Wireless Trends for 2014 – Boom in the Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Market
A wireless systems trend for 2014 will be a significant growth in the wireless machine-to-machine (M2M) sector.
What is M2M?
M2M means that one machine or piece of equipment is connected to a network of others. 2014 will see significant growth of new connectivity options and industry applications based on the M2M trend. For example, GE’s vision for M2M is the “Industrial Internet” where ecosystems of connected machines increase efficiency, minimize waste and energy and help people make smarter, more informed decisions.
M2M connections will be made on both wired and wireless networks, with much of the new growth in 2014 expected to be on the wireless side – in both private corporate networks and cellular.
Applications of Wireless M2M
No matter what industry or organization you are a part of, there are almost always opportunities to increase productivity by refining or streamlining work processes. Wireless M2M is helping organizations achieve this, making workflows simpler and processes leaner. Typical applications include:
- Remote Management – M2M allows tasks to be carried out remotely without the need to be on-site.
- Enhanced Monitoring – M2M solutions can observe the status of connected devices and their environment in real-time.
- Optimized Processes – When machines exchange information in real-time, they are able to support us in various tasks through automation.
- Notification Capabilities – M2M can help employees identify critical situations that require attention.
Industries Using M2M Applications
A few examples of industries realizing the benefits of wireless M2M solutions include:
- Real Estate – Building automation
- Security – Video surveillance
- Telecommunication – IP networking, wireless WAN and mobile learning
- Manufacturing – Inventory management and factory automation
- Industrial – Sensor monitoring, remote access control and utilities
- Transportation – Asset tracking and logistics management
- Retail – Point-of-sale devices and digital content signage
Wireless M2M apps are also commonly used for efficiently monitoring the condition of critical public infrastructure, such as water treatment facilities or bridges and monitoring and managing key systems at oil and gas exploration and production sites.
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