M2M : Machine 2 Machine

An M2M experiment launched in Florida to control peak energy demands in. I woudl not be surprised as more services of this nature are rolled out.

A Florida utility wants it customers to use remote managed thermostats. They offer it for free and even provide free installation. This allows customers to control the temperature from any internet enabled device.
Florida Power & Light Company will provide Internet-ready programmable thermostat, a remote control device that can be used when you’re at home, at work, or on vacation.
Along with not charging for the thermostat, FPL will install it for free. In return, the customer agrees to let FPL occasionally cycle the air conditioner for short periods of time, only when necessary, to conserve energy during heavy demand. However, the customer always has the ability to override the utility’s remote control over the air conditioner via the internet or by calling a toll-free number provided by FPL. FPL will also offer devices to control Pool pumps and Heaters.

So whats in it for the consumer?
The consumer will get access to these cool gadgets and credits on their utility bill. This allows FPL to cycle off these devices for brief periods, if needed. In return, participating customers receive monthly credits from FPL on their electric bills. Called On Call, this program means the utility can better manage overall electricity demand and that ensures reliability. For customers participating in the thermostat pilot program, On Call credits will only be offered for the pool pump and the water heater.

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.

 WinSystem is putting together its products to manage the deluge of M2M related data collection and transmission challenges. The numbers of quoted are the same source that has predicted the growth of sensors to 1 trillion sensors by 2010. WinSystems aims to address this market with single-board computers that can process sensor data and communicate it over a variety of communications links, including Bluetooth and Ethernet (wired and wireless) as well as CDMA and GSM cellular links.

In my previous post I had pointed out a company that provides a single box communication platform – allowing the sensors/devices to communicate over any available network.

M2M Module Supplier - t-Mac provides always on GPRS data collections end points to monitor assets.

t-mac Technologies Ltd in partnership with FAW Electronics Ltd manufactures, markets and distributes the t-mac device, a leading intelligent system for remote, Internet monitor and control of assets including heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC&R), plant and machinery, fire and security systems, energy management as well as consumables such as water, air, gas and electricity.

The t-mac product collects and uploads information as to asset conditions, status and alerts via GPRS to a central server to which users log-on, via any Internet enabled PC, to view live and historic readings.

M2M identify management has/had been a nagging problem in past M2M deployments. How do you guarantee that the remote device you are managing /monitoring is the one you think it is. We had worked on a number of software based solutions - all with a known issues and back doors allowing devices to be spoofed. A sure shot approach to solving this M2M identity management problem would be via embedded hardware solutions or some sophisticated Software solution that prevents malicious users from compromising the system.

Wavecom (The french company that acquired all of Sony-Ericson’s M2M Assets in 05/06) has launched a wireless GPRS modem with embedded SIM cards. The solution here is that since the SIM is burnt into the chipset it would be difficult for a person to steal / swap this out. Seems like a promising solution. This does nto address the needs of people who are looking to retrofit their M2M installations.

By integrating the SIM at the chip level, both customers and operators benefit from a simplified and faster cellular subscription. The robust industrial design ensures proper functioning in harsh climatic conditions which reduces the risk of disconnected devices that are often linked to high-value, time-sensitive transactional data. In addition, with the SIM embedded into the Wavecom Wireless CPU, logistics and management issues associated with the SIM card inventory becomes easier, more cost effective and more secure, thus reducing the risk of potential SIM card theft, especially once it is installed.

The WiSIM answers customer needs from several industrial segments including automotive for toll collect and emergency call applications and the market for automatic meter management (AMM). It will complement all of Wavecom’s existing technology including the Wireless CPU, the Open AT Software Suite, and RDMS (Remote Device Management Services).