The Industrial Internet of Things
With automation storming the gates of the manufacturing sector,IIOT is set to stake its claim in a much more impactful manner. IIOT is dynamic in the truest essence and is moving forward in a way that none of us imagined it would. Encouraged by Cloud Computing: Analytics, AI and Machine Learning have taken a prominent role in the industries today. It is no longer a doubt that IIOT is in the right gear and is now a proven game changer and not just a theoretical concept.
“What companies are hoping for is that they can get to a higher level where they have an opportunity to rethink their products,” Frank Gillett, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester Research explained.
We are constantly trying to scale new peaks in technology an din the process we have realized that IIOT will soon be a pivotal technology. Our team has gone the distance and captured the essence of IIOT. Here, we bring to you in a two part blog series, the trends we foresee with inculcation of IIOT.
1. Digital Twins: Much is being discussed about this innovation. It surely is unique in its approach and needs to be explored intensively. Every time there is a new product designed, it takes a lot of time to actually test the product and further fix the issues based on the shortcomings found. However, with this innovation, the wastage of time can be minimized. The innovation allows to create a digital copy which can used for simulation and testing purposes in a virtual world and then further commit to the production accordingly. One of the biggest benefits in using this is the fact that the previous details stored in the system can be used to gauge the performance and ascertain the related shortcomings and expected resources. Also, the data gathered real-time is applied for analytic activities which helps in improvising the overall product life cycle. The digital twin makes closed-loop design a feasible option throughout the life cycle of the product.
2. Edge computing: The growth of edge computing is now enabling devices to think on their own without having to depend on any instructions from an external source. It enables them to independently gather data, sort, filter and most importantly allows them to analyse and interpret the data for further action. The devices are capable enough to perform a particular set of tasks on their own along with communicating with other devices autonomously. The availability of the Edge devices and various networks are slowly bridging the gap and making operational technology easier. The attempt now is to connect these devices to the cloud systems so that businesses can perform better and make production processes smarter. Edge machines will have the intelligence to perform tasks on their own and hence can automate most of the industry processes.
3. AR/VR: As reported by Fast Company, it is the first time that investment in AR and VR companies has topped $1 billion in any year. The piece notes that “almost $800 million of the $1.1 billion investment in AR and VR this year went to one company: Magic Leap, but $300 million has already gone to smaller companies in the AR/VR services, hardware, advertising, distribution, and entertainment markets.” AR/VR is now being used for simulator-based training development that will impart the exact material on plant operations for the fresh employees. Mixed Reality technology such as Microsoft HoloLens are bringing experiences that are as good as real and making a difference that is striking and outstanding. This trend allows organisations to create their own virtual spaces that reflect their workspaces and helps the employees understand what they have to do in real-time. This experience is considered much better for training since the employees get to experience an almost real situation of their everyday work and is easy to develop skills that they lack since they understand the real environment.
4. MQTT: MQTT is a Machine-to-Machine (M2M) data distribution technology that reduces network bandwidth consumption and is apt for remote sensing and control. The latest version is MQTT Version 3.1.1 which encourages SCADA system to access IIOT data. Since the technology is light-weight, it is recommended for remote locations. It is a publishled protocol where information is enabled by Edge devices. Clients are connected to the Broker and the information is passed on accordingly. With the subscription model whoever is connected gets to share the details as and when there is anything new updated on the system.
The future seems interesting!
Stay tuned for this blog where will discuss more trends in Part 2 of the blog.
