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:
Twilio and T-Mobile US Partner to Introduce Twilio Narrowband: the Nation’s First Developer Platform for Narrowband IoT
https://www.t-mobile.com/news/twilio-narrowband
Twilio Introduces the Narrowband Developer Platform for Innovators Comprised of SIMs, Developer Kit and Breakout Software Development Kit
T-Mobile’s First U.S. Narrowband IoT Network Optimized for IoT Devices Sending Small and Infrequent Packets of Data
Tomi Engdahl says:
Arm CEO on 5G, the Fifth Wave of Computing, and the Trillion-Device World
https://spectrum.ieee.org/view-from-the-valley/computing/embedded-systems/arm-ceo-on-the-5th-wave-of-computing-5g-and-the-trilliondevice-world
Wave 5, something not so easy to define, at least at this early stage. It will, he indicated, involve computers in everything, but simply seeing it as the Internet of Things is too narrow. The 5th Wave, he said, “is an era of computing that will be data driven. The traditional algorithmic computing will give way to data flowing through machines and decisions made based on what data is telling us.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Fog Computing Could Make Smart City Applications More Reliable
https://innovate.ieee.org/innovation-spotlight/fog-computing-anomaly-detection-smart-city/#utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=innovation&utm_content=Fog%20Computing%20Anomaly%20Detection?LT=CMH_WB_2018_LM_XIS_Paid_Social
Smart cities powered by connected sensors promise to transform everything from public transportation, to public health monitoring and energy grids. But the Internet of Things (IoT) will also require new ways to ensure timely and stable data flow among millions of connected devices – particularly for applications performing critical functions.
New research out of Ghent University suggests anomaly detection through fog computing may be the answer to helping ensure the reliability of delay-sensitive and data-intensive applications that are driving growth in the IoT and making cities smarter.
However, scalable, low-latency anomaly detection has become more feasible with 5G networks—due to their significantly greater data transmission capacity—as well as with new paradigms like Software-defined Networking (SDN), Network Function Virtualization (NFV) and edge computing.
“Current anomaly detection approaches for IoT only focus on the centralized cloud management aspects,”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Worldwide smart speaker sales are expected to exceed 56M this year.
Mycroft is taking its place as the open source alternative in Voice AI
https://www.startengine.com/mycroft-ai?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=paidsocial
Voice is the Future
Voice is coming to every device, every user and every household globally. Why? Because it is intuitive, simple and powerful. The voice market is growing exponentially. Smart speakers have already eclipsed smartphones as the fastest growing technology product ever.
Companies want voice technology, but fear Big Tech
This growth has caused problems for companies that don’t have a voice solution. The companies that do have voice technology: Amazon, Google and Apple are competing head to head in nearly every major industrial vertical.
Companies without a voice strategy have seen how Big Tech disrupts markets. They’ve learned from watching Apple eat the music industry and Amazon consume publishing. Smart companies do not want to send customer data to Silicon Valley anymore.
Mycroft is the solution for both industry and individuals. Our community is building the open source alternative to proprietary voice technologies like Alexa, Siri and Assistant. Mycroft inhabits the open source segment of this huge emerging market.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Week in Review: IoT, Security, Auto
Arm Neoverse; raising Arizona R&D; Samsung buys Zhilabs.
https://semiengineering.com/week-in-review-iot-security-auto-15/
At Arm TechCon, Arm unveiled its Neoverse brand identity, providing an infrastructure foundation for 5G, the Internet of Things, edge computing, and other applications. The Arm Neoverse IP will proliferate next year from Arm and its technology partners. With Arm’s “Ares” platform, to be introduced in 2019, the company promises to deliver 30% per-generation performance improvements.
Arm also announced at this week’s TechCon completing strategic partnerships with Intel, myDevices, and Arduino to bring more capabilities to the Arm Pelion IoT platform. Arm’s Pelion Device Management is being paired with Intel’s Secure Device Onboard service, enabling the Pelion platform to onboard and manage Intel Architecture (x86) platforms in addition to Arm-based IoT devices and gateways. The company also brought out Mbed Linux OS, which is integrated with the Pelion IoT Platform.
Lastly, Arm is collaborating with Cybereason to secure IoT devices across many sectors. Cybereason offers the AI Hunting Platform for cybersecurity protection.
IoT at sea: Rolls-Royce will use Intel chips in developing a worldwide system for autonomous ships to bear cargo across the seven seas. The U.K. company has autonomous shipping research and development centers in Finland and Norway. It estimates these ships could each generate 1 terabyte of data per day, making use of their position and visual sensors, along with high-resolution cameras.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Moving Toward an Industrial Internet Connectivity Framework
https://www.designnews.com/automation-motion-control/moving-toward-industrial-internet-connectivity-framework/77653807759655?ADTRK=UBM&elq_mid=6101&elq_cid=876648
The Industrial Internet Consortium continues its leading role in developing standards, tools, and best practices for implementing IIoT connectivity solutions.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Leveraging cloud services for smart manufacturing
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/leveraging-cloud-services-for-smart-manufacturing/3dee56605af9be7f033839d6f2bd331a.html?OCVALIDATE=
Companies need to determine how much of the manufacturing system will be on the cloud to maximize the benefits to each organization and its customers. Consider cloud services, analytics, supplier connections, and distributed data via blockchain.
Following are a few more examples of leveraging cloud services as part of the smart manufacturing systems infrastructure.
Embedding cloud service components. A manufacturer might start its cloud exploration small by leveraging some cloud services like credit card payment processing and traffic maps into a delivery scheduling application.
Specialized analytics cloud service. Institutes like the CESMII (Clean Energy Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute) are making analytical algorithms via their cloud platform available to small manufacturers that could not traditionally afford to develop their own algorithms internally.
Cloud service as a supplier connector. A progressive manufacturer was integrating suppliers of raw materials by asking them to connect directly to their supplier management system to send and receive EDI and other B2B standard messages as part of managing procurement processes. The manufacturer is now contemplating moving this data exchange with suppliers to the cloud in a new supplier data exchange hub eliminating the need for suppliers connecting directly to its internal supplier management system. With this PaaS model
Distributed data collection validated using blockchain. Blockchain is a technology that can be woven into a cloud computing architecture. Blockchain creates a distributed shared ledger for recording the history of transactions. It feels like one shared ledger, but it is stored in a distributed network of ledger holders in a system that is resistant to tampering. Blockchain can help create authenticated and verified transactions in the supply chain and data tied to a product unit that will be maintained by multiple parties and cannot be edited once recorded.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ethernet moves closer to process controls
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/ethernet-moves-closer-to-process-controls/bd87ea68459665b84f85dbb7a379b96c.html?OCVALIDATE=
International: The latest developments to the Advanced Physical Layer (APL) project to enable Ethernet for process applications were reported at the 2018 ACHEMA exhibition by three standards-based organizations for process automation suppliers. The goal is a ruggedized, two-wire, loop-powered Ethernet physical layer.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Industrial cloud platforms need to demonstrate value
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/industrial-cloud-platforms-need-to-demonstrate-value/890bf0f1de70c039047ebc51bb3637be.html?OCVALIDATE=
Control Engineering China: While GE seeks to sell its digital assets, cloud platform developers need to more consistently explain customer value, offer better applications, and be patient.
GE is seeking buyers for GE Digital, which incorporates the company’s Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) business, according to reports from The Wall Street Journal and others at the end of July 2018. Since John Flannery took over the position of CEO at GE, he has been devoted to corporate business restructuring, streamlining, and spinoffs of non-core businesses to increase cashflow.
Other reports said GE plans to sell the electric power conversion business (Converteam) acquired in 2011. Total assets spun off in the previous year neared $20 billion. Perhaps logic behind decisions include business results from the digital business in recent years, especially in light of forecasts.
Tomi Engdahl says:
How to design secure remote-controlled operations
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/how-to-design-secure-remote-controlled-operations/aeb78012c3b45e073634fc001f94d9c8.html?OCVALIDATE=
Six tips can help with cybersecurity and remote-controlled or remote-monitoring applications for industrial control systems (ICSs).
Remote access, a double-edged sword
Many remote access situations are unplanned such as when a piece of equipment fails and the technician is out of town, which requires the company to bring in a trusted third party for repairs. This urgency for immediate, unplanned access heightens the cybersecurity risk. Perhaps credentials are provided over the phone (“Your password is ‘password1′”), which is creating an open invitation for a hacker to gain access.
Remote access can be a double-edged sword: a necessity to keep productivity high, but also a low cost, easy entry point for hackers. The challenge is many of the leading market options to authenticate user logins, such as RSA SecurID and smart cards, have never found much traction among extranet users. Not only were they largely designed for enterprises, but they are quite costly, challenging to support and put too much burden on end users.
Two-factor authentication is needed
Best practices, including U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recommendations, advise using strong authentication for all industrial control systems (ICSs). Many people think communication encryption mitigates the security risk, but even before the connection is made, credential exposure is the starting point and creates the vulnerability. Plus, practicalities and costs often get in the way.
Leaving authentication in the hands of the user is a surefire way for mistakes to happen. An even a bigger challenge is authenticating third-party users who don’t have the built-in foundation of a solid cryptographic virtual private network (VPN), which makes it impossible and impractical to authenticate. Without that level of credentialing, you may as well as be having a private conversation with a stranger.
To best secure remote access, public key cryptography, the gold standard for authentication, should be used.
Six remote-access checkboxes
To get on the road to secure remote access, look for technology that checks the following boxes:
1. Built-in mandatory mutual authentication: No dependence on user discretion to access organization resources
2. Automatic creation of an end-to-end encrypted tunnel
3. Operationally transparent to fit with existing cybersecurity systems: Provides an additional, not replacement, layer of security
4. Protocol independent to work with any combination of communications, whether WAN, LAN and any combination thereof
5. Responsive to unplanned deployment: Ability to be rapidly deployed to support secure connections
6. Software-free approach: Plug directly into network, without software or network configuration changes, using small hardware appliances.
Tomi Engdahl says:
“Smart home” companies refuse to say whether law enforcement is using your gadgets to spy on you
https://boingboing.net/2018/10/20/the-walls-have-ears.html
Transparency reports are standard practice across the tech industry, disclosing the nature, quantity and scope of all the law enforcement requests each company receives in a given year.
But there’s a notable exception to this practice: the “smart home” companies who sell you products that fill your house with gadgets that know every intimate fact of your life — all-seeing eyes, all-listening ears, all-surveillance network taps. The companies that sell these products refuse to say whether (or how) they are being suborned to serve as state surveillance adjuncts by law enforcement.
Smart home tech makers don’t want to say if the feds come for your data
https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/19/smart-home-devices-hoard-data-government-demands/
Device makers won’t say if your smart home gadgets spied on you
Tomi Engdahl says:
MEMS-Based IMUs Accelerate the “Internet of Moving Things”
https://www.electronicdesign.com/industrial-automation/mems-based-imus-accelerate-internet-moving-things?code=NN8DK018&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=20859&utm_medium=email&elq2=2664835e6921459e8ee8ccb4b3b75009
Sponsored by Digi-Key and Analog Devices: Equipped with three-axis gyroscopes and accelerometers, MEMS-based inertial measurement units target applications related to the IoMT.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IIC Launches IoT Resource Hub
https://www.designnews.com/automation-motion-control/iic-launches-iot-resource-hub/135925451959662?ADTRK=UBM&elq_mid=6169&elq_cid=876648
The Industrial Internet Consortium has introduced a resource hub to kickstart Industrial Internet of Things projects.
At the IoT World Congress in Barcelona last Wednesday, the Industrial Internet Consortium announced the IIC Resource Hub, a free interface to IoT resources developed by the IIC. The hub includes a web-based tool called IIoT Project Explorer, which guides users through the analysis and planning of their own IIoT projects. The IIC Resource Hub also references IIC resources including knowledge and expertise from IIC foundational documents, testbed insights, toolkits, demos, and relationships with global standards and industry groups—all designed as actionable intelligence for those involved in industrial IoT projects.
The IIC Resource Hub includes:
IIC Body of Knowledge: This portion of the hub brings together resources that have been developed, tested, and published by industry leaders from the IIC membership, including: testbed overviews and outcomes, Insight Reports, IIC foundational documents (Industrial Internet Reference Architecture, Industrial Internet Security Framework, Industrial Internet Connectivity Framework, Business Strategy and Innovation Framework, Industrial Internet of Things Analytics Framework, and Vocabulary Technical Report), and select white papers.
The IIoT Project Explorer: This is a web-based methodology for creating an assessment of an IoT project. The IIoT Project Explorer enables users to scope a solution and create a mutual basis for communication between technical and business project stakeholders. It also directs a quantitative method for developing implementation, rollout, and growth plans.
Ecosystem Directory: This is a mapping of the IIoT ecosystem that categorizes IIoT products, services, researchers, and end users, making experts searchable by their expertise.
https://hub.iiconsortium.org/
Tomi Engdahl says:
THE INDUSTRIAL INTERNET CONSORTIUM ANNOUNCES THE IIC RESOURCE HUB
New interface guides IIoT stakeholders with actionable intelligence
https://www.iiconsortium.org/press-room/10-16-18.htm
Tomi Engdahl says:
http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/8597-iot-siirtyy-hitaasti-mobiiliverkkoon
4G-verkkoihin on tuotu kaksi IoT-standardia, Cat-M1 ja NB-IoT. Operaattorit ovat kuitenkin lähteneet niiden kanssa liikkeelle melko hitaasti. LoRa on edelleen suosituin verkkotekniikka IoT-solmujen liittämiseen internetiin, kertoo tutkimuslaitos IHS.
Tomi Engdahl says:
http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/8596-pieni-data-haltuun
Tomi Engdahl says:
http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/8595-monimutkainen-galileo-signaali-vaatii-vastaanottimelta-enemman
Tomi Engdahl says:
http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/8577-nokia-yhdistaa-sahkomittarit-yksityisella-lte-verkolla
Tomi Engdahl says:
4G Cellular Slow to Dial in IoT
https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1333890
New LTE standards for cellular IoT are off to a slow start with some carriers just now turning on relatively expensive services. Nevertheless, competition in silicon making wide-area IoT links is strong, and the 3GPP’s road map is expected to drive a wave of chip upgrades for cellular IoT.
Long term, the Narrowband-IoT (NB-IoT) version of LTE and its unlicensed rival LoRa are expected to dominate wide-area wireless deployments in the Internet of Things. But getting there may take time.
“The volumes are not taking off anywhere but China and even China isn’t growing at the pace it was predicting. Their initial projections of 600 million units by 2020 won’t happen,” said Christian Kim, a senior analyst for IHS Markit, which plans to update its forecast in December.
“Markets are still below what we expected a year or two ago, primarily due to the immaturity of the networks, especially in Europe where there is not wide coverage for NB-IoT. We are now on the ramp we expected would have come six to nine months ago,” said Vieri Vanghi, a 20-year Qualcomm veteran who launched and manages its LTE IoT business.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Practical Bluetooth Low Energy and Sub-GHz Integration Approaches
https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1333812
Tomi Engdahl says:
‘City of surveillance’: privacy expert quits Toronto’s smart-city project
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/23/toronto-smart-city-surveillance-ann-cavoukian-resigns-privacy
Wired neighborhood planned by Google sister company has raised questions over data protection
When it was announced last year that a district in Toronto would be handed over to a company hoping to build a model for new tech-driven smart city, critics were quick to voice concerns.
Despite Justin Trudeau’s exclamation that, through a partnership with Google’s sister company Sidewalk Labs, the waterfront neighborhood could help turn the area into a “thriving hub for innovation”, questions immediately arose over how the new wired town would collect and protect data.
A year into the project, those questions have resurfaced following the resignation of a privacy expert, Dr Ann Cavoukian
Cavoukian isn’t the first to resign amid worries about privacy protection.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2018/10/25/isku-ja-tieto-tuovat-iot-tekniikan-toimistoihin/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook
Tomi Engdahl says:
Cellular IoT on slow path to eventual dominance
https://www.embedded.com/electronics-news/4461224/Cellular-IoT-on-slow-path-to-eventual-dominance
New LTE standards for cellular IoT are off to a slow start with some carriers just now turning on relatively expensive services. Nevertheless, competition in silicon making wide-area IoT links is strong, and the 3GPP’s road map is expected to drive a wave of chip upgrades for cellular IoT.
Long term, the Narrowband-IoT (NB-IoT) version of LTE and its unlicensed rival LoRa are expected to dominate wide-area wireless deployments in the Internet of Things. But getting there may take time.
“The volumes are not taking off anywhere but China and even China isn’t growing at the pace it was predicting. Their initial projections of 600 million units by 2020 won’t happen,” said Christian Kim, a senior analyst for IHS Markit, which plans to update its forecast in December.
China has had the most success so far getting NB-IoT module prices down to the needs of volume markets. Government subsidies slashed nearly half the cost of initial $12 modules for a year.
Now the subsidies are over but commercial prices are falling in line. A recent China Unicom bid for 3 million modules attracted five China module makers willing to stay under its $6 maximum bid, said Kim.
In the U.S, modules are advertised as low as $8.50 without a carrier’s service subsidy and $6.50 with one. U.S. carriers want to get down to $5 modules soon
Modules also supporting the faster Cat-M1 LTE standard for Mbit data rates may command a small premium.
Some carriers are over-pricing the new IoT services, further slowing the market. China Telecom claims it charges just $3/year for NB-IoT services, but elsewhere often unpublished prices are several times higher.
“In my opinion, there’s no point in a $5 module with a $15-20/year data plan,” said Vanghi
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mobile Internet basics: Mobile IPv6 technology overview
https://www.embedded.com/design/connectivity/4234631/Mobile-Internet-basics–Mobile-IPv6-Technology-Overview
Mobile IPv6 is standardized in RFC 3775. Much like Mobile IPv4 discussed earlier in Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3, Mobile IPv6 provides transparent mobility support for mobile nodes communicating across IPv6 networks.
Mobile IPv6 shares many of the same features and capabilities as Mobile IPv4 while leveraging the advantages that the IPv6 protocol itself provides. The major differences between Mobile IPv4 and Mobile IPv6 include the following:
1) Mobile IPv4 foreign agents provide local mobility agent function for a mobile node that has roamed into a foreign network. Mobile IPv6 does not require a local mobility anchor, so no foreign agent exists in a Mobile IPv6 network.
2) Because no foreign agent exists, route optimization and reverse tunneling options are not required for Mobile IPv6. The Mobile IPv6 route optimization capability allows the Mobile IPv6 protocol to coexist with ingress filtering devices located at border gateways.
3) The IPv6 protocol supports neighbor unreachability. This detection can be used in Mobile IPv6 to assure symmetric routing between the mobile node and its default router in the foreign network.
4) Rather than using IP in IP or other encapsulation techniques, the majority of traffic sent to a mobile node is done so using the IPv6 routing header.
5) Mobile IPv6 does not create the same challenges with link layer interactions. Instead of relying on ARP, Mobile IPv6 relies on IPv6 neighbor discovery.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Sapna Maheshwari / New York Times:
Kinsa, a smart thermometer startup that raised ~$29M via VCs like Kleiner Perkins, has products in 500K+ US homes, sells “illness data” to companies like Clorox
This Thermometer Tells Your Temperature, Then Tells Firms Where to Advertise
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/23/business/media/fever-advertisements-medicine-clorox.html
Most of what we do — the websites we visit, the places we go, the TV shows we watch, the products we buy — has become fair game for advertisers. Now, thanks to internet-connected devices in the home like smart thermometers, ads we see may be determined by something even more personal: our health.
This flu season, Clorox paid to license information from Kinsa, a tech start-up that sells internet-connected thermometers that are a far cry from the kind once made with mercury and glass. The thermometers sync up with a smartphone app that allows consumers to track their fevers and symptoms, making it especially attractive to parents of young children.
The data showed Clorox which ZIP codes around the country had increases in fevers. The company then directed more ads to those areas, assuming that households there may be in the market for products like its disinfecting wipes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends disinfecting surfaces to help prevent the flu or its spread.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Optimize machine metrics with a machine-as-a-service model, blockchain
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/optimize-machine-metrics-with-a-machine-as-a-service-model-blockchain/286fe3b479c2c3547bf80e4248d14439.html?OCVALIDATE=
Machine as a service (MaaS) and blockchain manage and secure machine data and transactions. Blockchain, while known for its use in the financial world, is being used by Steamchain, a start-up company, to provide secure financial and machine information design to help end users and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
Shifting to a machine-as-a-service (MaaS) model that uses blockchain helps create a secure model for greater optimization, according to representatives from the startup, Steamchain. The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), it seems, is everywhere in manufacturing and is changing how operations are managed. Providing better, faster data to create better decisions and higher efficiencies on the plant floor remain among priorities for those involved.
One challenge companies face is validating information received and proving that a machine or a product meets contract goals.
Steamchain seeks to help assuage those concerns with a MaaS model (Figure 1) using blockchain to provide usable, helpful data for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and end users. Not to be confused with one of the powering forces for the first industrial revolution, the acronym in the company’s name stands for secure transaction engine for automated machinery (steam).
Tomi Engdahl says:
Internet group announces IIoT resource hub and track and trace testbed updates
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/internet-group-announces-iiot-resource-hub-and-track-and-trace-testbed-updates/7292a27c86d6390448abf391de18a031.html?OCVALIDATE=
The Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) announced the IIC Resource Hub, which provides update to Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) resources as well as an update to its track and trace testbed.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Industrie 4.0′s potential to change manufacturing
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/industrie-40-s-potential-to-change-manufacturing/14bbc4f110bd32f97241fadaa336fe6a.html?OCVALIDATE=
Industrie 4.0 has great potential for manufacturing, but it is only successful if it provides value and deliver real and tangible benefits to a company’s operations.
With Industrie 4.0 strategies, companies gain capabilities to drive competitive advantage. Factories cut costs, reduce time-to-delivery, and increase order accuracy. With the right leadership, businesses will capture market share, enter new markets, and boost margins.
The Industrie 4.0 Roadmap from MESA International provides manufacturing companies with a guide for their Industrie 4.0 journey and a framework for building detailed plans to achieve their Industrie 4.0 goals, which include:
Business strategy
Empowered teams
Streamlined processes
Connective technologies
Connected things through the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).
There’s many different reasons why an Industrie 4.0 project can fail. It can go overbudget, get behind on schedule, not be accepted by the end users, be too complicated, or not work as advertised.
There’s only one way an Industrie 4.0 project can be successful: it has to add real value to the manufacturing company. The value may be found in increased capabilities such as increased consistency, increased productivity, increased flexibility, or increased agility. The value may be found in reduction such as reduced labor costs, material costs, energy costs, or lower levels of rework and waste.
For an Industrie 4.0 project to be successful, it has to be about more than just the technology. It can’t be just a technology project. It has to be about delivering real benefits to the company. Even if an Industrie 4.0 project comes in under budget, ahead of schedule, and has the newest and coolest technology on the market, it is a failure if it doesn’t deliver real value to the company. It needs to be:
Providing significant new capabilities and processes
Reducing capital costs and reducing operating costs
Empowering teams and improving decision-making
Creating new and better ways of doing business
Measuring metrics both tangible and intangible for payback.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Automation interfaces advance
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/automation-interfaces-advance/09669e057ee10c50b63f5f5583396acc.html?OCVALIDATE=
As more advanced PC-based HMIs became available, the hardware was perceived as a good value compared with prior solutions, and provided flexibility and connectivity for the user. One downside, however, was increased ongoing maintenance and support requirements including:
The operating system (OS) and other software needed periodic updates and protection against malware
Non-hardened hardware was not suited for typical industrial conditions.
PCs used as HMIs typically ran vendor-supplied software, which entailed licensing costs and periodic version upgrades. (In many ways a basic OIT is more “ready out of the box” than a PC, which requires configuring a commercial OS and the HMI software.)
Perhaps even more than PCs, the proliferation of mobile consumer devices has struck a blow against classic industrial HMIs and OITs. Smartphones, tablets, and other products have raised performance expectations. Users now expect a polished look and feel, frequent free updates, and improvements to the device’s operating system and applications
But innovation is somewhat slower for the industrial market because it is relatively small compared to the much larger consumer market—not to mention being far more conservative than the cutting-edge personal electronics market. Often, end users feel HMI and OIT products are “old tech,” when they have been conditioned to yearn for “new tech.”
New HMI technologies
The latest generation of HMI products addresses each of these deficiencies by adapting commercial technologies, while including and building upon all the best features of previous generations of HMIs and OITs. Potential benefits include:
Economical open-source underpinnings
Affordable configuration software with no licensing fees
Ease of use · Integral controller screen providing an economical and capable local platform
HDMI connections to enable a larger local display, if needed
Networking, cloud-based connectivity, and web-based visualization to extend the reach of HMIs
Mobile devices for the ultimate in flexibility.
Human-machine interfaces (HMIs) and other operator interface devices are being pushed to the edge of rugged applications to combine the best features of classic interfaces with modern commercial technologies.
Tomi Engdahl says:
http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/8620-ilmanlaatua-seurataan-iot-laitteilla-5g-verkossa
Tomi Engdahl says:
Stephanie Condon / ZDNet:
Amazon says Alexa for Business now works with any device with Alexa built in, including 3rd-party devices; the program was previously restricted to Echo devices — Device makers building with the Alexa Voice Service have an opportunity to reach new enterprise customers.
Alexa for Business now works with third-party devices
https://www.zdnet.com/article/alexa-for-business-now-works-with-third-party-devices/
Device makers building with the Alexa Voice Service have an opportunity to reach new enterprise customers.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Steve O’Hear / TechCrunch:
German smart thermostat and AC control maker Tado raises $50M from Amazon, E.ON, and others, bringing its total raised to $102M — Tado, the smart thermostat and AC control maker, has raised a further $50 million in funding from an array of noteworthy and strategic investors.
Amazon backs German smart heating and AC company Tado in new $50M funding round
https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/25/amazon-meet-tado/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2018/10/25/isku-ja-tieto-tuovat-iot-tekniikan-toimistoihin/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Leveraging cloud services for smart manufacturing
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/leveraging-cloud-services-for-smart-manufacturing/3dee56605af9be7f033839d6f2bd331a.html?OCVALIDATE=
Companies need to determine how much of the manufacturing system will be on the cloud to maximize the benefits to each organization and its customers. Consider cloud services, analytics, supplier connections, and distributed data via blockchain.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Industrial cloud platforms need to demonstrate value
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/industrial-cloud-platforms-need-to-demonstrate-value/890bf0f1de70c039047ebc51bb3637be.html?OCVALIDATE=
Control Engineering China: While GE seeks to sell its digital assets, cloud platform developers need to more consistently explain customer value, offer better applications, and be patient.
GE is seeking buyers for GE Digital, which incorporates the company’s Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) business, according to reports from The Wall Street Journal and others at the end of July 2018. Since John Flannery took over the position of CEO at GE, he has been devoted to corporate business restructuring, streamlining, and spinoffs of non-core businesses to increase cashflow.
Other reports said GE plans to sell the electric power conversion business (Converteam) acquired in 2011. Total assets spun off in the previous year neared $20 billion. Perhaps logic behind decisions include business results from the digital business in recent years, especially in light of forecasts.
GE cooperates with Microsoft
Predating the GE Digital announcement by just two weeks was the announced cooperative partnership of GE and Microsoft. GE Digital plans to standardize the Predix platform on Microsoft Azure, and integrate the Predix product portfolio with Azure local cloud technology, including Azure IoT, Azure Data and Azure Analytics. The partners will carry out joint sales focusing on end users in vertical industries.
Cloud platforms: Three ways to learn
This strategic adjustment is worthy of reflection.
1. Large industrial cloud platforms like GE Predix need to convey customer value more effectively. At present, major applications based on an industrial cloud platform focus on equipment diagnosis, maintenance, and asset management. Before the concepts of industrial internet and industrial cloud become popular, the technologies and solutions for remote diagnosis and maintenance of key equipment were mature. Key equipment providers have developed cloud platforms, even if narrow in function. These platforms can solve problems customers need solved the most. Large cloud platform providers need to explore how to better demonstrate customer value.
2. Applications still play the dominant role in the industrial field. Industrial applications are diverse and differentiated and call for a strong accumulation of industry knowledge. In spite of the powerful system structure (and acknowledging certain specific customer applications), GE Predix is not necessarily better, more applicable, or more flexible than many small companies specializing in industrial analytics applications in the specialized fields. Even in North America, the GE Predix parent market, the platform has powerful competitive challenges, which is likely why performance is below expectations.
3. Market cultivation takes time. In China, most engineers in the operations technology (OT) department are aware of industrial internet, industrial cloud, and edge computing, but most doubt if these technologies can bring real value to work at the present stage. The market needs time for cultivation. Users and suppliers should have more patience and determination, with less radical implementation strategies.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Five data acquisition strategies for success
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/five-data-acquisition-strategies-for-success/ddfc540c6cc6418d0694e7204d9af5ad.html?OCVALIDATE=
Did you just see something extraordinary in the recorded data or was it a data anomaly in measurement, communications, or data aggregation? Data collection should help us learn, not confuse. Heed these five strategies for better industrial data.
Correlation vs. causation
Causation cannot be derived just because a data set correlates to another. Actionable data is the goal. Data that helps the return on investment (ROI) will pay for the data collection system many times over. Thankfully, it isn’t hard. Some common-sense solutions will suffice.
1. Frequency of data
2. Accuracy of data
3. Resolution
4. Synchronized data
5. Application knowledge
Consult with experts
It would be very rare for one person or group to understand the inner workings of every component of a machine from a design perspective. More likely, technologies such as hydraulics, pneumatics, electric motors, and actuators are combined to create one machine. Simply applying sensors to collect historical data on the machine may not get results that make sense. Consulting with experts on those components can help get to an answer faster and provide help to know what data to look for and how to look for it. With a little thought, some simple data collection practices and some application knowledge, the data system can start producing usable insights.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Standardizing multi-touch HMI hardware
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/standardizing-multi-touch-hmi-hardware/f6b3ec36c1c2f41aeb97370d253d4720.html?OCVALIDATE=
Cover Story: Implementing cost-effective multi-touch panel technology now can future-proof system architectures.
Advanced security for integrated HMIs
An open PC-based platform is ideal when integrating an HMI. The PC-based controller can run the HMI software as easily as the programmable logic controller (PLC) and motion control projects. For vertical communication considerations, IPCs and panel PCs are well suited for open-platform communications unified architecture (OPC UA) communication. This builds in secure and encrypted data transmission for cloud and edge computing scenarios.
System security is often implemented in software and networking, but new HMI hardware can prevent unauthorized on-site use and errors. Using radio-frequency identification (RFID) chips installed in employee badges or key cards, for example. HMIs equipped with an RFID reader can authorize access to select users based on their job responsibilities.
Therefore, only certain machine functions are available to employees in the HMI depending on their position and responsibilities. RFID can serve as a more efficient and effective security gatekeeper that does not require manual entry with usernames and passwords.
It’s a smart strategy to choose multi-touch HMI hardware and ensure the panel PC provides enough processing power for the long term. By standardizing multi-touch panels today, a factory can prepare itself to adapt to advances for years to come.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Data, Digital Threads, and Industry 4.0
https://www.protolabs.com/resources/white-papers/data-digital-threads-and-industry-40/
How software and technology are digitizing the manufacturing industry, and the benefits to business leaders
The New Frontier: Industry 4.0
In 2007, German economist Klaus Schwab told an assembly of the World Economic Forum, which he founded, that the world was now entering a Fourth Industrial Revolution1, one that “has the potential to raise global income levels and improve the quality of life for populations around the world.” Schwab was referring to a digital shake up that stands to turn the past several decades of growth in electronics and computer technology on its head with unprecedented levels of low-cost data storage, artificial intelligence, mobile computing, Software as a Service (SaaS) and Cloud-based computer systems. Behind everything? The internet of things (IoT), which promises to tie it all together with smart devices that will collect data, make decisions, and keep humans informed of potential problems.
Schwab also warned of dangers. As manufacturing technology continues to evolve, labor markets will almost certainly be disrupted. Legislative processes and governmental regulations may fail to adapt quickly enough for the exponential growth of digital innovation, leading to conflict between the businesses embracing such technology and the policymakers trying to understand it. And however positive the impact of the coming revolution may be, it raises even larger questions about national security, personal privacy, even autonomous weaponry, and cyber attacks. These will become increasingly relevant topics as machines, devices, and software begin to think and act independently. This revolution more than any other has the potential to change industry, yes, but it may also alter our very way of life.
Two of Schwab’s contemporaries, Siegfried Dais, deputy chairman of the board of management at Robert Bosch GmbH, and Henning Kagermann, president of the German Academy of Science and Engineering, first introduced the term Industrie 4.0 at the Hannover Fair in 2011. Two years later, their Working Group on Industry 4.0 presented recommendations2 to the German government on how the country’s manufacturing industry should leverage the internet of things and services to increase national competitiveness, and that smart factories using “universal direct networking of smart objects via the internet,” something that most refer to as the industrial internet of things, or IIoT, is the next phase of the Industrial Revolution.
A Web of Intelligent Hardware
Somewhere between consumers and cities sits the engine that drives it all: commerce and industry. This is where the IIoT comes in.
Follow the Digital Thread
Industry 4.0 and the IIoT revolution require far more than smart gadgetry and garrulous machine tools. Perhaps the biggest wave in this industrial sea change is “digital manufacturing,” a relatively new way of sharing data throughout the entire product life cycle, leading to lower costs, quicker turnarounds, and improved part quality. Companies such as Siemens and PTC are busy developing integrated software platforms that link all aspects of manufacturing, from initial product design to factory layout to customer feedback after delivery. This “digital thread” eliminates the silos of information that have long hampered data exchange between disparate software systems, tying together each aspect of the manufacturing process, including 3D CAD modeling and visualization tools, design for manufacturability (DFM) analysis software, computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM), and shop floor data collection systems.
Properly integrated, this software alphabet soup encompasses the digital thread of information flowing from product conception, through design, prototyping, and manufacturing, and back to redesign. Add in all of the auxiliary threads tied into this process—sourcing, logistics, warehousing and financials to name a few—threads that are typically managed by the big brother of all acronyms—ERP, or enterprise resource planning—and the digital cycle is complete.
A Game-Changing Playbook
Larry Lukis isn’t the only one tugging on the digital thread. Siemens PLM defines digital manufacturing as a way to allow engineers to “create the complete definition of a manufacturing process in a virtual environment, including tooling, assembly lines, work centers, facility layout, ergonomics, and resources.” The result is greater throughput, removal of manufacturability constraints, and the ability of digital manufacturing companies to make better decisions more quickly. As proof, Siemens customer Waltonen Engineering, Warren, Mich., used digital manufacturing techniques to reduce dimensional-related costs by up to 50 percent. Furniture manufacturer Swerve joined forces with its machine tool vendor and Siemens to improve integration between its PLM and CAM system, resulting in business growth and greater ability to handle close tolerance work. Aerospace giant Pratt and Whitney revamped its various configuration management systems in favor of a unified CAD-driven data management solution from Siemens, one that decreased product development costs by 75 percent.
These results aren’t unique. According to consulting firm CIMdata, digital manufacturing efforts can improve time-to-market by 30 percent, reduce process planning efforts and equipment costs by 40 percent, and increase overall production throughput by 15 percent.
Tomi Engdahl says:
You’re probably doing your IIoT implementation wrong
https://www.networkworld.com/article/3278254/internet-of-things/youre-probably-doing-your-iiot-implementation-wrong.html
When designing networks and deploying gear for the Industrial Internet of Things, it’s important to bring in members of operational technology teams, not just information technology staff, to make sure business goals of the implementation are met.
The Industrial Internet of Things promises a quantum leap forward in automation, centralized management and a wealth of new data and insight that is often too tempting to pass up. But automating a factory floor or a fleet of vehicles is far from simple, and many would-be IIoT adopters are going about the process all wrong, according to experts.
To make an IIoT transition a success, the process has to be led by the line-of-business side of the company – not IT. Successful IIoT adopters frame the entire operation as a matter of digital transformation, aimed at addressing specific business problems, rather than as a fun challenge for IT architects to solve.
“This ought to be driven by an expected business outcome,” he said. “Rather than just laying claims that ‘I’ve now connected all my assets’ or those kinds of things – what business transformation did you really achieve?”
This issue is essentially universal – whether the company in question is trying to leverage IIoT to address supply chain issues, operational excellence or any other business problem, and regardless of the industry in which it operates.
“I think we’re guilty of asking ourselves an incomplete set of questions,” said Golightly. “We’re asking the right questions about how we connect A to B, but I think that the question we’re missing is that, in this new world where we’ve torn down the silos and we have better information, does it really change the way we make decisions?”
IIoT projects need operational technology pros, not just information technology pros
According to 451 Research IoT practice director Christian Renaud, approaching IIoT from the operational side – via what he calls “the OT door” as opposed to the IT door – is a much more intelligent way to think about implementation.
If an IT person has a wall full of CCNAs and so on in his or her office, it’s a safe bet that that person is a member of the Cisco tribe, for example. But OT experts will have certifications of their own. The only way for IT types to get in that door, according to Renaud, is partnership with the OT companies that already know how to make it inside.
“They’re absolutely going about IIoT all wrong … because they’re coming through their traditional IT channels,” he said. “Honestly, when you look at our survey data about who’s actually in charge of that purchasing decision, it’s the CEO, the CFO, and maybe one more line-of-business guy that’s a digital transformation guy. You know where the CIO is? He’s over there at the kids table eating chicken McNuggets.”
The specificity of the requirements for an IIoT project means that the operational side of the business will generally have a far better idea of what’s needed than the IT side.
“An IT and an OT guy walk into a restaurant, and the IT guy goes, ‘I’d like a cow and a knife and a match.’ And the OT guy goes, ‘I’d like a steak,’” said Renaud.
The security risks of doing IIoT wrong
Steve Hanna, senior principal at Infineon Technologies, said that the security risks of IIoT have grown rapidly of late, thanks to a growing awareness of IIoT attack vectors. A factory that was never designed to be connected to the Internet, with plenty of sensitive legacy equipment that can be 30 years old or older and designed to work via serial cable, can find itself suddenly exposed to the full broadside of remote bad actors, from Anonymous to national governments.
“There’s a tool called Shodan that allows you to scan the Internet for connected industrial equipment, and you’d be surprised at the number of positive results that are found with that tool, things like dams and water and sewer systems,” he said.
Tomi Engdahl says:
5 Inconvenient Truths About IoT
https://adtmag.com/articles/2018/07/23/5-iot-misconceptions.aspx
Sometimes it’s okay to poke the bear, with the metaphorical bear in this case being the Internet of Things (IoT). Industry analyst Bola Rotibi shares her take based on recent findings.
As a result there nave been many misconceptions of IoT spread across the industry. I see this in a number of key area, and think we’d better get them straightened:
1) IoT Is Not New
The biggest misconception surrounding IoT is that it is something new. In fact, conceptually, it is an evolution of a number of initiatives and capabilities that have been around in key industries such as in chemicals, oil and gas, and in manufacturing, energy and utilities.
Many of these industries have, over the last 20-plus years, employed software based control systems to provide more finely tuned control through devices connected to programmable logic controllers (PLCs) of their operation enabling greater levels of efficiency and predictability.
2) Meaningful Application of IoT Is Not Always that Simple
In the past, implementing a connected systems framework completely with interfacing client applications would have been an expensive and complex affair, especially when considering the expense of the underlying dedicated infrastructure and processing and programing knowledge set required. In the era of the Internet, people rely on the apps on their mobile phones to connect to the services and an application seems just one click away. However, even with this level of technology and user accessibility, applying IoT successfully in complex environments isn’t as simple as the click of an app.
3) The Science and Art of Algorithms Are Rarely Articulated
Many of the new cohort of IoT supplier and user organizations fail to understand that connecting a thing can be relatively easy, but writing the algorithms that allow for sophisticated control and analytical processing, not so much. Algorithms are both a science and an art form, and not generally for the unskilled. Control engineers, especially those with industry domain and process knowledge, will find their services in much need going forward.
4) Edge Computing and Domain Knowledge (Industry or Processing) Are Inextricably Linked
Edge processing is vital but knowing where that edge is can be harder to ascertain. You will need to have a clear understanding of the processing operation and a particular insight into the goals looking to be delivered through the benefits of IoT. They will not be the same for all organizations, even those in the same industry.
5) IoT Is Not Always a Good Thing
“Just because you can doesn’t mean that you should,”is an adage that is not always heeded when it comes to the industry. It might seem neat and even valuable to provide connectivity to a previously unconnected physical thing, but to what business or operational benefit? Few new entrants to the market really think about all aspects of the underlying processes of the things that they are applying connectivity to. At CIC we’ve spoken with many an organization that has not thought through all aspects of the process of execution for an IoT product that they believed would change or disrupt an existing market. Without understanding the vested interests of the existing supply chain or evaluating the actual needs, likes and dislikes of the client base, a connected solution may end up being a needless waste of resources. IoT can’t always been done on the cheap! A great deal of effort is required, even if some of the constituent parts aren’t necessarily expensive.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Dispelling the IIoT myths around FHSS
https://internetofthingsagenda.techtarget.com/blog/IoT-Agenda/Dispelling-the-IIoT-myths-around-FHSS
oday’s IT decision-makers are tasked with finding technology that connects all of these things together to provide a constant stream of data from the access layer back to the business office. As these decisions-makers work to bridge the connection from the OT field network to the IT business office, they are inundated with technologies using a variety of different protocols and spectrums.
Anyone who is new to traditional OT networking technology may not be as familiar with the benefits of frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) technology. Despite the rapidly changing technology landscape, it remains an optimal choice for long-range communication in nearly any environment or location. Decision makers also may not be aware that FHSS can help alleviate some of the IT/OT convergence pain points and accommodate the growing number of sensors in the field. FHSS is rugged and reliable, and today’s options offer long-range, high-speed, high-throughput options that are equipped to handle modern data needs.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Industrial IoT Isn’t The Same As The Consumer IoT
https://www.forbes.com/sites/oreillymedia/2014/02/26/the-industrial-iot-isnt-the-same-as-the-consumer-iot/#603d58f14720
Misconception 1: The IIoT is the same as the consumer Internet of Things (IoT), except it’s located on a factory floor somewhere.
Misconception 2: The IIoT is always about, as Bradford describes it, devices that “push and pull status and command information from the networked world.”
Misconception 3: The problem is that industrial device owners aren’t interested in, or actively resist, connecting our smart devices together.
So, what is the real IIoT opportunity no one’s talking about?
The real opportunity of the IIoT is not to pretend that it’s the same as the IoT, but rather to provide industrial device networks with an affordable and easy migration path to IP.
This approach is not an “excuse for trying to patch up, or hide behind, outdated technology” that Bradford talks about. Rather, it’s a chance to offer multi-protocol, multimedia solutions that recognize and embrace the special considerations and, yes, constraints of the industrial world — which include myriad existing protocols, devices installed for their reliability and longevity, the need for both wired and wireless connections in some environments, and so on. This approach will build bridges to the IIoT, so that any given community of devices can achieve its full potential
Tomi Engdahl says:
Top Misconceptions About the IIoT
http://www.maplesystems.com/IIoT/IIoT-White-Paper.pdf
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). It’s impossible to
attend a conference or check your email without seeing the
term. Though the IIoT generates a lot of buzz, it’s really a
term that describes getting connected to the web.
IIoT
-ready Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs) allow manufacturers to take data from the floor
and share it with a local or cloud-
based server, where it can be used company
-wide,
regardless of the user’s location. The translation of machine data to actionable information
allows companies to make cost
-saving decisions and allocate resources more approp
riately.
But many OEMs are hesitating to implement, not taking advantage of the available
technology. Even if customers are not ready to integrate their systems right away, they
will
want to implement
an IIoT strategy to keep up with their competition. When customers decide to implement the IIOT concept, your
machine should be ready without the need for downtime and
replacements.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Wireless Power: One Futuristic Technology Energizing Smart Cities
https://www.sealevel.com/2018/09/21/wireless-power-smart-cities/
A mobile device battery has many demands to fill: photos, maps, social media, apps and ride hailing services, etc. These demands increase at conferences and during travel. Almost inevitably, device batteries drain. One must sit near the wall, pole or wherever, to juice up. That could take an hour… or two. It is, as millennials would say, a huge bummer. However, one exciting technology could eradicate that dead battery stress. It’s called wireless power, and it will energize smart cities.
What is Wireless Power?
In this case, wireless power is energy transfer over the air (OTA) using radio frequency (RF) signals. These RF signals carry energy, much like transmitting Wi-Fi signals that hold data. However, when a signal does not carry data, it can transfer energy.
Wireless power transfer is different from mainstream wireless charging, more appropriately called inductive charging. These wireless charging stations rely on electromagnetic induction coils. These coils transmit power to other coils in the device being charged. They require alignment and close contact between station and device. This system requires thermal engineering solutions to manage heat buildup.
True wireless power is over a distance using a transmitter-receiver system on a specific radio frequency. The transmitter sends the energy. Then, the receiver converts the RF signal to DC power. The beams do not pass through obstacles. They bounce off and around, making them safe for populated areas. This method is as efficient as wired or induction power charging.
Who makes Wireless Power?
Currently, there are two major players with market-ready wireless power products. One of them is Energous. It focuses on consumer electronics networks, like smart living rooms. The other is Ossia. This application best suits commercial electronics networks, like coffee shops and airports.
Both companies have emerged in the last year. Each of them relies on a different RF channel. Energous uses the 900MHz frequency on their WattUp transmitters. Ossia uses the 2.4GHz spectrum for its “Cota” standard.
How does Wireless Power Work?
Energous has different requirements for transmission, dependent on distance. It functions up to 15 feet away. For objects “mid-field” to “far-field,” Energous uses beamforming. This process sends energy beams directly to a receiver from the WattUp transmitter. It is a software-managed system. It checks for Bluetooth devices to charge, their distance and their network authorization. In other words, the transmitter will not waste its energy trying to charge every electronic device in the room.
Smart Cities and Wireless Power
The most appealing use of wireless power is in smart cities, especially those connected to the Internet of Things (IoT) using 5G technology. These entities rely on a vast system of software, sensors, AI-enhanced robots and IoT devices to automate city tasks. The above systems require varying amounts of power. Devices like IoT require more power and continuously. OTA wireless power would ensure that none of these devices ever turn off.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Remote Pressure Monitoring: An Alternative to Telemetry Installation
https://www.sealevel.com/case-studies/remote-pressure-monitoring-an-alternative-to-telemetry-installation/
The SeaConnect 370 monitors analog outputs from two pressure transducers and is configured to alert technicians when thresholds are exceeded. The device relies on solar power with a battery backup. To protect against the elements, the SeaConnect 370 and solar charging controller are installed in a waterproof enclosure. Once the pilot is complete, Le-ax Water District will begin fielding units across their territory.
Key Application Requirements
Ability to configure thresholds
Alerts via email or text
Communicate via cellular
Powered by solar-charged battery
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ilmanlaatua seurataan IoT-laitteilla 5G-verkossa
http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/8620-ilmanlaatua-seurataan-iot-laitteilla-5g-verkossa
Elisa on solminut yhteistyösopimuksen MegaSense-tutkimusohjelman kanssa, joka kehittää suurkaupunkien ilmanlaadun seurantaa. Helsingin yliopiston MegaSense-tutkimusohjelman ajatuksena on kattaa tiheä kaupunkialue ilmanlaatusensoreiden verkostolla, joka pystyy havaitsemaan ilmanlaadun saastuttajat.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The IoT Needs a New Set of Eyes
https://spectrum.ieee.org/telecom/wireless/the-iot-needs-a-new-set-of-eyes
The rise of computer vision has given us robot chefs and cameras that detect gas flares in fuel production. It’s also led to an increase in connected cameras that are trying to run at the edge of the network.
“Running at the edge” means these cameras are not only communicating wirelessly with the cloud but also communicating with local gateways and working with built-in logic boards to complete a task.
But as we connect more cameras and ask them to perform more complicated tasks, their fundamental architecture is changing.
Tomi Engdahl says:
TruffleBot Sniffs Out and Accurately Identifies Specific Chemical Odors
https://blog.hackster.io/trufflebot-sniffs-out-and-accurately-identifies-specific-chemical-odors-6892c1b67b3d
In total, TruffleBot has 16 sensors placed on a Raspberry Pi HAT. Eight of those are traditional electronic nose chemical sensors, and the other eight are mechanical digital barometers that monitor air pressure and temperature. Each chemical sensor is paired with a mechanical sensor, and the pairs are arranged in four rows of two pairs each.
https://spectrum.ieee.org/the-human-os/biomedical/devices/meet-the-enose-that-actually-sniffs
Tomi Engdahl says:
Fog Computing Could Make Smart City Applications More Reliable
https://innovate.ieee.org/innovation-spotlight/fog-computing-anomaly-detection-smart-city/#utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=innovation&utm_content=Fog%20Computing%20Anomaly%20Detection?LT=CMH_WB_2018_LM_XIS_Paid_Social
Tomi Engdahl says:
These Inexpensive, Open Source Flood-Detection Kits Help Save Cambodian Lives
https://blog.hackster.io/these-inexpensive-open-source-flood-detection-kits-help-save-cambodian-lives-a78c6e240f19