems remotely via TCP port 7547 (some devices use port 5555). By abusing the TR-069 NewNTPServer feature, attackers can execute arbitrary commands on vulnerable devices. Late last year, the TR-069 attack was used to crash nearly 1 million modems from Deutsche Telekom.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Oh Great, Now Alexa Will Judge Your Outfits, Too
https://www.wired.com/2017/04/oh-great-now-alexa-will-judge-outfits/
Amazon just introduced the Echo Look, a $199 Alexa-enabled camera that does everything Amazon’s original voice assistant can do, plus judge your outfits to help you decide what to wear.
Think of it as Amazon’s version of Cher’s computerized closet in Clueless. It can catalogue your clothes, suggests outfits, and help you choose one of two looks with its “Style Check” feature.
And that gets back to the point: Amazon didn’t create the Echo Look to make you look better. Oh, sure, the Look might help you with that. But Amazon created the Echo Look to sell you clothing. And there’s a ready market for just such a device, because so many people feel self-conscious about their appearance. And that raises the possibility that the Look might be incentivized to say, “Uh, that? Really? No.” so you’ll buy something.
“They want to sell things, so telling people that they look good just the way they are is probably not what they’re going to do,” says Weisz.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Will the High-Tech Cities of the Future Be Utterly Lonely?
https://tech.slashdot.org/story/17/04/26/2231253/will-the-high-tech-cities-of-the-future-be-utterly-lonely
The prospect of cities becoming sentient is “fast becoming the new reality,” according to one paper. Take Tel Aviv for example, where everyone over the age of 13 can receive personalized data, such as traffic information, and can access free municipal Wi-Fi in 80 public zones. But in a future where robots sound and objects look increasingly sentient, we might be less inclined to seek out behaviors to abate our loneliness. Indeed, one recent study titled “Products as pals” finds that exposure to or interaction with anthropomorphic products — which have characteristics of being alive — partially satisfy our social needs
Smart cities of the future
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1140/epjst/e2012-01703-3
Tomi Engdahl says:
ABB brings Watson intelligence to factories
ABB brings the cognitive capabilities of IBM’s Watson artificial intelligence into the factory. The companies told in Hannover, at the Industrial Fair, to start strategic co-operation to develop new types of cognitive industrial solutions. IBM also had a Watson audit solution based on the UHD camera.
Watson developer IBM introduced a Cognitive Visual Inspection solution based on Watson’s cognitive capabilities at a trade show, which eliminates the flaws in industrial production and reduces the time spent on quality audits.
Future cooperation will combine ABB’s Ability solution with IBM Watson’s Internet of Things capability. According to the companies, the solutions that are being developed will not be network-based systems that collect data. They are promised to be cognitive industrial systems that utilize data to identify and understand
Source: http://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2017/04/26/abb-tuo-watson-alyn-tehdassaleihin/
Tomi Engdahl says:
IoT Security: What We Need Next
http://www.eetimes.com/author.asp?section_id=36&doc_id=1331644
Do we need a group to certify that IoT products support some baseline security and privacy standards? If so, what are the standards and who is the group?
I get at least one if not handful of pitches a week from people who want to write guest articles about the lack of security in the Internet of Things. They all start the same:
“By 2020 there will be 10 gazillion IoT nodes connected…” The best ones make a few specific recommendations about using authentication and encryption.
It’s not enough.
Reading a transcript, I wondered aloud if we need a working group to define a set of basic security/privacy standards and a simple certification test for them. A logo could let consumers and business users know the products support at least fundamental capabilities.
In the event of a significant hack, the tools might even be useful to identify what holes need to be plugged. As a starting point, perhaps it is enough to require multi-factor authentication and encryption based on a hardware root-of-trust.
he devil is in the details:
First, who is the certification body?
Second, what requirements should go into the certification program?
Third, consumers may not appreciate the value of certification, particularly if meeting the requirements of certification increases the cost of a device.
The Cloud Security Alliance has an IoT working group identifying best practices, although it does not seem to have any plans for a certification program. The Industrial Internet Consortium released a security framework last year, although it does not address consumer IoT.
The Online Trust Alliance already has available a second version of its IoT Trust Framework. Earlier this year AT&T, IBM, Nokia and others formed an IoT Cybersecurity Alliance, another resource.
UL itself is a significant resource. It rolled out a test for cybersecurity software last year, and it posted a helpful blog on top IoT software security flaws. It’s not clear whether it has any certification for hardware IoT security
Tomi Engdahl says:
How Predix Works
https://www.predix.io/?utm_source=controlengineering&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=2017-05-NAM-%20DEV-HORZ-PREDIX-Inbound_campaign-Parent_MEDIA&utm_content=textad1
Predix helps you develop, deploy, and operate industrial apps at the edge and in the cloud. Securely connect machines, data, and analytics to improve operational efficiency.
The Predix System™ provides the software architecture and services required to make any machine an intelligent asset – bringing actionable insights to every part of industrial infrastructure and operations.
You can analyze almost any data stream from any machine or test equipment connected to the Predix cloud to create an automated analytics model for monitoring, diagnostics, predictions, and control.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The internet of services in Industrie 4.0
http://www.controleng.com/single-article/the-internet-of-services-in-industrie-40/79ddc371412c92198ad7f27548cb8fd1.html
Manufacturers need to think through their business model with the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) or Industrie 4.0 and ask how can a product become a service with a long-term revenue stream.
There is much talk about the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). However, ‘things’ are just part of the plumbing. We connect devices, giving them, no more than, nominal intelligence. The real innovation is the internet of services. Manufacturers need to think through their business model and ask how can a product become a service with a long-term revenue stream. Many manufacturers, however, recognize this and are exploiting the opportunity to improve their operations.
Tesla is delivering vehicles with hardware and software which can be upgraded, their cars are sensor ready and software upgrades will provide extra intelligence, delivered via the internet. The customer could pay for the upgrades which then generates extra revenue for Tesla.
Otis is supplying elevators/lifts with sensors which send data into their cloud. The data is analyzed and Otis sells a predictive maintenance services package, again adding a long-term revenue stream.
It’s important to map out opportunities and match them against the realities of today’s technology.
The best way to avoid these mistakes and build a successful strategy is to learn from other manufacturers in a safe space.