Smart Golf Courses = A Hole in One!
Smart golf courses are coming to a green near you. A modern day golf course requires many things, including real-time monitoring for irrigation and pump systems, automated vehicle location capabilities for carts and players, and the ability to provide employees with the internet connectivity necessary to manage the sprawls of the course itself. As a result, golf course managers are turning toward some of the cutting edge Internet of Things solutions on the market to meet that demand. As far as preferred pastimes go, golf ranks relatively highly for young and old alike. In fact, according to the National Golf Foundation, there are more than 15,000 18-hole golf courses throughout the United States. The American Society of Golf Course Architects estimates that a full-size golf course would need up to 200 acres of usable land, which means that courses in the U.S. take up at least three million acres. By comparison, that’s nearly three times the size of the Grand Canyon National Park. With that in mind, the management of golf courses is a minor feat in advanced agricultural practices and logistics. Smart Golf Course Solution For one Colorado course, the smart golf course solution to its connectivity conundrum lay in the deployment of an industrial-scale Wi-Fi network capable of handling communication, accessibility and maintenance needs. Course managers selected a dual-band, mesh networking platform that provides Wi-Fi coverage in the necessary areas, and with the help of the provider, set up a network that strategically positioned the platforms so that devices and sensors could remain connected via the mesh networking capabilities as they moved from place to place. However, any outdoor Wi-Fi network does come along with its challenges. For example, another factor that golf courses need to consider when determining the best networking option is the weather. Although most courses are situated in areas that don’t typically draw extremely cold temperatures, many are consistently faced with hot or humid climates that can knock networks offline as the communication platforms succumb to the elements. The last thing any course manager wants is to have their communication network fail, especially if that impacts their customer experience. Adopting ruggedized outdoor networking and communications solutions means being confident that the platforms are designed to function without failure – even in areas with extreme weather events or consistently hot temperatures. Additionally, to ensure that the data being collected from irrigation and pump systems is being delivered in real-time allows grounds teams to monitor and predict when the systems are in need of maintenance, or when certain areas of the course are in greater need of water than others, for instance. Today, grounds crews can track this data via handheld devices that can quickly aggregate and analyze data, rather than spend time manually checking each individual service point. Although modern golf courses often look pristine to players and observers alike, upkeep and ongoing service requires constant attention. As these courses begin to deploy more advanced networking systems to become smart in its communication and monitoring practices, the ability for courses to streamline workflow and maintenance needs will only continue to grow.
Friday Top 5 IIoT News Roundup
It’s time to nominate our Friday top five Industrial IoT news articles of the week. Much like the weather in Boulder this week, we couldn’t decide on just one vertical focus, so we cast a wide net of IoT topics. In this week’s roundup, you’ll find a splash of fog computing, manufacturing, smart grid, security and overall IoT updates. Dive in and see if you agree with our picks. Don’t miss the Friday bonus at the end of this short roundup. Making fog computing sensors clearly reliableBy @Patrick_Mannion | Published on @ednmagazinehttp://www.edn.com/design/sensors/4442602/Making-fog-computing-sensors-clearly-reliable“As fog computing rolls in, the onus is upon designers to figure out how much intelligence should be at each node of the system for optimal performance. This implies then that sensors will need to start being more intelligent, with some level of built-in processing, storage, and communications capability.” Army needs wide-area electro-optical sensors for manned and unmanned aircraftBy @jkeller1959 | Published on @IntelligentAerohttp://www.intelligent-aerospace.com/articles/2016/08/ia-wami-sensors.html“Army researchers are interested in moderate-resolution persistent-surveillance electro-optical sensors that operate during the day and at night over large areas to detect vehicles and people on foot. Researchers want to develop a sensor that consists of an imaging sensor, as well as a storage and processing unit.” Five essential IIoT DefinitionsBy @MMS_MattDanford | Published on @MMSOnlinehttp://www.mmsonline.com/blog/post/5-essential-iiot-definitions-“The idea is not just to exchange and collect data, but to act on that data to make things better. (One commonly cited example is a “smart” thermostat.) IIoT is the same concept applied to industry. Examples range from “smart” buildings and power grids to “smart” transportation networks. IIoT might initially take the form of a machine tool status monitoring system.” What makes a grid smart?By David Shadle | Published on @tdworldmaghttp://tdworld.com/grid-opt-smart-grid/what-makes-grid-smart“My point, however, is that the critical consideration is not the number of sensors, controls or data storage components we add to our system when we decide to move ahead with smart grid applications. The focus also needs to be on mastering the integration of these systems, many times across traditional IT and OT lines, to allow them to achieve their potential for intelligence.” Top ten security predictions through 2020By @Gartner_inc | Published on @Forbeshttp://www.forbes.com/sites/gartnergroup/2016/08/18/top-10-security-predictions-through-2020/#4d8ba8073cbe“Through 2018, more than 50% of Internet of Things (IoT) device manufacturers will not be able to address threats from weak authentication practices.” Friday Bonus! FreeWave Technologies announces partnership with Solis Energy By @SolisEnergy and @freewavetech | Published on @SolarNovus http://www.solarnovus.com/freewave-technologies-announces-partnership-with-solis-energy_N10256.html “Both companies are excited about the partnership and are already working through high profile opportunities to take advantage of the growing demand for smart systems and industrial connectivity.”
IoT Top News: Distribution Intelligence
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, distribution intelligence refers to the part of the smart grid that addresses utility distribution systems – meaning the wires, switches and transformers connecting the utility substation to both the utility company and the end customer. These systems are designed to drastically improve the demand response times and overall efficiency of transferring electric power, thus enabling a fully controllable and flexible distribution system and giving field technicians the actionable knowledge to troubleshoot problem areas faster. As utility providers continue to move towards a digital and connected enterprise, the prospect of a self-healing power distribution system becomes extremely valuable – especially as electric power consumption continues to rise globally. That’s way this week’s round up is dedicated to distributing intelligence across one of the most mission-critical infrastructures on the planet – the power grid. State of Distribution Intelligence, per a Recent Smart Grid Report A smart grid survey of 70 U.S electric cooperatives found that, regardless of the challenges most have found a way to start incorporating smart grid technology across the board. Zpryme and the Rural Smart Grid Summit (RSGS) report that, “Nearly all electric cooperatives have some sort of smart grid effort. Many are at thestage of deploying multiple applications (31%) up from 21% last year. Pilot projects are also growing from 8% last year to 16% this year.” We Now Have Hourly Data on the US Power Distribution System The U.S. Energy Information Administration (US EIA) can now collect data on electric supply, demand and flows on an hourly basis. CleanTechnica informs us that, “EIA’s U.S. Electric System Operating Data tool provides nearly real-time demand data, plus analysis and visualizations of hourly, daily, and weekly electricity supply and demand on a national and regional level for all of the 66 electric system balancing authoritiesthat make up the U.S. electric grid.” Distribution Intelligence Starts with Proper Training India’s National Smart Grid Mission (NSGM) with USAID announced they will begin a series of utility personnel training programs designed to help educate workers on smart grid functionality and design. The Business Standard revealed, “The government has taken several proactive steps towards grid modernization, including the establishment of a Smart Grid Mission to plan and monitor the implementation of policies and programs related to Smart Grid activities in India.” Cyber Attack Vulnerability in the Power Grid? We have all heard about a few of the big cyber attacks that have affected some big companies, but many don’t realize an attack on the electrical infrastructure could be crippling to our society. The Energy Collective unveiled a quiz to dispel some myths about the state of cybersecurity in the power grid. “Minimizing the risk is not just about training a network IT team. It’s about running a comprehensive and continuous scan of operational technology (OT)—the programmable logic controllers, the mobile devices, the supervisory control and data acquisition systems (SCADA), etc.—and then coordinating OT and IT teams with risk officers and crisis management experts to form a cohesive front capable of responding to an industrial cyber incident.” Perhaps the notion of distribution intelligence systems can help address and alleviate some of these concerns. Most utilities are only starting on the road to true distribution intelligence, but the market is expected to boom in the coming years. With the advent of industrial IoT technologies and new regulatory factors, we could realize distribution intelligence in our power grid sooner than later. I hope you have enjoyed our weekly round up on distribution intelligence, and please be sure to leave your comments and questions below. BONUS ARTICLE The round up above is all about the smart grid and how to make it more efficient and resilient. Ever hear of a smart city? Smart cities are connected cities, and they work in conjunction with everything from IoT sensors to open data collection and smart streetlights to provide better services and better communication. Teena Maddox from Tech Republic wrote a great round up piece on six essential technologies that make the smart city of the future a reality today. Give it a read!
Drone World: Applying IIoT Applications
“Drone World” may seem a bit overboard, but the fact is, drones are here to stay. We’ve spent time in these pages looking at unique and innovative drone applications in industries like utilities, precision agriculture, and even lifeguarding. Today, in honor of Memorial Day, we would like to take a moment and honor those men and women serving in the armed forces, by highlighting interesting government drone technology uses. Drones ‘Shot Into The Sky’ By The U.S. Navy The BBC News informs us how these innovative instant flight drones could be used as a method of defense for ships at sea suddenly burdened by a swarm of enemy drones. This project is known as LOCUST and it aims to launch a swarm of drones at high speed. Elizabeth Quintana from the military think tank Rusi believes that, “Drones could be used to take out enemy swarms at sea.” Drones That Can Sniff Out Radiation The Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) officials have recently purchased two drones to be a view from the sky in case of an emergency to sniff out and detect signs of radiation. It will be important to use these unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in situations that are to dangerous for humans. Other Applications of Drones Drones aren’t just for the government anymore, in fact we are already starting to see the industries below finding ways to improve safety, service and efficiency with the implementation of drones. 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. We hope you have enjoyed our quick drone world recap, and as always tell us what we missed. The next time you see a drone flying in the sky, think about all the possibilities that drone or fleet of drones could be providing.
IoT Top News: Future is Now
The Internet of Things (IoT) is creeping into every aspect of our lives. With the advent of smart cities, smart manufacturing, precision agriculture, drones and digital energy, businesses and individuals alike have seen the influx of IoT technology. For example, a recent report from Gartner, “suggests that more than 26 billion devices will be connected to the internet by 2020, with 250,000 of them being vehicles.” So, with the billions of connected things, its only natural this week’s top news roundup would highlight how IoT is maturing and what experts see for the future ahead. Research Firm calls for Standardized IoT Deployments As the demand increases to make more smart cities, researchers warn of extra costsand fragmented delays if we don’t create overall IoT standards. Machina Research reports, “Using current non-standardized technologies, it would cost 1.12 trillion dollars to get smart cities up and running by 2025. Were a standardized approach adopted, the total cost would be 781 billion dollars, a savings of 341 billion dollars worldwide.” Is Automation the Key to Unlocking IoT Data? The best approach to implementation is a combination of data analytics with real-time automated wireless results Dave McCarthy senior director of products at Bsquare suggests that, “The goal of any IoT system should be to extract business value from device and sensor data.” Three Ways to Leverage IIoT Some of best ways to leverage Industrial IoT is by learning to adapt machine learning(M2M), embedded sensors and an overall operational shift allowing the wireless technology to be implemented across the business. Scott Stone with Plant Engineering informs us that, “Accenture predicts that vendor-specific and proprietary infrastructure will be replaced over time with interoperable platforms. Harnessing the data through sensor-driven computing, industrial analytics and intelligent machine applications opens the door for innovation.” Internet of Things Offers Vision of the Future IoT is not a new concept, it has actually been around for 30 to 40 years, yet the future of IoT will still be fueled by security and integration concerns as our need to be connected everywhere continues to grow. Basher Saajid with Liberty Voice reminds us that, “Forbes has reported the overall IoT potential to generate additional $10-$15 trillion for the world GDP by 2034.” We hope you enjoyed this quick look at IoT top news, as always tell us about the stories you found of interest!
ENTELEC 2016 Conference News Roundup
This past week many of you migrated to Houston, Texas for the annual Energy Telecommunications and Electrical Association Conference (ENTELEC). This user association had around 200 vendors, that mainly focus on control technologies that are used by petroleum, natural gas, pipeline and electric utility companies. In honor of this being the 88th year of ENTELEC, Richard Nation, a fellow board member with Copano Energy gives us a brief history on how this association formed and evolved over the years. Now take a moment and watch this video, its only a few minutes long, so get to watching! A brief history on ENTELEC https://youtu.be/OaSMd2__naQ In case you missed it, we have a full recap here to fill you in on all the happenings at this year’s conference! ENTELEC 2016 started off with a bang, with the keynote address from Carey Lohrenz, the first female F-14 Tomcat Fighter Pilot with the Navy. Carey shared her winning experiences working aboard an aircraft carrier. These tools she explains, can be translated to everyday life in order to reduce error under pressure. Once the conference got under way, the ENTELEC team wanted to remind everyone, “they think you are kind of a big deal.” Inviting everyone to stop by their main booth throughout the conference. The Pipeline & Gas Journal snapped a picture of networking in action, as the communications and control technology experts got a chance to mingle during the opening day of ENTELEC. It was an action-packed conference, filled with speaking, networking, demonstrations and overall knowledge sharing. Hope you have enjoyed this week’s round up; as always tell us what we missed!
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
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!
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:
Sensor-2-Server: Benefits & Security for IIoT Communications
*This is part of a series of blogs examining Sensor-2-Server (S2S) communications, development, security and implementation. For the past two weeks, we’ve taken an in-depth look at what Sensor-2-Server communications are, how to implement these systems, and some of the specific aspects of communication that these systems facilitate. This week, for our final installment, we’ll examine some of the benefits, as well as security considerations, for S2S communications. Benefits of Sensor-2-Server Communications From a technology partnership perspective, Big Data vendors face the challenge of comparing data in motion versus data at rest. If the data has already moved through a SCADA system and has been aggregated, changed, stalled, or is not quite granular enough, it can be difficult to deliver high-value predictive analytics. The concept of predictive analytics is that an operator can make an accurate estimate that certain things can happen during operations. However, the operator needs to determine what the drivers are for the predicted actions to happen and must look at active data to determine if this is, in fact, happening. Without insight into the active data in motion, they are lacking an essential piece of the predictive analytics. This ability to compare data in motion at the access layer could benefit Big Data vendors when it comes to predictive analytics because it allows them to give higher value to their customers, which drives additional revenue. With S2S technology, they can deploy a tiered application infrastructure that allows data to intelligently move from one point to another. S2S also enables operators to go beyond a legacy SCADA data network. To operate a SCADA network, it requires a lot of institutional knowledge to truly understand, manage and work within the environment. S2S expands beyond moving the data into SCADA systems and allows operators to leverage more advanced technology, like predictive analytics. Essentially, S2S communications provide the opportunity to take advantage of new advanced tools, but the operator doesn’t necessarily have to sacrifice the institutional knowledge built into the SCADA data systems. As new generations enter the workforce, it’s likely that there will be a shift and some of that institutional knowledge will be replaced with technology that will allow operators to do more than they ever could before. The addition of new technology and IoT networks is where operators are starting to see the functional lines blur between the IT and production groups. As more technology is leveraged, these two disparate groups will have to work together more often. There is now a drive for a more holistic picture of what is going on in IT, what is going on in the field, and whether the technology used will be compatible with future needs. SCADA will likely always have value for industrial communications but, going forward, there will be an increase in the use other technologies as well. Additionally, with more technology physically in the field, there is always going to be a focus on data security. Security Sensors at the access layer present interesting security challenges. For example, consider a data concentrator sitting on an oil pad that is collecting data. This device is collecting data from a number of sensors and has data logging capabilities, which also means the other devices sitting at the remote site contain historical data. Technology providers need to insure that the technology used is taking advantage of all the security features that are available to make sure their data is protected through a variety of means including encryption, authentication, virus and intrusion protection, and by being physically tamperproof. With the growing interest in IIoT, the system is providing a communication path with highly valuable information. These sensors may be running an application on the edge of the network, and many of these devices are using IP. When there are Ethernet and IP devices going out to edge devices in the field, each one of those devices has the potential to become a threat to the entire corporate network if they’re not secure. Operators in IIoT environments need to be concerned with everything that could be introduced to the network at every single connection point. Data protection data is a fundamental and extremely important element in determining the effectiveness of S2S communication. Technology vendors must be mindful of security in every step of the design and installation process, and operators must require security features that will protect their data and networks. In addition to data security, the threat to physical infrastructures in very remote locations is driving the need for new security solutions such as intelligent video surveillance designed to maximize security and minimize cost. S2S solutions need to be physically capable of delivering the bandwidth to enable these new solutions. Where Do We Go From Here? Industrial communication is changing in the sense that IIoT enables the possibility for every device in a network to be connected – including those in the outer access layer. This has created a convergence of OT and IT operations in many instances or – at the very least – has brought the two departments to a closer working capacity. IoT and technology at the access layer enable the option for Sensor-2-Server, a form of intelligent communications that can move the sensor data to a specific server for detailed analysis. New data and technology are allowing operators to do things they’ve never done before, such as predictive analytics. As this shift continues, SCADA is not becoming an obsolete technology; rather it will become a piece in the bigger technology picture. Any operator choosing S2S technology, or any technology for that matter, must carefully consider the options and keep security as a top priority.
