AutomatedBuildings.com Review

Every month there is a blizzard of information contained in the emails and newsletters that cross my desk on their way to AutomatedBuildings.com. Some of this information is not in the form of any type of content we can publish but I feel I should share with you these snippets, blog bits, and url links that are about to fall off my desktop.

What Exactly Is The "Internet of Things"? A graphic primer behind the term & technologies Over the last several years, stories of the technologies making up an Internet of Things have started to slip into public consciousness. As this is occurring, we believe the whole story of Smart Systems and the Internet of Things is not being told. Many of the dispatches coming in from the “front lines” of technology innovation are but fragments of a much larger narrative.

IoT Connectivity Management: An Interview with David Friedman the CEO of Ayla Networks A dive into the current state of IoT connectivity platforms, history of working with IoT chipmakers, and where the market is heading next.

The BCIA and NET have together launched a new professional assessment for apprentices and ‘practising operatives’ involved in all aspects of building controls and Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS)

Samsung wants to sell the digital brains that will go into billions of “smart” home appliances, industrial sensors and other Internet-connected gadgets — even if the gadgets aren’t made by Samsung. At a technology conference Tuesday in San Francisco, the South Korean company unveiled a new line of tiny electronic components that combine low-power computer chips, transmitters and software. Manufacturers can build the components into everything from televisions to parking meters to orthopedic shoes. The new Artik components are key to Samsung’s goal of becoming a major player in the so-called “Internet of Things,” the tech industry’s buzzword for the notion that all kinds of electronic devices can be connected over the Internet. This could be a US$3 trillion industry in the next five years, analysts at International Data Corp. have estimated.

No more JAVA Plug-in! 08 MAY 2015 What was a breakthrough in its time, has become a real pain point for End Users and Systems Integrators, due to the constant security updates, patches, and it simply stops working. The JAVA plug-in originally offered a consistent sandbox for software developers to create their user interfaces independent of browsers or platforms their software would be run on, you load the plug-in and it took care of the rest. Fast forward 15 years and a lot has changed; browsers have become more capable, more compatible, and client platforms more powerful (and yes hackers have figured out ways to exploit the vulnerabilities of the JAVA plug-in). New technologies and standards have evolved such as Flash and HTML5. For developers the adoption of Adobe’s Flash technology empowered them to rapidly innovate and bring to market unprecedented new user experiences. And advances in standards like HTML5 have effectively eliminated the need for browser plug-ins all together.

KMC Controls, a leader in building automation systems, today announced a new partnership with J2 Innovations to develop cloud-based, enterprise-level integration and mobile applications to quickly and easily connect building automation systems to the Internet of Things.

Online book IOT Disruptions: The Internet of Things - Innovations & Jobs Kindle Edition by Sudha Jamthe (Author) Internet of Things aka IOT is disrupting our world with wearables, connected cars, connected home, connected cities and industrial IOT with a projected 20 Billion IOT devices in the world by 2020.

CABA launches two research projects investigating cybersecurity CABA has just launched two studies that will analyze cybersecurity in the built environment. The "Cybersecurity and the Connected Home" research project will utilize both industry expert interviews and consumer surveys to examine all the major aspects of cybersecurity in the home. Some of the topics that will be covered include: cybersecurity trends related to the Internet of Things (IoT), public concern and awareness of cybersecurity, how cybersecurity impacts the adoption of connected home devices and services, business case analysis for cybersecurity in the home, specific opportunities and recommendations for all key industry players. Currently, sponsoring CABA members include: Schneider Electric, Intermatic, Inc. and American Family Insurance.

Graham Martin, Chairman of EnOcean Alliance explains; For years, energy policy has mainly focused on different sources of renewable energy. Politicians, economists and other commentators still discuss the best performing technologies and the requirements of the power grid. However, recently another perspective is attracting more attention: energy efficiency as a valuable “source” of renewable energy.

Bill Lydon’s Automation Perspective I am convinced that collaborative robots are the highest impact automation development to improve manufacturing since the assembly line. This came into clearer focus over the last two months when I moderated the International Federation of Robotics Executive Roundtable and attended Automate 2015 and Hannover Fair 2015 in Germany.

Do you know how to measure the value of automation? A critical reason that industrial automation systems are underutilized and underappreciated is that their true value is not commonly or effectively measured. In his new book, The Value of Automation: The Best Investment an Industrial Company Can Make, Peter Martin, Ph.D., a world-renowned expert in the field of automation, shows how to quantify the value of automation through real-time performance measurement systems and indicators.

Raspberry Pi has sold five million units (at $20–$35 a pop) and become an iconic device in DIY culture. Three years ago, Eben Upton needed a cool gadget to lure students to his computer science program at the University of Cambridge. So he invented the Rasberry Pi. It has since become the cheapest hackable computer on the planet. He has sold five million (at $20 to $35 a pop), released a faster version this February, and become an icon of DIY culture. Now, as Microsoft prepares to launch a Pi-friendly version of Windows, Upton is bracing for a wave of new users. He recently spoke with Popular Science about hacking, education, and his tiny creation.

The BIM Roadmap guide The Roadmap is a method for an organisation to chart or map their corporate BIM strategy (which meets the Level 2 requirement by UK Government) via a number of clear steps. This guide expands on the approach that is already in use by HM Government departments involved in the current 2016 BIM and GSL (Government Soft Landings) mandate.

LoRaWAN is an effort from LoRa Alliance to standardize LPWAN's (Low Power Wide Area Networks) specifically for IoT, M2M and Smart cities. The network operates in a similar way to cellular networks, using Sub-GHz frequencies for improved range and power usage.

The ethical challenge raised by the IoT and this issue presents some very interesting answers to it and where not complete answers yet very helpful outlines for possible answers an ‘Ethics for the IoT’ can give and must give (rather sooner than later).

Do you think the BMS industry needs a bespoke commissioning training school ? BMS specific Training courses are regularly over subscribed & in my opinion over priced for many candidates outside of the industry who would love to break into this exciting & ever developing trade, but simply cannot afford to do so. The other problem is that many of the designated courses are only available to engineers who work for a manufacturer approved partner, but these partners are not going to take on an engineer without the appropriate skills. This then begs the question of whether there is room for a bespoke BMS commissioning engineer training school (Not Manufacturer Driven) where suitable candidates can learn all the skills required to get them the trainee or junior engineer position, or perhaps an older candidate could re-train after leaving say the armed forces.

Paragon Robotics wireless data loggers and remote sensors provide a low cost scalable solution to monitoring facility power usage, management and performance of HVAC, lighting and process systems. Paragon's wireless systems extended range and flexible integration options can provide coverage of a single facilty or a campus of buildings.

The tower, which will rise to 246 meters upon completion, will serve as the testing site for ThyssenKrupp's ground-breaking mobility solutions, including the rope-less elevator MULTI, and is already proving to be a significant tourist attraction for the Baden-Württemberg area.

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