Got Data? Now what?
It’s hard to imagine a world without the daily convenience of modern technology. Just yesterday, I joked with my kids about the world before the internet – a time when we actually had to go to the library to look up unknown information. I can still remember the early days of my college career back in the late 90s, the internet had just come out, and we were all getting used to this new phenomenon called a “search engine.” Life has drastically changed over the last 25 years. Now, nearly all the information we want and need is at our fingertips. Today, we have more access to data than most people know how to handle. Data is all around us, collected through the day-to-day actions and reactions of our lives. When we take the time to intentionally analyze, interpret and distribute the data metrics available to us, we can make smarter and more efficient decisions. There is so much to explore, and while our increased access to data is pretty interesting, the reality is that the combination of data and modern technology can change the world. Like many things, though, there are two sides. Sure, industrial companies can capture huge amounts of data, but it also raises the question: now what? How do you put all that data to work? Breaking barriers and pushing boundaries At the intersection of data and technology, we can push boundaries in work, business and society like never before. Data insights allow us to be more precise and accurate in our day-to-day work, which allows us to be more effective and efficient. The operational benefits here are endless, including improved quality control, reduced energy consumption, enhanced safety and increased operational consistency. Just take a look at the food industry, for example. Many field workers in smart agriculture rely heavily on data insights to control, predict and create the best environments for quality crops and harvest. The more accurate their predictions, the better their harvest, and the better their harvest, the faster we receive our food through the supply chain. Today, internet of things (IoT) technology can connect remote and mobile assets, like a tractor, for instant data access, making it easier for farmers to be more efficient and effective in their work. It’s really amazing when you think about it. Data is transforming how we operate in this world, creating better environments for us all. The FreeWave impact At FreeWave, we are constantly pushing the boundaries of technology to create faster, smarter and more efficient work environments. I’ve been a part of the FreeWave team since 2019, and I am constantly amazed at the ways our technology provides innovative solutions for real-world issues. Our products enable our customers to improve their work processes, and through our single pane of glass approach, we offer a simplified experience for businesses and industry leaders to receive automated technology that transforms data metrics into real-time execution. One of my favorite use cases to discuss is FreeWave customer that uses drone technology to deliver food and other valuable resources to far-reaching areas across the globe. With FreeWave products, they can run a smarter and more efficient operation. Their robotics delivery system is combating many of the complex access challenges the world faces on a daily basis. Our IoT technology is helping them solve complex issues with simplified tech solutions, and simple solutions create more time, energy and space to focus on what matters most: people. If you need a product to help you bridge the gap between technology and data, FreeWave is your solution. We are enablement partners, helping every one of our customers accomplish their complex goals. It’s inspiring to work with brands and businesses striving to create a difference in real-world issues. Our technology plays an intricate role in sustaining work environments and supporting entire industries around the globe. Data makes the difference At the end of the day, data is more than mere statistics; data is the key to our efficiency, productivity and safety. Data makes the difference in energy consumption reduction. Data makes the difference in the overall quality and safety of our daily environments. Data makes the difference in everything. Every day we have the opportunity to use data to our advantage, and at FreeWave, we are helping industrial innovators do just that. As technology continues to evolve, we will continue to provide top of the line IoT solutions that transform data into actionable insights and execution so you can not only access a treasure trove of data, but also know exactly how to answer the age-old question: now what?
Data is everywhere, even on Mount Everest: Sensor-to-cloud and extreme environments
Technology – from Mount Everest to the farm It’s amazing what technology can do when paired with human will. Just a few years ago, a team of scientists made history as they trekked up Mount Everest with the goal of running environmental studies. With backpacks full of sensors (which included FreeWave technology), these men pushed boundaries to create a new normal. When we intentionally use modern technology to our advantage, we can create better, safer and more productive environments within every industry. Today, the same technology used on Mount Everest is now powering multiple earth science programs transmitting sensor data from remote environments to earth scientists, climatologists and meteorologists through cloud servers. This is just one example of many where sensor-to-cloud solutions have transformed our ability to interact with extreme environments in the modern world. A deeper look at extreme environments Typically, when someone thinks of an extreme environment, they imagine harsh, rugged terrain in a far-off remote location; however extreme environments aren’t limited by this definition. Take a large farm, for example, with a multitude of deployed assets and equipment across hundreds of acres. Traditionally, an operation like this requires an employee to physically check on the farm equipment multiple times a week, manually turning valves on and off, in addition to monitoring and controlling the overall farm environment. These day-to-day tasks are not only time-consuming but physically draining. In this case, the operational output required on the farm makes it an operationally extreme environment, and extreme environments are just one space where sensor-to-cloud solutions shine. Sensor-to-cloud in the real world Today, sensor-to-cloud systems utilize deployed sensors to collect and transmit data from remote locations. These sensors send the gathered information back to cloud servers for further research and analysis, enabling entire teams to utilize their limited time and resources more effectively. With sensor-to-cloud systems, we eliminate the often-laborious mechanics of middlemen procedures so that industry leaders can focus on what matters most. Let’s revisit that farming example. With sensor-to-cloud technology, farmers can automate the repetitive tasks of their operations. Something as simple as discrete soil sensors further allow farmers to virtually monitor their crop health, creating more time and space to focus on other high-value tasks. This gives them time, often an invaluable asset, to do what’s needed. In a sense, we can improve the productivity of an operation with an automated suite of sensor systems. Imagine the difference a network of sensors can make. The FreeWave difference For several years now, FreeWave products have been a leading resource solution for extreme environments. Our sensors were a part of the great Mount Everest expedition, and today, we have deployed sensors in many areas, including pipelines in Alaska, ice shelves in Antarctica, smart farms across the country and many other locations – rugged and traditional. We are providing the groundbreaking technology needed to monitor data in extreme environments so that our partners and customers can make the best, informed decisions for their operations. As the Chief Technology and Product Officer at FreeWave, I am constantly amazed at the impact our products have on the world. We are working with some of the major brands of our time, helping them solve massive problems affecting society at large. Our technology solutions serve entire industries, like oil and gas, agriculture, transportation and traffic, as well as many others that contribute to the well-being of the globe. It is great to be a part of a company where we can say our products are a part of the solution for life’s essentials. Every day, we help industry leaders identify their pain points and provide them with a single pane of glass product solution that helps them see the data wherever they are without the drain of additional resources. Our rich portfolio of radios, gateways, cloud software and analytics allows us to stitch together a range of packaged ready to use applications that solve our customer’s problems through simple, turn-key solutions. Sensor-to-cloud in the future Data is everywhere, and now more than ever, we have the tools and resources we need to digitize the world around us. As we build the future, sensor-to-cloud solutions will continue to play a critical role in gathering, processing and managing data in extreme environments around the globe. As I look at the world before us, I see endless opportunities to continue to leverage technology and data to build a better and more informed life.
The Importance of Data in the Life of Bees
Have you heard the buzz? Data is everywhere, informing, influencing and affecting the direction and decisions of our lives daily. Due to modern technology, we now have access to a world of knowledge that was otherwise unavailable just 50 years ago. This data is gold, and when we intentionally utilize technology to mine and refine it, we can create a more sustainable world. Industrial internet of things (IIoT) technology makes a sizable and sustainable difference in multiple industries – including apiculture, the business of beekeeping. Much to my surprise, I learned that taking an intentional approach to data collection and distribution profoundly impacts the lives of bees and surrounding societies. Data and beekeeping In 2019, I went on a mission with my company ModuSense to create an IIoT solution that could aid specific industries with several deployed assets in need of environmental monitoring. After exploring applications in forestry and horticulture, our journey led us to apiculture farming and the high value commodity of honey. I believe in fully immersing myself in business and technology, so I became a beekeeper to understand the complexity of the apiculture industry better. Beekeeping is a high-value asset in New Zealand and Australia, almost exclusively because of the manuka honey variant. While traditional clover or bush honey may earn between $4-6 dollars a kilo, manuka honey can earn as high as $200 a kilo, making every drop critically important. Proper hive monitoring is essential for quality production, but beehives (especially the manuka variant) often grow in difficult terrain within remote locations, making them challenging and expensive to access regularly. Without IIoT technology, beekeeping is a naturally complicated process. Oftentimes, beekeepers must utilize helicopters to deploy and check on their hives, which is time-consuming, expensive and challenging. However, with the right IIoT solutions, such as sensors that monitor hive conditions, the beekeeping process is simplified, increasing productivity and overall harvest quality. With access to the right data, beekeepers don’t have to check on the internal conditions of their hive manually; instead, they can manipulate and control the hive’s environment from afar through sensors to create optimal conditions for production.This IIoT technology is helping us augment the beekeeping process through effective data monitoring, which is ultimately creating a simpler and more sustainable approach to hive operations. Simple solutions In many ways, beekeeping is quite similar to dairy farming, meaning better environments create better products. When cows receive access to the best pastures, they inevitably produce better milk which then creates better dairy products for us to consume. The same is true in the life of bees. When bees intentionally receive access to the best environmental conditions and quality nectar, they are able to become high-strength, crop-ready colonies which naturally produce a high-quality harvest. Effective regulation of the bees’ environment is critical to ensure the best yield, and this is where IIoT technology is making a world of difference in the apiculture industry. Bees are incredibly sensitive to barometric pressure, humidity and temperature, all of which play a role in their ability to produce as a colony; bees also need to maintain a central weight to operate at peak performance. As such, the best way to ensure a quality harvest from a beehive is to maintain the colony’s weight and manage the hive’s temperature. With proper data insights, we can do this remotely by studying and monitoring the internal collective health and conditions of the hive. Without lifting the hive’s lid, which disrupts the harvest process, we can virtually control the bees’ environment without the extra cost or time of added deployments. These insights are easy to monitor from a single pane of glass, making critical information accessible faster than a bee can fly (which is pretty fast at 20 mph!). Integrating special IIoT sensors, we developed the HiveBeats Environmental Monitoring Sensor, HiveScale V5 and Brood Monitoring Sensors that now provide precise insights into the life of a bee, which ultimately determine if and when human intervention is needed. This allows for significantly fewer errors to occur and saves time and money along the way. Data connects life – for bees and people At ModuSense, we are proud to develop timely IIoT solutions, including sensor devices, cloud-based data routing, data storage, analysis platforms and connectivity hardware to provide solutions that are easily deployed and ready to fit for purpose. In partnership with FreeWave, we are committed to accelerating hardware and software IIoT development capabilities in meaningful and immediately measurable ways for remote industries around the globe. As the CEO of ModuSense, I am proud of the work we have done to create real-life change in the world of apiculture. Our special sensors enhance the hive cultivation process by extracting critical internal data insights, all while creating a culture of industrial sustainability for beekeepers along the way. We are creating a new way forward by leveraging the power of IIoT technology to monitor data and using that insight to respond with actionable execution. Sustainability is about finding ways to use less to do more and our ModuSense sensors are doing just that for beekeepers around the globe. Today, technological intervention plays a significant role in the efficiency and sustainability of our work. When we remove the guesswork from our labor, we can respond with intention and precision, creating better work environments and industry performance worldwide. I am proud to contribute to this type of change in the life of bees and beyond.
Technology Simplified: Leveraging Data in the New Digital Era
Excited by tomorrow, we face a new world filled with endless possibilities each day. Thanks to modern technology, simple sensors open the doors to our favorite restaurant, edge computing allows manufacturers to spot and correct production glitches before they happen, and high-tech traffic cameras analyze and record thousands of license plates daily to spot stolen and unregistered vehicles while also identifying suspected criminals. It’s no secret that the world is evolving before our eyes, and through the technological advancements of this digital era, we are creating a more efficient world. The power of data Data is a powerful tool of knowledge, and lucky for us, it’s everywhere! Every one of our actions is driven by a manual process of data – like the simple act of putting on a jacket when it gets cold, or an automated process of data – like a valve instinctively shutting off when a water tank gets full. Today we have the technology to effectively process, analyze and distribute data metrics in tremendously impactful ways. What does greater simplification look like for industrial leaders? Remote operations simplified When leveraged effectively, industrial internet of things (IIoT) solutions take remote operations to the next level, simplifying the work process for teams and industries across the globe. Think about some of the most popular high-value remote assets today, like drones, video surveillance, or even center pivot irrigation systems – these entities perform so well because they do what humans can’t. In mere seconds, IIoT technology can process, distribute and respond to data that would otherwise take an entire team hours, days or even weeks to achieve. In the not so distant past, industrial operations relied solely on data consumption (i.e., how much water is in the tank; what temperature is the water), but today, advancements give us the ability to respond nearly instantaneously to that collected data with actionable execution. Today we can view and control the management of an entire operation remotely on our cell phone. We can see how much water is in a tank or what temperature that water is at and automatically change and adjust the water levels and temperatures from near or far. As a result, the amount of time, resources and energy needed to run businesses has transformed entirely, and this evolution allows us to create an enhanced world and standard of work. Simple deployment Remote operations are oftentimes in rugged terrain, making them difficult or even impossible to access. At FreeWave, we solve this complex issue by providing pre-configured ready-to-deploy solutions, complete with everything needed to achieve the mission at hand. For example, through FreeWaves’s joint venture with ModuSense, we’re simplifying connectivity to cloud with a variety of pre-configured and ready to deploy monitoring and sensing solutions by supplying the entire solution with a 12-month data plan, dashboard, 12W rapid recharge solar panel, satellite connectivity and Bluetooth connectivity. You can use your mobile phone to validate the data directly from the gateway without having to wait for satellite transmission. We all know the “gotchas” when it comes to buying technology. Simple deployment means you’re ready from day one, without needing to buy additional components. Real-world impact As Chief Operating Officer and SVP of Global Sales and Marketing at FreeWave, I get a front-row seat to the real-life impact modern-day technology is having on lives, businesses and entire industries. The essentials of life have become simplified, and in the process, more people and businesses receive greater access to the things that matter most like critical information, metrics and potential outcomes. Creating a more sustainable world and preserving natural resources like food, air, energy and water have been at the forefront of IIoT since FreeWave began almost three decades ago when we brought long range, low power consumption, C1D2, 900 MHz connectivity and radio technology products to our customers. Since then, our connectivity options have greatly expanded by adding EDGE Compute, Software, Industry Protocol Conversions, Data Broker & Cloud, a complete end to end solution and with it comes the responsibility for greater environmental stewardship. We’ve all seen the devastating impact an environmental catastrophe, like the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, can have on the globe. Simple mistakes can and do cause enormous repercussions that affect us all. The truth is, with human interaction there will always be the cost of time and possible room for error. Technology, however, is different, as it allows us to not rely solely on human capacity and depend more on interconnected and advanced systems. Now, we don’t have to wait for someone to run into a situation or crisis and manually pull a lever or travel to turn off a valve. Instead, preprogrammed automation or a simple click of a button or flip of a switch from virtually anywhere in the world can control your high value remote assets. FreeWave is a technological pioneer in the 21st century. We have connected the unconnected with a reliable ecosystem of edge intelligent radios and solutions to optimize the extreme edge of remote industrial operations. Through our single IIoT platform, we provide expanded capabilities for data capture, analysis, control and automation. Our single pane of glass approach provides a simple, single vendor, one-stop-shop solution for remote operations worldwide. At the end of the day, when we take the power of data monitoring and funnel it through modern technology, we open ourselves up to a new world of endless possibilities and opportunities. It’s one thing to have data; it’s an entirely different thing to know how to leverage that data. At FreeWave, we are constantly pushing the boundaries of data monitoring and modern technology through our IIoT solutions and creating a better, safer and faster world of work for industries around the globe.
FreeWave Technologies Expands Global Footprint and Has Record Growth
FreeWave Technologies Welcomes New Decade with Expanding Global Footprint and Record Growth BOULDER (February 11, 2020) – FreeWave Technologies, a leader in industrial edge computing and long-range industrial wireless connectivity expanded its global footprint and continued its record growth trajectory in 2019 thanks to gains in the smart agriculture, UAV, oil and gas and municipal water/wastewater verticals. With 2019 revenue growth up more than 10 percent, international growth up 50 percent and EBITDA up 38 percent over 2018, the company is well-positioned to meet the growing global demand for Edge Cloud and Virtualized Edge platforms that deliver true Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) benefits to new and existing markets. “These are dynamic and exciting times at FreeWave and in the industry in general,” said FreeWave Technologies CEO Kirk Byles. “We’ve been connecting the industrial edge for decades. However, our strategy to shift the business toward integrated edge connectivity and computing solutions has had an immediate impact on our bottom line. Delivering high-fidelity data capture capabilities for analysis, control and automation via a single, scalable IIoT platform is certainly on point. We see this proven out by our continued performance and growing demand,” said Byles. “By building a strong and diversified ecosystem of partners, we believe we can provide customers with effective solutions to address network challenges and optimize algorithms to capitalize on IIoT opportunities today and into the future.” Since 2017, FreeWave has steadily and strategically expanded its portfolio beyond SCADA to include investments in its Zumlink™ industrial products and ZumIQ™ EDGE compute platform. Recent updates have added improved processing power and memory, as well as additional ports for USB and Ethernet connectivity. Here’s a quick snapshot of key 2019 business milestones: Announced an agreement to team with MachineShop to provide a turn-key edge computing solution that seamlessly extends Amazon Web Services (AWS) computing to the edge, transforming how edge computing is deployed, managed, and connected with AWS IoT Greengrass and related services. Invested and grew international sales by 50 percent by executing agreements with partners and customers in Latin America, APAC, MEA, & EU. These partnerships will allow FreeWave to continue to diversify and scale its solutions globally. Announced strategic partnerships with Inductive Automation and AUTOSOL to deliver a fully integrated Edge solution that optimizes real-time data acquisition via a MQTT publish/subscribe SCADA architecture. Established new Board of Directors comprised of highly accomplished executives in the IIOT, software, product development and professional infrastructure services industries to support its IIoT solution evolution. Continued to align with various edge and cloud software tool and solutions providers to simplify the adoption of IIoT. IIoT is rapidly becoming more important to industrial enterprises as they look to evolve their operations. The emergence of OT Cloud capabilities also promises to be a powerful asset. The proliferation of sensors and devices being implemented brings new demands for computing power at the edge as well. FreeWave has taken its rugged OT products, designed for low-power operation across wide temperature ranges, and infused them with open IQ intelligence. By connecting them to a smarter platform, they can reliably address the data-intensive realities of IIoT, create data transparency, foster interoperability to enrich existing infrastructure and enable new business models. “It’s about moving organizations from reactive models to predictive optimization enriched by real-time IoT insights,” said Byles. “We look forward to helping customers solve all their problems in all the industries we serve through IIoT transformation.” For more information on FreeWave Technologies’ and its Intelligent Edge solutions, visit www.freewave.com. About FreeWave Technologies With deployments in over 32 countries, FreeWave’s products are leveraged by industrial end users and OEMs alike to connect, control and optimize remote machines and processes to impact smarter decision-making, improve operational efficiencies and drive cost savings. Throughout our 26-year history, Freewave’s IIoT Connectivity and EDGE Solutions have solved thousands of customers’ problems in government/defense, energy, agriculture, and municipalities – achieve reliable connectivity for data telemetry and command and control in some of the most challenging, remote and rugged environments in the world. Today, we are transforming the extreme edge of operations – and the proliferation of smart devices within it – into a connected part of the enterprise with our IQ edge computing platform and ecosystem of solutions evolved for IIoT. Are you ready to transform your operation? Visit freewave.com to get started. Media Contacts: Lisa DiBenedetto Corporate Communications lisa@ldbcomm.biz 630-338-2208 Renea Sloan Director, Channel Marketing rsloan@freewave.com
Managing Critical Assets with Industrial IoT Communications
Whether you’re a long-time employee at an industrial organization, or someone who is new to the Internet of Things (IoT) and Industry 4.0 – you likely understand what it means to be agile. To be ahead of the game and thrive in a quickly evolving industrial landscape, you must start with data. Edge Intelligent, rugged and app-programmable platforms and devices like the ZumLink 900 Series and ZumIQ App Server from FreeWave can get you there. The proliferation of data created and collected in remote areas has led companies of all sizes to search for technology that maximizes data efficiency and protection while keeping costs down. Managing and monitoring assets in rugged environments is a priority and innovative technologies continue to be introduced to provide industrial organizations with solutions to these issues. However, there exists a communications technology that has been around for decades, but continues to work effectively in relative obscurity. For collection and control of data in remote Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) networks, Frequency-Hopping, Spread Spectrum (FHSS) technology provides a proven, resilient, robust and industrial cyber-secure data transmission technology. It’s an ideal technology for areas without cellular or WiFi coverage – such as in the APAC region. And it’s been around for a very long time. What is Frequency-Hopping Spread Spectrum? FHSS is a wireless Radio Frequency (RF) technology that spreads its signal over rapidly-hopping frequencies. It transmits much longer distances and requires lower power than traditional IoT wireless infrastructure including WiFi, Bluetooth, LoRa or ZigBee. It is also highly resistant to interference and difficult to intercept – there are 186,000 possible parameters to be on the same channel with an FHSS radio and data is only on a specific channel for 1/100th of a second. Why is this technology critical in remote industrial settings? Currently, 60 percent of rural and remote Asia-Pacific does not have access to fixed broadband or WiFi. FHSS technology has been used for over 100 years by businesses, and governments can link wireless devices and smart sensors at long ranges – in 900MHz and 2.4GHz – for a long-range alternative to Bluetooth, ZigBee and LoRa. From a cost standpoint, significant CAPEX and OPEX savings can be realized with FHSS relative to cellular. How safe is my data with Frequency-Hopping Spread Spectrum? FreeWave FHSS radios utilize advanced encryption protocols to insure additional layers of cybersecurity, including: FIPS 140-2 Level 2 Encryption 128 or 256-bit AES Encryption Additional benefits? Coupled with the ZumIQ App Environment Platform, organizations can create custom industrial applications to control sensors and gather data in remote locations in real-time. Networks can extend up to 40 miles in remote areas and transmit data at speeds up to 4 Mbps for voice, video, data and sensor links. We are talking LONG range IIoT. Intelligent FHSS technology is leveraged in industrial settings across oil & gas, water/wastewater, precision agriculture, irrigation, unmanned systems, robotics, utilities, and more. At its inaugural Ingram Micro ONE APAC 2018 event in Singapore, Ingram Micro (a FreeWave Technologies partner) unveiled FreeWave’s ZumIQ Platform that combines rugged, intelligent, app-programmability with FHSS technology to link wireless devices at long ranges. Tough AND intelligent data. It’s win-win. For more information, click here.
The Intelligent Edge: Navigating the Transformative IIoT Landscape with Renee Garcia (Part 1)
Today’s world is undergoing rapid digital transformation, from the technologies that shape it, business practices and strategies shifting in response and the workforce adapting to stay up-to-date. It’s nearly impossible to predict what’s next for the IoT and IIoT industries. It’s up to the businesses shaping the landscape to know how and when to adapt through innovative technologies and processes. It’s also up to individuals in the field to recognize the value of developing diverse skill sets. For the seventh blog in our series “The Intelligent Edge,” we sat down with Product Line Manager Renee Garcia to discuss her expertise with this adaptation and transformation, all of which she’s experienced through her roles in industry and academia. FreeWave: Tell us a little about your background. How did you end up doing what you do today? Renee Garcia: I started out as a mechanical engineer working in medical designs and diagnostics and learned what it took to develop and deploy products in regulated environments. I was really in the weeds addressing technical problems, but quickly realized I wanted a role with a broader impact on the world – one that I could directly participate in. So, I went back to school full time and got my MBA, concentrating on product management. My first job following that was down the road in Loveland with a water sensor manufacturer. After 10 years, I decided to try something a little bit different, so I joined the University of Colorado Boulder’s Office of Industry Collaboration, where I focused on connecting technology and biotech businesses with the school. I eventually decided I missed industry and being involved in product development. I’ve been with FreeWave since last August. FreeWave: Across your past roles, what’s been one of the most interesting changes you’ve seen in the IoT industry? Renee: At that water sensor manufacturer, I supported a wastewater flow meter that was deployed into collection systems. Wireless IoT technologies were adopted early in this space to consolidate data across the wastewater system. During my five years supporting that product, I saw the IoT revolution make a large impact on capabilities that were brought to the market due to the increased prevalence of cellular communications and cloud-based software. It was fantastic from a product development standpoint to be a part of this transition showing how technology is impacting the IoT. FreeWave: What about your time at CU Boulder? What drew you to the collaboration between universities and businesses? Renee: CU Boulder had formed a new office to better bridge industry and the university. They were looking for program managers with product development experience who could speak both languages. I was very interested in helping fulfill that mission and to improve the industry-university relationship. It’s a two-way relationship; you have masters and PhD-level experts from the school and specialists from a company like FreeWave that can teach each other something new. FreeWave: How exactly can that benefit each party? Renee: Future engineers need to think outside their discipline and not follow some kind of prescribed path. Having students work with businesses grounds a lot of the theoretical classes they take and prepares them for real-world applications. So, when it comes time for them to graduate, students have already developed different skill sets and are familiar with how the industry works. From the business perspective, it’s all about having students interact with a company’s technology. It’s great to see excitement and validation around it, like we saw with our hardware during our time at CU Boulder’s hackathon, HackCU. We received wonderful, instant feedback from this new generation of developers, scientists and engineers. Think of it this way – a beta test typically takes a month at minimum. Feedback during HackCU took only 24 hours. _____ Interested in more insights from Renee? Stay tuned for our continued conversation in the next Intelligent Edge blog!
Injecting Agility and Automation at the Well Pad
Small-to-medium-sized oil and gas companies understand what it takes to be agile. They must survive and thrive in an industry led by giant producers. While no recipe to success is the same, the smaller players need to maximize production while simultaneously keeping costs down if they want to compete in the market. By adopting technology solutions that will make them agile and effective, these organizations can secure fast and significant ROI, while meeting production and operations demands. However, technology selection in a constantly changing landscape is murky at best. Take an operations manager at a small oil and gas company, for example. They are likely tasked with ensuring that operations are running smoothly at the wellhead while delivering critical data back to the business office in real time. It seems simple enough, but the operator is probably facing constant pressure to provide insights into their production sites and new solutions for operational efficiencies. At the same time, the IT team wants monitoring at the well pad 24/7/365, and they want to access that data whenever they please from anywhere. Perhaps, they have attempted to tack on several different technology solutions to help provide said data – but the new demands require a more sophisticated approach. The pressure is on to find a way to optimize data collection, monitoring and control of the assets in the field (including the communications network) or the company won’t be able to compete with the “always on” oil and gas producers. The good news is that there is hope. There are programmable wireless communication solutions for the well pad that are available today. With a little research, it is possible to find a rugged, easy to use solution that will deliver massive ROI. What Does Well Pad Automation Look Like? In modern oil and gas operations, well pad automation builds analytics and intelligence into the wellhead environment. This takes a step beyond traditional communications because it enables intelligent applications and programmability that establish an advanced operating environment. Automation can also present the opportunity for predictive analytics, remote command and control, new protocol translations, and modern cloud-based services at the wellhead. Automation helps an operator streamline their job and provides the IT decision makers with data that helps them understand daily operations. Automation technology makes this possible by powering data transmission, improving data quality and enabling intelligent data analysis. The oil and gas company then has the power to make informed decisions that drive higher production outputs, with ROI often achieved in a matter of months, along with substantially lower CAPEX. Bringing an Automated Monitoring System All Under One Roof The financial and business benefits of industrial automation are clear, however selecting technology solutions can be challenging. Operations managers need a wireless communication solution that can support next generation of well pad automation needs. The solution must include a combination of data monitoring, logic execution and data visualization. This is especially beneficial at the well pad sites that are remote and isolated. The big advantage today is that these decision makers are no longer limited to disparate technology solutions: Wi-Fi Automated Monitoring Systems establish Wi-Fi at the wellhead to enable voice, video, sensor data access and perimeter security. They can also leverage Wi-Fi for rapid maintenance across the wellhead, saving maintenance staff hours of time. Instead of driving to the remote wellhead, they are now troubleshooting issues from a truck or office. Wi-Fi also supports the collection of information from RFID devices and wearable devices designed to protect workers in the field. FHSS When the Wi-Fi is bridged with a Radio Frequency (RF) solution, particularly Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) technology, the data can then be collected from tank farms, PLCs, and sensors on the well and within the well. The wireless intelligence that is located on the devices in the sensor network, enables local execution on the RF devices, which supports data storage or data collection and analysis. Through cloud-based services, the data can be published globally, allowing mobile access from virtually anywhere. Additionally, an automated monitoring system may enable wireless telemetry in hazardous environments through modular wireless I/O solutions that leverage sensors to monitor specific points along the wellhead. Programmability With built in programmability on top of Wi-Fi and RF technology, the automated monitoring system is not only optimizes today’s operations, but it prepares the organization for the future as industries shift towards digital technology and total connectivity. For example, an engineer can write a simple application using open source technologies like Node-RED and Python that will display a dashboard of real-time data from the well pad as it collects information from sensors. The organization could also automate tank-level monitoring by developing or leveraging a third-party application to monitor water levels in the remote tanks from the cloud – which would then be accessible anywhere with a wireless internet connection. Benefits that Stretch Beyond ROI Automation at the well pad not only leads to ROI through wireless automated monitoring and control, but it has the power to transform operations and streamline production. When a small-to-medium-sized oil and gas producer leverages automation, they can make highly intelligent decisions through the technology features that enable enhanced monitoring, logic execution and visualization. They can also leverage these solutions to create a more secure operating environment and communications network. These solutions note only benefit the operators today, but they prepare them for future technology needs.
FreeWave Blog Series: The Intelligent Edge (Part 4)
The Internet of Things (IoT) has changed the consumer world in ways no one ever imagined. By placing intelligence in the IoT network, the “Thing” can do whatever we want it to do. Now Industrial companies are seeking to take advantage of this edge-deployed intelligence in order to maximize profits, improve safety and streamline operations. In addition to the challenges IoT technology had to overcome – such as cybersecurity, scalability and interoperability – Industrial IoT (IIoT) must also focus on reliability, ruggedness and more. FreeWave is uniquely positioned to understand and address all of these challenges. We have delivered world class IIoT platforms for almost 25 years to thousands of industrial and unmanned systems customers. With that experience, we’re now leading the charge to deploy intelligent applications at the edge of industrial networks and unmanned systems. In the fourth installment of “The Intelligent Edge,” we spoke with Helen Xi, a senior firmware engineer at FreeWave who specializes in high-speed wireless LAN performance, to talk about the use of broadband in the IIoT, as well as FreeWave’s industrial Wi-Fi platform, the WavePro. Read parts one, two and three. FreeWave: Can you talk a little bit about the WavePro platform and where it fits into what you work on at FreeWave? Helen Xi: In our company, the radios mostly operate in the narrowband frequencies, however WavePro is a broadband Wi-Fi system. It’s important for us to have this Wi-Fi system because nowadays there are so many Wi-Fi clients. It’s on every mobile phone, in every laptop, in every household. It’s everywhere. You can’t avoid it. When we have this Wi-Fi product, we can provide a whole communication system to customers. It’s easier for us to integrate them together to make sure they work from our Wi-Fi system to our narrowband radios. Our WavePro product has many features. If you compare it with the industry competitors, they have multiple products and models that meet customers’ specific needs. If you want to provide a long-distance point-to-point link and you buy this model, and you want their system to provide Wi-Fi local coverage, then you must buy another model. WavePro integrates all these features together in a single product, and we can do long-distance point-to-point link, local Wi-Fi coverage and mesh. It can have different clients while providing a backhaul communications in a remote area. FreeWave: Walking back a little bit on some of what you just talked about, one of the things that we’ve been discussing is the transition from traditional RF technology into technology that requires higher bandwidth to transmit bigger data packets in real time and run analytics at the Edge. With WavePro, what I’m wondering is when you talk to clients, what is their number-one priority with this technology? Are they trying to update existing systems or are they wanting to implement entirely new systems? And how important is the broadband aspect? Helen Xi: I think both. Let’s say they want to upgrade an older system. Let me give you an example: nowadays because there are so many Wi-Fi clients, Wi-Fi chips are so well-known, and more sensors have Wi-Fi client chips inside them. If we put our WavePro in the field, it can work as an access point (AP) to talk to these sensors. By the way, our product is an outdoor unit. It’s waterproof IP67. IP67 means you can immerse it underneath water. It has the same industrial-temperature range as our other narrowband radios. It goes from minus-40 up to 70 Celsius. It also has surge protectors from lightening. So, you can safely put it outdoors. If you buy a home Wi-Fi router, say from Netgear, you probably do not want to put it outside. FreeWave: And why is that element important? Helen Xi: Because a lot of our customers use it outdoors. For example, in North Dakota, it’s very cold. It can be minus-20 Celsius. I think you can imagine what happens to your iPhone during winter when you go skiing – it goes dead. Our radios don’t do that. You put it outdoors, on the oil-gas fields where it goes from winter to summer – as cold as North Dakota, as hot as Texas in the deserts – and it’s working well. That’s why the temperature requirement is important. FreeWave: When you’re talking about application examples, where else are you seeing this technology deployed? Helen Xi: It can be used in many areas of the Industrial IoT. For example, we have a utility company that uses WavePros to control large quantities of air conditioners on the roof of two apartment buildings. Each air conditioner has a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi chip in it. They all connect to WavePros on 2.4GHz. One WavePro (we call it “master”) is connected to the utility company’s network. The other three WavePros (we call “slave”) connect to the master WavePro on 5GHz. When the utility company needs to send command to air conditions, it first goes to the master WavePro; the master WavePro passes on its 5GHz to the other slave WavePros; then, the slave WavePros transmit on 2.4GHz to each air conditioner. FreeWave: What do you envision being the trend of the future with regard to Industrial IoT communications? Is it all headed toward broadband? Or do you think that there will still be a balance between that and cellular and RF? Helen Xi: This is a very good question. I believe it will be a combination. I want to elaborate why I think narrowband is still very important where people seem to only be talking about gigabits. Wireless as a resource is very valuable – every Hz (hertz) is valuable. When you are using a frequency band at this location at this instant, other people cannot use it. You are noise to other people. Plus, not every Hz is free to use. In IoT, we’re mostely using unlicensed band that you don’t need to pay a fee to the FCC to use as long as you follow rules. There are only
What We’re Thankful for in IIoT
As we approach Thanksgiving, we can’t help but reflect on what an unforgettable year it has been. Transformation and innovation have been at the forefront of the digital technology landscape as Industrial IoT emerged as a clear game changer. Businesses, looking to modernize and stay competitive, are changing the way they operate – and we are incredibly grateful that we get to play a small role in their efforts to adapt digitally. Businesses, especially those in the industrial and commercial sectors, now have the ability to incorporate intelligence and automation at the most remote edge of their networks. Today, we are looking at networks that can reliably monitor data, execute logic locally and enable visibility globally through the Cloud. In these times of transformation, learning, and change, we’ve found a lot of things to be thankful for. Here’s what we are thankful for in IIoT: Business Transformation and Beyond Businesses are transforming in ways we never thought possible thanks to the powers of automation through IIoT technology. Today, organizations are focusing on things like increased throughput, intelligent hardware, app dev and security as they look to improve their business operations. With the right set of technology in place, ROI happens fast and production is optimized. With new approaches like fog and cloud computing we are expecting to see more bandwidth and better real-time data analytics in these types of networks where data is critical for operations. Beyond the business benefits, IIoT is set to improve things like environmental and seismic monitoring Edge Intelligence Businesses today have the option of leveraging low-power FHSS technology to automate processes at the network edge. The proliferation of smart sensors and high-bandwidth devices makes low-power FHSS technology a viable and cybersecure wireless data option. By employing FHSS technology, businesses can take advantage of intelligent edge communication devices that can be deployed as process automation nodes that make decisions and take action at the Access Level (or at the sensor or device). Increased Safety Thanks to devices at the edge and self-healing networks, IIoT has enabled environments where less manpower is needed in the field, facilitating a safer work environment in industries where field sites can be hazardous. Modern technologies can now collect data in remote and hazardous environments, significantly reducing the number of trips to unsafe locations. The reduction in man power in the field, allows companies to re-focus that man power where it’s needed to improve business operations. Opportunities for developers New hardware solutions have the ability to host third-party applications at the edge of the network. This has created a big opportunity for developers to create apps designed for IIoT needs. Additionally, as Node-RED programming has risen, it is has become feasible for non-developers to create proprietary applications without a computer engineering degree. Professional developer or not, there is plenty of room for app development in IIoT. IIoT is changing the way businesses operate and we now have the power to make decisions that optimize production and minimize downtime. As a technology provider in this space, it is an incredible opportunity to innovate and create solutions that meet both today’s needs and the demands of tomorrow. We’re thankful for the opportunity to innovate in this space, but most importantly we’re thankful for our employees, customers, and partners who are on this journey with us. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
