As IoT moves to business scale, edge computing crucial

As IoT moves from experimentation to business scale, edge computing will play a major role, according to a new report from Forrester Research, which shares predictions to help CIOs and their business counterparts tackle the IoT landscape. Use cases will drive an increase in edge deployments, according to coverage in Forbes, and customers will look for platforms that support both edge and core services. That will drive consolidation in the platform market over the next three years. In turn, blockchain-based IoT adoption will increase in 2018, according to the report.

Industrial IoT will change development, according to new book from GE

The development process must change for creating applications for the industrial Internet of Things, according to coverage by Dan Woods in Forbes, writing on GE’s new book, “Industrial Internet of Things for Developers.” Developers must understand the different characteristics of edge systems; traditional, ground-up platform development processes must change; and companies will need to leverage digital twin technology and create teams with expertise from the OT and IT sides.

Device health a main driver of IIoT projects

IoT is on the radars of those in the manufacturing, oil and gas, and transportation industries. Of the 310 study participants in BSquare’s Annual IIoT Maturity Survey report, only five said they are not considering IIoT solutions, citing the lack of senior management knowledge or commitment as the primary reason for not implementing an IIoT technology solution in the next 12 to 24 months. For those with IIoT projects, more than 90% cited device-health-related goals as a key driver. Nearly two-thirds cited logistics goals, followed by operating cost reduction and increased production and better compliance. When asked whether their IIoT solution has been extremely, very, moderately, somewhat or not at all effective, 84% said their IIoT solutions have been extremely or very effective, according to the study.

Industrial Internet Consortium approves new testbed

The Industrial Internet Consortium has released a Digital Solar Plant testbed. The testbed is led by IIC members LTI, a global technology consulting and digital solutions company, and GE Digital and will be deployed in multiple phases at an L&T Solar plant in Rajasthan, India, beginning in early 2018. The testbed includes LTI’s solution framework for solar plants and GE’s Predix platform.

A good year for IoT

Here’s an IoT project to toast to. Henry of Pelham winery in Pelham, Ontario, will implement an IoT solution to help improve its planning and sustainability programs. Wireless BeWhere sensors and Huawei chips connected over Bell’s LTE-M wireless network will remotely monitor temperature and water levels, prevent vine disease and ultimately improve the health of the winery’s plants, according to a press release. In all, the project aims to decrease operating costs and provide maintenance-free data gathering.