Intel: M2M should be common thread among embedded devices
Summary: Intel and Wind River representatives discuss the benefits and challenges of M2M opportunities for embedded technologies.
SAN FRANCISCO -- Machine-to-Machine (M2M) needs to start becoming the common thread and foundation among all embedded devices, argued reps from Intel and Wind River during Intel's Software Media Day on Thursday.
Intel executives reported multiple estimates for the number of connected devices we'll see by 2020, averaging between 25 million and 50 million.
Renu Navale, a strategic planner at Intel, posited that we are entering the "fourth wave" of computing in which embedded devices are making life, easier, more productive and more enjoyable.
"It's become clear to us that embedded [technology] is all around us," said Navale, citing examples ranging from medical to point-of-sale machines.
Navale asserted that there are three foundational capabilities required of all embedded devices: connectivity, security and manageability. She argued that M2M technology is the key to managing and ensuring the success of these devices.
"In order to deliver these embedded systems, you still need a complete Intel architecture," she said, "and that can only be delivered with software, operating systems and an ecosystem set up around it."
Brian Vezza, director of M2M solutions at Wind River, argued that M2M itself means being "smart." Examples of everyday devices that use M2M range from PCs, set-top boxes and gaming consoles to telematics and industrial purposes.
Vezza outlined three reasons why everyone should care about M2M: situational awareness, time-to-market and development efficiency, and enhanced productivity.
More specifically, M2M could help businesses make smarter decisions, reduce costs, improve service to customers, as well as improve safety, security, processes and work flows.
But awareness of M2M could be considered the primary challenge, mostly due to the terminology and lack of understanding about how M2M works.
"It can be challenging for people who haven’t been involved in M2M in the past to adapt this technology," Vezza said, "It won’t be difficult in the future."
This post was originally published on SmartPlanet.
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Talkback
RE: Intel: M2M should be common thread among embedded devices
RE: Intel: M2M should be common thread among embedded devices
Or Sockets? Actually, there is plenty more stuff below that too. For some of the very low level stuff used in control devices for machinery, sockets is not always a good option. Don't get me wrong, sockets is one of the best and fastest ways for machine to machine interaction when you can afford to have good computing resources. There have been various other ways of machine to machine communication, and many of them do it at a very low level. Even today, most non computing machinery rely on the good old serial port for communications with computing devices. The US has more or less given up on manufacturing, so you may not encounter this in your daily life, but if you go to Europe, China or Asia, you will see all sorts of machinery - textile, food etc - all communicating through serial ports. MS also did try their own proprietary stuff for communication - Windows Named Pipes, DCOM are examples. However, there is one common thing you will notice in all communication methods - there is a logging/polling mechanism at the root of it all, whether it is sockets or TCP/IP or serial ports or whatever.
RE: Intel: M2M should be common thread among embedded devices
Shouldn't need much in the way of computing resources to use TCP/IP. You can trace it back to what, the x86 days?
IP itself is very simple: Just a few bytes for a header, followed by whatever you want for the data. Hard to be any simpler.
Most attempts to create new protocols have essentially ended up becoming like TCP/IP, to be honest.
Honestly, if the devices can't even handle IP, then what's the use of investing in M2M? The R&D costs of developing a new M2M protocol would probably far outweigh any benefits.
And since this is Intel talking, I would imagine they're talking x86 platforms, and if that's the case then I really don't see how anything using the x86 platform shouldn't be able to handle TCP/IP.
The 3 (or 4) Laws of Robotics anyone?
Typos and truth.
Also, there's absolutely no way all those devices/machines are going use just Intel silicone, however much your Intel source might like to fantasize. I think you'll find that even today the majority use ARM chips.
RE: Intel: M2M should be common thread among embedded devices
RE: Intel: M2M should be common thread among embedded devices
louboutin020
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