M2M : Machine 2 Machine

Came across this article that is a great read on what are the forces that have made M2M systems practical.

An example can help illustrate the growth potential of M2M systems. Consider a roadside traffic sign, the kind that flashes a message about road conditions or public service messages. These sign systems use embedded processors to handle the message display and manage battery power. The on-board processor may have a selection of pre-defined messages in memory that are user selectable or may even have a means of accepting custom messages from a human operator. The sign system might also be tied in with traffic sensors to make an automated traffic control system. The sensors would monitor the passage of cars and determine if they are slowing down, indicating a jam in the making. The signs could then automatically begin announcing the traffic conditions ahead without human intervention.

Adding communications capability can greatly increase the sign’s utility. As part of an M2M network it can communicate its status to a central office and receive commands. Thus, the sign can inform a central office of its need for maintenance or battery replacement. It could also accept message downloads from the network, eliminating the need for an operator to update or change messages. Traffic-detecting signage could also inform a central office of local traffic conditions, allowing the central office to update the signs with messages suggesting alternative routes based on the traffic levels that those other routes show.

Iridium recently released numbers that indicate that it is experiencing exponential growth in the M2M Communication space. Iridium operates a global satellite communication network that was originally designed for voice traffic – but the SBD (Short Burst Data) service is the one that is show over 200% growth. Remote asset tracking and monitoring seem to be the major drivers of growth for Iridium.

Iridium Satellite reports continued strong growth for its global satellite communications services in the machine-to-machine (M2M) market, with an increase of 214 percent in Short Burst Data (SBD) service revenues over the same period last year. Growth in this sector in the same period from 2005 to 2006 was 98 percent. Subscriber activations for SBD have increased 317 percent over the number activated during the same period in 2006. This phenomenal rate of growth has been accelerated by significant increases in service revenues and unit activations following Iridium’s December 2005 launch of its lower-cost 9601 SBD transceiver.

“The M2M data communications market is Iridium’s most rapidly developing area of business,” said Greg Ewert, executive vice president, Iridium Satellite. “The company’s global, real-time coverage and reliable network provide an ideal backbone for remote M2M applications requiring dependable long-range wireless data links in locations worldwide. We are seeing an unprecedented surge in demand for low-latency, high-quality data communications services that can be used for M2M applications.”

“Automatic tracking is a primary driver of Iridium’s dramatic growth in M2M data services. We estimate that Iridium has over 20,000 asset tracking devices currently deployed around the world,” added Ewert.

Richo has started offering remote printer managemnt via it’s @Remote offering. This M2M system allows IT managers to automate the manual inspection tasks, monitor the fleet of printers under your control and provide remote proactive service. All signs of a good M2M system.

Printer and document management specialist Ricoh last week launched a new web-based service designed to help IT chiefs maximise efficiencies, reduce costs and improve productivity by remotely managing their print devices.

@Remote, which has been in beta for the last few months, notifies firms when their toner needs replenishing or if there is a fault with a machine, and takes automatic meter readings, regardless of whether they are Ricoh devices, according to the firm.
The automation of these tasks could free-up IT administrator time to deal with more strategic tasks, while enabling senior IT staff to gain better visibility into their fleet, improving stock control and aiding procurement, said Ricoh’s UK director of marketing, Chas Moloney.

A conference that brings together System Networking and healhtcare professionals to talk about use of network technology to improve the lives of an aging population. This is interesting as it address some my themes from previous posts about managing and providing cost effective care for the elderly.

As the world’s population grows older, healthcare and high-tech companies are joining forces. New technologies are being used to provide improved support for elderly and home bound people in their homes and in assisted living environments. The overall goal of these initiatives is to improve the quality of life by providing customized support to people in need of assistance. The main challenge is to provide this support according to the user’s own specific situation in a non-intrusive and respectful way. These new technologies enable the automatation of the observation and support for elderly and home bound people through the use of sensors, actuators, distributed intelligence, databases, ubiquitous connectivity and friendly adaptive interfaces, all connected mainly via a variety of wireless networking technologies. The ultimate goal is a system that can adapt to the users needs, helping them get through their daily routine in a way that is effective in providing support where needed without making them feel humiliated by excessive attention. To provide such support, it will be necessary to combine efforts from many areas of computer science, including networking, distributed systems, security, data management, HCI and middleware.

Given the inherent use of mobile and wireless communication and the need for comprehensive distributed systems as well as the multi-disciplinary nature of solutions for healthcare and assisted living environments, the goal of HealthNet is to provide a forum for the cross-area interactions that will be necessary for successful systems and applications. The specific focus of HealthNet will be on understanding what it takes to provide effective systems and communication support for healthcare and assisted living environments.

So M2M is Machine to Machine – But the in principle it is a process/ system where a entity is continuously monitoring another entity. This allows the monitoring entity/ entities to determine and react to problem situations. An entity in this definition could be a Machine, A Person (Hu\Man)

 
With that theme and definition we should start seeing human monitoring systems become wide spread and prevalent in the coming years as the global population ages and requires more sophisticated tools to monitor and manage the general well being. On that node came across this company that provides monitoring of Urine samples on a regular basis – I am no doctor but base don some general reading sampling this on a regular interval can give clear indications on what are some of the potential problems. Here is a snippet from the press release

Verathon Inc. (formerly Diagnostic Ultrasound Corp.) is pleased to announce the introduction of the FloPoint®Elite Uroflow System, a convenient and easy way to measure and record a patient’s pattern of urinary flow. The measurements the FloPoint®Elite provides, such as voided volume and peak flow, help physicians quickly assess and diagnose abnormalities in voiding patterns. This new device will be introduced at the American Urological Association (AUA) Annual Meeting in Anaheim, California, on May 19th. (Verathon®Booth #540)

Unlike current uroflow methods which require a special voiding chair, the FloPoint®Elite sets up in a standard toilet. This design helps put patients at ease and is intended to provide a more normal environment for them to void – key in obtaining accurate measurements.

The unique setup also means FloPoint®Elite is convenient and easy to use for medical staff. The device, which is portable and durable, installs in seconds and unlike traditional methods, there are no messy beakers of urine for staff to deal with. Cleanup is easy and takes a few minutes. The design also accommodates to an array of clinical settings.