What should the role of telecom providers be in the so-called Internet of Things? @GoFarley inspired that question with his Tweet about Verizon’s aggressive push into the “Things” part of the Internet. Is being the central nervous system of IoT enough or should a provider extend beyond the telecom network to be the brains (e.g. artificial intelligent engine, as profiled earlier) and senses (e.g. the sensors and human-machine interfaces). Is it possible even for a hefty size provider like Verizon to keep up with the many end-devices, such as the one created by a high school student detailed below in the Korner?
Autonomous Vehicles Staying the Course with a Fiber Gyro
A couple of issues ago, the Viodi View looked at the idea of fiber optic technology as a fundamental ingredient to many of today’s innovations. Vehicles are about to be recipient of this technology, but not in the telecom sense. Sean McCormack, Director, FOG/OEM Sales for KVH Industries, talks about KVH’s, fiber optic-based inertial sensor as a way for an autonomous vehicle to understand where it is at all times, even, in those cases where a tunnel might block a GPS signal.
Measure Once & Cut Once #CES2016
While we are on the topic of fiber optic technology being used in non-telecom applications, let us look at a tape measure that uses lasers to effectively create a map of what is being measured. This is the type of device that will easily enable the generation of meta-data to create low-cost augmented reality and virtual reality experiences, such as will be easily displayed in smart eye wear.
HOTi Summary Part II. SDN & NFV Impact on Interconnects & Cloud Orchestration Lacking by Alan Weissberger
This article summarizes the HOTi August 26th keynote presentation from SDx Central’s Roy Chua. The impact of SDN, NFV and other Software Defined WAN/ open networking schemes on Interconnects (for intra-Data Center (DC) communications) are described along with Roy’s conclusions. Mr. Chua described the emerging trends, hot topics and the impact SDe will have on interconnect technology. A postscript notes that Cloud Automation tools for infrastructure and apps are lacking and Roy comments on when SDN like methodologies might be able to help fix that huge problem.
Road to Revolution – Part 1 by Michael Vernon Robinson
As promised in last month’s Viodi View, the above image is the first of an ongoing series of images from futurist and automobile industry executive Mike Robinson on the impact of automation on mobility and beyond.
Some Tweets and Short Thoughts:
- Watch Karl Skroban from @comporium discuss the content challenges facing small cable operators.
- Way to go @CullenHMcCarty – “Smithville Fiber Expansion Includes Affordable Housing Offering“
- Looks like this might be an opportunity for
#wireless#telcos to play in#selfdriving vehicle space. Besides SuperShuttle’s parent company as an investor, Verizon Ventures is also an investor in this mobile analytics company. #Drone piloting may be the the 1st mass market consumer#AR app according to latest announcement by Epson America.- Good insight from Parks Associates where their recent study found that 62% of U.S. car owners prefer bundling their vehicle and mobile data bills. It seems like people are thinking of their cars as another of their “things” that can be connected to the Internet. The auto just happens to be a mobile thing. It will be interesting to see how the OEMs cover the cost of connectivity as the market expands to a more price-sensitive customer base.
Making a Dumb Steering Wheel Smart #CES2016
A steering wheel cover that provides feedback via the cloud to parents who want to monitor their kid’s driving habits is what made SMARTwheel™ a CES 2016 Innovation Awards Honoree. Its sensors can turn an older car from dumb to smart.
More than monitoring, this cover is about providing a way to improve people’s driving abilities. TJ Evarts, the CEO and founder of this 6-year-old company, explains that he was 14 and driving with some older friends when he saw the need for this type of offering.
The connected steering wheel is really just the start of what could be multiple extensions. Evarts, a Shark Tank alum, hints at the gamification of the driving experience (e.g. receive points and maybe even rewards, such as MP3s for safe driving). Other potential capabilities Evarts mentions in the above interview include gesture recognition, as well as new sensors such as alcohol detection and vital sign detection.