Technology is evolving at such rate and scale to empower our lives today, that it has gone way beyond the point of human comprehension, control and command. A need for an automated platform which is designed to seep technology in to our daily lives to make it better without our direct administration, interference or supervision rose not now, but about four decades back. This curiosity is what gave away to the invention of Internet of Things (IoT).
The term “Internet of Things” was initially used by Kevin Ashton in 1999. To quote from his article “If we had computers that knew everything there was to know about things – using data they gathered without any help from us – we would be able to track and count everything, and greatly reduce waste, loss and cost. IoT is an intuitive scenario where near about any object on the surface of the earth can be paired with another with the help of unique identifiers that will enable it to transfer data over a network without Human to Human or Human to Machine interaction. Emerging from the confluence of development of wireless technologies, micro electro-mechanical systems and internet, IoT involves any object manmade or natural, which can be assigned an IP address and provided with the ability to transfer data over a network.
Being said that, what keeps check of the quality, maintenance and the bond of these networks to ensure absolute functionality of the objects involved in the IoT scenario?
A new wave of technology platforms have been emerging which is targeted to bridge and enhance sophisticated communication through hardware legends who manufacture physical devices and sensors to power the IoT. Some of the top tools that provide solutions for companies to create and deploy strong IoT applications are:
Mnubo
mnubo is one of the biggest platforms for IoT developers to create, deploy and control enterprise interfaces using machine date to formulate analytics and insights for future innovation. As a SaaS solution which is designed to cater an absolute Big Data platform, it paces you up to market and focus on what you’re best at doing.
Key Features:
| Can be deployed in public, private and hybrid cloud | Customized and Personalized reporting |
| Satiating the velocity, veracity and volume needs of static data and IoT streams. | Enhanced data visualization |
| Supports descriptive, predictive and prescriptive analytics | The sensor templates are re-usable |
Oracle
Key Features:
Seamless communication between all elements involved in the IoT architecture is enabled and ensured by Oracle’s Java embedded solutions. This is taken care by Oracle by promising a comprehensive, intuitive and safe IoT platform that provides real-time response and data capture from innumerable device endpoints.
| It captures data in real-time | Enhanced support to myriad of endpoint devices. |
| Integrates with the IT System and facilitates communication between the devices. | Functional middleware capabilities. |
Swarm
Swarm is an IoT platform that assists adding services to product portfolios with the greatest of ease. Backed up real-time, intuitive, visual access to distinct features of products, Swarm facilitates value addition through analytics, insights, reports and alerts to numerous dashboards.
Key Features:
| Real time analytics, reporting and visualization. | End Integration with the organizational ERP/CRM products. |
| Functionality of compliance testing | Provision of central Device Dashboard and customer portal |
Axeda
Axeda auto-manages products, applications and machines that are connected via a cloud-based platform to generate actionable insights and ways-forward by integrating data from myriad of systems and data sources, enhancing enterprise processes.
Key Features:
| Integration of frameworks, application services residing on the cloud and data management. | Integration of data from various sources and converting into mission critical data with value and deadlines |
| Both way cloud to cloud communications | Least time cost and secured routing of data on any network |
OpenRemote
Integrating a range of devices and making them compatible for IoT solutions is made a lot easier by OpenRemote across varying interfaces, platforms and browsers through an intuitive cloud-based tool.
Key Features:
| Compliance and integrates a variety of protocols | Personalized and customized solutions catering to various needs |
| Cloud based design tools | Allows to integrate any device and design any user interface. |
Ethiros
Ethiros is a cloud-based PaaS solution that can enable connections to the entire array of products in your portfolio. With its SaaS solution compatibility across different operational platforms and software to convert machine data into insights and operational directions, Ethiros enhances connectivity for enterprises.
Key Features:
| Any device can be connected to cloud by the cloud connector. | Single interface for all connected devices. |
| Real time monitoring and control | The Infrastructure is secure, connected and scalable. |
ioBridge
ioBridge is an intuitive platform that enables cyber connection across limitless products in your portfolio to generate valuable product feedback and insights such as product usage and customer behavior. The real assistance of ioBridge for enterprises is its time-saving and cost-reducing technology.
Key Features:
| Available in modules to enhance scalability and cost effectiveness | Easy and cost effective installation |
| Web based API available for custom applications | Customized dashboards and vizualization |
SAP
SAP’s IoT solutions address an array of logistical setbacks across enterprises to enhance transparency, improve operations and enable asset management. What makes SAP solutions stand-out is its inane connectivity that improves multifaceted enterprise communication.
Key Features:
| Real time track and monitor assets with remote updating of software. | Real time fleet management, traffic control and end to end visibility into freights, containers etc. |
| Use of predictive analytics and integration of real- time data with distributional analytics | Addressing logistic bottlenecks. |
Zatar
Zatar is on-cloud, open platform that automates internet connectivity to enterprise devices. By enabling cyber connectivity and M2M connection, Zatar lets users share information with a great ease, which in turn improves transparency within organizations.
Key Features:
| Real time data visualization and user-friendly interface | Scalable, robust and flexible. |
| Enables social media functions on IoT devices. | Compliant with all type of devices and interfaces. |
ThingWorx
ThingWorx enables efficient decision making by generating valuable feedback and insights through its inane intuitive connectivity of devices across agriculture, cities, grid, building and telematics. ThingWorx saves time, cuts costs and reduces risks in IoT applications, by providing real-time information across innumerable devices.
IoT applications don’t just revolve around big enterprise interfaces and is not just a futuristic and aspirational hyped technological trend. According to McKinsey Global Institute, the Internet of Things has the potential to create an economic impact of $2.7 trillion to $6.2 trillion annually by 2025 (McKinsey Global Institute, Disruptive technologies: Advances that will transform life, business, and the global economy, May 2013. An ideal IoT tool can change the way we work, adding value to our lives without our own interference. Although the degree of data can bring about concerns on security and ownership, IoT is evolving in such a scale that it would soon replace the inaccuracy, inattention and unintuitive characteristics of people.
”When the possibilities are infinite, the question remains where do we begin? ”
References:
https://www.owasp.org/index.php/OWASP_Internet_of_Things_Top_Ten_Project
http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/Internet-of-Things
http://blog.profitbricks.com/top-49-tools-internet-of-things/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_of_Things
Aditya is a former Happiest Mind and this content was created and published during his tenure.
