M2M : Machine 2 Machine

Based on all the recent activity taing place in the M2M/ IoT space – one shoudl expect to see more of the cellular carriers trying to acquire vertical application providers. Verizon recently announced the acquisition of Hughes Telematics for ~ $600 million. How will this affect the other / smaller SI’s providers of telematcis solutions on the cellular network ? How will they diffrentiate from a carrier branded offering?

By going vertical verizon may alinate some of the constitutensts that make up for a robust m2m  eco system on the other hand by going vertical verizon provides its end cusotmers a one stop shop for all their needs and gets the Internet of things / M2M market moving/ growing.

Expect more of these in the future.

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-06/D9V4CVMG0.htm

Cellular M2M based heart monitoring solution.

A description of the medical device and remote monitoring technology from the company website – http://www.micromedcv.com/.  The legacy remote monitoring units used a fixed line internet connection. The current generation under development has a cellular option allowing a patient to be on the move with a cellular data connection. Micromed has partnered with Numerex to provide the cellular service.

A Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) is a mechanical pump implanted to support left heart function when, despite maximum medication management, the left ventricle can no longer pump enough blood to sustain the body.

During surgery, the LVAD’s inflow tube (cannula) is fitted into the bottom of the left ventricle and connected to the LVAD motor, which pumps blood from the ventricle to the top of the heart (aorta.) In the aorta, blood output from the LVAD and the left ventricle combine and are pumped throughout the body.

With the HeartAssistRemote™ Monitoring System, HeartAssist 5™ patients feel more secure about their heart health while enjoying life at home or traveling. At bedtime, patients connect their HeartAssist 5™ Controller to their HeartAttendant which then collects and stores blood flow and related data. This data can be viewed remotely – helping to avoid unnecessary trips to the hospital. In cases of concern, HeartAssistRemote™ Monitoring provides a head start, allowing for proactive response and possibly better results for the patient. Effective deployment of this exclusive featue should result in better use of the caregiver’s time and the healthcare system’s resources.

Isansys Lifecare is provides a clound based sensor platform and wearable sensors that is a Class IIa medical device  for gathering physiological information and clinical insights for measurable outcomes, better care and improved patient safety. The M2Mof the past is not making its way into patient monitoring space as well. Devices and Systems like this have been around for some time – mostly in closed trials or lab settings. The interesting thing about Isansys LifeCare is it is a certified device for use in Europe ( US has a higher hurdle for medical device certification) . will be watching this company and space closely to see how it evolves.

From the Company Website : Our Lifecare Vision is that these systems will move beyond clinical settings as the evidence base continues to be built. In the future the information may be used by individuals who will be able to play a greater and significantly better informed role in the maintenance of their own health, throughout their lives, in a manner that becomes simply second nature. This is the promise of Lifecare

Company URL – http://www.isansys.com/

Looking at the recent comments from Sprint CEO Dan Hesse – indicates that M2M has moved beyond the niche segment. Sprint has had a major effort ongoing for some time now based on all the M2M centric press releases.

Here is the latest one  that targets smart transportation or known in the past as AVL ( Automate Vehicle Location) + new capabilities.

Read more here Connected Transportation helps companies better manage logistics to optimize, schedule, monitor and track deliveries, personnel and vehicles. This enables drivers to waste less fuel looking for delivery destinations, gas stations and other locales, while reducing emissions and carbon footprints, decreasing costs and creating enhanced personnel comfort and organizational efficiencies. At the same time, Connected Transportation technology is helping first-time and professional drivers learn safer driving habits. In describing Sprint’s innovative role in this rapidly expanding market, Hesse made note of three new significant partnerships using Sprint’s networks and M2M technology:

Monitoring, Electronic Payments and Digital Information for EV Charging Stations

Sprint is also working with ECOtality, a recognized leader in advanced transportation, energy systems and alternative fuels, to provide comprehensive wireless connectivity to more than 15,000 residential and commercial electric vehicle (EV) charging stations throughout ECOtality’s nationwide Blink™ Network.

More at – http://www.sprint.com/m2m

We are seeing a trend here where the cellular M2M hardware market is consolidating. This acquisition continues the trend we have seen in the past few months where M2M providers are acquiring companies to become one stop providers of M2M solutions and services.

Novatel Wireless reported Monday that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Enfora for about $64.5 million in a move to enhance its drive into the nascent machine-to-machine (M2M) market.Enfora sells a range of M2M solutions to enterprises, applications service providers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and distributors. The M2M market, predicted to grow at an annual compound rate of more than 22% through 2014 by ABI Research, involves locating radio frequency identification (RFID) technology via remote sensors connected wirelessly. M2M applications are expected to boom as the price of remote sensors drops to the 5-cents-a-device range.