IoT Weekly Roundup
The IoT weekly roundup is designed to share the latest and most interesting news from the past week. As the industrial and consumer IoT space continues to heat up, we decided to uncover some very unique IoT applications that many didn’t even know existed. As the connected world continues to advance in the emerging digital age, virtually every facet of our lives is now being impacted by the IoT. In this week’s addition of IoT weekly roundup, we explore M2M, sensors, automation, drones and IoT language. Dive in and enjoy this week’s highlights! Weekly Roundup of News How M2M and IoT enable new data-intensive applications By @dhdeans | Published on @TTech_News “During the last couple of years, machine-to-machine (M2M) technology has become an integral part of the services offered by global telecom providers and a significant revenue stream for M2M app specialists. They’ve developed comprehensive offerings, designed to reduce costs and increase efficiency.” Sonar Mapping Sensors Help Understand Where Life Can be Found Underwater By Brooks Hays | Published on @UPI “New maps charted using sonar sensors have revealed the importance of ‘marine snow’ to the distribution of biomass on the ocean floor. Until now, mapping the ocean floor’s terrain, as well as distribution of marine snow and biomass, has proven difficult.” Rail and Production Technology Parallels When it Comes to Automation By @DJGreenfield | Published on @automationworld “Explaining the IoT trend in rail, Weatherburn said that IoT is increasing interest in greater connectivity for operations optimization reasons. It’s also driving a move away from proprietary protocols and toward greater use of standard Ethernet. He noted that this is particularly true in rail when it comes to the delivery of communications and entertainment for the railway customer, pointing out that the rail industry is looking to carry both sets of data over standard Ethernet.” Indie Sci-fi Film Shot Entirely by Autonomous Drones By @trentlmoore | Published on @blastr “Drone cameras are being used in just about everything nowadays, from sports coverage to emergency response, but what happens when you shoot a movie entirely from the sky?” The connected IoT is spawning a new vocabulary By @pmcfedries | Published on @IEEESpectrum “A big chunk of the Internet of Things consists of wireless transceivers combined with sensors, which can reside in appliances, devices, clothes, machinery, buildings—just about anything physical. Of course, the phrase ‘wireless transceiver combined with sensors’ is unwieldy, so such a node of the IoT is called a mote (short for remote).” As we conclude our IoT weekly roundup, we hope you enjoyed learning about all the new applications and insights related to the powerful force of the Internet and connected technologies. Now go out and see what other IoT applications you can uncover!
Outdoor Wi-Fi Solution in Your Future?
Is an outdoor Wi-Fi solution in your future? Modern Sensor-to-Server (S2S) communication networks call for high-speed solutions that support massive amounts of data collection, control and transport. Today, industrial organizations are experiencing high demand for voice, video, data and sensor (VVDS) information in wireless outdoor networks. The challenge is finding Wi-Fi networks that can ensure connectivity in outdoor environments that are often volatile and unpredictable. The good news — robust, secure outdoor Wi-Fi hotspot platforms designed for shorthaul communications enable a variety of data collection options that can withstand the harshest outside elements. Reputable outdoor Wi-Fi networks can leverage multiple networking protocols and services. They are designed to meet the needs of enterprise-scale communications across a wide range of critical infrastructure industries like oil and gas, utilities, mining, municipalities, perimeter security, disaster recovery, and outdoor recreation. Keep in mind this is just snapshot of the industries that can benefit from Wi-Fi – there are numerous applications in just about any outdoor Internet of Things (IoT) network. Outdoor Wi-Fi | Real-life Scenario Recently, an electric power company based out of North Carolina needed to transition the Direct Load Control (DLC) switches for its residential load management program. The transition affected 275 air conditioning (AC) units across two rooftops at a residential senior living community. WavePro (WP201) shorthaul point-to-point and Wi-Fi platform units were used to enable the transition. In this instance, Wi-Fi was leveraged to increase the Load Management System’s (LMS) effectiveness by creating two-way communications to switch monitoring and control, instead of the previous one-way paging system that was in place. A local internet service provided communications from the LMS to a rooftop Internet Point of Presence (PoP). Additional solutions, including Wi-Fi enabled controllers and Wi-Fi access points (four WavePro Units) were selected for the installation. The WavePro units were configured to solve three communication requirements in the Wi-Fi network: wireless communications between the controllers and a WP201; wireless communications between the four WP201s on the two rooftops; and communication between one WP201 and the single Internet PoP. The completed Wi-Fi solution enabled real-time communication between the LMS and each of the HVAC controllers on the two residential towers. The energy company can now effectively manage and confirm power curtailment events in real time. Win a WavePro Network You have a chance to win your own WavePro high-speed outdoor Wi-Fi network. Simply provide your application needs and tell us why you should win. Move fast —the contest ends this Friday, September 30. WavePro Features: IP67 rating to withstand extreme environmental conditions Advanced dual-band 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz capabilities that can cut through noise and congestion with band steering Self-discovery and self-healing mesh networking guarantee reliability Up to 1.3 Gbps broadband speeds deliver real-time Voice, Video, Data and Sensor links (VVDS™) Enter now: http://bit.ly/2czghui
JavaOne 2016 Recap
JavaOne had the pleasure of taking San Francisco by storm. The 2016 conference left little to be desired, with more than 450 java-focused demos, labs and sessions with peer experts, plus time to network with this high-tech crowd. This year aimed its attention at young coders, enterprise, developers and the tools they need to keep innovation alive. If by chance you weren’t part of the masses that migrated to San Francisco, this week’s recap is dedicated to JavaOne highlights. So sit back, relax and enjoy this week’s recap. Opening Keynote Hints At Ambitious Changes In Next Version Of Java By @Oracle | Published on @Forbes “A common theme in the keynote was the promised modularization feature, Project Jigsaw—which enables Java programs to ship and run with much smaller footprints, thereby using fewer system resources.” Java EE moves forward once again By Alex Handy | Published on @SDTimes “The state of innovation in Java EE was so in question that, earlier this summer, the Java Guardians were formed to champion the platform and demand that it be pushed forward. At JavaOne today, Oracle finally detailed its plans to address the neglected enterprise Java platform. Alongside that road map came new information on the in-development Java SE 9 and OpenJDK 9.” Audience Gets a Glimpse of the Power of JShell By @mon_beck | Published on @InfoQ “During his JavaOne 2016 keynote, Mark Reinhold, Chief architect of the Java platform group pointed out that Java 9 is much bigger than Jigsaw as can be seen in the 85 JEPs targeted for Java 9. I would like to discuss one new Java feature he highlighted, JEP 222, the Java shell (also known as JShell.) With JShell, Java 9 will enable developers to use Read-Eval-Print loop (REPL) which is an interactive tool that evaluates user input and prints the output either as a value or a state change.” A boost for cloud app developers By Admire Moyo | Published on @ITWeb “Oracle says by giving developers a choice of programming languages, databases, compute types, operating systems and virtual machines, integrated development environments and tools, the company provides developers with the choice and flexibility needed to build modern applications in the cloud.” Top Tweets During the Event! Women in tech are taking over Posted by @java Times are changing as women in tech fill up the next JavaOne panel discussion. Talking code, programming and technical specifics is no longer a man’s world. https://twitter.com/java/status/778694106503532545/photo/1 Don’t forget your Star Wars costumes! Posted by @hendrikEbbers JavaOne asked us to reach for our inner Star Wars fan, by giving away Star Wars stickers to the first 50 people that dressed up in their best Star Wars gear. We are still looking for the proof. If you did dress up, please share your pictures with us! https://twitter.com/hendrikEbbers/status/778347600600719360/photo/1 ReadWrite Meets FreeWave! Posted by @citizencaen The excitement around JavaOne was palpable! We were thrilled to finally meet the Chris Caen from ReadWrite as we caught him up on the new partnership announcements with Teachneaux and Resilio. We also had the pleasure of showcasing our latest ZumLink IIoT Programmable Radio at JavaOne, as pictured below. Chistorpher Caen with ReadWrite caught up wtih Michelle Marceny at FreeWave Technologies. Caen found out that, “When FreeWave says their devices have 2.8 million combat hours, they really mean combat hours.” https://twitter.com/citizencaen/status/778662244276064257/photo/1 JavaOne Entertains in Style! Each night was filled with social networking, good food and drinks. Wednesday night they pulled out all the stops grabbing the attention of both young and old by having performances by both Sting and Gwen Stefani. Lots of fun!
Seismic Shift in IIoT Monitoring
There’s been a seismic shift in monitoring earthquakes via the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) with advanced Machine-to-Machine (M2M) technology have reshaped the industrial communication industry. Every device or machine along the network, even at the outermost edge, now has the opportunity to be fully-connected for automated collection and delivery of information. As Sensor-2-Server (S2S) communication technology evolves to keep up with the demand for this connectivity paradigm, new efficiencies are created and Big Data is available to drive actionable intelligence. Seismic Shift Data that Saves Lives The sheer quantity of available data, combined with the speed of automation can support mission critical applications that are designed to save lives. Research centers can leverage IoT networks to relay critical data in real-time from areas where earthquakes are a common threat to people living nearby. While natural events like earthquakes and volcanos are not avoidable or fully predictable, an IoT network can potentially help reduce the level of devastation through close, reliable seismic monitoring via highly sensitive and advanced sensor technology. S2S communications monitor and send data from remote areas where Earth changes are first detected, to the monitoring authorities who are closely tracking seismic activity. S2S solutions leveraged for early detection of these events can enable authorities to warn citizens in advance to take appropriate precautionary measures. When robust, rapid, real-time monitoring is combined with effective emergency communications, human casualties can be significantly decreased. Seismic Shift and the Ever Changing Landscape IoT has been adopted at such a rapid pace that the demand for modern, sophisticated communication technology is driving constant changes in remote, industrial communication networks that will further advance applications like seismic monitoring. These changes have clearly disrupted the traditional Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) market. While SCADA systems are not obsolete, industries like environmental monitoring will continue to leverage new technologies designed to help seismologists make more informed decisions than with just SCADA alone. Now, network operators can evolve and adapt their monitoring programs over time through the IoT with edge devices that allow third-party software applications to be deployed network-wide. This has not only opened new doors for software developers, but it opens up the opportunity for advancements in environmental monitoring to further improve natural event monitoring. Fast and accurate data transport from the sensor networks in seismic monitoring therefore requires robust and reliable technology that doesn’t fail in remote and sometimes harsh environments. RF technology, for example, is advancing to help field crews make intelligent decisions and closely monitor the elements that can help delivery early warning for natural events. Find us at JavaOne this Week
Top Industrial IoT News Roundup
There is a lot happening in the industrial IoT (IIoT) space lately, as evidenced by all the recent news announcements, analyst insights and business transactions occurring on the daily. Some say there is a foggy forecast for the industrial internet of things, mainly because the success of cloud computing must extend beyond data centers, but real world use cases should continue to pave the way. In some respects, perhaps it’s just the fact that the ROI from the IIoT is still in its infancy, but many are clamoring that a more standardized infrastructure is needed to help solve the unique complexities that IIoT presents. In this week’s IIoT news roundup, you’ll find a little bit of everything – from oil and gas and manufacturing to fog computing, drones and sensors. Dive in and see if you have any other articles that you think are worth adding! And don’t miss the bonus update at the end of the news roundup. Deloitte: End-to-End Automation Real Value of IIoT Technology By @KarenBoman | Published on @Rigzone “Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies such as machine learning and drones are now available, but the real value lies in linking these technologies together to allow for end-to-end automation, a Deloitte executive told attendees at the Internet of Things Oil and Gas Conference 2016 Wednesday in Houston.” Is Now the Time to Apply Fog Computing to the Internet of Things? By Dr. Vladimir Krylov @Artezio | Published on @IoTEvolution “With fog computing, latency is minimized if one uses fog nodes for data analysis without sending it to the cloud. All event aggregation in this case has to be performed in the distributed architecture deployed in the network where devices (sensors) and fog nodes are located. Thus, fog architecture moves the capacity question from the cloud to the network implementation.” Manufacturing firms investing in IIoT data analytics – even if other areas are slowing down By @James_T_Bourne | Published on @IoTTechNews “The research, the findings of which appear in the report ‘Data’s Big Impact on Manufacturing’, found that of the more than 200 North American manufacturing executives polled, 70% said investing in data analytics would lead to fewer equipment breakdowns, while less unscheduled downtime (68%), unscheduled maintenance (64%), and fewer supply chain management issues (60%) were also cited.” Go Ahead, Fly a Tiny Drone. The Man Doesn’t Have to Know By @luxagraf | Published on @WIRED “THE WILD WEST days of drone flight came to end earlier this year when the FAA began requiring that pilots register their aircraft with the agency. If you want to use your Unmanned Aircraft System (as the FAA calls them) for anything remotely commercial, you’ll need to go a step further and pass a test.” Could Optical Fibre Sensors Save Lives? By @loctier | Published on @euronews “This edition of Futuris looks at how optical fibre sensors could help monitor the stability of roads, buildings, bridges and other constructions – and save lives.” Discovering Value in the Age of IIoT By @lasher64 | Published on @automationworld “The solutions of tomorrow will be much more integrated between implementation tiers on the plant floor to the enterprise and beyond. Therefore, it is imperative that these solutions give strong consideration to network architectures and cybersecurity. As we continue to move forward, you will hear more about operational technology (OT).” IoT is not about radios; it’s all about data By Alan Carlton | Published on @NetworkWorld “The initial challenge for the Internet of Things (IoT) was how to provide physical connectivity of small and often remote devices to the Internet. This issue has basically been solved with the plethora of wireless connectivity solutions. The real challenge for IoT is data organization, sharing and search on an unprecedented scale.” BONUS NEWS This week, FreeWave announced a contest at a chance to win FreeWave’s award-winning WavePro WP201 shorthaul and Wi-Fi solution. Contest entrants must provide a high-level account of the application of the WavePro, along with a description of the need for the platform. Winners will be announced at the close of the entry period. To enter the contest, please visit: http://go.freewave.com/wavepro-network-giveaway. Submissions are due by September 30!
Thinking Outside the Box with Sensor-2-Server Applications
When we talk about Sensor-2-Server (S2S) applications, we tend to lean towards examples of common industrial communication networks for industries like oil and gas, utilities and municipalities. These application solutions typically incorporate the transfer of data from edge devices back to a specific server for use cases such as pump and tank monitoring or SCADA systems. However, as Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communications transform alongside the adoption of the Internet of Things(IoT), the types of applications that require connectivity at the edge are virtually endless. If we step back and look at the big picture, it is clear the entire landscape of technology is changing. With these changes we foresee the decline of standalone RF technology. Decision makers need Big Data in to make intelligent decisions that will transform their business operations and save them time and money. S2S communication networks are designed to address this challenge by driving intelligent transmissions from a specific location back to the appropriate server with the necessary intelligence to drive action for change. As technology evolves to meet industry demands, RF technology must adapt to meet new needs. We’re already seeing this happen in the industrially hardened, wireless communications industry. Some wireless IoT communication solutions providers are offering platforms to host third-party applications in addition to creating the communication links for devices. Sensor-2-Server Solution Along with this widespread technology change, we have begun to see new and exciting ways that modern RF technology solutions can be leveraged in an S2S network. Here are some nontraditional real-life examples of S2S applications: S2S communications to connect satellite communication dishes in remote locations where there is little to no cell coverage. The solutions extend communications and create a single POC for all of the remote locations. Monitoring cold storage food at distribution centers for a large US Supermarket chain where the cold storage warehouses are 500 feet X 500 feet and are located several hundred feet away from the monitoring room. RTK base station communications to improve data and correlation for an Electric Car manufacturer. Remote access to GPS Stations for improved data transfer in order to complete ocean mapping. Irrigation control on golf courses. For most industrial organizations there is a clear push towards complete connectivity from the sensors at the edge of the network all the way back to the central server. We often talk about data collection for familiar applications in oil and gas, utilities and smart cities. However, the reality of today’s technology transformation is that any industrial communication network, regardless of the industry, will likely need to connect its edge devices and eventually program its edge through third party applications in order to take the most cost effective approach and drive intelligent operational decisions.
All Aboard the IoT Railway
In many parts of the world, rail represents a major component of infrastructure – for the transportation of both humans and goods. In fact, railways are critical to some of the major industries like oil and gas, agriculture, and food refrigeration/transport. Much like those industries have, over the years, adopted automated, machine-to-machine (M2M) technology, railroads have similarly deployed more advanced technology over the years as well. Railways began the “automation” process by adding Automatic Equipment Identification (AEI) tags back as early as 1989. These sensors track the specific item tagged, but they have no way of knowing how the train is operating as a whole. Companies also began deploying RFID tags to track goods being transported along the different lines. The AEI sensors could provide information on the rail car and would interact with the various readers along the route. The additional sensors were great for location awareness, but still lacked the ability to monitor all the moving parts on the train. Still, with these two initial steps, the early stages of Internet of Things (IoT) technology began to come into focus for the railroad industry. IoT Railway Solution The rail industry needed a way to develop a more intelligent infrastructure that enabled Sensor-2-Server (S2S) data transmission via a network of Wi-Fi and voice, video, data and sensor control systems. Due to the massive amount of data collection a system like this would develop, railways are now developing a fully digital service that is directed toward centralized facilities capable of aggregating data from different sources and streams and analyzing that data in real-time. For instance, today, railroad sensors monitor everything from rail car and locomotive health, to track conditions, air temperatures, stress gauges and component conditions. Having a centralized system allows operators to take that data being collected and use it to develop predictive maintenance practices; that is, the ability to predict when a section of rail or a specific component is in need of repair or near failure. Predictive maintenance is only one component of IoT integration for the rail industry, but it is one that can potentially transform practices across the board, ultimately saving companies time and money – valuable elements for an industry centered on logistics. Across the pond, the University of Huddersfield’s Institute of Railway Research has found that tracks can be monitored with inexpensive sensors set to operate by the vibrations of oncoming trains. According to the research, the sensors will still operate if one of the sensors is damaged, because of a built-in fail-safe. These sensors are projected to detect both approaching trains and the real-time conditions of the track. Adding an IoT network to trains can help improve safety and efficiency with traffic congestion, monitoring and control speed. Even the non-critical business operations have the ability to operate efficiently on the train with the help of modern sensors. Beyond rail sensor networks, there is also the consideration of the passengers as well. If railroads can implement Wi-Fi networks on passenger cars, passengers will be able to receive travel updates, railroad companies can develop specific apps for their travelers, and riders can enjoy the utility of internet in areas that previously lacked service. Although rail remains largely an industrial consideration in the United States, the growth of IoT technology available to the greater industry bodes well for the continued development of this infrastructure around the world.
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.”
Behind the Scenes: Airports Across the Country
Many of us have been in airports around the country a lot lately. Summer vacations are a time when families converge at our local airports, anxious to spend time with loved ones and get to their destinations for fun, relaxation and adventure. However, we tend to take for granted all that goes into running our airports, along with the safety and security required to ensure the smooth operation each airport requires. Plus, we generally only think about what is happening inside the airports, but the truth of the matter is, there is potentially more activity happening outside of the airport at any given time. From aircraft maintenance crews and air traffic controllers to airfreight handlers and runway security personnel, there is a slew of machines and people conducting airport operations outdoors that need to be coordinated and as efficient as possible. According to a 2010 report by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, a total of 631,939,829 passengers boarded domestic flights in the United States that year. This averages to 1.73 million passengers flying per day. It’s mind-boggling to think how this number has increased since that time as it’s clear that general aviation airports of all sizes are an integral part of our National Aviation System. Many airports have aging facilities, shifting demands to accommodate the changes in the general aviation industry, and diminishing revenue sources. These trends coupled with limited staff and budgets have made it difficult to properly maintain the facilities beyond responding to immediate needs. Automator of Airports The automation of processes and industrial communications can help. Setting up an outdoor industrial wi-fi network is one way field managers at airports can ease the burden of maintaining a safe and efficient infrastructure. For instance, establishing a hardened and ruggedized commercial-grade wi-fi network around the perimeter of an airport not only creates a safe and secure enclosed zone, but, also provides a way for maintenance crews to monitor and ensure the overall outdoor field operations of the airport facility. This can be easily achieved through resilient wireless networks because they allow for easy and relatively inexpensive modification as outdoor airport infrastructures and policies change (which can be frequent). In addition, besides obvious benefits to airport maintenance crews, there are indeed FAA requirementsthat need to be adhered to for compliance – making it even more imperative that airport facility personnel find more effective ways of ensuring proper airport operations and safety procedures are maintained at all times. Some examples of how outdoor wi-fi networks can assist in a smoother, more automated airport infrastructure include: Establishing a communications link with all airport maintenance crew through VoIP, video and data so that all personnel are able to communicate with one another and send immediate notifications if/when needed – saving time, effort and money. Adhering to FAA mandates which require personnel to provide reports on outdoor lighting, runways, vehicles and the overall airport infrastructure three times per day. Great efficiencies can be obtained through automating these various tasks reducing the amount of time and labor needed to maintain, monitor and report these things. Installing communication devices on airport maintenance vehicles connects all of them so that personnel can notify proper authorities of outages through their tablets versus manually having to inform supervisors that action needs to be taken. These are just a few of the ways an industrial outdoor wi-fi network can help airports maintain a safe, secure and well-functioning infrastructure. So what will the future airports look like and how will they operate? If the current IoT landscape has shown us anything its that any manual process or operation that can be automated through the use of machines or smart devices eventually will be (automated). As airport field operations continue to be held to higher standards and increasingly rigid regulations, the faster they can adapt to the pressures of an on-demand economy, the better.