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 Forecast of 50 Billion Devices by 2020 Is Outdated.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:
How to pre-test your product’s antenna
http://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/5g-waves/4458585/How-to-pre-test-your-product-s-antenna?utm_content=bufferf9cb7&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
Your wireless product’s end-to-end success dictates that your customers will rely on your antennas to perform well in their system. Most hardware and software is thoughtfully tested before sale or deployment, but why are so many antennas ignored? The risks to system functionality and customers’ trust hang in the balance if you skip your antenna’s verification.
However, there is no reason to defer or ignore your antenna evaluation; help is available. This article will outline some basic antenna pre-testing techniques that can be used in your own design environment to quantify the basic effectiveness and functionality of your antenna.
Specialty laboratories can do a far more detailed antenna evaluation for you at cost effective rates. The results of an anechoic chamber antenna evaluation will provide insight and confidence throughout your company: from design engineering to parts procurement, right through to field support and customer success. However, there are pre-tests that can and should be done in your own lab, and they even include preliminary antenna gain measurements.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Internet of Things and Modular Design: Revolutionizing Hardware Design
http://www.techonline.com/electrical-engineers/education-training/tech-papers/4458109/The-Internet-of-Things-and-Modular-Design-Revolutionizing-Hardware-Design
The advent of the Internet of Things (IoT) offers the potential to automatically collect detailed performance information from every device in the field at minimal cost. This field performance data can then be crunched to identify design weaknesses and improve product quality. The most powerful way to use this data is to reorganize the design process by basing it on modules that are continuously improved based on performance feedback.
These optimized modules can then be shared and managed across the organization and used as the basis of the product development process, creating a closed-loop development process for the first time.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Path to a Trillion Connected Devices
https://community.arm.com/company/b/blog/posts/the-path-to-a-trillion-connected-devices
By continuing to drive innovation through the ARM ecosystem and into the market and by thinking creatively about the future, there is a tremendous opportunity for us all to deliver benefits to society. The ARM ecosystem will continue to be fully engaged: More than 100 billion ARM-powered chips have shipped in the company’s existence, and the next 100 billion will ship by 2021. We think the ARM ecosystem is the rallying point for tomorrow – and the heart of a future built on the silicon of a trillion secure, connected devices that will lead to world-changing inventions. Ten years ago, Masa and I were merely dreaming about such things, now – as part of a much bigger enterprise – we are helping to deliver them.
Tomi Engdahl says:
DIY GPS SMS Security Tracking System
https://www.eeweb.com/project/diy-gps-sms-security-tracking-system
This GPS SMS Security Tracking System project is a custom device designed to secure the location of stolen vehicle for recovery. It features a shock activated GPS SMS security tracking system making used of SIM5320E 3G module and arduino board as the controller. Since it is powered by a battery, the system uses sleep mode for power saving.
This GPS SMS Security Tracking System project is comprised of SIM5320E, which is a GSM/GPRS module, connected to a microcontroller through RX and TX pins. The piezoelectric transducer detects when the vehicle moves around, and the signal is amplified by an Op-Amp inside the MCP602P IC with an external differential configurations setup achieving a 4 to 5 V signal for the MCU signal compatibility.
The GPS SMS Security Tracking System project is suitable for tracking different types of vehicle. It can be modified for some specific applications related to tracking.
Make your own GPS SMS Security Tracking System
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeStrH-5Llo
Tomi Engdahl says:
EV Charging Stations Get Smarter
http://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1332035&
One the barriers facing widespread electrical vehicle (EV) adoption is the various elements required to support the charging infrastructure. For site owners looking to support charging stations, that includes easy management.
That’s why one of the pioneers in the EV segment is making it easier to manage charging infrastructure alongside other common building systems such as HVAC, electric and security: ClipperCreek Inc. recently introduced new advanced control interface for its HCS Series EV charging Stations. It comes in the form of an expanded functionality card, dubbed COSMOS, that provides an interface for integrating with building energy management or other third-party monitor and control systems.
Barrett said there are many variables with charging infrastructures that must be addressed, including the need to effectively managing charging stations alongside other systems. Other aspects include payment and processing for different scenarios, such as an app that enables pay-per-use at a station. Right now, there are a variety of service providers as well as public infrastructure.
In Europe, for example, the Open Charge Alliance (OCA) is pushing for the Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) standard that is already widely used in Europe to be the worldwide standard for payment collection and processing at networked charging stations.
“The overall market is moving toward more connected, networked systems for energy management,” said Mareca Hatler, director of research at ON World. The ClipperCreek solution allows this networking to be done through a single card, rather than directly. “It makes it a lot easier for its existing base of customers to integrate with building energy systems.” When you have more and more EVs charging at the same time, she said, it becomes more strenuous and costlier on the overall system.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Fluke Networks tops 5 million test results uploaded to LinkWare Live
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2017/07/fluke-networks-linkware-live-5-million.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cimdatacenternewsletter_2017-07-17
In a blog post on July 12, Fluke Networks’ Mark Mullins reported that the company achieved the milestone of having 5 million test results uploaded to the cloud via its LinkWare Live platform. “Thanks to all the contractors, installers and network maintainers around the world who rely on our Versiv family of products,” Mullins wrote in the company’s Cabling Chronicles blog. “You helped us reach a significant industry milestone.” He added that the rate of LinkWare Live uploads continues to increase: “Users are now uploading over 300,000 results each month.”
Mullins commented that the 5-million-upload milestone “is a significant demonstration that more and more of our users are embracing cloud services and connected technologies to transform the way their companies and employees work and do business.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
SMARC 2.0 | Next Generation Credit Card Sized Modules
http://intelligentsystemssource.com/smarc-2-0-next-generation-credit-card-sized-modules/
Why did we need a new module standard for x86 and ARM in credit card size? Because new technologies couldn’t be implemented with existing standards. That’s why SGET created the new SMARC 2.0 specification which is a perfect fit for utilizing the latest Intel® Atom™ and future feature-rich processors. Moreover, SMARC modules are expected to be the flagship for the high-end sector of credit card sized modules for many years to come.
When looking at the amazing new Intel® Atom™ processors (codename Apollo Lake) one can see that this low power technology offers very attractive features for Small Form Factor (SFF) applications. It is the first new really rugged processor launched in several years that includes support for the extended temperature ranges from -40°C up to +85°C as well as ECC support and real-time capabilities.
But do embedded designers need to develop everything from scratch? Using powerful Computer-on-Modules (COMs) offers massive benefits compared to full custom design for board level and system design engineers. Here are some of the key advantages of using COMs:
They offer the entire core, application ready and with full support of all specified drivers.
The carrier board for the modules provides dedicated interfaces wherever they are needed.
Design guides help engineers to design these boards properly and circuit diagrams, that often are made available for free, deliver a perfect blueprint to start a dedicated design.
The scalability provided by modules secures NRE cost in carrier board designs in the long term, consequently offering maximum payback on investments for decades.
The community helps with competitive pricing and provides a rich ecosystem of accessories for the designs.
Independent bodies such as SGET e.V, one of the standardization groups for embedded technologies, ensure the vendor independent development of the standards.
But which credit card sized form factor standard is the best? COM Express Mini cannot transport all the features of the new Intel Apollo Lake platform due to its comparably limited interface options with only 220 pins for the Type 10 pin-out. How about Qseven? Unfortunately it does not offer full feature support for up to three 4K displays with resolutions up to 4096 x 2160 @ 60 Hz?
the embedded module vendor community came together within SGET and defined a new revision of the SMARC specification which previously used some outdated parallel interfaces and was somewhat proprietary due to the undefined function block which was often used to route vendor specific interfaces. Now, new SMARC 2.0 modules are available with Intel Atom processors that bring massive improvements to the high-end class of SFF modules.
It is quite amazing to see how many features, vendors such as congatec have implemented on SMARC 2.0 modules. One example is the standardized RF connectors for antennas of wireless interfaces, which can be integrated on the module via a M.2 1216 slot.
Comprehensive wiring
But SMARC 2.0 modules are not only a perfect choice for this application area. Providing two Ethernet interfaces, they are also ideal for in-vehicle applications requiring a single cable to string systems up, like pearls, and for the horizontal as well as vertical integration of the systems in IoT gateway and edge server applications as well as industry 4.0 installations.
Talking about latest technology trends like USB-C, engineers highly welcome any application-specific, hardware-related software support from the COM manufacturer enabling them to quickly create new reliable custom specific applications.
A final note
Some vendors suspect that SMARC 2.0 will substitute Qseven. We do not think so, because Qseven only features 230 pins, which means it is by far a better option for smaller, low-power designs with fewer interfaces. As a result, it can also represent a better cost alternative to the fully featured SMARC 2.0 modules. Furthermore, Qseven is very well established in the embedded market and has a broad range of supporters, ensuring Qseven will remain the better design candidate for deeply embedded and cost effective embedded system designs.
Tomi Engdahl says:
CC3200STK-WIFIMK
https://store.ti.com/CC3200STK-WIFIMK-CC3200-WiFi-SensorTag-P44047.aspx?HQS=corp-uni-null-euwifistk-exah-storeevm-null-eu&DCM=yes
CC3200 WiFi SensorTag
TI Store Price:
Unit price: $39.99
The SimpleLink™ Wi-Fi® CC3200 SensorTag development kit is one of the quickest and easiest ways to connect sensors directly to the cloud!
The new Wi-Fi SensorTag kit is based on the low-power SimpleLink Wi-Fi CC3200 wireless MCU, the industry’s first Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ single-chip microcontroller unit (MCU) with built-in Wi-Fi connectivity. This allows the SensorTag kit to be battery powered from AAA batteries/
The Wi-Fi SensorTag kit includes 9 low-power MEMS sensors.
Connect directly to the cloud with Wi-Fi and get sensor data online in just a few minutes. The SensorTag kit configures the Wi-Fi connection out-of-the-box with the SensorTag iOS and Android™ app. No programming experience is required to get started.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Week In Review: IoT
Particle raises $20M; Arrow teams with IBM; IIoT market forecast.
https://semiengineering.com/the-week-in-review-iot-55/
Particle, the provider of a full-stack Internet of Things device platform for enterprises, has raised $20 million in Series B funding, bringing its total venture funding to $30 million. Spark Capital led the new round, with participation by Qualcomm Ventures and existing investors in the IoT startup. Machina Research estimates cellular IoT connections will increase from 334 million in 2015 to 2.2 billion by 2025.
Thinnect, a two-year-old startup that provides IoT technology to manage cooling, heating, and lighting in buildings, has only 14 employees; management is based in Sunnyvale, Calif., while the engineering team works in Tallinn, Estonia. The company is working with Estonia-based Cityntel to develop intelligent street lighting.
Senrio, an IoT cybersecurity platform firm, warns that a new vulnerability dubbed “Devil’s Ivy” could take control of security cameras and other connected devices through a zero-day exploit. It estimates millions of devices that use the gSOAP open-source code could be affected.
Arrow Electronics is partnering with IBM to provide IoT offerings in the Asia Pacific market. Arrow services will be combined with IBM’s Watson IoT platform. The companies will work with CASCADEMICS Solutions, an Industrial IoT provider. IDC estimates the number of connected devices in Asia Pacific will grow from 3.1 billion to 8.6 billion by 2020, fostering a market opportunity of $583 billion.
Envision Energy announced the formation of the Energy IoT and Smart City Technology Alliance, intended to bring together companies interested in the development of those markets. Accenture, ARM, and Microsoft are taking part, with other companies expected to sign on and participate. Envision will provide its EnOS IoT platform; ARM’s mbed operating system will be used to collect intelligence from physical assets to feed into EnOS. Microsoft’s Azure Cloud Platform will provide computing and data storage, while Accenture brings its Enterprise Service expertise.
EdgeX Foundry, an open-source project hosted by The Linux Foundation that is working on a common open framework for the IoT
The Bluetooth Special Interest Group this week rolled out its long-awaited mesh networking specification. Bluetooth mesh can be added to any device supporting Bluetooth 4.0 or 5.0. The wireless technology is expected to find applications in smart-home products. Meanwhile, a low-power Wi-Fi specification is under development, and the ZigBee mesh networking standard has its adherents and supporters, providing competition for Bluetooth.
Comcast plans to roll out its machineQ IoT network in a dozen U.S. metropolitan markets by next summer. The wireless network will serve hospitals and utilities, while also providing access to connected devices for other businesses.
CAS Technologia, Huawei Technologies, PinMyPet, and Vivo are working with u-blox on lab and field tests of narrowband IoT networks in Brazil.
Actility has a vehicle-tracking offering that combines its ThingPark IoT software platform with Abeeway’s Master Tracker hardware and low-power wide-area network gateways from Cisco Systems. The vehicle tracker will be offered in the U.S.
Visiongain forecasts the Industrial IoT market will be valued at $228.4 billion this year.
Huawei Technologies has developed the Huawei ME309-562 module, integrating the Monarch LTE-M/NB-IoT platform from Sequans Communications. The module will support IoT and machine-to-machine applications in North America.
Allied Telesis has introduced the scalable SwitchBlade x908 Generation 2 modular switch for IoT and smart-industry applications.
Dell is working with Emerson Electric, Innodep, Talisen Technologies, and TSSC to implement IoT technologies in their organizations.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Jan Wolfe / Reuters:
Roomba vacuum maker iRobot hopes to sell its users’ floor plan data, seeking deals with Amazon, Apple, and Alphabet
Roomba vacuum maker iRobot betting big on the ‘smart’ home
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-irobot-strategy-idUSKBN1A91A5
The Roomba robotic vacuum has been whizzing across floors for years, but its future may lie more in collecting data than dirt.
That data is of the spatial variety: the dimensions of a room as well as distances between sofas, tables, lamps and other home furnishings. To a tech industry eager to push “smart” homes controlled by a variety of Internet-enabled devices, that space is the next frontier.
Smart home lighting, thermostats and security cameras are already on the market, but Colin Angle, chief executive of Roomba maker iRobot Corp (IRBT.O), says they are still dumb when it comes to understanding their physical environment. He thinks the mapping technology currently guiding top-end Roomba models could change that and is basing the company’s strategy on it.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Smart Speakers Poised to Wake Up AI-Powered Homes
http://www.caixinglobal.com/2017-07-12/101114621.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Quality and safety standards for industrial communications cabling impact long-term bottom line
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/print/volume-25/issue-7/features/network-cable/quality-and-safety-standards-for-industrial-communications-cabling-impact-long-term-bottom-line.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cimdatacenternewsletter_2017-07-20
For industrial communications cabling, cost and performance specifications are often the most important factors considered when purchasing cabling for a new installation or retrofit. However, there are a wealth of other considerations that are often neglected for the sake of economic expedience. Among these oft-forgotten considerations are mechanical reliability and safety standards. Given that industrial communications cabling is now being relied upon for high-speed communications, control signaling, and video monitoring/surveillance in a wide range of industrial applications, fire safety codes and other safety standards may be the difference between a successful business or project and safety liabilities leading to bankrupting lawsuits. Furthermore, as counterfeit cabling has become so rampant, ensuring that an honest and reputable supplier is directly providing industrial communications cabling that meets all applicable safety standards, can also prevent liability and the risks to human life.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Power over Ethernet as IoT infrastructure for commercial spaces
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/print/volume-25/issue-7/features/technology/power-over-ethernet-as-iot-infrastructure-for-commercial-spaces.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cimdatacenternewsletter_2017-07-20
One of the most promising technologies allowing Internet Protocol (IP) convergence for building automation networks, Power over Ethernet (PoE) distributed networks deliver electrical power and transmit communication signals over standard low-voltage category cabling to various endpoints – including LED lighting, HVAC controls, cameras and other locally networked devices. PoE distributed networks offer high availability for power, guarantee uninterrupted service and lower operating expenses by providing network resiliency at a lower cost by consolidating backup power.
Smart lighting sets the stage
The need for “smart” lighting in commercial buildings set the stage for PoE distributed networks. LEDs require low-voltage DC power in contrast with older lighting sources, which use AC power. Distribution of power and data on low-voltage cabling is possible using the same category infrastructure deployed by the IT industry. Delivering significantly improved light quality, with smoother intensity and dimming functions, and dynamically adjustable color temperature, LEDs are versatile, efficient, secure and able to support available wattages in PoE networks.
PoE LED lighting requires the low-voltage power distribution and data communication backbone for control. Each PoE node receives a unique IP address, allowing integration of LED fixtures, sensors and other devices with other building automation systems. Powered with a simple RJ45 connector, lights, sensors and other devices become intelligent and are faster to deploy by eliminating the need for an electrician to line voltage infrastructure, rework wiring and install power outlets at every endpoint.
Sensors located throughout a commercial or office space, often embedded in LED lighting fixtures, can collect and feed data to a central host server to report and measure air quality, temperature, occupancy and real-time energy consumption for improved operational control and efficiency. Aggregate data collected over time translates into business insights, informing space utilization and flow patterns, dynamic conditions within specified areas, and how different spaces, floor, or buildings compare in terms of utilization, energy usage and productivity.
IEEE 802.3 standards define PoE networks, specifying the physical and data link layers for wired Ethernet networks, power sourcing equipment and devices using two-pair or four-pair connections to transmit power. The original PoE standard (IEEE 802.3af) based on 15.4W per switch port of power has increased to 30W in PoE Plus (IEEE 802.3at) using a two-pair power transfer format. Newer standards use a four-pair power transfer format designed to support 60W (UPOE) and more than 95W (POH) per switch port. UPOE technology uses all four twisted pairs.
Technologies used in PoE networks are well-defined by the industry in the IEEE 802.3 standards, which specify the physical and data link layers for wired Ethernet, power sourcing equipment and devices using two-pair or four-pair connections to transmit power and create a link to exchange data. A PoE distributed network operates across low-voltage category cable using the same proven infrastructure that the IT industry has deployed for over a decade.
Category 5e copper twisted-pair cabling was specifically designed to support Gigabit Ethernet (GbE). The four pairs in the cable support bandwidth of 100 MHz to transmit 1000 Mbits/sec. Category 6 cabling supports the 1000Base-TX protocol enabling GbE, supporting 200 MHz and adding a little headroom of 50 MHz. While Category 5e cable is the minimum that can be specified for a PoE network system, Category 6 23-gauge cable is recommended as best practice in new installation.
Rapid growth in the use of wireless devices is driving up demand for wireless access points in commercial spaces, which is a consideration when specifying category cabling for a PoE distributed network. Medium-speed Ethernet protocols – 2.5GBase-T and 5GBase-T – support the use of legacy Category 5e and popular Category 6, which offers the ability to minimally double speed, or multiply up to five times, allowing the use of high-end wireless access points and supporting new generations of switches. Category 6 supports both standards, whereas Category 5e is dedicated for 2.5G, although it can support 5G but with limitations.
A well-implemented PoE distributed network can deliver substantial value in commercial buildings and enterprises, including the following.
Well established and scalable Ethernet standards
DC power, ideal for LED and sensor applications
Eliminates dual-layer infrastructure for power and signal
Power and signal over single-layer infrastructure uses standard category cable
Easy-to-install endpoints using low-voltage standard RJ45 connections
Advanced control of tunable LED luminaires and dynamic/bio-adaptive controls
High availability, uninterrupted power service, and network resiliency
Tomi Engdahl says:
3 reasons the global IoT platform market will surge
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/print/volume-25/issue-7/departments/infrastructure-insights/3-reasons-the-global-iot-platform-market-will-surge.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cimdatacenternewsletter_2017-07-20
Technavio’s latest report on the global IoT platform market provides an analysis of the most important trends expected to impact the market’s outlook from 2017-2021. Essentially, the increase in the number of interconnected smart devices and sensors integrated into everyday consumer devices and physical assets is driving the market’s growth, contends the analyst firm. In addition, advances in technology have resulted in low-cost, compact, and energy-efficient sensors and communication devices.
According to Technavio, the global IoT platform market was valued at USD 420 million in 2016, and is expected to grow at a CAGR of nearly 32 percent by 2021. Sunil Kumar Singh, lead analyst for Technavio, specializing in research on the embedded systems sector, confirms, “The global IoT platform market is growing at a significant rate. The growth stems from the growing demand for digital transformations from traditional industries who are looking to gain a competitive advantage in their respective markets.”
Specifically, the top three emerging trends driving the global IoT platform market, according to Technavio, are as follows.
Development of an open WiFi network: OpenWireless.org is a “cyber activist” group seeking to improve the internet connectivity and access by encouraging sharing among users
Growing diversity in IoT standards: Vendors across the IoT market have been working in tandem on an open-source platform to ensure interoperability among IoT devices while setting some standards for devices.
Industrial internet revolution: “The industrial internet of things (IIoT) is a combination of big data analytics and IoT,” states Technavio. “It offers [several] opportunities for organizations across sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, manufacturing, mining, oil and gas, and transportation. Currently, these sectors account for 60 percent of the global economy.” At present, IIoT is in its early stage but is poised for tremendous growth, adds the analyst. “The increase in the number of sensors shipped has fueled the global IIoT market,” notes Singh.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IoT is accelerating the globalisation of food production and processing in developing countries
http://www.electropages.com/2017/07/iot-is-accelerating-the-globalisation-of-food-production/?utm_campaign=&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=article&utm_content=IoT+is+accelerating+the+globalisation+of+food+production+and+processing+in+…
A new research study about IoT from Inmarsat has shown that agritech businesses help many food producers meet increasingly stringent import requirements by monitoring food hygiene, production and sustainability through the use of IoT. This will accelerate global food production by enabling food producers in developing countries to export to other developed economies, where these regulations originate from.
The US and EU have both been raising import standards due to concerns about safe food production and sustainable. An example is the imposition of new traceability standards on fish imports. Forty-nine per cent of respondents in the ‘IoT in Enterprise 2017’ report ranked monitoring with improving health and safety because of industry and government regulation requirements as the main target in the deployment of IoT applications in agricultural sector.
The second most important reason for the development of IoT solutions was stated as environmental monitoring which, further reinforces the importance of regulatory demands in driving IoT in many sectors.
To help the industry keep track of their produce from farm to fork, IoT sensors can ensure import standards are adhered to, monitored and never breached. The ability to track food through the complete supply chain opens up new markets for agribusinesses based in the developing world particularly those in the US and EU.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Dummies Book Takes a Crack at the IT/OT Conflict
The book, Industrial Cyber Security for Dummies, looks at way to secure plants while preserving uptime.
https://www.designnews.com/cyber-security/dummies-book-takes-crack-itot-conflict/155168305457155?cid=nl.x.dn14.edt.aud.dn.20170720.tst004t
Not surprisingly, a book about industrial cybersecurity becomes a deep dive into the endless conflict between information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT). Each of the two professions has an unequivocal mandate, and the mandates are in direct conflict. IT is devoted to security; OT is committed to uptime. Put simply, IT says, “If you don’t load this patch, you’ll get hacked,” while OT says, “If we shut the plant down for your patch, we’ll blow our quarter.”
Tripwire, a Belden company, has partnered with John Wiley & Sons to produce Industrial Cyber Security for Dummies, a short book authored by David Meltzer, Tripwire’s CTO, and Jeff Lund, a product manager at Belden. The book takes a look at the details of how to secure an industrial network. Digital copies are available free at this Belden link.
http://info.belden.com/iit/cyber-security-for-dummies
Tomi Engdahl says:
IoT Myth Busting
https://semiengineering.com/iot-myth-busting/
How cost-sensitive are IoT edge devices, what are the real drivers for this industry, and what is the impact on EDA and IP?
The Internet of Things (IoT) means many things to a large number of people, but one thing is clear—every discussion involving the IoT invariably includes some rather dramatic growth predictions for how many connected devices will be sold and who will be the primary beneficiaries.
While that data helps spice up speeches, and typically gets people to read and quote analyst and financial reports, some of the underlying assumptions are wrong. And as the IoT begins to take shape across a number of markets, more companies are beginning to figure out what’s real and what isn’t.
Joe Costello, CEO at Enlighted, talked about the early days of the IoT in a speech at the recent Design Automation Conference. “There has been a tremendous amount of hype about the Internet of Things, and most of it was BS,” he said.
Several fallacies persist:
• Edge devices will be so cost-sensitive that it will be difficult for anyone but systems companies to profit from their development;
• All chips used in the IoT, and particularly for edge nodes, will be similar and do roughly the same thing;
• Much of the profit will be derived from cloud and services providers, which will reap the lion’s share of applications and services revenue.
What’s becoming clear is that as more devices are connected across a variety of sometimes related, sometimes unrelated markets, none of these assumptions is completely correct—and often they are completely wrong.
Standard platforms or custom silicon?
While there is an emphasis on cost-cutting for edge-node devices, this is true for any semiconductor-based device in any market. Should edge devices be built from standard platforms or custom silicon? Arguments can be made that both solutions reduce cost, but there is almost universal agreement on this—and history to guide us.
“Microcontroller companies have been threading this needle for years,” explained Drew Wingard, CTO at Sonics. “They work hard to reduce the cost of design so they can deliver a wide range of products. They are not always different chip designs. Sometimes it is the same chip in different packages or with features disabled.”
The mobile industry took a different path. “In the early days of the mobile phone industry, TI had OMAP, and they believed that if you used that then everything would be simple,”
“What happened was they did follow it for a while to get the initial set of phones to market. Then they realized that to capture any market share they need differentiation and they took that in different directions. Some did it in software and others in hardware, and the ones who were really successful did it both areas.”
Both solutions have a role to play. “There will be space for both platform and custom solutions within the IoT space,” said Oliver King, CTO for Moortec. “Certainly there will be applications that will require a focused optimized chip, while the barrier to entry with a platform will bring new players to the market.”
Total cost of ownership
Total cost of ownership may be a more appropriate metric for edge nodes, particularly those that are battery powered. Consider the cost to change a battery for each device in the field. It is likely that cost will swamp the initial cost of the silicon meaning that extra NRA used to lower total energy may quickly pay for itself.
“Battery and power consumption is a great example and then next is security,” said Lowman. “For security, the overall architecture for the end product far outweighs the cost of adding a little piece of security hardware where we may be talking fractions of a penny to the die.”
There is growing consensus around that. “Security is the heart of the new IoT platforms and part of their architecture,” adds Bell. “Rolling your own solution might be tempting, but getting it robust enough so that partners and users trust it will be a daunting task.”
Internet of Things
https://semiengineering.com/kc/knowledge_center/Internet-of-Things-IoT/76
Also known as the Internet of Everything, or IoE, the Internet of Things is a global application where devices can connect to a host of other devices, each either providing data from sensors, or containing actuators that can control some function. Data can be consolidated and processed on mass in the Cloud.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Week In Review: IoT
SAP’s IoT tool; Nodle.io launch; LP, cellular network forecast; oil & gas IoT report.
https://semiengineering.com/week-review-iot-7/
SAP brought out an Internet of Things tool called the Leonardo IoT Bridge, meant to connect sensor data from the field with business data systems inside enterprises. Leonardo IoT Bridge makes use of the SAP Leonardo cloud-based service. The German software company said it would partner with the Bosch Group to provide an IoT Bridge dashboard for delivery companies, keeping tabs on delivery vehicles and their packages, all in real time.
Nodle.io launched this week with software-based Bluetooth networks for IoT. Open Garden co-founder Micha Benoliel is the founder of Nodle, which uses cell phones to connect with IoT devices.
The SARA-R410M-02B configurable LTE Cat M1/NB1 multimode module was introduced by u-blox.
Visiongain forecasts the IoT market in oil and gas will be worth $16.89 billion this year
http://nodle.io/#/landing
Tomi Engdahl says:
What Does An IoT Chip Look Like?
As the definition of IoT evolves, so do architectures.
https://semiengineering.com/iot-chip-look-like/
Internet of Things chip design sounds like a simple topic on the face of it. Look deeper, though, and it becomes clear there is no single IoT, and certainly no type of chip that will work across the ever-expanding number of applications and markets that collectively make up the IoT.
Included under this umbrella term are sensors, various types of processors, a growing menu of on-chip and off-chip memory types, and a long list of I/O and interface IP, chips and chiplets. There also are different approaches emerging for packaging these devices, including custom ASICs in the cloud, various SoCs, 2.5D chips for the networks and servers, and fan-out wafer-level packaging for MEMS and sensor clusters.
In addition, there are safety and security considerations involved in developing chips that go into increasingly connected cars, medical devices, and industrial control systems. That adds to the complexity and cost, as well as the time it takes to design, validate, verify and debug these devices.
“IoT is kind of a catch-all for many, many different applications,”
“At the high level, IoT is about connecting things to the Internet that weren’t in the past, and then enabling services based on that,” said Jeff Miller, product marketing manager at Mentor, a Siemens Business. “There’s a lot that goes into it. In order to realize that, you have this a three-tier architecture—the servers and the cloud component, the gateway component that interfaces between the IoT edge devices and that cloud, and the IoT edge devices themselves that make up that interface between the Internet and the real world.”
Redefining the edge
What constitutes an edge device isn’t always clear. Three years ago, any talk of an edge device invariably circled back to a smart watch or a connected home appliance, which was supposed to send data collected by a number of sensors through some electronic gateway to the cloud for processing. While that seemed like a logical progression for technology at the time, the reality is that so much data is being generated by sensors that it’s energy-inefficient to send everything to the cloud for processing, and in some cases it’s too slow to send anything.
This is where designing chips for the IoT gets really confusing. On one hand, these devices need to be inexpensive. But in some markets they also need to be more reliable, more secure, and conform to a number of standards such as ISO 26262 in automotive, or the OMAC and OPC industrial standards for the IIoT. That adds to the cost and the time it takes to bring these devices to market.
“You have to be innovative everywhere,” said Dipesh Patel, president of the IoT Service Group at ARM. “That includes power, real estate and cost. Today, we’re seeing chips coming out at 55nm and 40nm. Moving those to 40nm and 28nm will provide more cost savings.
Other strategies for cutting costs are entering into this, as well. One involves packaging multiple sensors into a cluster to gain economies of scale. The thinking behind this approach is that it is less expensive to build that cluster, even if not all the sensors are deployed, than to build them individually.
“The direction is toward a more standardized sensor unit,”
As Mentor’s Miller noted, the edge is where a lot of the IoT-specific design challenges come into play. “At the IoT edge, that’s where we’re really seeing a lot of focus on making those devices as fit-for-purpose as they possibly can be. There are a number of things that drive things in that direction, and it revolves around the fact that these are really high-volume products. They’re connecting many billions of things to the Internet. They’re going to have to be inexpensive. They’re going to have be out in the field. And so they’re going to have to interact with the physical side and power requirements that have to be met. And they have to interface with the real world through sensors and actuators, and those involve high voltages, multi-physics, and things like MEMS and photonics and other physical domains besides just electronics. There’s really a lot that goes into making these devices. And they tend to be fairly well customized for the particular application area because they have to meet the power and physical size envelope, and have high volume requirements, and really have to drive cost down.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Infineon IoT Security and Sensing Solutions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjVNDBkRCQU&list=PLDglzuv1g_h9_TdwOGDnQLorJ6gtOGz7W&index=4
Discover the advantages of Infineon’s highly accurate DPS310 digital sensor with 5cm precision and their OPTIGA™ product family, offering multi-layer security for IoT applications. See how both can be integrated into a single application to accomplish even more in the Internet of Things.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Industrial IoT – Where is Silicon Valley?
http://www.electronicdesign.com/iot/industrial-iot-where-silicon-valley?utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=12064&utm_medium=email&elq2=186c0d64333d4bf3975ee8dd68ec17bd
The news provides a stream of reports that factory workers will be replaced by robots due to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). But actually, IIoT is transforming the way companies and factories operate by automating actionable information starting with the supply chain, through the factory floor, all the way to customers, and this will potentially save an exceptional amount of money over time.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Smartphone Innovation Ignites IoT Creativity
http://www.electronicdesign.com/iot/smartphone-innovation-ignites-iot-creativity?utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=12064&utm_medium=email&elq2=186c0d64333d4bf3975ee8dd68ec17bd
The unrelenting drive to add more sensor-based features at a lower cost in smartphones has opened up opportunities to create innovative IoT edge products.
For example, advanced technology drones, created by DIY experimenters can take full advantage of cheap smartphone sensors to create flight control, autopilot, navigation, and imaging systems.
Tomi Engdahl says:
aquaPionics
https://hackaday.io/project/2190-aquapionics
An Open Source Aquaponics Control System with sensors galore and control of the water valve. With a dashboard, data-logging and alerts too!
This is the prototype for our Waterelf project – now part of wegrow.social kickstarter!
Aquaponics systems need to be carefully tended to keep them working well as both the fish and the hydroponic plants need a consistent environment. We’ve made a solution – a control and monitoring system – from a number of open-source elements and created software to integrate them together.
An initial design decision was whether to base our project on Arduino or Raspberry Pi. Only these platforms seemed to offer the easy-to-access libraries we would need to interface to the wide variety of sensors we needed. I resolved this dilemma by choosing them both! I
The system uses an Arduino Mega (massive ‘rispetto’ to them!) to connect to most of the sensors. We wrote code that collects sensor readings every second and sends them over ethernet using the MQTT protocol. We chose MQTT because it’s a lightweight solution that’s a great fit for our needs, and there are high quality libraries available for Arduino and Raspberry Pi.
Some of the sensors connect directly to the Arduino such as the water and air temperature, the power measurements and the analog and digital water level switches. Some of the more specialised sensors connect via the Aquarium Ultra shield from Practical Maker
This open source shield provides an interface to a pH probe, an ORP probe (for sensing Oxygen level) and an EC probe (for sensing dissolved nutrients). It also gives a nice set of connections to many of the Arduino’s other I/O pins. Since we got a shield last year the design seems to have changed and the price reduced.
AAGriculture (Automated Aquaponic Garden)
https://hackaday.io/project/4686-aagriculture-automated-aquaponic-garden
An ongoing attempt to subsidize my foodly needs and maybe provide a template for others to use for their own homes.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IoT, Industry 4.0 Encourage FDT Open Standards
https://www.designnews.com/automation-motion-control/iot-industry-40-encourage-fdt-open-standards/29659189157150?cid=nl.x.dn14.edt.aud.dn.20170719.tst004t
A key trend in the quest for IoT connectivity is the development of software standards and information models that support integration of devices into new frameworks.
Device network integration is a key goal for automation and control vendors as the Internet of Things and Industry 4.0 initiatives move toward new global standards and enterprise wide connectivity. Integrating these physical assets and achieving scalable and secure access to device intelligence is a key trend as companies look to deploy new network architectures.
FDT is an open standard for enterprise-wide network and asset integration from sensors to the cloud. The newest developments with the technology include enhancements for cloud-based enterprise data access, mobility apps, and use of augmented reality. But another key milestone has been an ability to offer a bridge for device-specific information using the FDT/OPC UA information model to offer connectivity in Industry 4.0 and IoT applications.
In the last few years, the FDT Group has been working with OPC UA to provide greater access to information throughout the enterprise by making device-specific information available via the FDT/OPC Unified Architecture information model.
Mobility, Cloud, and Fog Solutions
Using the FITS IIoT server to provide additional web services increases the connectivity options for cloud-based enterprise data access, creation of mobility apps, and use of augmented reality for asset management and preventive maintenance.
The concept is to create a standardized approach for mobile access using browser technology or apps where the mobile device can be authenticated to access the server, and then have full access to manage devices on the network. This approach fits well with the growing trend of using apps for plant asset management and preventive maintenance, for example.
Use of augmented reality using a holographic human-machine Interface (HMI) and Microsoft’s HoloLens computing device takes the possibilities a step further. Users are able to view real-time data and analytics using hands-free operation, visualizing sensor status and live data for each sensor location. Users have a normal field of view using transparent glasses with the virtual content superimposed over the real or physical content.
Tomi Engdahl says:
U‑blox – Partnerships in IoT lab and field trials for key players in that ecosystem
http://www.electropages.com/2017/07/u%e2%80%91blox-partnerships-iot-lab-field-trials-key-players-ecosystem/?utm_campaign=2017-07-18-Electropages&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=article&utm_content=U%E2%80%91blox+-+Partnerships+in+IoT+lab+and+field+trials+for+key+players+in+that+…
U‑blox has announced that it is partnering with key players of the IoT ecosystem, Huawei, Vivo, CAS Tecnologia and PinMyPet running lab and field tests inside new Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT or Cat NB1) networks in Brazil. The first tests are ongoing since Q1 2017 and initially focused on metering and tracking applications.
These trials reflect the company’s focus to meet pent-up demand for LPWA connectivity, as delivered by NB1 technology, standardized by 3GPP in June 2016. The benefits of NB1 over other cellular radio technologies include lower device complexity, ultra‑low power operation, and support for more than 50,000 devices per single cellular cell. As it uses a licensed spectrum-based network, it also offers greater security and high robustness from interference. NB1 is therefore ideal for IoT and M2M applications requiring extremely low power consumption and better coverage even in shielded areas.
“We are excited to partner with U-blox to help our mutual customers migrate to the new, low‑power and low‑cost Narrowband IoT technology that also offers excellent coverage,” says the Vivo IoT senior manager, Eduardo Takeshi.
Tomi Engdahl says:
MinnowBoard Turbot Quad-Core Brings Open Source Development to IoT
https://www.designnews.com/electronics-test/minnowboard-turbot-quad-core-brings-open-source-development-iot/196351301557055?cid=nl.x.dn14.edt.aud.dn.20170711.tst004t
I’m typing this on a MinnowBoard Turbot Quad-Core running Ubuntu Linux while Netflix plays in the background, and all is running smoothly. The latest edition to the MinnowBoard family of open source developer boards has more than enough under the hood to function as a small DIY productivity PC, but the MinnowBoard Foundation , the non-profit behind the MinnowBoard, has loftier goals than that.
At the heart of the 2.9 x 3.9-inch board is a 64-bit, quad-core, Intel Atom E3845 processor (4 x 1.91 GHz, 2MB cache), 2GB of DDR3L 1067MT/s DRAM, and support for microSD and SATA2 storage. It also features integrated HD graphics, and a microHDMI video output (plenty for streaming video). The Turbot quad-core supports most Linux operating systems as well as Android and Windows 10 IoT – a stripped down version of Windows 10 optimized for developing Internet of Things (IoT) apps and devices. And the entire board is open source, from its design files and schematics all the way to its bill of materials, all of which are freely available via GitHub.
The MinnowBoard Foundation’s open licensing policy makes it difficult to keep track of what developers have been doing with the MinnowBoard, since they aren’t required to disclose to the foundation. However some of the applications suggested by distributors
He admits that developing and releasing open-source hardware comes as a sort of balancing act, especially when your aim is to “expose as much capability as possible” for users. The open-source community can be very vocal about its needs and wants and users may try to apply the board to whole new applications that MinnowBoard may not even have anticipated. Automotive Grade Linux (AGL) is one example. Counting companies like Mazda, Toyota, ARM, and Qualcomm among its membership, AGL is a collaborative effort between automakers, suppliers, and tech companies, aimed at building an industry standard for automotive applications built on a Linux-based open software platform.
The latest development board from the MinnowBoard Foundation is powerful, completely open source, and targeted at serious applications, including IoT and automotive.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Flying Sniffer
https://hackaday.io/project/25669-flying-sniffer
Sensors mounted on a drone connected to a robust data infrastructure, for pollution monitoring, wild fire prevention and CBRN defense.
This project implements environmental sensors mounted on a drone, backed up by a robust data infrastructure, to help with pollution monitoring, wild fire prevention and CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) defence.
It’s purpose is to use the versatility of a flying platform to map environmental parameters in places previously unaccessible, while minimizing assessment times.
The drone uses a long range wireless data connection to call back home and report measurements, with the flight plan being preprogrammed or transmitted via the radio link in realtime. A semiautomated mechanism allowing 24/7 operation is planned, with automated drone recharge before taking off to map the next area of interest. The radiolinks are implemented via GSM and/or LoraWAN.
The sensors include electrochemical sensors for specific gases, Particulate Matter sensors for pollution levels and wild fire detection, radiation sensors for radioactive contamination.
Tomi Engdahl says:
OURTicket
Open, Universal, Reliable Transport Ticketing.
https://hackaday.io/project/1812-ourticket
Since living in Melbourne, many have been frustrated at the lack of improvement and inherent design flaws in the smartcard ticketing system that the local government has rolled out over the last few years.
This project promises to implement an independent solution to these issues by releasing an open source, easy to use, hardware and software (web) framework, that will deliver a complete smart ticketing system for new (and possibly existing) deployments (not limited to transportation).
OURTicket aims to be completely open, with future scope for exhaustive customisation options.
The main focus of this project was originally to create a multipurpose ticketing system utilising as many open source tools as possible. This could be used in any way for things such as event management, transportation, space travel etc. To reduce the scope I have decided to create a modular system that first focused on transportation, but could be modified easily to perform other tasks. For the purposes of the Hackaday Prize, only the card reader hardware, database connectivity and simple zone management (GIS web service) will be implemented. This working proof of concept will enable further development as time goes on.
Components
2 × Raspberry Pi Model B While this has been chosen for the prototype, the focus is on interface design and the end result will be hardware agnostic.
2 × EXPLORE-NFC Board (NXP PN512) This is used for the prototype. Before the end of the competition a hardware interface board will be designed to accomodate mulitple devices (GPIO/NFC/LED status/sound/serial connectivity for things like proximity detector/RTC/FRAM).
1 × Fujitsu MB85RC128APNF-G-JNE1 FRAM – Ferroelectric RAM for temporary transaction queue storage
1 × Microchip MCP7940N or Maxim DS1307 Real time clock
1 × NXP PCA9531PW LED Controller
Tomi Engdahl says:
The End of Arduino 101: Intel Leaves Maker Market
http://hackaday.com/2017/07/25/the-end-of-arduino-101-intel-leaves-maker-market/
This looks like the end of the road for Intel’s brief foray into the “maker market”. Reader [Chris] sent us in a tip that eventually leads to the discontinuation notice (PCN115582-00, PDF) for the Arduino 101 board. According to Intel forum post, Intel is looking for an alternative manufacturer. We’re not holding our breath.
We previously reported that Intel was discontinuing its Joule, Galileo, and Edison lines, leaving only the Arduino 101 with its Curie chip still standing. At the time, we speculated that the first wave of discontinuations were due to the chips being too fast, too power-hungry, and too expensive for hobbyists. Now that Intel is pulling the plug on the more manageable Arduino 101, the fat lady has sung: they’re giving up on hardware hackers entirely after just a two-year effort.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The world’s smallest module for IoT connections
Swiss u-Blox has announced a module for IoTs in LTE networks that it praises for the world’s smallest. The Sara R410M 02B module is also the first M1 and NB1 class support module on the market.
Both categories are part of the 3GPP Release 13 definitions. M1 supports a single megabit data rate of 10 to 15 millisecond latency, while the NB1 class – the new Narrowband-IoT – supports 250kbps data transfer with a 1.6 to 10 second latency. Uses of course are quite different.
The new Sara module is only 16 x 26 in size.
Source: http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/6589-maailman-pienin-moduuli-iot-yhteyksiin
Tomi Engdahl says:
Hologram.io Offers Developers Free Cell Data
http://hackaday.com/2017/07/25/hologram-io-offers-developers-free-cell-data/
If you’ve been thinking of adding cellular connectivity to a build, here’s a way to try out a new service for free. Hologram.io has just announced a Developer Plan that will give you 1 megabyte of cellular data per month. The company also offers hardware to use with the SIM, but they bill themselves as hardware agnostic. Hologram is about providing a SIM card and the API necessary to use it with the hardware of your choice: any 2G, 3G, 4G, or LTE devices will work with the service.
At 1 MB/month it’s obvious that this is aimed at the burgeoning ranks of Internet of Things developers. If you’re sipping data from a sensor and phoning it home, this will connect you in 200 countries over about 600 networks.
The catch? The first taste is always free. For additional SIM cards, you’ll have to pay their normal rates. But it’s hard to argue with one free megabyte of cell data every month.
Hologram originally started with a successful Kickstarter campaign under the name Konekt Dash but has since been rebranded while sticking to their cellular-connectivity mission. We always like getting free stuff
Start with a FREE Developer Plan SIM
https://hologram.io/devplan/
A free developer SIM with 1MB/month included on Hologram’s Global IoT Network for getting started with cellular IoT development
A free Hologram Global SIM Card for our Developer Plan which includes 1MB/month free. Get started with cellular IoT with Hologram’s Developer Plan.
The Hologram SIM card is the perfect connectivity solution for global IoT applications. Our cellular network has coverage in over 170 countries and partnerships with 200+ carriers. We offer flexible pricing with pay-as-you-go rates and monthly plans
Features
Automatic roaming and carrier switching
170+ countries and partnerships with 200+ cellular carriers
Spacebridge inbound tunnel access allows for remote programming and device management
Technical Specifications
Triple-cut for Mini, Micro, and Nano SIM formats
Mini: 15 x 25mm
Micro: 12 x 15mm
Nano: 8.8 x 12.3mm
2G/GPRS, 3G HSPDA, 4G LTE
Operating Characteristics
Operating Temperature: -25°C ~ 85°C
Read/Write Cycles: Min. 500,000
Data Retention: Min. 25 years at 25°C
Tomi Engdahl says:
SK Telecom makes light of random numbers for IoT applications
Quantum random number generator in a 5 mm chip
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/07/26/sk_telecom_makes_light_of_random_numbers_for_iot_applications/
Quantum random number generators aren’t new, but one small enough to provide practical security for Internet of Things applications is interesting.
That’s what South Korean telco SK Telecom reckons its boffins have created, embedding a full quantum random number generator (QRNG) in a 5x5mm chip.
The company’s pitch is that QRNGs are large and (at least compared to IoT requirements) expensive, and it wants a commercial tie-up to make its research into an off-the-shelf device.
The telco hasn’t set a target price, beyond saying it wants its QRNG to be “the lowest price ever for a QRNG”. The two components sharing the 5 mm package are a quantum noise source (SK Telecom hasn’t specified what kind) acting as the input to a deterministic RNG.
More entropy, Igor! More entropy!
While you could safely argue that existing random number generators should be good enough to protect information through to the heat death of the universe, but the randomness predicted by theory might not be achieved in practice because of buggy software.
At various times, random number failures have hit iOS, Windows XP, Raspberry Pi, and famously, RSA.
As long as your QRNG’s source of entropy is genuinely observing a quantum phenomenon, you don’t have to worry about it being predictable.
More than one answer to observing truly random quantum events is to listen to the quantum vacuum.
It’s one of the many stranger predictions of quantum physics is that there’s no such thing as a “perfect” vacuum.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Kontron and S&T introduce their Embedded Cloud concept, a new cloud class designed to advance Industry 4.0 applications. Kontron’s Embedded Cloud is specifically geared towards the Smart Factory directly addressing IIoT needs. The goal is to optimize the production process through real-time analysis of all data available in the company. This requires building a secure cloud that is close to the factory floor, with components that reliably meet industrial needs
http://www2.kontron.com/e/10142/l-10142-2017-07-19-5yph8q/61vwyv/712243141
Tomi Engdahl says:
Long-Range IoT on the Road to Success
Technologies>Embedded Revolution
Long-Range IoT on the Road to Success
http://www.electronicdesign.com/embedded-revolution/long-range-iot-road-success?code=UM_NN7TT2&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=12191&utm_medium=email&elq2=aeff0ada2b4943c0aa35c670fbdc13fd
Newer wireless technologies known as LWPANs offer a lower-cost option for Internet of Things applications that demand longer-range paths.
Most engineers consider the Internet of Things (IoT) as a collection of short-range wireless technologies that connect devices to the internet for some useful purpose. And most current IoT applications seem to fall into that category. However, that mindset is changing.
Many wireless standards are limited by their range, which is problematic for a number of useful applications that require much longer paths. To overcome that hurdle, a collection of newer longer-range wireless technologies have emerged. Called low-power wide-area networks (LPWANs), these links fill the gap between traditional short-range technologies and the more costly M2M alternatives
What is Long Range?
There’s no formal definition for long range, but today’s most popular technologies have essentially set its parameters in place. One prominent maximum range is 10-30 meters. Bluetooth, ZigBee, and 802.15.4-based technologies use this figure as a guideline, but longer ranges are also possible under favorable conditions. Wi-Fi is said to have a maximum usable range of 100 meters, but it’s typically less than that. Even shorter ranges from standards like IrDA, NFC, and RFID max out at a foot or so.
All of these standards are useful, as evidenced by the IoT successes so far. Nonetheless, some industrial and public utility applications simply need more range to be viable.
For this article, I define long range as anything greater than a few hundred meters up to 30 to 50 miles. LPWAN vendor LinkLabs defines long range as up to 10 km. Applications requiring such range involve the monitoring and/or control of some equipment or system. Examples include the smart grid and utility water or gas metering. Other longer-range uses include city lighting control and agriculture monitoring. Most of the available short-range technologies cannot reliably deliver the ranges necessary for these applications.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intel loves the maker community so much it just axed its Arduino, Curie hardware. Ouch
Translation: It’s all yours, ARM. Take it away
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/07/25/intel_arduino_board_curie_canceled/
Intel’s flirtation with the maker community appears to have fizzled out, although the chip giant insists its passion remains.
After announcing plans to axe its Edison, Galileo, and Joule compute modules later this year, Chipzilla has said it will stop making its Arduino 101 board and its much-hyped Curie module, too.
The Arduino 101 will be available for order until September 17, 2017, according to Intel, and the processor giant will continue to fulfill orders, if any, through December 17, 2017. The Curie module will be available until January 17, 2018, and fulfillment will continue until July 17, 2018.
Intel will no longer update its Curie Open Developer Kit. It plans to leave its community forum for Curie products open until September 15, 2017.
Tomi Engdahl says:
S1G RF: Sub 1GHZ Radio Modules 915MHZ and 433MHZ
https://hackaday.io/project/17997-s1g-rf-sub-1ghz-radio-modules-915mhz-and-433mhz
Sub 1GHZ RF wireless modules operating at 915MHZ and 433MHZ ISM bands, based on the ADF7023, full open source!
Tomi Engdahl says:
Home Automation: Evolution of a Term
http://hackaday.com/2017/07/26/home-automation-evolution-of-a-term/
Home automation: for me the term recalls rich dudes in the ’80s who could turn off their garage lights with remote-control pads. The stereotype for that era was the more buttons your system had—even non-enabled ones—the more awesome it was, and by extension any luxury remote control had to be three times the size of any TV remote.
Just go Open Source?
If you’re not ready to have an Internet-enabled speaker listening to your every word and changing your Watch List without asking, there is another path. WiFi-connecting microcontrollers and minicomputers have burst onto the scene in the past few years, making it easier than ever for regular folks to create their own smart homes. I’m talking about the Pi and BeagleBone, and also those ESP8266 chips that seem to be everywhere these days.
A few years ago we were talking in terms of an Ethernet-shield-equipped UNO controlling a PowerSwitch Tail on a floor lamp. With these powerful little computers and their Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity, we have radically expanded what’s possible for pretty much anyone willing to open a book.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Patents Detail IoT Security Scheme
http://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1332056&
A pioneer of magnetic stripe cards extended its security mechanism for the Internet of Things, hoping to attract licensees for three patents on the approach. The offer comes as patents are coming under cost pressure due to increased difficulties defending them, said one broker.
The technique is described in his book on Internet security and defined in three U.S. patents (Nos. 9,319,404, 9,344,437 and 9,432,378). The patent office granted Svigals about 14 patents while working at IBM and 16 patents since he left.
Low expectations may be appropriate for the current climate. “The pendulum has shifted in favor of the infringer, and it’s relatively easy to infringe and get away with it,” said Alec Schibanoff, vice president of IPOfferings, the broker representing Svigals.
“My view is it’s not a fair fight anymore. There was a time of too many infringement lawsuits and it was convenient to settle, but the pendulum has swung too far to the other side,” he added.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IoT in Personal Fitness: Where Do We Go From Here?
http://www.eetimes.com/author.asp?section_id=36&doc_id=1332052&
Can you really track food intake passively just by scanning blood flow? In large part, the answer to questions like these comes down to the sensors. This episode of Engineering the Internet of Things features Andrew Baker, executive director of the industrial and healthcare business unit at Maxim Integrated.
The Internet of Things continues to trigger an avalanche of innovation. One would be hard pressed to find an application where IoT technology can’t add significant value.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IoT, Industry 4.0 Encourage FDT Open Standards
https://www.designnews.com/automation-motion-control/iot-industry-40-encourage-fdt-open-standards/29659189157150?cid=nl.x.dn14.edt.aud.dn.20170727.tst004t
A key trend in the quest for IoT connectivity is the development of software standards and information models that support integration of devices into new frameworks.
Device network integration is a key goal for automation and control vendors as the Internet of Things and Industry 4.0 initiatives move toward new global standards and enterprise wide connectivity. Integrating these physical assets and achieving scalable and secure access to device intelligence is a key trend as companies look to deploy new network architectures.
FDT is an open standard for enterprise-wide network and asset integration from sensors to the cloud. The newest developments with the technology include enhancements for cloud-based enterprise data access, mobility apps, and use of augmented reality. But another key milestone has been an ability to offer a bridge for device-specific information using the FDT/OPC UA information model to offer connectivity in Industry 4.0 and IoT applications.
In the last few years, the FDT Group has been working with OPC UA to provide greater access to information throughout the enterprise by making device-specific information available via the FDT/OPC Unified Architecture information model.
https://fdtgroup.org/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Video use in data collection rising, according to survey
http://www.controleng.com/single-article/video-use-in-data-collection-rising-according-to-survey/fdab2b2610799d83d883ef12000fcd6a.html
A recent survey, conducted by HBM, shows that video use is accelerating in data collection with almost half of the respondents already using video in data recording today.
A recent survey, conducted by HBM, shows that video use is accelerating in data collection. Almost half of the respondents (47%) already use video in data recording today. In addition, 54% of the respondents expect video use within their organization to increase in the next year.
Video cameras are already used in many industrial test and measurement applications in addition to data collection with traditional tactile sensors. However, until now, there has been very little information on the level and nature of this use.
“Based on the study there is no longer any question that recording video data in parallel to tactile sensors or digital bus signals is becoming more and more attractive to users,” said Christof Salcher, product manager instrumentation at HBM. “Video supports traditional sensor data and is becoming a valuable source of additional information, making the room for interpretation even narrower in testing”. Among the survey’s findings include:
Tomi Engdahl says:
Security a major priority for Industrie 4.0
http://www.controleng.com/single-article/security-a-major-priority-for-industrie-40/0fd32d1fc9ae06f413179f07d2e42cb8.html
With the industry on the cusp of adopting the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) or Industrie 4.0, security has to be a part of it.
Make no mistake about it, cybersecurity is here to stay and Honeywell is banking on the fact that users will either build upon their existing program, or they will pick a partner and step up and start to dance.
With the industry on the cusp of adopting the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) or Industrie 4.0, it is clear, security has to be a part of it.
“The move from industry 3.0 to Industrie 4.0 is contingent on cybersecurity,” said Vimal Kapur, president and chief executive of Honeywell Process Solutions (HPS) during his keynote address Monday the 2017 Honeywell User Group Americas in San Antonio, TX. “It is new and we have to learn it very quickly. The numbers are pretty small in companies doing audits and remote security management.”
But Kapur is sure that will change.
“Cybersecurity risk is imminent,” he said. “We need to strengthen our defenses.”
Part of the move to Industrie 4.0, Kapur said, is the addition of these disruptive technologies that will have an effect on businesses:
Cloud
Connected plant
Virtualization
Virtual reality
Digitization.
Virtualization will reduce the total cost of ownership. Virtualized systems will deliver at least 30% reduction in total cost of ownership, he said. “Virtual machines are a pillar for any new architecture.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
IDC forecasts the worldwide IoT market will grow from $655.8 billion in 2014 to $1.7 trillion in 2020, with a compound annual growth rate of 16.9%. This growth will be dominated by the manufacture of devices, and investment in connectivity and IT services. IDC also predicts purpose-built platforms, application software, and as-a-service offerings will capture a larger percentage of the market by 2020.
Today, telecommunications companies, OEMs and service providers are pushing hard to monetize their IoT services through device sales, integration into infrastructure and platforms, and through service fees. By looking at the sheer volume of the IoT market and the growth potential, it is evident that the build and operate categories capture the biggest slice of the revenue pie (approximately 50%). Managed support services have become the lifeline for seamless product delivery and Customer Experience Management (CEM), and business is increasingly leveraged by product strategy and product engineering functions.
Together, managed support and operation services help to manage network infrastructure, IoT applications and cloud components, including 24/7 monitoring, managing and providing resolutions within a defined Service Level Agreement (SLA). Most of the IoT services are getting deployed either on private or public cloud infrastructures.
Source: http://www2.aricent.com/webmail/34872/490695255/8981bcd98565d8ae17c8d7ba03cd3c03b7fc79441045c3e2aed2453e0fd2cdb4
Tomi Engdahl says:
Designing For The IoT
https://semiengineering.com/designing-for-the-iot/
Each day of DAC started with an IoT-related keynote. Sometimes they agreed, sometimes not, but the implications are enormous.
Each day of the Design Automation Conference (DAC) starts with a keynote. What was particularly noteworthy this year was that they all focused on some aspect of the Internet of Things (IoT), and the value of hardware within the IoT.
Semiconductor Engineering attended all of the keynotes.
“The Internet boom was tremendous and was probably the biggest revolution that we had had in technology, but the IoT is going to be bigger,” Costello said.
He noted that different technologies are required to bring the IoT experience because the size, shape, communications requirements and sensor requirements are all different for all classes of things. So rather than the consolidation caused by the Internet, the IoT will drive tremendous differentiation throughout the next decade.
Enlightened is a case in point. The company develops sensor systems for commercial real estate (CRE).
“The data is the critical thing,” Costello said. “And you have to protect it like crazy because that is where the real value is. The flip side is it is not enough to just have data. You have to do something with it. It doesn’t matter what category you pick – it is a sensor system platform for that type of equipment. In the end, there will not be 50 or 100 platforms. There will be a handful that ends up surviving. The biggest challenge is to be one of the last five standing. So scale is important.”
There is a divide between operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT). OT is the lighting, HVAC facilities, infrastructure. It is 100 years old. It is very slow moving.
Analysis
Costello believes the money in IoT will be made by systems that analyze data, and which can take actions within a physical space. While sensors are necessary to gather data, there is not necessarily long-term value in the sensor market.
The starting point for his thesis is that IC designs are at the heart of innovation. The underpinnings of the digital world is compute power, storage, and the ability to solve problems both centrally and on the edge of the network that were not possible in the past.
“Many companies are faced with a challenge in today’s world of digitizing their operations,” Grindstaff said. “While individual pieces of an organization may be digitized, those systems are not fully integrated. Across the supply chain there is information that is re-entered, and across disciplines productivity is lost. The digitalization of a company, from design to manufacturing as well as manufacturing into operational phase, will make the difference between success and failure of product companies in the future.”
Siemens makes many things, including wind generators, which have control systems to optimize the operation of the turbines. What is important is that the business model associated with a wind turbine has evolved over the years. Instead of just selling one, their goal is to sell capacity, capability, and performance of an entire wind farm. If the devices are connected and instrumented, then it becomes possible to optimize performance, predict failure and coordinate activity.
“A lot of stuff is getting connected together and it is getting connected because of a change of what is possible,” Grindstaff said. “Many companies are becoming specialty chip designers, integrating controllers with MEMS, RF – everything necessary to compute on the edge. What is critical is that each innovation across the spectrum is integrated into, and feed into, business model changes.”
The V diagram is at the core of many engineering foundations. Progress has been made in EDA to move to higher levels of abstraction, and this is happening in other areas as well. He believes we are progressing on what can be synthesized from requirements into control system behavior and the integrations of those control systems with the final product. That leads to a fully multi-disciplinary design process.
“We can look at the signals coming from the sensors and identify one that is different,” Grindstaff said. “It used to be in this range and now there is an anomaly.”
Analysis
By owning the devices into which sensors are being placed, it can be transformed from a product that is sold to a product that produces revenue throughout its lifetime. Not only is the data not available to others, but the functional model on which analysis is based is proprietary. They have overcome the OT/IT divide because they own both sides of the issue and they are isolated from competition in the IoT space. They continue to compete on overall product capabilities and lifetime costs.
By 2025, the IoT is expected to be comprised of 70 billion devices. Today there are about 20 billion. The economic value per year for the IoT, for connecting all this together, is $11 trillion. The global GDP for the entire world economy this year is about $78 trillion. In 2025, global GDP will be about $100 trillion.
“With improvements in productivity and growth with inflation, about 10% of that is being driven by automating the world economy and delivering all of this value to help the economy grow and raise people out of poverty,” Tuttle said. “Inform the world and make things more efficient.”
The semiconductor industry generates about $350 billion in sales each year. The IoT value is in the hardware, the applications, and the data. Tuttle points out that it is not just one application or customer or company. It is tens of thousands of customers, thousands of applications, and it opens up an opportunity for a wide variety of technology.
From there, things have to evolve. Once a product is connected it lives into the future, and you have to manage it, update it, evolve the functionality, and that creates new business opportunities as well as challenges.
“Consider a power drill,” Tuttle said. “They added connectivity – Bluetooth — to add a better user interface. Every contractor has a smart phone. That was cool, but who is going to pay you more because you have an app on the smart phone? They started to add multiple features. They made it so that if you don’t have your smart phone, the tool doesn’t work. This is a big problem on job sites. That prevents theft. Every time the smart phone sees the tool, it records the location, so you know where it was. Asset tracking is important.”
It turns out that for large-scale solar installations in the desert, over-torquing the screws can cause problems about 180 thermal cycles later. As a result, the utility programmed a special torque curve into the drill to avoid that problem.
“They could automate the regulatory compliance paperwork,” added Tuttle. “It eliminates a load of manual operations. They could take this simple idea, adding Bluetooth, and migrate that into a new business model and charge for services, enhancing their value proposition. There are thousands of examples like this. There is a long tail of applications, and that is what makes this the most exciting area to work in.”
An IoT device has embedded flash, embedded RF, an ARM processor, energy management, a bunch of digital logic. “You need a portfolio of these devices to support the different applications,” Tuttle said. “You need different memory configurations, different sensor interfaces. Do you try and build a platform that can serve the entire market, or specific optimized devices for each application?. We are working on the platform approach so that you can do one hardware platform and get multiple products out of it and address as many applications as possible.”
The other challenge is scaling support and making complex software and hardware easy to use so that industrial customers can design this in and deliver value in their product. One way is to take chips and put them into modules that are pre-certified. The lower the cost, the more it will get deployed. That means it has to be integrated onto a single chip, and it needs security that is optimized for these applications. And it needs to be able to evolve and adapt over time.
Analysis
Someone has to make the devices that connect things together. Not everyone will want a custom chip or will be able to afford to develop all of the software necessary to get it integrated into a product. The long tail will create opportunities for those companies that can fill the gap economically with platform-based solutions.
Conclusions
Three presentations, each from a hardware perspective, examine different ways to capitalize on the growing IoT market. Siemens owns the entire product and lifecycle of the product and uses IoT to add value to that product. The company has overcome the OT/IT divide because it controls all of the pieces themselves.
Enlighted is focused on understanding and penetrating the OT side to build the IT piece of the solution.
Enlighted is willing to let go of the low-level hardware piece to companies like Silicon Labs. While this is the most likely piece of the puzzle to become commoditized, Silicon Labs believes enough value can be encapsulated into the IoT devices, and that a catalog of devices will make them the MCU company of the IoT age.
What is clear, though, is that the real value is about the data—collecting, distilling, and utilizing it. That trend has not been lost on anyone in the hardware space. The only question is how that will play out as a business—whether it will be centralized as it is today with big companies such as Google, Facebook and Amazon, or even Siemens and Enlighted—or whether it will be distributed across smaller companies that can turn that into a specialized business.
Tomi Engdahl says:
A smart fish tank left a casino vulnerable to hackers
http://money.cnn.com/2017/07/19/technology/fish-tank-hack-darktrace/index.html
Most people know about phishing — but one casino recently learned about the dangers of actual fish tanks.
Hackers attempted to steal data from a North American casino through a fish tank connected to the internet, according to a report from security firm Darktrace.
Despite extra security precautions set up on the fish tank, hackers still managed to compromise the tank to send data to a device in Finland before the threat was discovered and stopped.
“Someone used the fish tank to get into the network, and once they were in the fish tank, they scanned and found other vulnerabilities and moved laterally to other places in the network,” Justin Fier, director for cyber intelligence and analysis at Darktrace, explained to CNN Tech.
As internet-connected gadgets and appliances become more common, there are more ways for bad guys to gain access to networks and take advantage of insecure devices. The fish tank, for instance, was connected to the internet to automatically feed the fish and keep their environment comfortable — but it became a weak link in a the casino’s security.
The unnamed casino’s rogue fish tank is one of nine unusual threats that Darktrace identified on corporate networks published in a report Thursday.
When the technology notices an anomaly — like a device that doesn’t belong or data being sent somewhere it shouldn’t — it alerts the company’s security team.
How a fish tank helped hack a casino
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/innovations/wp/2017/07/21/how-a-fish-tank-helped-hack-a-casino/?utm_term=.fc55fd7e97a8
Hackers are constantly looking for new ways to access people’s data. Most recently, the way was as simple as a fish tank.
The hackers attempted to acquire data from a North American casino by using an Internet-connected fish tank, according to a report released Thursday by cybersecurity firm Darktrace.
The fish tank had sensors connected to a PC that regulated the temperature, food and cleanliness of the tank.
“Somebody got into the fish tank and used it to move around into other areas (of the network) and sent out data,” said Justin Fier, Darktrace’s director of cyber intelligence.
The casino’s name and the type of data stolen were not disclosed in the report for security reasons, Darktrace said. The report said 10 GB of data were sent out to a device in Finland.
“This one is the most entertaining and clever thinking by hackers I’ve seen,” said Hemu Nigam, a former federal prosecutor for computer crimes and current chief executive of SSP Blue, a cybersecurity company.
As more products with the ability to connect to the Internet become available, opportunities for hackers to access data through outside-the-box ways have risen.
Fier said that with the recent FBI toy warning and the many ways by which hackers are trying to break into systems, he wouldn’t be surprised if the government eventually got involved in regulating Internet of Things, IoT, products. But he said, even if it did, that would raise other questions.
Tomi Engdahl says:
PreemieAlert
https://hackaday.io/project/26103-preemiealert
A frugal connected wearable to support caretakers in tending to premature babies #SDGclass2017
Around the world, 1 baby out of 10 is born preterm. Out of those 15 million premature babies born annually, about two third are born in low-income countries like India. In 2012, the World Health Organization estimated that 3 out of 4 of those neonatal deaths could be avoided even without access to neonatal intensive care.
Our goal is to develop a device to support parents and local health workers taking care of preterm children in the vulnerable neonatal period. The device will be composed of two parts. A monitoring device and a companion device. The wearable monitoring device will determine essential data from different sensors such as temperature, heartbeat and oximetry. It will then relay the data to the companion device which will provide guidance to the parents. For example, if the temperature of the preemie is too low then the companion device will let the parent know that he/she must do the kangaroo care.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IEEE 802.15.4 / Thread
https://www.nordicsemi.com/eng/Products/IEEE-802.15.4-Thread
IEEE 802.15.4 is a standard for low data rate, low power networks. IEEE 802.15.4 defines the physical (PHY) and Medium Access Control (MAC) layers and forms the basis for numerous upper layer networking specifications including Thread, 6LowPAN, Zigbee and Wireless HART. IEEE 802.15.4 is supported by the Nordic nRF52840 multi-protocol SoC. Nordic offers an complete SDK for Thread solutions and a IEEE 802.15.4 MAC as part of the nRF5 SDK
The nRF52840 implements the 250kbs PHY for the 2.4GHz ISM band and has lower data rate capacity than Bluetooth® 5 (2Mbs). It is a popular PHY and MAC layer for numerous networking layers above both standardized and non-standardized.
It differs from Bluetooth low energy in a number of ways, of most significance;
Maximum data rate
IEEE 802.15.4 – 250kbs
Bluetooth low energy (Bluetooth 5) – 2Mbs
Modulation scheme
IEEE 802.15.4 – QPSK
Bluetooth low energy – GFSK
Channel scheme and channel assessment
IEEE 802.15.4 – 16 x 2MHz channels
Bluetooth low energy (37 x 2 MHz channels (data) + 3 x 2MHz channels (advertising)
Packet structure + payload
IEEE 802.15.4 – 127 bytes (payload)
Bluetooth low energy – 27 bytes or up to 127 bytes (DLE)
IEEE 802.15.4 MAC
Whilst IEEE 802.15.4 does not implement any networking layers it has been a popular choice for networking implementations. It defines two types of node devices in a network a Full-Function Device (FFD) and a Reduced Function Device (RFD). Networks can be built using peer-to-peer or star topologies and have been expanded to create mesh networks in standards such as Zigbee and Thread.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Hackers can turn web-connected car washes into horrible death traps
Yeah, boss, I took care of him. I had him waxed. Literally
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/07/27/killer_car_wash/
Black Hat Forget hijacking smart light bulbs. Researchers claim they can hack into internet-connected car wash machines from the other side of the world and potentially turn them into death traps.
In a presentation at the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas on Wednesday, Billy Rios, founder of security shop Whitescope, and Jonathan Butts, committee chair for the IFIP Working Group on Critical Infrastructure Protection, showed how easy it was to compromise a widely used car wash system: the Laserwash series manufactured by PDQ, based in Wisconsin, USA.
The pair found that Laserwash installations can be remotely monitored and controlled by their owners via a web-based user interface: the hefty gear has a builtin web server, and can be hooked up to the public internet allowing folks to keep an eye on their equipment from afar.
The hardware’s control system is an embedded WindowsCE computer powered by an ARM-compatible processor. However, Microsoft no longer supports the version of WinCE used in the kit, Rios said, meaning it may be possible to commandeer the machinery by exploiting security vulnerabilities lingering in the operating system.
Once the infosec duo had found a suitable car wash connected to the web, the researchers found that the default password – 12345 – just worked. Once logged in from their browser, they were given full control of the system.
“Car washes are really just industrial control systems. The attitudes of ICS are still in there,” Rios said. “We’ve written an exploit to cause a car wash system to physically attack; it will strike anyone in the car wash. We think this is the first exploit that causes a connected device to attack someone.”
In their talk the pair showed how they managed to bypass the safety sensors on the car wash doors to close them on a car entering the washer. Butts told The Register that much more destructive hacks were possible.
“We controlled all the machinery inside the car wash and could shut down the safety systems,” he said. “You could set the roller arms to come down much lower and crush the top of the car, provided there was not mechanical barriers in place.”
The duo said they shared their findings with PDQ in February 2015, and kept trying to warn the biz for two years. It was only when their talk was accepted for Black Hat this year that the manufacturer replied to their emails, and then it turned out that it wasn’t possible to patch against the aforementioned exploits, we’re told.
In a statement to The Register on Thursday, PDQ spokesman Todd Klitzke said the car wash maker alerted its customers yesterday, coinciding with the conference presentation, and urged people to change their passwords from the default, or firewall off their equipment
Tomi Engdahl says:
Bluetooth and ZigBee: A new standards war brewing?
http://www.designfax.net/cms/dfx/opens/article-view-dfx.php?nid=4&bid=401&et=featurearticle&pn=02
Tomi Engdahl says:
How to Implement a Mesh Network for the Smart Home
https://www.digikey.co.nz/en/articles/techzone/2016/feb/how-to-implement-a-mesh-network-for-the-smart-home