IoT trends 2019

IoT is already completely entrenched in our society across end-market segments, but there are still enormous challenges around the design, development, and deployment of devices and services for the IoT, with security at the top of the list in 2019.

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 networksCompared 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

 

1,301 Comments

  1. Tomi Engdahl says:

    64-Bit RISC-V General-Purpose MPU for IoT Edge
    https://www.renesas.com/eu/en/video/64-bit-risc-v-general-purpose-mpu-iot-edge

    RZ/Five provides a new platform for high-performance IoT Edge solutions. Learn the advantages of RISC-V CPU, and how to easily scale development across RISC-V and Arm cores.

    RZ/Five
    https://www.renesas.com/eu/en/products/microcontrollers-microprocessors/rz-mpus/rzfive-general-purpose-microprocessors-risc-v-cpu-core-andes-ax45mp-single-10-ghz-2ch-gigabit-ethernet

    infoActiveSamples Available
    General-purpose Microprocessors with RISC-V CPU Core (Andes AX45MP Single) (1.0 GHz) with 2ch Gigabit Ethernet

    Reply
  2. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Google Launches New Nest Automation Capabilities with a YAML-Based Script Editor
    New scripting engine exposes nearly 100 starters, conditions, and actions, offering far more capabilities than the stock app.
    https://www.hackster.io/news/google-launches-new-nest-automation-capabilities-with-a-yaml-based-script-editor-54ba4dca9f38

    Reply
  3. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Triboelectric Nanogenerator Harvests Ocean-Wave Energy
    July 3, 2023
    Developed by the PNNL, this energy harvester leverages the triboelectric effect and is optimized for open-ocean waves.
    https://www.electronicdesign.com/technologies/power/article/21268773/electronic-design-triboelectric-nanogenerator-harvests-oceanwave-energy?utm_source=EG+ED+Analog+%26+Power+Source&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS230629023&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.identpull=omeda|7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R

    Reply
  4. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Bipolar Membrane Energy Harvester

    Harvesting energy from PH gradients

    https://hackaday.io/project/191101-bipolar-membrane-energy-harvester

    Reply
  5. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Tiukemmat PSA2-tietoturvasuojaukset IoT-piirelle
    https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2023/08/14/psa2-tietoturvasuojaukset-iot-piirelle/

    Nordic Semiconductor on saanut uusille IoT-piireilleen nRF9160:lle ja nRF5340 PSA2-tason tietoturvan. Sertifiointien avulla laitekehittäjät saavat varmuuden tulevien tuotteidensa turvallisuudesta.

    Reply
  6. Tomi Engdahl says:

    “Talking” Concrete Aids in Highway Maintenance
    July 31, 2023
    This unique sensor is embedded in poured concrete and communicates the condition of the road via smartphone on a cellular telephone network.
    Jack Browne
    https://www.electronicdesign.com/technologies/analog/article/21270601/microwaves-rf-talking-concrete-aids-in-highway-maintenance?utm_source=EG+ED+Analog+%26+Power+Source&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS230731201&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.identpull=omeda|7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R

    Reply
  7. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Nappipariston käyttöikä jopa 10-kertaiseksi
    https://etn.fi/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15141&via=n&datum=2023-07-14_13:27:13&mottagare=30929

    Nappiparistot ovat suosittuja virranlähteitä monissa laitteissa. Esimerkiksi CR2032- ja CR2025-paristojen energiatiheys on moninkertainen vanhoihin AA- tai AAA-pattereihin verrattuna. Nyt Nexperia on kehittänyt vahvistus- eli booster-piirit, jotka pidentävät näiden nappiparistojen käyttöiän jopa 10-kertaiseksi.

    Nexperian NBM7100 ja NBM5100 ovat uudentyyppiset akun käyttöikää pidentävät IC-piirit, jotka on suunniteltu pidentämään tyypillisen ei-ladattavan litiumnappipariston käyttöikää jopa 10-kertaiseksi. Lisäksi sirun avulla voidaan kasvattaa pariston lähtövirtakapasiteetti jopa 25-kertaiseksi verrattuna siihen, mitä tyypillinen nappiparisto pystyy toimittamaan ilman vahvistinta.

    Tämä lyömätön käyttöiän pidentyminen vähentää merkittävästi akkuhukan määrää vähätehoisissa IoT-laitteissa. Samalla piirit tekevät nappiparistoista käyttökelpoisia virtalähteitä sovelluksille, jotka aiemmin saattoivat toimia vain AA- tai AAA-paristoilla.

    CR2032- ja CR2025-litiumkolikkokennoilla on korkeampi energiatiheys ja pidempi säilyvyys. Tämän seurauksena niitä käytetään yleisesti pienitehoisissa sovelluksissa, mukaan lukien laitteet, joissa on Wi-Fi-, LoRa-, Sigfox-, Zigbee-, LTE-M1- tai NB-IoT-tekniikoita tukevat lähetinvastaanottimet.

    Näillä paristoilla on kuitenkin suhteellisen korkea sisäinen vastus ja kemialliset reaktionopeudet, jotka vähentävät niiden käyttökapasiteettia pulssikuormitusolosuhteissa. Tämän rajoituksen voittamiseksi NBM7100 ja NBM5100 sisältävät kaksi erittäin tehokasta DC/DC-muunnosvaihetta ja älykkään oppimisalgoritmin. Ensimmäinen muunnosvaihe siirtää energiaa akusta kapasitiiviseen varastoelementtiin alhaisella nopeudella. Toinen vaihe käyttää varastoitua energiaa säädetyn (ohjelmoitavan 1,8 V – 3,6 V) korkean pulssin (jopa 200 mA) virtalähtöön.

    Reply
  8. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Analyysi: Näin helposti 20 euron pistorasian saa syttymään ja sammumaan pörssisähkön tahdissa
    https://yle.fi/a/3-12633301

    Purkkaviritys ei vedä vertoja oikealle optimoinnille. Se osoittaa kuitenkin, kuinka yksinkertaisesta asiasta on lopulta kyse, kirjoittaa taloustoimittaja Juha-Matti Mäntylä.

    Reply
  9. Tomi Engdahl says:

    https://etn.fi/index.php/new-products/15221-mouser-toi-tarjolle-tarkan-anturin-sisaetilapaikannukseen

    Komponenttikauppias Mouser on lisännyt valikoimiinsa Boschin tehokkaan BMM350-magnetometrin. Kyse on erittäin pienestä ja vähävirtaisesta 16-bittisestä 3-akselisesta magnetometristä, joka sopii erinomaisesti monenlaisiin kuluttajasovelluksiin, kuten virtuaali-, ja lisätyn todellisuuden sovelluksiin ja esimerkiksi sisänavigointiin.

    Reply
  10. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Smart Cities: Utopian Dream, Security Nightmare, or Political Gimmick?
    https://www.securityweek.com/smart-cities-utopian-dream-security-nightmare-or-political-gimmick/

    As smart cities evolve with more and more integrated connected services, cybersecurity concerns will increase dramatically.

    How much smart does a smart city need to be called smart? It’s not a trivial question. It goes to the heart of understanding the concept of connected cities: what is a smart city, what does it deliver, and is it worth the effort? And is it ultimately a utopian dream or a cybersecurity nightmare?
    What is a smart city?

    The term smart city implies that the whole city is smart. Excluding China and a few other rich and authoritarian regimes, this is far from accurate.

    The UK’s NCSC prefers the term ‘connected places’. “The fundamental aim of a connected place,” it says, “is to enhance the quality of living for citizens through collaborative, interactive, and connected technology… a connected place can be described as a community that integrates information and communication technologies and IoT devices to collect and analyze data to deliver new services to the built environment, and enhance the quality of living for citizens.”

    This also falls short. It doesn’t differentiate between smart cities and smart villages or even smart streets. It focuses on the term ‘community’, yet neither defines nor explains who should specify ‘the quality of living for citizens’. The result is misleading. A community doesn’t suddenly decide it will get smart. Smartness is something imposed upon the members of a community with no element of choice. And within this definition, everyone is likely to be part of several or many connected places, with varying degrees of connectedness between the connected places.

    In describing a smart city, it is better to concentrate on ‘smart municipal services’: traffic control; energy distribution; water services; waste collection; and, of course, elections. Each of these services will be automated and ‘intelligent’ using sensors, connected devices, artificial intelligence, and communication technologies. They are likely to be overlapping and themselves interconnected, with the citizen as the lowest common denominator across most connected services.

    Reply
  11. Tomi Engdahl says:

    How to Add Lighting to the “Internet of Things”
    https://www.digikey.com/en/articles/how-to-add-lighting-to-the-internet-of-things?dclid=CN3d2vLf9IADFQcQogMdI5cMKg

    The next big leap in lighting technology will be adding it to the “Internet of Things” – devices that can operate autonomously and, in the case of lighting, be controlled remotely by humans using smart phones, tablet computers, and PCs. To become part of the Internet of Things, every lamp must have its own IP address, a RF/MCU chip, and a lightweight protocol stack – in addition to the traditional power supply, lamp driver and passive components that populate lighting control circuits today.

    Lighting – including LED-based lighting that will be the subject of this article – has some technology accommodations to make that are largely due to control system diversity in a competitive market. Besides smart phones and tablets, lamps must communicate with sensors, wall switches, and universal remotes that control TVs, network boxes and set-top boxes. These devices use a variety of network protocols including RF4CE, 6LoWPAN, and three different ZigBee® application profiles – Home Automation, Light Link, and Green Power. There are also a number of proprietary protocols for home automation that could be included in a universal wireless lighting control system.

    Reply
  12. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Mobiili- ja satelliittiyhteys samaan moduuliin
    https://etn.fi/index.php/new-products/15283-mobiili-ja-satelliittiyhteys-samaan-moduuliin

    IoT-yhteyksissä on kasvava tarve varmistaa, että laitteet ovat berkon ulottuvilla silloinkin, kun kännykkäverkkoa ei ole saatavilla. Sveitsiläinen u-blox on nyt esitellyt ensimmäisen IoT-moduulinsa, jossa on mukana sekä matkapuhelin- että satelliittiyhteys paikannuksen lisäsi.

    SARA-S520M10L on vähävirtainen moduuli, jonka ominaisuudet sopivat ihanteellisesti omaisuuden seurantaan, laivastonhallintaan, merikuljetuksiin, kaivostoimintaan, apuohjelmiin ja älykkäisiin maataloussovelluksiin. Se palvelee myös markkinasegmenttejä, kuten varkaudenestojärjestelmiä, teollisuuden valvontaa ja ohjausta sekä sovelluksia, jotka vaativat viestintää turvallisuuskriittisissä skenaarioissa.

    Reply
  13. Tomi Engdahl says:

    RF Transmitter Powers Battery-Free IoT Sensors
    Sept. 7, 2023
    Energous’ PowerBridge sends RF energy over the air and to power battery-less IoT sensors.
    https://www.electronicdesign.com/technologies/power/power-supply/video/21273019/microwaves-rf-rf-transmitter-powers-batteryfree-iot-sensors?utm_source=EG+ED+Analog+%26+Power+Source&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS230831078&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.identpull=omeda|7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R

    Batteries are the bane of IoT sensors, but they’re typically a requirement as conventional energy-harvesting solutions like solar panels are often impractical. One solution is to provide power wirelessly. A power transmitter can typically energize multiple devices within its range. Though the amount of power tends to be small, it’s usually sufficient enough for the sensors to operate as well as drive limited wireless communication to deliver information from the sensor.

    Energous’ PowerBridge is designed to send RF energy over the air and to devices with matching chips from the company that can store the energy for use by the device. Kero Basilios, Energous’ Director of Application Engineering and Customer Support, shows the system in action (watch the video above). You can also watch Leveraging Wireless Power, which looks at InnoTractor’s use of Energous’ power technology to support an asset-tracking system that doesn’t use batteries for its mobile IoT devices.

    Reply
  14. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Sony Unveils an Energy Harvesting Chip for “Electromagnetic Noise,” Capable of Milliwatt Outputs
    Tiny chip turns the unintentional outputs of everything from TVs and household lights to robots and vending machines into usable power.
    https://www.hackster.io/news/sony-unveils-an-energy-harvesting-chip-for-electromagnetic-noise-capable-of-milliwatt-outputs-f6afda9377a0

    Reply
  15. Tomi Engdahl says:

    11 Myths About Smart Utilities IoT and Antenna Strategies
    Oct. 20, 2021
    Laird Connectivity’s Paul Fadlovich discusses this fast-growing category of IoT and provides practical advice about antenna strategies for these design projects.
    https://www.electronicdesign.com/technologies/communications/iot/article/21178993/laird-connectivity-11-myths-about-smart-utilities-iot-and-antenna-strategies?utm_source=EG+ED+Connected+Solutions&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS230914134&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.identpull=omeda|7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R

    What you’ll learn:

    How smart utilities are expanding beyond residential use cases and into the industrial IoT sector.
    The importance of developing antenna design strategies, from selection to device certifications.
    Be wary of antenna specifications when it comes to dealing with tough environments.

    The utilities sector is one of the fastest-growing adopters of Internet of Things (IoT) technology, with hundreds of millions of wireless devices being deployed to support multiple areas of operations for electrical utilities, municipal water entities, and natural gas providers. These smart utilities applications have tremendous diversity, which presents many complex decisions to engineering teams, including significant challenges for connectivity that require a sophisticated antenna strategy.

    1. Utilities are old-guard industries that will be slow to adopt new technologies like IoT.
    2. Smart utilities IoT is largely focused on smart meters and smart thermostats.
    3. IoT design projects for utilities tend to be concentrated on those residential devices, which are relatively straightforward Wi-Fi/Bluetooth design projects.
    4. The biggest antenna challenge will be all of the certifications required for the residential devices.
    5. Smart utilities projects may have a higher volume of endpoints because of the geographic scale of utilities deployments, but the antenna process is similar to other projects our team has worked on.
    6. My antenna strategy will be very similar to other IIoT projects my team has done.
    7. Water ingress from rain is the biggest threat to IoT deployments located outdoors for these projects.
    8. The antennas on my short list are all labeled as “rugged,” so we’ll be in good shape against those conditions.
    9. The antennas I’m looking at have exactly the performance I’m looking for. The datasheet said so.
    10. I have always used off-the-shelf antennas. Those will definitely meet my needs.
    11. Will all of these IoT projects for utilities lower my electricity bill? My teenagers are driving my power bill through the roof with all of their devices.

    I can’t promise that, but these IoT projects are increasing safety for utilities workers, helping utilities manage spikes in demand that enable the rollout of more renewable energy assets. So, you may not see a lower bill, but this is building a foundation for next-generation utilities operations that hopefully helps us consume energy and water in more sustainable ways.

    Reply
  16. Tomi Engdahl says:

    How to Deploy Secure and Robust Wireless Connectivity for Smart Energy and Utilities
    https://www.digikey.com/en/articles/how-to-deploy-secure-robust-wireless-connectivity-smart-energy-utilities?dclid=CLO8vIqNu4EDFXJEHgIdACQLXw

    Wireless communications, including local networking and cloud connectivity, are an essential element in a range of smart energy and utility systems, including energy meters, critical infrastructure, green energy systems, electric vehicles, grid modernization, the smart grid, and smart cities. These applications often involve edge connectivity and require low latency, predictable and secure communication that can be supported using IEEE 802.15.4, Zigbee, Bluetooth, and other protocols. In some instances, they can benefit from a low-power, high throughput wireless protocol like the IEEE 802.11 g/n standard that provides high data rate network access within approximately 300 meters outdoors.

    In addition, these wireless devices must meet the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) standards in the U.S., European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) requirements, and EN 300 328 and EN 62368-1 in Europe, Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) in Canada, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) in Japan, and others. Designing wireless connectivity and obtaining the needed certifications can be time-consuming, resulting in increased costs and extending time to market. Instead, designers can turn to pre-engineered and certified wireless communications modules and development platforms that can be easily integrated into smart energy and utility devices.

    This article begins by reviewing several communications options and architectures for local networks and cloud connectivity, including wired and wireless networking options. Then it offers several wireless platforms from Digi, Silicon Labs, Laird Connectivity, Infineon, and STMicroelectronics for deployment of secure and robust wireless connectivity for smart energy and utilities, including development environments to speed the design process.

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  17. Tomi Engdahl says:

    What’s new in connected grid infrastructure?
    https://www.ti.com/video/6323560632112?HQS=null-null-conbr-connect_gen_connected-asset-tr-electronicdesign_psfi_connect_l1-wwe_int&DCM=yes&dclid=CKbZzqGFu4EDFc_1mgodOk0PRQ

    Employing the right connectivity technologies allows systems to generate insights and handle the increasing amount of data that is collected by added grid subsystems such as EV charging and energy storage systems. Our experts discuss some of the latest connectivity trends in grid infrastructure and more.

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  18. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Connect: Wi-Fi in grid infrastructure
    https://www.ti.com/video/6184727351001?HQS=null-null-conbr-connect_gen_wifi2-asset-tr-electronicdesign_psfi_connect_l2-wwe_int&DCM=yes&dclid=CKOK8KWFu4EDFebeOwIdpcEBBg

    Discover how you can use Wi-Fi® technology to connect smart meters, electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, solar inverters and more to the internet.

    Reply
  19. Tomi Engdahl says:

    IoT Opens Door to Driverless Control of Data-Acquisition Hardware
    Sept. 28, 2022
    This white paper discusses evolution of software and programming-language, communication interfaces, REST HTTP for thermocouple and strain-gauge instruments, and more. Learn how to save time and money when setting up your data acquisition system.
    https://www.electronicdesign.com/resources/white-paper/whitepaper/21251608/iot-opens-door-to-driverless-control-of-dataacquisition-hardware?pk=AmetekJulDE&utm_source=EG+ED++Sponsor+Paid+Promos&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS230915182&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.identpull=omeda|7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R

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  20. Tomi Engdahl says:

    What’s new in connected grid infrastructure?
    https://www.ti.com/video/6323560632112?HQS=null-null-conbr-connect_gen_connected-asset-tr-electronicdesign_psfi_connect_l1-wwe_int&DCM=yes&dclid=CIGpg9rRxYEDFa5MHgIdQjUPgQ

    Employing the right connectivity technologies allows systems to generate insights and handle the increasing amount of data that is collected by added grid subsystems such as EV charging and energy storage systems. Our experts discuss some of the latest connectivity trends in grid infrastructure and more.

    Reply
  21. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Suomalaista IoT-protokollaa voi nyt testata Bluetooth-moduuleilla
    https://etn.fi/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15157&via=n&datum=2023-07-28_14:09:47&mottagare=31202

    Tamperelainen Wirepas on kehittänyt oman protokollansa, jolla voidaan toteuttaa käytännössä rajattomasti skaalautuvia IoT-laitteiden mesh-verkkoja. Nyt protokolla on integroitu Panasonicin BLE-moduulille, jossa sitä ajetaan Nordic Semiconductorin nRF52840-ohjainpiirillä.

    Panasonic on nyt lanseerannut yhdessä ohjelmistotalo Symbiotechin kanssa keitetyn demopaketin, jolla IoT-kehittäjät voivat kokeilla suomalaisprotokollaa. PAN1780 Wirepas Mesh Demo Kit sisältää neljä paristokäyttöistä anturisolmua, joilla voidaan perustaa Wirepas Mesh -verkko milloin tahansa ja missä tahansa.

    Symbiotech kehitti ohjelmiston, joka mahdollistaa äärimmäisen helpon esittelyn asennuksen ja jonka käyttöliittymä näyttää anturitiedot, tarjoaa ohjauksen ja antaa kuvan verkon kunnosta.

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  22. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Jess Weatherbed / The Verge:
    Amazon shuts down its Alexa Guard security system and moves the free smoke and carbon monoxide detection features to its $5.99/month Emergency Assist service

    Amazon is placing free Alexa Guard security features behind a paywall
    / Many of Guard’s once-free features will now require a $6 monthly subscription for Emergency Assist and an Amazon Prime membership starting next year.
    https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/25/23888910/amazon-alexa-guard-security-features-paywall-emergency-assist

    mazon has announced that it’s shutting down Alexa Guard — a DIY security feature for Echo devices that listens for intruders or household alarms when you’re away from home. The free version of Alexa Guard that listens for household disturbances was included as a standard feature on Amazon Echo devices.

    In a recent email to customers, Amazon said that some of Guard’s features like smoke and CO alarm detection will instead be moved to its new Emergency Assist service, which is available for $5.99 per month or $59 per year.

    Guard features like Home and Away modes (to arm and disarm your Ring Alarm) and Away Lighting (which switches on your lights to make it look like you’re at home) will still be available for free as part of the standard Alexa experience. Other features like glass break sound detection will require an Emergency Assist subscription “starting soon.”

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  23. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Self-Governing Wireless Networks Can Empower Smart Buildings
    Sept. 1, 2023
    When it comes to smart buildings, conventional low-tech facilities can also benefit from smart technology.
    https://www.mwrf.com/markets/iot/article/21272946/neocortec-selfgoverning-wireless-networks-can-empower-smart-buildings?utm_source=RF+MWRF+Today&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS230908079&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.identpull=omeda|7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R

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  24. Tomi Engdahl says:

    What’s new in wireless, RFID for IoT asset tracking?
    Recent innovations have been good for tracking technology providers and end-users; what’s in the pipeline seems likely to provide additional industrial benefits.
    https://www.controleng.com/articles/whats-new-in-wireless-rfid-for-iot-asset-tracking/?utm_source=IIoT+Sensing%2C+Connectivity+%26+Analytics&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=CFECD230926004&oly_enc_id=0462E3054934E2U

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  25. Tomi Engdahl says:

    MQTT is a lightweight messaging protocol designed for a simple job: moving data from one location to another in a publish/subscribe model. Although MQTT is a good transport protocol, it lacks message standards. Messages can be in any format, using JSON, XML, JSON Schema or even Sparkplug B. Each offers its own benefits, but what if you need to connect messages with different formats to the same broker?

    https://skkynet.com/lp-datahub-smart-mqtt-broker/?utm_source=IIoT%20Sensing,%20Connectivity%20&%20Analytics&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=CFECD230926004

    Reply
  26. Tomi Engdahl says:

    IT/OT convergence creates opportunities for industrial code
    Incorporating DevOps for industrial purposes, termed “Industrial DevOps,” can bring about a sea change for manufacturers.
    https://www.controleng.com/articles/it-ot-convergence-creates-opportunities-for-industrial-code/?utm_source=IIoT+Sensing%2C+Connectivity+%26+Analytics&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=CFECD230926004&oly_enc_id=0462E3054934E2U

    Tyler’s Take
    Industrial code is going be a growing conversation in the manufacturing marketplace — especially as we press forth into an era of digital transformation and with the increasing number of connected industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) devices appearing on the plant floor.
    This will be imperative to increase plant efficiency and better use of uptime. IT/OT convergence will be a part of the conversation as the phrase “Industrial DevOps” starts to appear around the topic of industrial code.

    Reply
  27. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Universal automation lays the foundation for smart factories
    Universal automation can help make smart factories a reality in process industries and giving users more freedom and flexibility in their day-to-day activities.
    https://www.controleng.com/articles/universal-automation-lays-the-foundation-for-smart-factories/?utm_source=IIoT+Sensing%2C+Connectivity+%26+Analytics&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=CFECD230926004&oly_enc_id=0462E3054934E2U

    Learning Objectives
    Understand the shift toward the smart factory and the challenges process manufacturers face.
    Learn how IEC 61499 and IEC 61131-3 are impacting universal automation.
    Learn about universal automation’s benefits and how technology such as Ethernet-APL and edge devices will improve users’ intelligence.

    Smart factory and automation insights
    Distributed control system (DCS) users are working toward eliminating the proprietary nature of automation and working toward a universal standard for process control industries.

    The future smart factory
    Companies and users need to ask if they have a vision of what the smart factory will look like in five to 10 years. How will devices be connected? Will companies be dealing with vendors that work in a proprietary world, or vendors that manufacture hardware that work in an open world?

    The vision is hard to see because technology and factory floor investments evolve so slowly. Users see the small picture when they install devices on the factory floor today as most have an option to connect via Ethernet. All of these devices are becoming smarter and are capable of providing a tremendous amount of data analytics.

    It’s not hard to imagine a time in the near future where all devices and instruments on the factory floor are connected via Ethernet. If all these devices are connected, and they are all smart, why can’t they talk to each other? That connectivity is coming and is referred to as control at the edge.

    In the PLC world, programmers have used the IEC 61131 languages for more than 20 years. Some manufacturers have adopted it more than others, but none provided ability to program another vendor’s PLC with their software. None of the code being developed is portable to another manufacturer’s system, creating the very proprietary nature of the PLC world today. But why should it be this way? Proprietary technology hinders innovation, slows technology advancement and limits a customer’s options.

    There is another standard developed in 2005 called IEC 61499. This function block-driven standard is now starting to gain traction because the timing is right to use it now. IEC 61499 extends IEC 61131-3 by improving the encapsulation of software components for increased reusability, providing a vendor independent format and simplifying support for controller-to-controller communication. Its distribution functionality and support for dynamic reconfiguration provide the required infrastructure for Industry 4.0 and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) applications.

    However, there are additional developments marking this transition to smart factories.

    Universal Automation is pushing towards a factory floor standard
    There are a group of end users and Manufacturers getting on board with IEC61499 and Universal Automation, which is an independent, not-for-profit association of users and vendors managing the implementation of a shared source runtime execution engine based on the IEC 61499 standard. This level of shared technology provides the basis for an ecosystem of portable, interoperable, “plug and produce” solutions and creates a new category within industrial automation.

    Why is this important? This is a huge step to disconnecting the hardware from the software. By adopting universal automation, any vendors control software utilizing IEC 61499 will be able to run on any universal automation hardware. This allows the end user to choose best-in-class products on the factory floor to match the application.

    Ethernet-APL to help field instrumentation communication
    Ethernet with an advanced physical layer (Ethernet-APL) enables long cable lengths, explosion protection via intrinsic safety and power over Ethernet (two wires).

    Based on IEEE and IEC standards, Ethernet-APL supports any Ethernet-based automation protocol and will develop into a single, long-term stable technology for the process automation community. This Ethernet standard is made specifically for the manufacturing and process industries to speed the adoption of extending Ethernet communications down to the field instrumentation.

    Next generation automation platform can be interoperable
    Next generation automation platforms have software is built on and around Universal Automation concepts and IEC 61499 to address the new connected factory floor. Controllers provide a distributed architecture to the edge. Control algorithms from the software can be deployed to various controllers and compliant Universal Automation partner IO devices proving the best-in-class concepts, such as a controller than runs inside a variable frequency drive (VFD), medium- and high-performance controllers with scalable I/O, and virtual PLC and edge computing.

    https://universalautomation.org/

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  28. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Accelerating the adoption of smart manufacturing in the U.S.
    Smart manufacturing technology can integrate supply chains, improve quality, customization, safety and sustainability, but widespread adoption remains a challenge
    https://www.controleng.com/articles/accelerating-the-adoption-of-smart-manufacturing-in-the-u-s/?utm_source=IIoT+Sensing%2C+Connectivity+%26+Analytics&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=CFECD230926004&oly_enc_id=0462E3054934E2U

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  29. Tomi Engdahl says:

    How to Add Lighting to the “Internet of Things”
    https://www.digikey.com/en/articles/how-to-add-lighting-to-the-internet-of-things?dclid=CIqi6rnMx4EDFVJFwgodeRsAHg

    The next big leap in lighting technology will be adding it to the “Internet of Things” – devices that can operate autonomously and, in the case of lighting, be controlled remotely by humans using smart phones, tablet computers, and PCs. To become part of the Internet of Things, every lamp must have its own IP address, a RF/MCU chip, and a lightweight protocol stack – in addition to the traditional power supply, lamp driver and passive components that populate lighting control circuits today.

    Lighting – including LED-based lighting that will be the subject of this article – has some technology accommodations to make that are largely due to control system diversity in a competitive market. Besides smart phones and tablets, lamps must communicate with sensors, wall switches, and universal remotes that control TVs, network boxes and set-top boxes. These devices use a variety of network protocols including RF4CE, 6LoWPAN, and three different ZigBee® application profiles – Home Automation, Light Link, and Green Power. There are also a number of proprietary protocols for home automation that could be included in a universal wireless lighting control system.

    Reply
  30. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Build a Better Battery Test System for Everything from the IoT to EVs
    Sept. 15, 2023
    Testing a high-voltage battery? Building a battery-powered IoT device? Check out this installment of Products of the Week for the latest battery test systems to hit the market.
    https://www.electronicdesign.com/resources/products-of-the-week/media-gallery/21273754/electronic-design-build-a-better-battery-test-system-for-everything-from-the-iot-to-evs?utm_source=EG+ED+Auto+Electronics&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS230922077&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.identpull=omeda|7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R

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  31. Tomi Engdahl says:

    IoT:llä on iso rooli kestävässä kehityksessä
    https://etn.fi/index.php/tekniset-artikkelit/15386-iot-llae-on-iso-rooli-kestaevaessae-kehityksessae

    Esineiden internet eli IoT on tärkeässä asemassa digitalisaatiossa, sillä se mahdollistaa infrastruktuurin osana olevien anturien asentamisen siten, että fyysisen liikenteen määrän tarve vähenee dataa siirrettäessä. Kuten odotettavissa onkin, tällä on merkittävä vaikutus pystytettäessä kestävän kehityksen mukaisia ekosysteemejä.

    oT on tärkeässä asemassa digitalisaatiossa, sillä se mahdollistaa infrastruktuurin osana olevien anturien asentamisen siten, että fyysisen liikenteen määrän tarve vähenee dataa siirrettäessä. Kuten odotettavissa onkin, tällä on merkittävä vaikutus pystytettäessä kestävän kehityksen mukaisia ekosysteemejä.

    Elämme nykyisin keskellä suurta energiakriisiä, joka vaatii toimenpiteitä kestävämmän kehityksen aikaansaamiseksi ja hiilijalanjälkemme pienentämiseksi. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratoryn mukaan vuonna 20191 Yhdysvalloissa jäi energiaa hyödyntämättä 67,5 quadia. Se tarkoittaa, että yli puolet kaikesta tuotetusta energiasta menetettiin käyttämättömänä lämpöenergiana. Vertailun vuoksi mainittakoon, että 1 quad on yhtä paljon kuin 1,055 x 1018 joulea. Luvut osoittavat, että käsillä on vakava ongelma kyvyssämme käyttää tuotettua energiaa laajassa mittakaavassa. IoT tarjoaa välineet löytää energiatehokkuuden ongelmakohtia käyttämällä hyödyksi kerättyä dataa. Energian käytön mittaaminen edistyneimpien anturitekniikoiden avulla on ensimmäinen askel kohti parempaa energiatehokkuutta ja kestävämpää kehitystä.

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