M2M : Machine 2 Machine

Looking at Security in the M2M world –
This is a snip from Berg Insight…

Wireless M2M is also increasingly being used for fixed location security, according to Berg’s research. The research firm notes that “a single landline connection between the premises alarm system and the alarm receiving center is no longer deemed sufficient for high security situations.” The use of a secondary wireless link reduces the chance of disruption and makes communication much more reliable, Berg says. Late last year, the UK adopted a European standard for alarm systems (EN 50131) that requires dual signaling in most stores and offices.

Overall, Berg estimates that there will be nearly four million alarm systems connected to wireless networks in Western Europe by 2010

A new SOC that provides a security co processor for M2M system. This allows the offloading for routine networking and security tasks to dedicated co processor and leaves the primary processor to focus on the M2M application.

Infineon Technologies AG has announced a new family of security MCUs targeting the growing market of machine-to-machine (M2M) communication for various applications. M2M applications range from utility monitoring; remote alarm systems; car telematics (for communication between carmakers and owners to signify that an oil change or software updates are required); fleet management in freight forwarding and rental car companies; to vending machines (stocks level checks).

SynapSense offers complete energy efficiency and carbon footprint instrumentation solutions and platforms for the world’s leading enterprises. From the data center to the fab and throughout the enterprise, SynapSense provides a breakthrough wireless instrumentation architecture offering flexibility and sustainability. The company’s solutions can be found in numerous Fortune 500 companies from Wall Street to the Silicon Valley.

The SynapSense solution is comprised of a complete hardware and software solution set that enables a robust sensor net platform and extensive customer applications. The platform boasts a scalable and an extensible software environment for sensor network applications, including system software (operating systems and virtual machines), software synthesis and scaling tools, distributed middleware, and programming languages.

My search continues for products that provide a bundled standalone package of – sensor, power and communication in a stand alone / low maintenance environment. In an ideal deployment the sections on concern in any module are
* Sense – How do I measure the the operation that I am monitoring?
* Power – How do I power this so that it is reliable, long term and low maintenance
* Communicate – How do I communicate this information back.

This combination forms the front end of any M2M application – the piece of hardware/ software that is deployment in the field next to you asset/ process under that is being monitored. In one of my previous posts I pointed out enOcean that provides a packages all the above elements. Another Control Microsystems provides a similar bundle SOLARPack 410, an integrated, ultra low power flow computer for electronic flow measurement (EFM). The SOLARPack 410 features a compact, all-in-one design that integrates a powerful 32-bit flow computer, high accuracy temperature and pressure sensors, ultra low power solar battery system, and wireless Bluetooth communications for quick and easy retrieval of production and transmission data. Designed for use in remote locations where solar is the only power source and access by technicians is limited. The type on sensors on this box are very specific to the metering application but you get the point of a one box end point.
Vendors providing these endpoints will be a critical part of the M2M ecosystem. If these end points are unreliable then the whole value prop of M2M and smart services goes for a toss…

So the results are out from the Remote heart Monitoring trail run by Guidant/Boston Scientific. First reported here.
The LATITUDE Patient Management system can detect clinical events between scheduled follow-up visits and then send the clinical event data directly to physicians. The system basically monitors key heart parameters and send it over to a central server for monitoring – this data can be viewed and acted upon by the Caregiver.

Key numbers
* 15,000 patients participated.
* Monitored Months – 106,000
* Duration – 7 Months
* Irregular Heart Beats Detected – 948 (sustained over 24 hours)
* 1,516 i.e 10% of the trial population had reactive treatment based on the data collected.

THe numbers are a lot better than I expected coming out of this trial. The possibilities are endless – the system will be a enormous cost saver if we ensure that the data collected is actionable, privacy and security concerns are accounted for.

The market for these types of system will expand as the population ages and grows older..