IIoT For Electric Utilities: The Past, Present, and Future
Electric companies are poised to become future IIoT leaders. Here’s why. Primarily driven by Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has fundamentally changed electric utilities. Technologies that let devices act as two-way communicators between consumers and utility providers paved the way for new opportunities. Digital transformation is here, and businesses have to reinvent themselves to stay competitive and relevant. Still, many electric utility providers aren’t ready to leap into Industrial 4.0. Why? Because adopting and integrating smart tech into legacy IT and OT infrastructures can seem daunting. Learning new skills is challenging and takes time, and potential setbacks, like unplanned downtime, can leave utility leaders fearful. Many utility leaders are riddled with doubts regarding the technological uncertainties of IIoT. It’s understandable. With rapid growth come growing pains. The IIoT journey from uncomplicated AMI to vast, smart grid expansions is challenging. Urbanization is quickly expanding, energy prices constantly fluctuate, legislation is always changing, and sustainability is paramount. Because of this, utilities must refine their operations to meet evolving consumer demands for sustainable, affordable infrastructures. IIoT adoption won’t happen overnight, but you have to start somewhere. Here’s how: Introduce real-time monitoring equipment like sensors, readers, and alarms into your operations. And use technology to automate processes, conserve resources, improve outcomes, and eliminate downtime. Still, understanding how IIoT can impact your business is a great place to start. How can IIoT solve your problems? The benefits of IIoT are hard to ignore. Almost no one would balk at real-time data collection or say “no” to monitoring critical system health. Who would pass on the opportunity to improve efficiency and safety? Almost no one. Let’s face it. Competition is stiff, and unhappy customers create churn. Cost and efficiency drive consumers these days. They’ll switch providers with a simple click. Customer churn is inevitable if you can’t provide reliable service. That’s why your technologies must allow you to react in real-time. Seconds count when it comes to your customers. Connecting your devices, sensors, and alarms to the Internet, lets you monitor and utilize data in real-time to: Increase efficiency Use automation Reduce errors Work remotely Enhance security Boost profits Make better decisions These are benefits you can’t afford to miss. Implementing IIoT is a surefire way to open personalized customer communication. IIoT lets you tailor services to specific customer demands. We can’t understate the value of using edge technology and wireless connectivity to remotely operate, analyze, and optimize your electric utility operations. As energycentral.com points out, “utilities who refuse to adapt or change will suffer financial losses, countless preventable maintenance issues, and a waste of resources.” How can utilities lead the next wave of IIoT? IIoT is how power and utility providers will operate in the future (many already are). Traditional energy production and distribution methods are obsolete, and the days of manual processes and zero real-time visibility are over. IIoT is transforming how utilities run vast, widespread, and remote operations, and internet-connected devices and machines are reshaping the ways utilities operate. Technology never stops evolving, and transitioning into Industrial 4.0 and IIoT isn’t an option anymore. The pandemic increased automation and digitization demands, producing a ripple effect that’ll extend into the future of IIoT. Utility companies are partnering with tech companies to create innovative solutions to improve sustainability and become more efficient. As IIoT adoption accelerates, the opportunities to provide amazing service increase exponentially. With IIoT, utilities are proactive instead of reactive. And predictive maintenance through AI lets utilities continually learn and optimize operations. It’s a new era in the power industry. And smaller utilities are outpacing massive corporations. Smaller, more agile businesses are transforming the industry with their smart business models. And these same small businesses pose a threat to established corporations digitally transforming too slow. Providers that embrace IIoT will emerge as utility leaders in the next several years. Put your business and your customers first. You can’t afford to not implement IIoT into your electric utility operations. It’s time to put your business and your customers first FreeWave is second to none when it comes to proven IIoT solutions and making the most of your data. We’re the leaders in edge computing and wireless connectivity. We’ll accelerate your digital transformation. Our technologies are fast, flexible, and easy to deploy. We’ll have you leveraging IIoT, big data analytics, and connectivity to take the guesswork out of your operations in no time. And you can do it all without a complete infrastructure overhaul. You’ve been improving your utility operations for years; why stop now? We want to take your operations to the next level. Get in touch; let’s chat.
What Does the Future Hold for IIoT, Automation, and Edge Computing?
From narrowband communications to edge computing, FreeWave continues to solve significant customer challenges with IIoT, automation, and data collection. We are excited about our 2021 product roadmap. We are making a significant leap forward into Edge Computing. This quarter, we will be releasing two new products: FreeWave Edge and FreeWave Fusion Bridge. Before we look at these new solutions and where we are heading,I’d like to take a quick look back FreeWave has worked primarily in the industrial markets for 27 years, most notably with oil and gas, utilities, and water/wastewater. We would occasionally take on side projects with the military helping out their robotics teams with drones and other technologies, but we have traditionally focused on robust, narrowband communications links. And when I say “narrowband,” I mean the very, very small bits of data that go back and forth in SCADA systems or command and control systems in general. When I came aboard four years ago, the idea was to start pivoting FreeWave toward IIoT in the edge. We began developing radio hardware in the narrowband world that would allow us to do edge computing. As a radio company, this was trailblazing stuff, and we weren’t quite aware of what we were getting ourselves into. Now, before diving deeper, I’d like to reflect on last year’s events. A Look Back at 2020 The pandemic caused us to make significant changes. FreeWave started 2020 with many legacy products and product lines, and it became hard to find the components we needed to push those products forward. We recognized that we’d need to do a significant uplift of these legacy products by rebuilding them from the ground up and ensuring that they were backward-compatible with everything else we had out in the marketplace. After all, we were still talking about 900 megahertz products! In July, we acquired a small software company with a robust solution set focused on proprietary protocols. The acquisition allowed us to focus on the edge with a whole other engineering team section, which is fantastic. Because of this acquisition, our edge computers now come native with protocol converters, which means you can translate proprietary languages brought into the cloud into any language you want. In my opinion, our transition from a primarily OEM and widget manufacturer into a full-blown software application company was a massive win. On top of that, we are currently updating a full SCADA suite that’s been well-received. What You Can Expect from FreeWave in the Next 12 Months We are excited about our 2021 product roadmap as we make a significant leap forward into Edge Computing. This quarter, we will be releasing two new products: FreeWave Edge and FreeWave Fusion Bridge. FreeWave Edge is a data platform that lets customers extract real-time information from their sensors and devices. Edge also allows users to customize alerts and data processing and connects to a customer’s preferred cloud or reporting system. Edge helps companies suffering from unreliable data (or no data at all) improve their operations and, ultimately, accelerates business outcomes. Fusion Bridge is a dual-radio WiFi bridge that introduces connectivity and sensor fusion to 900Mhz networks. New FreeWave customers often have trouble accessing on-site data and quickly transmitting the information to the home office. They’ll install on-site routers to get WiFi connectivity, which can be expensive, and the equipment is usually in the open, where it’s vulnerable to theft. Fusion Bridge enables mobile equipment with WiFi to seamlessly connect smart devices with headquarters. The tool eliminates security vulnerabilities specific to an always-on remote AP and protects on-site assets through the quick and straightforward integration of off-the-shelf wireless security equipment. The Roles IIoT and Data Collection Will Play in the Future of Industrial Automation The future roles of IIoT and data collection are significant. There have been many tire-kickers on the manufacturing side, but nothing comes close to what will occur in the next few years with the various applications coming on-board. We’re entering an exciting era. FreeWave is looking at the possibility of developing – and investing in – the different ways people handle data at the edge and how people make decisions using artificial intelligence. I think this is where many companies will focus their energy — on more of the indoor IoT market, or perhaps even with things like your thermostat. All of the stuff you interact with daily. The possibilities will be endless. Critical Advancements in Data Collection and Communication Companies increasingly want to get more real-time information and insights from their data. Folks have been able to collect a limited amount of data for at least 50 years. Still, if they needed more information, they would have to send someone out to collect data in-person and report back with their findings. In an agile and increasingly competitive world, this kind of data collection is unacceptable. People want to quickly identify urgent issues on-site and make the necessary adjustments right then and there. And with today’s technological advancements, we can do just that! For example, an HR team came to us with concerns that their workers might not be wearing helmets while on a project. They needed to ensure OSHA compliance on a remote site. Using artificial intelligence on a Well Pad, we collected and reported data to them in real-time. Why Customers Return to FreeWave for Multiple Projects We offer an exceptional product; that’s why people return to FreeWave again and again. I still hear from people calling about our first product (DGR). It’s over 20 years old and still in-use! Let’s face it; when people find a reliable, durable product that works, they will continue to come back. Our exceptional customer service is another reason customers return. We provide in-house tech support in the Boulder, Colorado, area (where we also manufacture FreeWave products), and we have a 24-hour hotline for folks needing troubleshooting and installation help. Advice to Customers Customers need to question the viability of the companies with which they
FreeWave CEO Provides Valuable IIoT and Edge Computing Insights on the Talking Industrial Automation Podcast
What Does the Future Hold for IIoT, Automation, and Edge Computing? FreeWave’s CEO chats with Talking Industrial Automation Podcast to provide valuable insight on IIoT and edge computing. Talking Industrial Automation podcast host, Lisa Richter recently sat down with FreeWave CEO Kirk Byles for a timely and informative discussion on the state of industrial automation, edge computing, IIoT, and FreeWave. Here are some key points you’ll take away from the podcast. How FreeWave has transitioned from a smaller, robust narrowband communications company to an IIoT and Edge Solutions company How FreeWave has grown over the past year and what you can expect in the next 12 months The roles IIoT and data collection will play in the future of Industrial Automation Critical advancements in data collection and communication Why customers return to FreeWave for multiple projects And lots more. You can listen to the entire podcast here!
A Starters Guide to the IIoT and Automation in Agriculture
Is your farm smart? Speak to a Freewave Smart Ag expert today. What is automation? How can automation help farmers do more with less? Is automation in agriculture a good idea? How is automation transforming the farming industry? Farmer’s exploring technology tend to ask the same questions. Here are a few of them: What is automation? How can automation transform my farming operation? Is automation in agriculture a sound practice? Why do we need smart agriculture? What is smart farming? There’s a new world of technology available to farmers. But with new technologies come new fears and confusion. It’s understandable. Farmers are afraid they’ll be left behind if they don’t embrace new agricultural technologies. They’re also worried about failure, which means many farmers are unwilling to experiment with new technologies out of a fear of losing it all. Unfortunately, their fears have resulted in an industry that’s resistant to change. Still, many farmers have embraced automation. They’ve invested not only their dollars but also their time. We don’t want to sugarcoat the subject; embracing technology isn’t an easy task. Workforce training is a significant barrier to entry for many farmers exploring automation. A farm’s workforce is diverse, often consisting of temporary, part-time, and permanent employees. The transitory nature of a farm’s employees can make technological training challenging. But the process is less expensive and less time-consuming than you might think. Farmer’s are always looking for larger yields from fewer resources, and for most, automation and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is the answer. IIoT improves agricultural operations with real-time data insights and control to enable more efficient and precise management of crops, resources, and livestock. You might have a cursory – or perhaps in-depth – knowledge of precision agriculture. For the rest of you, first, let’s talk about automation in general. What is automation in agriculture? Farm automation is an aspect of “smart farming.” It’s a technology that improves farm efficiency and automates the livestock or crop production cycle. More companies are developing agriculture-specific technologies to automate these processes with automatic watering, autonomous tractors, robotics, harvesters, and automated seeding machinery. Smart farm technologies are still relatively new, but we’ve seen growing numbers of traditional agriculture companies embrace farm automation. Even small farming operations use automation. Kyler Laird, a farmer in Indiana with a 1,700-acre farm and an engineering degree, developed autonomous machines to complete tasks like harvesting, drilling, and planting crops. He spoke to agriculture.com writer Laurie Bedford in 2017 and explained that “I’m a one-person operation. I need this technology because I really can’t afford to hire anyone. Besides, finding a skilled operator who is willing to work 24 hours a day for three or four days a year is ludicrous. I can’t hire that, but I can make that very inexpensively.” “I’m a one-person operation. I need this technology because I really can’t afford to hire anyone. Besides, finding a skilled operator who is willing to work 24 hours a day for three or four days a year is ludicrous. I can’t hire that, but I can make that very inexpensively.” – Kyler Laird, Farmer Most farmers can’t design and implement smart technologies, but you don’t have to – that’s our job. By using farm automation technology, however, farmers can drastically improve outcomes and spend far less money and time in the long run. What is “smart farming”? Smart farming, sometimes called a “third green revolution,” applies new information and communication technologies in agriculture. The technological farming revolution includes IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things), precision agriculture equipment, actuators and sensors, geo-positioning systems, big data analytics, robotics, unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), and more. You can transform your operations to deliver more sustainable and effective agricultural production through smart farming. Smart farming also benefits the environment through more efficient water use and optimizing inputs and treatments. “Smart farming can make agriculture more profitable for the farmer. Decreasing resource inputs will save the farmer money and labor, and increased reliability of spatially explicit data will reduce risks. Optimal, site-specific weather forecasts, yield projections, and probability maps for diseases and disasters based on a dense network of weather and climate data will allow cultivation of cops in an optimal way.” – 2017, PNAS Here are a few ways IIoT can improve modern agriculture: Smart ag sensors collect data surrounding soil quality, weather, crop growth, and herd health so you can track the state of your business, equipment efficiency, and workforce performance. IIoT gives you more control over internal processes and lowers production risks. You can improve distribution forecasts with better production output visibility. IIoT gives you more production control to reduce waste and improve cost management. When you can monitor crop growth or herd health anomalies in real-time, you can lessen the possibility of yield loss. IIoT process automation increases business efficiency. Smart devices allow you to automate critical production cycle processes like irrigation, pest control, fertilization, and more. Automation can enhance product quality and output. Agriculture automation gives you more control over production processes, helps you maintain higher crop quality standards, and enhances growth capacity. Sample Agricultural Automation and IIoT Use-Cases Grain-Bin Level Monitoring and Control Agriculture automation gives farmers real-time visibility into storage conditions and ensures blowers only operate during off-peak electrical hours, saving as much as 50% in energy costs. Automated Irrigation and Compliance Precision agriculture technologies let you schedule off-peak hour irrigation, allowing you to save as much as $30,000 per year in energy costs. You can automate water consumption reporting processes to ensure regulatory compliance. Herd Health Tracking Smart ag technology helps farmers monitor feed intake to improve livestock health and mitigate feed shrink. Self-Driving and Autonomous Tractors Real-time kinetics from precision agriculture technologies improve guidance and steering accuracy up to 100 times compared to traditional GPS. Intelligent Weed Control The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) powers high-accuracy robotic weeders to reduce herbicide consumption by 20%. We want to infuse intelligence into your agriculture operations. Making the most of automation in agriculture means ensuring field
FreeWave’s Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) Glossary
Our exploration of terminology related to the Industrial Internet of Things. The tech world is full of buzzwords and terms unfamiliar to most people, many of which you can ignore. But there comes a time when it’s essential to walk the walk and talk the talk. Our IIoT glossary comes in handy for those moments. Here is a list of relevant IIoT terms we think you should know. Access Control Access control ensures that asset access is limited to authorized personnel and is restricted based on security and business requirements. Ambient Computing Ambient computing is the evolution and combination of gesture and voice interfaces, speech recognition, cloud computing, wearable computing, IoT, augmented reality, AI and machine learning, and the quantified self. Analytics Analytics is a systematic analysis of information (data) or statistics for the discovery, communication, and interpretation of meaningful data patterns for better decision-making. Application Domain An application domain is a functional domain for application logic implementation. Artificial Intelligence Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the development and theory of systems that can perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence, like speech, visual perception, decision-making, language translation, and speech recognition. Asset Assets are mission-critical systems, physical hardware, applications, support systems, high-impact programs, personnel, equipment, locations, and more. Attack Surface Attack surface refers to the system elements and interactions that are vulnerable to cyberattacks. Attack Vector An attack vector is a pathway by which a cybercriminal can gain access to an entity. Autonomy Autonomy is an intelligent system’s ability to independently create and select different courses of action to achieve goals based on the system’s understanding and knowledge of the world and other factors. Brownfield Brownfield refers to an existing industrial system targeted for new functionalities with zero operational disruptions. Business Intelligence Business intelligence refers to the applications, technologies, and practices for collecting, analyzing, and integrating business data to support improved business decision-making. Business Viewpoint A business viewpoint is an architecture viewpoint used to describe the purpose of establishing an IoT system by encompassing a business’s vision, mission, values, and objectives. Cloud Computing Cloud computing is a term used to describe the delivery of computing services over the Internet. Computer Network A computer network is a collection of interconnected endpoints in a many-to-many arrangement. Connectivity Connectivity refers to a system or application’s ability to communicate with other systems, networks, or applications. Connectivity Endpoint Connectivity endpoints are interfaces that provide connectivity. Control Domain Control domains are functional domains for industrial control system implementations. Cross-Cutting Concern A cross-cutting concern impacts an entire system and may also affect multiple architectural viewpoints. Cross-Cutting Function A cross-cutting function is one that can be applied across multiple functional architectural domains to address cross-cutting concerns. Cryptography Cryptography exemplifies the means, principles, and mechanisms for data transformation to hide information to prevent its undetected modification or unauthorized use. Data at Rest Data at rest is stored data that is not processed or transferred. Data Center A data center is a facility that contains connected equipment for computing resources. Data in Motion Data in motion is information that’s transferred from one location to another. Data in Use Data in use is information that’s being processed. Data Integrity Data integrity proves that data hasn’t been tampered with, altered, or destroyed in an unauthorized way. Databus Databus is a data-centric sharing system where applications exchange information in a virtual, global data space. Denial of Service (DoS) Denial of service prevents unauthorized access to resources. It also prevents time-critical operation delays. Digital Twin A digital twin, also called a virtual doppelganger, is a three-dimensional representation of IoT-enabled physical assets that can show how the asset is functioning. ECM (Electronically Commutated Motor Technology) ECM is a smart pump technology that is becoming more common in HVAC and commercial building markets. Edge The edge is the boundary between pertinent physical and digital entities, delineated by IIoT devices. Edge Computing Edge Computing encompasses the space between the network’s core and its endpoints, like local servers, including devices and infrastructure. It also includes essential network gateways that collect data and preliminary analytics before sending the information back to the core for more processing. Emergent Behavior Emergent Behavior is the behavior of a system created by the interactions of its component. Encryption Encryption is a scrambling method using a cryptographic algorithm so that only authorized people can understand the data. Endpoint Endpoints are components with computational capabilities and network connectivity. Environment Environment refers to the circumstances and setting of all IT system interactions, including infrastructure, hardware, systems, and software. Functional Component Functional components are necessary JavaScript actions. They are typically arrow functions but can also be made using the regular function keyword. Functional components are also often called “stateless” or “dumb” because they accept display data in a form mostly responsible for rendering UI (User Interface). Functional Domain Functional domain refers to the collection of functions that make up a system. Functional Framework Functional frameworks are sets of abstract and reusable functional components that can be customized, extended, and applied to many applications in a specific domain. Functional Viewpoint Functional viewpoints are architecture viewpoints that frame concerns specific to the structure and functional capabilities of IoT (Internet of Things) systems and components. Greenfield Greenfield refers to a new industrial system with no operational disruption concerns. Identity Authentication Identity authentication is a formal process of identity verification. Identity Domain An identity domain is an environment that allows an entity to use a set of identification attributes and related purposes. Identity Access Management Identify access management keeps data secure by defining and managing the roles and access privileges of individual network users. It also controls the circumstances under which users are granted – or denied – access permissions. Implementation Viewpoint The implementation viewpoint is an architecture viewpoint to address
The Top Three Reasons to Integrate Wireless Into Your Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) Operations
Adding wireless to your IIoT operations is more critical now than ever before. Connected “things” are changing our world. Today, Internet-connected sensors and devices transform what surrounds us, from our homes to our cars, workplaces, to cities. And now, more people are discovering the ways Internet-connected things can transform industrial operations. The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) places intelligent devices and network sensors on manufacturing floors, utilities, farms, mining operations, oil and gas fields, and more. And there are good reasons for the rapid proliferation of connected sensors and devices in the field. Here are some of the reasons why more industries, businesses, and facilities are investing in IIoT: Universal Internet connectivity Reduced hardware costs Affordable analytics tools Increased availability of IIoT-ready sensors and devices Improved operations, performance, and worker safety Integrating wireless and the Industrial Internet of Things takes your operations to the next level. When you integrate wireless with IIoT-connected devices in remote or ruggedized locations, you transform operations. You can add instant WiFi connectivity to remote and mobile assets and connect WiFi-enabled devices to your existing 900MHz networks. Integrating wireless and IIoT also lets you connect any device to the Internet from any location, including sensors, tablets, smartphones, and security cameras. And you can do it without having to install routers at each location for WiFi connectivity. With the pandemic placing restrictions on on-site employee availability and the increase of operational difficulty across industries, integrating wireless and IIoT just makes sense. It makes data available virtually instantly (without the wireless integration, on-site data is often inaccessible until you’re within reach of headquarters) and keeps operations running smoothly under challenging circumstances. The integration can also help to secure field equipment vulnerable to security threats and theft. Keep reading to learn the top three benefits of integrating wireless with your IIoT operations by industry. The Top Three Benefits for Systems Integrators and Network Consultants in Precision Agriculture: Operational efficiency Asset management Increased communications By integrating wireless and IIoT, precision agriculture operations can communicate at long range with devices on mobile assets like tractors and machinery. Operators can use their wireless and IIoT integration to provide location reports for asset tracking, command and control, real-time sensor/output tracking, and more. The wireless integration also allows operators to connect to the Internet at 900MHz range (up to 60 miles) for general communications. Mobile equipment is WiFi-enabled when running, allowing for the seamless connection of smart devices and headquarters. Data Story Modern agriculture machines rely on WiFi-enabled tablet devices in truck cabs for command and control. They depend not only on the control mechanisms but also a suite of sensors integrated into the machinery to send reports to tablet controllers. The tablets can connect to wireless and IIoT integrated platforms as WiFi clients. FreeWave Fusion Bridge™, for example, will create a seamless connection to headquarters, sending information like position, status, uptime, or relevant sensor data. The communication allows for efficient fleet management and equipment health and staff monitoring. Conversely, headquarters can send commands and information to on-site equipment to direct assets in real-time. The Top Three Benefits for Mobile Operators, Oil and Gas, Utilities, and Other Businesses with Remote Mobile Assets Mobile WiFi access Fleet Management Coarse asset tracking Through the integration of IIoT and wireless, as the driver or technician checks on assets like oil pads, they can activate a purpose-built device (Fusion Bridge, for example) to establish a WiFi access point at any remote location. And instead of having a WiFi access point at each pad, which requires power and creates potential security risks, the driver can take the WiFi access point with them and enable or disable the AP as needed. The hardware also avoids the recurring costs typically associated with a cellular solution. With technology like Fusion Bridge, our wireless/IIoT integration solution, the technician can directly install the hardware into the truck system and use the truck’s battery for power, creating a WiFi connection anywhere within the truck’s range without patching into well pad power. Fusion Bridge also lets the operator activate the WiFi access point only when needed, eliminating always-on remote AP security concerns. Data Story Suppose an on-site technician at a remote well pad needs internal network access from headquarters. In that case, they can activate hardware powered by their service vehicle to change cloud system settings or even send emails. Fusion Bridge connects to an existing network (ZumLink in this example) that provides a WiFi access point interface. The technician can log-on and perform any action requiring an Internet connection. Without this kind of hardware, connectivity would require an additional – and costly – network solution, like cellular or a separate long-range WiFi system. The Top Three Benefits to All Other Industries Using IIoT Enhanced on-site security Improved operational value Asset management Integrating wireless and IIoT helps you monitor on-site equipment or systems for security and maintenance. For example, the integration allows you to conduct remote surveillance with motion detection or low-resolution imagery up to a one-kilometer range. It also lets you connect multiple devices to a single endpoint on a remote network. Tools like FreeWave Fusion Bridge let you install and integrate off-the-shelf wireless security equipment quickly. The flexibility allows for multiple security levels, from motion detection for indoor or fenced-in assets to streaming video for assets requiring regular video or recorded monitoring. Data Story Remote fuel stations are at risk of vandalism and theft, but a third-party security system or personnel is cost-prohibitive. Fusion Bridge can be installed on-site with an IP camera and motion detector. Headquarters can monitor motion detector status in the cloud, and when they detect motion after hours, they can activate cameras to record the activity and alert the authorities if necessary. You can install the system in less than one day with off-the-shelf equipment and services and a power connection (no wiring) and operate at a distance of up to 60 miles from the closest ZumLink radio. And since it runs on a private network, it doesn’t incur
How IIoT Ensures Business Continuity During Disasters
The Industrial Internet of Things simplifies business continuity plans – and keeps your operations running smoothly. If there’s one takeaway from 2020, it’s this: disasters can – and probably will – occur at any time. And now, our definition of “disaster” includes everything from hurricanes and wildfires to viruses and cyberattacks. Leaders have known for many years that business continuity and disaster recovery plans are essential. But too many companies and facilities still operate without them. 2020 is the year to plan and reflect. People are examining everything in their lives this year. You’re probably reevaluating habits, budgets, and priorities to save money and change routines. You should extend the reflection to your business. It’s time to revisit your disaster recovery and business continuity plans. If you don’t have a documented strategy, it’s time to write one. You might also want to review your technology selections and infrastructure. Here’s why: Outdated technology is risky and wasteful. It’s that simple. You’re missing out if your network is mostly legacy tools. It’s too easy for today’s cybercriminals to hack old technologies – even IoT hardware and sensors from the last five years can be vulnerable. But here’s a little known fact: modernizing your operations with new IIoT technologies is easier and cheaper than you think—more on that in a future blog. IIoT can help your business stay operational under every circumstance. Here’s how. IIoT simplifies disaster recovery planning. IIoT helps organizations and facilities recover lost data (or never lose data in the first place) and get back up and running with minimal downtime and disruption. The technology is often seen through a disaster prevention lense because smart sensors detect issues before they become larger problems. Still, IIoT devices and sensors should be a part of disaster recovery planning, too. As the saying goes, you should “expect the best, plan for the worst, and prepare to be surprised.” Connected devices record astonishing amounts of data during normal business operations. We can use the data after (or during) a disaster to return operations to their last recorded state. It’s like keeping an operations backup. IIoT can help predict natural disasters too. Smart sensors can track weather patterns and send early alerts to help businesses prepare for the storm. You can account for every scenario with IIoT included in your disaster prevention and your recovery plans. IIoT helps Utilities do more, with less. Utilities are always essential, but they’re even more critical during a disaster. IIoT helps utilities operate without disruption, which explains why most have increased technology adoption. Utility leaders express a heightened sense of urgency and awareness around increasing natural disasters. They’re investing in technologies to combat them. Smart metering and monitoring systems are at the top of Utilities’ IIoT priority lists, along with investments in smart technology for outage detection and restoration, remote connect and disconnect, and line and fault sensors. Meters can become IIoT sensors giving utilities high-resolution data from their network’s edge to monitor energy usage and save lives when disaster strikes. Smart meters also provide additional insight and data sources for delivering real-time disruption intelligence and guaranteeing outage and restoration notifications. Combining these capabilities with other IIoT-specific technologies gives Utilities new tools to improve outage response and quickly get customers back online. Also, line and fault sensors help Utilities predict danger, quickly respond and recover, and in some instances, predict and prevent hazardous conditions. IIoT keeps operations running even when people can’t be on-site. Many disasters can keep people from being on-site to monitor operations – the pandemic is an excellent example. IIoT keeps people safe from natural disasters or viruses because the technologies allow you and your teams to monitor on-site data and operations remotely. For example, in manufacturing, IIoT allows teams to do their jobs remotely when technicians can’t be on-site because of health concerns, natural disasters, or out of convenience. Thanks to remote monitoring solutions, they can keep operations running smoothly. IIoT sensors and devices notify technicians when machines need repairs or when they’re offline or damaged, so they can take immediate action remotely and maintain productivity. Instead of sending people to on-site locations for inspections, IIoT-connected sensors can deliver real-time data on overall conditions and detect scenarios that indicate malfunction. You can keep employees safe and not lose a second of productivity. And again, upgrading isn’t as tricky or expensive as you think. Are you interested in hearing more? Please get in touch for more in-depth information, including price info and an assessment of your current technology state. Get smart today with FreeWave.
IoT, Edge Computing & Managing Through COVID-19
FreeWave CEO Featured on MIT’s Connected Things Video Series Kirk Byles sat down (virtually) with Mark Thirman, Chair of MITs Connected Things Conference for a candid conversation. FreeWave CEO Kirk Byles was recently featured on MIT’s Connected Things virtual interview series. He discussed the past, present, and future of IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) and edge computing and why stability is critical in an unstable world. Mark (00:04): Hi, everyone. Welcome to our latest recording. This is in support of the MIT Connected Things event we were to hold it in March of this year, of 2020. It had been postponed as you know, and ultimately canceled. Part of our goal with this series of videos is to really keep the conversation going. And what I’ve been doing a little bit is reaching back to some of our very popular prior speakers from prior events. So one of those speakers is here with me today and I’ll have him introduce himself in a second. Mark (00:39): But if you’d look at the MIT Connected Things page you’ll note that in 2019, we had a very interesting point-counterpoint panel called Clash of the Titans. And the premise for this particular panel, and Kirk was on one side and Chris [inaudible 00:00:57] Wolff then of Dell was on the other. It was this tension between traditional IoT vendors and the IT or the PC, traditional PC vendors entering the IoT market. And we were interested in exploring how the approaches are similar or different. And Kirk was on the traditional vendor side. So with that, Kirk, why don’t you introduce yourself and tell me what company you work for and a little bit of the company history, please? Kirk Byles (01:28): Sure. So Kirk Byles, I’m the CEO of FreeWave Technologies. We’re a medium-sized industrial communications edge compute company out of Boulder, Colorado. We’ve been around for 27 years and we really got our momentum in the discreet radio market, particularly in the narrow band radio space. So proprietary technology, not standard space in any way people would think of wi-fi or even cellular to some degree. So we were out selling these discreet radios in various frequencies to oil and gas companies, government, utilities, water/wastewater, ag, anywhere you could imagine remote sites that needed some sort of connectivity, typically connecting to a SCADA system of some sort and doing polling data. Kirk Byles (02:30): So you could imagine if you’ve got a hundred well sites in a square mile, it would say, “Well site number one, give me all your data.” We would traffic that data. And that’s where we really grew up for 24 years of our history. That’s all we did, was build discrete radios at different frequencies and sell them to literally tens of thousands of customers, customers around the globe. Kirk Byles (03:00): And back in 2016, we made a decision to get into the edge computing space. And that decision really came out of a lot of discussions on the competitive landscape for discrete radios. How cellular was getting into these remote areas and people wanted Bluetooth and wi-fi and [LoRa 00:03:31] came out and then there’s satellites. And we could see the market was starting to shrink as more and more competition came into these really remote areas. So getting into the edge side of things made perfect sense. So we went about making our new platform, the Zum platform with an edge computer on board every radio. Mark (03:54): Not the Zoom that we’re on though. Kirk Byles (03:56): No. Z-U, the proper Zum, Z-U-M. So, we went out to do that and it was in concept a great idea. And we had a couple of stumbles along the way as most people do when they’re pivoting their company. But what we did find out is we brought a lot of understanding to the industrial space. And that was when Chris Wolff and I were talking, Dell knew the enterprise very well and what the edge needed for the enterprise. But the edge piece didn’t really seem to move quite as well. Or as quickly as the industrial piece. Folks there were looking to optimize their remote sites. People cost a ton of money to go look at these things. If something goes wrong, they got to run service people out there and so forth and so on. So the more they could do with edge computing, the more efficient they could be. And so we took that tactic. What could we provide for our customers on the edge? Mark (05:06): So, Kirk, I’ll interject, at the time of the conference I noted as did the moderator, our friend, Frank Gillett, that on the Dell side, you might have a pretty heavy footprint and expensive $1,300-$1,400 big honkin router. And I’m not saying anything disparaging about Dell or their approach. But it was interesting to see that their approach was roll in this big, industrialized, again, relatively expensive router when folks on the IoT side, and I don’t know what the comparable cost was of the ZumLink at that point, but was in the several hundred dollar range, typically, at least that’s what I observed. Is that still true? Kirk Byles (05:50): Absolutely. So we still sell the edge computer for just a few hundred bucks. And I think where you were going with this is on the industrial side, what people that haven’t really played in that arena before don’t quite understand is the power limitations that are out there at the edge and the need to be very low power. It’s hot and cold, beyond, you’re not sitting in an air conditioned box or closet. Mostly you’re sitting in a NEMA enclosure that may have ventilation, but no fans are running. Kirk Byles (06:30): So for us, when it came time to go out and do these things, we knew our customers wanted a C1D2 classification, which is high temperature
Actionable Insights: IIoT Helps You Quickly Communicate Organizational Health and Improve Forecasting
Improve business operations and efficiently plan for the future, with real-time insights from IIoT. We’ve entered the Golden Age of business productivity thanks to Internet-connected technologies. IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) helps businesses improve outcomes with automation and data collection tools that inform real-time actionable insights. Across industries, today’s most successful companies are leveraging IIoT to save dollars and increase productivity. According to Gartner, there will be more than 25 million connected devices by the end of 2021. You might be wondering how IIoT can help you quickly communicate business health data and turn it into actionable insights and projections. Before we answer your questions, let us provide a basic IIoT definition (forgive us if you already know). What is IIoT? In basic terms, IIoT, or the Industrial Internet of Things, is a system of interconnected instruments, sensors, and devices networked for industrial applications. The connectivity allows businesses, organizations, and facilities to collect, exchange, and analyze data to improve efficiency, productivity, and, ultimately, business outcomes. We also provided a general IIoT description in a blog earlier this year: “Connected assets and Edge devices send information to data communications infrastructures and turn the insights into actionable info. Engineers can use this data over time to uncover patterns that help identify more significant issues and their root causes. The gathered information can also drive meaningful business decisions, improve processes, and save money.” How does IIoT communicate organizational health? IIoT-enabled processes allow businesses, organizations, and facilities to monitor assets quickly and efficiently. Smart sensors can detect and notify you of issues in real-time – quicker than a person ever could. And the information communicated through sensors and tools for automation can help you contain and address problems before they impact business and operational health. Here are two examples: IIoT in Agriculture: IIoT can provide real-time grain bin storage condition reads and automate blowers to operate only during off-peak electrical hours, saving as much as 50% in energy costs. But the tools are about more than saving dollars. IIoT can alert you to issues specific to storage conditions and blowers, ensuring nothing is wasted, missed, or broken. IIoT also allows you to track herd health, mitigate feed shrink, and more. IIoT in water/wastewater treatment: IIoT helps water/wastewater treatment facilities remotely monitor tank levels, providing 24/7/365 real-time visibility to find potential issues before they start. The technology also allows you to track chemical levels remotely, set automated leak alert triggers, isolate chemicals, and trace the source of issues. Our tools also allow facilities to reduce maintenance costs up to 40%, by using edge applications that enable the prediction of asset performance and failures. How can IIoT improve forecasting? Traditional planning and forecasting is a collaborative process involving many people. And where there are human hands, there’s room for error. IIoT provides unparalleled access to data. It gives you the ability to move past traditional projections based on volumes of real-time information gathered across the timeframe best suited to your needs. Our technology helps you move from forecasting based on models to forecasts based on measures. With IIoT-driven planning, businesses, organizations, and facilities can be more agile and create projections that provide transformative financial and operational benefits. And they can do it without the fear of human error. IIoT technologies help enterprises across industries solve problems today and capitalize on future opportunities that come with a smart edge. FreeWave’s technology drives unprecedented levels of productivity, performance, and efficiency. Ready to improve your business operations with FreeWave? Contact Us Today: [contact-form-7 id=”8452″ title=”FW Bridge – Blog”]
Improved Yields With Less Money and Less Time: the Agtech Revolution
Agtech makes agriculture smarter, and that’s a win for farmers, our planet, and people. Farming and agriculture have always relied on technology and innovation to improve resource allocation and increase yields. For example, handheld tools were the norm until the cotton gin’s introduction in 1793, and chemical fertilizers, grain elevators, and the gas-powered tractor revolutionized farming and agriculture in the 1800s. In the 1990s, farmers started using satellite imagery to plan their work. Today farmers have begun to embrace the IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) – arguably the most significant agricultural innovation of the last decade. Smart agriculture is now common among farmers, and precision agriculture is becoming the norm, thanks to sensors and automation. Still, there are many miles to go before agtech can more broadly address global food insecurity and combat our climate and sustainability challenges; we will get there. “The key to sustainable agricultural growth is a more efficient use of land, labor, and other inputs through technological progress, social innovation, and new business models. For agriculture and aquaculture to respond to future challenges, innovation will need to improve the efficiency with which inputs are turned into outputs and conserve scarce natural resources and reduce waste.” —The Future of Food and Agriculture: Trends and Challenges, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Keep reading to learn how agtech helps farmers improve processes and save money, while also meeting the food needs of a growing global population. Precision Farming and Smart Agriculture Many farmers have already adopted high-tech farming technologies and techniques to improve day-to-day efficiency and increase profits. Field sensors allow farmers to gather detailed topographic and resource maps and helps them carefully measure and monitor soil acidity and temperatures. Precision farming and smart agriculture technologies also help farmers predict upcoming weather patterns. Farmers who embrace agtech can monitor equipment, livestock, and crops from mobile devices, and gather real-time produce and livestock feeding data. Technology, like ours, even helps farmers access information to forecast future yield and livestock needs. Sensors and monitoring tools give farmers far-reaching information to drive field management decision-making that enables better resource allocation, increases yields and saves money. For example, real-time data can help farmers identify areas that need more water or fertilizer or find places where crops receive too much water or fertilizer. More agtech use-cases: Automated Irrigation and Compliance Agtech enables farmers to schedule irrigation at off-peak hours and save up to $30,000 per year in energy costs. And with agtech, farmers can automate water consumption reporting processes to ensure regulatory compliance. Grain Bin Level Monitoring and Control Precision farming technologies give farmers real-time visibility into storage conditions and use automation to ensure blowers only operate during off-peak electrical hours, saving up to 50% in overall energy costs. Herd Health Tracking Agtech helps farmers monitor feed intake to deliver accurate rations to improve livestock health and mitigate feed shrink. Self-Driving and Autonomous Tractors Real-time kinetics (RTK) in precision agriculture improves steering and guidance accuracy up to 100x compared to traditional GPS. Smart Weed Control IIoT powers high-accuracy robotic weeders to reduce herbicide consumption by as much as 20%. Using agtech to address food insecurity. By addressing factors like soil health and food waste, agtech can help ensure food is grown as sustainably and efficiently as possible and maximize each bite’s caloric benefit. Agtech revolutionizes virtually every step of the process. And it’s about more than ensuring a bountiful harvest and limiting food waste; it’s also about connecting rural farmers and the world-at-large, uncovering new food distribution channels in remote areas, and introducing alternative cultivation methods in rugged and unforgiving environments. Technology and innovation are a deciding factor in eliminating global hunger. Precision agriculture helps farmers become more efficient, profitable, safer, and environmentally friendly. “Farms and agricultural operations will have to be run very differently, primarily due to advancements in technology such as sensors, devices, machines, and information technology. Future agriculture will use sophisticated technologies such as robots, temperature and moisture sensors, aerial images, and GPS technology. These advanced devices and precision agriculture and robotic systems will allow farms to be more profitable, efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly.” —Agriculture 4.0: The Future of Farming Technology, World Government Summit As agtech adoption expands and farms become more connected, productivity and efficiency will increase in the coming years. We anticipate that millions of agriculture-specific IIoT devices will be in action by the end of 2020. And in the coming decades, the average farm will generate more actionable data than anything imaginable today. Other industries are fearful of technology that replaces humans with sensors and robots, but farmers, always in need of more human power and resources, dream of technologies that increase yields and save money with less time and effort. Is your farm Smart? Find out today – get in touch for complimentary FreeWave Smart farm assessment.
