Here are some IoT trends for year 2019 to watch:
More device: There are four times as many devices connected to the Internet as there are people in the world, and the number of devices is increasing rapidly. There are computers, smart phones and many different kind of connected devices. Gartner forecasts that 14.2 billion connected things will be in use in 2019, and that the total will reach 25 billion by 2021,
Voice: The integration of voice into IoT devices creates an user experience that many consumers seem to enjoy. The next few years will see voice automation take over many aspects of our lives. The current major players in the IoT voice world are Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, and Google Assistant. Microsoft’s Cortana seems to have already lost in the game as Satya Nadella says Cortana won’t challenge Alexa and Google Assistant directly; Microsoft will focus on making it a skill on other voice platforms instead. Voice won’t change everything but it will be one part of a movement that heralds a new way to think about our relationship with devices and data. Consider voice as a type of user interface to be added to the existing list of UI technologies. Voice will not kill brands, it won’t hurt keyboard sales or touchscreen devices — it will become an additional way to do stuff; it is incremental. We need to learn to design around it.Deloitte expects the sales of 164 million smart speakers at an average price of $43 in 2019. The smart speaker market will be worth more than $7 billion next year, increasing 63% from 2018’s $4.3 billion.
Automobiles: Automobiles are leading the way in IoT adoption. Gartner predicts that one in five cars will be connected by 2020. Both Google and Apple have tools that allow drivers to control calls, listen to messages and control apps using voice.
IoT clouds: Developing for the Internet of Things is a complex endeavor, and nobody wants to do it from scratch. IoT data platforms offer a jumping-off point by combining many of the tools needed to manage a deployment from device management to data prediction and insights into one service. There are many IoT cloud platforms to choose from. All cloud platforms have their own distinctive areas of pros and cons. Ultimately the project needs and cost-effectiveness determine whom to choose. Utilizing cloud services also brings new potential risks that are good to understand already at the beginning of the project. I wrote on article to Uusiteknologia.fi magazine issue 2/2018 on IoT cloud platforms.
Digital Twins: Digital twin tech, or a virtual representation of a product, is a critical concept in IoT that’s still being sorted out. Digital twin refers to a digital replica of physical assets (physical twin), processes, people, places, systems and devices that can be used for various purposes. Definitions of digital twin technology emphasize two important characteristics: connection from the physical model to the corresponding virtual model and this connection is established by generating real time data using sensors. Physical objects and twin models interact. Digital twins applications typically integrate internet of things, artificial intelligence, machine learning and software analytics with spatial network graphs to create living digital simulation models that update and change as their physical counterparts change. In various industrial sectors, twins are being used to optimize the operation and maintenance of physical assets, systems and manufacturing processes.
Edge computing: The shift from centralized and cloud to edge architectures is well under way in the IoT space. In the future, computing the edge of the network will become an increasingly important way of processing data from networked devices and sensor networks. Compared to traditional centralized cloud computing, the new edge computing brings computing servers closer to the edge of the communications network. Compared to cloud centered IoT solutions, edge computing allow for lower delays and more reliable operation with respect to cloud services. At the same time, it promises improved security as not all potentially sensitive information needs to be transferred from the site to cloud. However, this is not the end point because the neat set of layers associated with edge architecture will evolve to a more unstructured architecture comprising of a wide range of “things” and services connected in a dynamic mesh. In thins kind of system data processing can be done on almost all network devices from IoT modules to gateways and in the future to 5G base stations. Relevant standardizing organizations on this field are Edge Computing Consortium Europe, OpenFog Consortium and Industrial Internet Consortium.
5G: 5G networks start to arrive. The standards for 5G will be defined in large part by the direct integration of Internet of Things (IoT) and Industrial IoT (IIoT) devices into global networks and devices. 5G networks are expected to be 10 to 100 times faster than current LTE technology. If you are in need for very high speed, your application resides inside the small 5G test networks coverage areas and your IoT device is allowed to consume considerable amount of power (more than 4G solutions), then you might be able to consider 5G. For all other cases I don’t see 5G would offer much for IoT applications in 2019. There is not yet ready 5G standards specifically designed for IoT applications. So for 2019 IoT and IIoT will need to be pretty much stick to 4G technologies like NB-IoT and LTE-M. For 5G to shape industrial computing application in larger scale than just some small tests we will have to wait till 2020. Addressing the issues behind Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) devices and 5G is important in next few years. Qualcomm, the largest supplier of modem chips used in smartphones, has introduced the X50 modem to give IIoT devices the ability to communicate over 5G networks. Beware of “fake 5G” marketing in 2019. The promise is that 5G will enable the future enterprise technologies everyone is predicting and waiting for: fleets of self-driving delivery trucks, virtual (VR) and augmented reality (AR), and a world of enterprise Internet of Things (IoT) deployments — systems that will define an era that the World Economic Forum termed the “Fourth Industrial Revolution.” Those promises will take years to realize, you will not see most of them in real use in 2019.
AI: Number one in Gartner’s predictions, no surprise, is artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence and machine learning will be talked a lot with bold claims that AI goes from expert-only to everywhere. I would not expect it to be everywhere in 2019. Gartner, said in a statement, “AI will be applied to a wide range of IoT information, including video, still images, speech, network traffic activity, and sensor data.” At the moment many neural network systems are power hungry when implemented with traditional computer hardware. “For example, the performance of deep neural networks (DNNs) is often limited by memory bandwidth, rather than processing power.” By 2023, it’s expected that new special-purpose chips will reduce the power consumption required to run a DNN, enabling new edge architectures and embedded DNN functions in low-power IoT endpoints.
IIoT: The concept of a Smart Factory is composed of many different physical and informational subsystems, such as actuators and sensors, control systems, product management systems and manufacturing systems that all work together. This is a very complex system. 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. Also finding the right Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) vendor partner is crucial to success. OPC Foundation has on initiative to extend OPC UA out to field devices to provide vendor-neutral, end-to-end interoperability beyond the plant. Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) network works well for OPC UA applications.
Value chain: IoT as an umbrella term will diminish. There are strong views that “Internet of things is not valuable in and of itself” so the conversation is going to shift away from an ambiguous buzzword to the actual use of technology. For product designers this means that when we design our connected world, we need to pull ourselves away from the cool technology that we are building and look at the system through our customers’ eyes. The sales pitch will be more like “It’s about the use cases, it’s about the solutions, it’s about the applications, managing and monitoring assets, performance management solutions, different kinds of solutions coming together to solve a problem—that’s really what the value proposition is.”
IoT platforms: IoT vendors will compete to be the destination for IoT platforms. The IoT supply chain has been moving toward more collaboration to provide development and design kits designed for specific use cases and industries. IoT development kits are sold more and more with bundled IoT could service offer. IoT cloud service providers offer and recommend hardware that is tested to work well with their platforms. IoT platform vendors will be narrowing their scope in 2019, honing in on specific use cases. Business professionals aren’t looking for one industrial IoT platform to manage every process going on at their company, they are instead looking for platforms that specialize in specific tasks.
New development kits: A new breed of development kits is incorporating the three tenets of IoT design — ease of use, security, and business value. The promise is that the design engineers don’t need to have specialized expertise in several areas like networking protocols or security-related tasks, enabling a much faster development time. One way to simplifying design work is by intelligently reusing the fundamental building blocks.
Security: Wireless IoT devices are considered a major threat to the security of industrial networks. A growing number of embedded systems are open to security threats as a result of increasing connectivity and IoT device adoption. And it’s costing OEMs a lot in terms of money and reputation. A 2018 Gartner Inc. survey found that nearly 20% of organizations surveyed experienced at least one IoT-based attack in the past three years. IoT security is already a 1.5 billion dollar market. The market research firm Garnet expects that global spending on IoT security will rise to $3.1 billion in 2021, up from $1.5 billion in 2018. It is not about the spending on IoT security products. Already “a significant portion of OEMs’ existing in-house labor cost is already dedicated to addressing security” and is rising faster than development costs. VDC pegs the worldwide embedded engineering labor spend related to security at $11.6 billion in 2017, representing nearly 8% of the overall cost of embedded engineering labor. There will be different kind of certification marks for IoT product cyber security – some mandated with laws on some countries and some voluntary. 5G is going to increase security risks. Do we understand the 5G security threats to come? Most probably not because we don’t seem to understand well even that 5G really is.
eSIM: The embedded SIM card has been spoken for a long time, and even the first smartphones in which the SIM card has been implemented with an integrated circuit have already been introduced to the market. Infineon has presented the world’s first industrially qualified eSIM. Of course, eSIM shares opinions. Many operators do not like it.
Infonomics and Data Broking: Last year’s Gartner survey of IoT projects showed 35 percent of respondents were selling or planning to sell data collected by their products and services.“Data is the fuel that powers the IoT and the organization’s ability to derive meaning from it will define their long term success,” This brings us to Social, Legal and Ethical IoT because“ Successful deployment of an IoT solution demands that it’s not just technically effective but also socially acceptable,” It is possible tha tIoT Firms Face a ‘Tidal Wave’ of Lawsuits.
IoT Governance: As the IoT continues to expand, the need for a governance framework that ensures appropriate behavior in the creation, storage, use and deletion of information related to IoT projects will become increasingly important. We also need to manage IoT devices to keep them secure and make sure that they do what they are supposed to do. A market for IoT managed services will develop to help manage and operate fragmented IoT assets. “The idea of managing the ongoing end-to-end life cycle of a connected product is becoming more important, and ultimately this managed service opportunity is going to need momentum in the coming year,”
New Wireless Technologies: IoT networking involves balancing a set of competing requirements, such as endpoint cost, power consumption, bandwidth, latency, connection density, operating cost, quality of service, and range. No single networking technology optimizes all of these.
Trusted Hardware and Operating System: Gartner surveys invariably show that security is the most significant area of technical concern for organizations deploying IoT systems. Today organizations often don’t have control over the source and nature of the software and hardware being utilised in IoT initiatives. “However, by 2023, we expect to see the deployment of hardware and software combinations that together create more trustworthy and secure IoT systems.
Home automation: Arm predicts that the intelligent home goes mainstream. In survey results they published two-thirds of respondents said technology became “more a part of my life” during 2018. Cisco Systems is saying connected homes will be a big driver for the Internet of Things. “Connected home applications, such as home automation, home security and video surveillance, connected white goods, and tracking applications, will represent 48%, or nearly half, of the total M2M connections by 2022, showing the pervasiveness of M2M in our lives,” Cisco states in its new white paper, Visual Networking Index: Forecast and Trends, 2017-2022. The market is starting slowly. Bundled IoT services will try to motivate a slow consumer market.
Smart cities: Cities are becoming smarter and smarter in an effort to improve efficiency in operations. Smart cities bring in both benefits and risks. Between smart lighting, traffic controls, and public transportation, smart cities are bringing in a whole new family of threat vectors. Cybercriminals will target smart cities with ransomware attacks. Smart cities need to take precautions.
Silicon Chip Innovation: “Currently, most IoT endpoint devices use conventional processor chips, with low-power ARM architectures being particularly popular. However, traditional instruction sets and memory architectures aren’t well-suited to all the tasks that endpoints need to perform,” New special-purpose chips will reduce the power consumption required to run a DNN. Very low power circuit designs are important in many applications. Battery-powered designs require complex optimizations for power in the context of area, performance and functionality. Devices that work without battery and gather operating power from environment are maybe even more challenging. Clearly, sensors are a big part of any connected device, and there is a lot of innovation occurring in this market that delivers new features — think AI — all housed in smaller packaging.
Open source: 2019 Will Be the Year of Open Source in IoT and embedded systems applications. From software and even hardware, we saw more activity in open source than ever before in 2018. And the momentum isn’t likely to slow down in 2019. Arduino is pushing strongly to IoT markets with MKR1000 series of IoT boards. Raspberry Pi is very widely used in IoT systems, especially on prototyping and small scale deployments
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Links to other articles for IoT trends for 2019:
Internet of Things in 2019: Five predictions
Kymmenen tulevaisuuden kuluttajatrendiä ja ilmiötä
Deloitte’s 9 tech predictions for 2019
New Chip Architectures, Sensors and Trust in Top 10 IoT Trends (Gartner presented its top 10 strategic IoT technology trends)
Week In Review: IoT, Security, Auto (predictions from Arm, Deloitte and Juniper Research)
Predictions 2019: The Internet Of Things
Gartner Identifies Top 10 Strategic IoT Technologies and Trends
1,308 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
5 ways 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) is deliberately made to support IoT
https://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2019/02/5-ways-80211-ax-wifi-6-is-made-to-support-iot-belden-blog.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cim_data_center_newsletter_2019-02-25&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2376471
Here are a few benefits that Wi-Fi 6 classified devices will offer to organizations pursuing and deploying IoT environments.
1. Extended Device Battery Life
2. Support for More Devices at One Time
3. Simultaneous Communication with Multiple Devices
4. Data Rate Increases
5. Faster, Easier Device Connections with MPTL
With IEEE 802.11ax will also come increased use of modular plug terminated link (MPTL) topology, which was approved by TIA in 2018. This configuration saves time and money by allowing a cable from a patch panel to supply data and power directly to a wireless access point without additional connections in between.
If MPTL is the installation method you choose to use when deploying IoT devices, Belden’s new REVConnect FlexPlug makes the process even easier.
Because it works with any IoT device that uses an RJ45 plug, the FlexPlug eliminates compatibility questions when connecting devices.
Tomi Engdahl says:
‘Data is the currency of the future’
Embrace digital manufacturing and use data to provide customer value.
https://www.controleng.com/articles/data-is-the-currency-of-the-future/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Use the positive effects of automation to plan ahead
https://www.controleng.com/articles/use-the-positive-effects-of-automation-to-plan-ahead/
Automation helps manufacturing employment, aids exports, and adds productivity. Key concerns include attracting and retaining a quality workforce, price increases in raw materials, trade uncertainties, and rising health care and insurance costs.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Software can automate devices and systems
https://www.controleng.com/articles/software-can-automate-devices-and-systems/
Machine manufacturers benefit from software that allows them to stay operational with their many automation devices while cutting costs and staying independent of an engineering framework.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Does your control system have style?
Defining system language, look as important as operating parameters.
https://www.controleng.com/articles/does-your-control-system-have-style/
When starting a control system integration project, care must be taken to begin with specifications which communicate end-user preferences to ensure the final delivery meets the expectations of all stakeholders. The development of these specifications is crucial not only to the initial success of the project, but also to the long-term operation and maintainability of the system.
The challenge comes when the end user tries to specify the soft side of controls. It’s important to ask a few basic questions at the start:
What is the desired look and feel for the screen?
How will the operator use it?
What about the maintenance and engineering staff?
From the color of an operating pump to the structure of tags in the controller, these are the items which most define a user’s interface with the control system, and yet they are rarely addressed in the specifications.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Why is Interconnection Mission Critical on the Road to Smart Traffic?
https://www.nordiciotweek.com/single-post/2019/03/18/Why-is-Interconnection-Mission-Critical-on-the-Road-to-Smart-Traffic?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiWmpWbE1HRTJPR05sWldOayIsInQiOiJGZzhmSnY0b2s3UDA4aDB5aWhkbEd4N3BsSTlKMDVNemZjeEhBdW5oOFlGNVZrTDY4RGlPdGNJYkxXeFY2eTZRblhIYnZ3OEw0ZzZwWnpJUUdpWkxXa2t6dFdsRnhBZENZdldaU1g5NEFpWjQ0Y1A2clJ6RmJMUml1STdvUEpsUyJ9
Individually, we would all benefit if we arrived at a destination smoothly without getting stuck in traffic congestion. Globally, companies and cities look for solutions to improve traffic flows to decrease transportation costs and environmental problems. However, making traffic smarter is a complex challenge involving heavy loads of data. What is essential to solve this issue?
According to the global INRIX traffic scorecard, an average driver in Helsinki spent 24 hours in traffic congestion in 2017. In global comparison, that figure pales at the side of cities such as London, where sitting in traffic jams wasted 74 hours per year.
Less than optimal traffic flows constrain economic growth, put a heavy burden on the environment and road infrastructure, and impair citizen’s quality of life. No wonder dozens of cities have declared that they strive to become smart cities where the one burning issue is how to solve for “smart traffic”. Everywhere, digital solutions play a major role in the development.
Emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), 5G mobile networks, and machine learning are driving smart traffic fast forward. Traffic technology raises massive interest around the world. Intensive research, testing and investments of new digital solutions is under way by companies, academic institutions, cities and governments.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Find It Fix It – What are the Differences in Troubleshooting Multi-wire and 2-wire Irrigation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYKU94PBNs4
The basic troubleshooting tasks are similar between the two kinds of systems, but the tools and techniques are a little different. See how.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Paul Sawers / VentureBeat:
Radar, which makes RFID sensors for retailers to track inventory in real time, raises $16M from Ashton Kutcher’s Sound Ventures, NTT Docomo Ventures, and others
Radar raises $16 million to automate inventory management with RFID and computer vision
https://venturebeat.com/2019/03/28/radar-raises-16-million-to-automate-retailers-inventory-management-with-rfid-and-computer-vision/
An estimated $1.1 trillion is lost each year to “inventory distortion,” defined as any situation in which a customer intent on buying an item isn’t able to due to misplaced or out-of-stock goods. It can also refer to a retailer having more stock than demand requires.
RFID tags have long been used by retailers in environments such as warehouses and distribution centers to expedite and automate the process of tracking and counting goods.
But RFID isn’t a perfect solution for every scenario — for example, it may not be able to tell you the precise location of an RFID-tagged item, which could be essential in future retail outlets.
“The rise of Amazon and direct-to-consumer brands has created unprecedented consumer expectations around speed and convenience,”
Radar says its RFID technology is different from traditional RFID, as the company builds everything from the ground up using “proprietary signal processing methods and location algorithms” that improve the ability to identify an RFID tag in three dimensions.
Each Radar sensor also sports four built-in cameras, designed to work in conjunction with the RFID, which opens up additional possibilities. An accurate location reading combined with visual perception smarts allows stores to ascertain where everything is
“Retailers still don’t know exactly what they have in their stores, let alone where it is, and it’s costing them billions,”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Big Data analysis or data acquisition?
Centralized data architectures are adapting to new opportunities for data collection and analytics.
https://www.controleng.com/articles/big-data-analysis-or-data-acquisition/
New words for new models
New economics and ubiquitous computing mean the Purdue-model centralized approach (Figure 1) is being adapted to new opportunities. The centralized model is the most common architecture in process plants worldwide and is familiar to users.
The Purdue model is being updated to take advantage of new technologies such as:
Wireless systems integrating new sensors into existing control and monitoring deployments, either within a plant or at distance, to expand operational visibility.
Edge computing, which is a broad term that includes local data storage, analytics, and actions.
Cloud computing, which is simply renting computing, storage, and analytics from a vendor. This enables two key scenarios:
First, a “direct to cloud” approach for data collection, storage, and analytics for sensor telemetry. This typically is referred to as an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) use case where data goes directly from end points to cloud storage.
Second, for data already collected to be further aggregated for comparison across plants, by using an enterprise historian, or combined with other manufacturing and business data sets to enable broader analytics, often referred to as a data lake.
These approaches are not exclusive, and most companies will use more than one, if not all. For example, a plant could bring in data from newly deployed wireless sensors to augment existing plant analytics. This could be combined with data from suppliers, data from raw materials transportation such as temperature and humidity, and data from quality instruments for richer analytics and insights.
Further, options will expand as new solutions are announced. Into what category should one put the Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure on-premise products, Amazon Outposts (Figure 2) and Azure Stack, which put their cloud software platforms on server hardware intended for local hosting in an end user’s IT department? Perhaps it’s public cloud, private cloud, and local cloud?
With a local cloud IoT scenario, data could be routed from new sensors directly into a company’s IT department server room to ensure strict data governance and to address security issues.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Digital Twins Deciphered
https://semiengineering.com/digital-twins-deciphered/
It’s easy to see a digital twin as nothing more than a simulation model, but that would ignore a very important difference.
Suitable definitions can be found from a paper from the aeronautics, aerospace and defense industry:
A digital twin is a digital representation of the current state of a manufactured product or system at any given point in time.
A digital thread is a digital record of all states of a manufactured product or system over time from conception to disposal.
Within the context of the semiconductor industry, Frank Schirrmeister, senior group director for product management and marketing at Cadence, defines the term as it applies to an emulation product. “A digital twin is a digital representation of a product or system under development representing a functionally correct, predictable and reproducible representation of the product or system at the appropriate level of fidelity to perform verification, performance analysis and system validation tasks.”
Digital twin scope
The concept of a digital twin has been used in chip design almost since the first integrated circuits. “Plan and develop a model instead of the actual circuit, and make sure both show the same behavior when stimulated with the same signals,” says Fraunhofer’s Jancke. “You may even develop the software using the model and trust that it will run on the hardware as well. These principles are inevitable in the design of today’s multi-billion-transistor designs.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Value Of A Model
https://semiengineering.com/the-value-of-a-model/
How much would you pay for a model? Recently, the answer to that has been $$$.
Increased talk about the Digital Twin has brought models to the forefront of the discussion. What are the right models for particular applications? What is the correct level of abstraction? Where do the models come from and how are they maintained? How does one value a model?
When a model is created for usage outside of the primary development chain, there are problems with keeping that model in sync and making sure it is available at the time when it can provide the most value.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Sensor-Laden Pigeons Gather Data For Urban Weather Modeling
https://hackaday.com/2019/03/26/sensor-laden-pigeons-gather-data-for-urban-weather-modeling/
When it comes to gathering environmental data in real-world settings, urban environments have to be the most challenging. Every city has nooks and crannies that create their own microenvironments, and placing enough sensors to get a decent picture of what’s going on in all of them is a tough job. But if these sensor-laden pigeons have anything to say about it, the job might get a bit easier.
https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/activity/environmental-health/projects/cityflocks/index.aspx
Tomi Engdahl says:
Smart cities: dealing with the deluge of data
https://www.business-reporter.co.uk/2019/02/11/smart-cities-dealing-with-the-deluge-of-data/?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiWmpWbE1HRTJPR05sWldOayIsInQiOiJGZzhmSnY0b2s3UDA4aDB5aWhkbEd4N3BsSTlKMDVNemZjeEhBdW5oOFlGNVZrTDY4RGlPdGNJYkxXeFY2eTZRblhIYnZ3OEw0ZzZwWnpJUUdpWkxXa2t6dFdsRnhBZENZdldaU1g5NEFpWjQ0Y1A2clJ6RmJMUml1STdvUEpsUyJ9#gsc.tab=0
Could the smart cities immortalised in Hollywood arrive in the not-too-distant future?
Optimising the future
The smart city integrates information technology and a variety of physical devices connected to the internet of things (IoT), to optimise the efficiency of operations and services. Smart city technology enables officials to directly communicate with both city and community infrastructures, while monitoring activity and city developments. This in turn allows the city to adapt to its most pressing needs, be this through improving traffic flow or deploying an emergency service.
Many cities are adopting smart technology, but very few can claim to be truly “smart”. This would require the overwhelming majority of our daily processes to be streamlined or fully automated.
Connection from the digital edge to the core
The catalyst for every smart city is the internet of things (IoT). The prolific adoption of IoT devices means that connected devices can not only link to the internet, but can also talk to one another. The insights gathered by IoT devices can be broken down and analysed by machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) platforms that analyse and then replicate the cognitive functions of humans – albeit at a significantly higher speed. These insights can be used to shape and improve urban planning, such as transport systems and waste and pollution management.
Get interconnected
The unprecedented data growth generated by smart cities will place huge levels of strain on legacy digital infrastructures. To handle this influx, it is imperative that we begin to develop digital infrastructures that can seamlessly handle not just our current data demands, but also the growing demands of the future. This shift is alluded to in a recent market study published by Equinix, The Global Interconnection Index Volume 2 (GXI Vol.2), which predicts the growth rate of interconnection bandwidth – the private exchange of data between companies away from the public internet – will outpace the growth of internet traffic by nearly two times, and will be ten times the volume by 2021.
At Equinix, we help companies manage digital disruption by connecting digital supply chain partners and transporting huge quantities of data – such as that created by IoT devices in smart cities – so it can be processed and analysed to generate valuable insights for businesses globally, or stored in the cloud.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IoT Is the Top Technology for Developers
https://www.designnews.com/design-hardware-software/iot-top-technology-developers/111730606260481?ADTRK=UBM&elq_mid=7930&elq_cid=876648
Of all the emerging technologies, product developers point to IoT as the most important, though security remains a challenge.
According to a survey of developers by Avnet, IoT is cited most often as the most improved and the most important technology. This is followed by sensor technology, which is an integral part of IoT. Avnet surveyed 1190 members of its Hackster.io and Element 14 communities to find out how they’re focusing their development efforts and what challenges they’ve faced over the past year.
Results from the survey include:
26 percent of developers agree that IoT was the most improved technology over the past year. IoT also tops the list of most important technologies (37 percent), followed by sensors (24 percent).
An overwhelming majority (81 percent) of developers working at startups say IoT security is a major roadblock when launching new products and services.
One in 3 developers have recently looked for partners to help bring products to market. When looking for a partner, 76 percent of developers prefer the flexibility of choosing specialized expertise.
Tomi Engdahl says:
http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/9295-uusin-tekniikka-apuun-punkkisodassa
Tomi Engdahl says:
http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/9299-nokia-paivitti-liikuteltavan-tehtaansa
Tomi Engdahl says:
http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/9302-energiatehokkuus-iot-kehityksen-ykkoshaasteeksi
IoT:n synnyttämä ’viraalinen aalto’ on niin vahva, että se vaikuttaa valtavaan joukkoon kohteita, joita kukaan ei aiemmin osannut edes kuvitella: kaikkea mahdollista sähkötyökaluista ja hammasharjoista aina kasveihin ja karjaan asti. Lukuisille esineille voidaan ajatella muodostettavan eräänlainen ’digitaalinen kaksoisolento’, aivan kuten ihmisille voidaan ajatella ’pilvi-avatar’.
Harvard Business Review -lehdessä kuvailtiin näitä järjestelmien yhteenliittymiä ja laajoja kokonaisuuksia useissa artikkeleissa marraskuussa 2014 (How Smart, Connected Products Are Transforming Competition, kirjoittajina Michael E. Porter ja James E. Heppelmann). Kuvatuissa ’järjestelmien järjestelmissä’ voidaan soveltaa ’älykästä valintaa’, joka toteutuessaan voi tuntua olla jopa pelottavalta.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Week in Review: IoT, Security, Auto
https://semiengineering.com/week-in-review-iot-security-auto-38/
Organizers for the Internet of Things World 2019 conference, coming up on May 13-16 in Santa Clara, Calif., surveyed more than 100 IoT leaders in various industries. Implementation (34%) and security (25%) were the highest concerns for the respondents. Those were followed by initial purchase (17%), scalability (10%), business buy-in (8%), and upkeep costs (3%). Two-thirds of the respondents say their C-suite executives are supportive of their implementation plans.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IIoT-ready technologies improve machine controls
https://www.controleng.com/articles/iiot-ready-technologies-improve-machine-controls/
Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies have the potential to improve user benefits through diagnostics, prognostics and predictive maintenance.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Biggest Pain Points of the Internet of Things
https://www.electropages.com/2019/04/biggest-pain-points-internet/?utm_campaign=&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=article&utm_content=The+Biggest+Pain+Points+of+the+Internet+of+Things
1. IoT Protocol Stratification
2. User-friendliness or Lack Thereof
3. Lack of Integration for Connected Devices
4. High Cost of IoT Tech and Maintenance
5. IoT Security
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ingrid Lunden / TechCrunch:
Microsoft teams up with BMW on the Open Manufacturing Platform, a new initiative for collaborative IoT development in manufacturing — Car companies are making big investments in technology to help ensure that they are not cut out of the next generation of transportation and automotive manufacturing …
Microsoft teams up with BMW for the IoT-focused Open Manufacturing Platform
https://techcrunch.com/2019/04/02/microsoft-teams-up-with-bmw-for-the-iot-focused-open-manufacturing-platform/
The BMW Group and Microsoft announced they would team up in a new effort called the Open Manufacturing Platform, aimed at developing and encouraging more collaborative IoT development in the manufacturing sector, focusing on smart factory solutions and building standards to develop them in areas like machine connectivity and on-premises systems integration.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ericsson Industry Connect: Accelerating Industry 4.0 Through Reliable Wireless Connectivity
https://markets.financialcontent.com/pennwell.cabling/news/read/37975766/ericsson_industry_connect
Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) has launched Ericsson Industry Connect, an easy-to-use cellular connectivity solution to accelerate Industry 4.0 digital transformation.
Ericsson Industry Connect enables communication service providers to offer dedicated cellular networks at factories and warehouses starting with 4G/LTE, with a clear path to 5G.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Chip Firms Expect IoT to Be Key Revenue Driver
https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1334516
The internet of things (IoT) is long past the stage of marketing hype and has been driving meaningful sales for semiconductor firms for more than two years. Now, it’s being seen as the key market for chip sales.
Leaders of semiconductor firms throughout the world ranked IoT as the most important application for driving revenue this year, according to a survey conducted by consulting firm KPMG.
IoT is expected to grow from about $745 billion this year to $1.2 trillion in 2022.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Are We Sleepwalking Into A Control Society?
https://medium.com/swlh/are-we-sleepwalking-into-a-control-society-b7156b803ba6
Urban data is used to trace issues even before they occur. Sounds comforting? That’s unless authorities are going to intervene on our predicted behavior
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Fresh Look at Bluetooth for IoT Wireless Applications
https://www.electronicdesign.com/industrial-automation/fresh-look-bluetooth-iot-wireless-applications?NL=ED-005&Issue=ED-005_20190403_ED-005_935&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_1_b&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=24562&utm_medium=email&elq2=149b4b08adb84afea61455d217d6da34
Sponsored by Digi-Key and Cypress Semiconductor: The reliability of Bluetooth, which already is embedded in billions of electronic devices, has more designers considering BLE and 5.0 modules for easier implementation.
Bluetooth is Everywhere
Literally billions of electronic products today contain a Bluetooth IC. Haven’t we all had to “pair” some Bluetooth devices? Here are just a few of the places where you will find Bluetooth:
Smartphones
Tablets
PCs
PC peripherals
Wireless speakers
Headsets and headphones
Hearing aids
Auto hands-off systems
Smart-home applications
Sports and fitness watches
Toys
Industrial sensors
Tomi Engdahl says:
Synopsys’ Taylor Armerding contends that as the IoT becomes more ubiquitous, the threat of cyber-physical attacks is rising, with the potential for a domino effect if even simple devices are compromised in large enough quantities.
The cyber-physical convergence is accelerating—and so are the risks
https://www.synopsys.com/blogs/software-security/cyber-physical-attacks/
Cyber-physical attacks are on the rise. As the IoT creeps further into our daily lives, so does the attack surface. What can we do to keep ourselves safe?
The fact that a cyber attack can have physical consequences is not exactly breaking news. The use of the computer worm Stuxnet to destroy nearly a thousand, or about a fifth, of the centrifuges in Iran’s Natanz nuclear enrichment facility is now a decade in the rearview.
Tomi Engdahl says:
AI’s Nemesis is Cloud Storage Economics
https://www.eetimes.com/author.asp?section_id=36&doc_id=1334527
The biggest obstacle to the promise of technologies such as AI and machine learning isn’t the power of computers or the sophistication of algorithms, but rather the fundamental economics of cloud data storage.
What’s often lost in the telling of the story is that the delivery of electric power as a utility did much more than reduce costs, it spurred a flurry of innovation and new business models by allowing businesses to focus on what they were best at, their products and services.
Just as electricity powered the industrial revolution in the 20th century, data storage is powering today’s most valuable companies — companies like Google, Facebook, and Amazon.
Even companies that make durable goods, like Tesla, could not exist without an enormous quantity of data. And just as electric power generation migrated to centralized power plants, the storage of data is moving from on-premises storage to large centralized-clouds.
Although the cloud has become a pervasive part of how we think about the modern enterprise, it’s still steeped in an industrial era model of scarcity, which prioritizes data based on the high cost to store it. As a result, half of all digital data today resides in offline or archived media where the cost to access it makes it as good as deleted.
Worse yet, in many applications, data is simply destroyed soon after it’s created due to high storage costs. For example, the vast majority of body cam footage is deleted in 60 to 180 days. That’s a fraction of the statute of limitations for most serious crimes.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Rethink the organization’s structure
Cyber-physical environments will change what managers do.
https://www.controleng.com/articles/rethink-the-organizations-structure/
According to a 2019 white paper by the World Economic Forum (WEC) and McKinsey & Co., manufacturers adopting Industry 4.0 can scale their businesses two ways:
Though operational excellence and production system innovations; or
By entering new markets.
This thesis is supported by other McKinsey research. According to a 2016 study, nearly 90 percent of surveyed companies believe that Industry 4.0 innovations would help them improve their competitive positions and operational effectiveness. Eighty percent of U.S. companies think Industry 4.0 would allow new competitors from other industries to enter their markets.
The authors proposed a framework based on smart, cyber-physical systems that connect equipment, software and people. The framework is based on the following four pillars:
1. Interconnection. The systems connect people, machines, sensors, devices and software through IIoT and allow communication among them.
2. Information transparency. Data collected through interconnection must be available to operators for decision-making.
3. Technical assistance. The intent is twofold: a) to shift low-value tasks from people to cyber-physical systems, and b) for systems to arm personnel with analyses and information for timely, effective decisions.
4. Decentralized decisions. Systems make decisions and take actions autonomously.
In one common approach to Industry 4.0 adoption, many consulting and advisory firms advocate a proof-of-concept approach where a quick win demonstrating value incentivizes teams to expand Industry 4.0 to other functional areas.
This approach assumes that an implementing company is either testing with a non-strategic initiative, such as energy management, or that it otherwise has a well-built foundation. If the underlying data, process and technology architecture is strong, it makes sense to test a closed cyberphysical loop. In contrast, if a company foundation is shaky, a proof-of-concept is probably premature.
In our case example, the fuel company didn’t have a strong foundation. Its data was inaccurate, its processes manual and inefficient. Its systems didn’t meet its needs. As a result, the company’s cyber environment is incapable of mirroring its physical environment, let alone optimizing it.
The company needs to first build a strong foundation by:
Architecting an environment that spans enterprise resources planning, manufacturing execution system and distributed control system environments with the IIoT, business intelligence and Big Data warehousing;
Properly implementing those solutions; and
Assuring that the cyber-world mirrors the physical world through system adoption and disciplined business processing.
Once it builds this foundation, the company can wade into a strategy-driving Industry 4.0 proof-of-concept project.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The benefits of CANopen IoT
https://www.controleng.com/articles/the-benefits-of-canopen-iot/
CANopen Internet of Things (IoT) is intended for networks without embedded internet protocol support, allowing access to local and remote CANopen networks using web protocols and communication services.
The CAN in Automation (CiA) Special Interest Group (SIG) CANopen IoT designed specification CiA 309.5. It allows CANopen embedded network users to access their local and remote CANopen networks using web protocols and communication services such as Restful HTTP, Websocket, and MQTT.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Working with the cloud
https://www.controleng.com/articles/working-with-the-cloud/
Using the cloud for data logging and remote access can improve operations, cut costs and simplify interactions.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Manufacturing and process facility trends: Cybersecurity
https://www.controleng.com/articles/manufacturing-and-process-facility-trends-cybersecurity/
Technology update: Cybersecurity remains a key concern for manufacturing and process facilities as explained in the media session at ARC Forum 2019.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Khari Johnson / VentureBeat:
Amazon launches six HIPAA-compliant Alexa skills from health care companies like Cigna and Boston Children’s Hospital for uses like scheduling appointments — Amazon today announced the introduction of a limited number of voice apps for the Alexa Skills Kit by health care companies like Cigna …
Amazon launches HIPAA-eligible Alexa skills for health care
https://venturebeat.com/2019/04/04/amazon-launches-hipaa-eligible-alexa-skills-for-health-care/
Amazon today announced a limited number of voice apps for the Alexa Skills Kit by health care companies like Cigna and Boston Children’s Hospital that operate in compliance with the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).
Six HIPAA-compliant Alexa skills are available at launch to do things like help caregivers deliver team updates and check the status of home prescription deliveries.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2019/04/05/tulostettava-sahkolahde-urheiluvaatteisiin/
http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/9321-nanogeneraattori-voidaan-3d-tulostaa-kankaalle
Tomi Engdahl says:
Some FUD that is being spread on smart meters used to measure electrical power consumption:
The Great Smart Meter Swindle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYPwrbpAHbk
‘Smart’ Meters are the biggest scam, scandal, and swindle ever perpetrated on the general public. This video explains why that is the case, what to do if you are told you need to have a smart meter installed, and what to do if you already have a smart meter.
Source material:
Smart Meters – What They Don’t Want You to Know
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4tBWZvo6Ns
Tomi Engdahl says:
Inside a smart meter, and the REAL problem with them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G32NYQpvy8Q
While I’m inside I also investigate the conspiracy theories about:-
Government spy microphones. (Like Alexa for instance.)
Chemtrail brain control chemicals.
Spy cameras.
Brain irradiating 5G death waves.
The ability of the meter to be programmed to read apparent power and apply peak demand pricing.
ELECTRIC SMART METER HACK- EZ Trick to restore electricity after SMART METER disconnect!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjrJjMNrqsI
Digital electric meters are being installed all over and many people are frustrated as they have noticed that there electrical usage seems to have increased and there have been reports of faulty meters causing electrical fires.
Many times either through clerical or administrative errors people have found themselves without electrical power after their service has been disconnected by the power company sending a wireless signal to the meter and shutting their power off.
There are also other uses for this method other than restoring your electricity such as when an individual purchases a used digital meter online and wants to reengage the contacts for personal use and monitoring their generator or solar power usage as well
Tomi Engdahl says:
Swarm Signs Up Ford, Vodafone, and Others for Its Satellite IoT Service
https://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/aerospace/satellites/swarm-signs-up-ford-vodafone-and-others-for-its-satellite-iot-service
Tomi Engdahl says:
Amazon Alexa launches its first HIPAA-compliant medical skills
https://techcrunch.com/2019/04/04/amazon-alexa-launches-its-first-hipaa-compliant-medical-skills/?tpcc=ECFB2019
Tomi Engdahl says:
Dumbass Home 2.0
Internet of Things. How to Automate Your Rented Box Today
https://vas3k.com/blog/dumbass_home/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Teeny-Tiny Bluetooth Transmitter Runs on Less Than 1 Milliwatt
https://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/semiconductors/design/teenytiny-bluetooth-transmitter-runs-on-less-than-1-milliwatt
Tomi Engdahl says:
Week in Review: IoT, Security, Auto
https://semiengineering.com/week-in-review-iot-security-auto-39/
Microsoft has new services and capabilities for Azure-connected Internet of Things devices. There’s a new IoT security tool called Azure Security Center for IoT, which ties in with other tools within Azure IoT Hub. Azure Security Center for IoT uses Azure Security Center, Microsoft’s threat intelligence offering.
KPMG and the Global Semiconductor Alliance surveyed 149 semiconductor industry leaders on technology trends. About two-thirds of the respondents said IoT (smart appliances, smart cities, wearable gadgets) is the most important application driving microchip revenue during this year. International Data Corp. forecasts global technology spending on IoT to increase from $745 billion in 2019 to $1.2 trillion by 2022. More data can be found here.
Tomi Engdahl says:
What’s the Difference Between Broadband and Narrowband RF Communications?
https://www.mwrf.com/systems/what-s-difference-between-broadband-and-narrowband-rf-communications?PK=UM_Classics04119&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=24636&utm_medium=email&elq2=54373471c7a74828ace42089908444bb
The debate between broadband and narrowband communication techniques is leaving many engineers and radio-deployment specialists debating the benefits of enhanced data rates and long-range reliable communication links.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Spreading Intelligence From The Cloud To The Edge
Explosion of data is forcing significant changes in where processing is done.
https://semiengineering.com/spreading-intelligence-from-the-cloud-to-the-edge
Tomi Engdahl says:
http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/9340-nordic-iot-week-pieni-data-tuo-suuria-saastoja
Hyvin pienellä IoT-datalla voi olla iso merkitys. Kahden tavun lämpötiladata auttaa säästämään lämmityskustannuksissa ja sähkönkulutuksessa jopa 15-20 prosenttia.
- Sigfox on optimoitu lähettämään hyvin pieniä määriä dataa. Paine-ero viestitään kahdella tavulla, savu yhdellä, lämpötila kahdella, liike yhdellä ja tulossa oleva paikkatieto kuudella tavulla.
- Moduuleihin ei haluta tehdä softapäivityksiä eikä ylläpitoa, ja viisi vuotta näyttää asettuneen IoT-laitteen toiminta-ajan vakiintuneeksi standardiksi.
Ilman epäpuhtauksien mittaamisesta voi meillä tulla isokin bisnes.
Eikä tähän mittaamiseen tarvita raskaita ratkaisuja. – IoT:ssä vähemmän on oikeasti enemmän. Ei kukaan halua päivittää IoT-anturien ohjelmistoja
Tomi Engdahl says:
NB-IoT ja 5G tuovat esineiden internetille ison kasvusysäyksen
https://www.dna.fi/yrityksille/blogi/-/blogs/nb-iot-ja-5g-tuovat-esineiden-internetille-ison-kasvusysayksen?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=linkad&utm_content=artikkeli_nb_iot_ja_5g_tuovat_esineiden_internetille_ison_kasvusysayksen&utm_campaign=pk_jatkuva_some_19
Tomi Engdahl says:
Paul Sawers / VentureBeat:
PubNub, which develops infrastructure to power data streams for real-time apps and IoT devices, raises $23M Series D
PubNub raises $23 million to power data streams for real-time apps and IoT devices
https://venturebeat.com/2019/04/09/pubnub-raises-23-million-to-power-data-streams-for-real-time-apps-and-iot-devices/
Founded in 2010, PubNub touts its “data stream network,” constituting APIs and dozens of SDKs, that helps third-party applications such as Peloton, Atlassian, Athenahealth, Gojek, JustEat, and Gett ensure their real-time services work as promised with minimal delay. The San Francisco-based company claims that it delivers twice as many messages each day as Twitter, Snapchat, and the global SMS network combined.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Myths vs. Facts: The Truth about Smart Meters
http://www.whatissmartgrid.org/smart-grid-101/fact-sheets/myths-vs-facts-the-truth-about-smart-meters
Misunderstanding advanced technology can lead to the emergence of urban legends. The case is no different with smart meters, which utilities are rolling out across the country in an effort to bring the benefits of a modernized electric grid to consumers like you.
Tomi Engdahl says:
People aren’t using smart meters for one main reason
https://www.standard.co.uk/tech/smart-meters-cyber-security-risks-a3877071.html
Despite the government’s ongoing smart meter roll-out, nearly 50 per cent of people are concerned about the security risks of the devices
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://energia.fi/files/1697/Finnish_Energy_position_paper_features_of_next_generation_electricity_meters_final_20170810.pdf
Tomi Engdahl says:
Amazon Workers Are Listening to What You Tell Alexa
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-10/is-anyone-listening-to-you-on-alexa-a-global-team-reviews-audio
A global team reviews audio clips in an effort to help the voice-activated assistant respond to commands.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Making Mobile IoT Easy
https://www.gsma.com/iot/news/making-mobile-iot-easy/
MWC Barcelona 2019 showcases new tools to streamline the development of Mobile IoT applications
tools to help developers employ the reliable and secure low power wide area connectivity provided by Mobile IoT technologies – LTE-M and NB-IoT.