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:
Rambus’ Nisha Amthul argues that securing the IoT will require a holistic approach.
Establishing the Root of Trust for the Internet of Things
https://semiengineering.com/establishing-the-root-of-trust-for-the-internet-of-things/
Securing the IoT will require a holistic approach.
Tomi Engdahl says:
http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/8722-rfid-tunniste-on-helppo-hakkeroida
Tomi Engdahl says:
James Vincent / The Verge:
Amazon is using “neural text-to-speech” (NTTS) tech to develop new speaking styles for Alexa, will launch a newscaster style to read articles in a few weeks
Alexa will soon be able to read the news just like a professional
https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/20/18104413/amazon-alexa-speaking-style-machine-learning-neural-ntts-newscaster
Amazon is using AI to develop new speaking styles for Alexa, including a newscaster voice for reading articles
Tomi Engdahl says:
Wireless Sensors Dominate Most IoT Applications
https://www.electronicdesign.com/industrial-automation/wireless-sensors-dominate-most-iot-applications?NL=ED-005&Issue=ED-005_20181121_ED-005_612&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_2_b&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=21586&utm_medium=email&elq2=d63a908d160a4293a72a3c671f059154
Sponsored by Digi-Key and TE Connectivity: Available in an extensive array of shapes, sizes, and functionality, sensors are perhaps the most essential ingredients to any IoT product or platform.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Giving Thanks to the “Internet of Thingsgiving”
https://www.electronicdesign.com/industrial-automation/giving-thanks-internet-thingsgiving?NL=ED-005&Issue=ED-005_20181121_ED-005_612&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_1_b&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=21586&utm_medium=email&elq2=d63a908d160a4293a72a3c671f059154
with Thanksgiving just days away, I’m thankful for the people in my life and the Internet of Things (aka IoT) that connect us. In fact, I like to think of this favorite of holidays as “Thingsgiving.”
The proliferation of IoT and smart-enabled products is surging, as companies across many industries are jumping in to get a slice of the pie. This trend will continue, as Bain forecasts that the combined markets of the IoT will grow to about $520 billion in 2021, more than double from the $235 billion spent in 2017. For those of us in the RF industry, these are exciting times. The IoT is connecting more people, places, and things—and in the case of this Thingsgiving, our food.
This Thanksgiving, take a moment to be thankful for all our connected “things.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2018/11/20/kaivinkoneen-siirrosta-tehtiin-digitaalinen-kaksonen/
Suunnittelutoimisto Etteplan ja simulointiohjelmistoihin erikoistunut Mevea ovat kehittäneet digitaalisen kaksosen työkoneiden siirtoon tarkoitetusta tuotteesta. Jyväskyläläisen Sleipnerille tehtyä simulaatiomallia voidaan käyttää tuotteen kouluttamisessa tai jälkimarkkinoinnissa.
Tomi Engdahl says:
http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/8744-big-data-iot-ja-anturit-mullistavat-liikkuvan-tyon
Tomi Engdahl says:
Future Technologies and the Impact on Mobile Workforces and their Devices
https://business.panasonic.co.uk/computer-product/future-technologies-and-the-impact-on-mobile-workforces-and-their-devices-2
Although a wide range of exciting future technologies are being watched closely, there is clear evidence from this research that businesses are adopting and looking to capitalise on the benefits of Big Data, the Internet Of Things and Sensor technology for their mobile workforces.
Tomi Engdahl says:
http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/8746-piilolinssiin-integroitiin-ledi-mikropiiri-rf-antenni-ja-liitannat
Tomi Engdahl says:
IoT Applications and Design Guide
http://www.microwavejournal.com/articles/31260-iot-applications-and-design-guide?utm_source=Fractus+Antennas+-+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=ed419ac996-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_10_06_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_20986e8cc4-ed419ac996-16087901
This eBook takes a look at the emergence of IoT and design of devices for this market. The first couple of articles take a look at the overall IoT market challenges and trends for smart home services. Next, it addresses rapid product development of NB-IoT devices with simulation followed by a couple of articles addressing antenna design and new antenna technologies.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IoT analytics guide: What to expect from Internet of Things data
https://www.networkworld.com/article/3311919/internet-of-things/iot-analytics-guide-what-to-expect-from-internet-of-things-data.html
Data capture, data governance, and availability of services are among the biggest challenges IT will face in creating an IoT analytics environment.
“Sensor-based computing is a core trend in digital transformation,” says Maureen Fleming, an analyst at research firm IDC. “Operational intelligence using condition-based monitoring assures organizations about the health of sensor-attached devices, machines and systems. Depending on the use case, applying machine learning [ML] to sensor data is aimed at predicting probability of outages, propensity to buy, health problems, etc.”
Applying ML to sensor data in combination with data from enterprise applications can also fundamentally change how an organization works, by predicting problems with meeting service-level agreements on services for customers or logistics problems within a supply chain, Fleming says.
IoT “is driving the blending of the digital and physical worlds,” says Brian Hopkins, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester Research. “Almost all businesses want real-time data from the physical world to take the next step in their quest for insights that deliver competitive advantage.”
IoT necessitates new infrastructure
For many enterprises, the existing data analytics infrastructure will not adequately handle the expected increases in volume generated by the IoT, however. They will need to alter their IT environments to make them more “IoT-ready.”
“IoT is creating an unprecedented amount of data in the enterprise in terms of both volume and velocity,” says Mark Hung, research vice president at research firm Gartner. “In order to extract value out of this data, the enterprise’s data analytics architecture needs to be revamped.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Älykaiuttimet, älyassistentit ja ambient computing markkinoinnissa ja arjessa
https://www.aboad.fi/blog/alykaiuttimet-alyassistentit-ja-ambient-computing-markkinoinnissa-ja-arjessa/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=ad&utm_campaign=blog&utm_content=ambientcomputing
Ambient computing on ympäristön tietokoneistus, joka on kokonaisuus erilaisia sensoreita, käyttöliittymiä ja laitteita. Tämä saadaan aikaan esimerkiksi IoT-laitteiden (Internet of Things) avulla.
Käsitteen alle jäävät käyttöliittymät sulautuvat ympäristöömme huomaamattomasti ja tulevat osaksi arkea.
Käsite kattaa alleen myös oppivat teknologiat, jotka eivät vaadi aina tietoista käyttöä
Tomi Engdahl says:
NÄIN ÄLYKAUPUNKEJA KEHITETÄÄN MAAILMALLA VUONNA 2018
https://forumvirium.fi/nain-alykaupunkeja-kehitetaan-maailmalla-vuonna-2018/
Tomi Engdahl says:
We tried Amazon’s bizarre Alexa microwave and weren’t convinced
https://techcrunch.com/2018/11/14/we-were-promised-flying-cars-we-got-alexa-microwaves/?utm_source=tcfbpage&sr_share=facebook
Tomi Engdahl says:
IoT Cameras Need to be Quick, Clever, and Able to Assign Meaning
https://spectrum.ieee.org/telecom/internet/iot-cameras-need-to-be-quick-clever-and-able-to-assign-meaning
November’s Internet of Everything column discussed the need to rethink cameras for an era of always-on operation at every corner. We’ll also have to rethink the way those cameras see.
Today, computer vision can track cars, faces, and production processes as accurately as most people can. When there’s a lot of data to sift through, computer-vision models are better than people.
But there are limits. Computers still need more time than a human to recognize a person or action. They can’t follow a person or object between multiple video cameras. They can be fooled easily
Tomi Engdahl says:
Deploying IIoT sensors in the smart factory
https://www.edn.com/design/sensors/4461280/Deploying-IIoT-sensors-in-the-smart-factory?utm_source=Aspencore&utm_medium=EDN&utm_campaign=social
Tomi Engdahl says:
Week in Review: IoT, Security, Auto
Forrester predictions; cybersecurity agency; Nissan chairman arrested.
https://semiengineering.com/week-in-review-iot-security-auto-20/
Forrester Research released its 2019 Internet of Things predictions. Some key points: Bundled service offerings will catalyze a sleepy consumer IoT market; cybercriminals will lay siege to a smart-city implementation; and a market for IoT managed services will emerge in 2019.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are coming up. Those days present some opportunities to purchase IoT products for business or the home.
President Donald Trump signed into law a bill that creates the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency within the Department of Homeland Security. The legislation reorganizes the department’s National Protection and Programs Directorate into an agency-level unit for DHS.
Cybersecurity professionals need to think like cybercriminals to do their job, Josephine Wolff, an assistant professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology, writes in this opinion piece. “We should think carefully about the skills we need, about the rules and principles that we know how to teach and also about how to encourage students to break those rules and find ways around those principles,” she concludes.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Philips Hue is a RIPOFF
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIOMzabAa3M
Finally a competitor for both LIFX and Philips Hue bulbs that isn’t going to break the bank – Yeelight
CORRECTION: The newer generation LIFX bulbs no longer make use of a mesh network, instead they all connect directly to the router.
Tomi Engdahl says:
http://www.etn.fi/index.php/tekniset-artikkelit/8752-huipputarkka-paikannus-tulee-massasovelluksiin
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Role of Sensors in the IIoT
https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1333978
Editor’s note: In this Special Project, we take a broad view of the role of sensors in the overall Industrial IoT system architecture, including their role in Industry 4.0 and the Smart Factory of the future.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Talking with services – a new dawn of interaction
Nov 8, 2018, 3:33 PM
https://www.nitor.com/en/news-and-blogs/talking-services-new-dawn-interaction
Voice assistive services are rapidly gaining popularity and becoming more advanced. In this write-up, Tommi goes through the pain points of this fast-moving domain. What are the first things to think about when creating these services?
Tomi Engdahl says:
Teardown: Zigbee-controlled LED light bulb
https://www.edn.com/5G/4461282/Teardown–Zigbee-controlled-LED-light-bulb?utm_source=Aspencore&utm_medium=EDN&utm_campaign=social
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Internet of Insecure Things?
https://blog.paessler.com/the-internet-of-insecure-things?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Burda-Blog-Global&utm_content=IoTIIoTSecurity&hsa_ad=23843237826970129&hsa_net=facebook&hsa_cam=23843237826910129&hsa_src=fb&hsa_acc=2004489912909367&hsa_grp=23843237826930129&hsa_ver=3
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.tivi.fi/Kaikki_uutiset/tivi-25-vuotta-sitten-iot-oli-jo-toiveissa-6750459
Tomi Engdahl says:
Smart Manufacturing and Big Data Analytics
https://www.eeweb.com/profile/iwittenb/articles/smart-manufacturing-and-big-data-analytics
Smart manufacturing builds on the historical conception of manufacturing as a process- and materials-driven construction, adding information technology, flexibility, and computer control
In describing the current state of smart manufacturing and its intersection with big data analytics, we can begin to make inferences about potential future developments. First, companies must learn to organize their data more effectively. Unified database management systems can recover time wasted in searching for information across irrelevant sources. Moreover, firms need to ensure that they have hired the best-qualified technical personnel to handle data. Many undergraduate business degrees severely lack analytics and data science training that is relevant to the marketplace, relying on either an entirely theoretical approach or putting concepts into practice in professionally useless ways.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Living with Spies While Covering the Digital Security Industry
https://www.eeweb.com/profile/loucovey/articles/living-with-spies-while-covering-the-digital-security-industry
What would you do if someone contacted you on LinkedIn but he seemed a little “odd,” so you ran a background check and discovered that he was a spy?
Tomi Engdahl says:
Oil & Gas Industry Focus (Part One) – sophisticated electronics monitoring
https://www.electropages.com/2018/11/oil-gas-industry-focus-part-one-sophisticated-electronic-monitoring/?utm_campaign=&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=article&utm_content=Oil+%26+Gas+Industry+Focus+%28Part+One%29+-+sophisticated+electronics+monitoring
Tomi Engdahl says:
Reducing Costs and Commutes with a 5G-Based Software-Defined ITS
https://innovate.ieee.org/innovation-spotlight/ITS-5G-SDN-intelligent-transportation-system/#utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=innovation&utm_content=5G%20SDN%20ITS?LT=CMH_WB_2018_LM_XIS_Paid_Social
Smoother traffic flows and safer roads could be around the corner with Intelligent Transportation Systems, or ITS, a technology that uses the Internet of Things (IoT) to gather and provide data on traffic speeds, car distances and potential hazards to drivers. While this technology has existed for some time, current deployments are costly and time consuming. To address these constraints, researchers have proposed a 5G-based software-defined network architecture that could reduce the expenses and time associated with ITS deployment.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Showdown in Industry 4.0
https://blog.paessler.com/showdown-in-industry-4.0?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Burda-Blog-Global&utm_content=Industry4.0&hsa_net=facebook&hsa_src=fb&hsa_ad=23843240027920129&hsa_cam=23843240027950129&hsa_acc=2004489912909367&hsa_grp=23843240028000129&hsa_ver=3
According to a recent study, most large and small companies will opt for an IIoT platform in the next 5 years. This puts pressure on suppliers from the IT sector and heavyweights in industry to position themselves with a suitable solution. It is already feared that the topic of security might once again be forgotten in the IIoT context.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Digital Temperature Sensors—Always a Hot Area
https://www.electronicdesign.com/analog/digital-temperature-sensors-always-hot-area?NL=ED-003&Issue=ED-003_20181126_ED-003_634&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_1_b&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=21629&utm_medium=email&elq2=2444604f52e54f72a1061cbd1a21029c
Two different families of digital-output ICs related to temperature offer new user options: one interfaces with up to four external diode sensors plus internal self-sensor and the other targets industrial and medical applications.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Hunt for IoT: Multi-Purpose Attack Thingbots Threaten Internet Stability and Human Life
https://www.f5.com/labs/articles/threat-intelligence/the-hunt-for-iot–multi-purpose-attack-thingbots-threaten-intern
n this fifth volume of F5 Labs’ The Hunt for IoT report series, we examine the data on global attacks against Internet of Things (IoT) devices from January through June 2018. In early 2017, Gartner—one of the most conservative analyst firms when it comes to IoT projections—expected IoT devices to surpass 8.4 billion in 2017 and grow to over 20.4 billion by 2020.1 That’s a staggering 143% growth rate over three years. The current global population is 7.6 billion and growing at a comparatively miniscule rate of about 1% per year.2
With IoT devices already outnumbering people, and a projected IoT growth rate that far outpaces global population growth, the Internet is running us now, not the other way around. These devices are being used everywhere for everything—controlling virtually every aspect of our lives. Most of us are so bought into the idea of constant and pervasive “connectedness” that we are becoming the “things” of the Internet, which leads us to the following startling conclusions:
Insecure IoT affects everyone. You don’t have to be able to afford a smart home or own a smartphone to be impacted by compromised IoT devices. The moment you step outside, you can be watched.
You want privacy? Get off the grid. Governments are deploying IP cameras in major cities for surveillance, allegedly to improve public safety, but many believe they’re there just to spy on civilians.
Human life is at stake. So far, our research in the Hunt for IoT report series has focused on WiFi-connected IoT devices, but there are also cellular-connected IoT devices. These are often gateways into critical infrastructure and equipment that supports human life like police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances; critical Industrial Control Systems (ICSs), and other critical systems that need stable, long-range connectivity.
Our homes have been weaponized against us. Outside of the routine use of SOHO routers, DVRs, and IP cameras, things like your TV, oven, refrigerator, Amazon Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant10, Keurig coffee maker (yes, we have attack traffic coming from a Kuerig), and toys11 have been breached and are used to spy, collect data, or launch attacks.
IoT is beating people in the “weakest link” contest. It’s easier to compromise an IoT device exposed to the public Internet and “protected” with (known) vendor default credentials than it is to trick an individual into clicking on a link in a phishing email.
Building multi-purpose attack bots from “things” is popular in the attacker community now. Script kiddies are learning to build bots from YouTube videos and launching damaging DDoS attacks.
The need for secure IoT has never been more critical. We publish where the attacks are coming from (source countries, ASNs, industries, and IP addresses), where the attacks are headed (destination country or region), and the top 50 attacked admin credentials
the 13 thingbots discovered in 2018
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Blockchain-Enabled Intelligent IoT Economy
https://www.forbes.com/sites/cognitiveworld/2018/10/04/the-blockchain-enabled-intelligent-iot-economy/#57cf45192a59
II. How Blockchain is changing IoT
Blockchain as a technology is basically providing the IoT stack with a secure data infrastructure to capture and validate data. As simple as that. At least it is a simple statement that contains three different nuances:
Securing data better: The first one is indeed the concept of storing data securely. We know that blockchain protocols are not designed to heavily store data (they are indeed ledgers, not databases), but they can provide “control points” to monitor data access (Outlier Ventures, 2018).
Creating the right incentive structure: A blockchain can create the right incentive structure to share IoT data, which is something we are currently missing. Cross-sectional data have been proved to have the most disruptive impact when applied across different industries, but the problem of how and why sharing data in the first place remains. Blockchain (and tokenization) can be used to solve this economic dilemma, and once data are shared can be more easily validated, authenticated and secured.
Creating a network of computers: Distributing the workload and implementing parallel computing tasks is something it is usually attributed to new AI or High-Performance Computing (HPC) applications, but a blockchain would be essential in this development for authenticating and validating the single nodes of those networks. Some companies that are working on this problem are Golem, iExec, Onai, Hadron, Hypernet, DeepBrain Chain, etc.
Tomi Engdahl says:
5 Reasons Why Azure IoT Edge Is Industry’s Most Promising Edge Computing Platform
https://www.forbes.com/sites/janakirammsv/2018/07/01/5-reasons-why-azure-iot-edge-is-industrys-most-promising-edge-computing-platform/#5d7f16cb3249
Out of the top 5 public cloud platforms – AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform, IBM Cloud and Alibaba Cloud – only Microsoft and Amazon have a sophisticated edge computing strategy. Other players are yet to figure out their story for edge computing.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Simplifying Hardware Security Implementation for IoT Nodes
https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/industry-articles/simplifying-hardware-security-implementation-for-iot-nodes/
This article provides an overview of what an IoT node needs for a faster and simpler implementation of robust security.
The ultra-low-power computing plus connectivity summed up in the Internet of Things (IoT) amalgam is at crossroads. On the one hand, IoT nodes are promising to transform designs in automotive, industrial, smart home, medical, and more.
On the other hand, a continuous stream of news about security breaches ranging from malware injections to distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) to battery-drain attacks has the potential of jeopardizing the whole promise of the IoT. Not surprisingly, therefore, vulnerabilities associated with these security breaches of edge devices have become a major concern for IoT developers.
How hackers are increasingly targeting the unprotected IoT nodes is apparent from the recent incident in which hackers were able to exploit the vulnerabilities in the connected thermometer of a fish tank in a casino, and subsequently, they were able to access the high-roller database of gamblers.
Facets of IoT Node Security
A robust IoT node design needs to provide security against communication attacks, malware, and physical attacks. To prevent communication attacks or man-in-the-middle attacks, a common practice is to use a crypto module that carries out encryption, decryption, and authentication.
Arm TrustZone technology restricts access to specific memory, peripheral and I/O components. It partitions the MCU into trusted and non-trusted zones and isolates sensitive data from the non-critical data. Secure boot ensures that the MCU starts up in a known good state, and when implemented with Arm TrustZone, can provide an environment that can help counteract malware.
Physical security of an IoT node can be enhanced with anti-tampering pins to offer board-level tamper protection. When the board or an enclosure is tampered with, the anti-tampering pins can be programmed to provide multiple responses, including erasing secrets.
Simplifying Embedded Security
An example of an MCU that simplifies the implementation of these security features is the SAM L11 microcontroller, which was created with security deeply embedded during the silicon design phase. It runs at 32 MHz with memory configuration of up to 64 KB Flash and 16 KB SRAM. To illustrate what developers should look for to introduce security early in the design cycle in MCUs, we’ll take a closer look at four key security elements included in the SAM L11.
Immutable Secure Boot
The SAM L11 includes a Boot ROM design to facilitate an immutable secure boot. It has an onboard Crypto Accelerator (CRYA) that accelerates AES, SHA and GCM algorithms computation for encryption, decryption and authentication and NIST-compliant TRNG for random number generation.
Trusted Execution Environment
Arm TrustZone technology allows the creation of a secure zone within the SAM L11. This, when combined with immutable secure boot, creates a Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) to counteract malware effectively. The TEE enables the IoT nodes to take remedial action whenever they encounter malware. It avoids the downtime of critical functions and will significantly improve the reliability of IoT nodes.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Home> Sensors Design Center > How To Article
Deploying IIoT sensors in the smart factory
https://www.edn.com/design/sensors/4461280/Deploying-IIoT-sensors-in-the-smart-factory?utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=link&utm_medium=EDNFunFriday-20181123
Tomi Engdahl says:
Fault Detection Using a Bank of Kalman Filters and a Fast Fourier Transform
https://www.eeweb.com/profile/dhananjayb/articles/fault-detection-using-a-bank-of-kalman-filters-and-a-fast-fourier-transform
This article presents an aircraft jet engine sensor fault diagnostics and prediction implementation using a bank of Kalman filters and a Fast Fourier Transform
Tomi Engdahl says:
Poké Ball Plus Teardown Reveals No Pikachu Inside
https://hackaday.com/2018/11/26/poke-ball-plus-teardown-reveals-no-pikachu-inside/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The 10 Weirdest IoT Applications
Here’s a collection of the strangely useful and just plain strange in IoT applications.
https://www.designnews.com/automation-motion-control/10-weirdest-iot-applications?ADTRK=UBM&elq_mid=6628&elq_cid=876648
The 10 Weirdest IoT Applications
The Internet of Things (IoT) has produced a wide range of beneficial technologies. Factories can monitor their equipment and detect a potential failure—and subsequent work stoppage—before it happens. On the medical side, wearable sensors can monitor body metrics and alert medical personnel of an impending issue.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Why hybrid OT is needed for successful IIoT and control projects
https://cfemedia1.wpengine.com/articles/why-hybrid-ot-is-needed-for-successful-iiot-and-control-projects/
Integrating controls: It is critical to understand differing operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) priorities to achieve collaboration and integration. Without this, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and control projects will fail.
With the rise of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and edge computing, the phrase “IT/OT convergence” has become much more prevalent. This is because the use of information technology (IT) at the operational level is becoming more common and is blurring the line that has traditionally separated IT and operational technology (OT). To integrate these two different areas for successful IIoT initiatives and control projects, a new species of technologists with a unique combination of skills is emerging—the “hybrid OT” professional.
Priorities for IT:
1. Security: The first priority is security (and cybersecurity). They want to constantly monitor and scan machines to make sure everything is secure, which can sometimes interrupt processes.
2. Data integrity: Next is data integrity and making sure only those who need data can access it.
3. Downtime is also something they want to avoid, but if IT systems like email are down, while irritating, they will not bring operations or production to a halt.
Priorities for OT: For OT, the first and last priorities are swapped.
1. Downtime is enemy number one for operations. Downtime can cost a large amount of money and potentially create dangerous situations for employees or impact company reputation.
2. Maintaining data integrity and ensuring those who need the data can access it.
3. While security ranks high on OT’s list of concerns, it comes in third compared to avoiding downtime and maintaining data integrity.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Using IIoT to simplify automation and control
https://www.controleng.com/articles/using-iiot-to-simplify-automation-and-control/
Integrating information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) organizations is difficult but critical to IIoT success. Five best practices for overcoming these cultural barriers are highlighted.
Decades of taking a siloed approach to industrial machinery has left most major facilities with a complicated mass of equipment controlled by a tangled web of ancillary systems. Additionally, each machine or system likely has custom elements requested by the person running the project when it was installed. This inefficient and expensive approach stands in the way of companies reaping the benefits they set out to achieve with increased automation and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) initiatives. Convergence of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) can help.
Crucial IT-OT convergence
Bringing IT and OT organizations together is critical to IIoT success, but it is one of the most difficult changes to make. Companies will often approach IT and OT convergence with an eye towards reducing duplication of similar systems and job functions for cost savings. This is a short-sighted strategy, and is likely to fail for numerous reasons such as:
Firmly entrenched ways of doing work
A lack of understanding about IT and OT’s roles
Different executive leadership, and
Different marching orders from executives.
According to a 2017 report from the IoT Institute, 57% of IIoT professionals identify overcoming cultural barriers and organizational silos as their biggest obstacle in achieving IT-OT alignment. Five tips to overcome these challenges are highlighted.
1. Change must be driven from the top: Management must actively lead the charge for digital transformation and IIoT initiatives. All stakeholders, especially operations, IT, and security teams, must be held accountable for support and execution of new ways of thinking and working.
2. Plan for security at the outset: Companies also need to think about how to manage their newly created asset—the vast repository of operational data produced by connected equipment.
3. Learn from subject matter experts (SMEs): The cross-functional cooperation brought about by IT-OT alignment fosters key relationships that should take advantage of the deep knowledge held by senior, experienced SMEs.
4. Lean on technology partners: Identifying internal knowledge and expertise gaps is critical at the outset of any initiative, but taking steps to fill those gaps efficiently can mean the difference between success and failure.
5. Start small with an eye towards scalability: Identify one project with clear metrics for success and a reasonable timeline.
Today’s IIoT technologies are more powerful and accessible than ever.
Tomi Engdahl says:
New software helps with industrial cloud, AI, microservices from IoT summit
https://www.controleng.com/articles/new-software-helps-with-industrial-cloud-ai-microservices-from-iot-summit/
Control Engineering China: Advantech announced its Internet of Things (IoT) platform architecture and solution ready packages (SRP) at the Advantech IoT summit in Suzhou, China.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Front of mind: AI in manufacturing
https://www.controleng.com/articles/front-of-mind-ai-in-manufacturing/
Control Engineering Poland: Expectations are high among manufacturers for the ability of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve processes and profitability. New research shows that companies able to sort the systems and personnel issues surrounding implementation can get a leg up on the competition as use cases grow.
Tomi Engdahl says:
People Who Buy Smart Speakers Have Given Up on Privacy, Researchers Find
https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/vba7xj/people-who-buy-smart-speakers-have-given-up-on-privacy-researchers-find
Smart speakers raise a number of privacy questions, which owners are choosing to just shrug off.
Many devices have a mute button that allows the user to turn off the microphone, for example, but the researchers found most users had never used it.
It was also rare for users to go through their activity logs, where they can review and delete recordings. Instead of using this feature to protect personal privacy, the researchers found users were actually using it to spy on housesitters and babysitters.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Teollinen internet mullistaa huollon ja ylläpidon
http://www.etn.fi/index.php/tekniset-artikkelit/8783-teollinen-internet-mullistaa-huollon-ja-yllapidon
Tomi Engdahl says:
Teardown: Zigbee-controlled LED light bulb
https://www.edn.com/5G/4461282/Teardown–Zigbee-controlled-LED-light-bulb?utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=link&utm_medium=EDNConsumerElectronics-20181128
Tomi Engdahl says:
Industrial cloud platforms need to demonstrate value
https://www.controleng.com/articles/industrial-cloud-platforms-need-to-demonstrate-value/
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:
Machine Condition Monitoring: Predicting Mechanical Wear and Tear
https://www.sealevel.com/2018/11/15/machine-condition-monitoring-predicting-mechanical-wear-and-tear/
On Reddit, 558,000 people subscribe to r/CatastrophicFailure, a crowd-sourced display of machines and other systems failing with dramatic results. There are explosions, sometimes injuries and the ringing knowledge of some very expensive repairs.
While the videos of these events can be darkly fascinating, their consequences can be horrific. As a result, operations managers and engineers have developed high-tech IIoT machine condition monitoring systems that detect the warning signs of failure. These risk mitigating tools have been essential to asset management.
What is Machine Condition Monitoring?
Machine Condition Monitoring (MCM) is a digital oversight process for predictive maintenance that uses IIoT edge technology. It tracks specified criteria that indicate mechanical wear and tear or machine electrical issues.
Using the collected information, an MCM system alerts machine specialists about potential problems and their locations on the machine. This protocol helps prevent catastrophic failure, decreases workplace injury risks, mitigates downtime costs and reduces expensive repairs.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Six IoT implementation challenges and solutions
https://www.controleng.com/articles/six-iot-implementation-challenges-and-solutions/
The Internet of Things (IoT) is gaining acceptance, but some companies remain hesitant to implement it. Six common concerns are highlighted, along with ways teams can address any concerns from management.
1. The “high” investment cost
2. Security
3. Technology infrastructure
4. Communications infrastructure
5. Immaturity of IoT standards
6. Procuring IoT
Tomi Engdahl says:
Bring IIoT capabilities to refineries and process plants
https://www.controleng.com/articles/bring-iiot-capabilities-to-refineries-and-process-plants/
The first step to bringing fieldbus networking and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) into process manufacturing plants and refineries may be changing device-level networking practices.
What has happened is the adoption of wireless communication for device-level networks. The leading protocol for this purpose is WirelessHART, which has grown steadily in hardware availability and deployments since its first release in 2007, and its adoption as global standard IEC 62591 in 2010.
Emerson Automation Solutions uses WirelessHART, but since it is a global standard, all devices certified by the FieldComm group interoperate regardless of the supplier. Emerson was an early adopter and has provided equipment using WirelessHART since its inception. Its transmitters and gateways are installed on more than 38,900 networks. This record of service puts to rest any questions about WirelessHART reliability and performance.
In the real world
WirelessHART deployments reduce instrumentation installation costs by eliminating expensive cabling. The cost of adding a wired instrument in a refinery can range anywhere from $5,000 to $50,000. Avoiding that cost should be welcome. Nonetheless, the heavy refining and petrochemical industries don’t adopt new technologies on a whim, even if promised a cost reduction of 75%. Given the potential harmful consequences of a bad decision related to something as complex as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), or even WirelessHART, it must be reviewed extensively beforehand.
What is WirelessHART?
IEC 62591 WirelessHART (Figure 1) was developed by the HART Communication Foundation (now part of the FieldComm Group). This wireless protocol is based on the traditional 4-20 mA wired HART protocol. It leverages existing instrumentation practices for deploying and maintaining instrumentation, but without the traditional cost of running signal wires and supporting infrastructure, including junction boxes, cable trays, marshalling cabinets, and others.
Gateway requirements
In basic terms, the gateway receives data from the WirelessHART instruments and conveys it to the larger plant networks and host system. Since this represents a single point of failure for the instruments communicating with that gateway, most plants use a redundant system (Figure 5). Because gateways integrate into plant networks different ways, this area requires review.
The growing availability of WirelessHART equipment condition monitoring sensors (Figure 6), such as the vibration and bearing condition sensors deployed on critical rotating equipment should be considered. Sensor data usually does not need to go to the main automation host system since the data doesn’t affect process control.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Three phases of industrial digital transformation
https://www.controleng.com/articles/three-phases-of-industrial-digital-transformation/
Manufacturing, packaging, and logistics companies are unlocking new potential through digital transformation with the power of the Internet of Things (IoT) and advanced analytics.
1. Visualizing: factory connectivity and data integration
2. Forecasting: predictive production modeling and responsive machine design
3. Self-regulating: data-driven manufacturing and ongoing transformation