Here is a list f IoT predictions for year 2018. With the number of connected devices set to top 11 billion – and that’s not including computers and phones – in 2018, Internet of Things will clearly continue to be a hot topic. Here is my prediction list:
1. Artifical Intelligence – it will be talked a lot
2. Blockchain – blockchain will be hyped to be a solution for many IoT problems, and it will turn out that it is not the best solution for most of problems it is hyped for – and maybe it will find few sensible uses for it in IoT. Blockchain can add immutability and integrity to some IoT transactions.
3. 4G mobile for IoT: NB-IoT and LTE-M are ready to be tested or used in many markets
4. 5G will be hyped a lot for IoT applications but it is nowhere near for any real big IoT use cases
6. Security issues will be talked a lot. IoT security is far from solved issue.
7. Privacy issues of IoT will be talked a lot when our homes and pockets are starting to be filled with ever listening digital assistants.
8. Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) will be massive
9. More CPU power will be added or used in the edge. Pushing processing power to the “edge” brings a number of benefits and opportunities.
10. Hardware based security: Hardware based security on microprocessors will be talked a lot after “Meltdown” and “Spectre” disaster
Links to more predictions:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielnewman/2017/12/19/the-top-8-iot-trends-for-2018/#17a9943267f7
https://www.ibm.com/blogs/internet-of-things/top-5-iot-trends-in-2018/
https://www.inc.com/james-paine/3-internet-of-things-trends-to-watch-in-2018.html
https://www.i-scoop.eu/iot-2018-1/
https://dzone.com/articles/iot-trends-for-2018
1,393 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tommy Hilfiger has launched a ridiculous line of smart clothing that rewards you for wearing it
https://techcrunch.com/2018/07/25/tommy-hilfiger-has-launched-a-ridiculous-line-of-smart-clothing-that-rewards-you-for-wearing-it/?sr_share=facebook&utm_source=tcfbpage
Here comes more smart clothing nobody asked for. Fashion brand Tommy Hilfiger today announced the launch of a new line of men’s and women’s clothing, Tommy Jeans Xplore, which comes with smart-chip embedded technology.
Hilfiger’s smart clothing aims to reward you with points for wearing Hilfiger clothing. Yes, really.
It’s come to this, folks.
The line includes t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, jeans, jackets, caps, and bags which pair with the Tommy Jeans Xplore (or “XPLORE” if you use their branding) iOS app over Bluetooth. Once paired, the idea is that users will compete in challenges in the app to earn points. You get points for things like how often you wear the clothes (!!!) and for walking around to find heart-shaped, Tommy-branded icons on the app’s map. (???)
The points can be translated into rewards, including gift cards, signed merchandise
the only people who would spend $90 on smart sweatshirt just to play a marketing campaign’s idea of fun
But beyond that, Tommy’s smart clothes don’t make much sense for anyone.
Despite its use of smart technology – like the embedded Awear Solutions’ Bluetooth low energy smart tag – the company hasn’t actually innovated here.
Smart clothing for the sake of smart clothing though?
Just no.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Researchers design self-powered robots the size of human cells
https://techcrunch.com/2018/07/23/researchers-design-self-powered-robots-the-size-of-human-cells/?utm_source=tcfbpage&sr_share=facebook
The latest robots out of MIT are small enough to float “indefinitely” in the air. Researchers accomplished the feat by attaching 2D electronics to colloids — tiny particles measuring around one-billionth to one-millionth of a meter. All told, the devices are roughly the size of a human egg cell.
What’s more, the addition of photodiode semiconductors means the tiny individual systems are able to be self-powered, without the need for a battery.
http://news.mit.edu/2018/cell-sized-robots-sense-their-environment-0723
Tomi Engdahl says:
MIT Researchers Develop Microscopic Robots Light Enough to Float in Air
https://blog.hackster.io/mit-researchers-develop-microscopic-robots-light-enough-to-float-in-air-ff419e83ca98
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ry Crist / CNET:
Amazon’s Cloud ESP, a feature for third-party Alexa devices that lets the device closest to a user respond to a question or command, is now generally available — One of the biggest parts of Amazon’s strategy for expanding the voice-activated Alexa ecosystem is to help third-party manufacturers make Alexa gadgets of their own.
Amazon’s Cloud ESP just made every third-party Alexa gadget a better listener
https://www.cnet.com/news/amazons-cloud-esp-will-keep-third-party-alexa-gadgets-from-talking-over-one-another/
The Amazon Echo’s ESP feature makes it so only the Alexa device closest to you responds to your question. Now, new cloud-based software will make it much easier for Alexa gadgets not made by Amazon to follow suit.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Dieter Bohn / The Verge:
Review of Google Assistant-powered Lenovo Smart Display, the first device to run on Android Things, available July 27 with 8″/10″ screens for $199 and $249
Lenovo Smart Display review: the Google appliance
Google Assistant gets a screen
https://www.theverge.com/2018/7/26/17616560/lenovo-smart-display-review-google-assistant-smart-speaker-screen
The basic idea behind the new Google-powered Smart Displays that are coming this summer is simple: take a Google Home smart speaker and put a screen on it, just like Amazon’s Echo Show. Really if that’s all you take away from this review, you’ve got the basics.
The Lenovo Smart Display is the first of these new devices on the market. LG, Sony, and JBL have also signed on to make them. Lenovo’s version goes on sale July 27th, priced at $199 for a model with an 8-inch screen and $249 for the model I tested, which has a 10-inch display.
These Smart Displays run Android Things, a newish operating system based on Android and designed for Internet of Things devices.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Review: Lenovo’s Google Smart Display is pretty and intelligent
https://techcrunch.com/2018/07/26/review-lenovos-google-smart-display-is-pretty-and-intelligent/?utm_source=tcfbpage&sr_share=facebook
Tomi Engdahl says:
Lindsey O’Donnell / Threatpost:
Samsung patches multiple SmartThings Hub vulnerabilities found by researchers that could have allowed remote control of smart locks, connected cameras, more
Bugs in Samsung IoT Hub Leave Smart Home Open To Attack
https://threatpost.com/bugs-in-samsung-iot-hub-leave-smart-home-open-to-attack/134454/
Researchers found 20 flaws in Samsung’s SmartThings Hub controller – opening up supported third-party smart home devices to attack.
Researchers found 20 vulnerabilities in Samsung’s SmartThings Hub, allowing attackers to control smart locks, remotely monitor the home via connected cameras and perform other alarming functions.
SmartThings Hub uses a Linux-based firmware and allows for communications with various IoT devices using various wireless standards Zigbee, Z-Wave and Bluetooth. SmartThings supports a broad spectrum of third-party products- from Philips Hue smart lightbulbs, to Ring video doorbells, as well dozens more smart home products sold under the brands GE, Bose and Lutron.
The breadth of potentially impacted products means an attacker could hack an array of connected home devices allowing adversaries to disable smart locks, turn off motion detectors, shut down smart plugs, control thermostats or even cause physical damage to appliances.
A Samsung spokesperson told Threatpost patches have been deployed that fix the bugs.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Turbo Codes Supercharge Internet of Things
https://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/telecom/wireless/turbo-codes-supercharge-internet-of-things
Internet of Things networks are different beasts than traditional communication networks. Many, though not all, IoT networks are characterized by devices that communicate very little for most of the time, only to burst into action when they need to send—or receive—a relatively large amount of data in a very short amount of time.
Leti’s system, Berg explains, allows a device to switch among three distinct waveforms, depending on its communication needs in the moment.
Tomi Engdahl says:
6 Reasons Why IoT Security Is Terrible
https://spectrum.ieee.org/telecom/security/6-reasons-why-iot-security-is-terrible
Connecting physical infrastructure to the Internet makes systems vulnerable to new security threats. What keeps executives awake at night varies by industry, but cybersecurity problems are worsening everywhere.
Internet of Things (IoT) is different from—and more difficult to tackle than—traditional IT security.
The first is that the consequences of failure are more dire. We’ve raised the stakes by connecting more physical systems and facilities to wireless networks. When cars or infusion pumps are hacked, people can die.
The adversaries are unlike any we’ve seen before. No longer are they lone hackers trying to make money or cause mischief. Today’s adversaries are nation states hacking systems in an all-out cyberwar.
. A connected product that generates a small profit may require years of updates, patches, and security evaluations. In the future, the cost of goods sold may need to include annual security updates and patches.
Corman’s fifth reason has to do with the scary reality that many connected devices are built with software, hardware, and firmware that are created by different companies and pieced together at the end. It takes only one weak link to create a vulnerability
In the IT world, there’s an entire industry of life-cycle-management software that tracks patches and rolls back buggy software. In the IoT world, we just aren’t there yet.
6 Differences in Internet of Things and Cyber Safety
https://www.iamthecavalry.org/iotdifferences/amp/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://720.io/customer/helen-oy/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Machinon Takes the Hard Work Out of Building a Raspberry Pi Home Automation System
https://blog.hackster.io/machinon-takes-the-hard-work-out-of-building-a-raspberry-pi-home-automation-system-edda1d4c5adb
Home automation is becoming increasingly popular, and the Internet of Things (IoT) promises to make it easy to create a smart home. There are just two major problems: nothing in your house was built for IoT, and new IoT-ready appliances are a proprietary nightmare. Comprehensive plug-and-play solutions don’t exist, so you have to build your own. Machinon is hardware designed to make that easy to do with a Raspberry Pi.
https://www.machinon.com
46 Smart I/Os
Industrial design
RS485
Real Time Clock
Raspberry Pi ready
Open Source ready
Tomi Engdahl says:
3 Companies That Realize IoT in a Completely Different Way. A Creative Pool of Possibilities.
https://blog.paessler.com/3-companies-that-realize-iot-in-a-completely-different-way?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Burda-Blog-Global&utm_content=3CompanyIOTStories&hsa_net=facebook&hsa_src=fb&hsa_cam=23843011899710129&hsa_acc=2004489912909367&hsa_grp=23843011899890129&hsa_ad=23843011900280129&hsa_ver=3
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2018/08/01/korkeasaari-pilotoi-suomalaista-alyroskista/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2018/07/30/iot-lapimurto-langattomiin-kosteusmittauksiin/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2018/08/06/nanotekniikalla-virtaa-tulevaisuuden-iot-ratkaisuihin/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook
Tomi Engdahl says:
http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/8256-esineiden-internet-on-langaton
Tomi Engdahl says:
Week in Review: IoT, Security, Auto
https://semiengineering.com/week-in-review-iot-security-auto-2/
Cyber incidents increased by 32% in the first quarter of 2018, compared with Q1 of 2017, according to Positive Technologies. The use of malware in cyberattacks rose 75% from a year earlier, while malware was involved in 63% pf all attacks. The cybersecurity threatscape is seeing hackers go after account credentials and other personal data. Another leading concern is data theft, which was up 13% from 2017.
Qualcomm’s proposed $44 billion takeover of NXP Semiconductors will be terminated
Yanzi Networks, a Swedish supplier of an IoT platform for smart buildings, was acquired by Pegasus Capital Advisors, a private equity firm.
Okta acquired ScaleFT, a startup, adding the Zero Trust concept to the Okta platform; financial terms weren’t revealed. Okta provides cloud identity management.
Marvell Technology Group, Intel, and Vishay Intertechnology are the three stocks to own for an Internet of Things portfolio, Ryan McQueeney of Zacks Investment Research writes.
Microsoft has a five-year deal with Walmart to work together on artificial intelligence, cloud services, and the IoT. As a result, Walmart and Sam’s Club will migrate their cloud computing to Azure, and the retailing giant will use Azure’s IoT platform to keep track of HVAC and refrigeration. Microsoft’s machine learning services will be used to route delivery trucks and other tasks.
Tomi Engdahl says:
These 5 IoT Energy-Harvesting Options Stand Out “in the Field”
https://www.powerelectronics.com/alternative-energy/these-5-iot-energy-harvesting-options-stand-out-field?NL=ED-003&Issue=ED-003_20180719_ED-003_885&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_1_b&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=18727&utm_medium=email&elq2=7976a38ee5334cbb8439ea0ddcd1a424
As embedded systems and IoT devices push more into applications in remote locations, designers are looking at alternative means to portably power them.
Solar Energy
Thermoelectric Energy
Wind Energy with a Side of Solar
RF Energy
Vibration Energy
Tomi Engdahl says:
ExteNet Systems joins Safer Buildings Coalition to establish in-building public safety wireless standard
https://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/pt/2018/07/extenet-systems-joins-safer-buildings-coalition-to-establish-in-building-public-safety-wireless-stan.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cim_data_center_newsletter_2018-07-30&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2187105
On July 25, ExteNet Systems, among the largest private developers, owners and operators of Distributed Networks (DNS) enabling advanced mobile and broadband connectivity across the United States, announced its membership in the Safer Buildings Coalition (SBC) to help set standards for in-building public safety wireless communications. The SBC’s primary mission is to ensure that First Responders (Fire, Law Enforcement and EMS) use state-of-the-art voice and data communications to communicate both inside buildings as well as to-and-from their Command Centers outside buildings during an event. SBC also advocates for the public’s cellular service inside buildings to function at optimal levels.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Week in Review: IoT, Security, Auto
https://semiengineering.com/week-in-review-iot-security-auto-3/
Marvell Technology Group opened its automotive electromagnetic compatibility lab in North America.
The 88Q2112 automotive PHY complies with the IEEE 802.3bp 1000BASE-T1 specification.
Tenable of Columbia, Md., completed an initial public offering this week, pricing 10.9 million shares at $23 a share, raising $250.7 million from the offering. It trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market as TENB. Tenable provides a cybersecurity and compliance monitoring platform.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission authorized the North American Electric Reliability Corp., a utility industry group, to require stricter reporting of cybersecurity incidents by power companies. Electric utilities will have to submit reports to the Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center and to the Department of Homeland Security’s Industrial Control Emergency Response Team.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Stressed Out? This Wearable Can Tell
https://www.medicaldesignbriefs.com/component/content/article/mdb/insider/32762?utm_source=TBnewsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=20180808_Medical_Newsletter&eid=376641819&bid=2199285
A stretchy patch, applied directly to the skin, wicks up sweat and assesses how much cortisol — the stress hormone — a person is producing. To see cortisol levels, all a user needs to do is sweat (enough to glisten), apply the patch, and connect it to a device for analysis, which gives results in seconds.
Clinical tests that measure cortisol provide an objective gauge of emotional or physical stress in research subjects and can help doctors tell if a patient’s adrenal or pituitary gland is working properly. If the prototype version of the wearable device becomes a reality, it could allow people with an imbalance to monitor their own levels at home. A fast-working test like this could also reveal the emotional state of young — even non-verbal – children, who might not otherwise be able to communicate that they feel stress.
Tomi Engdahl says:
LEDvance rolls out voice-controlled filament bulbs in Europe
https://www.ledsmagazine.com/articles/2018/07/ledvance-rolls-out-voice-controlled-filament-bulbs-in-europe.html?eid=289644432&bid=2167900
This could go by the name one good niche deserves another: LEDvance, which is believed to be the only provider of voice-dimmable filament LED lamps that work with Apple gear, is now launching the concept in Europe, after having first rolled it out in North America early this year.
Users can command Apple’s Siri voice system to turn the filament lights on, off, brighten, and dim. While Siri can brighten and dim other brands of standard-style LED bulbs, LEDvance claims that no other vendor makes a Siri-dimmable filament LED lamp. Filament LEDs are generally considered more decorative. They mimic a retro incandescent look. Users can also use an app if they don’t wish to speak to their bulbs.
Whether there is a booming market for such a thing is another matter.
LEDvance would not reveal pricing. The German Amazon website lists the filament bulb for €43.99, and other Amazon sites range up to around €59. The same bulb is listing for $34.99 on the US Amazon site, which is $3.00 than the $31.99 that LEDvance announced in the US when it introduced the product late last year, a month or two before making it available.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Home> Tools & Learning> Products> Product Review
Light management systems connect to the cloud to make buildings efficient
https://www.edn.com/electronics-products/electronic-product-reviews/other/4460841/Light-management-systems-connect-to-the-cloud-to-make-buildings-efficient
So, going from LEDs to a more value-added digital service in the IoT with those LEDs, Osram has created solutions for the office, retail, and industrial spaces. Their smart solutions are making buildings more efficient and end-users more productive. Osram now has a cloud platform with innovative SmartWare and software solutions.
All of the existing LED nodes out there in ceilings, live near AC power, with proper bandwidth and communication available; all that is needed is the right sensor array coupled with computational power needed and these nodes will be able to do more than simple light management. Turning lights on and off, occupancy sensing, and scheduling are the easy part of the task. Osram is now adding sensors to the bottom end and cloud connectivity to the top end, which is enabling their light management system to evolve into a true IoT platform.
Instead of just selling lights, systems, and nodes they will be providing software subscriptions for different value-added services.
3-30-300 rule
Osram is looking at the 3-30-300 rule, which essentially states that a 1% change in energy costs can save a company $3 per year per square foot; a 1% change in rent would save $30 per year per square foot; and an improvement in productivity/performance would save $300 per year per square foot. Although these numbers would differ in places such as New York, Tokyo, Silicon Valley, or Idaho, the ratios are pretty much true across the board; that is, energy-to-rent is about 10:1; energy-to-people is also 10:1; people-to-energy is 100:1 ratio.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Flaws in Smart City Systems Can Allow Hackers to Cause Panic
https://www.securityweek.com/flaws-smart-city-systems-can-allow-hackers-cause-panic
Critical vulnerabilities discovered in smart city systems from several vendors can allow malicious actors to perform various actions that could lead to widespread panic, researchers warn.
The world’s major cities are increasingly reliant on smart technologies, including for traffic management, disaster detection and response, and remotely controlling utilities. These systems communicate via protocols such as 4G, ZigBee and Wi-Fi.
Following the recent accidental false missile alert in Hawaii, experts at Threatcare and IBM X-Force Red have decided to join forces and analyze smart city technologies to see if they are affected by any vulnerabilities that could be exploited to intentionally cause panic.
Researchers from the two companies analyzed products from Echelon, Libelium and Battelle. Their tests led to the discovery of 17 previously unknown vulnerabilities across four types of smart city products, including eight security holes described as “critical” and six as “high severity.”
While there is no evidence of malicious attacks exploiting the vulnerabilities found as part of this research project, the companies warned that the risks are significant.
Worryingly, online searches conducted using Shodan and Censys showed that there are tens or hundreds of vulnerable systems accessible directly from the Internet. Some of them have been found to belong to a European country that uses vulnerable devices to detect radiation, and a major U.S. city that relies on them for traffic monitoring.
“According to our logical deductions, if someone, supervillain or not, were to abuse vulnerabilities like the ones we documented in smart city systems, the effects could range from inconvenient to catastrophic,” researchers said.
How to Outsmart the Smart City
https://securityintelligence.com/outsmarting-the-smart-city/
or a tense 38 minutes in January 2018, residents of Hawaii saw the following civil alert message on their mobile devices: “BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.”
This false alarm was eventually attributed to human error, but what if someone intentionally caused panic using these types of systems?
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Importance of Access Control for IoT Devices
https://www.securityweek.com/importance-access-control-iot-devices
With the Right Safeguards in Place, IoT Devices Don’t Have to be Your Network’s Weakest Link
Cybercriminals are actively increasing their focus on IoT devices, with the latest variant of the Hide ‘N Seek malware expanding its focus to include, for the first time, home automation devices. There are two reasons why these devices are so attractive to the criminal community. The first is that these devices are notoriously vulnerable to attack while at the same time being very difficult, if impossible to secure. The second is that most organizations don’t have any way to inventory and track even the traditional devices on their network, let alone hundreds or thousands of new IoT devices.
This double threat of vulnerability plus opportunity and necessity has put many security teams in a bind. IoT devices play an increasingly crucial role in the digital transformation of today’s businesses, enabling them to better compete in today’s expanding marketplace. Yet at the same time, they don’t have the resources necessary to expand their visibility across this new attack surface, especially at the speed of adoption that is taking place—and certainly not with the traditionally isolated security devices they have in place.
Tomi Engdahl says:
How to manage IoT implementations
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/how-to-manage-iot-implementations/6a0eccbeabc2b214080de04a7c5d392b.html?OCVALIDATE=
Evaluating the current state of the organization is key to understanding where and how to start implementing an Internet of Things (IoT) solution.
Because the Internet of Things (IoT) can transform some existing business processes, it is best to take a change management approach to all IoT projects big and small. Working with small projects allows practice for the larger projects that are more complex. A change management approach also helps unearth and address concerns, such as cost, privacy, and/or cybersecurity.
The preferred change-management approach has six stages:
Establish the need to change
Create a coalition
Develop a plan
Communicate, communicate, communicate
Celebrate wins early and often
Reinforce changes.
To identify a problem statement, ask the following questions:
How will the IoT affect your industry?
What are industry peers and leaders doing?
How can the IoT take existing technology investments and business processes to the next level?
Tomi Engdahl says:
Importance of IIoT safety and connectivity
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/importance-of-iiot-safety-and-connectivity/56edd99eb3e99df9b0d1e42802312408.html?OCVALIDATE=
Cybersecurity can make or break a manufacturing enterprise with the advent of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and can have a major effect on safety systems, which are often considered the last line of defense for a manufacturing company.
Increased connectivity across any manufacturing enterprise, from the oil and gas industry all the way to making buttons for a clothing line, has the potential to hike business intelligence, productivity and profitability.
The catch is, though, with the coming age of that hike in connectivity, better known as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), cybersecurity becomes a huge factor that can make or break a manufacturing enterprise. Add in the potential for an increased attack surface with more Internet-connected devices and not only do automation systems face turbulent waters, but so does the last line of defense: Safety systems.
As the attack against a Saudi Arabian gas facility that occurred in August 2017 showed, a connected system linked to a safety system has the potential to fall victim if there is a lack of proper cybersecurity practices, policies and procedures.
Ample connectivity
With the forecasted increase in connected things of almost 250 percent by 2020, there is no doubt that safely managing connectivity will increasingly be the focus for any manufacturing facility.
“The more information you extract from devices in the field, the better you can manage your system and be armed with information to deal with potential issues before they become an incident,” Grone said. “Getting the information from the field and being able to act on it lets you operate the plant in a safer fashion, provided you’ve recognized the potential vulnerabilities these increasingly connected devices bring, and you have a comprehensive plan in place to mitigate and manage these.”
Along those lines, the opposite is true: Not having a solid cybersecurity program could stall the growth of IIoT and the potential benefits of increased productivity and reduced costs, which are goals of manufacturers today.
“Unless we adequately address cybersecurity, I don’t see any IIoT in a high criticality environment, but on the reverse, maybe 90% of processes are not critical,” said Yusuf Kapadia, principal technical safety consultant, safety systems portfolio at Schneider Electric. “So, something in an organization that produces specific components in the multi-millions in a day, these industries are very much Internet-connected and have produced massive amount of improvement in terms of throughput in profitability. Oil and gas is a different thing though, almost everything falls under a high criticality environment.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Hardware-Based Security will Supplant Software in Near Future
https://www.eeweb.com/profile/loucovey/articles/hardware-based-security-will-supplant-software-in-near-future
Today’s cyber security is like a bucket with hundreds of holes, and each software solution is a patch to a single hole. We don’t need more patches; we need a new bucket!
An announcement from Dover Microsystems and NXP may spell doom to many software-based security technologies in the foreseeable future.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Teardown: Inside the Otii Arc IoT Energy Optimizer
https://www.electronicdesign.com/power/teardown-inside-otii-arc-iot-energy-optimizer?NL=ED-003&Issue=ED-003_20180727_ED-003_175&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_2_b&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=18884&utm_medium=email&elq2=d6455568720e483da21dc1a977f9464c
Built by developers, for developers, Qoitech’s Otii Arc tackles the ultimate problem of optimizing energy use in low-power IoT designs. Here’s how they put it together.
When a small team made up of Sony and Ericsson developers were working on low-power Internet of Things (IoT) designs, they noticed that the problems they faced when optimizing power consumption were shared by their customers. Once the problems were solved, they packaged the solution, formed Qoitech (as part of Sony), and launched the Otii Arc, an energy-optimization tool that shows exactly where and how energy is being consumed so a design can be optimized.
Designed for developers, by developers, the Otii Arc is now the subject of this special Electronic Design teardown, conducted in partnership with DAC 2018.
Tomi Engdahl says:
How digitalization helps machine tool builders
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/how-digitalization-helps-machine-tool-builders/6bcfa1ff1e8e661d3346b6b508e6ed3f.html?OCVALIDATE=
Inside machines and embedded systems: New technologies will drive the digital factory of the future inside a machine in three ways. Greater efficiency and reliability will add value; new services will add revenue.
Machine tool builders have seen a lot of information about the emerging concept of digitalization. Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) engineering and management teams can view this technology and its impact in three ways as it shapes future production and sales processes. Digitalization will help:
As a viable means of building a more effective, more reliable, and more predictable machine from the design phase through the machine’s lifecycle;
Add definable value, as machine tool builders offer better ways to present their value proposition to customers;
Create new business models for machine tools use, as digitalization demonstrates to customers what they can do with data and how better to position the machine’s value to customers to sell more services, optimize machine uptime, and track the performance of equipment in the field, all of which lead to improving the customer machine experiences.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Motion control standards drive IIoT
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/motion-control-standards-drive-iiot/fa501cec423ee22135d890d07c966a86.html?OCVALIDATE=
Among the most important standards for industrial motion control are open networking standards for interoperable communications, but don’t overlook the importance of standard naming conventions to ease system integration and promote Industrial Internet of Things and similar initiatives.
In a more connected world, machine builders and end users are finding that the digital part of “intelligent” machines is increasingly more complex and challenging to handle. Industry trends focus on topics like modular connected machines, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), plug-and-produce, digital twins, digital factory, and others. The development of motion control applications, as well as the industry itself, is changing rapidly.
To be successful in the quickly evolving future of machine building, and meet the growing expectations of manufacturers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) face challenges of standardized communication and interoperability.
End users are buying machines from different machine manufacturers and therefore dealing with different controls platforms, different field buses, and related industrial networking issues. Since all these machines need to be connected to each other to build a machine line, they also should be connected to the cloud.
When a company buys a machine from OEM A and another machine from OEM B, the expectation is that the machines should easily talk to each other-without requiring a lot of engineering to make communication possible. For the end users and machine builders, smart industrial networking leads to an efficient and speedy implementation and facilitates data-based operational optimizations.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Machine vision’s role in the IIoT
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/machine-vision-s-role-in-the-iiot/7dea2ea3d59c2633bb38e2a319196754.html?OCVALIDATE=
Many manufacturers are striving to implement Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) capabilities in their facilities, and machine vision is playing a big role in this.
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) describes a factory environment where machines of all types are constantly connected, monitoring and transmitting performance data for non-stop optimization and seamless production. Many manufacturers are striving to implement IIoT capabilities in their facilities piece by piece and machine vision is playing a big role in this.
While we may be several years away from the full potential of IIoT, early applications are showing signs of promise. Many different factors have arisen that impact the adoption of machine vision for IIoT, but there are challenges too.
Challenges to machine vision in IIoT
The IIoT demands that any operation can be monitored, analyzed and controlled from anywhere on the globe, making bandwidth and latency major machine vision issues in IIoT implementation. Hardware, software and communications interfaces that can handle these tasks are expensive and difficult to implement.
Also, as more and more connected machine vision systems are introduced in the factory environment, the cyber security risks rise exponentially. Connected devices increase the number of entry points for hackers and can mitigate any gains made from IIoT implementation.
Factors driving machine vision adoption for IIoT
Tomi Engdahl says:
Integrating IIoT equipment into manufacturing systems
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/integrating-iiot-equipment-into-manufacturing-systems/1e9f1a53b93d9b8b5ff1eadf0cfc4737.html?OCVALIDATE=
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) equipment should be integrated even into older manufacturing systems to optimize facility and system operations. Think you’re using IIoT technologies? Are you adding sensors in 12 steps or 6 steps?
Adding sensors in 12 steps
For example, if a proximity switch was going to be added to a manufacturing line to count the number of units produced, the process would include the following steps:
Identify the need
Define requirements and specify hardware and cabling
Identify an open contact on a digital input module or add an expensive high-speed counting module, depending on speed requirements and engineering in step one
Purchase the sensor
Mechanically install the proximity switch
Wait for downtime on production systems
Add a new module to the programmable logic controller (PLC) rack, if needed
Run wire from the proximity switch to the input module
Modify the PLC program to execute logic based on the new functionality to count pulses and identify when the counter will roll over to avoid an overflow situation
Test the PLC program logic
Create a human-machine interface (HMI) display to use production counts, or configure a historian to log production counts
Optionally, take additional steps to tie the new counter into higher level manufacturing execution system (MES)/line performance system to capture overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
Adding sensors in 6 steps
Now, let’s compare this process with a modern IIoT implementation process:
Identify the need
Purchase the IIoT device and sensor
Mechanically install the proximity switch
Connect the IIoT device to a wireless network, hardwired ethernet, or purchase the IIoT device with onboard 2g/3g connectivity already activated
Plug into 120 v or 24 vdc power
Create an account in the cloud web application
Done. No engineering. No coding. Just plug-and-play. Personnel can walk down to the plant floor from the boardroom and have a wealth of collected data within an hour. Data may include being able to count parts, display and trend, downtime metrics. Added capabilities may include access to downtime metrics, mean time between failures (MTBF), mean time to repair (MTTR), OEE, and other analytics.
For example, if a worker were to place an internet browser window near the line, stop causes would be received that were selected by a prepopulated list from the operator, allowing the worker to analyze production stoppages. The total cost for this would be approximately $150 per month, per sensor, with unlimited users-a cost that would report a big return on investment.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IIoT: Connecting industrial intelligence
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/iiot-connecting-industrial-intelligence/118641f7657ce25880531af689af3d51.html?OCVALIDATE=
Industrial internet can help operations and production be intelligent, high-efficiency, and flexible. Industrial network cybersecurity can help protect the industrial control system (ICS). Tools are available to enhance interoperability of real-time data transmission.
Industrial internet is divided into three systems.
1. The network system is the foundation.
2. The platform system is the core.
3. The safety system is the guarantee.
Focus: Industrial network safety
Industrial network safety can help protect the industrial control system (ICS), according to Zhang Hanyi, the manager of the application engineering team of Belden Hirschmann APAC. He said the frequency and focus of network ICS attacks has “continuously increased, and its complexity is also continuously improved.” A great deal of relevant ICS knowledge is available on the internet.
Zhang Hanyi stressed insiders may attack more easily than external specialized hackers. The greatest threat comes from incorrect human operations or equipment failure. Focus should extend beyond hackers to mean time between failures and factory reliability. It’s not enough to deploy a fireproof wall at the boundary of network; zones of protection are required for deeper protection. He said network safety is a journey; not a destination.
Data is the basis of everything
Deputy manager of Beijing NE-net Technology Co. Ltd., Chen Qiang, said, “Only the combination of intelligent factory and industrial internet can realize intelligent manufacturing; in this process, data collection is the basis for everything.” Data modeling is the core of data processing to ensure data time-stamping in context. Consider a flexible topological structure, Ethernet bus technology, time synchronization and distribution methods, and dual-channel technology for greater data collection effectiveness.
OPC UA and IEEE TSN
Zhou Shenyang, expert in the Industrial Internet of Things Group of B&R Automation (China) Co. Ltd., said, “Enterprises should put efficiency first to realize intelligent manufacturing. End users need to carry out predictive asset management; production simulation; minimize operation risk; maximize asset utilization ratio; minimize unplanned crash; improve the manufacturing, planning and debugging of new factories; and adjust production according to customer demands.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Internet of Things is Making Smart Cities Happen
https://iconsofinfrastructure.com/the-internet-of-things-is-making-smart-cities-happen/?NL=ED-004&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_2_b
IoT technologies like Bluetooth (the most popular choice) are finding their way into smart city projects, from traffic monitoring and control to Internet-enabled trash cans.
Large towns, municipalities and other urban areas are becoming smart cities by taking advantage of the benefits of the Internet of Things. IoT technology offers the advantages of communications, convenience, efficiency and energy savings that can enhance any city. But it requires adding to the infrastructure. IoT has already been deployed in the infrastructure of some progressive cities but there is much more possible. Smart cities help citizens as well as the cities in multiple ways. Some cities are investing for the benefits rather than any expected return on investment (ROI).
Tomi Engdahl says:
Comparing conventional and sustainable safety instrumented systems
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/comparing-conventional-and-sustainable-safety-instrumented-systems/529a6ee1d7534e654f50b786b83feab6.html?OCVALIDATE=
A sustainable safety instrumented system (SIS) is more open than a conventional SIS and are more accessible to process plant personnel while providing opportunities for continuous feedback and improvement.
Sustainable SIS elements
A sustainable SIS provides a holistic approach and allows end users to retake ownership of the process safety environment by making it comprehensible, manageable, compliant, and secure-thereby allowing the process plant to focus on its core business. A sustainable SIS helps achieve optimum plant safety and provides peace of mind during the project realization and operational phases. A sustainable SIS consists of several elements designed to improve safety on the plant floor including a safety application securing solution, safety performance monitoring solution, and safety logic solver (Figure 2).
Safety application securing solution: This allows the safety application to be easily maintained at the required level throughout the plant lifecycle in accordance with functional safety standards International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61508: Functional Safety and IEC 61511: Safety instrumented systems for the process industry sector.
Safety performance monitoring solution: This provides SPIs for a SIS and other independent protection layers connected to the distributed control system (DCS). It also provides compliance with current safety standards, which periodically require an assessment of the actual safety performance of a process against the designed performance target, and verification of plant safety when a safety function is bypassed.
Safety logic solver: This detects hazards in safety equipment. For example, TÜV Rheinland for can certify some safety logic solvers up to safety integrity level (SIL) 3 safety functions in accordance with IEC 61508, and by Exida for ISASecure EDSA Level 1 cybersecurity.
Advantages of a sustainable SIS for plant personnel
A sustainable SIS provides a better process by addressing the issues found when using conventional SIS (Figure 3). A sustainable SIS provides automation to manage safety applications and process data.
A sustainable SIS provides more accessible and user-friendly interfaces that can be understood, configured, and managed by a wider group of personnel—thereby reducing dependency on a few well-trained and experienced engineers. The key features are the improved visualization of the process behavior in the event of a fault (Figure 4), automated trip analysis, and risk mitigation actions.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Process controls: More with less
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/process-controls-more-with-less/567aee6e8f11a02d0410d37f942ddfcf.html?OCVALIDATE=
Next-generation benefits
Urso discussed 10 benefits of next-generation technology below.
1. An operator may notice an issue, and ramp down a process a bit to assess what’s happening. With a heat-exchanger problem, one option might be to bring the process down immediately or run at a lower capacity until repairs can be made. New systems may predict when issues might happen earlier, allowing more preparation, better timing, and less downtime.
2. With implementation of a digital twin and augmented reality (AR) simulations, those doing repairs or upgrades can train and optimize their performance prior to doing the work. Technicians can avoid efficiency struggles in recalling how a procedure is performed when it has not been performed for six months or longer.
3. AR enhances safety. A technician can verify if a pipe is in a safe condition (empty) prior to cutting into it.
4. A process controls vendor detected increased network traffic because of a malfunction in third-party hardware before it caused a denial of service outage from network saturation.
5. Close monitoring of burner performance can result in energy efficiency and lower emissions.
6. Flowmeters used for custody transfer can maintain accuracy for a longer period of time.
7. Intelligent wearables can empower field operators or technicians with process knowledge far beyond what a clipboard and radio connections to the control room could do. Operators can perform more efficiently and safely with hands-free wearable mobile computers built into their helmets, certified for use in process areas.
8. Extracting the software from a safety logic solver allows hardware to run independently in the cloud to check all logic, appropriate to the application, prior to installation.
9. Multiple layers of cybersecurity have extended protection, taking malware threats such as Triton and others seriously.
Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media. Courtesy: CFE Media10. New batch offerings include new visualization capabilities, quickly showing differentiation from a normal or an ideal asset. It includes a greater ability to see the impact of how decisions now will affect future batches based on future equipment use. It gives operators a clearer view of downstream implications, that is, what traffic jams could result from changes now.
Think again and dispel old notions of old-school process controls. Initiatives and introductions like these embrace the best of Industrial Internet of Things and the fourth industrial revolution, Industrie 4.0 efforts.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Six best practices for implementing and securing IIoT products
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/six-best-practices-for-implementing-and-securing-iiot-products/7c679f4159ef16d7a6b88d5dc8f4d508.html?OCVALIDATE=
The practice of “securing by design” can help companies protect against potential cyber attacks on Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) products.
Follow this six-point checklist for basic security when implementing IIoT products. These items need to be considered at the start of the planning process to help identify and counter potential IIoT threats:
1. Secure interfaces: Insecure interfaces can result in data manipulation, loss, or corruption; lack of accountability; denial of access; or complete device takeover.
2. Update software and firmware regularly: It is crucial IIoT devices perform updates regularly to protect against the latest threats, and that cryptographic checks are implemented to ensure updates come from a trusted source.
3. Control access: Strong passwords, the protection of credentials, and separation of roles must be ensured to prevent compromising a device or a user account.
4. Secure the network: Only necessary ports should be available and exposed. Insecure network services may be susceptible to a variety of attacks, including denial of service (DoS), which renders a device inaccessible.
5. Eliminate backdoors: No IIoT device should have undocumented backdoors or hidden functions that an attacker could exploit.
6. Configure for security: Attackers often exploit a lack of granular permissions to access data or controls. Security hardening, encryption of data in transit, and logging security events can counter this risk.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Smarter energy monitoring with predictive maintenance, IoT solutions
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/smarter-energy-monitoring-with-predictive-maintenance-iot-solutions/f553e37ac6b41dfd1457c72248ebc53d.html?OCVALIDATE=
Advanced power measurement is in widespread use in controls engineering to save energy and classify machine behaviors by using predictive maintenance and Internet of Things (IoT) tools to reduce costs and boost operating efficiency of equipment.
Advanced power measurement is being used more frequently in controls engineering to tackle critical manufacturing challenges such as discovering ways to save energy, reducing peak loads, analyzing and classifying machine behaviors, and locating and dealing with energy hogs.
EtherCAT in power monitoring applications
I/O products based on the EtherCAT industrial Ethernet protocol offer particular advantages for power measurement and predictive maintenance applications. Depending on the application, it is important to determine what energy-related information is needed, such as voltage, power quality, and harmonics. Another consideration centers around IoT. Many engineers are looking for more information to implement predictive maintenance.
For such applications, entry-level measurement terminals with basic measurement features can be helpful. Every machine can have one low-cost terminal to measure voltage, current, and power, and send the data from an EtherCAT network to a local or cloud database. If plant personnel see changes in the measured value, they know exactly which machine needs maintenance based on the measurements and on diagnostic features in EtherCAT, which enable highly localized identification of time-based events in machines and equipment.
For applications where the need for power measurement is based on lowering the total production cost, a measurement terminal with more built-in features will be more helpful. There are 3-phase power measurement terminals with extended functionality that offer a wide range of additional features for mains analysis and energy management. Specifically, these can be used to measure harmonics, total harmonic distortion (THD), frequency, and power factor.
All measured currents and voltages are available as root-mean-square (RMS) values and the effective power and energy consumption for each phase can be calculated. The RMS values of voltage, U, and current, I, as well as the active power, P, apparent power, S, reactive power, Q, frequency, f, phase shift angle, cos φ, and harmonic are available to the user. Extended measurement terminals also can offer a very high measurement range, up to 690 V ac, 5A.
It is possible to monitor numerous channels simultaneously with a temporal resolution of up to 100 µs using the EtherCAT oversampling principle. Perhaps on the highest end of performance for I/O terminal-based power monitoring, compact variants are available that deliver an error maximum of 0.2% at 20 kilosamples per second (kSps) or 0.5% at 10 kSps. A standard PC-based control system has sufficient computing power for true RMS or performance calculation and complex custom algorithms based on the measured voltages and currents.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Digital twin AIs designed to learn at the edge
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/digital-twin-ais-designed-to-learn-at-the-edge/8e321e6ad54fd763ddcf50f39c8deb19.html?OCVALIDATE=
Artificial intelligence (AI) startup SWIM is aiming to democratize both AI and digital twin technologies by placing them at the edge without the need for large-scale number-crunching as well as making it affordable.
Twin management
Gartner views digital twins as one of the top strategic enterprise trends in 2018. However, a key challenge is how enterprises can implement the technology, given their investments in legacy assets.
SWIM believes limited skill sets in streaming analytics, coupled with an often poor understanding of the assets that generate data within complex IoT systems, make deploying digital twins too complex for some. Meanwhile, the prohibitive cost of some digital twin infrastructures puts other organizations off.
“Digital twins need to be created based on detailed understanding of how the assets they represent perform, and they need to be paired with their real-world siblings to be useful to stakeholders on the front line,” said SWIM in a statement. “Who will operate and manage digital twins? Where will the supporting infrastructure run? How can digital twins be married with enterprise resource planning (ERP) and other applications, and how can the technology be made useful for agile business decisions?”
The company claims SWIM EDX addresses these challenges by enabling any organization with lots of data to create digital twins that learn from the real world continuously, and to do so easily, affordably, and automatically.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Six future trends in robotic automation
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/six-future-trends-in-robotic-automation/0cdd835a36c1fa31cd582c36d62ed65b.html?OCVALIDATE=
1. Further adoption of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technology
2. Industrial cybersecurity as a priority
3. Big Data analysis will become a competitive differentiator
4. Open automation architectures will be implemented
5. Virtual solutions will invade physical processes
6. Collaborative robots will continue to grow in popularity
Tomi Engdahl says:
Multiprotocol Powerline Modem IC Cuts Worldwide Time-to-Market
https://www.powerelectronics.com/power-management/multiprotocol-powerline-modem-ic-cuts-worldwide-time-market?NL=ED-003&Issue=ED-003_20180712_ED-003_603&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_2_b&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=18553&utm_medium=email&elq2=d29f562994694f2893b9fa6a721af698
Microchip’s PL360B IC takes advantage of the powerline wired communications medium, which is effective for energy-management and smart-grid connectivity.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Smart Building Automation with Avnet & Molex
https://www.avnet.com/wps/portal/us/products/technology-solutions/home-and-building-automation/antennas-avnet-molex/?cmp=GLOBAL-AMER-MOLEX-221-CONNECTEDHOME-TPM-RR-ED-ENEMONITOR-EBLAST-201804
Research shows nearly 2 out of 3 people (62%) say security is among the top benefits of home automation. Makes sense, considering 60% of burglars steer clear of smart homes with security systems. But how does smart home security really work?
While antennas play a role, smart homes are built on a host of other components that help bring the Internet of Things to a consumer’s front door—and all around the house, too. From wire-to-wire connectors for efficient secure lighting applications to microSD memory cards that help power car navigation, CCTV and cameras, there are a variety of I/O and micro products to help get smart home projects to market:
Tomi Engdahl says:
These Smart Walls Can’t Talk, But They Definitely Can See
https://www.electronicdesign.com/analog/these-smart-walls-can-t-talk-they-definitely-can-see?NL=ED-003&Issue=ED-003_20180718_ED-003_771&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_1_b&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=18701&utm_medium=email&elq2=359b0446371a44beb9754a99fd20f605
Using layers of conductive paint in unique patterns, a research team transformed a wall into a wide-area capacitive sensor and an EM-field sensor.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Surprise, no one buys things via Alexa
https://techcrunch.com/2018/08/06/surprise-no-one-buys-things-via-alexa/
Some numbers published in a report from The Information reveal that very few owners of Alexa-powered devices use them for shopping. Of about 50 million Alexa users, only about 100,000 reportedly bought something via voice interface more than once. It’s not exactly surprising, but it may still harm the narrative of conversational commerce that Amazon and others are trying to advance.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Black Hat Exclusive Video: The IoT Security Threat Looms for Enterprises
https://threatpost.com/black-hat-exclusive-video-the-iot-security-threat-looms-for-enterprises/134991/
Armis’ CTO discusses the top IoT security issues in the marketplace today – and whether device manufacturers will start to prioritize security.
IoT devices are everywhere – from connected smart-home gadgets to industrial IoT systems. And it’s not stopping anytime soon – consumer IoT spending is set to reach $62 billion in 2018, making it the fourth largest industry segment, according to market research firm IDC.
Many of these IoT devices are not secure, opening victims up to threats like DDoS attacks, privacy concerns and, in the worst case, even industrial-level disasters
Tomi Engdahl says:
Time for a tougher tablet
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/time-for-a-tougher-tablet/ebcf762bd0343e5517ce3d6b63cd69da.html?OCVALIDATE=
Industrial-grade mobile devices are needed for harsh environments to make the most of the data being harvested by the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).
Tomi Engdahl says:
Integrating IIoT equipment into manufacturing systems
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/integrating-iiot-equipment-into-manufacturing-systems/1e9f1a53b93d9b8b5ff1eadf0cfc4737.html?OCVALIDATE=
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) equipment should be integrated even into older manufacturing systems to optimize facility and system operations. Think you’re using IIoT technologies? Are you adding sensors in 12 steps or 6 steps?
Adding sensors in 6 steps
Now, let’s compare this process with a modern IIoT implementation process:
Identify the need
Purchase the IIoT device and sensor
Mechanically install the proximity switch
Connect the IIoT device to a wireless network, hardwired ethernet, or purchase the IIoT device with onboard 2g/3g connectivity already activated
Plug into 120 v or 24 vdc power
Create an account in the cloud web application
Tomi Engdahl says:
IIoT: Connecting industrial intelligence
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/iiot-connecting-industrial-intelligence/118641f7657ce25880531af689af3d51.html?OCVALIDATE=
Industrial internet can help operations and production be intelligent, high-efficiency, and flexible. Industrial network cybersecurity can help protect the industrial control system (ICS). Tools are available to enhance interoperability of real-time data transmission.
Industrial internet is divided into three systems.
1. The network system is the foundation.
2. The platform system is the core.
3. The safety system is the guarantee.
he 4th industrial revolution uses transparent intelligence throughout production and manufacturing, from sensor to big data, to realize data management and services from the equipment level, control level, operation level, and enterprise level.
Focus: Industrial network safety
Industrial network safety can help protect the industrial control system (ICS), according to Zhang Hanyi, the manager of the application engineering team of Belden Hirschmann APAC. He said the frequency and focus of network ICS attacks has “continuously increased, and its complexity is also continuously improved.” A great deal of relevant ICS knowledge is available on the internet.
Zhang Hanyi stressed insiders may attack more easily than external specialized hackers. The greatest threat comes from incorrect human operations or equipment failure. Focus should extend beyond hackers to mean time between failures and factory reliability. It’s not enough to deploy a fireproof wall at the boundary of network; zones of protection are required for deeper protection. He said network safety is a journey; not a destination.
Data is the basis of everything
Deputy manager of Beijing NE-net Technology Co. Ltd., Chen Qiang, said, “Only the combination of intelligent factory and industrial internet can realize intelligent manufacturing; in this process, data collection is the basis for everything.”
OPC UA and IEEE TSN
Because of different media, bus technology protocols, and different application layers of Ethernet technology, there is no way to realize interoperability of bus technology and transmission of cyclical and non-cyclical data in one channel among Ethernet protocols. This challenges real-time internet connections. Using OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) with IEEE TSN (Time Sensitive Network) can solve that challenge. Combing both can make cyclical data transmission and non-temporal harsh data available for transmission in the same physical layer. Since modern production line networks increasingly depend on a gigabit network or higher, this combination resolves network bandwidth bottlenecks (including conventional fieldbus and megabit Ethernet).
Tomi Engdahl says:
Process controls: More with less
https://www.controleng.com/single-article/process-controls-more-with-less/567aee6e8f11a02d0410d37f942ddfcf.html?OCVALIDATE=
Process controls and instrumentation need to be more intuitive with more integrated intelligence, and they are, out of necessity, because of retiring talent with too few replacements. Three improvements and 10 benefits of next-generation technology are highlighted.
tandards, longevity, connectivity
In the past, projects were heavily customized, which drove up risk and cost. Three ways that has improved today are with:
A. Project standardization. Moving away from customization allows project execution in less time with lower risk.
B. Infinite longevity. System upgrades are in place so that no rip and replace efforts are needed for upgrades, which dramatically alters lifecycle costs. Systems have lasted 40 to 50 years in some cases, creating parts obsolescence. Customers have sought ways to upgrade in place so they never worry about a “rip and replace” scenario. This protects customer intellectual property (IP) in the system while providing new capabilities.
C. Connecting data to knowledge. Making knowledge more uniform and accessible to those who need it when they need it. Every person needs to access the world’s best knowledge to maximize production, improve equipment reliability, and efficiency for personnel.
With universal input and output (I/O) connections, and project execution in the cloud, using software emulation allows a 40-year-old platform to be run on any hardware.