Understanding Risk Exposure of IoT Devices
Cybersecurity as a concept or even as a term didn’t exist when I discussed the future of connected control systems devices with my customer, a senior control systems engineer for an automotive component manufacturer in the 1990s. He was aware of potential problems of...
Predictive Software for Sustainable Hydro Power Generation
Moving to sustainable sources of energy to generate electrical power, as Europe has, requires a balancing act. Solar and wind generation provide an imbalance of power since they only operate when proper atmospheric conditions exist—i.e. sunlight or wind. Hydro...
Plant Digitization Through Real Time Locating System
I first met Quuppa and saw a demo of its real time locating system at the 2018 Hannover Messe. I have written about it here and here. The company has developed an interesting technology and application. They wrote about industrial applications picking up, so I asked...
School versus Learning
More than 50% of the science and electronics that I know are self-taught. In fact, all of the electronics that I know I learned on my own. It formed the foundation of my career. Perhaps half of the math I know came the same way. And everything about computers. I've...
OSIsoft Appoints New Senior Management
Short take: OSIsoft appoints Michael Siemer President and Wolfgang Kuchen Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing revamping the senior management ranks. OSIsoft, a leader in data technology for critical operations, recently announced these new appointments. I had...
ISA Announces First Founding Members of Global Cybersecurity Alliance
The International Society of Automation (ISA) held a press conference today to announce the first Founding Members of its new Global Cybersecurity Alliance (GCA): Schneider Electric, Rockwell Automation, Honeywell, Johnson Controls, Claroty, and Nozomi Networks. As we...
TÜV Rheinland Launches Customized Services in North America
Last November I visited TÜV Rheinland where we were briefed on its progress on cybersecurity services. It is a well known testing and service agency in Europe with the same reputation in general as UL in the US. I once served on a UL Industry Advisory Group for one of...
Profinet Specification Now Includes Time Sensitive Networking TSN
I thought Time Sensitive Networks (TSN), an addition to the IEEE Ethernet specification, was a technology that held great promise. Some technologists I respected were working on it. Then it appeared the hype was about over. I haven’t heard anything for months....
Magazine Media Group Goes Political
The publishing industry has intrigued me for most of my life. The last third or so of it I spent working within that industry. Both print and digital. I remain curious about where the industry is going. I had four bosses in the time I spent with magazine publishing....
Selling Excess Manufacturing Capacity
I receive many pitches every day. Many just don’t fit my interests. How could I pass up this one? “Just as Airbnb helps millions of people around the world instantly find a great place to stay for the night. What if car makers could use a similar model to easily order...