Everywhere you turn lately, you find a new Internet of Things application. From finding your keys to monitoring your home security, IoT is busily making our lives easier one application at a time. Industrial IoT applications may not be proliferating at quite such a rapid rate, but in our survey of the manufacturing industry, 32 percent of respondents said they were in the process of identifying a pilot IIoT project.
In a recent paper from FreeWave Technologies, Glenn Longley, Director of Product Management - IIoT Solutions, discusses details of industrial IoT applications and describes the power of IIoT data, how wireless fits into the IIoT space, and security considerations to keep in mind.
He also provides use examples and discusses the advantages and benefits of wireless for IIoT. When thinking about oil and gas applications, for example, Longley starts by cautioning that, “Oil and gas is a security-conscious industry. The data that is transmitted via IIoT technologies can be extremely useful, if it can meet the security requirements while data is being transferred.” “For example, the data could identify the utilization or failure rate of a certain type of control equipment.” he continues. “If the failure rate of this equipment was consistent and data was then accessed and analyzed by the producer or trade group, they might be willing to pay users for that data. If efficiency can be improved by just a small percentage then there are billions and billions of dollars to be saved by creating efficiencies.”
Longley also describes a favorite municipal IoT example of mine, “Street parking in a city that is connected with IoT technology via sensors can push data to the cloud that is then used to notify consumers via a smartphone app. People visiting the city would then be able to identify and locate open parking spaces. In a parking garage, this type of app could help someone determine how many levels they will need to go in order to find a parking space versus endless winding through every level.”
You can find the full paper, “IoT for Industrial Markets,” in our Content Library.
