by Gary Mintchell | Jun 27, 2024 | Automation, Networking, Wireless
Zebra Technologies has assembled an interesting group of technology companies. Far from its printer days, it promotes wireless infrastructure and worker empowerment often. Seemingly like most technologies, private 5G systems impact on manufacturing plants takes time to reach a critical mass. Relevant press releases come my way more often lately.
This news includes NTT Data announcing a strategic partnership with Zebra Technologies to accelerate innovation in the 5G device ecosystem (the current constraint to growth).
Under this multi-year agreement, NTT DATA and Zebra Technologies will co-innovate to drive the adoption of 5G devices, which is essential for Private 5G adoption. Together, the two companies will enable intelligent asset tracking that allows for real-time monitoring and management of assets in industrial and enterprise deployments, ensuring enhanced visibility, efficiencies, and security capabilities critical to Industry 4.0 supply chain management.
The agreement establishes Zebra Technologies as a strategic partner within NTT DATA’s Device as a Service practice, making it easier for customers to access, upgrade, and simplify 5G device lifecycle management and support.
This news follows NTT DATA’s recent collaboration with Qualcomm, aimed to accelerate the evolution of the 5G device ecosystem. With enterprises accelerating digital transformation, more connectivity is needed to support Industry 4.0 applications and the adoption of AI at the edge.
By leveraging NTT DATA’s Private 5G leadership and Zebra Technologies’ expertise in intelligent data integration, asset management, and frontline coordination, the two companies aim to make the low latency and high-security features of Private 5G enabled devices easily accessible to frontline workers in the automotive, manufacturing, healthcare, and logistics industries.
Actually being used.
NTT DATA is deploying a Private 5G network throughout Hyster-Yale Group’s manufacturing operations. Hyster- Yale Group is also leveraging NTT DATA’s Device as a Service to gain visibility into assets and materials and improve communications within its facilities. This network will work with Zebra Technologies’ handheld mobile computers and tablets to track assets and materials as they enter and exit manufacturing sites, providing critical business intelligence, while also seamlessly connecting engineers, onsite teams, production lines, and materials storage locations. All of this comes together through a cost-effective deployment at scale efficiently managed through NTT DATA’s Device as a Service practice.
Benefits of Device as a Services Model
OK, everyone searches for their “as a Service” model. The benefit to the supplier, of course, is reliable, consistent income. The benefit to the customer is, well, something, I suppose. Maybe no capital cost and easy out?
NTT DATA’s Device as a Service offers customers a comprehensive turnkey solution for managing the entire device lifecycle. It provides expert planning, procurement, configuration, deployment, ongoing support, analytics, repair management, and device retirement, all under the stewardship of a trusted partner. This allows customers to use a cost-effective per-user, per-month program model to consume technology products on a pay-per-user subscription basis instead of purchasing/owning the equipment.
by Gary Mintchell | Jun 18, 2024 | Networking, Wireless
It always appeared to me that 5G and other private wireless networks held promise for many applications within industry. This report from Nokia reveals enterprises are scaling private wireless for additional uses cases and industrial sites.
- 45% of the organizations are leveraging private wireless to support more use cases than planned when first deployed.
- 100% of enterprises expanded private wireless networks use or deployed them within another location and 78% reported positive ROI in six months.
- 65% of respondents stated over 10% improvement in worker safety and 79% reported 10% or more reduction in their emissions.
- 39% of enterprises with a private wireless have since deployed on-premise edge technology, with 52% planning to do so.
This 2024 Industrial Digitalization Report highlights that all 100 interviewed early adopters are using private wireless networks in additional locations or have expanded their use by launching more use cases in existing locations.
The Nokia report and related survey was conducted by GlobalData to gauge industry progress and return on investment (ROI) among private wireless early adopters in the manufacturing, transportation, and energy industries in countries including Australia, France, Japan, UK, and US.
The Report revealed that the top benefits for enterprises deploying private wireless networks include:
- Increase in private wireless uses and locations: In 2022, many enterprises who had deployed private wireless technology were still at the proof of concept (PoC) or pilot stage, usually in a single location or single use case. In 2024, almost half of the enterprises interviewed (45%) are already taking advantage of private wireless networks with plans to do more than initially expected. 100% of the 100 enterprises interviewed have started to roll out private wireless networks to more locations or expanded their use at the original locations for driving wider industrial transformation.
- Quickly achieving ROI: 93% of the respondents achieved ROI within 12 months. In fact, 78% reported that they achieved a positive outcome within six months, and 23% hit their ROI target in just one month. Private wireless solutions have helped businesses achieve such returns by fixing broken processes and reducing the overall cost of doing business.
- Improved worker safety and sustainability: The research found that worker safety is a common challenge private wireless technology is helping to overcome, with 65% stating they realized more than 10% improvement in top use cases to improve worker safety, such as implementing geofencing technology, connected worker and robotics to carry out dangerous work.
- Furthermore, 79% of organizations experienced a significant improvement in their sustainability efforts reporting a 10%, or more, reduction in their emissions after deploying private wireless networks. The enhanced connectivity increased the ability of those surveyed to connect industrial IoT devices and sensors to better track and monitor their carbon emissions. The use of drone technology reduced the number of truck rolls. This shows how private wireless technology is leading organizational transformation, not simply digital transformation, enabling tracking and analytics to meet global sustainability objectives.
- Edge technology underpinning advance use cases: Edge technology is playing a foundational role in enabling new and more advanced low latency use cases that stretch beyond connectivity. 39% of the enterprises that deployed private wireless have since implemented an on-premise edge technology or a new selection of industrial devices to power digitalization and support complimentary technologies such as AI and analytics, with a further 52% planning to do so.
by Gary Mintchell | Apr 23, 2024 | Automation, Sensors, Wireless
Digi International PR has been working overtime sending news to me. This news regards remote monitoring and control.
Digi International introduced Digi Connect Sensor XRT-M designed to deliver reliable and seamless remote monitoring and management. It offers customers both edge and cloud-based control options, with a management platform equipped with an intuitive interface for streamlining data management and enhancing operational efficiency.
Infrastructure monitoring applications include:
- Critical infrastructure and civil engineering projects
- Water/wastewater monitoring and remote management
- Environmental monitoring
- Industrial automation and control
Key Features of Digi Connect Sensor XRT-M include:
- Extended battery life with lightweight cloud connection and dual 14.5 Ah batteries
- Rated for industrial environments with wide temperature range, C1D2 certification with NEMA enclosure
- Device health and sensor data stored in Digi Axess
- Configurable read and report intervals
- Connect to and power multiple sensors
- Compatible with a wide range of industry-standard sensors
- Modbus protocol support
- Global cellular coverage
by Gary Mintchell | Mar 5, 2024 | Automation, Networking, Technology, Wireless
We all know that the Industrial Internet of Things and other wireless devices are straining the wireless spectrum. Spectrum turns out to be a scarce resource. With continually growing communication requirements, both data and voice, this is a problem searching for a solution. (Unlike many things floating around these days that are solutions searching for a problem.)
I am publishing this entire release regarding research into something called metasurfaces that could provide some of the solution to our spectrum strangling problem.
Recent advances in communication systems, such as the increase in mobile phone users, the adoption of Internet-of-Things devices, and the integration of smart sensors in applications ranging from smart homes to manufacturing have given rise to a surge in wireless traffic. Similar to how a roadway becomes congested with vehicles, the rising wireless traffic is resulting in congestion in the available frequency bands. New frequency bands have been introduced to accommodate more communication signals to operate wireless devices without severe interference with each other.
However, supporting a broad spectrum is challenging. There are only a limited number of frequency bands available. Additionally, it increases the complexity of wireless devices and infrastructure. One possible solution for accommodating signals within existing frequency bands is to tune them in a way to further distinguish them.
Now, in a new study published in Nature Communications, a team of researchers from Japan, led by Associate Professor Hiroki Wakatsuchi from Nagoya Institute of Technology, along with co-authors Ashif Aminulloh Fathnan and Associate Professor Shinya Sugiura of the University of Tokyo, has designed a metasurface that can distinguish wireless signals based on their frequency and pulse width.
In simpler words, metasurfaces are engineered surfaces that can manipulate incident electromagnetic waves to achieve specific modifications leading to the generation of different signals. This ensures that signals are separated and do not interfere with each other, reducing the likelihood of congestion-related issues. These materials can be integrated into radio-frequency devices like antennas and filters to accommodate more users and devices within the same frequency spectrum.
The metasurface developed by researchers in this study distinguishes signals more effectively than traditional materials. “Conventionally, when the number of frequencies available was N, electromagnetic waves and related phenomena could be controlled in N manners, which is now markedly extended to the factorial number of N (i.e., N!),” explains Dr. Wakatsuchi.
The developed metasurface consists of several unit cells that respond to specific frequencies. By activating multiple unit cells, it becomes capable of handling signals across multiple frequency bands. The metasurface can be thought of as a filter that selectively transmits signals based on specific frequency sequences. The researchers liken this to frequency-hopping, where devices switch frequencies rapidly to avoid interference. However, in this case, the metasurface can be tuned to alter incoming signals based on their frequencies. This property makes it possible to receive and distinguish a variety of signals of different frequencies from wireless devices.
As a result, with the new metasurface, the number of signals that can be distinguished grows from a linear relationship to a factorial-based one. “If four or five frequencies are available, the number of signals to be distinguished increases from four or five to 24 or 120,” remarks Dr. Wakatsuchi, adding further, “Going ahead, this could help in more wireless communication signals and devices being made available even with limited frequency resources.”
According to the researchers, the number of devices connected to wireless networks per square kilometer is projected to increase from a million in 5G to 10 million in 6G by 2030. This substantial increase will inevitably strain existing frequency bands. However, with their capability to distinguish wireless signals, metasurfaces represent a novel approach to operate numerous Internet-of-Things sensors and communication devices without severe interference.
In the long run, this will be important for next-generation communication services, such as autonomous driving, smart factories, digital twin, cyber-physical systems, and behavior recognition systems!
Dr. Hiroki Wakatsuchi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering at Nagoya Institute of Technology (NITech), Japan. He completed his Ph.D. from The University of Nottingham, UK whereupon he did his postdoctoral research at UC San Diego, USA. His research interests include electromagnetics, electronics, and communications. He has so far published 62 papers (49 papers between 2005 and 2023) with over 800 citations to his credit. Dr. Wakatsuchi was also a part of the Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology (PRESTO) in the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) until March 2023. Currently, he is involved with Fusion Oriented Research for Disruptive Science and Technology (FOREST), another JST program.
by Gary Mintchell | Jan 8, 2024 | Automation, News, Sensors, Technology, Wireless
WePower introduced itself to me (and the world) at CES 2023. Way back when process instrumentation companies were developing wireless sensors (remember the “wireless wars”?) the big question was battery life. I was just searching for the first energy harvesting company I interviewed. I guess it was published at Automation World rather than my blog.
Technology progresses. WePower unveiled some cool energy harvesting generator (EHG) tech last year. They are back at CES this year with three additional products.
Wireless, batteryless Gemns EHGs from WePower harvest energy from motion and convert it into usable electricity for small-scale data transmission devices like sensors across a wide range of applications. This waste-free transient power generation is critical to the growth of the IoT, especially in the United States where consumers throw away more than three billion batteries a year.
- G100 Push-Button Switch: This 22mm push-button switch uses permanent and oscillating magnets to capture kinetic energy at a rate of more than 30 times that of the competition, and convert it to usable electricity, enabling a transmission output exceeding 8 dBm. This extra power enables data transmissions of significantly larger size, complexity, and distance across most advanced communication protocols, including ISM, Bluetooth, LoRa, Z-Wave, Thread, and Matter. The G100 push-button has been tested for a lifespan of over one million activations and is ideal for applications in industrial settings, smart home, and smart building environments.
- G150 Vibration-Activated EHG: This continuous operation EHG component draws power from vibrations to drive its functionality as a sensor. WePower will demo this component using a speaker with variable vibration to showcase the product’s ability to harvest energy continuously while also registering and communicating the vibrations’ magnitudes. This combination of functionalities make the G150 EHG an ideal solution for applications in the mining and automotive industries where any variation in production line performance must be caught and communicated.
- Industrial Limit Switch with G200: Designed to integrate seamlessly with industrial limit switches, the G200 EHG powers secure wireless transmissions across a diverse range of chips and is compatible with most advanced communication protocols. The principal unique benefit of the G200 is its substantially higher power output compared to current market offerings, enabling a game-changing two-way communication in industrial settings. This capability allows networks to confirm the receipt of safety-critical transmissions, ensuring that vital communications are both uninterrupted and verified, wirelessly and without the need for batteries—ultimately streamlining operations, reducing risk, and cutting down on waste.
by Gary Mintchell | Oct 26, 2023 | Automation, Networking, Security, Wireless
Betacom executives have been talking regularly with me about the company’s many wireless projects especially in manufacturing. This news release highlights working with MxD (Manufacturing x Digital), the National Center for Cybersecurity in Manufacturing along with Google Cloud and Ingram Micro. A case for partnerships advancing applications for practical use.
Private wireless pioneer Betacom, along with Google Cloud and Ingram Micro, today unveiled an exhibition of Industry 4.0 innovations at MxD (Manufacturing x Digital), the National Center for Cybersecurity in Manufacturing, that are redefining efficiency, productivity and competitiveness in manufacturing and supply chain industries. From smart automation and machine vision to predictive analytics and real-time inventory tracking, the technology leaders are showcasing real solutions for some of today’s most in-demand use cases, powered by private 5G, artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud technology.
The interactive exhibit is part of a collaborative effort to equip manufacturers with digital tools and expertise needed to increase productivity and strengthen U.S. manufacturing. By bringing together diverse technologies and device manufacturers on the Factory Floor Lab, Betacom, Google Cloud and Ingram Micro aim to accelerate manufacturers’ automation and digitalization initiatives by demonstrating complete solutions that are available today.
Betacom became a partner of MxD in 2022 to provide the organization’s Chicago headquarters with a fully managed private 5G network built on Zero Trust design principles. The network, one of the first indoor private 5G deployments in the U.S., is the foundation to develop and enable technologies that power Industry 4.0, including several application areas on display in this joint showcase:
- Smart Manufacturing – How machine vision, AI, data analytics, robotics, 5G and other technologies are revolutionizing manufacturing processes through automation to improve the efficiency, output quality and uptime of modern production lines.
- Digital Workforce – How mobile devices and productivity tools enabled by AI, machine learning and assisted reality capabilities can streamline worker tasks, automate visual inspection and enable new levels of remote collaboration on and off the factory floor.
- Resilient Supply Chain – How cloud based data analytics can help manufacturers understand supply chain risks to improve demand planning and optimize execution, as well as how wireless technologies are enhancing inventory and asset tracking applications to provide end-to-end visibility from production to delivery.
- Safety and Security – How today’s solutions are protecting critical assets and data from physical and cyberthreats, as well as creating safer workplaces for employees in hazardous environments.
The exhibit is open year-round. Learn more about the technology exhibit or to schedule a meeting for an onsite demonstration with our experts.
