Here is a list f IoT predictions for year 2018. With the number of connected devices set to top 11 billion – and that’s not including computers and phones – in 2018, Internet of Things will clearly continue to be a hot topic. Here is my prediction list:
1. Artifical Intelligence – it will be talked a lot
2. Blockchain – blockchain will be hyped to be a solution for many IoT problems, and it will turn out that it is not the best solution for most of problems it is hyped for – and maybe it will find few sensible uses for it in IoT. Blockchain can add immutability and integrity to some IoT transactions.
3. 4G mobile for IoT: NB-IoT and LTE-M are ready to be tested or used in many markets
4. 5G will be hyped a lot for IoT applications but it is nowhere near for any real big IoT use cases
6. Security issues will be talked a lot. IoT security is far from solved issue.
7. Privacy issues of IoT will be talked a lot when our homes and pockets are starting to be filled with ever listening digital assistants.
8. Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) will be massive
9. More CPU power will be added or used in the edge. Pushing processing power to the “edge” brings a number of benefits and opportunities.
10. Hardware based security: Hardware based security on microprocessors will be talked a lot after “Meltdown” and “Spectre” disaster
Links to more predictions:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielnewman/2017/12/19/the-top-8-iot-trends-for-2018/#17a9943267f7
https://www.ibm.com/blogs/internet-of-things/top-5-iot-trends-in-2018/
https://www.inc.com/james-paine/3-internet-of-things-trends-to-watch-in-2018.html
https://www.i-scoop.eu/iot-2018-1/
https://dzone.com/articles/iot-trends-for-2018
1,393 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
Many Android Devices Ship with ADB Enabled
https://www.securityweek.com/many-android-devices-ship-adb-enabled
Many vendors ship Android devices with the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) feature enabled, thus rendering them exposed to various attacks, security researcher Kevin Beaumont has discovered.
ADB is a feature meant to provide developers with the ability to easily communicate with devices remotely, to execute commands and fully control the device. Because it doesn’t require authentication, ADB allows anyone to connect to a device, install apps and execute commands.
In theory, the device should be first connected via USB to enable ADB, but Beaumont has discovered that some vendors ship Android devices with the feature enabled right from the start. The Debug Bridge listens on port 5555, and anyone can connect to the device over the Internet.
“During research for this article, we’ve found everything from tankers in the US to DVRs in Hong Kong to mobile telephones in South Korea. As an example, a specific Android TV device was also found to ship in this condition,” the security researcher notes.
Root Bridge — how thousands of internet connected Android devices now have no security, and are being exploited by criminals.
https://doublepulsar.com/root-bridge-how-thousands-of-internet-connected-android-devices-now-have-no-security-and-are-b46a68cb0f20?gi=cd7686af2bf8
Android has a feature called Android Debug Bridge (ADB for short) which allows developers to communicate with a device remotely, to execute commands and fully control the device.
“The adb command facilitates a variety of device actions, such as installing and debugging apps, and it provides access to a Unix shell that you can use to run a variety of commands on a device.” — Android’s developer portal
It is completely unauthenticated, meaning anybody can connect to a device running ADB to execute commands. However, to enable it — in theory — you have to physically connect to a device using USB and first enable the Debug Bridge.
Unfortunately, vendors have been shipping products with Android Debug Bridge enabled. It listens on port 5555, and enables anybody to connect over the internet to a device. It is also clear some people are insecurely rooting their devices, too.
This is highly problematic as it allows anybody — without any password — to remotely access these devices as ‘root’* — the administrator mode — and then silently install software and execute malicious functions.
These are not problems with Android Debug Bridge itself; ADB is not designed to be deployed in this manner.
*in theory root shouldn’t be available in non-Development builds, but there’s an apparent bypass on some devices – adb shell “su -c command”.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Arm Grabs Stream for IoT Services
Acquisition focused on device connectivity
https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1333379
Arm acquired Stream Technologies (Glasgow) in an effort to grow a business in paid services for devices on the Internet of Things. The move comes as the IoT is still in an early stage but widely seen to have huge potential with services expected to be one of its hottest sectors.
Stream, a private company founded in 2000, claims that its connectivity management software and services are used by 770,000 devices carrying 2 terabytes of traffic daily.
Tomi Engdahl says:
In five years, a billion of 5G subscriptions and 3.5 billion of IoT devices
According to Ericsson’s forecast for the network device manufacturer, after five years, ie by 2023, 3,5 billion IoTs would work on mobile networks and about 20% of mobile network traffic would already be in the new 5G networks.
The prediction of growth in internet IoT has almost doubled and at the same time predicted a fast start for the 5G mobile network. According to Ericsson, North America would be at the forefront of the 5G network technology becoming popular.
Worldwide, mobile service providers have already launched more than 60 IoT networks operating as part of LTE (4G) networks. There are a wide variety of uses, for example, in North America, most of the applications are focused on logistics and the management of transport equipment. In China, IoT’s development has focused on intelligent cities and smart farming.
According to Ericsson, all major US mobile operators have announced the launch of the 5G network at the end of this year or at the latest by mid-2019.
Source: https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2018/06/13/viidessa-vuodessa-miljardi-5g-liittymaa-ja-35-miljardia-iot-laitetta/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Wearables Bring a Host of Tricky Legal Questions, Says Tech Attorney
https://spectrum.ieee.org/the-human-os/biomedical/devices/wearables-bring-a-host-of-tricky-legal-questions-says-tech-attorney
Every new technology needs a good lawyer. For wearables, that’s tech attorney Kraig Baker, a Seattle-based partner in the firm Davis Wright Tremaine. When companies need to think through issues like data privacy for wearable trackers or the capabilities of smart textiles and sports devices, he’s the guy to call.
Baker talked with IEEE Spectrum about the legal questions that will come up as wearables—including “embeddables” and “ingestibles”—become intimate parts of our lives. He sees these technologies as the latest step in a long trend toward human-computer integration.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Proactive vs. Reactive: Why The Connected Home 2.0 Is What We’ve All Been Waiting For
https://keenhome.io/blogs/community/proactive-vs-reactive-why-the-connected-home-2-0-is-what-we-ve-all-been-waiting-for
In 1962 the Jetsons popularized the home of the future. With its automated walkways and robot maid, the entire house adapted to the homeowners’ needs. Comfort was facilitated by proactive devices that thought about their owners and removed moments of stress that are often all too common in homeownership.
Fast forward 50+ years and we are closer to living like the Jetsons than we have ever been.
In 1962 the Jetsons popularized the home of the future. With its automated walkways and robot maid, the entire house adapted to the homeowners’ needs. Comfort was facilitated by proactive devices that thought about their owners and removed moments of stress that are often all too common in homeownership.
Fast forward 50+ years and we are closer to living like the Jetsons than we have ever been. But despite the strides that have been made, our devices — even the smart ones — are still mostly reactive. But not for long. The Connected Home 2.0 is coming, and it’s going to usher in a whole new paradigm for smart devices.
Connected Home 1.0
Today’s smart homes contain an impressive array of devices, ranging from security cameras to light bulbs. Though they can be accessed from your phone or told to turn on or off at a set schedule, these devices are essentially just remote controlled.
As the smart home develops and the “Internet of Things” expands into more areas of our lives, the inevitable next step is for products to start “thinking” about their users.
Moving To a More Proactive Home
A handful of proactive solutions are already available and addressing fundamental needs of homeownership. Nest’s learning thermostat and Protect smoke and CO monitor are the most recognizable.
Canary’s motion sensors track your comings and goings to make your home more secure. RainMachine has built a smart sprinkler system that collects weather data from the Internet to create watering schedules.
Builders and HVAC professionals are excited about what proactive solutions like smart vents mean for their customers.
Smart Vents give homeowners unprecedented control over specific rooms and learn the homeowner’s unique settings to better meet their needs
What’s Next
With the Connected Home 2.0 right around the corner, there will soon be more ways to add meaningful intelligence to the home than ever before.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Evolution of home technology from connected to proactive
16 May 2018, Electronics Technology
http://www.dataweek.co.za/60008n
The idea of ‘home’ has evolved greatly over the millennia. Over the last decades, technology has transformed homes into hubs of functionality – centres of entertainment, environmental management, work, fitness, security and more.
Molex believes looking at home technology in an evolutionary context is valuable – if not essential – to manufacturers developing the solutions that will further transform tomorrow’s homes.
Presently, connected home adoption varies widely throughout the world, both in market penetration and use cases. The United States and Canada make up the largest market, growing by 31% per year, but the majority of usage is for home security systems, or detecting fire or water leaks.
Europeans are adopting connected home technology in growing numbers, with an overwhelming focus on reducing energy costs through monitoring and adapting applications. Healthcare applications are also popular for an aging European population.
Asia is currently the fastest growing market, driven not only by a large, innovative telecom industry, but also by the need to save energy in a region where an inadequate infrastructure can lead to energy shortages.
Gartner predicts there will be 20.8 billion Internet of Things-enabled devices by 2020, while Strategy Analytics anticipates that Americans will spend up to $48 billion on these devices by 2020. Globally, the Internet of Things market is estimated at $1,7 trillion. In the United States, one in four Internet users already owns a smart home device (most often a security system or home automation device), with adoption strongest among men with an annual household income greater than $100 000.
The proactive home
The next evolution is speculative, but its seeds have already taken root. Leveraging growing artificial intelligence, machine learning, natural language processing and visual recognition, the home itself will acquire the ability to sense – to watch, listen, smell and feel. At the heart of this ability will be sensors that can detect movement, temperature, occupancy, etc.
By 2025, approximately 80 billion devices will be connected to the Internet. Gartner projects that by 2022, a typical home could contain more than 500 smart devices. Using artificial intelligence that combines data from across these devices, the house will learn, and take responsibility for functions such as switching on lights at certain times of day, setting temperature based on the weather, suggesting music and creating grocery lists.
“I think that the individual may not know what’s happening, these cognitive systems will ooze into our lives,” says John Cohn, IBM Fellow for the Internet of Things.
Strategically choosing the right solutions developer
There are suppliers who focus on one segment within the ecosystem only, but there are also an increasing number of companies that are getting involved in the entire ecosystem. The latter will be better positioned to act as strategic resources in the coming proactive home.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Home Technology – From Connected to Proactive
http://www.connector.com/electronic-solutions/connected-home/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Blog Review: June 13
Patching the IoT; getting to 3nm; photonics verification; embedded on the edge.
https://semiengineering.com/blog-review-june-13/
Synopsys’ Taylor Armerding looks at what the flaws in OpenPGP and S/MIME encryption means for the IoT and warns that the problems of patching such devices could lead to an increasing chance of security failures.
The IoT: Too big (and buggy) to patch?
https://www.synopsys.com/blogs/software-security/iot-big-buggy-patch/
Is patching starting to fail?
Which raises the obvious question: What should IoT developers and manufacturers and the software security industry do about it?
Schneier’s view is well-known. He has testified before Congress in favor of government mandates for basic security standards for IoT devices because, as he has written on his blog numerous times, the market won’t do it. “It’s hard to see any other viable alternative [than government intervention],” he wrote.
That sentiment gets mixed reviews from other security experts, in part because not everybody shares such a bleak view of the current state of IoT.
Zach Lanier, principal research consultant with Atredis Partners, says he doesn’t think the situation is as ominous as Schneier does. But he agrees that “the gap between ‘patchability’ of disparate components—from overall firmware to specific components like OS/RTOS, drivers, applications, etc.—is very wide and may certainly be growing, especially with the introduction of niche IoT vendors and their respective devices.”
But Jesse Victors, security consultant with Synopsys Software Integrity Group, said it simply isn’t the case that every device, or even most of them, is built by a team that disbands as soon as it has completed a project.
“I disagree with the premise,” he said. “I see the emergence of IoT devices managed by well-known companies, such as Samsung, Nest, Tesla, Apple, Google, or Amazon. These companies have dedicated teams to their IoT infrastructure, respond to security researchers, and push updates on their own initiative or when pressured to do so.”
Overall, he said while problems do exist, “patching in IoT isn’t starting to fail, it’s starting to get fixed.
Neither Victors nor Trowell thinks government regulation and oversight will fix the security problems that ail IoT.
Indeed, the federal government has a poor track record of securing its own data, never mind devices.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Retail chain Claire’s slashes energy bill by controlling smart lights over standard cable
https://www.ledsmagazine.com/articles/2018/06/retail-chain-claire-s-slashes-energy-bill-by-controlling-smart-lights-over-standard-cable.html?eid=289644432&bid=2138066
The latest powerline communication deployment by enModus looks like a small one but shows that wireless is not the only way to avoid expensive retrofit costs.
Serving another reminder that IoT lighting does not have to entail cutting edge wireless systems or fancy new Ethernet cabling, fashion and accessories retail chain Claire’s has slashed energy consumption in a section of a warehouse by connecting new LED lights to data-based controls via existing standard electrical wires.
The warehouse in Birmingham, England has deployed powerline communication (PLC) technology from Chepstow, Wales-based enModus to reduce electricity use by 96% compared to the previous lights. The savings come not just from the new batten-style LED luminaires but also from enModus’ intelligent system called Wattwave, which monitors and controls individual lights from a central hub, all through conventional power cables supporting an Internet of Things (IoT) connection to lights in the ceiling ranging in height from around 9–46 ft.
EnModus, founded in 2010, has been in a prolonged startup mode but has been scaling up recently, evidenced by a number of installations.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Home Technology — From Connected to Proactive
How manufacturers can successfully position themselves for what comes next
http://www.literature.molex.com/SQLImages/kelmscott/Molex/PDF_Images/987651-7391.pdf
The idea of “home” has greatly evolved
over the millennia. Over the last decades,
technology has transformed homes into “hubs
of functionality” — centers of entertainment,
environmental management, work, fitness,
security and more
Home Technology — From Connected to Proactive
molex.com
2
The idea of “home” has greatly evolved
over the millennia. Over the last decades,
technology has transformed homes into “hubs
of functionality” — centers of entertainment,
environmental management, work, fitness,
security and more.
Molex believes looking at home technology in an evolutionary context is
valuable — if not essential — to manufacturers developing the solutions
that will further transform tomorrow’s homes.
Molex sees the Connected Home as the current phase in the ongoing
evolution of home technology.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Winbond to break ground for new fab in southern Taiwan
https://www.digitimes.com/news/a20180612PD206.html
DRAM and flash memory maker Winbond Electronics will start constructing a new fab in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan in September followed by equipment move-in slated for 2020.
The new plant is part of Winbond’s operational plan over the next 10 years, according to company chairman Arthur Chiao. The future demand looks promising driven by cloud computing, big data, automotive electronics and IoT applications, said Chiao
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Emerging Economics of IoT
https://www.techonline.com/electrical-engineers/education-training/tech-papers/4460642/The-Emerging-Economics-of-IoT
As with every major technological sea change, the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) has occasioned both widespread success and widespread failure.
As a result, the emerging IoT industry has been rife with the kinds of miscalculations and misapplications that often plague early adoption.
The Emerging Economics of IoT
Insights into Successful Application of the Internet of Things
https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/2833873/White%20Papers/Whitepaper-Economics-Particle%20(4).pdf
Tomi Engdahl says:
Antennas Make Connections While They Harvest Energy
http://www.mwrf.com/components/antennas-make-connections-while-they-harvest-energy?NL=MWRF-001&Issue=MWRF-001_20180612_MWRF-001_621&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_2_b&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=17887&utm_medium=email&elq2=c3386893298946b29f0c3306b86f2d2d
In addition to providing controlled, focused signals for communications systems over wide ranges of frequencies, antenna arrays can now provide the dual functionality of energy harvesting.
such arrays can also provide the dual functionality of energy harvesting when they are integrated vertically on top of a solar panel.
The dual-function design is actually two antenna arrays operating at 1.8 to 2.4 GHz. The elements of the two antenna arrays consist of copper-based and transparent inverted-F antennas.
The antenna arrays cover a bandwidth with a large number of commercial wireless signals for energy harvesting. The integrated solar panel enhances the radiation characteristics of the arrays by acting as an extended ground plane.
As the ground plane increases, the antenna gain increases until achieving maximum gain of 4.6 dB for a width of 5 cm.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Toward IIoT Security Standards
What the industrial IoT would look like if it was mature, secure and reliable.
https://semiengineering.com/toward-iiot-security-standards/
Security is a high priority within Industrial IoT projects, but it is advancing like the rest of the industry—inconsistently, with big gaps between the leaders and everyone else.
“There is some confusion about security because it’s not just the IT issues,” said Frederick Hirsch, a standards manager at Fujitsu. “There are operational technology issues that also need to be resolved, and there are special conditions to be considered in each industry.”
“Security concerns are different if you’re dealing with device to treat diabetes than for equipment on a light manufacturing floor,” according to Hirsch. “It’s getting to be a very complicated as the world gets more interconnected. You have all kinds of threats, all kinds of software flaws and all kinds of devices, so you’re not going to use the same approach everywhere.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Smart lock can be hacked ‘in seconds’
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-44457166
A hi-tech padlock secured with a fingerprint can be opened by anyone with a smartphone, security researchers have found.
On its website, Tapplock is described as the “world’s first smart fingerprint padlock”.
But researchers said it took just 45 minutes to find a way to unlock any Tapplock.
In response, the firm acknowledged the flaw and said it was issuing “an important security patch”.
In a blogpost, security expert Andrew Tierney from Pen Test Partners (PTP), outlined how he had hacked the lock.
“You can just walk up to any Tapplock and unlock it in under two seconds. It requires no skill or knowledge to do this.”
The lock’s software does not take even simple steps to secure the data it broadcasts, he said, leaving it open to several “trivial” attacks.
The “major flaw” in its design is that the unlock key for the device is easily discovered because it is generated from the Bluetooth Low Energy ID that is broadcast by the lock.
Anyone with a smartphone would be able to pick up this key if they scanned for Bluetooth devices when close to a Tapplock.
In response, Tapplock said in a statement that it was issuing a software update.
How to open a Tapplock over BLE in under two seconds:
https://www.pentestpartners.com/security-blog/totally-pwning-the-tapplock-smart-lock/
Tomi Engdahl says:
These RFID Tags Can Act as Low-Cost Environmental Sensors
https://blog.hackster.io/these-rfid-tags-can-act-as-low-cost-environmental-sensors-2dcd0db69345
RFID (radio-frequency identification) chips are extremely common these days. You’re probably most aware of them when you use an RFID card to unlock your office door, or when you send NFC payments from your smartphone.
they’re extremely inexpensive — just a few cents for basic tags — and, MIT researchers are now harnessing that to create low-cost sensors.
Active RFID tags work in a similar way, but with a small battery that is recharged by RF waves (or that simply has a limited lifespan). The MIT researchers are taking advantage of the technology to create affordable environmental sensors that return data in addition to the unique identifier.
http://news.mit.edu/2018/mit-engineers-configure-rfid-tags-to-work-as-sensors-0613
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://blog.hackster.io/rosie-the-android-is-always-happy-to-take-a-selfie-with-you-at-google-headquarters-987c384e3543
Tomi Engdahl says:
Smart home data to feed smart city efforts
https://www.broadbandtechreport.com/articles/2018/06/smart-home-data-to-feed-smart-city-efforts.html?cmpid=enl_btr_weekly_network_technology_2018-06-14&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24
According to ABI Research, the growing power of smart home devices and services will increasingly extend their influence outside of the home and into wider smart city programs. Over the next five years, smart home and smart city providers are expected to increasingly leverage the overlap between these two traditionally separate markets as smart home services provide a ready and expandable smart city IoT resource.
By 2022 a global installed base of nearly 300 million smart homes will put smart home providers in the position to provide a ready data source for smart city applications. Current smart city projects typically address applications including transportation, healthcare, environmental management and more.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Week in Review: IoT
https://semiengineering.com/the-week-in-review-iot-102/
Auto lighting analysis; faster wireless for cars; last-level cache; Rockwell invests in PTC; Arm buys Stream; Ring kits.
Marvell introduced an 802.11ax SoC for next-generation connected vehicles, including 2×2 concurrent dual Wi-Fi, dual-mode Bluetooth 5/Low Energy, and 802.11p for connected vehicles. The chip adds gigabit-level security, along with enhanced reliability and security.
Rockwell Automation agreed to acquire an 8.4% equity stake in PTC for $1 billion.
IOTech offers IoT edge platform technology for the IIoT, utilizing the Linux Foundation’s EdgeX Foundry project technologies.
Arm acquired Stream Technologies, a provider of software tools for managing the connectivity of IoT devices; financial terms weren’t revealed. Stream’s technologies will be integrated with Arm’s Mbed IoT Device Management Platform. Stream was established in 2000 and has more than 770,000 managed subscribers, it was said.
Ring Alarm, the Amazon subsidiary’s home security system, is now available for pre-order at $199. I
KDDI and Toyota Motor collaborated on an automotive connectivity platform that could be used in linking cars with wireless networks. KDDI hopes IoT platforms for connected cars will be a growth application in the future.
Juniper Networks this week brought out the latest version of its MX routing platform, featuring the new Juniper Penta Silicon, a custom-designed processor, along with built-in encryption and end-to-end security.
NXP Semiconductors announced that its Kinetis microcontrollers are now specified to operate for 15 years.
Silicon Labs debuted software options for its Wireless Gecko product line, enabling sub-gigahertz and 2.4 GHz Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity on one chip. T
Market Research
Ericsson predicts there will be about 3.5 billion connected cellular IoT devices in 2023, up from a forecast of 1.8 billion connected cellular devices last November. “The forecast for cellular IoT connections has almost doubled, due to ongoing large-scale deployments in China,” Ericsson said in its semi-annual mobility report. North East Asia, mainly China, is expected to account for a substantial majority, 2.2 billion, of the connected devices in 2023, Ericsson estimates.
Connected IoT sensors and devices will top more than 50 billion units by 2022, up from an estimated 21 billion this year, according to Juniper Research. It ranks the leading IoT vendors as IBM, Microsoft, Intel, Bosch, and Nokia, in that order.
Sikich, a professional services firm, surveyed more than 200 respondents at companies in various industrial sectors and found that fewer than 10% of those respondents were employing IoT technologies. The survey also turned up the information that 30% said they didn’t have a clear understanding of IoT.
Tomi Engdahl says:
“Digital twins” enable machine simulation & maintenance, Industry 4.0
https://www.edn.com/design/automotive/4460761/-Digital-twins–enable-simulation–maintenance–Industry-4-0
One of the key trends in industrial systems design highlighted at the recent Hannover Fair is the increasing interest in creation and use of digital twins. A marriage between EDA/CAD and the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), digital twins hold great promise for optimizing the performance and maintenance of industrial systems. The concept itself has been in use for decades in aerospace and automotive industries, but advances in computing and communications technologies are paving the way for it to become a key element of industrial systems design.
At its most basic, a digital twin is a digital description of a real-world device, machine, system, or process. While this sounds like just another way of describing CAD files and simulations, the digital twin is much more.
In industrial settings, maintaining an accurate digital twin of operational assets, such as robots, process controls, and the like, can empower many beneficial applications. Industrial applications of augmented reality (AR), for instance, draw on the digital twin to support the repair and maintenance of equipment on the factory floor.
Because the digital twin’s fidelity with the original is being maintained in near real time with operational data gathered over the IIoT, the twin provides opportunities for engineering problem-solving, as well. A device’s manufacturer could, for instance, interact with the digital twin to track down causes and even try out simulations of potential solutions for a customer problem without needing to be present on the factory floor and without interrupting the customer’s workflow. The digital twin can also provide engineers with valuable feedback on the actual operational characteristics of their designs in the field, leading to design improvements.
By far the most immediate use of a digital twin, however, is predictive maintenance. The digital representation of the actual machine can continually compare actual, measured performance against the twin’s simulated performance
Now, advances in computing and communications technology as well as AI and sensors are encouraging expansion of the digital twin approach across industries, up to large assets such as complete factories, and down into individual subsystems.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Enabling Embedded Devices for Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)
https://www.mentor.com/embedded-software/resources/overview/enabling-embedded-devices-for-industrial-internet-of-things-iiot–a83b7f36-02dd-42b5-9d72-012390ba0dc9?uuid=a83b7f36-02dd-42b5-9d72-012390ba0dc9&contactid=1&PC=L&c=2018_06_15_esd_newsletter_update_may_2018
For industrial equipment manufacturers, the market demand to integrate and connect devices within the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is growing by the day.This paper seeks to outline a few of the key architectural considerations required for the successful operation of smart devices within an IIoT infrastructure with a focus on the software that runs on the device.
Tomi Engdahl says:
4 hot takes on Industry 4.0 and the 4th Industrial Revolution
https://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2018/06/4-hot-blog.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cim_data_center_newsletter_2018-06-18&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2143101
Tomi Engdahl says:
IoT Wireless Battles Ahead
https://semiengineering.com/iot-wireless-battles-ahead/
Tradeoffs include power, performance, security. Each standard has its own benefits and drawbacks.
The extended version of that quote adds “furthermore, if you do not like any of them, you can just wait for next year’s model.”
That could not be truer when it comes to IoT and wireless connectivity. Every standards group is rushing to create new versions of existing standards that use less power, have more possible connections, provide a balance between range and bandwidth, or which make it easier to integrate into an SoC. So far there are no clear winners, making it difficult for edge device manufacturers to optimize their product offerings.
Most IoT edge products want to be in control of their wake-up schedule to reduce power.
“Wireless protocol is dictated by the infrastructure but there are a number of layers to this question,”
“It’s important to remember that the wireless infrastructure could include WPAN (wireless personal area networks) technologies such as cellular (3G or 4G), or LoWPAN (low power WPAN), which although they are not part of your infrastructure can be utilized. Today, more and more infrastructure devices are available that support multiple wireless protocols, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 802.15.4 solutions.”
“WiFi is an attractive protocol for a lot of devices, but it consumes quite a lot of power just to be part of the network,”
Ron Lowman, strategic marketing manager for IoT at Synopsys, also sees problems with the adoption of WiFi. “WiFi uses 10X to 100X the amount of power compared to Bluetooth low energy. There are companies that are trying to lower the power for WiFi because it is so ubiquitous. But it will never get to the levels of the other protocols. I believe it will always be 3X to 10X.”
But that is where waiting pays off. “An emerging version of WiFi, 802.11ah, has a number of technical features that are targeting low power and can support many devices,”
The device itself can control its battery usage based on its needs to report data. In addition, 802.11ah operates down in the sub-GHz range. (902 to 928MHz).
Wentworth points out another factor to consider. “802.11ah will support over 8,000 IoT devices at a distance of 1 km, which is 0.62 miles and encompasses an area of 490 acres and can adjust throughput based on range.”
In comparison, Bluetooth has a range of about 100m and incurs additional latency as more connections are added.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Amazon teams with Marriott to put Alexa in hotels
https://www.ft.com/content/84e8f960-736c-11e8-aa31-31da4279a601
Move is part of push to expand voice-powered devices beyond the home
technology company is partnering with Marriott International, the world’s largest hotel operator, to launch Alexa for Hospitality, a suite of features that allow guests to order room service, request housekeeping, book spa treatments, play music and adjust the lighting and temperature in their rooms, all by talking to an Alexa-powered speaker.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Amazon launches an Alexa system for hotels
https://techcrunch.com/2018/06/19/amazon-launches-an-alexa-system-for-hotels/?sr_share=facebook&utm_source=tcfbpage
Tomi Engdahl says:
Arm Ready to Sacrifice Profits for Long-Term IoT Growth
https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1333389
Arm is better positioned as a privately held company to take a strategic approach for long-term growth as it addresses the IoT market, according to Rajeev Misra, CEO of SoftBank’s $100B Vision Fund and a director of the SoftBank Group.
“IoT requires an entire stack, not just the chip, and in order to make these investments, you need to sacrifice profits over the next three to five years,” Misra said here this week at CogX, one of the biggest artificial intelligence conferences in the U.K. “It takes courage to take a long-term view when shareholders look for nearly 10% growth per year.”
Asked for his view on the future of tech, Misra said that digital security would be the biggest industry in the next three years, especially with the level of connectivity that we’re likely to experience plus privacy challenges. He also believes that over the next couple of years, we’ll be able to deliver more processing power than the brain but that processing power alone will not be enough, especially with the need to process, analyze, and do something with the data obtained.
Tomi Engdahl says:
http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/8141-etndigi-tutki-haavoittuvuutesi-ennen-hakkereita
Tomi Engdahl says:
http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/8139-etndigi-iiot-tietoturvaa-ei-voi-lisata-jalkikateen
Tomi Engdahl says:
http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/8137-etndigi-internet-of-finns
Tomi Engdahl says:
A case study in data center IoT-based thermal optimization
https://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/pt/2018/06/a-case-study-in-data-center-iot-based-thermal-optimization.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cim_data_center_newsletter_2018-06-19&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2145203
The Internet of Things (IoT) is gaining traction across many industries including data centers. vXchnge, a provider of carrier-neutral colocation services, actively leverages innovative solutions and engineering best practices to achieve efficient and sustainable operations. Within that focus, vXchnge and Vigilent, a provider of dynamic cooling management systems, together recently engaged in a pilot project at vXchnge’s Chappaqua, NY, facility to improve thermal management and reduce energy spend.
https://www.missioncriticalmagazine.com/articles/91529-data-center-iot-based-thermal-optimization
Tomi Engdahl says:
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Home > General > Security of firefighters and IoT are thinking of the rescue industry
Information security for firefighters and IoT are concerned about the rescue industry
The Internet of Things has the potential to improve security but may also pose security risks. Especially information security is often ignored, recalls the Emergency Disaster Development Group. Read the report on the use of IoT technology for fire safety.
Hardware management and remote services are already in use in today’s buildings. When products come to market, especially information security solutions are often ignored.
“In designing such products that are key to security, the security principles may have been halfway. Only a few devices comply with national or international standards, “says senior expert Petri Mero Finanssiala ry.
Data security has been identified at a technical level, but when working with networked devices, attention has to be paid to the ways in which devices are used, planning, preparedness and staff training.
Fire alarms to the net
IoT technology is utilized, for example, by intelligent fire alarms, from which alerts can be obtained in addition to a local alarm to a smartphone. The owner must ensure that the notification is sent to the required addresses so that the alert information is not just an internal device or item.
In addition to intelligent fire alarms, old smoke alarms can be connected to the network if they are equipped with a smart battery. Both solutions can be controlled by a smartphone application. The latest fire detection systems can be connected to the Internet so that they can be managed with a web browser-based interface from anywhere.
Device designers attach great importance to the simplicity of deployment and operation to make the solutions appeal to users. However, ease of use may cause security problems.
The IoT systems often require regular updates to keep the data transmitted by the devices safe. Also, the fact that hardware operating systems often interfere with key operating systems, such as Android or IOS, also poses risks to ease of use.
Devices running on open networks are always an easy target for an outsider. The user, man, should be the decisive key to updating the devices and software, as well as the necessary backups, such as up-to-date firewalls and the networks behind the backups.
Source: https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2018/06/21/palohayttimien-tietoturva-ja-iot-mietityttavat-pelastusalaa/
More: https://spek.onedu.fi/koulutus/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/09/KeRy-IoT-teknologian-hyodyntaminen-rakennuksien-paloturvallisuuden-kehityksessa-ja-intefroidussa-alykkaassa-ymparistossa.pdf
Tomi Engdahl says:
Arm Ready to Sacrifice Profits for Long-Term IoT Growth
https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1333389
Tomi Engdahl says:
“Digital twins” enable machine simulation & maintenance, Industry 4.0
https://www.edn.com/design/automotive/4460761/-Digital-twins–enable-simulation–maintenance–Industry-4-0?utm_source=Aspencore&utm_medium=EDN&utm_campaign=social
One of the key trends in industrial systems design highlighted at the recent Hannover Fair is the increasing interest in creation and use of digital twins. A marriage between EDA/CAD and the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), digital twins hold great promise for optimizing the performance and maintenance of industrial systems. The concept itself has been in use for decades in aerospace and automotive industries, but advances in computing and communications technologies are paving the way for it to become a key element of industrial systems design.
Tomi Engdahl says:
This insanely cool DIY smart home features Alexa’s AI and Ethereum’s blockchain
https://thenextweb.com/hardfork/2018/06/18/this-insanely-cool-diy-smart-home-features-alexas-ai-and-ethereums-blockchain/
Building the perfect home involves a lot of time, effort, and Amazon Echo Dots. One family decided to create the smartest house in the world, and by all accounts they’ve succeeded. Video monitoring? Check. AI-powered voice command interface? Check. Blockchain-backed automated chore tracking and rewards system?
Wait, what?
You’ve probably never heard of Farley Coin, one of the world’s most exclusive cryptocurrencies. And that’s because its creator, Matt Farley, isn’t your dad.
https://www.hackster.io/matt-farley/world-s-smartest-home-feat-blockchain-chores-kids-crypto-025e83
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/telecom/wireless/5g-networks-and-the-internet-of-things-need-better-localization-solutions
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Tapplock, a Typical IoT Problem Child?
Fresh problems for the troubled smart padlock
https://blog.hackster.io/the-tapplock-a-typical-iot-problem-child-60dff98a0407
Tomi Engdahl says:
http://connected.arrow.com/indiegogo-arduino-challenge?utm_source=FBPAGE&utm_medium=socialmedia&utm_content=1591639813&utm_campaign=BU+Campaigns
Tomi Engdahl says:
6 Reasons Why IoT Security Is Terrible
https://spectrum.ieee.org/telecom/security/6-reasons-why-iot-security-is-terrible
Connecting physical infrastructure to the Internet makes systems vulnerable to new security threats. What keeps executives awake at night varies by industry, but cybersecurity problems are worsening everywhere.
In the IT world, there’s an entire industry of life-cycle-management software that tracks patches and rolls back buggy software. In the IoT world, we just aren’t there yet.
6 Differences in Internet of Things and Cyber Safety
https://www.iamthecavalry.org/iotdifferences/amp/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nellie Bowles / New York Times:
Experts say domestic abusers increasingly use connected home devices like smart locks, security cameras, and lighting to scare or spy on victims — SAN FRANCISCO — The people who called into the help hotlines and domestic violence shelters said they felt as if they were going crazy.
Thermostats, Locks and Lights: Digital Tools of Domestic Abuse
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/23/technology/smart-home-devices-domestic-abuse.html
In training sessions on domestic violence and technology, people have started asking about how to handle the use of connected home devices in abuse situations, said Erica Olsen, director of the Safety Net Project at the National Network to End Domestic Violence.
One woman had turned on her air-conditioner, but said it then switched off without her touching it. Another said the code numbers of the digital lock at her front door changed every day and she could not figure out why. Still another told an abuse help line that she kept hearing the doorbell ring, but no one was there.
Their stories are part of a new pattern of behavior in domestic abuse cases tied to the rise of smart home technology. Internet-connected locks, speakers, thermostats, lights and cameras that have been marketed as the newest conveniences are now also being used as a means for harassment, monitoring, revenge and control.
In more than 30 interviews with The New York Times, domestic abuse victims, their lawyers, shelter workers and emergency responders described how the technology was becoming an alarming new tool. Abusers — using apps on their smartphones, which are connected to the internet-enabled devices — would remotely control everyday objects in the home, sometimes to watch and listen, other times to scare or show power. Even after a partner had left the home, the devices often stayed and continued to be used to intimidate and confuse.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Vint Cerf Gives Rx for IoT
Net pioneer calls for better software
https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1333411
The Internet of Things won’t live up to its promise unless engineers redouble their efforts to develop high-quality, secure, and interoperable software. Even then, new programming techniques and even legislation may be needed.
That’s the message that Vint Cerf, a co-developer of the Internet Protocol and chief internet evangelist for Google, shared with colleagues at a recent technical gathering.
“We should be extremely thoughtful about the quality of IoT software,” Cerf told EE Times in an interview. “People are relying on these things to work autonomously, and these days, almost anything can become a programmable, communicating device because the chips are so inexpensive.”
Security remains perhaps the biggest of several related concerns.
“I used to joke that my biggest concern was that 100,000 refrigerators will attack Bank of America, and now with Dyn’s experience, that’s real,” he said.
“It’s embarrassing to admit that we still haven’t figured out how to write code without bugs,” said Cerf.
He pointed to programming languages such as TLA+ and Coq and tools from companies such as Coverity, acquired in 2014 by Synopsys, as steps in the right direction. “I’m not an expert here, but my guess is that we are still in the research stage to see how programming environments can be tailored to reduce mistakes.”
The industry still needs to define and use more standards to make products from different vendors easy to use.
“We need interoperable semantics for similar devices,”
Cerf praised draft legislation from U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D–Va.), setting requirements for government IoT procurements. “I would urge them not to specify any particular technology — that’s always a mistake — but stating demonstrable capabilities makes sense,” he said.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Voice + IoT = DECT
https://www.eetimes.com/author.asp?section_id=36&doc_id=1333416
The confluence of voice command and control and critical home health care monitoring and security is the catalyst for a renewed interest in DECT and its ULE Alliance adaptation.
It may not be as important as e = mc2, but for Digital European Cordless Telephony (DECT), the implications are potentially just as dramatic. As the technological universe migrates to both voice command and control and low-power Internet of Things (IoT) devices, the once European-centric cordless phone standard may be finding its way back into the global home after having been booted out by the rise of mobile phones.
This exploration of the future of DECT started with the question as to why Alexa’s Wi-Fi-based external call quality was so poor. This was quickly followed up by the questions: What if it were an emergency? And how could any Wi-Fi-based voice-enabled IoT device be trusted to operate effectively?
The whole issue started rather innocuously: Using multiple Amazon Echo Dot 2s to make room-to-room intercom calls worked well over Wi-Fi. There were a few dropped syllables, but the conversations were fairly fluid. The problem arose when asking Alexa to make external calls: The connections were horrendous. Why?
It turns out that the Echo 2’s codecs are optimized to communicate with other Echo 2s over Wi-Fi, but not with the home router.
To be sure, Wi-Fi’s quality-of-service (QoS) enhancements have made it much better at giving voice priority over video or audio streaming where a few dropped packets are acceptable. However, each adaptation adds processing overhead, and not every Wi-Fi device is up to date with the latest standards. Also, Wi-Fi hardware was designed for high-speed data, and while it can be throttled back and use various sleep modes to lower power consumption, the hardware is relatively expensive.
However, DECT was specifically designed for high-quality voice at low power
Still, one of its salient features is its low latency of 10 ms, compared to 150 to 200 ms for Wi-Fi.
Given its low power and latency, among other features, it wasn’t surprising that in 2013, the ULE Alliance was formed with the goal of using a revised form of DECT to low-power, high-quality voice command and control and ensuring that IoT devices can communicate effectively and reliably. The move was prescient: Since then, voice control using Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home has taken off along with the IoT.
A characteristic feature of DECT is range, and that has been maintained per the ETSI DECT specification. ULE devices have a range of 70 to 100 m indoors and >500 m outdoors. It still supports two-way voice in all forms as well as low-resolution video. Its data rate tops out at 500 Kbits/s.
The adjustments to the network layers are based around the ULE Alliance’s Home Area Network FUNctional (HAN FUN) protocol and allow it to support IPv6 (6LoWPAN). HAN FUN is a binary protocol and covers protocol definition, device definition, and device management. Like Zigbee and Z-Wave, HAN FUN is an object-oriented approach in that it can send commands such as having detected smoke. It resides on top of ULE, which is a transport-based protocol.
Standing out in a sea of wireless options for IoT
In seeing what DECT and ULE can do for low-power IoT and voice command and control, it’s still awkward to introduce another wireless interface into the home. Yet few options provide the low latency and low power for voice.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Industrial IoT: Protecting the Physical World from Cyber Attacks
https://www.securityweek.com/industrial-iot-protecting-physical-world-cyber-attacks
The convergence of industrial IoT and intelligent automation has been a boon for many enterprises, allowing machines to take on tasks that previous generations of automation could not handle. This shift mirrors the way that connected devices have transformed home life for many consumers. Companies are now able to automate tasks through a connected network spanning devices, applications and control systems. This includes things as simple as smart lighting in an office building to more industrial applications, like self-driving mining equipment or robotics.
Industrial IoT: More devices, more risks
Enterprises looking to streamline many aspects of day-to-day work including manufacturing, operations, and logistics are the ones driving adoption of industrial IoT technology. These implementations are becoming more common, even in unexpected ways. Something as simple as a smart light bulb, as mundane as an elevator, or as complex as a factory robot, may all be connected to the same network, yet under the covers can be hidden a small footprint Windows, Linux or other UNIX operating environment that must be protected. As industrial IoT continues to grow in the years to come, the types of deployments will be divided into two major categories:
● Fixed-function devices – Connected devices that exist on the outer edge of the typical IT purview, such as building components (cameras, lighting, locks, etc.) and collaboration tools (video conferencing, smart TVs, etc.).
● Operational Technology (OT/IIoT) – Industrial and operations technologies such as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems (SCADA) and Distributed Control Systems (DCS) that run the business behind the scenes.
Consider the recent VPNFilter malware attack. According to reports, at least one million routers were infected with the VPNFilter malware, which allowed attackers to monitor traffic on infected devices or even remotely destroy them, cutting off internet access. That number continues to rise, as does the number of different routers that are vulnerable.
How to protect Industrial IoT Deployments
While the current state of IoT security leaves many longer-term concerns that must be addressed, there are ways businesses can protect themselves today. The first step to securing industrial IoT is simple – understand what is connected to your your network. There are so many different devices that can be connected, that it’s easy for even the simplest of things to fall through the cracks when you don’t know what is on your network, such as changing default passwords on new devices.
Next, it is important to harden environments that are running software for connected devices.
The operating system running connected devices should also be hardened through complete monitoring of everything including files, settings, events, logs and application behavior.
The benefits of an increasingly connected enterprise are clear, but so too are the risks. CISOs have spent time and money on data protection strategies, but now is the time to ensure they have a robust industrial IoT strategy that matches the investment being made on the business efficiencies these systems can introduce. While protecting data is absolutely critical, it’s equally important that all CISOs think about how to protect these industrial infrastructures, as not doing so can have catastrophic results.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Industrial IoT: Protecting the Physical World from Cyber Attacks
https://www.securityweek.com/industrial-iot-protecting-physical-world-cyber-attacks
The convergence of industrial IoT and intelligent automation has been a boon for many enterprises, allowing machines to take on tasks that previous generations of automation could not handle. This shift mirrors the way that connected devices have transformed home life for many consumers. Companies are now able to automate tasks through a connected network spanning devices, applications and control systems. This includes things as simple as smart lighting in an office building to more industrial applications, like self-driving mining equipment or robotics.
A recent survey from McKinsey found that 98 percent of business leaders report including industrial IoT initiatives in their strategic road maps. Those same respondents believed that key executives have recognized industrial IoT’s value, with nearly half reporting that company leaders either strongly supported or were directly engaged in industrial IoT initiatives.
The benefits from industrial IoT seem clear, but these advancements have not come without risk. Connected devices have been associated with poor security and attackers are targeting them to get access to and infiltrate otherwise well-defended networks. Industrial IoT in the enterprise expands the threat landscape by opening up new vulnerabilities that can be exploited across endpoints, applications, cloud infrastructure and networks.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Week in Review: IoT
Marvell notes; acquisitions; cybersecurity bill.
https://semiengineering.com/the-week-in-review-iot-103/
Marvell Technology Group priced $500 million in senior notes due in 2023 and $500 million in senior notes due in 2028. The chip company will use net proceeds from the debt offering, cash on hand, and borrowings under a new term loan facility to fund the cash consideration and other amounts payable for Marvell’s proposed $6 billion acquisition of Cavium. The companies have expected to close the transaction, announced last November, by mid-2018.
Sunnyvale, Calif.-based CrowdStrike, which specializes in what it calls cloud-delivered endpoint protection, received more than $200 million in Series E funding
Crate.io of San Francisco raised $11 million in Series A funding led by Zetta Venture Partners and Deutsche Invest Equity, with participation by Chalfen Ventures, Momenta Partners, and Charlie Songhurst.
Crate.io also debuted its Crate Machine Learning Platform, a hosted offering, enabling use of the company’s SQL-based database platform for working with IoT data
IBM acquired Oniqua Holdings, adding IoT capabilities for businesses maintaining vital assets. Oniqua specializes in maintenance repair operations inventory optimization products and services.
Finland’s F-Secure has agreed to acquire MWR InfoSecurity of the United Kingdom for £80 million (nearly $106 million) in cash,
July Systems of Burlingame, Calif., will be acquired by Cisco Systems
Microsoft has agreed to acquire Bonsai of Berkeley, Calif., an artificial intelligence startup enabling people to develop machine-learning tools for industrial applications,
Sprint is deploying a nationwide LTE-M network for IoT, using a virtualized IoT core separate from its existing cellular core.
National Instruments this week introduced the NI-RFmx measurement software for narrowband IoT and LTE-M (also known as eMTC) networks.
Aprotech selected the Monarch LTE-M/NB-IoT chip technology from Sequans Communications to develop IoT devices, starting with the South Korea market. The first product is an IoT kids and pets tracker
Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri) and Senator James Lankford (R-Oklahoma) introduced a bill to establish a Federal Acquisition Security Council, with the aim of protecting the information technology supply chain for the government.
The VDOO cybersecurity firm reports it identified seven vulnerabilities found in Axis Communications security cameras.
International Data Corp. forecasts IoT spending will enjoy a compound annual growth rate of 13.6% from 2017 to 2022, reaching $1.2 trillion at the end of the forecast period.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IoT Analytics: Cloud, Edge, or a Mix of Both?
https://gateway.on24.com/wcc/gateway/elitepentondesignengineering/1771118/1779360/iot-analytics-cloud-edge-or-a-mix-of-both?utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=18062&utm_medium=email&elq2=a487506b7e8b4a4b994ffb917ef2000b
Industrial IoT developers participating in this webinar will explore the benefits and challenges associated with performing data analytics at the edge or in the cloud. They will also analyze the benefits of a hybrid approach and the types of information they will need to make informed decisions in developing a solution for their business.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Getting More out of Your CAD Environment: Designing for the Future of IoT
https://gateway.on24.com/wcc/gateway/elitepentondesignengineering/1771118/1775784/getting-more-out-of-your-cad-environment-designing-for-the-future-of-iot?utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=18049&utm_medium=email&elq2=e2a2ac5d7e06474ba439b507d96c7046
Solidworks has taken their steps into IoT and digital production by expanding their modeling solution to a full production suite
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apply “Ready-to-Use” Machine Learning to Improve Industrial Operations
http://www.electronicdesign.com/industrial-automation/apply-ready-use-machine-learning-improve-industrial-operations?code=UM_NN8DS_005&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=18025&utm_medium=email&elq2=89094fcd668145a793c0a69037bb46a0
Industrial practitioners can harness underutilized time-series data using machine learning to provide actionable insights that reduce downtime and improve throughput, operator safety, and product quality.
Tomi Engdahl says:
“Digital twins” enable machine simulation & maintenance, Industry 4.0
https://www.edn.com/design/automotive/4460761/-Digital-twins–enable-simulation–maintenance–Industry-4-0
One of the key trends in industrial systems design highlighted at the recent Hannover Fair is the increasing interest in creation and use of digital twins. A marriage between EDA/CAD and the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), digital twins hold great promise for optimizing the performance and maintenance of industrial systems. The concept itself has been in use for decades in aerospace and automotive industries, but advances in computing and communications technologies are paving the way for it to become a key element of industrial systems design.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intelligence Untethered — The Invisible Smart Assistant
https://www.eeweb.com/profile/youvaln/articles/intelligence-untethered-the-invisible-smart-assistant
Smart assistants give us the ability to simply direct questions and commands to our buildings and appliances without the need to hold and type on a device.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Six best practices for implementing and securing IIoT products
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/six-best-practices-for-implementing-and-securing-iiot-products/7c679f4159ef16d7a6b88d5dc8f4d508.html?OCVALIDATE=
The practice of “securing by design” can help companies protect against potential cyber attacks on Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) products.
Securing the IIoT
Though the merging of OT and IT is inevitable, industrial facilities can and should, however, take steps to mitigate the risks of using IIoT products. Adopting industry best practices will reduce these risks.
Follow this six-point checklist for basic security when implementing IIoT products. These items need to be considered at the start of the planning process to help identify and counter potential IIoT threats:
1. Secure interfaces: Insecure interfaces can result in data manipulation, loss, or corruption; lack of accountability; denial of access; or complete device takeover.
2. Update software and firmware regularly: It is crucial IIoT devices perform updates regularly to protect against the latest threats, and that cryptographic checks are implemented to ensure updates come from a trusted source.
3. Control access: Strong passwords, the protection of credentials, and separation of roles must be ensured to prevent compromising a device or a user account.
4. Secure the network: Only necessary ports should be available and exposed. Insecure network services may be susceptible to a variety of attacks, including denial of service (DoS), which renders a device inaccessible.
5. Eliminate backdoors: No IIoT device should have undocumented backdoors or hidden functions that an attacker could exploit.
6. Configure for security: Attackers often exploit a lack of granular permissions to access data or controls. Security hardening, encryption of data in transit, and logging security events can counter this risk.