Critical (Outdoor) IoT Applications Need Robust Connectivity
It’s safe to assume that the majority of all Internet of Things (IoT) devices operate near large populations of people. Of course, right? This is where the action happens – smart devices, smart cars, smart infrastructure, smart cities, etc. Plus, the cost of getting “internet-connected” in these areas is relatively low – public access to Wi-Fi is becoming widely available, cellular coverage is blanketed over cities, etc. But what about the devices out in the middle of nowhere? The industrial technology that integrates and communicates with heavy machinery that isn’t always “IP connected,” operating in locations not only hard to reach, but often exposed harsh weather. The fact remains, this is where IoT connectivity is potentially most challenging to enable, but also perhaps the most important to have. Why? Because these numerous assets help deliver the lifeblood for our critical infrastructures – electricity, water, energy, etc. Without these legacy and geographically dispersed machines, a smart world may never exist. But let’s back up for a second and squash any misconceptions about the “industrial” connectivity picture we’re painting above. Take this excerpt from Varun Nagaraj in a past O’Reilly Radar article: “… unlike most consumer IoT scenarios, which involve digital devices that already have IP support built in or that can be IP enabled easily, typical IIoT scenarios involve pre-IP legacy devices. And unfortunately, IP enablement isn’t free. Industrial device owners need a direct economic benefit to justify IP enabling their non-IP devices. Alternatively, they need a way to gain the benefits of IP without giving up their investments in their existing industrial devices — that is, without stranding these valuable industrial assets. Rather than seeing industrial device owners as barriers to progress, we should be looking for ways to help industrial devices become as connected as appropriate — for example, for improved peer-to-peer operation and to contribute their important small data to the larger big-data picture of the IoT.” It sounds like the opportunity ahead for the industrial IoT is to provide industrial devices and machines with an easy migration path to internet connectivity by creatively addressing its constraints (outdated protocols, legacy equipment, the need for both wired and wireless connections, etc.) and enabling new abilities for the organization. Let’s look at an example of how this industrial IoT transformation is happening. Voice, Video, Data & Sensors Imagine you are a technician from a power plant in an developing part of the world with lots of desert terrain. The company you work for provides power to an entire region of people, which is difficult considering the power plant location is in an extremely remote location facing constant sand blasts and extreme temperatures. The reliance your company places on the industrial devices being used to monitor and control all facets of the power plant itself is paramount. If they fail, the plant fails and your customers are without power. This is where reliable, outdoor IoT connectivity is a must: With a plethora of machinery and personnel onsite, you need a self-healing Wi-Fi mesh network over the entire power plant so that internet connections aren’t lost mid-operation. Because the traditional phone-line system doesn’t extend to the remote location of the power plant, and cell coverage is weak, the company requires Voice over IP (VoIP) communications. Also, because there’s no physical hardware involved, personnel never needs to worry about maintenance, repairs or upgrades. The company wants to ensure no malfeasance takes place onsite, especially due to the mission-critical nature of the power plant. Therefore, security camera control and video transport is required back to a central monitoring center. Power plants require cooling applications to ensure the integrity and safety of the power generation taking place. The company requires Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) networking for monitoring the quality of the inbound water being used to cool the equipment. The company wants to provide visibility to its customers in how much energy they are consuming. This requires Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) backhaul networking to help manage the energy consumption taking place within the smart grid. Since the power plant is in a remote location, there is only one tiny village nearby being used by the families and workers at the power plant. The company wants to provide a
Drone Innovation: Supporting 2016 and Beyond
Drones are an interesting case study in the technology maturation process. Previously only available for military and defense applications, drone use have spread through the industrial and consumer markets faster than nearly anyone, especially the FAA, was prepared for. Despite the regulatory issues that have accompanied this growth, users are finding increasingly innovative and creative applications for the technology. This week, we’ve looked around for drone applications that really caught our eye for the potential long-term implications to the respective industries. Of course, for every example we’ve found, there are hundreds more. Let us know which applications you find most interesting! In case you need a recap, Donald Bell, with CNET highlights five industries that will be dramatically changed by drone use. Now that you are caught up on basics, check out the way drones are poised to save lives in remote areas of Malawi. The biggest problem with testing children in remote areas is the cost to get to the remote area and the time it takes to receive the tests back at a lab for testing. If Malawi is able to substitute drones for the courier service, they will save valuable time and be able to start treating. The Guardian reports that “Working with the government, Unicef is considering using drones to transport medical tests and blood samples from rural clinics to laboratories, avoiding the rutted roads that make even short journeys uncomfortable and unpredictable, partly because of fuel costs and a lack of motorbike drivers.” Drones can save lives, but can they also help us improve the experience on the links? Golf just got a whole lot more interesting in Japan! A new company has created a drone that with one click of your smart phone will bring you more golf balls or a refreshing beverage. What will drones do next? If your answer is, “finally make some of Batman’s crazy tools work in real life,” you would not be far off. Check out this footage from New Scientist of a drone mimic the flexible wings of a bat. Perhaps it’s simply a matter of time before we can strap on our utility belts and batwings and save the world… On the industrial side of things, drones are being used to gather data and infrastructure-related inspections, like bridges. The benefits for this project are twofold: drones could reduce the number of humans needed for the job, and they can also make the job safer by inspecting the more dangerous sections of the bridge. The Minnesota Department of Transportation has also tested the viability of drones for bridge inspections. It’s certainly a viable option that can translate across many industrial applications. Finally, what kind of society would we be if we didn’t begin to prepare our drones for the inevitable future of light sabers and hand-to-hand combat? All jokes aside, teaching drones to have this kind of reaction time to obstacles mid-flight could mean a step forward in some of the concerns about the use of drones in airspaces. For now, though, let’s appreciate this drone-turned-sword-evader. What else is out there? Let us know what you’ve seen around the world with drone applications!
Lifeguards Use Drones?
By Patrick Lazar, VP of Engineering at FreeWave Technologies Drones have actually been around for quite some time, even though the recent “lift-off” of commercial applications has vaulted the technology further into the spotlight. I’ve started seeing some incredible uses of the technology and how not only businesses will benefit, but people as well. For example, lifeguards and emergency responders have started flying drones as another means to quickly assist swimmers in trouble. By dropping a life jacket as soon as possible, distressed swimmers can get assistance quickly while further assistance is in pursuit of reaching the swimmer in the water. In the same vein, another reason lifeguards are flying drones is to identify and monitor other threats to beachgoers such as sharks. This will lead into drones enabling automatic warning systems when sharks get closer to the swim zones, and warn lifeguards to deploy means to both repel sharks and notify others in the surrounding area. My Take: Dropping life preservers are the most natural use case that comes into mind. However, once the use cases start being thought through with detection, prevention and lifesaving goals, a more intelligent system will be needed to sense events, deploy drones to assist, audible two way communication to help victims all the way through to safety, alert authorities to bring needed medical help to the closest recovery location and of course, warning other population nearby to prevent others falling victim to the same conditions. In all these cases, visual, audio, sensor info, command and control information must be sent back and forth to the drone, which will require reliable, long range communications. Furthermore, the payloads of these communication devices must be light/small enough to not affect the drones performance.
Robots Will Steal Your Future Paychecks
We’ve spent many words on this blog talking through new Industrial IoT technologies, hardware and software, and the way that the status quo has shifted to demand better connectivity, smarter infrastructure, and better access to real-time data across the spectrum. Where we haven’t spent much time is considering the economic impact these technologies will have on the average person. Without looking too far into the future, we can already see the impact of a more automated workforce. With that in mind, and on top of all our other daily worries, do we need to be worried about robots stealing our paychecks in the future? Eric Brynjolfsson, recently presented a TED Talk about this very topic, but unlike the sci-fi fear mongers, Eric had a different approach. Brynjolfsson suggests we stop trying to compete with machines and focus in on how they can complement our work-life. It’s true today it takes less people to get the job done. This shift to automation is forcing companies to rethink infrastructure and think more about speed, efficiency and overall time. This isn’t the time to reinvent the wheel, it’s time to think about how that wheel can be tweaked to operate more smoothly and consistently over time. Now, before you let your imagination run wild of a robot powered world, that will be lucky to be apart of, take a moment and watch Brynjolfsson’s TED Talk. Not to worry there is still hope, you may not have to hand over your paychecks to tomorrow’s robots, just yet!
First Responders: Saving Lives, Time and Money Through Innovation
How the Internet of Things is Changing the Landscape for First Responders and Industry According to the National Fire Protection Association, in 2013 there were 369,500 home fires causing some $6.8 billion in damages1 — plus an additional 98,000 apartment structure fires contributing an additional $1.6 billion in losses2. A frightening picture, isn’t it? The numbers are staggering — and yet innovation for emergency responders at both a local and national has not been a priority. The Internet of Things (IoT) aims to change that. Companies are now exploring how IoT technology can disrupt the way emergency responders do their jobs, saving countless lives and millions of dollars in the process. The IoT also holds immense promise for industrial applications, which often take place in remote locations where connectivity and communication platforms are rarely available. The IoT is a vast world, enabling the physical world to communicate with the digital world in new and amazing ways. But thanks to innovations fueled by companies focused on industrial, military, and government applications, we can traverse beyond a network of connected thermostats and smart TVs into an environment where first responders, industrial crews, and our military can communicate and receive critical information in real time. An example of technology that is changing the world of emergency responders as well as industries like Oil and Gas, the Military, and Utilities are ruggedized, industrial shorthaul and Wi-Fi platforms that offer secure collection, control and transport of Voice, Video, Data and Sensor information at incredible speeds. So what does this mean for the industries mentioned above? Imagine first responders being enabled to pull up building plans and architectural details as they arrive on scene. Structural notes are delivered at incredible speeds, giving the emergency responders valuable insight into stairway and fire escape placements and potential danger zones. Communication between police, fire crews and ambulance drivers is streamlined — delivered at blazing fast speeds. In other situations, police can access vehicle databases or hospital services, preserving precious minutes than can mean the difference between life and death. For industrial applications, the IoT holds promise for new levels of connectivity — enabling crews to access and consume information at a moment’s notice. This means workers can collect and transmit important data quickly and securely — even in harsh conditions. Beyond connectivity, the Internet of Things also holds massive promise for the monitoring of emergency responders and industrial crews in the field. Critical sensor data — such as oxygen levels, body and ambient temperature, heart rate and more — can be viewed in real time, giving the ability to monitor the vitals of emergency responders and workers in an instant and watch for danger signs and track bio data in the field. This data can be logged and analyzed, fueling innovation that will help keep these employees safe. The IoT is a vast and ever-growing field — and it holds incredible promise for making our cities a better and safer place to live and work. For emergency responders, where seconds saved can be lives saved, and industries where time is money, the IoT holds remarkable promise for changing the way we communicate, gather data, and work in the field. ————- Sources: 1 – http://www.nfpa.org/research/reports-and-statistics/fires-by-property-type/residential/home-fires 2 – http://www.nfpa.org/research/reports-and-statistics/fires-by-property-type/residential/apartment-structure-fires
Who’s Your Betamax of IoT Standards?
Image Courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons In the world of IoT/IIoT an explosion of standards has fallen upon us. While we all can agree that standards are what binds our current communication infrastructures together, it does take time for the victorious standard to rise to the top of adoption. Some of us remember the battle that arose in the video tape arena between VHS and Betamax (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Videotape_format_war). While Betamax’s claim to fame was the superior picture, VHS had the longer recording time and a larger backing from the industry. In the end VHS won. And who can remember the tale of HD-DVD vs Blu-Ray, token-ring vs 10Base-T or WiMax vs LTE? Enter the IoT/IIoT wannabes. In the communication protocol arena we have standards such as 802.15.4 (ZigBee), 802.11ah (Wi-Fi HaLow) and LoRa that want to use the 900 MHz spectrum to connect your devices back to a gateway and then to your cloud. There are also application software framework standards such as Thread, Alljoyn, IoTivity, Arrowhead and LWM2M. I won’t even mention all of the cloud platforms that aim to bring all of these pieces together in one place. Really, how many people think about the actual physical mechanisms that enable connectivity throughout the world? And within that, who thinks about the standards set by organizations that dictate the best method for connecting all our devices? Standards have the potential to affect ranges of communication, battery life on remote devices, signal interference, and many other things. The interesting part about the race to the top, so to speak, is that the standards mentioned above all have viable aspects that could potentially make them the ideal solution for connected infrastructure. Many of these standards have consortiums with major players such as Google, Microsoft, ARM and Samsung, all of which play at different places in the IoT/IIoT theatre. So, unlike the tail of Betamax, many of these standards have the backing of multiple entities. But, who’s going to win? Which standard will come out on top? Or, will we find ourselves with multiple standards because we can’t agree on one to do the job? What do you think? Who is your Betamax pick for IoT/IIoT?
IWCE 2016: What to expect next week?
The International Wireless Communications Expo (IWCE), is an annual event for communication technology professionals working globally in a broad range of the communications field, including energy, utilities, emergency response and municipality/infrastructure. This conference will get under way next week, from March 21-25, in Las Vegas. An estimated 7,000 individual industry experts are expected to attend from government/military; public safety (law enforcement, fire service and first responders); utility, transportation and business enterprise. IWCE will also feature around 370 exhibitors ready to show you the latest product innovations and trends forecasted this coming year. Donny Jackson editor of Urgent Communications, the official tradeshow media partner, believes that this year’s IWCE will give industry professionals a chance to get educated about the latest critical-communications technology, all while making key network contacts with industry experts. So, what else can we look forward to? IWCE promises to offer engaging content–with their 5-day comprehensive conference program; more quality time with peers; industry experts providing the latest strategies and tactics; minimal expenses–when you take advantage of conference discounts; structured networking opportunities; tangible handouts you can use throughout the year; more face-to-face learning time and more educational opportunities will be available this year. Excitement is building! Here are just a few of the people and organizations excited for next week’s event! Tune in next week for our IWCE insider recaps. Vegas here we come!
Difference Between Data Sheet Transmit Power & Data Stream Transmit Power
Image courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons You need to link a two production sites together in your IIoT network in order to move critical voice, video, data and sensor data (VVDS™) between the sites by deploying access points. So, you consider using industrial Wi-Fi Access Points to implement this short-haul, point-to-point (PTP) RF link between the two sites. Short-haul RF links out to 8 miles are very doable using industrial Wi-Fi Access Points with directional antennas. You evaluate potential Wi-Fi Access Points from their data sheet specs. This is given, and you select one. Now, there is one specification that is commonly misunderstood and leads to confusion when evaluating MIMO capable Wi-Fi Access Points and using them in either PTP or point-to-multipoint (PMP) IIoT networks as wireless infrastructure. Confusion and mistakes arise from the difference between the transmit power stated on the product data sheet and the transmit power of a single MIMO data stream of the Access Point. For example, a 3×3 MIMO Access Point data sheet states the transmit power is 27dBm for MCS4/12/20 data encoding in either the 2.4 or 5GHz band. This is typical, and not a surprise, but what is this transmit power really stating. The FCC limits and regulates maximum transmit power from an intentional emitter, e.g. Wi-Fi Access Points. For Wi-Fi devices, the limits apply to the aggregate transmit power of the device. In above product spec example, the transmit power stated is the aggregate transmit power for the 3 MIMO data streams. Still good? Yes. You have a Wi-Fi Access Point and the total transmit power is 27dBm. Now, you design your short-haul PTP link using Wi-Fi Access Points and directional antennas. What transmit power do you use in your RF link budget? 27dBm since it is the transmit power for the Access Point for the data encoding and the band you plan to use. Right? No. While 27dBm is the total aggregate transmit power for the Access Point, it is not the transmit power of an individual data stream. The individual data stream transmit power is roughly 5dB less than the aggregate transmit power found in the data sheet for a 3×3 MIMO product. Difference in Transmit Power versus Aggregate Power 1 Data Stream transmitting at 22dBm — Aggregate Transmit Power is 22dBm 2 Data Streams transmitting at 22dBm — Aggregate Transmit Power is 25dBm 3 Data Streams transmitting at 22dBm — Aggregate Transmit Power is 27dBm So here it is… If you use the transmit power from the data sheet in your RF link calculation without correction, your actual link distance will be approximately half what you expect for the planned fade margin or the link reliability will be less than what you expect for the planned link distance. When designing RF links for the IIoT networks, make certain you are using the correct transmit power in your RF link budget calculations.
Video: What are the Future Uses of Drones?
While drones are responsible for one of the latest tech crazes to hit the mainstream, it’s safe to say that you should not expect them to invade your airspace anytime soon. However, the influx of these flying smart machines may not be as far off as you might think. With heavy-hitters like Amazon, Google and Walmart recognizing the immense opportunity of using drones for shipping and logistics purposes, its no wonder that people are saying “the drones are coming!” Industrial Applications for Drones What could prove to be more promising than the consumer-driven demand for flying drones is the use of that technology in industrial settings and applications. Already, we see companies using drones for the following scenarios: Emergency Response Enables immediate action, providing emergency response teams with fast, flexible visibility to assess critical situations. Utilities Safely allows for the quick inspection of high voltage power lines and wind turbines, helping mitigate worker risk and improve monitoring. Military & Defense Assisting with intelligent surveillance and reconnaissance missions to deliver timely, relevant, and assured information to thwart potential threats. Oil & Gas Protects and helps maintain extensive miles of pipeline covering large, remote areas that would otherwise require enormous amounts of time and resources. Agriculture Creates more efficient farms by monitoring inventory, growth, water and fertilizer levels, and crop health to facilitate production and increase yields. Public Safety Supporting firefighting operations by providing more up-to-date information at a lower cost, while reducing the number of responders in harm’s way. So what does the future hold for these next-generation technologies? It’s hard to say really. One of the biggest hurdles still to jump is figuring out how these aircrafts will fit into the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) existing airspace regulations. There is no doubt there will be new policies that are drone-specific on the horizon. In fact, the FAA has already taken steps in that direction by requiring drone owners to register their aircrafts as a first step in ensuring the safety of everyone who uses the skies. Let’s just assume that over then next five years policy and technology come together and we finally have lift-off in the drone world. What’s next? Check out this video courtesy of Be Amazed that explores 10 amazing futuristic uses of drones:
Top News: Manufacturing the Fate of Our Digital World
Manufacturing is in the midst reinventing itself on the heels of the latest IoT innovations. The industrial automation paradigm, which some say also gave rise to the lean manufacturing management philosophy, continues to influence organizations that wish to find new ways to capitalize on business opportunities in the digital age. Through that lens we gathered the top articles from the week and found some interesting perspectives. Some reports started suggesting manufacturing is in a time of trouble, both in the U.S. and around the globe, namely in places like China. But upon further investigation, we also find exciting trends that are shaping the evolution of manufacturing. We hope you enjoy this week’s roundup, and be sure to comment on your top articles of the week below! Chinese manufacturing fall adds to evidence of sharp global downturn (The Guardian) As the world watches Chinese manufacturing slow, many believe this is evidence of a major global downturn. The Guardian reminds us all that, “In another sign that manufacturers are braced for a long period of chasing business from a diminishing number of customers, they continued to lower their prices in February.” American Manufacturing in Peril (U.S. News) Gone are the golden days of domestic manufacturing, analysts now believe American manufacturing is in serious trouble. Andrew Soergel with U.S. News suggests that part of the problem for manufacturing is that, “The job market has changed. The generation has changed. The skill requirements to work in factories have changed.” The Manufacturing Side of CPG’s Digital Disruption (Automation World) In this era of digital disruption, consumer buying behavior will impact manufacturing practices. According to Stephanie Neil with Automation World, she thinks manufacturing could benefit from, “The use of standardized, reusable software modules simplifies configuration of robotic movements and integration with machine control functions. This allows machine builders to focus on increasing machine performance, added functionality, and equipment energy efficiency.” Despite all this talk about downturn and disruption in the manufacturing industry, there are some positive trends we should mention as well. Top 10: Manufacturing Trends of 2015 (Manufacturing Global) IoT, nanotechnology, SMAC Stack and greater visibility were all key manufacturing trends last year. According to Manufacturing Global’s trends, “Additive manufacturing, or 3d printing, is big news in the manufacturing sector. The new technology has captured the imagination of the general public and manufacturing executives alike, however it has also proven to be a game-changer for the industry.” 3-D Printing Poised to Shake up US Manufacturing (New York Post) In the last year 3-D printing has shown up in the medicine cabinet, operating rooms and even New York Fashion week. U.S. Manufacturing is getting a serious shake up with the launch of more 3-D printers. Catherine Curan with New York Post states that, “The 3-D printing boom isn’t big enough to single-handedly revive local manufacturing, but it will help.”