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:
Core technologies make edge-intelligence possible
Development environments combine device management, connectivity, cloud, and analytics.
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/core-technologies-make-edge-intelligence-possible/384e32316dbe5dd3f3cd29f5394dde3e.html
As the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) evolves it’s impacted by the same integration challenges as previous automation generations. Besides changing requirements, many different hardware and software technologies and applications apply. However, today, with open standards, these diverse elements can be melded together to deliver solutions.
In IIoT product and application development, developers’ goals may look to:
Support heterogeneous sensors and actuators via the Internet
Integrate heterogeneous wired and wireless connectivity protocols, including Modbus, LoRa, Sigfox, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and others
Port original software to different hardware, including MCU, x86/ARM CPU, GPU, and others, and operating systems that include Microsoft Windows, Linux Distributions, mbed OS, Android, and others
Connect cloud services that might include WISE-PaaS, Microsoft Azure, ARM mbed Cloud, IBM Bluemix, and others
Maintain data ownership and integrity and its implications for security and privacy
Quickly develop robust applications
Deploy, update, upgrade, and maintain large numbers of devices and services
Transform Big Data into valuable business information.
Thus, an IIoT product or solution must meet challenges related to sensors, connectivity, security, Cloud services, storage, device hardware, device maintenance, edge/Cloud analytics, system integration, application development, and so on. The first challenge many companies face is migrating to an IoT application while balancing design time, time-to-market, and risk.
Now let’s look a little more closely at some of the technologies mentioned.
MQTT is a simple, lightweight publish/subscribe messaging protocol used for constrained devices and low-bandwidth, high-latency, or unreliable networks. The service publishes its capability and data to an MQTT broker and subscribes to specific topics for input interfaces.
A RESTful API defines a set of functions that developers use to perform requests and receive responses via HTTP protocols, such as GET and POST. Because RESTful APIs use HTTP as a transport, they can be used by practically any programming language and are easy to test.
The RESTful API specifies what it can provide and how it can be used, and requires that details such as query parameters, response format, request limitations, public use/API keys, methods (GET/POST/PUT/DELETE), language support, callback usage, HTTPS support, and resource representations should all be self-descriptive.
The properties impacted by the constraints of the RESTful architectural style include:
Component interactions can be the dominant factor in user-perceived performance and network efficiency
Scalability to support large numbers of components and interactions among components
The simplicity of a uniform interface
Modifiability of components to meet changing needs, even while the application is running
Visibility of communication between components by service agents
Portability of components by moving program code with the data
Resistance to failure at the system level despite failures of components, connectors, or data.
A Microservice Architecture pattern allows a designer to split the application into sets of smaller, interconnected services instead of having a single monolithic application. A service typically implements distinct features or functionalities, such as connectivity management, vertical application, or other. Each microservice is a mini-application with its own architecture, including business logic along with various adapters.
Architecture alignment
An architecture of the type under discussion can be classified into five category layers. Each is implemented as its own microservice, using MQTT broker as the communication bus. All microservices interface with other microservices or clients. At runtime, each instance is a Docker container. This makes it easy to deploy distinct experiences for specific users, devices, or special-use cases.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Best practices for industrial cloud computing delineated
Match organizational preferences with the relevant technology requirements.
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/best-practices-for-industrial-cloud-computing-delineated/c5add6d11125c3dbb8b647eeb9d6da4b.html
Integrating the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) into traditional supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and human-machine interfaces scenarios delivers multiple benefits.
Increased scalability follows from secure access to multiple locations via cloud platforms, including the popular Microsoft Azure. Hardware obsolescence can be alleviated, as the “heavy lifting” of processor-intensive analysis can be off-loaded. Connectivity is enhanced, as increasing numbers of devices communicate via IIoT transport protocols.
However, without the ability to connect devices from behind firewalls and to publish data securely to IIoT-integrated applications, organizations may miss out on the promise of advanced analytics via cloud computing. If your organization is considering an IIoT integration strategy, the answers to the following questions highlight some best practices.
1. Does your organization already have existing IoT/cloud-ready hardware?
2. Do you already have a preferred cloud-services vendor?
3. Does your organization prefer specific communication protocols, both for internal use and pub/sub-based?
4. Now consider what additional functionality is needed for the industrial cloud-based solution?
In important industries, southbound communications between on-premise machinery and networks with cloud services involve a number of industry protocols, including:
OPC Classic specifications are based on Microsoft Windows technology, using COM/DCOM (Distributed Component Object Model)
OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) is an open standard for exchanging information in a rich, object-oriented, and secure way.
Modbus is an open communication protocol widely used by many manufacturers throughout multiple industries. The protocol can cover serial lines (Modbus RTU and Modbus ASCII) as well as Ethernet (Modbus TCP).
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) allows devices to expose useful information to other connected devices. Almost all traditional IT devices can handle SNMP requests.
BACnet is the most widely used open communications standard in the building automation industry.
Northbound communications involve additional protocols, with the need for high security levels and often using a publish/subscribe (“pub/sub”) mechanism. These protocols include:
Advanced Message Queuing Protocol (AMQP)
Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT)
Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS)
Representational State Transfer (REST)/JSON
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Smart Home Needs Smart Battery Management
http://www.electronicdesign.com/power/smart-home-needs-smart-battery-management?code=UM_NN6TI100&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=14954&utm_medium=email&elq2=2550c63dd33c4a51ab4efdd7607104a8
No doubt about it—the world is getting smarter. Widely available wireless connectivity, low-cost sensors, and low-power embedded microcontrollers have spawned numerous “smart” consumer products, including phones, watches, and credit cards. Behind the scenes, we’re seeing the rise of the smart factory and the smart grid, and researchers are even working on smart dust.
Powering the Smart Home
Connecting many devices opens up a host of intriguing possibilities, but providing power to such a disparate collection of products poses problems for the system designer, particularly in a home that wasn’t designed to accommodate a “smart” installation.
There are two basic classes of home-automation applications for batteries:
The battery provides the primary source of power. These include the remotely located peripherals mentioned above, mobile devices such as cleaning robots, and wearables like in-home medical monitors.
The battery performs a secondary role. It acts as a backup and comes online if a primary ac-powered source fails. Continuity of power is critical for home security and fire protection, of course, but it’s also important for emerging home applications such as patient monitoring and senior care. Energy storage systems, and backup supplies for telematics, UPS, and servers, have similar use cases.
Those looking to reduce maintenance and replacement costs are turning more to rechargeable lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries for both types of applications. Suppliers of power integrated circuits (ICs) have developed a wide range of power-management and charging solutions for battery-powered devices.
The key functions of a battery-management system include managing the charging cycle to minimize the charging time without stressing the battery and reducing its useful life; monitoring the current state of the battery; detecting and reporting fault conditions; and taking appropriate action.
Sponsored by: Texas Instruments. With lithium-ion turning into the preferred battery option in smart-home applications, a mix of ac and dc management solutions is generally the best course of action, along with a proper charger.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Role of Open Source in Building Out the Internet of Things
https://www.blackducksoftware.com/open-source-iot?cmp=em-sig-eloqua&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eloqua&elq_mid=363&elq_cid=166673
It is expected that, by 2020, more than 50 billion intelligent devices will comprise the Internet of Things (IoT), each exchanging information over the Internet and performing roles in our daily lives. But this ability derives from a complex array of software, embedded technologies, and digital communications standards, each enabled by open source software. Yet complexity can disguise vulnerability.
Manufacturers, vendors, and other members of the IoT device supply chain play a significant role in the security of users’ data and personal privacy. In this report, we discuss:
The role of open source in the rapid evolution of IoT devices
How open source influences deployment models in the IoT
Critical steps to address security and privacy pitfalls
Tomi Engdahl says:
Fooling Speech Recognition With Hidden Voice Commands
https://hackaday.com/2018/01/15/fooling-speech-recognition-with-hidden-voice-commands/
It’s 2018, and while true hoverboards still elude humanity, some future predictions have come true. It’s now possible to talk to computers, and most of the time they might even understand you. Speech recognition is usually achieved through the use of neural networks to process audio, in a way that some suggest mimics the operation of the human brain. However, as it turns out, they can be easily fooled.
The attack begins with an audio sample, generally of a simple spoken phrase, though music can also be used. The desired text that the computer should hear instead is then fed into an algorithm along with the audio sample.
Audio Adversarial Examples
http://nicholas.carlini.com/code/audio_adversarial_examples/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Get Ready for a Wealth of Embedded Design Hardware and Software Options for 2018
http://www.electronicdesign.com/embedded-revolution/get-ready-wealth-embedded-design-hardware-and-software-options-2018
Senior Technology Editor Bill Wong examines the future of embedded development with his annual forecast.
There has never been a more exciting, confusing, and challenging time to develop embedded products. The Internet of Things (IoT) is a given, but tools ranging from machine learning (ML), persistent storage (PS), and mesh networking are changing how developers look at a problem. Approaches that were impractical a few years ago are becoming readily available. That is not to say that these paths are not fraught with peril for the uneducated. Likewise, adopting the latest hardware and software should not mean ignoring other issues like privacy and security. Insecure systems can render the best-intentioned device or service untenable.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Moving Toward The Smart Factory In Microelectronics Manufacturing
https://semiengineering.com/moving-toward-the-smart-factory-in-microelectronics-manufacturing/
Common themes, industry-specific challenges, and opportunities.
The era of smart manufacturing, Industry 4.0 and the smart factory promises significant opportunities to reduce cost, boost productivity and improve quality in microelectronics manufacturing. But it also presents the industry with new, unique challenges.
Smart manufacturing (SM) is a term “generally applied to a movement in manufacturing practices towards integration up and down the supply chain, integration of physical and cyber capabilities, and taking advantage of advanced information for increased flexibility and adaptability.” It is often equated with “Industry 4.0” (I4.0),
REALIZING THE SMART FACTORY VISION IN MICROELECTRONICS MANUFACTURING: Industry-Specific Challenges and Opportunities
http://www.appliedmaterials.com/nanochip/nanochip-fab-solutions/december-2017/microelectronics-manufacturing
Tomi Engdahl says:
IoT architectures are changing. “These devices will need to have high-performance processing capabilities and intelligence for localized decision making,” adds Gupta. “Connectivity solutions will need to be robust, energy-efficient and reliable, and be able to coexist with other standards as multiple protocols will become even more important. Companies that are successful in doing all of this will be in a great position to capitalize on the IoT wave.”
Decision making often requires multiple types of compute engine. “To maximize compute efficiency, hardware-acceleration technologies will play a key role in edge computers and cloudlets,”
Source: https://semiengineering.com/predictions-manufacturing-devices-and-companies/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning at the Edge
https://www.eeweb.com/profile/max-maxfield/articles/artificial-intelligence-and-deep-learning-at-the-edge
Increasingly, embedded systems are required to perform ‘AI and DL on the Edge’; i.e., the edge of the Internet where sensors and actuators interface with the real world.
Things are progressing apace with regard to artificial intelligence (AI), artificial neural networks (ANNs), and deep learning (DL). Some hot-off-the-press news is that CEVA has just unveiled its NeuPro family of processors for AI/DL at the edge
Like all of CEVA’s hardware offerings, NeuPro processors are presented in the form of intellectual property (IP) that designers can deploy on FPGAs or integrate into their System-on-Chip (SoC) devices.
We start by defining our ANN architecture and capturing it using an appropriate system like Caffe or Google’s TensorFlow. Next, we “train” our network using hundreds of thousands or millions of images. At this stage we need a lot of accuracy, which means we’re typically working with 32-bit floating-point values.
The next step is to convert our 32-bit floating-point network into a 16-bit or 8-bit fixed-point equivalent that is suitable for deployment in an FPGA or on an SoC (fixed-point representations are used to boost performance while lowering power consumption).
Tomi Engdahl says:
These 3D-Printed Plastic Objects Can Use WiFi Without Any Electronics
http://www.iflscience.com/technology/these-3dprinted-plastic-objects-can-use-wifi-without-any-electronics/?utm_source=Editorial&utm_medium=Static&utm_campaign=RA
University of Washington (UW) has invented a process in which 3D-printed objects connect to your WiFi – without the aid of conventional electronics – in order to give you such updates automatically.
Don’t get us wrong: the technology is extremely cool. The fact is that this proof-of-concept study could pave the way for a huge range of smart devices, such as “powerless” detectors that register gas or water leaks in your house and alert you instantaneously.
The UW team aren’t the first to come up with these sorts of self-reliant devices. Back in 2015, for example, a separate team developed a tiny, $0.20 temperature sensor that didn’t require a battery or constant source of wired electricity.
At a certain point, an electrically conductive switch will poke the antenna, forming a larger circuit. This will change how the antenna reflects radio frequency signals, allowing the WiFi router to continuously track the state of whatever the device is monitoring
Tomi Engdahl says:
The State of IoT (In)Security
https://www.tripwire.com/state-of-security/off-topic/state-iot-insecurity/?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_feed%3BINAftqQ5Q2K7hcAXU4LV7Q%3D%3D
The state of Internet of Things (IoT) security today is clear: it’s terrible.
IoT devices are everywhere – from Fitbits and Amazon Alexas to smart appliances and intelligent home security systems, they’ve already permeated our consumer lives. Outside of the consumer space, however, IoT is even more prevalent.
IoT devices control electrical grid switches and public water systems; monitor road traffic in real-time to optimize city travel; track patient health in hospitals, so doctors and nurses can stay alert; control servers for Facebook, Spotify and our other favorite media sites; and much, much more.
Not to mention, IoT devices will soon be increasingly used in music, construction, film and countless other industries – in addition to totally permeating infrastructure, healthcare and home life. As machine learning and blockchain become more sophisticated, they’ll integrate with IoT, as well. Its potential will only grow with time.
Ransomware and other forms of extortion are just two types of cyberattacks we’ve seen. The Mirai malware from this past August, which wiped out entire Internet services
On top of this already precarious situation is that IoT devices are insecure by default. Encryption is often sub-standard; basic hardware security features are overlooked; default passwords are weak and duplicated across devices; and internal security controls, like dynamic information-flow tracking, are similarly (almost) nonexistent.
implementing modern security techniques in IoT devices without significant overhead is difficult. Further, the organizations that use these devices (and the systems that these devices are built into) usually depend on the speed of “edge computing,”
most people, given a set of options, will stick with the default choice. Thus, most IoT “users,” whether everyday consumers or a federal agency, likely won’t change default passwords; they likely won’t change the encryption settings; they likely won’t look into the device’s security at all. They are insecure because the provided, default settings are insecure.
Since most of the people purchasing and using these devices aren’t aware of these security problems – let alone how to fix them – the devices are left unsecured, and hackers can easily break in.
By changing the defaults, however, we can drastically improve IoT security
TECHNOLOGY LEADERS
Pressure IoT manufacturers to strengthen device security.
Work with policymakers to write compliance guidelines that make security the default – and continuously speak with them about new security techniques as they’re developed
When developing organizational security policies, expect IoT insecurity. Purchase additional software to secure IoT devices, minimize network overlaps whenever possible (i.e. don’t connect a water system to a power grid), and encourage your peers to do the same.
POLICYMAKERS
Write regulations that makes IoT security the default. Require device manufacturers to use industry-grade encryption, to implement essential hardware security features, and to use strong default passwords that are different for each device.
Consult industry experts – both development- and management-level
Implement checks and balances that ensure compliance on all fronts. Reach out to educators and work to increase technology “literacy” among citizens.
EDUCATORS
Draw attention to IoT insecurity. Educate yourself on the Internet of Things and important cybersecurity jargon, and then spread that knowledge to others. Advocate for general technology education in public schools rather than just coding classes
IoT is insecure and everywhere, and its presence is growing. The time to act is now.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Week in Review: IoT
VDOO funding; Allot buys Netonomy; Qualcomm and NXP.
https://semiengineering.com/the-week-in-review-iot-81/
Allot Communications has agreed to acquire Netonomy, a developer of software-based cybersecurity for the connected home
Qualcomm said its proposed acquisition of NXP Semiconductors received approval from the European Commission and the Korea Fair Trade Commission, with conditions. The IC design and licensing company still needs antitrust clearance from China.
Gartner forecasts worldwide IT spending will increase 4.5% this year to $3.68 trillion, driven by artificial intelligence, big data analytics, blockchain technology, and the IoT. The market research firm sees global IT expenditures growing another 2.7% in 2019 to $3.78 trillion.
Cisco Systems is adding analytics, services, and software to its IoT platform, trying to help customers understand data traffic flows and patterns in the underlying network.
Reno, Nevada-based Filament has introduced the Blocklet chip, enabling industrial devices to communicate and interact with multiple blockchain technologies. Filament CEO Allison Clift-Jennings says this chip will enable e-commerce for industrial devices through secure microtransactions.
Sierra Wireless unveiled the AirPrime HL78 module, based on Altair Semiconductor’s ALT1250 chipset. The low-power wide-area module works over global navigation satellite systems while supporting LTE-M, narrowband IoT, and 2G wireless communications, all in a CF3 module.
The China Unicom Research Institute has joined the Zigbee Alliance. T
Tomi Engdahl says:
Want to be a smart city? Study hard
https://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/5g-waves/4460246/Want-to-be-a-smart-city–Study-hard
Cities looking to take advantage of the IoT often lack the required expertise. They tend to have to rely on university, governmental, and corporate partners to help advance their smart-city plans. With this in mind, IBM began its Smarter Cities Challenge project in 2010, and over the years has sent 4,000 employees to work with over 130 cities worldwide in 40 different countries to provide exactly that sort of help. I recently spoke with a member of the IBM team that participated in a Smarter Cities Challenge project in Busan, South Korea.
There are hundreds of cities around the world that are striving to become smart cities.
Busan dates its smart-city roots to a technological roadmap adopted in 2005 that started with plans for modern infrastructure, including building a high-speed broadband network (completed in 2007), the rollout of free Wi-Fi access, and the subsequent integration of a CCTV system with its network
The city long ago established four broad smart-city categories it wished to pursue:
Transportation & tourism infrastructure
Reducing energy consumption/green technology
Disaster management and public safety
Citizen programs/quality of life
Starting in 2006, Busan has initiated dozens of IoT projects that build on the city’s broadband infrastructure. Smart parking is one, and a program for helping to track missing children is another. In 2014, Busan looked to further its smart city ambitions through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with SK Telecom and Cisco that opened the door for ongoing collaboration on IoT projects.
When it recently applied and was selected for IBM’s most recent Smarter Cities Challenge, Busan had to choose what specific thing to ask the IBM team to focus on.
The city of Busan is built up against hills and along South Korea’s largest river, at the point where it meets the sea, which makes it prone to several types of natural disasters.
The IBM team took a week and a half to research, and spent another week and a half to draft recommendations. The city had sensors in place, but they weren’t collecting metadata. City bureaus weren’t able to analyze what they had, so IBM recommended implementing analytics. The team also recommended adding more sensors, “particularly with flooding and weather data; they didn’t have a lot of sensors in the water. Their nuclear sensing activity was already very good. We recommended building on top of all of that,” Arcuri said.
With improved sensing and analytics, it would be possible to see potential problems developing, and then use geo-location capabilities inherent in smartphones to prioritize and deliver warnings directly to people in areas where the risk is highest.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Alexa, can you hear me now? Low power voice interface technology evolves
https://www.edn.com/electronics-products/electronic-product-reviews/other/4460240/Alexa–can-you-hear-me-now–Low-power-voice-interface-technology-evolves
We’ve come a long way! Cloud processing and big data have now enabled far better voice recognition and control (we’ve seen some pretty primitive ones in the past, but they are evolving now). I will include some interesting new ideas for two-way audio for a GPS navigation system in an automobile at the end of this article.
I recently spoke to Paul Beckmann, CTO of DSP Concepts, at CES. We discussed the Amlogic Alexa reference design, which uses an SoC in conjunction with the Sensory TrulyHandsfree voice trigger. DSP Concepts is still focused on accelerating audio product development, but what he is seeing in the market is the emergence of many voice-enabled products. Modern voice recognition is a challenging design architecture, and good microphone technology, along with a full software suite of algorithms (DSP Concepts’ expertise), is an important area of expertise needed for its success. Audio Weaver, an audio integration and design tool, is still an integral part of this suite.
Amazon has really brought voice recognition to the forefront of technology. They are encouraging people to build products that hook up to Amazon voice services because Amazon is interested in the cloud/data gathering side of this technology (‘Alexa, order this item for me’). Their recent efforts have been to certify reference design compatible with Alexa Voice Service (AVS). Designers can use these reference designs to build products.
The DSP Concepts solution is the first SoC/audio algorithm collaboration fully qualified by Amazon and they are offering two, four, and six microphone configurations.
A low power solution
Running for more than a week on a CR2032 coin cell, the Ambiq microcontroller has better voice user interface (UI) quality than other products currently on the market. Ambiq Micro, DSP Concepts, and Sensory have partnered to provide this new level of energy efficiency in always-on keyword detection and on-device command phrase recognition for portable consumer products such as smartwatches, earbuds, smart home end devices, health monitors, and wearables, which will benefit from this system design
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Alexa, can you hear me now? Low power voice interface technology evolves
Steve Taranovich -January 15, 2018
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Software IP
Echo canceler – allows microphones to hear voice commands even while music is being played back
Direction of arrival estimation – determines direction that the voice is coming from (used in conjunction with beamforming)
Far-field beamforming – combines multiple microphone signals to improve the quality of voice recognition
Noise reduction – removes background noise and interfering sources (like TVs and air conditioners) to further improve VR
Trigger word – wake word like “Alexa” which is recognized on product
Voice services integration – back-end cloud based voice service
Choosing a microphone array
Since there are so many different microphone array geometries, depending upon the particular application being designed, DSP Concepts has a high-end solution with six or seven microphones down to a low-cost solution for each type of array. The algorithms work so well that their two-microphone solution outperforms many seven microphone solutions on the market in terms of far-field pickup and robust operation in noisy environments.
Many customers are satisfied with a two-microphone solution which would provide a lower cost system;
Other applications beyond smart speakers
Smart home uses include things like speaking to the thermostat, light switches, or wall-panel system, etc. Where today there is capability to speak into the remote control, a user will be able to talk directly to a TV or set-top box.
In the automotive arena, there are such things as not being able to use a smartphone in the car so now we can move to a more sophisticated voice interface.
Ambiq Micro, DSP Concepts and Sensory Join Forces to Bring Always-On Voice Control to Portable, Battery-Operated Devices
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ambiq-micro-dsp-concepts-and-sensory-join-forces-to-bring-always-on-voice-control-to-portable-battery-operated-devices-300577328.html
Collaboration enables extremely power-efficient, always-listening voice control on battery-operated, intelligent devices without sacrificing quality of experience
Tomi Engdahl says:
Report: IoT company Sigfox misses 2017 build-out target, ousts U.S. chief
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/pt/2018/01/report-iot-company-sigfox-misses-2017-build-out-target-ousts-u-s-chief.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cim_data_center_newsletter_2018-01-22&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=1980618
Sigfox, which is building a slow-speed wireless network for IoT applications across the United States, has confirmed that its U.S. chief is no longer with the company. Sigfox also confirmed it did not reach its network coverage goals for 2017.
Confirmed: Sigfox U.S. chief out, IoT company misses 2017 network buildout target
https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/confirmed-sigfox-u-s-chief-out-iot-company-misses-2017-buildout-target
Sigfox, which is building a slow-speed wireless network for IoT applications across the United States, confirmed that its U.S. chief is no longer with the company. Sigfox also confirmed it did not reach its network coverage goals for 2017.
Light Reading first reported that Allen Proithis, who had led Sigfox’s North American operations since 2015, left the company in the last week, following the departure of Spectrum Manager Thomas Schmidt.
Sigfox also said it did not reach the network coverage buildout goals it laid out at the beginning of 2017. “While we did not reach our anticipated 40% population coverage in 2017, we did reach other milestones which we will announce later this month, including network densification in key regions. As with any fast-growth startup, we pivoted to react to customer demands, growing out our network in regions that were less populous, but key to our customers and partners, such as the Permian Basin,” Mason wrote.
Sigfox and Ingenu Ingenu are just two of a handful of companies building wireless networks focused on the IoT. Others in the United States include Comcast and Senet, which are building LoRa-powered wireless networks, while Sigfox continues to build out its own slow-speed wireless network in the United States and elsewhere. Meanwhile, AT&T and Verizon are looking to counter the rise of these IoT networks by tweaking their own LTE networks to offer LTE-M services.
But as carriers work to customize their networks and technologies designed for the IoT, companies that provide only LPWAN solutions may be finding the market much more competitive.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Carnegie Mellon’s CONIX lab eyes smarter networks to connect edge devices to the cloud, via DARPA
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2018/01/carnegie-conix-lab.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cim_data_center_newsletter_2018-01-22&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=1980618
Carnegie Mellon University will lead a $27.5 million Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) initiative to build more intelligence into computer networks. Researchers from six U.S. universities will collaborate in the CONIX Research Center headquartered at Carnegie Mellon.
For the next five years, CONIX will create the architecture for networked computing that lies between edge devices and the cloud. The challenge is to build this substrate so that future applications that are crucial to IoT can be hosted with performance, security, robustness, and privacy guarantees.
“The extent to which IoT will disrupt our future will depend on how well we build scalable and secure networks that connect us to a very large number of systems that can orchestrate our lives and communities. CONIX will develop novel architectures for large-scale, distributed computing systems that have immense implications for social interaction, smart buildings and infrastructure, and highly connected communities, commerce, and defense,” says James H. Garrett Jr., dean of Carnegie Mellon College of Engineering.
CONIX, an acronym for Computing on Network Infrastructure for Pervasive Perception, Cognition, and Action
“There isn’t a seamless way to merge cloud functionality with edge devices without a smarter interconnect, so we want to push more intelligence into the network,” says Carnegie Mellon’s Rowe. “If networks were smarter, decision-making could occur independent of the cloud at muh lower latencies.”
The cloud’s centralized nature makes it easier to optimize and secure, however, there are tradeoffs. “Large systems that are centralized tend to struggle in terms of scale and have trouble reacting quickly outside of data centers,”
Developing a clean-slate distributed computing network will take an integrated view of sensing, processing, memory, dissemination and actuation. CONIX researchers intend to define the architecture for such networks now before attempts to work around current limitations create infrastructure that will be subject to rip-and-repair updates, resulting in reduced performance and security.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Devin Coldewey / TechCrunch:
Tile, maker of Bluetooth trackers for physical objects, lays off 30 after holiday sales disappoint
Tile lays off dozens after a disappointing holiday
https://techcrunch.com/2018/01/18/tile-lays-off-dozens-after-a-disappointing-holiday/
Tile, one of the best known item-tracking gadgets out there, has laid off some 30 people and reportedly stopped the potential hires of another 10, TechCrunch has learned. This comes less than a year after the company raised a $25 million B round last May. The layoffs are reportedly due to disappointing sales over the holidays.
Tile revamped its product line late last summer, improving range and adding two new “Pro” units
At CES, it announced a handful of new partners that will integrate Tile tech into their products. This is reportedly the new focus of the company — being a platform-first rather than a hardware-first company.
Brian Heater / TechCrunch:
Sphero, maker of robotic toys, lays off 45 employees after disappointing holiday season and says it’s now focusing on its efforts in education
https://techcrunch.com/2018/01/21/sphero-lays-off-dozens-as-it-shifts-focus-to-education/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Is this the bright future or start of dystipia?
I Got Chipped: A Dispatch From The Frontier Of Wearable Tech
https://www.fastcompany.com/40520256/i-got-chipped-a-dispatch-from-the-frontier-of-wearable-tech
It’s possible that in the not-too-distant future, we’ll all be walking around with implants no bigger than a grain of rice under our skin, transmitting everything from payment capabilities to health data. The question is: Will it ever feel normal?
For years, futurists have predicted that, before we know it, every surface within reach will be a computing surface, and the doctor will be able to follow you home with thumbnail-sized measuring devices inserted into your body.
We’re not yet at the Black Mirror stage of things, where implants relay vitals to an iPad-like device (or even let you see through another person’s eyes), but it seems like only a matter of time. If that sounds crazy, call me crazy for being willing to test a beta.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Shah Selbe: Science in the World’s Wildest Places
https://hackaday.com/2018/01/22/shah-selbe-science-in-the-worlds-wildest-places/
When we think of building research hardware, lab coats and pristine workbenches come to mind. Shah Selbe used to do something kind of like that when he was engineering satellite propulsion systems. But after putting twelve of them into space, he ditched the office gig and took his gear to some of the wildest places on earth. He’s an explorer and fellow with the National Geographic Society, and at the Hackaday Superconference he shared his experiences building research hardware that gathers data in incredibly remote places.
Wild Hardware: Adventures with Ecological IoT and National Geographic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N37QWl4DIk&feature=youtu.be
Shah Selbe is building and deploying hardware to help monitor ecological problems in the wildest places on on Earth. He’s built sensors to monitor ocean fishing practices, watch the movements of glaciers, and to gather real time data about the Okavango Delta in Botswana. The experience has led him to begin work on an open hardware monitoring platform that can be widely use by the research community.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The fundamental flaw of too many listening devices
https://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/brians-brain/4460269/The-fundamental-flaw-of-too-many-listening-devices
The issue I’m about to describe is, I freely admit upfront, a “first world problem,” at least for the moment. But as the kinds of devices capable of acting as a voice-powered digital assistant expands, and as they’re sold over an expanding footprint of the overall international market, it’ll increasingly become an “all-world problem.”
I bet you can already guess the scenario I’m about to describe. When I’m away from home, for example, I typically have both smartphones (one for work, the other for personal use) in my pockets, along with the Moto 360 strapped to my wrist. When I say “Ok Google,” all three widgets wake up and respond to what I say next. The same issue applies for my wife, whose iPad and iPhone are frequently in close proximity.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Teardown: Bluetooth smart dimmer
https://www.edn.com/5G/4460234/Teardown–Bluetooth-smart-dimmer
I recently took apart and analyzed the BT4101 on/off smart switch, one member of GE/Jasco’s Avi-on mesh Bluetooth remote-controlled switch family.
Today’s victim is the BT3101, which is similar (at least at first glance … stay tuned)
And here’s the secondary PCB, handling Bluetooth connectivity and other digital functions, and which as far as I can tell is hardware-identical to its BT4101 counterpart including the CSR (now Qualcomm) model 1010 single-chip Bluetooth radio with integrated microprocessor and memory at its nexus. Note, as before, the Bluetooth antenna etched into the PCB’s right edge.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Automatic Speaker Verification Systems Can Be Fooled by Disguising Your Voice
https://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/telecom/security/automatic-speaker-verification-systems-can-be-fooled-by-disguising-your-voice.amp.html
Automatic speaker verification (ASV) systems are sometimes used to grant access to sensitive information and identify suspects in a court of law. Increasingly, they are being baked into consumer devices, such as Amazon’s Echo and Google’s Home, to respond to person-specific commands, such as “play my music” or “read my email.”
But such systems make mistakes when speakers disguise their voices to sound older or younger, according to a new study published in Speech Communication by researchers from the University of Eastern Finland. Earlier research by the same group has shown that some ASV systems can’t distinguish between a professional impersonator and the person they are imitating.
Specifically, the researchers found that the equal error rate of an ASV system—a measure that captures times when the system mistook the same speaker for someone else, and when it tagged different speakers as the same person
This means that people can fool ASV systems by changing the sound of their own voice. Speaking at a higher frequency, which most speakers did to produce a youthful voice, proved a more effective disguise than imitating an older person’s voice.
Historically, Kinnunen says, automatic speaker verification systems have shown higher error rates for female speakers (who often speak at a higher frequency) versus male speakers. In their test, the opposite was true—perhaps because both male and female speakers attempted to raise the frequencies of their voices to sound younger and older, and female speakers were already starting at a higher frequency.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IoT Knits a Factory Together
https://www.eetimes.com/author.asp?section_id=36&doc_id=1332884
Monitoring uptime and downtime was not straightforward because Service Thread has 24 different types of machines with more than 3,000 individual spindles. To make matters worse, each of these machines has its own proprietary programmable logic controller (PLC).
Many of these PLCs were programmed 15-20 years ago using some obscure computer language that no one knows anymore. We determined that a hardware solution would be much easier to implement than a software-based one.
Thankfully, these machines already had the sensors necessary to monitor the utilization and spindle speed metrics we wanted. We needed a flexible, easy-to-implement piece of hardware which could be used to retrofit all 24 different machine types.
Perhaps the biggest, high-level takeaway we had from this project is that one can never overstate the value of flexibility.No project will ever go exactly according to plan.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Growing Pains: The 2018 Internet of Things Landscape
http://mattturck.com/iot2018/
Tomi Engdahl says:
ZDNET SPECIAL FEATURE
Internet of Things: The Security Challenge
http://www.zdnet.com/topic/internet-of-things-the-security-challenge/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Arrival of ESP32-Based Voice Hardware
https://blog.hackster.io/the-arrival-of-esp32-based-voice-hardware-e3d9beab12c7
Amazon’s $100 million Alexa Fund has paid dividends for them with a stealth takeover of CES for the last couple of years, where we’ve seeing third-party manufacturers integrating Amazon’s technology into devices ranging from cameras to cars. But this year’s take over of CES was anything but stealthy, because Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant went head-to-head in Vegas, and arguably Google came out ahead. While the donuts might have helped, it’s clear that Google has put a lot of effort into appealing to developers, and catching up with Amazon’s apparent lead.
Although both Amazon and Google have shipped their own development kits, the two big players have very different approaches. Amazon’s hardware is aimed squarely at commercial manufacturers, while Google’s kits are aimed at makers and hobbyists rather than companies.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Home> Community > Blogs > Baker’s Best
IoT security: hardware vs software
https://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/bakers-best/4460252/IoT-security–hardware-vs-software?utm_source=Aspencore&utm_medium=EDN&utm_campaign=social
But, as they say: “buyer beware.” This is all good, but total connectivity opens the opportunity for unintentional or malicious data corruption and contamination to occur. Cryptographic methods can be applied to resolve these vulnerabilities. A decision that system designers face is deciding between software-based or hardware-based security solutions. Both technologies combat unauthorized access or modification to data; however, their differing features bear further examination before making the final selection.
Software-based security
Utilizing existing system resources, software security systems were the first to show up in the marketplace. These solutions are relatively inexpensive, as they share resources to protect and safeguard data with other programs in the system. An additional capability of a software-based implementation is the ability to revise and upgrade security as threats and vulnerabilities evolve.
Hardware-based security
Hardware-based security uses a dedicated integrated circuit (IC), or a processor with specialized security hardware, specifically designed to provide cryptographic functions and protect against attacks. Security operations, such as encryption/decryption and authentication, take place at the IC hardware level where crypto algorithm performance is optimized. Additionally, sensitive information, such as keys and critical end-application parameters, are protected within the electrical boundary of crypto-hardware.
The security IC contains circuit blocks such as a math accelerator, random number generator, nonvolatile memory, tamper detection, and a physically unclonable function (PUF). The PUF block is particularly interesting in that it has a unique characteristic of being immune to invasive or reverse-engineering attempts to extract sensitive data such as a cryptographic key. The Maxim DS28E38 is an example of a security IC that integrates PUF, both to generate keys and to protect against invasive security attacks.
Tomi Engdahl says:
This ‘Smart City’ in China Is Controlled By An Artificial Intelligence
http://www.iflscience.com/technology/smart-city-china-controlled-artificial-intelligence/?utm_source=Editorial&utm_medium=Static&utm_campaign=RA
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This ‘Smart City’ in China Is Controlled By An Artificial Intelligence
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This ‘Smart City’ in China Is Controlled By An Artificial Intelligence
Hangzhou’s skyline at night. zhu difeng/Shutterstock
BY ROBIN ANDREWS
25 OCT 2017, 16:22
ADVERTISMENT
The idea of smart cities – infrastructure interlinked by software – isn’t new, but it’s undeniably cool. Who wouldn’t want to live somewhere where programs use data and evidence, not intuition, to actively improve their day-to-day lives?
Now imagine that an entire smart city actually exists, but it’s even more advanced than you could possibly imagine, where infrastructural systems are altered on the fly by an artificial intelligence (AI). This may sound futuristic, but one such place can already be found in China.
As reported back in October 2016, the government of the city of Hangzhou – home to over 9 million people – collaborated with Alibaba and Foxconn to build the “City Brain” project.
Over time, it was allowed to develop a neural network across the city. Everything from the water supply to the sizes of crowds in certain areas was taken into account, and the City Brain slowly found its footing.
Now, as reported by New Scientist, the project has been hailed a remarkable success. Traffic congestion, road accidents, and crime are all down.
City Brain isn’t just connected to authorities either, notifying them when there’s an emergency or a crisis that needs handling. It’s also wired up to everyone’s mobile phones, informing them of upcoming road traffic or adverse weather conditions in real-time.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Hall-Effect Sensing Makes Sense in Building Automation, Portables
http://www.electronicdesign.com/analog/hall-effect-sensing-makes-sense-building-automation-portables?NL=ED-003&Issue=ED-003_20171222_ED-003_894&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_2_b&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=14670&utm_medium=email&elq2=74538ec206e740a2a04536e44fa9f54d
The low power consumption, cost-effectiveness, and smaller footprints offered by Hall-effect sensors make them strong candidates for a wide range of designs and applications.
The Hall-effect principle is a popular magnetic sensing technology invented by Edwin Hall in 1879. The principle is simply a differential voltage generated in a current-carrying conductor, usually called a Hall element, when applying a perpendicular magnetic field to the conductor. The voltage is a result of a Lorentz force caused by the applied magnetic field, which causes the current electrons to concentrate in one end of the conductor and generate a potential difference between the two ends.
Hall-Effect Sensing Benefits
Hall-effect sensors have proved to be one of the most popular magnetic field sensors for several reasons:
Low cost
Low power consumption
Small footprint
Reliability
Simplicity
Distance sensing
Versatility (switch, latch, linear and multiple magnetic thresholds)
True solid state
Long lifetimes
Ability to operate with stationary input (zero speed)
Lack of moving parts
Logic-compatible input and output
Broad temperature range (−40 to +150°C)
Hall-effect sensors are configurable for different applications. They can generally be classified into two categories: threshold-based and linear.
Threshold-based Hall-effect sensors can act as a switch that responds to either a magnetic pole with a single output (omnipolar), two outputs (dual omnipolar), latched output (bipolar), or one pole (unipolar). Typically, if the field is originated from a south pole, the output voltage will be positive.
Linear Hall-effect sensors are sometimes called ratiometric Hall-effect sensors, because the output is a proportional signal that varies linearly with respect to the applied magnetic field; the supply voltage determines the output range.
Hall-effect sensors possess many features that make them attractive for the building automation and personal electronics markets.
Building automation
Rotary encoding
Open/close detection
Tamper detection
Self-test activation or 1-bit wireless local communication
Tomi Engdahl says:
Maximizing BLE security & privacy features
https://www.edn.com/5G/4459196/Maximizing-BLE-security—privacy-features
BLE is a popular choice for wearables because of its balance of low power, relatively low range, sufficient bandwidth, and the abundance of Bluetooth-enabled phones and tablets.
Let’s consider what it takes to achieve privacy over BLE. Achieving true anonymity over BLE is not trivial.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Route To A Trillion Devices
The outlook for IoT investment to 2035.
https://semiengineering.com/the-route-to-a-trillion-devices/
Technology vendors like to talk about data being big, really big. Petabytes of storage; gigabits of bandwidth; megaflops of processing power.
But data doesn’t have to be big to be valuable. One of the most successful financial trades of all time was premised on a piece of information that could have been represented by a single bit (1 or 0).
Thanks to the Internet of Things (IoT), intelligence networks are no longer exclusive to the aristocracy. Today all organizations can collect information about almost anything, anywhere, and in real time.
https://community.arm.com/cfs-file/__key/telligent-evolution-components-attachments/01-1996-00-00-00-01-30-09/Arm-_2D00_-The-route-to-a-trillion-devices-_2D00_-June-2017.pdf
Tomi Engdahl says:
What Will 2018 Bring To The IoT?
https://semiengineering.com/what-will-2018-bring-to-the-iot/
Money pours into IoT/IIoT technology. Security and ROI are leading topics.
The Internet of Things is widely expected to progress in 2018—especially the Industrial IoT—as industry standards get hashed out and more vendors take cybersecurity seriously.
On the home front, many Americans are growing accustomed to artificial intelligence technology from their use of Amazon Echo, Apple HomeKit, and Google Home devices. They’re talking to their remote controls to change channels and to find Internet content, especially on the streaming video services of Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Netflix.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Core technologies make edge-intelligence possible
Development environments combine device management, connectivity, cloud, and analytics.
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/core-technologies-make-edge-intelligence-possible/384e32316dbe5dd3f3cd29f5394dde3e.html?OCVALIDATE&[email protected]&ocid=101781
In IIoT product and application development, developers’ goals may look to:
Support heterogeneous sensors and actuators via the Internet
Integrate heterogeneous wired and wireless connectivity protocols, including Modbus, LoRa, Sigfox, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and others
Port original software to different hardware, including MCU, x86/ARM CPU, GPU, and others, and operating systems that include Microsoft Windows, Linux Distributions, mbed OS, Android, and others
Connect cloud services that might include WISE-PaaS, Microsoft Azure, ARM mbed Cloud, IBM Bluemix, and others
Maintain data ownership and integrity and its implications for security and privacy
Quickly develop robust applications
Deploy, update, upgrade, and maintain large numbers of devices and services
Transform Big Data into valuable business information.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Best practices for industrial cloud computing delineated
Match organizational preferences with the relevant technology requirements.
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/best-practices-for-industrial-cloud-computing-delineated/c5add6d11125c3dbb8b647eeb9d6da4b.html
Integrating the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) into traditional supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and human-machine interfaces scenarios delivers multiple benefits.
Increased scalability follows from secure access to multiple locations via cloud platforms, including the popular Microsoft Azure. Hardware obsolescence can be alleviated, as the “heavy lifting” of processor-intensive analysis can be off-loaded. Connectivity is enhanced, as increasing numbers of devices communicate via IIoT transport protocols.
However, without the ability to connect devices from behind firewalls and to publish data securely to IIoT-integrated applications, organizations may miss out on the promise of advanced analytics via cloud computing. If your organization is considering an IIoT integration strategy, the answers to the following questions highlight some best practices.
1. Does your organization already have existing IoT/cloud-ready hardware?
2. Do you already have a preferred cloud-services vendor?
3. Does your organization prefer specific communication protocols, both for internal use and pub/sub-based?
4. Now consider what additional functionality is needed for the industrial cloud-based solution?
Cloud-based computing options, like other emergent technologies, will continue to evolve. A combined IIoT-integrated hardware and software solution delivers value in the forms of equipment monitoring, predictive maintenance, and operational efficiency.
Tomi Engdahl says:
China Mobile used EXFO for performance verification test to confirm NFV-based networks support NB-IoT devices
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/01/china-mobile-used-exfo-for-performance-verification-test-to-confirm-nfv-based-networks-support-nb-iot-devices.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_enabling_technologies_2018-01-25&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=1985242
EXFO Inc. (NASDAQ: EXFO) (TSX: EXF) said that China Mobile Communications Corp. (CMCC) used its test system to successfully complete a performance verification test for core networks from four vendors to confirm that the NFV-based networks can individually support 5 million narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) devices.
China Mobile chose EXFO’s test system, which covered all the test requirements, for its capacity to simulate millions of IoT devices on one single server, simplifying network configuration for powerful performance, the company says. China Mobile also selected the system for its adaptability to transforming specifications and specific requirements, and for its network coverage from end to end, including a focus on individual nodes, EXFO adds.
Communication service providers have been preparing to roll out this service in their networks since ratification of NB-IoT specification in June 2016, says EXFO.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Want to be a smart city? Study hard
https://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/5g-waves/4460246/Want-to-be-a-smart-city–Study-hard
Cities looking to take advantage of the IoT often lack the required expertise. They tend to have to rely on university, governmental, and corporate partners to help advance their smart-city plans. With this in mind, IBM began its Smarter Cities Challenge project in 2010, and over the years has sent 4,000 employees to work with over 130 cities worldwide in 40 different countries to provide exactly that sort of help. I recently spoke with a member of the IBM team that participated in a Smarter Cities Challenge project in Busan, South Korea.
There are hundreds of cities around the world that are striving to become smart cities. Busan (formerly rendered Pusan) stands out for being one of the few overtly branding itself as a smart city, and promoting itself as such. It recently put its smart city aspirations front-and-center on its official web page.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Bluetooth connectivity makes VFDs safer, easier to use
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/bluetooth-connectivity-makes-vfds-safer-easier-to-use/786ea297d7194c9f68e0ec9cfdf063e6.html
Variable frequency drive (VFD) manufacturers are introducing a wide range of product advances that improve performance, simplify installation and operation, and increase safety.
Motors consume approximately 66% of the electricity in an industrial facility. With industrial electricity usage expected to grow substantially over the next 10 years, facilities of all types are equipping motors with variable frequency drives (VFDs) to reduce consumption and gain other production efficiencies.
Though only 10% to 15% of industrial motors are controlled by a VFD, the number is increasing. Leading drives manufacturers are cultivating the growing market by introducing a wide range of product advances that improve performance, simplify installation and operation, and increase safety for those who operate the equipment.
Bluetooth connectivity
The ability to connect a smartphone to one or more VFDs through Bluetooth is a recent development that has made the operation of drives easier and safer (see Figure 1). With a smartphone app developed by the manufacturer—typically available for free from either Google Play or the Apple Store—it is possible to wirelessly connect to VFDs to execute any task an operator could accomplish by directly accessing the drive keypad. Depending on the layout and structure of the facility, Bluetooth is functional up to 250 ft. from the drive.
With the VFD app, an operator can pair the smartphone to multiple drives through a simple set of initiation instructions. Each drive must have a Bluetooth-enabled keypad, which is standard or available as an option on the newest generation of drives
Increased operator safety
In many industrial facilities, the full array of drives is installed in a control room cabinet, isolated from the motors they control. With each VFD charged with 480 V of power, the potential for an arc flash is high when an operator opens the door to access the drive keypads. Rather than requiring an operator to put on cumbersome arc flash personal protective equipment (PPE), it is easier and more efficient to access the VFDs through the Bluetooth connection via the smartphone.
The Bluetooth interface from the most sophisticated manufacturers provides full parameter access. All important functions can be analyzed, adjusted, and backed up with a smartphone and all event loggers are fully captured and easily available.
Tomi Engdahl says:
NFC Specs Updated for Mobile, Tags
https://www.eetimes.com/author.asp?section_id=36&doc_id=1332898
The head of the NFC Forum provides perspective on the latest update of the group’s specifications.
The 2017 Technical Specification Release from the NFC Forum is made up of 21 new or updated near field communication (NFC) technical specifications. The new specifications are a big step toward ensuring interoperability between NFC solutions in the market with various existing infrastructures, unifying new and existing specs to ensure interoperability and functionality across all solutions using NFC technology.
In addition, Apple’s iOS 11 announcement last spring opening the iPhone 7 and following models to use NFC technology beyond Apple Pay had significant impact across many markets. These changes are creating new opportunities in the areas of public transportation applications and the use of NFC tags in IoT, retail, packaging, automotive, public transportation and other applications.
The analog specification ensures full interoperability of NFC devices with existing RF readers and legacy cards implemented according to ISO/IEC 14443 or ISO/IEC 18092 specifications. It allows NFC devices to interoperate with other contact-less devices with comparable operating distance and performance as experienced by users today. An engineer now can use the optimum antenna for his NFC design without experiencing a negative impact on operating distance or performance when requirements of the corresponding antenna class in the analog specification are followed.
This specification is used to offer public transportation tickets on mobile phones. It also allows verification of the loaded value on contactless ticket cards.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IoT cybersecurity needs to be improved
https://www.plantengineering.com/single-article/iot-cybersecurity-needs-to-be-improved/33f461a4dd4f6a109df3e4fbdc698bae.html
Manufacturers and government officials recognize the need for improved cybersecurity for Internet of Things (IoT) devices, but more work needs to be done.
The U.S. technology and manufacturing industries are in serious need of increased rigor for Internet of Things (IoT) device security.
Thankfully, the U.S. Senate is starting to pay attention in the form of the recently introduced Internet of Things Cybersecurity Improvement Act. These proposed regulations could help reduce poor security practices and influence manufacturers to implement proper security from the start.
Beyond the federal government, the IoT touches consumers who use wearable electronics, families buying state-of-the-art appliances, businesses using internet-connected equipment, cities installing connected parking meters, and many others.
Manufacturers need to provide trustworthy assurance that devices the federal government, local jurisdictions, consumers and businesses purchase are authentic and run only software legitimately loaded by the manufacturer. And any device that runs software needs the ability to be updated in case vulnerabilities or other security issues are found.
While the IoT is still nascent, developing strong standards for secure and interoperable IoT ecosystems now will be key in securing the IoT of the future.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Connecting industrial robotics with IIoT on the factory floor
https://www.plantengineering.com/single-article/connecting-industrial-robotics-with-iiot-on-the-factory-floor/1f3b337852f1eb08e88f6b0f48908092.html
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) presents enormous productivity potential for manufacturers, but the true benefits can be difficult to realize for companies trying to be more efficient on the plant floor.
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) presents enormous productivity potential for manufacturers, but the true benefits can be difficult to realize. Industrial robotics inherently promote connectivity and are proving to be a great starting point for broader IIoT initiatives.
Industrial robots are increasingly integrated with the IIoT in manufacturing facilities across the world. Some of the world’s largest manufacturers have already seen big profits, but most manufacturers are just starting to implement robotic connectivity in their facilities.
General Motors (GM) was one of the first to invest in robotic connectivity and establish a framework for success. GM has over 7,500 connected robots in their facilities with the goal of collecting real-time data on robotic performance, which helps productivity by avoiding unnecessary downtime. They’re able to see when a robot needs maintenance and proactively address performance issues before the entire assembly line shuts down. In the future, though, they plan to adjust robotic accuracy and repeatability in real time to improve product quality.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IIoT and condition monitoring turn data into decisions
https://www.plantengineering.com/single-article/iiot-and-condition-monitoring-turn-data-into-decisions/17441006264a842b308c0f3fc92efe0c.html
Manufacturers can leverage IIoT data in nearly all stages of the manufacturing process, including monitoring product quality and performance.
For manufacturers, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) represents tremendous revenue potential in a variety of ways. In product development, connected sensors on product componentry can gather and deliver real-time information about the performance of the product or the individual components and materials.
From aircrafts to automotive engines and sensitive medical equipment, for instance, placing sensors on parts as they go through their design and development evolution delivers critical data related to performance, safety, durability, and more.
Although the promise of IIoT is strong, there are challenges. One of the primary concerns is related to security and privacy. When left unsecure, connected devices that are more continuously transmitting can open doors to attacks, endangering not only the consumer but also the companies using IIoT on their assembly lines.
Another topic of discussion, prevalent across many sensor technologies, is standardization. OEMs looking to deploy innovative IIoT solutions need to navigate an ever-growing list of connected technology to determine which solutions are compliant and which are best for integration into their ecosystem. This is no easy feat.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Spying devices run into homes – users do not understand
The internet of objects also brings scary threats, not just happiness and progress. Problems should be tackled now before it is too late, F-Secure’s research manager Mikko Hyppönen warns.
The number of devices connected to the network is estimated to already be higher than the population of the world and can no longer be avoided. One of the risks is the weak or non-existent security of the devices, which makes it possible to compile huge and really harmful botnets.
Mikko Hyppönen, who was interviewed in the report, warns about the risks of consumer equipment connected to the network. There are many such devices, for example, most of the new smart TVs are among the ones.
“Finally, almost every device in your home is online, but users do not mind them as smart devices. Stubborn devices do not provide consumers with any special features because they are online just to send information and analytics to the company they have manufactured, “says Hyppönen.
According to the report, consumers have to be informed about the risks of existing IoT equipment. In addition, governments should pay attention to the quality of the technology that comes to consumers’ hands and homes. Product manufacturers should be regulated and thus ensure that products that are on the market have adequate security and privacy features.
Source: https://www.tivi.fi/Kaikki_uutiset/hypponen-koteihin-vyoryy-vakoilulaitteita-kayttajat-eivat-ymmarra-6698170
Tomi Engdahl says:
Smart LEDs Plug Industries and Cities Into the Internet of Things
https://iq.intel.com/smart-leds-plug-industries-smart-cities-internet-things/
The shift to using more efficient lights inspired GE and Intel to create smart LEDs that can see, hear and sense their surroundings, creating data that can improve efficiency and empower smart city services.
Since American inventor Thomas Edison patented the first commercially successful bulb in 1879, the population of light fixtures has exploded. Today, an estimated 2.5 billion light bulbs are sold each year.
Despite being a modern life necessity and symbol of illuminating ideas, many think light bulbs do little more than turn on, off or dim. Instead, innovation in lighting is quickening. LED — Light Emitting Diode — bulbs, for example use a solid state semiconductor chip that glows when electrical current runs through it. They’re bright, use up to 80 percent less energy and can last fifteen times longer than incandescent bulbs, according to GE.
Now engineers are making smart LED lights with sensors, computing and communication capabilities. Light bulbs are destined to become an essential fixture in the Internet of Things revolution, according to Tony Neal-Graves, vice president of Intel’s industry Internet of Things Group.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IoT for the Home: HVAC, Outlets, and Lighting
http://www.machinedesign.com/iot/iot-home-hvac-outlets-and-lighting
The Internet of Things offers great promise in the industrial market, but can it effectively—and efficiently—be applied in homes?
The Good and the Bad…and the Truth
Generally, the majority of cost in a home goes to thermodynamics: refrigerators, hot-water heaters, air conditioning, and heating. Old appliances can be a drain on energy. Online calculators are available to determine if a new refrigerator might help for Energy Star refrigerators and others.
While energy losses are improved with insulation—not necessarily a smart device—don’t throw away those smart outlets and lighting components. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, heating and air conditioning consumption reduced by 10% from 1993 to 2009. During the same time, appliances and lighting consumption increased 10%. As home efficiency improves and more electronic devices populate the home, this trend may continue.
The Bad
Not all devices are truly smart. The biggest savings and convenience are achieved through home automation—having lights, appliances, and the HVAC work without manually operating them.
Some “smart” devices are only programmable. For instance, programmable thermostat companies boasted the product would cut energy bills. However, a number of users didn’t take the time to program them properly, or read the instructions, and consequently didn’t notice much benefit. Some users actually reported an increase in HVAC cost. The inventors of the Nest said this “trend” gave them their inspiration.
Not only is Nest a successful product, but the company went from the garage to having 200 employees in three years. In 2014, Google purchased Nest Labs Inc. for 3.2 billion.
Smart Outlets
The Good
This Insteon smart outlet has dual-band, lamp dimming, and works with Alexa. While plugs have been called bulky, or unattractive, cost-effective plugs can be a simple way to start your smart home.
The Bad
Saving 10% on your electric bill might sound good, but the average American home has 40 devices, according to LBNL. With the average smart outlet or plug running $30 to $70 a piece, a large investment would be needed to save around $11 a month. Lower-tech solutions are available, such as remote control plugs, to turn outlets on and off. A single plug might run around $10; five cost about $30.
For the engineers looking to hack and tinker, this may provide some fun. Available technology, such as universal remotes, could make it possible to hack the remote outlets to work with your smartphone or a single remote. Ultimately, however, it will be easier just to keep an eye out for smart-plug deals on the internet. Smart plugs are coming down in price, offer other features, and have plug-and-play apps.
The Truth
Most smart devices will use about half a watt. Lucid, a commercial building monitoring company, explains that the data collected by monitoring systems will educate people about how to better utilize their electricity. This, in return, will save more energy than what’s consumed by a system.
It is also important to know what devices need standby power. You can’t save money on appliances that need standby power to work. Another point is, unless the appliance picks up operation when power is restored, using a wireless button will not add any convenience.
Smart Lighting
The Good
Lighting can represent more than 500 kWh per year more than some of the appliances controlled by smart outlets (e.g., an entertainment center or computers), according to greenlivingideas.com. In turn, automatic smart lights might offer more convenience and savings than smart outlets.
The Bad
The Energy Star website says, “LEDs have been efficient and long lasting in indicator lights in electronics for years, but using LEDs to create stable white light for general lighting presents new challenges.”
Not all LEDs may be as bright as rival technologies, they might not last as long or might alter shades of white over time, and they might flicker when dimmed. Moreover, there should be no standby load, with the exception of external controls (the smart features), whereby power shouldn’t exceed 0.5 W.
When purchasing a bulb that is three times the cost of a regular LED, or 40 times a regular bulb, make sure you have a bulb that can stand the test of time to maximize its benefit. This is a good argument for avoiding “discount” smart lighting from unknown companies.
The Truth
First, switching to LEDs will save you money, smart or not. A non-smart bulb may be around one-third the cost, so if you are doing this to save money, just get good-quality LED bulbs.
Conclusion
Once you have a fully integrated smart home, it might not be the cool futuristic home you thought. While smart homes sound great, most reviewers were unenthusiastic. Most smart-home devices didn’t get much praise until they were integrated enough to make a difference in energy costs. Other than creating a more efficient home, the convenience of control just leaves users reaching for their phones to open apps when a switch or button relatively close to them will accomplish the same action.
Currently, the trend of a smart home seems centered around the thermostat. Companies with open source code, or offering third parties an open-source code to patch their technology into others, will accelerate adoption of smart-home technology. Smart homes are about communication. Therefore, devices will have to communicate together in order to give the best benefit to the user.
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Smart Home is a Sustainable Home
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/smart-home-connections/smart-sustainable-home/pcmcat1478180680870.c?id=pcmcat1478180680870
Smart home tech and home automation gadgets are here and changing how we live. While smart lights and Wi-Fi thermostats look and sound futuristic — you may not know that they can cut down on costs as well. We’ll share different ways smart home tech can lessen your carbon footprint and save you serious money.
Home Automation is the Next Frontier for Sustainable Living
https://www.proudgreenhome.com/articles/home-automation-is-the-next-frontier-for-sustainable-living/
Homebuyers are increasingly conscious of how their lifestyle is impacting the fragile environment. While engaging in sustainable practices and purchasing energy efficient appliances is certainly beneficial, there is a more permanent solution that is rising in popularity for homeowners.
Today’s generation of advanced, cost-effective automation solutions can reduce a homeowner’s carbon footprint more than ever before. In fact, home automation offers a thorough, permanent and measurable energy efficient solution that can be integrated into its foundation during the building process.
Home automation offers control over every important system within a residence, such as climate, irrigation, electricity, lighting, HVAC, shades, entertainment and security through mobile apps or proprietary remotes and touch screen. In addition to allowing a homeowner to shut off the lights or adjust the shades with a single command, a home automation platform lets these systems “talk” to each other. Particularly, home automation allows the systems to react, on a customized basis, to seasons, time, motion, occupancy, temperature, humidity and other conditions. This means that, in addition to instant control, homeowners can configure certain actions to occur autonomously on a regular basis throughout the year.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Sustainability of Dutch Home Automation Projects,
Evaluation and Recommendations.
http://www.biblioite.ethz.ch/downloads/id193_kester_final.pdf
Tomi Engdahl says:
Greg Sterling / Search Engine Land:
CIRP: Amazon has 69% of smart speaker market in US with 31M units, Google has 31% with 14M; Google gained share this holiday season with 40% of units sold — According to new survey-based data from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP), Google Home has gained some ground on Amazon’s Alexa device universe.
Analyst firm: Google Home gains ground on Amazon Echo, now 44M total devices sold
A new survey from CIRP argues that Google Home captured about 40 percent of holiday sales.
https://searchengineland.com/analyst-firm-google-home-gains-ground-amazon-echo-44-million-total-units-sold-290544
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Week in Review: IoT
Hysolate emerges; Sequans and SoftBank; cellular M2M.
https://semiengineering.com/the-week-in-review-iot-82/
Hysolate touts its hybrid endpoint architecture, which enables multiple operating systems to run side-by-side on a workstation, through virtual air-gap technology. The company is already working with big banks, providers of financial services, technology vendors, and other enterprises.
NXP Semiconductors automatically extended the end date for its proposed transaction with Qualcomm to April 25, 2018. Qualcomm has obtained antitrust clearance from all regulators, except for China, to go forward with its acquisition of NXP.
Digi International has acquired Accelerated Concepts, a provider of enterprise-grade, cellular (LTE), and secure networking equipment for primary and backup connectivity applications
Sequans Communications is working with SoftBank Corp. on deployment of LTE-M and narrowband Internet of Things technologies in Japan.
SecureRF reports that its Walnut Digital Signature Algorithm was accepted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology for evaluation in NIST’s post-quantum standardization project.
Juniper Research forecasts cellular M2M connections will hit 1.3 billion by 2022, a 220% increase from 400 million connections last year. Emerging cellular networks, including 5G, LTE-M, and NB-IoT, will account for nearly 10% of all cellular M2M connections by 2022, Juniper estimates. Among applications for cellular M2M connections, smart cities will have a compound annual growth rate of 66%, while agriculture will post a CAGR of 37% and smart meters will enjoy a CAGR of 34% over the next four years.
Allied Market Research forecasts the worldwide IoT health care market will be worth $136.8 billion a year by 2021.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Why The Internet Of Medical Things (IoMT) Will Start To Transform Healthcare In 2018
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2018/01/25/why-the-internet-of-medical-things-iomt-will-start-to-transform-healthcare-in-2018/#22d8a7734a3c
Even though the healthcare industry has been slower to adopt Internet of Things technologies than other industries, the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) is poised to transform how we keep people safe and healthy especially as the demand for solutions to lower healthcare costs increase in the coming years. The IoMT can help monitor, inform and notify not only care-givers, but provide healthcare providers with actual data to identify issues before they become critical or to allow for earlier invention.
Dramatic Growth in IoMT Devices Predicted
A report by Allied Market Research predicts that the IoT healthcare market will reach $136.8 billion worldwide by 2021. Today, there are 3.7 million medical devices in use that are connected to and monitor various parts of the body to inform healthcare decisions. The Internet of Medical Things refers to the connected system of medical devices and applications that collect data that is then provided to healthcare IT systems through online computer networks.
There are several realities that have enabled this dramatic growth including the accessibility of wearable devices and the decreasing costs of sensor technology. Now that most consumer mobile devices are equipped with Near Field Communication (NFC) and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags, they can communicate with IT systems.
Aging World Population Will Continue to Burden the Healthcare System
The IoMT might be the silver bullet for our communities to address a burdened healthcare system that will only be under more stress as our population continues to age. By 2025, 1.2 billion of the 8 billion people on earth will be elderly; equivalent to the population of India. Elderly people tend to have more healthcare issues, therefore increasing costs. So, as life expectancy rises, it is expected that healthcare costs will follow suit.
IoMT can provide a better way to care for our elderly and has a tremendous potential to help deal with the rising costs of care.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intelligent sensors provide unlimited opportunities to create unique solutions in the IoT and Industrial IoT markets. But, the average selling price of individual sensors is below $1.
How will you make money creating new intelligent systems?