M2M : Machine 2 Machine

3G M2M connectivity solutions make sense for assets that are mobile, for majority of the fixed assets deployed within a metro area – WiMax might be the channel of choice to communicate information. Here is a snippet from the ABI research report..

High-speed wireless M2M will find its “natural uses” where the need for high bandwidth outweighs the added cost, ABI adds. Such uses are expected to include:

* Fixed-wireless terminals that use cellular backhaul
* Multimedia content delivery to point-of-sale terminals such as digital-marketing displays
* High-speed vehicle electronics connectivity, including real-time navigation information
* Remote information display, used, for example, in digital mobile advertising
* Video surveillance, where wireless CCTV backhaul permits camera deployment without the need for cabled connections at each location

“WiMAX and (especially) municipal Wi-Fi offer attractive alternatives to CDMA 1xEV-DO or HSDPA 3G technologies for wide-area wireless M2M,” stated Lucero. “They are both more cost-effective and operationally efficient. With backing by Intel, as well as key carriers worldwide, WiMAX and municipal Wi-Fi will feature as important high-speed wireless M2M networks in the coming years.”

An interesting article that lists the actual size of the M2M market in Europe.

Mass market opportunities only exist in segments where valuable information can be generated by a large population of devices. Examples of this are found in the utility, transportation, security and retail industries. Europe has 345 million energy meters, 254 million motor vehicles, 8 million security alarm systems and 6 million POS-terminals Altogether these segments represent a potential market of over 600 million wireless M2M connections.

The European wireless M2M market is in a solid growth phase with strong demand across a wide range of industries. The publisher estimates that deployments of wireless M2M units, defined as deployed and activated devices, reached 4.1 million units in 2006. Growing at a compound average annual growth rate of 42.9 percent, the market size is expected to reach 24.4 million units by 2011. In the medium term, the annual growth rate will however be more moderate. Not until after 2010 will the anticipated mass-market adoption of telematics by automotive OEMs push growth rates above 30 percent. Other key vertical markets are forecasted to see a more linear growth. Security alarms and POS-terminals are expected to reach their natural saturation point in a relatively near future, whereas the full growth potential for energy meters will remain far from realized even at the end of the period.

Authorities in UK are using M2M based remote monitoring to provide medical care for prison inmates. Using this service they monitoring 82% of potential hospital visits were eliminated – translates into a lot of $$’s. Ignoring the cost savings this type of service increases the quality of care that patients receive. Closed loop trials like the one mentioned below are a precussor to wide spread adoption of these services for the general public

A prison in the UK, HMP Wakefield, has reported on the success of its pioneering outsourced ECG monitoring service, which has reduced the burden on prison, police and primary care staff, delivered considerable cost savings and improved public safety, by providing expert cardiology reporting onsite for prisoners.

Since introducing the remote cardiac monitoring service from Broomwell HealthWatch 12 months ago, the high-security prison has eliminated unnecessary hospital visits and is able to monitor and treat more patients within the prison. The on-site healthcare team carries out a simple 12-lead ECG test and transmits the data to Broomwell’s monitoring centre, where expert cardiac staff provide round-the-clock advice on patient care.

A core benefit of this approach has been the improvement in security. Taking high-security prisoners off-site to a local hospital requires secure transport, prison officers to guard, and in some cases a police presence, to minimise risk to the public and NHS staff.

Data from a recent 6-month pilot of telemedicine ECG tests by NHS North West, using Broomwell’s handheld ECG device and monitoring service, showed 82% of patients did not need to go to hospital (neither A&E nor Outpatients) following the test.

Another element for mobile M2M – The solution offers the ability to track the location of the asset in transit.
QinetiQ has launched its high sensitivity GPS remote surveillance and tracking device, the Ocellus S100, and has also announced the first Ocellus service providers who will use the unit as the core component of web based tracking services.

The S100 can be used to monitor the location of vehicles, assets and cargo anywhere in the world and is able to operate in environments where traditional GPS struggles, such as urban canyons, under heavy foliage and even indoors, and permits installation in locations where a direct sky view is not available.

Ocellus can also be used for asset and cargo tracking, placed in boxes, on pallets and in trucks. As well as being offered as part of a complete web based tracking service, Ocellus tracking units can be integrated into customers’ existing surveillance M@M or logistics solution.

Came across this M2M solution provider that has the breadth of communication channels that interest users.

Augusta Systems technologies enable sensors, actuators, systems, and devices relying on a variety of protocols and systems, including wireless sensor networks (featuring ZigBee and other protocols), RFID systems, and imagery devices. The technologies support network-centric systems, IPv6, physical/IT security convergence, M2M communications, and other applications. As a result, the technologies reduce the total cost of ownership for distributed intelligent edge networks and maximize enterprise return on investment for enterprise network assets